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.
Presented by our good friends at www.Dare2Share.org.
You can purchase/download at https://www.dare2share.org/store/content/life-6-words-gospel-0

Download Propaganda's New Album
"Art Ambidextrous" for FREE at
http://humblebeast.com/downloads/

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.

Missouri House Safeguards Religious Liberties

Legislation designed to safeguard the religious liberties of Missouri residents passed the state House with a 126-30 vote. HJR 2, sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike McGhee, would amend the state Constitution to clarify the rights of Missourians to pray and acknowledge God in public and private settings. The bill includes a key provision stating that public school students have the right to pray and acknowledge God in school. Students also would be assured of the right to express their religious beliefs in written and oral assignments.

Missouri Legislation Toughens Penalties for Sex Traffickers

The Missouri House also passed legislation to expand the definition of sex trafficking and increase fines and prison time for offenders by a 155-0 vote. The vote came just a few days before a state inmate and a Kansas City woman were indicted on federal sex-trafficking charges. The measure also requires offenders to pay restitution to victims, which could include the cost of mental and physical rehabilitation. It also would provide law enforcement officers with training on how to recognize a victim. [CitizenLink.com]


If you'd like to know more how you can help in the fight against modern day slavery (not the kind Adrian Peterson of the Vikings was talking about, the real kind) visit International Justice Mission - IJM.org.

The Church in Action in Japan

If you are looking for a recommendation for an organization to donate towards relief in Japan, I recommend CRASH that is listed below.

While the devastation caused by last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan becomes more and more apparent, Christian relief agencies and church groups in Japan and around the world have begun the hard work of bringing aid to those in need. Here is a small sampling of some of the ways that Christians are attempting to show the love of Christ in very tangible ways.

• The Salvation Army in Japan has three emergency service relief teams operating in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami. One team is assisting people displaced from areas where there is potential danger because of damage to nuclear power stations.
• A Samaritan's Purse disaster relief team has arrived in Japan and is preparing to provide relief supplies to those affected by the disaster. Japanese church partners have obtained permission and secured trucks to distribute supplies to the areas most in need.
• The N.C. Baptist Men's search and rescue team is in Japan assessing needs and distributing food.
• The United Methodist Committee on Relief and the General Board of Global Ministries are working through relief and church partners in Japan to provide immediate and long-term assistance.
• The group Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope (CRASH) is setting up a base in Sendai, Japan to coordinate relief efforts. "We just confirmed that trucks of goods will start moving there today," said CRASH spokesman, Paul Nethercott on Wednesday.
• The Japan Evangelical Alliance and its member churches and organizations, such as the Salvation Army of Japan, the Japan Alliance Christ Church, World Vision Japan, the Japan Evangelical Church Association, Jesus Christ Church in Japan, are also engaged with relief operations.
• On March 15, the Russian Orthodox Church announced that it started fundraising to help the Orthodox communities in Japan and the earthquake victims.
• The Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church is working on relief operations with its two congregations in Sendai, a city particularly hard-hit, as well as with other denominations. The Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan has set up relief headquarters at its office in Tokyo.
• The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, is giving an initial $200,000 to two Lutheran church bodies in Japan to provide disaster relief — the Japan Lutheran Church and the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church.

A Hail Mary for dieing churches

The following is a great post from Bill Easum.  Many churches would be well served to heed some/all of this advice.

By Bill Easum
The average church in the U.S. is under a hundred in worship. Churches with less than 50 people in worship make up 40% of all churches in the U.S. The average age in these churches with less than 50 people in worship is over 65. Add to that less than 2% of these churches are growing and you have a formula for major disaster over the next fifteen years for 40% of all the churches in the U.S.

If there is to be any hope for the vast majority of these churches radical action must be undertaken within the next few years or most of them will go out of existence. So, I am suggesting a “Hail Mary Strategy” for these churches.  You get the image. It’s the last five seconds of the football game; your team is down by six points; and you are on your own 45 yard line.  Only a touchdown will allow you to win the game. So you call the play and launch the ball as high and as far as you can hoping beyond hope the ball will come to rest in the arms of your receiver somewhere over the goal line.

So the question is this – “Will the leaders of your church wake up to the fact that the church is in serious trouble and the only way to move it from survival to thriving is by starting over?”
Starting over means the following based on the “Hail Mary Strategy.”

• Find a way to have a full time pastor/planter who will commit for three years . I know you can’t afford this at the moment but you must find a way or you will continue to decline. A part time pastor does not have the time to do all that is necessary to restart a church.

• Suspend all of the present ways/policies/hidden agendas/system stories regarding decision making and day to day running the church and allow the pastor and a launch team to give direction to the church during the three years. This also means disbanding all of the existing committees and the Administrative Council.

• Do away with the present mission statement and come up with one that a six year old can remember as well as short enough to be written on a t-shirt.

• Allow the pastor to bring together and disciple/equip a re-launch team of a seven people and give them full authority to make all of the decisions for the next three years.  These people need to have four faith characteristics: one, a renewed belief in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church; two, a servant’s heart; three a deep compassion for the lost; and four, a more focused prayer effort.

• The pastor should be personally responsible for spending 80% of his or her time in the community, dreaming up ways to reach the unchurched, and responding to the visitors to worship. I’ve never seen a church this size grow without the pastor being the direct cause of the growth. Just think how it would change the church if the pastor personally brought in fifty new members over the next eighteen months?

• Begin an indigenous worship service designed specifically for people 25-50 which means rock music and tons of visuals.

• The pastor must find a musician who believes in the mission and is willing to give his or her time to developing the music and musicians for this service. I know you don’t have a clue how to do this but you get what you look for and if part of the 80% of the time the pastor is spending on the unchurched is devoted to finding this person the pastor will find them.  These people are out there waiting to be asked to play in worship rather in the bar scene.

• Send out six off-the-wall direct mail pieces to all the households with five miles of the church announcing the start of the new worship service.  These mail out pieces will focus on two things- a new service and a new sermon series designed to catch the imagination of the people under 50 years of age. It must not look churchy.

• Develop one or two signature ministries.  Churches with less than 300 in worship can only do one or two key ministries. I suggest one of these be a children’s ministry fashioned after Promise Land from Willow Creek. You will not be able to afford  to purchase it, but you can easily put your own program together once you understand the basics.

• Keep the present worship service intack for the present members. These folks have kept the church open all these years and need to be honored for their commitment. What I am suggesting in no way diminishes their past or future contributions to the God’s Kingdom.

• Have a capital fund drive to raise enough money to accomplish the above. One of the roles of the present members will be to “pray and pay” for what needs to be done to reach young adults for Christ and cause your church to thrive once again. With a solid plan in place you can probably borrow more from your bank.  This should be more than enough money to do what is necessary.  Now you see why I call this a “Hail Mary” strategy. But it works if you have the right planter/restart/pastor.

The one thing you know for sure; if you keep doing what you’ve been doing you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. Surely you’re not satisfied with that.  So roll the dice; spend everything you have; and see what happens. If it doesn’t work, it just means you’ll close the doors a few years sooner and with a lot less grief.

www.churchconsultations.com
easum@aol.com
www.BillEasum.com

Pain-Based Abortion Ban

Yea Minnesota!

On this past Monday, Minnesota legislators introduced a bill in the state Senate and House of Representatives that would prohibit the killing of preborn children at 20 weeks and older due to intense pain felt by the baby during an abortion. Scott Fischbach, executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, said overwhelming anatomical, behavioral and physiological evidence confirms that the developing preborn child is capable of experiencing tremendous pain by 20 weeks post-fertilization. [LifeNews.com]

Supreme Court Rules For Religious Liberty

In the past week, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of religious liberty on two occasions. In the case of Badger Catholic v. Walsh, the Court declined to hear the University of Wisconsin's appeal of the 7th Circuit Court ruling which favored a Catholic student group at the campus. The university violated the First Amendment by refusing to fund certain events of Badger Catholic, a registered student group whose events contained religious expression, while providing funding for the events of other student organizations. In a second decision, the Supreme Court declined to hear a Michael Newdow case challenging the use of the National Motto, "In God We Trust," on U.S. currency. Newdow believes that any mention of "God" by a governmental entity is an unconstitutional "establishment of religion" in violation of the First Amendment. [CitizenLink.com]

Majority of Evangelical Leaders are Premillennial

I found the following info quite interesting.  I wouldn't have guessed the % of pre-mil to be this high (though I would've suspected it to be a majority).

A new poll released this week by the National Association of Evangelicals shows that 65 percent of evangelical leaders identify with premillennial theology. The January Evangelical Leaders Survey also revealed that 13 percent adhere to an amillennial view and 4 percent hold to post-millennialism. Seventeen percent responded "other." 

Premillennialism refers to the belief that the return of Christ will take place prior to His 1,000 year reign (a "millennium"). Postmillennialists believe Christ's second coming occurs after the 1,000 year period during which humanity gradually improves under the reign of Christ, and amillennialism is the view named for its rejection of the belief that Jesus Christ will have a 1,000-year long, physical reign on the earth. 

Roy Taylor, of the Presbyterian Church in America, who was one of the leaders who took the survey said, "As far as predicting the approximate time of Christ's Second Advent is concerned, I have resigned from the Planning Committee and have joined the Welcoming Committee." 

According to the NAE Website, "the Evangelical Leaders Survey is a monthly poll of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. They include the CEOs of denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations including missions, universities, publishers and churches." Click here for more information about the survey.

Learning about Lent

I wrote the following for our local newspaper. It was in Wednesday's newspaper and is also available online at their site.

Learning about Lent by Pastor Chris Meirose

At the beginning of any discussion about Lent it should remind ourselves that if you think of Lent as a season to earn God's favor by your good intentions or good works, then you've got a theological problem. God's grace has been fully given to us in Jesus Christ. We can't earn it by doing extra things or by giving up certain other things in fasting. If you see Lent as a time to make yourself more worthy for celebrating Good Friday and Easter, then perhaps you shouldn't keep the season until you've grown in your understanding of grace. If, on the other hand, you see Lent as a time to grow more deeply in God's grace, then you're approaching Lent from the right perspective.

Tackling Biblical Illiteracy

This week, a group of 30 seminary professors launched TheGoodBookBlog.com and made themselves available to provide free education to the public in an effort to combat biblical illiteracy. The blog features daily posts by faculty from Biola University's Talbot School of Theology and will have regular posts ranging from prayer and spiritual formation to historical theology and biblical exposition. Overall, the Good Book Blog aspires to be a resource for anyone seeking biblical scholarship and a vital addition to the online evangelical discourse. [ChristianPost.com]

Christianity still thriving in the world today

According to a recent report published by the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Christianity continues to thrive with about one third of the world population professing to be Christian. According to the research, it is estimated that there are about 2.3 billion Christians in the world with about 1.5 billion of them attending church on a regular basis. It is also estimated that there are 5 million congregations around the globe compared to about 400,000 in the year 1911.

The annual bulletin, which is released each year in January, also reveals that:

• The world population includes 1.6 billion Muslims, 951 million Hindus and 468 million Buddhists.
• Atheists are in decline globally with a current number of 137 million.
• Each day, about 80,000 Christians and 79,000 Muslims are added to the worldwide totals.
• The number of Atheists drops each day by about 300.
• Each day, 270 Christians are martyred for their faith.
• In 1900, about 9 million Christians resided in Africa, compared to 475 million today.

Click here for more information on the International Bulletin of Missionary Research.

Mission Shift pt. 3 - Stetzer and Hesselgrave

This is the third and final installment interacting with the book MissionShift:  Global Mission Issues in the Third Millennium.

In this third essay by Ralph Winter we look at the future of evangelicals in missions.  Winter's essay is focused on two historical forms of missions - First-Inheritance Evangelicalism (FIE) and Second-Inheritance Evangelicalism (SIE) - terms coined by Mr. Winter.  FIE was characterized by a broad social and spiritual range of concerns rooted in the Great Awakening (starting in the early 1720's) in the more educated and influential people in American society.  SIE was a blue-collar movement largely in non-colleged educated classes and it greatly reduced the focus on social concerns and instead focused on sin and salvation - specifically on the experiential component of saving faith.  The SIE was the result of the Second Great Awakening according to Winter.

In a nutshell, Winter argues for the need for us to move back to a FIE based methodology in our missions - returning to an emphasis of doing good works and drawing in the non-believer through those efforts.  The unfortunate problem with the way Winter goes about promoting this is that he essentially neuters the transformative power of the Gospel.  He puts all his eggs in the basket of works with no focus given to the preaching of God's Word and the power found within.  While I agree with his idea for the need to care for the least of these in love, it has to be that AND - that and the Gospel, not that alone.

This same conclusion is shared by David Hesselgrave whose response to Winter can be read at Ed Stetzer's website.  I'll save from commenting further on Hesselgrave's response since you can read that with the exception to point out that aptly points to the Apostle Paul as the key place for us to learn from and model our missions view.

As I read Winter I was struck by his failure to interact with the impact of post modernism and the emergent movement in modern Christianity and missions.  It was disappointing because it is within this that the idea/reaction of being missional has become one of the "hot" issues in modern Evangelicalism (see anything written by Ed Stetzer as exhibit A).  Mainline Christianity might still be behind on this issue, but many of the most influential churches and leaders in the Evangelical world have largely (and rightly) embraced being missional, which encompasses much of the ideas and ideals of the FIE that Winter advocates a move toward (or a return of sorts).  That is not to say we are where we need to be as Evangelicals, but that there is a healthy movement towards a better understanding and application of missions, both locally and globally.

Winter was tasked with looking forward to where missions should be and is heading, and I feel like he barely did that.  In his attempt to build his argument he spent far too much time focused on what was rather than on what could be.  Certainly we need to learn from the past, but we also need to step forward with the Word of God and in love to transform the world for the fame of Jesus Christ.

I think Hesselgrave was on to something in his mention of Rufus Anderson. There is a lot to like in the thinking of that old Congregationalist.  In my previous interaction with MissionShift I mentioned some of these very ideas (having at that point never heard of Rufus Anderson). 
Anderson believed that "missions are instituted for the spread of a scriptural self-propagating Christianity". Missions were for:

• converting lost men,
• organizing them into churches,
• giving these churches a competent native ministry,
• conducting them to the stage of independence and (in most cases) of self-propagation.

A lot to like there, and to me what seems to be a better and clearer vision for where Evangelicals need to be going with missions than with what Winter suggests.

The Truth About Divorce in the Church

For years we have been told that half of marriages among Christians and non-Christians alike end in divorce, but according to recent research, the reality is that Christians who attend church regularly get divorced at a much lower rate. 

Professor Bradley Wright, a sociologist at the University of Connecticut, found that among people who identify themselves as Christians but rarely attend church, 60 percent have been divorced. Of those who attend church regularly, only 38 percent have been divorced. 

Professor Scott Stanley from the University of Denver, who is working on the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, said couples with a vibrant religious faith have more and higher levels of the qualities that marriages need to avoid divorce. "Whether young or old, male or female, low-income or not, those who said that they were more religious reported higher average levels of commitment to their partners, higher levels of marital satisfaction, less thinking and talking about divorce and lower levels of negative interaction," said Stanley. 

W. Bradford Wilcox, a leading sociologist at the University of Virginia and director of the National Marriage Project, finds from his own analysis that "active conservative Protestants" who regularly attend church are 35 percent less likely to divorce compared to those who have no affiliation. Nominally attending Protestants are 20 percent more likely to divorce, compared to secular Americans. 

According to Glenn T. Stanton, Director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family, "The divorce rates of Christian believers are not identical to the general population — not even close. Being a committed, faithful believer makes a measurable difference in marriage. Saying you believe something or merely belonging to a church, unsurprisingly, does little for marriage. But the more you are involved in the actual practice of your faith in real ways...the greater difference this makes in strengthening both the quality and longevity of our marriages."

For further details about the research, click on Divorce Rate in the Church.

(from FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

100 Largest cities in the USA ranked by drunkeness

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/Americas-Drunkest-Cities/printer.php

#1 -Worst (meaning the most drunk) - Fresno, CA
#2 - Reno, NV
#3 - Billings, MT
#4 - Riverside, CA
#5 - Austin, TX
#100 - Best - Boston, MA.

Fargo is 26th.

Sioux Falls is 69th.

Minneapolis is 80th.

St. Paul is 87th.

Loser Super Bowl Gear Donated

The National Football League is continuing it's more than 15-year partnership with World Vision to donate the multimillion dollar merchandise from the Super Bowl's losing team's pre-printed championship clothing to Zambia, Armenia, Nicaragua and Romania. According to the NFL Director of Community Affairs, for a lot of the recipients, this would be their first time having brand new clothing. Other philanthropic organizations that donate the losing team's apparel are Reebok, Sports Authority, Dick's and Modell's. [ChristianPost.com]

Football and Faith

(for the record, we're having church on Super Bowl Sunday!)

Every year, in the midst of the hype surrounding the Super Bowl, churches and Christian organizations attempt to remind us that, while sports can be a great diversion, there are other things in life that have lifelong and even eternal impact.

While there are a number of Christian players or coaches on both teams that will be competing on Sunday, there are some who stand out because of either their character and testimony or the causes they choose to support. For example:

• Green Bay Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has been nicknamed "Leader of the Pack" by the media, told Baptist Press on Tuesday at Super Bowl XLV Media Day that he only wants to be a leader of God's pack as it relates to influencing others for Christ. "We all have a platform, we all have a message in our lives. I just try to follow Jesus' example, leading by example," said Rodgers.
• Packers' kicker Mason Crosby understands that big games are often decided by a last-second touchdown or field goal. "I think He [Christ] helps me knowing that kicking is what I do, not who I am. It's not everything that I am. I can escape [the pressure] knowing that my relationship with Christ is what carries me," said Crosby.
• Pittsburgh Steelers team chaplain, Kevin Jordon, who was formerly an assistant to coach Tony Dungy and is associated with Athletes in Action, says he greatly appreciates the support and access given to him by head coach Mike Tomlin. According to Baptist Press, Jordon says he plans to continue his regular schedule of players' and coaches' meetings, Bible study and team chapel while in Dallas.
• Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin, the youngest coach ever to coach in and win the Super Bowl, spoke of being "blessed" and "humbled" by his success. When asked about his Christian faith he said, "It provides a confidence, not only for me but for everyone who is a believer. Football is what we do; it's not who we are. It is our job, it is our business. We all are very passionate about it, but [faith] keeps it in perspective."
• Many churches, such as First Baptist Church in Dallas, plan to cancel their regular Sunday night services to host Super Bowl parties which will include a Christian-oriented halftime video. "We are not capitulating, but capitalizing on the Super Bowl," said Pastor Robert Jeffress. [Baptist Press, Christian Post]

Mission Shift pt. 2 - Stetzer and Hesselgrave

This is my second interaction with David J. Hesselgrave and Ed Stetzer's book Missionshift.  You can see my first response here, and can read and join in on the larger conversation at Ed Stetzer's blog.

The essay for this review was written by Paul G. Hiebert.  Hiebert's thesis is to offer some discussion of the state of "contextualization" as a critical aspect of missions, and of the changing perceptions of contextualization among missionaries and missions scholars.  Hiebert's goal is to focus on the present of what has been traditionally termed "missions."

Hiebert shares his thought that there are four primary views of contextualization in missions.  View one is what I would call the spartan approach where the missionaries may translate the Bible into the local language, but then do little (or nothing) else to contextualize.  This makes the new "indigenous" church look like churches where the missionaries came from, just with a different language spoken.  The church looks nothing like the local culture.

View two is what I would term as the all things approach where the missionaries swing to the opposite extreme of view one, choosing to embrace and accommodate virtually everything from the new culture they are trying to reach.  The big problem with view two is syncretism of course.  The church looses its identity and looks just like the local culture.

The third view has the missionaries trying to remain Biblical faithful while remaining sensitive to the surrounding culture.  This avoids many of the pitfalls of the first two approaches to contextualization.  This view is rooted in the historic views of the faith and applying it to the current culture.

The fourth view guides the missionary to attempt to answer the questions of what did the Biblical text mean to the original audience, and then what does that mean for us today?  I personally didn't seen enough difference between views 3 & 4 to need separate categories for them, but Hiebert felt there was room to differentiate.

One of the first thoughts I had while reading through this (along with other reactions in the book to the essay as well as an essay response by David Hesselgrave) is the idea that contextualization is inherently reactionary - or at least as it has been categorized by Hiebert.  Being reactionary puts the missionary/church at times at a disadvantage to addressing the culture.  While this isn't unique to the missions field, it is/can be an additional barrier in what can already be a challenging place for ministry.  This is why I am a strong proponent of indigenous led churches as early and often as possible.  To his credit, Hiebert does a fair job of pointing out the need for missionaries to deal with sociocultural differences.  To be able to minister as effectively as possible, foreign missionaries must really do their homework to learn the culture, and then continue to grow in that knowledge and understanding.  And it has to be both knowledge and understanding for the missionary to be able to fully leverage the culture in the presentation of the Gospel.

Within the body of view four, Hiebert brings up a number of good points that are worth noting.
1 -  Our theologies are our partial human attempts to understand Scripture in our particular contexts, but the Gospel transcends them all. (Page 95)

-The Gospel is greater than culture, but it works within culture. 

2 - Missionaries would be well served to avoid blindly criticizing customary beliefs and practices because regardless of whether the criticism is true, it causes people to be unwilling to share freely with them for fear of further condemnation and judgment.  Not only do you have to earn the right to say things of this sort, but it is often detrimental to your efforts even if you have "earned" the right.  Certainly there does come a time of accountability for views, but if the Gospel is as great as we claim it to be (it's far greater indeed!) it should on its own stand as something greater as we live it out and share it with others.

3 - The study of Scripture is the responsibility of the church as a hermeneutical community.  (Page 97)
-Indeed a good reminder to interpret and grow our views and understandings of Scripture in the context of a larger community.  It keeps us from jumping off the cliff theologically.  And in a missions setting it allows the missionary to draw in the cultural aspects they may miss or misunderstand.  This ties in well with the idea
on page 100 that:

4 - [The missionary] and their people must together make and enforce decisions arrived at corporately.  Only then will old believes and practices not be pushed underground, subverting the Gospel. (Page 101)

-Local buy-in is a must if the Gospel is to be transformational to any culture.  Without it we're just as likely to be inoculating people against Christianity.

A contextualized hermeneutic is a must if we are to reach the the whole world for Christ, and not just the people who are like us.  This is true domestically as well as abroad.  It requires a bit more work on the part of the missionary (we're all missionaries in some context) but the effectiveness in this approach is far greater.

Thankfully Christ will build His church and the Holy Spirit has been sent to be our helper, so even when we miss, even when we are not at our best, the Gospel can still be advanced.