Making Faith Stick During College

Youth pastors and parents alike are well aware that when their kids graduate from high school and go off to college, their faith comes under assault — in and out of the classroom. But a three-year longitudinal study conducted by the Fuller Youth Institute, called the College Transition Project, shows that when it comes to keeping their Christian faith on campus, some factors are more critical than others.

“One of the most interesting findings from the pilot project was the importance of doubt in a student’s faith maturity,” noted Powell Kubiak, a graduate of the Marriage and Family Program at Fuller, who coauthored the study. “The more college students felt that they had the opportunity to express their doubt while they were in high school, the higher levels of faith maturity and spiritual maturity (they had in college).” For more information about the research go to The Fuller Youth Institute.

Christian Film Has Impressive Opening Weekend

Last weekend, thanks to sold-out theaters, “Courageous,” the film produced by Sherwood Pictures, the production company of Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia, finished number four in total gross ticket sales, and number one in new movies and number one in per theater average. Only “Dolphin Tale,” “Moneyball” and “The Lion King 3D” had higher sales. Sherwood Baptist also produced the highly successful “Fireproof.” For the complete story go to ChurchExecutive.

Pastors Feel Privileged But Discouraged

The results of a new survey released last week by LifeWay Research show that almost all pastors (98%) feel privileged to be in ministry, and a majority also experience loneliness and discouragement. The research was based on interviews with 1,000 Protestant pastors in August of this year. For the complete report go to LifeWay.com.

NPR's top 100 Sci-Fi books

NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction Books. 

Going through the list I have read: 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 12, 13, 16,17, 20, 23, 24, 25, 31, 34, 46, 48, 58, 76, 94.  Most of which I read by the time I finished college with the exception of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (which is still on-going).

Mark Driscoll on TD Jakes and the Trinity

Elephant Room 2 is coming up in January (I went to #1 with my friend Brenton Balvin) and it appears that there might be a face-to-face throw down between Mark Driscoll & TD Jakes regarding the Trinity.

Driscoll shares some of his thoughts as well as an insightful teaching on the Trinity on his new blog.

This could get interesting!

Courageous - Movie Debuts tomorrow!

I think everyone should go see this movie! Take your family and friends with you too!!

Honor Begins at Home

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.
While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.
When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?
Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Riveted moviegoers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.
Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.

In Theaters September 30

Fastest Growing and Largest Churches in America

For the fifth consecutive year, Outreach Magazine partnered with LifeWay Research to compile a list of the 100 largest, and the 100 fastest growing churches in America. Researchers contacted more than 25,000 churches for the report, which is based on attendance records, not membership, from February and March of this year. The list of the fastest-growing churches includes churches with attendance greater than 1,000, a numerical gain of 249 or more, and a percentage gain of at least 6.5 percent. Rankings were determined by factoring both numerical gain and percentage growth.
Top Five Largest Churches

1. Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas, 43,500
2. North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Ga., 27,429
3. Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Ill., 24,377
4. Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky., 20,801
5. Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, Calif., 19,742

Top Five Fastest-Growing Churches

1. Richmond Outreach Center, Richmond, Va., +2,530 (83%)
2. Elevation Church, Charlotte, N.C., +2,744 (48%)
3. Real Life Church, Valencia, Calif., +1,763 (111%)
4. The Potter's House of Denver, Denver, Colo., +1,800 (51%)
5. Christ's Church of the Valley, Peoria, Ariz., +4,049 (29%)

Analysis of the data also revealed that:

• Seventeen of the largest churches are in Texas, the most of any state.
• Texas is also the state with the most fastest-growing churches on the list with eleven.
• Almost half (47%) of the largest churches are “nondenominational.”
• Common to many churches on the two lists were such factors as leadership development, the use of multiple sites, a small groups emphasis, and a desire to minister to their local communities.

For more information about the lists, or to order a copy of the special issue, Outreach 100, go to OutReachMagazine.com.

New Book Outlines Decline of American Religion

The majority of Americans say they believe in God and almost 40 percent claim they attend religious services every week, but a new book that is based on almost 40 years of research shows that actual church attendance is not that high, and what people mean when they tell pollsters that they pray or believe in God is not always clear.

The book, American Religion: Contemporary Trends by Dr. Mark Chaves of Duke University, presents an overview of religious trends in the United States, and is based on the National Congregations Study, and the General Social Survey, research which goes back to 1972. In his book and in a recent article posted on the Association of Religion data Archives Web site, Dr. Chaves concludes that in some ways religious expression in America has been very stable over the years, but in other ways there are significant signs of decline. For example:

• The percentages of Americans who know that God exists (64%), say they've had a born-again experience (36%), and who pray several times a week (69%) have remained steady since the 1980s.
• The percentages of individuals who read the Bible at least weekly (31%), watch religious television (28%), feel extremely close to God (31%), consider themselves very or extremely religious (26%), or believe in heaven (86%) or hell (73%) haven't changed much during the 17-year period over which they were measured .
• In 1957, three percent of Americans said they had no religious affiliation. By 2008, the percentage increased to 17 percent.
• The weekly church attendance rate is closer to 25 percent than the 35 or 40 percent often reported.
• The percentage of people who never attend religious services increased from 13 percent in 1990 to 22 percent in 2008.
• The percentage of people who report growing up with religiously active fathers declined from nearly 70 percent for those born before 1900 to about 45 percent for those born after 1970.
• Over the last 30 years, the percentage of people who say they believe that the Bible should be taken literally declined from approximately 40 percent to just over 30 percent.
• The percentage of people who say that they have a great deal of confidence in leaders of religious institutions has declined from about 35 percent in the 1970s to about 25 percent today.

Dr. Mark Chaves, who is a professor of sociology, religion and divinity at Duke University, directs the National Congregations Study and specializes in the sociology of religion. His newest book is, American Religion: Contemporary Trends, and his article mentioned above, “The Decline of American Religion” can be found at thearda.com.

Eagle Brook Church does "Don't Stop Believing

I love creative churches and I love Eagle Brook Church, so the following absolutely ROCKS! EBC covering "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey to introduce their newest (5th!) campus in Woodbury, MN.

Evangelical Millennials and Homosexual Issues

A recent Public Religion Research Institute telephone survey of 3,000 Millennials, conducted between July 14 and 30, indicates that people between the ages of 18 and 29 have more liberal views on same-sex issues than their parents and grandparents — regardless of political affiliations or Christian faith. The survey found that 44 percent of white evangelical Millennials favor same-sex marriage, compared to only 12 percent of evangelical seniors and 19 percent of evangelicals overall.

Dawn McBane, director for Rising Voice for Citizen Link — a year-old outreach to Millennials — said, “It’s important to make sure Christian Millennials understand the importance of a biblical worldview so they can think well about issues of marriage and sexuality,” she said. “Our desire is to encourage Millennials to think deeply about issues from a biblical worldview and then challenge them to live out their beliefs in every-day life.” [CitizenLink.com]

Being married fights abortions

 Full article here.

"Studies have consistently shown that stable families built upon life-long, committed marriages between a man and a woman are by far the best for protecting life."

That there is a difference is no surprise to me, but the size of difference is astonishing.  I'm obviously pro-marriage.

National Anthem “Too Violent”

Goshen College, a small Mennonite school in Indiana banned the “The Star Spangled Banner” at all sporting events because Jim Brenneman, the school’s president, considers the National Anthem’s words to be too violent. Last year, the 1,000-student body school banned the words, but the band could still play the music. Brenneman said, “I am committed to retaining the best of what it means to be a Mennonite college, while opening the doors wider to all who share our core values. And, I invite others to join us at Goshen College as we make peace in all of its forms, even with the National Anthem.”  (From The Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

My thoughts:
It strikes me as quite ironic that this is a protest of the very violence that affords them the freedom to ban the National Anthem.  But along with that, I'd fight for their very right to do so.  Fully living out their Mennonite views would (at least to me) logically put them at odds with the language in "The Star Spangled Banner" and I appreciate their willingness to stand for what they believe while not sharing this component of their faith.

Preaching Magazine's 25 Most Influential Pastors of the Past 25 Years

Because the primary focus and audience of Preaching magazine has been the American pulpit, that is the context in which these preachers are recognized. Many gifted and influential preachers have served faithfully around the world and in terms of Kingdom impact may have touched far more than many of those listed below. We may not know them, but God does.
Here, then, are the 25 most influential preachers of the past 25 years:

1.  Billy Graham
2. Chuck Swindoll
3.  Rick Warren
4.  Gardner C. Taylor
5.  John MacArthur
6.  Adrian Rogers
7.  Haddon Robinson
8.  Andy Stanley
9.  John R.W. Stott
10.  W.A. Criswell
11.  John Piper
12.  Charles Stanley

Involved Fathers Produce Better Kids

A recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science confirms what many in the Christian community have been saying: Children whose fathers live with them and are actively engaged in their lives have higher IQs and fewer behavioral problems than those in single-parent homes headed by moms.

“This new study supports a wealth of existing data published over the last 30 years, showing that dads bring things that are essential to healthy child-development, and primarily because of the particular ways they tend to play with their children, being more physical and unpredictable,” noted Glenn T. Stanton, director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family. Mr. Stanton examines the topic in detail in his book Secure Daughters, Confident Sons.

“Father play provides kids with a range of important experiences — many of them building things like a greater sense of confidence as well as empathy toward others — that mom’s way of play is just not as likely to stimulate.” [CitizenLink.com]

(from The Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Bethel Fantasy Football Team

The last few years I've been part of a Fantasy Football League made up of various Bethel Seminary professors and alumni.  Our draft was tonight and since my 2 year average was pretty strong it meant I got slotted to draft #11 in a 12-team league.  We're a 1 QB 2RB 2 WR 1 TE 1 D/ST 1 K 1 Flex league, having only added the flex this season.  Flex = either RB or WR

I drafted:
Aaron Rogers - QB
Rashard Mendenhall - RB
Javid Best - RB
Austin Collie - WR (flex)
Miles Austin - WR
Jeremy Maclin - WR
Jason Witten - TE
Packers - D/ST
Alex Henery - K

Bench:
Brandon Jacobs - RB
Donovan McNabb - QB
Robert Meachem - WR
Michael Bush - RB
Lions - D/ST
Davone Bess - WR
Tashard Choice - RB

I debated with my final pick on whether to take Choice or another TE.  None of the TE's looked that appealing, so I went with an extra RB & will have to scramble on Jason Witten's bye-week.

Interestingly - all but 2 of my starters are NFC players, and all but 2 of my bench are NFC players.  I'm pretty heavily weighted in the NFC North and East with Rogers, Best, Packer's D, McNabb & Lion's D from the North and from the East I have Austin, Maclin, Witten, Henery, Jacobs, and Choice.

I can envision a week where all my starters outside of my K & TE are injured, but if they all stay healthy I think that is a pretty strong team.

Overview of the Bible in 2 weeks

This from Dane Ortland:

The Sweep of the Bible in Two Weeks

If a freshman in college or stay-at-home mom or aspiring deacon or friend from work or anyone else asked me how they might get a rough grasp of the macro-storyline of the Bible in a few weeks, I'd send them not to any secondary resource but to the Bible itself for a reading plan that might look something like this.

Week 1

Sunday - Genesis 1-3
Monday - Genesis 12-17
Tuesday - Exodus 1-3, 12
Wednesday - Exodus 14, 19-20
Thursday - Joshua 23-24; Judges 1-2
Friday - 1 Samuel 8, 16; 2 Samuel 7, 11; Psalm 105
Saturday - Isaiah 7, 9, 11, 35, 52-53, 65

Week 2

Sunday - Jeremiah 30-33; Ezekiel 36-37, Zechariah 9; Malachi 3-4
Monday - Matt. 1:1; Mark 1:1-15; John 1:1-18; 5:39-46; Luke 24
Tuesday - Mark 14:1-16:8
Wednesday - Acts 1-2; 13:13-49
Thursday - Rom. 1:1-6; 16-17; 3:9-31; 5:12-21; 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-23
Friday - Heb. 1:1-4; 10:19-12:2
Saturday - Revelation 1; 20-22

Could Christians End Extreme Poverty?

Several Christ-centered organizations are partnering to eradicate extreme poverty by 2035. The project, called “58”, is led by Scott Todd, a senior adviser at Compassion International, one of the organizations sponsoring the project. Some of the other groups involved are: HOPE International; Christian Reformed World Relief Committee; Living Water International; and Food for the Hungry. The group designed a website to highlight hundreds of organizations that are working to fight poverty.

The project is rooted in the biblical passage of Isaiah 58 where the prophet Isaiah tells the Jews that their fasts are meaningless because they are rooted in greed and desire for personal gain. If they really want the world around them to improve, the prophet tells them, they need to fast for the right reasons — to help those around them and to cleanse themselves of wickedness. [Philanthropy.com]

Fewer Doctors Performing Abortions

According to the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, a new study finds that only 14 percent of doctors are currently willing to do abortions compared to 22 percent in 2008. The research, which was based on a mail survey of 1,800 OBGYNs, also revealed that:

• Female physicians were more likely to provide abortions than were male (18.6% compared with 10.6%).
• Jewish doctors were the most likely to say they perform abortions (40.2 percent) and Evangelical Protestant doctors were the least likely (1.2 percent).
• Among OBGYNs, 97 percent encountered patients seeking abortions.

See LifeNews.com to read the full article.

Marriage trends in blue-collar America

There is a growing marginalization of marriage in blue-collar America while it’s doing better among the more educated classes. This has important consequences for the greater cementing of class divides.


And it affects church life. Princeton sociologist of religion Robert Wuthnow, explains in his book After the Baby Boomers that the connection between marital status and church attendance is remarkably parallel. People who marry are more likely to attend church. If they don’t marry, they are not likely to attend. So this social shift is significant in many ways.

A unique and important report has just been released by the Brookings Institute, co-authored by two of the world’s leading marriage scholars: The more socially conservative W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project and associate professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, and the socially liberal Andrew J. Cherlin, professor of Sociology and Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University.
Both scholars are concerned about the marked decline of marriage among those who have graduated from high school, but have no college degree. This encompasses a full 58 percent of the adult U.S. population.1
 
The Evidence

• “Although marriage is still held in high regard across social classes in America, in recent years, moderately educated Americans have become less likely to form stable, high-quality marriages, while college-educated Americans (who make up 30 percent of the adult population) have become more likely to do so.”2 (emphasis added)

A distinct marriage divide is developing in the following ways among these two social classes:

• High school-only grads are markedly more likely than college grads to have three or more sex partners in a lifetime.
• Although many college graduates cohabit before marriage (markedly fewer, however, than non-college grads) nearly all of them (94 percent) marry before having their first child. This is not true for high school-only grads, with just 56 percent marrying before the birth of their first child.
• And not only are high school-only grads more likely to have their children in cohabiting homes, but to also to raise them in this environment. This is of significant concern, given the profoundly higher levels of general volatility and instability in cohabiting homes.
• Divorce rates among college grads have fallen to early-1970 levels in the last few years. Divorce has risen slightly for high-school grads.
• Reports of college graduates being “very happy” in their marriages have remained stable at 69 percent since the 1970s. It has slipped a bit over this time frame for the moderately educated and dropped nearly 10 percent for those who’ve never graduated from high school.
• A teen with a college-educated mother is just as likely to be living with both mother and father today as in 1970s (80 percent). This is not true for a teen living with a high school-only educated mother. While 74 percent of such teens lived with both mom and dad in the 1970s, now only 58 percent do.

Given how out-of-wedlock child-bearing, cohabitation and divorce are more likely to prevent adults and their children from advancing socio-economically - while intact marriages boost such advancement - this trend of declining marriage among the working-class should be of great concern to all who care about improving social mobility and living status.

Causes of the Blue-Collar Marriage Decline
While being blue-collar is an economic status, it is not merely economics driving this decline. Professors Wilcox and Cherlin remind us that “there was no dramatic increase in non-marital childbearing or cohabitation during the Great Depression, when millions of Americans experienced unemployment or underemployment.”3 

They explain that other factors are contributing to this working-class retreat from marriage:

1. Dramatic changes in social norms surrounding sex and unmarried parenting.
2. Non-college educated Americans tend to be less involved in religious participation, which is not so true for the college-educated.
3. Changes in laws and attitudes that favor individual autonomy over social responsibility, as well as parenthood itself over marriage.

Wilcox and Cherlin show how all of these developments have happened more dynamically among the non-college educated than the college educated.
They conclude:

• “Taken together, these economic and cultural shifts have made Middle Americans less likely to get and stay married. Indeed, one sign that moderately educated Americans’ faith in marriage is waning is that fully 43 percent of (them) … report that ‘marriage has not worked out for most people they know,’ compared to just 17 percent of highly-educated young adults.”4

When any class of citizens turns away from marriage, it is not liberating nor empowering.

---------------------------------------------------------
1 W. Bradford Wilcox and Andrew J. Cherlin, “The Marginalization of Marriage in Middle America,” Center on Children and Families at Brookings, CCF Brief #46, August 2011, p. 2.
2 W. Bradford Wilcox, “When Marriage Disappears: The New Middle America,” a report from the National Marriage Project , University of Virginia, December 2010, p. ix.
3 Wilcox and Cherlin, 2011, p. 3.
4 Wilcox and Cherlin, 2011, p. 4. 

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

So you wanna be a church planter???

Ed Stetzer is at the top of the list of great minds in church planting (among many other things he's incredibly knowledgeable and well spoken on).  He recently gave a talk detailing what it takes to be a church planter & you can find that video below.
The Exchange June 2011 - Are You a Church Planter? from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.


Guys I know who have planted churches in the last year or two:
Tony Rambo - The River Church
Dave Tilma - Ezra Church
Michael Behm - Real Life Church
Brad Kindall - Gallery Covenant Church
Ryan Lunceford - Advance Church
David Sorn - Renovation Church
Chris Wachter - Hiawatha Church
Michael Binder - Mill City Church

There's about 5 more, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment who else should be on this list.

Pastors Divided on Performing Weddings

A new survey of 1,000 randomly selected American Protestant pastors by LifeWay Research, conducted in October 2010, shows pastors have widely differing standards for when they will and will not perform wedding ceremonies. Views were varied depending on those who classified themselves as mainline or evangelical.
In response to the questions:
“When asked to do so, will you perform a marriage ceremony for a couple whom you know is living together?”

• 68 percent of mainline pastors and 57 percent of evangelicals say “yes.”
• 24 percent of mainline pastors and 34 percent of evangelicals say “no.”

“When asked to do so, will you perform a marriage ceremony if the man or woman has been divorced?”

• 41 percent of mainline pastors and 29 percent of evangelicals say, “Yes, regardless of the reason.”
• 55 percent of mainline and 65 percent of evangelical pastors answered, “Yes, depending on the reason.”
• Only two percent of mainline pastors and five percent of evangelical pastors answered, “No.”

A minister’s level of education also reveals differences in a pastor's willingness to perform marriage ceremonies for couples who are living together or divorced.
To view the article, go to LifeWay.com.

New Bible App

A month ago, the world’s largest Audio Bible ministry, Faith Comes By Hearing, announced that their free app, Bible.is, contained 218 languages. Now, a month later, it stands at an astonishing 542 languages, which are accessible on the app and website — many with text and audio. The app lets you read and listen to God’s Word through your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. The ministry currently offers word-for-word Audio New Testaments in 565 languages, with a goal of having 2,000 such recordings by 2016. Current estimates show this will represent a potential outreach to 97% of the world’s population.

“The Scripture is crisp and clear for easy reading with simple audio controls,” said Troy Carl, Faith Comes By Hearing’s national director. “There’s also a 40-day listening program that guides you through the entire New Testament in just 28 minutes a day.”

The app also allows users to share a verse on Facebook, and bookmark, highlight and add notes — just as they might in the margins of their hard-copy Bibles. [Bible.is, CitizenLink.com]

Twenty-Year Study of Religious Trends

The Barna Group released over the past two weeks, a six-part study dealing with the state of the church in the United States. The report, which is based on 20 years of research, covers topics such as generational trends, gender differences, racial/ethnic differences and regional differences in expressions of faith.
Some of the more interesting findings in the study include:

• The percentage of Baby Busters (born from 1965 through 1983) who are unchurched, rose to 39 percent (an increase of eight percentage points) since 1991.
• The percentage of Busters who describe themselves as Christians increased by nine points to 80 percent.
• A majority of women (56 percent) do not attend church services during a typical week, and 64 percent of men do not attend.
• The Midwest is the region with the greatest degree of religious change since 1991, including a drop in church attendance from 55 percent to 40 percent.
• Most Americans (about four out of five), consider themselves to be Christians, but only 47 percent of this group attend church services during a typical week.

To read all six parts of the State of the Church Series, 2011, go to Barna.org.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
 
Initially, I think I missed some of the big picture from this book the first time through.  I had the chance to see David Platt speak a few months after reading it, which caused me to go back & give it a second look.  What I found there really resonated with me deeply the second time through.  So my first read would've given it a weak 4 of 5 star, it is now a solid 5 of 5 stars.

In short, Platt is calling us back to a biblical Christianity - living out our faith as it is instructed in the Bible, rather than based on our traditions and/or feelings.  A bit different than how Francis Chan has been doing this, but with a very similar spirit and common end goal I think.  Platt's is probably a bit more narrowly focused than Chan's vision in my opinion.  Both are needed.

Upon my first reading, I honestly chaffed a bit at what appeared to be Platt pushing some guilt on "America" for being prosperous.  My second time through, and after hearing him speak, it is clear that I was mistaken.  Platt's passion for the spread of the Gospel is challenging, inspirational, and infectious.  To live as Platt (and the Bible) calls us is indeed to be Radical.  That might mean some sacrifice on our part - but to God be the glory if we may be blessed with that opportunity.

Platt challenges the reader in Radical to step up in a big way in living out your faith.  He calls us to step forward boldly in partnering with the work of God to spread His Good News throughout the world.

God continues to open my eyes and heart to the needs of the world around me, and Radical is another challenging blessing to help me move forward.  I appreciate the holy discontent this book fosters in me.  I further appreciate how he resists creating a cookie cutter process of applying this to our own lives.  He stirs up the discontent creating the need, but then lets you find how to best meet that need in your own life/ministry.  Some might want it spelled out step by step for them, but I think it would've been a mistake for him to do so.

The final thing I want to mention that is worth noting is at the very least in reading this book, David Platt's passion for this subject is unmistakable.  His heart comes through on every page, and for me that makes it ever more so readable.  Passion is a highly underrated thing in writing a book, and in Radical he's managed to put it into words so that it might ignite something in everyone who reads it.  Well done!


I was given a free review copy of this book from Water Brook Multnomah Publishing Group, but am not paid to do the review in any way.

A view of fatherhood today

A new analysis from Pew using data from the stellar National Survey of Family Growth brings a small bit of good news on the fatherhood front, but also some very bad news.

The bad news: More children are living without the tremendous advantage of having daily access to their fathers in the home.

The good news: Of those who do have a father in their home, their dads are 2.5 times more likely to be closely involved in their children’s care than live-in fathers were in the 1960s.

But this is little consolation against the very dark cloud of fatherlessness — 21 percent of white fathers, 44 percent of black fathers, and 35 percent of Hispanic fathers live apart from their children. Twenty-seven percent of absent fathers say they have not seen their children even once in the past year.

And fatherlessness marks a distinct class divide, as 40 percent of fathers who never completed high school live apart from their children, while only 7 percent of fathers who graduated from college do.

While it is well known how important a father’s involvement is to healthy child development, a very interesting and lesser known finding comes from a 26-year longitudinal study which says that the strongest factor indicating whether children practiced high levels of empathic concern for others in their adult years was whether they had an involved father in their life. In fact, father care was a stronger indicator here than the three strongest maternal factors combined! The study explained, “These results appear to fit with previous findings indicating that pro-social behaviors such as altruism and generosity in children were related to active involvement in child care by fathers.”

Fathers matter in many unlikely ways. And when fewer children have less access to their fathers, that matters for the children, and it matters for all of us.

Go to A Tale of Two Fathers to view the study from Pew Research.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Religious Trends Since 1991

This week, The Barna Group released the first two installments in a series of briefs dealing with the state of the church and how religion in America has shifted over the past 20 years. In Part 1, Barna looks at 14 religious variables (six behaviors and eight beliefs), and examines how expressions of faith have changed over the past two decades. His research revealed that:

• Weekly Bible reading among adults dropped by five percent to its current level of 40 percent.
• Sunday School attendance is currently at 15 percent of adults – a drop of eight percent.
• Church attendance dropped from 49 percent in 1991 to 40 percent in 2011.
• The number of unchurched adults grew from 37 percent to 50 percent over the past 20 years.
• The number of adults who can be classified as born again rose from 35 percent to 40 percent.
• In 1991, 46 percent of adults strongly affirmed that “the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches.” Just 38 percent hold the same belief today.

For the complete report go to Barna.org.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Best Buy's Geek Squad - a review

My hard drive on my laptop (18 months old) died earlier this week.  Headache.  I did what I could to identify the problem(s) and quickly came to the conclusion it was beyond my ability to fix.  I suspected it was a bad boot sector since it was running when I went to bed and wouldn't run in the morning.  Diagnostics showed the memory & hard disk were in working shape.  So off to Mankato's Best Buy I went to see if the Geek Squad could bail me out.

When I arrived, I was greeted, but then had to wait 25 minutes before I even got the paperwork to start filling out to inform them of my problem.  15 minutes later a tech came out of the back, asked a few questions, made a few notes, took $200+ of my money & said they'd call in 2-3 days.  As part of their services they include a "free" anti-virus software package that you chose from the 4-5 they have sitting behind their counter.  They said it was included in the price, so I asked for them to send home a copy of Webroot when I pick up my laptop.  I specifically asked that they NOT install it, as I use AVG on all my rigs (and my family members too!).

2 days later they called & said their diagnostics concludes book sector failure.  Umm...yeah...I told you that when I brought it in.

I need a new hard drive.  Ok, well what do you have that is comparable or better than what I had?  They say they have a 500Gb Western Digital.  I ask if it is 7200RPM?  No - we don't have one for a laptop with that speed.  My previous Toshiba drive (the one that died) was 500Gb & 7200RPM and whisper silent.  But I guess I'll settle for 5400RPM.

What self respecting computer shop the size of Best Buy's Geek Squad doesn't have a better hard drive to offer me?  Ridiculous.

So we talk about what it will cost for the drive and I inform them I'd like to pay to have them move what data they can rescue from the old drive onto the new drive.  There's about 8 months worth of video and photos, plus ALL my music on that drive.  About 250Gig worth.

We can do that sir.  It'll be $$$.

Ouch.  But I want that data, so go ahead and do it. 

A day later I get the call that my computer is done.  I drive to Mankato (60 mile round trip) & to pick up my rig.  When I arrive it is about 15 minutes before close.  I walk up to the Geek Squad desk & nobody is there.  So I stand there, thinking someone will come out shortly.  Nope.  10 minutes later I call the store from my cell phone, work my way through the phone tree & talk with the Geek Squad guy who is in reality only 15 feet from me in their work area.  I mention that I've been standing at their desk for 10+ minutes and how I'd like to pick up my laptop and go home.  I pay, and it is considerably less than I was expecting.  But since they already charged me $200+ to tell me what I already knew, I thought maybe that covered part of this.  I paid, took my laptop, Webroot & old hard drive and went home.

When I got home and fired it up I discovered that they had NOT recovered any data from the old drive & put it on the new one.  And they HAD installed the Webroot.  And the Windows & they loaded on the new drive come with bonus bloatware.

I'm a pretty patient and understanding person, but I refrained from calling them because I didn't want to say something that would be construed as not particularly pastoral.

So today I downloaded software off the web & am in the process of digging out my old files from the bad hard drive.  And it looks like it is finding everything, though it takes a long time to run, so we'll see.  But I really shouldn't have to be doing this.  So unless it is dire circumstances, I'm unlikely to be using the Geek Squad any time soon.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2 review

Needed an evening off last night after a frustrating week, so I headed east to O-town and took in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (pt. 2) to relax and cool off.

So I'm clear, I didn't dislike the movie.  But of all the Harry Potter movies, this one is definitely my least favorite.  Throughout the movie the thought kept coming to mind "Lord of the Rings did this so much better."  Better characters, better acting, better effects, better score, better fight scenes, better good verses evil plot.

And I really feel like they mailed it on on the ending (most everything following the destruction of Voldemort).

I did like that it was fairly dark and gritty throughout, with a noticeable scene brightening (with sunlight!) to both start and end the movie.

Have you seen it?  What did you think?

Is the value in having a church in your community?

The results of a study released by the Barna Group last week, show that a majority of Americans believe that the presence of a church is “very” (53%) or “somewhat” (25%) positive for their community. By contrast, only 5 percent of Americans believe that the church has either a “very negative” or “somewhat negative” impact on their community.

Along with finding out general feelings about the value of the church, the research also attempted to discover the ways that individuals believed that churches could be meeting needs, and contributing in a positive way in their local communities. Those interviewed were asked, “Many churches and faith leaders want to contribute positively to the common good of their community. What does your community need, if anything, that you feel churches could provide?”

• Twenty-one percent were not able to give a single response as to how churches could contribute positively to their communities.
• Among those who had not attended a church for at least six months, one-third were not certain how a local church could be beneficial.
• Twenty-nine percent said churches can positively influence their communities by addressing poverty and helping the poor.
• Ten percent believe churches should assist those in recovery by providing counseling and support groups.
• Seven percent said churches can assist in terms of financial, career-related or other educational ways—such as helping the unemployed get jobs, giving financial assistance, providing financial counseling, and offering literacy classes.
• Ministry activities such as teaching the Bible, giving spiritual direction, serving youth and the elderly, and cultivating Biblical values were also mentioned as ways the church can have a positive impact on a community.

David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, made four observations about the results of the study:

1. Even the unchurched believe churches are an important element of a community.
2. Most Americans who have no religious affiliation or belief are not overtly hostile to churches. They are basically indifferent to the church.
3. Other than addressing poverty, most Americans do not connect the role of the church to civic affairs such as public education, adoption or foster care.
4. Helping individuals find their way to God through Christ is seldom seen as a way to serve the local community.

The research, which was conducted in February of this year, was based on online interviews with 1,021 adults. For the complete report go to Barna.org.

Where to eat in St. Paul?

http://www.vita.mn/story.php?id=125652338 - Lots of great recommendations here.

BEST RESTAURANTS IN ST. PAUL

1. The Strip Club Meat & Fish
2. W.A. Frost & Co.
3. The Nook
4. The Blue Door Pub
5. Heartland Restaurant
6. Meritage
7. The Happy Gnome
8. Ngon Vietnamese Bistro
9. Punch Pizza
10. Shish

Where to eat in Minneapolis?

http://www.vita.mn/story.php?id=125652338 - Lots of great recommendations here.

Best restaurants in Minneapolis

1. 112 Eatery
2. Brasa
3. Bar La Grassa
4. Manny's Steakhouse
5. Hell's Kitchen
6. Barbette
7. Pizza Lucé
8. Chino Latino
9. Fuji Ya
10. Victor's 1959 Cafe

The Gospel - Mark Driscoll

Most Americans Say: Bible is the Inspired Word of God

A poll conducted by The Gallup Organization in May of this year reveals that three in 10 Americans (30%) believe that the Bible is to be taken literally and that it is the actual Word of God, and another 49 percent said they see the Bible as inspired by God, but not to be taken literally in every way.
Those who took part in the survey were asked, “Which of the following statements comes closest to describing your views about the Bible? (1) The Bible is the actual Word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word. (2) The Bible is the inspired Word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally. (3) The Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man.” The second option was the most popular choice with 49 percent saying that they believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word but should not be taken literally. The statement regarding viewing the Bible as legends and fables was chosen by 17 percent of those who were polled.
The research relating to the Bible, which has been conducted since 1977, also revealed that:

• Belief in a literal interpretation of the Bible declines as educational attainment increases.
• Those who attend church more often are more likely to hold a literal view of the Bible.
• Republicans and Conservatives are more likely to take the Bible literally than Democrats and Liberals.
• A higher percentage of low-income Americans believe the Bible to be literally true.

In 1977, 45 percent of Americans viewed the Bible as God’s inspired Word, but not to be taken literally, while 38 percent said they believed that the Bible was the actual Word of God and should be taken literally. Only 13 percent saw the Bible as just history, legends and fables.
The study was based on telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,018 adults. For the complete report go to Gallup.com.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Bible Lectures by Dr. Marva Dawn

The following videos are the Bible Lectures at the 57th Annual Meeting in 2011 of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches in Scottsdale, AZ by Reverend Dr. Marva Dawn.

Internationally renowned theologian, author, and educator Dr. Marva J. Dawn serves as Teaching Fellow in Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Under Christians Equipped for Ministry (CEM), she has preached and taught at seminaries, clergy conferences, churches, assemblies, and universities throughout the United States and Canada and in Australia, China and Hong Kong, England, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Singapore, and Scotland.

A scholar with four masters degrees and a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics and the Scriptures from the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Dawn is also a popular preacher and speaker for people of all ages.

She is the author of numerous articles and over 20 books, several of which have won awards and\or been translated into Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and other languages.


The series of lectures she presented were titled "Three Sentences for the Revelation".

Lecture One: "Jesus Christ is Lord".  (BTW - my favorite of the three presentations)

Getting to know Planned Parenthood

Saw this on Vitamin Z:

The Witherspoon Institute:

An in-depth investigation of Planned Parenthood by Americans United for Life, the nation’s first pro-life public-interest law and policy organization (where I serve as Senior Vice President and Senior Council), demonstrates that abortion is central to Planned Parenthood’s business. The AUL Report, however, uncovers much, much more than just the importance of abortion to Planned Parenthood operations. It reveals Planned Parenthood practices that are irresponsible, dangerous, and fly in the face of the organization’s claims of dedication to women in need of medical services.

AUL’s Report pulls together in one place, for the first time, a litany of scandals associated with Planned Parenthood, demonstrating the breadth and persistence of the organization’s abuses. The Report shows that the “fuss” about Planned Parenthood is currently, if anything, about far too little. What follows in this article are just a few examples of the many reasons, all documented by the Report, why state—and federal—legislatures are (and all Americans should be) rethinking their dedication to Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood claims to be a “trusted health care provider,” but the AUL Report clearly shows that there is little to trust about Planned Parenthood. Even so, the Report only scratches the surface. Congress should use its power to investigate Planned Parenthood further and determine, once and for all, if it deserves our support, our loyalty, and our money. Until Planned Parenthood answers for its behavior, the surprise is not that the people of Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, and Texas want to take away their funding, but that Planned Parenthood has not already been stripped of taxpayer dollars throughout the nation. Slowly but surely, Americans will become aware of how little Planned Parenthood deserves our trust, our respect, and our tax dollars. It is time to consider if you really know about Planned Parenthood.

If you would like to learn more and read the complete report published by AUL, please visit www.aul.org.

(bold emphasis mine)

Is Support for Marriage Growing?

The results of a new poll released last week, that seem to contradict other recent research, shows that 62 percent of Americans either agree or strongly agree with the statement, “I believe that marriage should be defined only as a union between one man and one woman.” The survey was sponsored by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) and was carried out by Public Opinion Strategies, May 16-19, 2011.

Those who conduct public opinion polls have often pointed out that the wording of a question can have a major impact on the response. For example, when a Pew survey asked, “Do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?” a majority (53 percent) said it should be “legal.” A poll conducted by Gallup in May asked, “Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?” A small majority (53 percent) said they should be recognized while 45 percent said they should not. And, a CNN/Opinion Research survey released in April of this year indicated that just over half (51 percent) of all Americans believe that same-sex marriages should be legally valid.

Billions Given to Charity in 2010

Americans gave nearly four percent more to charities in 2010 ($291 billion) compared to 2009 ($280.3 billion) reported the Giving USA Foundation and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. However, it was still more than six percent below a 2007 record. Patrick Rooney, executive director of the Center on Philanthropy said, “The sobering reality is that many nonprofits are still hurting.” The study estimates the giving by about 75 million households, up to 1.5 million corporations, an estimated 120,000 estates and about 77,000 foundations. The money goes to more than 1.2 million registered charities and some 350,000 American religious congregations. [Reuters.com]

Sixth State to Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks

The Alabama Legislature voted to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, joining Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska in banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Gov. Robert Bently signed the bill into law. Oregon, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Minnesota are considering similar legislation. [CitizenLink.com]

Where Are the Children?

A recent USA TODAY analysis of 2010 Census Bureau data shows that the share of the population younger than 18 has dropped in 95 percent of U.S. counties since 2000 – despite a 9.7 percent growth in the U.S. population. Currently, children (under age 18) make up 24 percent of the nation’s population, compared to 25.7 percent in 2000.
Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, sees it as a sad trend. “There is tremendous value in children,” he wrote on his blog last week. “There is nothing sweeter than the sound of a little person playing and laughing. To see a child is to stand in awe of our Creator. We would be hard pressed to find a better way to invest our time than in the life of a little girl or boy.”
The census analysis also reveals that:

• The number of households that have children under 18 has stayed at 38 million since 2000, but because of the 9.7 percent population growth, the share of households with children dropped from 36 percent in 2000 to 33.5 percent in 2010.
• There are now more households with dogs (43 million) than children.
• In rural counties, the child population dropped by more than 6 percent over the last 10 years.
• Even in counties where the percentage of children grew, only 49 gained more than 1 percentage point.

Glenn Stanton, director of global family formation studies at Focus on the Family, said children also help to shape adults into better citizens. “Having children around requires that we are more mindful of others, that we act more responsibly, safer and considerate,” he said. “And we must realize that tomorrow’s educators, leaders, business owners, innovators and taxpayers always start out as children!”
For more information about the research go to USA TODAY.

Lawmakers Vote for Ten Commandments

Last week, the Tennessee State House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution, 98-0, urging each county to permit the Ten Commandments to be posted in their respective courthouses. H.R. 107 was authored by Rep. Todd Watson and marks a defiant stand against attempts in recent years to exclude references to Christianity from courthouses across the U.S. Part of the resolution reads: “Throughout American’s rich history both the citizenry and their elected officials alike have deeply respected the Ten Commandments, its profound influence on the formation of American legal thought and its fundamental place in the history of law and government.” In Louisiana, the state House voted on Monday to approve placing a Ten Commandments monument on the state capitol grounds in Baton Rouge. [ChristianPost.com, Reuters.com]

Graduation Prayer Reinstated

With graduation season upon us, the news begins again of school districts forbidding graduation prayer. But, one valedictorian, Angela Hildenbrand of Medina Valley High School near San Antonio, Texas, challenged U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s ruling that prohibited Angela from praying or mentioning God at graduation.
Christa and Danny Schultz, parents of Corwyn Schultz who is a graduating senior at Medina and professes to be an agnostic, filed a lawsuit against the school district to prevent prayers at their son’s graduation because it would cause him “irreparable harm.” Corwyn threatened to not attend graduation if other students were allowed to pray. Judge Biery agreed with the Schultzes and said if the school held an official invocation and benediction it would be school sponsorship of religion. He ruled that no one could pray, or mention prayer, or say "amen."
The school district and Angela, as well as Attorney General Greg Abbott and the Liberty Institute, filed emergency appeals with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn publicly decried the ruling and, at the eleventh hour last Friday, the 5th Circuit intervened and granted an emergency appeal — Angela was allowed to pray. Corwyn did not attend the event.
News of the controversy even reached Texas Governor Rick Perry who criticized Judge Biery’s ruling as “reprehensible” and demonstrating “the increasing inappropriate federal encroachment into the lives of Americans …”
Angela said, “It has been interesting to learn about the law process and to experience the media relations, but most of all a great testament to the faithfulness of God.” To read, or see the video of Angela’s prayer, visit CitizenLink.com.
Although Medina Valley Independent School District won the emergency appeal on graduation prayer, the lawsuit is not over yet and is pending in federal court. [ChristianPost.com, CitizenLink.com]

Illinois Catholic Charities Ending Foster Care, Adoptions

Catholic Charities in Rockford, Illinois announced last Thursday that rather than violate its religious beliefs by allowing unmarried or same-sex couples to adopt or foster children, they would stop providing foster care and adoption services. Illinois’ civil union law, which takes effect this week, forces adoption agencies that receive state aid to place some children in homes with same-sex couples. The Legislature failed to pass an amendment to the law to protect faith-based groups from being forced to violate their beliefs about which homes are best for kids. Catholic Charities of Rockford handles about 350 foster family and adoption cases and works with 11 counties in northern Illinois. [HuffingtonPost.com]

Changing Attitudes on Abortion

Two recent studies conducted by Gallup and the Guttmacher Institute show that both negative and positive trends can be found regarding life issues. For example, while the abortion rate dropped eight percent from 2000 to 2008 and seven in ten Americans believe that abortion should be illegal in at least some cases, for the first time since 2008 the “pro-choice” position has a numerical advantage over the “pro-life” position.
The results of Gallup’s 2011 Values and Beliefs survey which were released this week, reveal that 49 percent of the population describe themselves as “pro-choice” while 45 percent consider themselves “pro-life.” The survey also revealed that:

• 53 percent of the 18 to 34-year-old age group believes that abortion is morally wrong.
• Only 31 percent of the 18 to 34 age group believe that abortion should be legal under any circumstance.
• Just over half of all age groups (51%), believe that abortion is morally wrong.
• 39 percent say that abortion is “morally acceptable.”
• The most popular view among Americans (50%), is that “abortion should be legal under certain circumstances.”
• 27 percent of Americans want abortion legal in all cases and 22 percent want it illegal in all cases.

The report from Guttmacher, which was founded as the research arm of Planned Parenthood, also revealed that the abortion rate among poor women jumped 18 percent over the eight years of the study. For more information go to The Gallup Report.

New Research Shows Changes in Moral Attitudes

The results of a new poll released by Gallup last month show that Americans are becoming less concerned about “poor” moral values and also less supportive of doctor-assisted suicide. Gallup’s 2011 Values and Beliefs Poll reveals that the number of Americans who believe the overall state of moral values in the U.S. is poor has dropped seven percentage points in the last year. Currently 38 percent of the population believes that moral values in the country are poor compared to 45 percent a year ago.
Another part of the study discovered that support of doctor-assisted suicide has dropped to the lowest level in eight years. Currently, 48 percent of Americans say that doctor-assisted suicide is morally wrong, while 45 percent say it’s morally acceptable.
The research also revealed that:

• 42 percent of 18 to 34 year olds believe that the use of pornography is acceptable while only 19 percent of those 55 and older believe it’s acceptable.
• 71 percent of younger adults (18-34) believe that premarital sex is acceptable compared to 53 percent of those 55 and older.
• 69 percent of Americans believe that the overall state of moral values in the country is getting worse while 22 percent believe the state of moral values is getting better.

For more information about the Gallup studies go to Suicide Study or Moral Values Study.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Minnesota House Passes Tax-Funded Abortion Bans

Last week, the Minnesota state House passed two pro-life bills — the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, S.F. 649 and H.F. 936 — which would ban taxpayer funding of abortions after the 20th week from fertilization because medical research has shown evidence that a preborn child can feel intense pain. The Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, the state's largest pro-life organization, states, "These bills represent the will of a large majority of Minnesotans, who oppose the inflicting of suffering upon unborn children and the forced funding of elective abortions. These mainstream measures enjoy broad bi-partisan support in the Legislature and among the people of Minnesota." [LifeNews.com]

Good News for Foster Kids

According to a report released last month by Child Trends, adoptions are at a record high, fewer children are waiting for permanent families and their average wait time has shrunk by a year. Based on statistics available in 2009, the research revealed that:

Adoptions from foster care reached a record high of 57,000, up from 37,000 in 1998.
The number of children waiting for adoption fell to a record low of 115,000, down from 135,000 in 2006.
The average wait to be adopted fell to a record low 35 months, down from 48 months in 1998.
The likelihood a waiting child would be adopted in a year rose to 45 percent, up from an average 39 percent over the previous decade.

Child-welfare specialists credit these improvements to the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act, which created cash incentives for states that increased their adoptions of foster children, and set deadlines for action.

Also, since 2008, the Focus on the Family program, "Wait No More," has been used to encourage families to think about adopting foster children. "In recent months, 6,000 people have attended nine adoption events, and 1,500 have decided to pursue the adoption process," said Kelly Rosati, who heads up the adoption initiative at Focus on the Family, and who is an adoptive mother herself.

According to their Web site, Child Trends is a nonprofit, non partisan research center, founded in 1979, that studies children in all stages of development. [WashingtonTimes.com]

Wheaton College Alumni Group Supports Gay Students

A new group of Wheaton College alumni, known as OneWheaton, recently circulated a letter on the Wheaton College campus "affirming the full dignity of every human being regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity." According to the OneWheaton Web site, the group is made up of "alumni young and old, men and women, LGBTQ and straight allies, all connected by a desire to support students who feel isolated during their time at Wheaton College."

Speaking to students who are struggling with their sexual identity, the letter that was circulated outlines the group's belief that, "your sexual identity is not a tragic sign of the sinful nature of the world. You are not tragic. Your desire for companionship, intimacy and love is not shameful. It is to be affirmed and celebrated just as you are to be affirmed and celebrated." A press release on the OneWheaton site states, "We do not believe there is anything wrong with being gay. We don't just believe otherwise, we live happily, and even faithfully, otherwise."

In response to OneWheaton, Philip Ryken, President of Wheaton College sent out an email that reaffirms the school's commitment to "loving our neighbors as ourselves" and the LGBT's group's message of "the full humanity and dignity of every human being. While we recognize that Wheaton's stance may be unsatisfying to some of our alumni, we remain resolved to respond with truth and grace," wrote Ryken. According to The Christian Post, "Wheaton College takes the position that homosexual relations is a sin but that Christians should love those struggling with same-sex attraction instead of judging or ostracizing them."

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

The Pastor's Wife

The following was written by H.B. London a few years ago.


The life of a pastor's wife is at the same time beautiful, blessed, complicated and confusing. Yet, it is one of the most important and vital positions in the body of Christ.

In so many ways, a clergy wife sets the emotional and spiritual tone for the household, and becomes both the enabler and the encourager for every member of the family. She is a critic at the right time when correction is needed, but she is a listener and an affirmer when her husband and children just want to talk.

She feels lonely at times, and overwhelmed with parishioners at other times. She wishes the congregation understood the nature of her husband's call, but sometimes wonders what it all means herself.

She is a wife and mother first. She desperately desires more time with the family unit, but understands "balance" is a luxury and management is a must.

For most clergy wives, work outside the home is not optional. It is a necessity just to make ends meet. For others, it is a means of escape from the telephone and the "joy-suckers." Some feel called to their lot in life, while others, all of a sudden, just became pastors' wives. For some, it is unbridled joy; but for others, they wonder how long they can hang on.

Yet, they are God's gift to His church and to those who lead her. They do not get enough credit, attention or reward. If anyone in the church needs to be prayed for, it is the pastor's wife. They need space. They need consideration. They need understanding. They need lots of love.

So, pastor friend, when you pause to recognize the moms in your congregation — don't forget the mother of your children. And in front of the assembled folks, let them know just how empty your ministry would be without your precious mate. Salute and honor her, my colleague! She is a treasure.

Be blessed and be a blessing. --HBL

"She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." (Prov. 31:27-28)

Easter opener at Eagle Brook Church

Cool opening piece from Eagle Brook Church from Easter 2011. The opening is from SM Lockridge.


Sunday's Coming from Eagle Brook Church on Vimeo.
Eagle Brook Church 2011 Easter Opener

And for the record my favorite bassist on the planet is the Lino Lakes campus bassist shown in this video. He's fun to watch as he integrates his worship with his bass playing.

Eagle Brook Church - Woodbury campus opening Fall 2011

Eagle Brook Church has been talking for a while about building a campus site in Woodbury, and it appears they'll start meeting prior to the building being completed (see below).  Their temporary location is about a mile from the new campus for Crossroads Church (where we used to attend and serve prior to my current church).  Both are exceptional churches reaching people for Jesus.  The great thing is that Pastor Bob Merritt of Eagle Brook Church and Pastor Phil Print are long-time good friends.  So while I suspect there are some "unknowns" for Crossroads - I'm nearly positive Pastor Phil Print has welcomed Eagle Brook with wide open Kingdom vision arms.  There are some similarities between the churches, both being relevant with outstanding preaching, but the are both definitely their own type of church as well.

This campus will take off quickly with both Jason Anderson and Steve Duede leading the way.  By selecting these two as the point people Eagle Brook Church has made it clear that they have big expectations for the Woodbury Campus and are investing with some of their best resources up front.


From the Not Without You blog - post by Scott Anderson, Executive Pastor of Eagle Brook Church(s)

A Woodbury Campus: Opening Fall 2011

By Scott Anderson, Executive Pastor

Our plans to launch a church in Woodbury are quickly coming together!

Since purchasing 40 acres of property in Woodbury, our desire has always been to begin construction as soon as we were able. And yet an even bigger goal has been to get started as soon as possible, because we’re simply running out of room at our current campuses.

An opportunity to launch within East Ridge High School in Woodbury appears imminent, meaning we will have our first weekend services there sometime this fall.

Before the Throne of God Above

We're opening our Easter Worship with this song today.

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
 
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Tithing Not "Required" for Christians?

A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Evangelicals shows that a majority (58%) of evangelical leaders do not believe that giving 10 percent of one's income to the church is "required" by scripture. The research, which polled the members of the NAE board of directors, also included comments which related to the topic of tithing. For example:

• "It is about how we give our whole selves to God, which includes money of course, but also our time and gifts," said Dr. Kurt Fredrickson, director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, Calif.
• "A stewardship worldview would include a sense of gratitude toward God as the source of our goods. If we are trying to express our gratitude toward God, I don't think our words are enough," said Dr. John Walton, professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. "Still, the 10 percent standard in the Old Testament can serve as a 'benchmark'," said Walton.
• "Anything less [than 10%] seems like an ungenerous response to God," wrote David Neff, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today.

According to research from the Barna Group in April of 2008, just 5 percent of American adults give 10 percent or more of their income, and among Christians who are born again, 9 percent reported giving 10 percent or more. And, the research organization Empty Tomb, reports that evangelicals give an average of 4 percent of their income to the church, and among all Christians, the average is only 2.43 percent.
Interestingly, 95 percent of those responding to the NAE survey said they personally give at least 10 percent of their income to the church.
The NAE conducts a monthly Evangelical Leaders Survey among its board of directors, which include the CEOs of denominations, missions organizations, universities, publishers and churches. For further details about the study, click here.

So what do you think?  What does your church teach?

Pharmacists' Rights of Conscience

In Illinois a circuit judge has ruled that pharmacists should not be forced to violate their religious beliefs by dispensing the oral contraceptive morning-after pill, sold as Plan B — which is designed to prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of having sex and may cause an early abortion. In Missouri, the state House has given initial approval to legislation that would protect pharmacists from being forced to sell Plan B. The bill needs another House vote before it can move to the Senate. [CitizenLink.com]

First Congregational Church of Waseca: Sermon - Luke 23:32-33 & 39-43 - RLD5 - Be With Me In Paradise

First Congregational Church of Waseca: Sermon - Luke 23:32-33 & 39-43 - RLD5 - Be With Me In Paradise

Religious Trends Shaping U.S. Politics

According to the April, 2011 edition of Newsmax, religion in the United States is evolving almost as rapidly as America itself. Listed below are seven top religious trends that are changing the nation's spiritual and political landscape:

1. Social Networking — As a cohesive community, religious conservatives are positioned to take advantage of the rise of social networking, in an era when a single tweet or Facebook post can monopolize a political agenda.
2. Political Ecumenism — Religious conservatives, facing a culture that appears indifferent or hostile to their values, are more willing to set their theological differences aside to defend common interests.
3. Rise of Nondenominational Churches — The Baylor Survey on Religion reports that nondenominational congregations represent the fastest-growing segment of Protestant churches in America.
4. Spreading Secularism — The percentage of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has nearly doubled in the past two decades (from 8 to 15%), according to the American Religious Identification Survey.
5. Rise of Mixed-Faith Families — Growing research indicates that families identify increasingly with more than one faith. The Pew Forum found that 44 percent of U.S. adults have left the faith or denomination they grew up in.
6. "Bliss" of U.S. Religious Ignorance — Religious leaders are rethinking their teaching methods following the latest Pew Forum poll, which revealed a startling degree of religious illiteracy.
7. Strong Christian Tea Party Identity — Nearly half of tea party members are also part of the Christian conservative movement, according to a Public Religion Research Institute poll last fall.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

Secular music in a worship setting - debated by Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble

The following is another segment from the Elephant Room conference I attended in late March.  And while I titled it as a debate by Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble, it was really largely a rant by James MacDonald for the most part.



Highway to Hell - Part 1 from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.

Matt Chandler and Steven Furtick at Elephant Room

Chandler and Furtick from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.

This is the first segment released from the conference I attended last Thursday. Some great discussions were had!

The Gospel in five minutes by Propaganda

G.O.S.P.E.L. from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo.
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Calvinism and what I believe

At a conference last week I had the opportunity to talk with some Wesleyan men from Onalaska, WI and within that discussion I made mention of the fact that "I am not necessarily a full-on Calvinist" just as my good friend Brenton Balvin got back to the table, and therefore he kidded me about doubting our friendship (I know he wasn't serious) since he didn't have the context of what we were talking about. 

But after thinking about further the past few days, I still arrive at that same conclusion.  Do I consider myself more wise and learned in Biblical theology than John Calvin - by no means.  I don't doubt Calvin's conclusions that have been built on by many great people of faith.  But being a Calvinist isn't my aim.  My goal is to be Biblical, and if/where that overlaps with being a Calvinist, then so be it.  This is in large part because I think the label being a Calvinist is often more detrimental to faith discussions than it is helpful.  I want my theology to start and end with the Bible.  I appreciate that others have brought clarity to me through their teachings of the things found in the Bible, and I truly do try to glean all that I can, but in the end I must return to Scripture to compare what they are teaching to what it says.  I must weight carefully with diligence and discernment, and be willing to discard things that I find in conflict or contrary to the teachings I find in God's Word.

I think that especially in theological circles that labels all too quickly quash healthy discussion and cause people to be unnecessarily distrusting and defensive.  And in those situations they don't grow and I don't grow and it makes it more difficult to walk together in faith with those who I have differing views, but those who I'd certainly include within the boundaries of orthodoxy.


My friend Bret Capranica put words to this very idea a while ago on his blog, and rather than rehashing many of the fantastic points he's already made, I'd rather point you there.  He has stated his views quite well, and while there may be some nuances that we would disagree on, I'm OK with how he has presented his case.  Where might I vary?  Probably within the realm of man's freewill within the context of God's sovereignty, but only a little bit.  Perhaps elsewhere, but that is less the point than the larger idea Bret clearly, appropriately and aptly presents that we need to go to the Bible and return the the Bible for all of our theology.

CODE OF ETHICS FOR MINISTERS

In My Own Life
I will always devote time to seeking the will of God through reading the Scriptures and prayer.
I will endeavor to keep myself physically and emotionally fit.
I will seek in all ways to be Christ like in my attitude and conduct.
I will seek mutual accountability and spiritual friendship with fellow Christians for personal encouragement and nurture in order to ensure faithfulness to my calling as a steadfast follower and competent servant of my Lord Jesus Christ.

In Relationship to My Family
I will consider each member of my immediate family as precious gifts from God, and will carefully, lovingly and responsibly meet their needs as a sacred obligation before Him.
I will give spiritual leadership in my home.
I will be faithful and loyal to my family members, loving them as Jesus Christ loves His Church.

In Relationship to the Church
I will remember that I am called to lead, but also to serve.
I will never violate a confidence given to me.
I will be diligent in my duties as pastor, never lazy, but with God as my judge and my Shepherd.
I will be Biblical in my preaching, presenting the whole counsel of God, speaking the truth in love.
I will strive to introduce people to Christ, and to build His Church.
I will consider my call to the church a sacred responsibility and stand by my commitment to the church and leaders.
I will seek the unity of the church and resist any attempts to divide the congregation, either by supporting factions within the congregation or by my own initiative.

In Relationship to Other Ministers
I will be a brother in Christ to my fellow ministers.
I will not seek to build the church I serve at the expense of another church, nor my ego at the expense of another minister.
I will not speak uncharitably of either my predecessor or my successor.
I will refrain from pastoral contacts with former parishioners except with the knowledge of the present pastor.

In Relationship to the Community
I will seek to be responsible in my personal finances.
I will seek to build a positive relationship with the community without sacrificing my ministry to the church.

Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?

Today in church we sang a song that clearly (sadly) few knew well.  This hymn was written by the great hymn writer Issac Watts.  It was this very hymn that led fellow hymn writer Fanny Crosby to fully live her life for Christ. Crosby writes about that November day in 1850 -

"And when they reached the third line of the fourth stan­za,

"Here Lord, I give myself away,"

my ve­ry soul was flood­ed with a ce­les­tial light. I sprang to my feet, shout­ing "hal­le­lu­jah," and then for the first time I real­ized that I had been try­ing to hold the world in one hand and the Lord in the other.

 Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?

Crucifixion, by Simon Vouet

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
[originally, For such a worm as I?]

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.


There is  an additional verse and refrain to this song that we don't normally sing in my church - you can find those here.

I'm certain we'll sing this song again.  It is so appropriate at a time of communion.

Elephant Room Conference - March 2011

This past Thursday I was blessed to be part of the Elephant Room Conference (along with good friend Brenton Balvin).  It was an interesting experience, and one that I think I will be processing for a while.  I brought my laptop to take notes, but as the conference started it became clear that I wouldn't take a lot of notes, but rather would just sit and enjoy the dialog.  Most of the notes I took were witty quips and one-liners.  Below is a an intro clip for the event as well as the questions that were being debated, along with just a very few of my own notes interspersed.  The debaters/pastors were James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Greg Laurie, Steven Furtick, Perry Noble, and David Platt.



The Elephant Room from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.