"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1Timothy 4:7-8, NIV).
When football players train, they exercise in order to build strength and endurance. They lift weights. They run. They know that the game is tough. They put effort into it, because they want to win.
When Christians train, they also exercise in order to build strength and endurance. They pray. They read and study the Scriptures. They know that life is tough. They put effort into to it, because they want to win.
Football players will think about their goals and about the possible tactics of their opponents. They will think ahead. They will succeed when they are not caught off guard.
Christians will consider their goals and possible obstacles to reaching those goals. Wise Christians will be asking themselves questions.
*How will I avoid the temptation to be selfish?
*How can I demonstrate to my wife that I love her?
*How can I teach my son to be a man?
*How can I show kindness to a co-worker?
*How can I stand firm for biblical principles when compromise and tolerance are more valued in society?
*How can I share the good news about Christ with an unbelieving friend?
*How can I forgive someone who has harmed me?
*How can I grow older with grace and avoid becoming a bitter old man?
*How can I become more thankful?
*How can I confront sin in someone who is hurting himself and others?
*How can I think, act, and speak in ways that glorify God?
Successful saints will think ahead. They will succeed when they are not caught off guard.
Football players depend on others. They need the team owners, the coaches, and other players. Even in training, a limited amount can be done alone. They need support, guidance, encouragement, and cooperation. Even the player named the Most Valuable Player never wins the game alone. He receives help both before and during the game.
Christians depend on others. They need God, pastors, teachers, and other disciples. They may be able to pray and study on their own, but they need support, guidance, encouragement, and cooperation. One Christian cannot make it through life successfully without help from God and his people.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
How to Identify and Help a Prostitute Who Visits the Church
"Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you'" (Matthew 21:31b, NIV).
The Baptist Standard had an excellent article about helping people who are sexually exploited and coerced into prostitution at http://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=7445. In the article, you will find helpful information about recognizing and helping sexually exploited people who visit church services. I realize that this information may be more pertinent to the Contact Church of Christ and other urban ministries, but even suburban and rural congregations should be prepared to help a visting prostitute, stripper, or other sexually exploited person.
The Baptist Standard had an excellent article about helping people who are sexually exploited and coerced into prostitution at http://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=7445. In the article, you will find helpful information about recognizing and helping sexually exploited people who visit church services. I realize that this information may be more pertinent to the Contact Church of Christ and other urban ministries, but even suburban and rural congregations should be prepared to help a visting prostitute, stripper, or other sexually exploited person.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Anabaptists and Campbellites
In my earlier post today, I wrote about taking a theological survey to determine which church I would fit into best. The top two on my survey were: "Anabaptist" and "Church of Christ/Campbellite." After some thought, I realized that those are unfamiliar terms in most circles. So I decided to describe those terms in this post.
Anabaptists are a group of believers who broke from the Roman Catholic Church in the early 1500s, during the Protestant Reformation. They wanted to return to the faith and ethics of the early Christians. They received the name Anabaptist (baptized again), because they did not accept the sprinkings that they had received as babies. They believed in and taught the necessity of believers' baptism. They were committed to the highest ethical ideals of the Bible.
The term Campbellite was a derogatory term attached to members of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ during the 1800s, because of the influence of Alexander Campbell as a dynamic and thoughtful leader among the churches. Along with his father Thomas Campbell, Barton W. Stone, and Walter Scott, Mr. Campbell led a movement of people who wanted to restore the unity and the nondenominational structure of the early churches. Today few among the Churches of Christ and Christian Churches would likely be able to recognize his name, but he had a powerful influence on who we are.
I can see why the survey indicated that I think more like an Anabaptist and a member of the Church of Christ than the other groups mentioned. I do share their goal of living by the Spirit and intent of the Scriptures.
Anabaptists are a group of believers who broke from the Roman Catholic Church in the early 1500s, during the Protestant Reformation. They wanted to return to the faith and ethics of the early Christians. They received the name Anabaptist (baptized again), because they did not accept the sprinkings that they had received as babies. They believed in and taught the necessity of believers' baptism. They were committed to the highest ethical ideals of the Bible.
The term Campbellite was a derogatory term attached to members of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ during the 1800s, because of the influence of Alexander Campbell as a dynamic and thoughtful leader among the churches. Along with his father Thomas Campbell, Barton W. Stone, and Walter Scott, Mr. Campbell led a movement of people who wanted to restore the unity and the nondenominational structure of the early churches. Today few among the Churches of Christ and Christian Churches would likely be able to recognize his name, but he had a powerful influence on who we are.
I can see why the survey indicated that I think more like an Anabaptist and a member of the Church of Christ than the other groups mentioned. I do share their goal of living by the Spirit and intent of the Scriptures.
I Nearly Fit In With The Church of Christ
Since I'm at home today with a cold, I decided to play on the computer for a while. I found a site that helps you determine which church matches your views of the Bible and theology (http://www.selectsmart.com/plus/select.php?url=denomtradition). These are my results:
100% 1. Anabaptist (Mennonite, Quaker, etc.)
92% 2. Church of Christ/ Campbellite
79% 3. Baptist (non-Calvinistic/Plymouth Brethren/ Fundamentalist)
78% 4. Pentecostal/Charismatic/Assemblies of God
78% 5. Methodist/Wesleyan/Nazarene
66% 6. Congregational/United Church of Christ
57% 7. Baptist (Reformed/Particular/Calvinistic)
56% 8. Seventh-Day Adventist
44% 9. Eastern Orthodox
38% 10. Lutheran
37% 11. Presbyterian/Reformed
35% 12. Anglican/Episcopal/Church of England
28% 13. Roman Catholic
100% 1. Anabaptist (Mennonite, Quaker, etc.)
92% 2. Church of Christ/ Campbellite
79% 3. Baptist (non-Calvinistic/Plymouth Brethren/ Fundamentalist)
78% 4. Pentecostal/Charismatic/Assemblies of God
78% 5. Methodist/Wesleyan/Nazarene
66% 6. Congregational/United Church of Christ
57% 7. Baptist (Reformed/Particular/Calvinistic)
56% 8. Seventh-Day Adventist
44% 9. Eastern Orthodox
38% 10. Lutheran
37% 11. Presbyterian/Reformed
35% 12. Anglican/Episcopal/Church of England
28% 13. Roman Catholic
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Peacemaking for Families: A Biblical Framework
These are the notes for my next Bible class at the Contact Church of Christ:
*Human conflict has a long history. It started with the disobedience of Adam and Eve. This put them in conflict with their Creator and each other. Their relationships were strained. They were at odds with each other. To this day, everyone of us lives under the influence of their sin. Each of us deals with the results of their sin. We even imitate their sin. As a result, we struggle with how to relate to God and to other people.
*God was not satisfied with leaving us alone in our messed-up world. He knew that we faced hell apart from himself. He cared too much to let us remain in conflict with himself, so he sent Jesus Christ to save us (John 3:16). "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, NIV). "God presented him as the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away sin, through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:25a, alternative reading in the NIV). When we trust in what Christ has done to forgive us, to bring us back to God, and to give us new life, we change. We turn away from everything we know to be in conflict with God in order to follow his Son. We allow our old lives to be buried in baptism, so that we can live new lives for God's glory (Romans 6:1-4). Having been reconciled to God by Christ, we are on a mission to spread reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).
*If our mission is reconciliation, how should Christians view conflict? As an opportunity to show God's power in a difficult situation. "Glorifying God is the highest calling of a Christian" (Ken Sande and Tom Raabe, Peacemaking for Families, p. 35). When we keep in mind what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, we will approach conflict (and all of life) thinking about how we can please and honor God in it. We will find ourselves motivated to resist pride and resentment while seeking to do the right thing in love.
*Jesus said, "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:5, NIV). If we are going to make peace in a God-honoring way, we must examine our words, actions, and attitudes to determine what must change within ourselves before helping others in areas where they need to change. Have I used words to hurt when it was not necessary? Have I used sarcasm to belittle? Have I been complaining or nagging? Have I lied? Have I jumped to conclusions and then shared those unfounded conclusions in gossip? Have I been lazy or negligent in the relationship? Have I failed to keep commitments? Have I withheld kindness or affection? Have I been selfish? If so, I need to change my thinking, confess my wrongs, and ask for forgiveness. I must not stand in the way of reconciliation.
*After dealing with ourselves, we are ready to confront another person's problems. Confronting the sins of others should not be done with eager anticipation, but neither should it be passively avoided if the offense has seriously dishonored God, seriously damaged a relationship, hurt others, or hurt the person who committed it. Sometimes the offender would love to change, but needs someone to come along with helpful advice. It can lead to repentance and a healthier way of living (Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1). "Loving confrontation can serve as a positive example to others. Whether you realize it or not, people are constantly watching how you handle adversity and treat those who wrong you. How you comport yourself gives others a chance to either mock Christians and reject Christ or become open to hearing the gospel. Christians watching your behavior, on the other hand, will either feel justified in responding improperly to conflict or be encouraged to honor God in their own reactions as well. Because imitation is a form of love, this last point has tremendous spillover effect with children. Kids study how their parents react to conflict, and will often imitate them when conflict arises in their lives as well"(Peacemaking for Families, p. 39).
*Finally, after a conflict has been dealt with, forgiveness must be the God-honoring resolution (Matthew 6:12; Luke 11:4; Matthew 18:23-35). "Here are four concrete promises one must make to truly forgive another:
~I will not thnk about this incident.
~I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you.
~I will not talk to others about this incident.
~I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our personal relationship" (Peacemaking for Families, p. 41).
*After the pain and heartache that Christ endured to bring about peace between us and God, we can endure some discomfort in making peace in our families. After all, the final result of the process will be a God-honoring joy for all involved.
*Human conflict has a long history. It started with the disobedience of Adam and Eve. This put them in conflict with their Creator and each other. Their relationships were strained. They were at odds with each other. To this day, everyone of us lives under the influence of their sin. Each of us deals with the results of their sin. We even imitate their sin. As a result, we struggle with how to relate to God and to other people.
*God was not satisfied with leaving us alone in our messed-up world. He knew that we faced hell apart from himself. He cared too much to let us remain in conflict with himself, so he sent Jesus Christ to save us (John 3:16). "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, NIV). "God presented him as the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away sin, through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:25a, alternative reading in the NIV). When we trust in what Christ has done to forgive us, to bring us back to God, and to give us new life, we change. We turn away from everything we know to be in conflict with God in order to follow his Son. We allow our old lives to be buried in baptism, so that we can live new lives for God's glory (Romans 6:1-4). Having been reconciled to God by Christ, we are on a mission to spread reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).
*If our mission is reconciliation, how should Christians view conflict? As an opportunity to show God's power in a difficult situation. "Glorifying God is the highest calling of a Christian" (Ken Sande and Tom Raabe, Peacemaking for Families, p. 35). When we keep in mind what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, we will approach conflict (and all of life) thinking about how we can please and honor God in it. We will find ourselves motivated to resist pride and resentment while seeking to do the right thing in love.
*Jesus said, "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:5, NIV). If we are going to make peace in a God-honoring way, we must examine our words, actions, and attitudes to determine what must change within ourselves before helping others in areas where they need to change. Have I used words to hurt when it was not necessary? Have I used sarcasm to belittle? Have I been complaining or nagging? Have I lied? Have I jumped to conclusions and then shared those unfounded conclusions in gossip? Have I been lazy or negligent in the relationship? Have I failed to keep commitments? Have I withheld kindness or affection? Have I been selfish? If so, I need to change my thinking, confess my wrongs, and ask for forgiveness. I must not stand in the way of reconciliation.
*After dealing with ourselves, we are ready to confront another person's problems. Confronting the sins of others should not be done with eager anticipation, but neither should it be passively avoided if the offense has seriously dishonored God, seriously damaged a relationship, hurt others, or hurt the person who committed it. Sometimes the offender would love to change, but needs someone to come along with helpful advice. It can lead to repentance and a healthier way of living (Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1). "Loving confrontation can serve as a positive example to others. Whether you realize it or not, people are constantly watching how you handle adversity and treat those who wrong you. How you comport yourself gives others a chance to either mock Christians and reject Christ or become open to hearing the gospel. Christians watching your behavior, on the other hand, will either feel justified in responding improperly to conflict or be encouraged to honor God in their own reactions as well. Because imitation is a form of love, this last point has tremendous spillover effect with children. Kids study how their parents react to conflict, and will often imitate them when conflict arises in their lives as well"(Peacemaking for Families, p. 39).
*Finally, after a conflict has been dealt with, forgiveness must be the God-honoring resolution (Matthew 6:12; Luke 11:4; Matthew 18:23-35). "Here are four concrete promises one must make to truly forgive another:
~I will not thnk about this incident.
~I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you.
~I will not talk to others about this incident.
~I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our personal relationship" (Peacemaking for Families, p. 41).
*After the pain and heartache that Christ endured to bring about peace between us and God, we can endure some discomfort in making peace in our families. After all, the final result of the process will be a God-honoring joy for all involved.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Hating Evil
"Hate evil, love good;
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph" (Amos 5:15, NIV).
Four weeks ago, I forwarded an e-mail from Shared Hope International about the need to fight human trafficking in the United States. I asked a few friends to e-mail Mr. Craig Newmark (craig@craigslist.org), the founder of Craigslist, asking him to stop aiding the practice by facilitating prostitution on his web site.
I e-mailed him myself with this simple message:
"I ask that you remove the 'erotic services' page from Craigslist, because it aids in the sale and exploitation of women and children. This must stop."
Mr. Newmark responded, "Terry, how does it do that?"
In today's edition of The Oklahoman, I found the answer (which I believe Mr. Newmark already knew, because of the long history of arrests connected with people using his web site). These are a few quotes from the story:
"A man accused of pimping a 16-year-old girl in a handful of states will remain in jail until his trial, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
"Irish Levon Woods, 22, is facing two felony counts in federal court in Oklahoma City that could land him in prison for life.
"A federal magistrate opted not to allow Woods to be released from jail Thursday after hearing testimony he had threatened to kill the girl he allegedly forced to become a prostitute if she talked to authorities...
"(FBI Agent Mitchell) Thompson said Woods used Internet-based exchange site Craigslist to attract customers for the teen, whom he had met through a mutual friend in December 2006.
"Oklahoma City vice officers have arrested more than 100 people over the past two years using ads posted on the site, Thompson's affidavit stated."
Over 100 people in Oklahoma City alone? How many others across the nation and around the world? How many other girls have been enslaved and sold for sex using Craigslist?
I hate the evil behind the abuse and exploitation of those young girls! And I am disgusted by the people who are making money from the exploitation of those children! As I told Mr. Newmark, "This must stop."
(The entire story may be read at http://newsok.com/article/3204852/1203081164. )
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph" (Amos 5:15, NIV).
Four weeks ago, I forwarded an e-mail from Shared Hope International about the need to fight human trafficking in the United States. I asked a few friends to e-mail Mr. Craig Newmark (craig@craigslist.org), the founder of Craigslist, asking him to stop aiding the practice by facilitating prostitution on his web site.
I e-mailed him myself with this simple message:
"I ask that you remove the 'erotic services' page from Craigslist, because it aids in the sale and exploitation of women and children. This must stop."
Mr. Newmark responded, "Terry, how does it do that?"
In today's edition of The Oklahoman, I found the answer (which I believe Mr. Newmark already knew, because of the long history of arrests connected with people using his web site). These are a few quotes from the story:
"A man accused of pimping a 16-year-old girl in a handful of states will remain in jail until his trial, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
"Irish Levon Woods, 22, is facing two felony counts in federal court in Oklahoma City that could land him in prison for life.
"A federal magistrate opted not to allow Woods to be released from jail Thursday after hearing testimony he had threatened to kill the girl he allegedly forced to become a prostitute if she talked to authorities...
"(FBI Agent Mitchell) Thompson said Woods used Internet-based exchange site Craigslist to attract customers for the teen, whom he had met through a mutual friend in December 2006.
"Oklahoma City vice officers have arrested more than 100 people over the past two years using ads posted on the site, Thompson's affidavit stated."
Over 100 people in Oklahoma City alone? How many others across the nation and around the world? How many other girls have been enslaved and sold for sex using Craigslist?
I hate the evil behind the abuse and exploitation of those young girls! And I am disgusted by the people who are making money from the exploitation of those children! As I told Mr. Newmark, "This must stop."
(The entire story may be read at http://newsok.com/article/3204852/1203081164. )
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Yunior
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor" (Psalm 112:9, NIV).
Today, we received information about our sponsored child from the Christian Relief Fund. Yunior is a six-year old boy from the Dominican Republic, a nation in the Caribbean that shares an island with Haiti. He lives with his parents and two siblings. Although both parents work, they cannot make enough money to meet their family's needs in such a poor country. Their house is made from various materials and has a tin roof. They have sparse furnishings.
With sponsorship, Yunior will be able to go to school. He will receive clothing, basic medical care, and spiritual training from local Christians. The family will also be supplied with food supplements.
For several years, Janet and I sponsored a girl in El Salvador through the Christian Relief Fund. However, shortly after we adopted our son Christopher, the girl left the program. At that time, we decided against another sponsorship. However, we believe sponsoring Yunior will help him and his family, as well as allow Christopher an opportunity to learn about conditions in much of the world and how to be compassionate toward people in different circumstances.
After seeing Yunior's photograph, Christopher asked, "Why are we sending money for him?" I explained that Yunior's family could not provide everything he needed. Christopher responded, "He probably needs food." Yes, he does. It's good to see him recognizing a need and wanting to meet it at five years old.
If anyone else would like to start sponsoring a child through the Christian Relief Fund, you may contact the group at http://www.christianrelieffund.org.
Today, we received information about our sponsored child from the Christian Relief Fund. Yunior is a six-year old boy from the Dominican Republic, a nation in the Caribbean that shares an island with Haiti. He lives with his parents and two siblings. Although both parents work, they cannot make enough money to meet their family's needs in such a poor country. Their house is made from various materials and has a tin roof. They have sparse furnishings.
With sponsorship, Yunior will be able to go to school. He will receive clothing, basic medical care, and spiritual training from local Christians. The family will also be supplied with food supplements.
For several years, Janet and I sponsored a girl in El Salvador through the Christian Relief Fund. However, shortly after we adopted our son Christopher, the girl left the program. At that time, we decided against another sponsorship. However, we believe sponsoring Yunior will help him and his family, as well as allow Christopher an opportunity to learn about conditions in much of the world and how to be compassionate toward people in different circumstances.
After seeing Yunior's photograph, Christopher asked, "Why are we sending money for him?" I explained that Yunior's family could not provide everything he needed. Christopher responded, "He probably needs food." Yes, he does. It's good to see him recognizing a need and wanting to meet it at five years old.
If anyone else would like to start sponsoring a child through the Christian Relief Fund, you may contact the group at http://www.christianrelieffund.org.
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