Java Generation - Chisholm Baptist

"Anti" Christians

2008-12-18T16:32:00.001-06:00

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that we was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures...” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Facebook is an interesting phenomenon. This free social networking site allows people to create their own web page on the internet and is a useful tool for keeping in touch with friends and family. One of the noteworthy features of facebook is your status line. Status lines are simply a headline that is easily changeable and is often used to let people know what you are thinking, feeling, or doing at any particular moment. A recent facebook status by a friend of mine announced that he “is anti-gay.” This caused me to pause and think about how we define ourselves.

The truth is that evangelicals are often identified by what we are against. We may be anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-slavery, anti-liberal, and even anti-catholic or anti-Islam. Sometimes, some of us may be anti-alcohol, anti-tobacco, anti-dancing, anti-movies, or (like my paternal grandparents) anti-playing cards. In extreme cases, some would go so far as to say they are anti-drums, anti-guitars, and anti-syncopated beat.

Some of these things that we are against arise from right, Biblical convictions, while others tend to be more personal preferences that have taken on a traditional appearance of greater holiness. Clearly, in today’s day and age, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who would advocate for slavery. At the other end of the spectrum, it is becoming increasingly hard to find those who hold to the idea that playing crazy 8s or hearts will banish someone to hell!

Regardless of which end of the spectrum that these issues may be on, there is a great danger that occurs when we define ourselves by them. Certainly some of these issues require us to take action, such as slavery or abortion. Yet, why do we take action? What is the purpose and attitudes that are behind our activism? Are we proceeding out of a self-righteous pride that motivates us to condemn those involved in a particular activity? Or are we lovingly advancing the Gospel as we interact with the homosexual, the unwed mother considering abortion, or the person who likes rock music?

D. A. Carson, in his book The Cross and Christian Ministry, recounts an assessment from a Mennonite leader as follows:

“One generation of Mennonites cherished the Gospel and believed that the entailment of the Gospel lay in certain social and political commitments. The next generation assumed the Gospel and emphasized the social and political commitments. The present generation identifies itself with the social and political commitments, while the Gospel is variously confessed or disowned; it no longer lies at the heart of the belief system of some who call themselves Mennonites.” (p 63)

As we look to 2009, will you resolve to make the Gospel more central to your identity? Will you humbly start each day by thanking Jesus for dying as your substitute, to satisfy the wrath of God against your sin? Will you ask him to send the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the glory of the Gospel and lead you, day by day, to lovingly and faithfully proclaim that Gospel to the people you encounter? Will you define yourself by being for the Gospel, rather than against something else? May God bless you in this coming year and draw you ever more deeply into the beauty and glory of the cross of Jesus Christ!

Six Things God Has Taught Me This Year

2008-11-12T13:53:00.003-06:00

My daughter Olivia tagged me in her blog post with the same title. In blog culture, that means I need to respond with a post of my own. It is a good question for all of us to ponder frequently and even to share our thoughts on, so I'll do it. But the REAL reason I am doing it is because my little girl asked me to!

1. If you are a visionary person, you need to be very careful about who, when, and how much of your vision you share publicly. You also need to make it very clear when you are brainstorming versus when you are sharing actual plans of action!

2. I need to practice disciplines of abstinence (fasting, silence, solitude, etc.) more consistently. (And not just during deer season!!!)

3. God is giving me a deeper understanding of the absolute ugliness of pride, self-righteousness, and all forms of idolatry -- including materialism, gluttony and lust. For our churches to faithfully proclaim the Gospel, we must preach the horror of the sins that we are most prone to and not just the ones we see in others outside the church.

4. I do not adequately appreciate God's kindness to me in a faithful wife, children who fear the Lord, and loyal and loving friends.

5. Duck hunting from a kayak is a lot of fun.

6. There are people of all age, gender, and station in life who earnestly desire to live lives of eternal significance for the sake of Jesus, but they don't really know where to start. I think that God wants me to focus on equipping, training and launching them.

Even as I wrote this, I realize how little time or thought I give to this question on any kind of regular basis. Perhaps number 7 would be that I need to pay more attention to the lessons God is trying to teach me this year....

Celebrating Citizenship

2008-11-05T08:53:00.003-06:00

Today, the 2008 election campaigns are over. There are very few people that I know who have not been emotionally effected by the outcomes. A quick glance at facebook profiles of my friends can illuminate who is ecstatic and who is depressed.

For some, the elections were a sign of great hope that changes are coming that will usher us into a new era of enlightenment where all our troubles will be miraculously melted away. A new day is dawning and it will be bright and clean with great promise for the future. There will be fairness, compassion and perhaps even world peace!

For others (I am a white evangelical who hangs out with a lot of white evangelicals!), there is a heavy spirit of doom and gloom that has descended along with the election results. The way some of these friends are reacting, you would think that not only will abortion rights be expanded, but that there will be death squads dispatched to throw young infants into the nearest river; that the only way anyone will be able to get a marriage license anymore is if they can prove they are of the same gender; or that Sharia law will be in place before the end of the next year. The end is nigh -- stock the root cellar and buy as much ammo as you can get your hands on!

I, however, want to take this opportunity to CELEBRATE my citizenship. Colossians 1:13-14 states, "He (God) has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." While it is certainly a physical blessing to be an American citizen, my American citizenship is NOT what I take my pride or comfort in. My primary citizenship is not to a nation of this world (which will one day pass away!), but I have been transferred to a citizenship in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that will NEVER pass away! Since Jesus Christ has made it possible for God's righteous wrath to be removed from me by being my substitute, bearing the punishment for my sin on the cross, I have now been reconciled to God the Father and transferred into the kingdom of his Son. I am no longer an American citizen who holds the Christian faith, but a Christian citizen who is sent as an ambassador to America. (See 2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

So, if you are a democrat, remember that it is much easier to blame someone else (George Bush!) for difficult and complex problems, than it is to actually fix problems and govern. You will have no excuses now for being unable to accomplish all the utopian dreams that you have been promising to the country if you could only get your way. Prepare to be disappointed by your leaders -- for the greater the power that is held by men, the greater the corruption that normally follows.

And if you are a republican, understand that your leaders lost badly largely because they had sold out to corruption when they held power. In 1994, they surged to an unprecedented measure of control -- much like the democrats did last night. However, once they tasted the perks and privilege of holding power, they abandoned their principles, broke their promises (like term limits!), and increased the size of the government that they set out to make much smaller and more efficient! This doesn't even touch on the 15 or so major moral corruption scandals that various national republicans found themselves involved in over the past few years.

Let me close by quoting Philippians 3:20-21 -- "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." Jesus is the King of all kings and the Lord of all Lords! That will never change. I pray that you will find the peace and joy that comes from yielding your life and allegiance to King Jesus, before the day comes when all his enemies will be made a footstool under his feet! Do not trust in democrats. Do not trust in republicans. Trust in King Jesus!

Evangelism Without the Cross

2008-10-29T11:27:00.003-05:00

Monday night I attended a large youth rally. All day, a team had been to area high schools doing school assemblies in order to invite kids to a large community rally that evening. They must have done good work, because nearly 700 kids showed up for the evening rally. They had a cool, hip band and cool, hip speakers. There was pizza and pop waiting for the end of the rally. Everything was in place as the speaker moved towards calling kids to make a decision.

The speaker told them, "Jesus isn't some guy sitting on a chair waiting to throw lightening bolts at you when you screw up. Give your heart to God, he'll take the bad and the good. Come forward and come to faith." On the count of three, about 400 kids went forward to "come to faith."

As I sat and observed, many of these kids were busy chatting with their friends or texting as the speaker made the invitation. They went forward chatting and giggling with their friends. Some rode piggy back on others. Their were no tears of repentance or even serious looks of determination, rather there was chatting and autograph requests as they got close to the entertainers.

Other than the chair comment, not one word was said about WHO Jesus is, or what he did. The entire content of the rally could have easily been done at a public high school without raising any concern from the most liberal teacher or student. Most notably absent was the Cross.

Paul writes to the Corinthian church, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

I think the young people doing this assembly are sincere followers of Jesus who want to see teens come to faith in Jesus. However, they have fallen victim to the lie of our day and age that we must make the message of Christ more acceptable to our day and age. They want to make sure that nothing prevents kids from being saved. While we want to remove any obstacles that stand in the way of coming to faith, there is one obstacle -- a stumbling block actually -- that Jesus does not give us the option of removing -- the cross. Again Paul writes, "But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

Please remember that our duty is to simply proclaim the Gospel message. Nothing more, nothing less. Certainly we want to proclaim it to the best of our abilities. We want to proclaim it in language that will be clearly understood by our listeners and we want to make it as readily accessible as we can.

However, we can not alter the message. Ultimately, we cannot convert one single human being through our own abilities or efforts. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate the dead hearts of humans and to cause them to spring to life. And it is the pleasure of God to use a message that seems like complete foolishness to those who are perishing to accomplish this purpose. In this way, He receives all the glory and honor and praise.

Due to the number of kids who came forward, the counselors were not able to meet with them one on one to help be sure they understood the good news. Instead, the groups of teens continued chatting and texting as they received their promised gift -- a tract and a copy of the Gospels in chronological order. Many were clearly disappointed in the promised gift -- it wasn't an ipod touch like they hoped, so they passed them on to other friends so that they wouldn't have to carry them. But God is sovereign, and hopefully there will be even one teen who the Holy Spirit reaches through these imperfect efforts. Which gives me hope that maybe my imperfect efforts at proclaiming the message can bear fruit too.

Friendly Versus Intimate.

2008-10-22T12:30:00.002-05:00

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. James 2:1

The official word is that Chisholm Baptist is a friendly church. I frequently hear people from the church talking about what a wonderful, friendly place this church is. There is no doubt that the people I hear this from are sincere and really love this church – as they should!

However there are other voices that I hear from time to time. These voices share another message. These are the voices of people who feel lonely and isolated. They are voices of people who are never included in the private parties, or invited to dinner. These are people who are new, or poor, or single, or in some way don’t “fit the mold.” These voices talk about a Chisholm Baptist Church that seems cliquish and sometimes shallow in our relationships.

It isn’t that people are necessarily mean or unkind. It’s just that most of us do not get beyond a smile and light chatter on Sunday morning in the hallway. Most of us, frankly, like it that way. Do we really want to know about someone else’s pain or trials? Do we really want to put up with stories from people who seem “weird” to us? Are we content to remain blind to any problems that aren’t far away and disconnected from our day to day lives?

This becomes even more evident as we get closer to issues of sin in people’s lives. Do we ask each other tough questions to hold one another accountable? Do we confront people who offend us, or do we hold grudges and talk behind their backs? Do we ignore sinful patterns of behavior in other people instead of lovingly and humbly encouraging them to repent? Have we quietly embraced the modern notion of tolerance when we let people continue uninterrupted in their involvement with church activities despite their blatant and unrepentant sinning? 1 John 1:6 says “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

While Chisholm Baptist may be a friendly church, it is not always an intimate church. All of us need to examine our hearts, our attitudes, and our actions to see if we are making efforts to love and serve other people in our midst. We need to reach out to others in the church who are hurting, lonely, struggling with sin, or just a little different than us to be able to serve them in their walk with Christ. We must love people enough to correct them in patterns of sin in their lives – not because we have reached a level of perfection and can sit in judgment – but because we need them to be there to do the same for us in turn. If we fail to cultivate deep and intimate relationships with one another that are centered around Jesus, we will end up as hearers of the Word, but not doers of the Word.

Even if you feel that you are rich in intimate relationships here at church, ask yourself these questions. When was the last time someone loved me enough to confront me on sin in my life? When was the last time I felt the need to confront someone else and actually did it? When was the last time I invited someone over for dinner for the first time? When was the last time I prayed to ask God to guide me to a person who needed me to serve them? What is the biggest struggle with sin for each of my three closest friends at CBC? What am I doing to help them overcome that sin in their lives? When was the last time I confessed my sin to someone else? All of us MUST fight against our sinful tendency to be selfish and our desire to be served, and seek, by God’s grace, to become servants to others around us. Only then will Chisholm Baptist be not just a friendly church, but an intimate one as well.

Feminist Template Obliterated...

2008-09-11T11:48:00.002-05:00

Click here to read the article by Kathleen Parker in USA Today...

Here is an excerpt:

"But the greatest insult was yet to come. Republicans — those anti-woman, patriarchal Neanderthalian gun-clingers — nominated a woman whom Democrats would call a "Stepford wife," except she'd beat them to a bloody pulp with a moose antler.
The irony is almost too on-the-nose to be enjoyable, but there is other cause for satisfaction. Even if Sarah Palin ultimately fails to prove herself worthy of second-in-command, her enthusiastic reception has proved that there are other kinds of women in the USA — lots of them — who have a different idea about what's best for womankind."

I find the current discussions fascinating in light of Biblical teaching on the roles of men and women as God has created us. Certainly, none of the models on display in the current public debate are necessarily Biblical, but I love how this is shaking up so many stereotypes. Our cultural stereotypes need to be shattered, so that ultimately people will turn to the Creator with an open mind to how He made us in the first place.

Please weigh in with your observations on this topic!

Democrats Must Learn Some Respect... Lessons for the Church???

2008-09-08T10:51:00.005-05:00

Here are my thoughts on this article: Democrats Must Learn Some Respect, by Clive Crook

I find Mr. Crook's observations to be very interesting and generally accurate. While it would be easy to simply blast liberalism, I think to do so would miss a very important teaching opportunity.

Is it possible that American Evangelicals could suffer from the same afflicition of arrogance and entitlement that the author points out in regard to liberals and the media?

Within much of the evangelical world, we have a tendency to be extremely harsh and shrill in our criticism of the world around us. We don't hear ourselves very well. As we criticize homosexuals, liberals in politics or academics, abortion rights advocates, or anyone else that we deem to be opposed to our Biblical worldview, we come across frequently as arrogant and judgmental. Our message is largely lost, because of the tone and mode of how we convey it. As a result, we end up preaching only to those who already share our views, and the rest of the world tunes us out as bigots and hate-mongers.

Please understand that I do not disagree with most of the content of these messages! However, many of our chief spokes-people are doing more harm than good to the cause of Christ. Here are some ways that we have not been good followers of Jesus' example as we engage the culture around us:

1. Jesus clearly distinguished between this earthly kingdom and His kingdom. When asked about his kingdom by Pilate, Jesus responded that his kingdom was not of this world. (John 18:36) Jesus paid taxes, obeyed the laws, and otherwise submitted to the authority of this world so long as it did not directly contradict the greater authority of his own kingdom. Ultimately, he expressed this proper perspective between kingdoms in Matthew 22:21 -- "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." We must remember that our true citizenship is in Jesus' kingdom and that we are simply ambassadors and aliens to the kingdoms of this world. Therefore, we obey and honor the laws, but recognize our first allegiance to our true King.

2. Jesus clearly modeled an authority structure based on service, rather than perks and privilege. (See Mark 10:42-45) Jesus exemplified leadership by pouring out his life in loving service not only to his followers, but also to his enemies. We need to serve the very people who we are tempted to hate. Good examples of this include many of the pregnancy centers that take care of pregnant women and their unborn children. We need more of this type of service to those with addictions, homosexuals and AIDS victims, and the poor.

3. Jesus reserved his harshest criticism for the religious people! Jesus repeatedly goes after those who have great head knowledge about God, but whose lives are not consistent with the scriptures. Jesus repeatedly offers forgiveness to wretched people who are humble, but continually opposes religiously proud people. In many of our churches, we have reversed this! We give in to the most religiously proud people and heap condemnation on the broken. We should be very careful about condemning homosexuals, addicts, abortion rights people, etc., if we are tolerating heterosexual adultery, pornography, divorce, greed, materialism, and pride in our own people and even in our LEADERS!

4. Jesus stayed on message. Jesus purpose was to preach "good news." This is also frequently stated as the "gospel of the kingdom." We are called to be ambassadors of this gospel (good news) of the kingdom. We must stay on message with the Gospel as well. As we observe and interact with the culture around us, we must always return to the message that Jesus commissioned us to carry. We must resolve to preach the truth that Jesus died on the cross as a substitute for sinners, to satisfy the wrath of God against our rebellion, and that he rose again to give us hope of a new life as subjects of His Kingdom. We need to continually remind everyone we meet that the kingdoms of this world are about to be destroyed by the rightful King who is offering amnesty in advance of final destruction.

Will this message still be heard by many to be harsh and shrill? Probably. But we need to let the CROSS offend people, rather than our arrogance or our methods.

A feminist view of recent political developments....

2008-09-08T10:34:00.002-05:00

A Feminist's Argument for Mc'Cain's VP, by Tammy Bruce -- click the link to read the article.

Perhaps many women who have been indoctrinated in the liberal world-view are beginning to see that those of us who lean conservative really value women as something more than just a voting block we can manipulate to gain power.

Hopefully, at some point they can see that even our stance on abortion is ultimately because we value ALL human life -- including the lives of women. Now we just need a feminist to write an article about how abortion is devastating the lives of the women who have them....

We have seen some strange alliances between Christian conservatives and feminists before -- regarding pornography and human trafficking. Perhaps a new day may be dawning after all....

My primary concern in recent developments is that it has been yet another opportunity to put down women who CHOOSE to dedicate their lives to being wives and mothers FIRST. Just last night, we heard Geraldine Ferraro ask what Sara Palin would do all day at home -- as if she would be completely wasting all of her talents and abilities. Let me make it clear -- my wife has chosen the HIGHEST calling available to any woman. She has dedicated her entire life to raising, educating, and discipling our children for the glory of God. Her sacrifice of public acclamation and acceptance of public scorn is noted by me, but more importantly it is noted by Jesus, who will grant her great reward and honor when she appears before his throne. Thanks honey, and do not lose heart....

Kingdom-Focussed Living

2008-08-25T16:19:00.002-05:00

Today, my son, Sam, began his first day of school in the last year in our home. He has aspirations to complete his college degree in an area that involves communication and writing. He is a gifted song-writer and musician, and he has a heart that is bent towards using his giftedness in some sort of way to impact the world for the Glory of God. We are thrilled by the evidences of grace in his life and can't wait to see what the Lord will do in and through him.

I am not bragging, but you need to know this so that the following conversation, reported to me by my wife, Kim, will make sense. The others involved in the conversation would be considered mature Christians.

"So what are Sam's plans for the future?"
Kim, "He wants to finish a degree in communications or writing with the idea of doing some sort of ministry."
"There's no money in that!"
Kim, "Well, he is more concerned about doing what God has called him to do than he is about making money."
"Has he ever thought about becoming a plumber? Plumbers make real good money."

First, you need to understand that one of my greatest failures as a dad has been to fail to include Sam in manual labor around the house. As a result, if I send him to get me a wrench, I would have to describe how it is different than a pliers. The idea that he would end up in any sort of mechanical occupation is less likely than me ending up in the NBA. There is nothing wrong with blue-collar occupations and God actually CALLS people to be skilled in working with their hands, (see Ex. 35:30-36:1) but I can tell you with great certainty that it is not SAM'S calling!

Second, there is a worldview issue here that is astonishing. That mature Christians would be driven in guiding young people to make career decisions based nearly exclusively on money and material possessions speaks volumes about the state of the church in America today. Have we fallen so far in our idolatrous worship of material possessions that we cannot see the extent to which it is effecting us?

As we consider the God-ordained task of raising children, we need to define success correctly. For me, I would rather have my children living in a card-board box under a bridge somewhere if they are walking faithfully with Jesus, than to have them achieve great success in their education, career, standard of living, and all other endeavors -- only to forsake Jesus. If they were to achieve everything their hearts could desire in this world, but do not love Jesus, I would be heart-broken.

How would you respond to a conversation like this? What are your goals for using your life and investing in the next generation? Post your thoughts and join the discussion.

Doing great works like Jesus...

2008-07-24T15:25:00.002-05:00

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:12-14

One of the points in the sermon on July 20, was that Jesus exercised great power, and promised that when he returned to the Father, his disciples would do even greater works. Between services, I was asked why it was that we do not see this in practice. I thought is was a great question and deserved special treatment in response.

I believe the answer lies primarily in the fourth chapter of James. The first reason we do not see great spiritual works is that we do not ask for them. James writes “you do not have, because you do not ask.” (verse 2b) So, why don’t we ask for God to do great works in our day? First, because we are very rich in material possessions. Even with tough times, we are rich beyond imagination compared to any other people in history. Therefore, we are quite content to rely on things we can see and pay for to take care of the needs that we perceive in our lives.

Second, we do not ask because we lack faith. While we will clearly acknowledge that God CAN do miracles, we lack the faith to believe that he is in the regular business of granting them on our behalf. Perhaps we have tried praying about certain things in the past, but God let us down. Thus, we lack the faith to boldly approach the throne of grace with our requests. We tend to think God has bigger things to worry about than our requests, and we forget that he is our loving dad who loves to take care of his children.

Third, we are afraid to ask. We have seen so much that passes for “supernatural” or “charismatic” that we are afraid we will open a big can of worms if we pray for things out of the ordinary. The problem here isn’t worrying that God won’t answer, but worrying that he WILL answer. I am skeptical of much that passes for faith healing and extraordinary works in our day and age. However, God clearly is able to do these things. Perhaps we need to worry less about what impression these requests may leave and simply pray with more boldness.

A second reason we don’t see these works today is contained in James 4:3. James goes on to say “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” So when we ask God for him to work on our behalf, we need to do it with a careful eye towards our motives and desires. Are we asking God to give us things that we have a tendency to value more than we value God? If so, we are asking him to enable our worship of idols. Are we asking for things that will make us look good and bring us personal glory? Then we are asking him to worship us!

In verse 6, James quotes Proverbs as he says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God will not do great works through men and women who are competing with him for the glory. However, he is EAGER to do them through men and women who are humbly walking with Jesus and whose desire is to see Jesus get all the glory and honor and praise. So whose glory are YOU seeking?

Rahab and Achan

2008-07-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

This was the June newsletter piece....

In preaching out at Side Lake, we have been working through the book of Joshua. In the past couple of weeks, we have seen a noteworthy contradiction illustrated in two very different characters. In Chapter 6, we see Rahab, a prostitute, who by faith in the God of Israel is spared from the utter destruction of her city of Jericho. In Chapter 7, we see Achan, a member of God’s covenant people, who disobeys God’s command to utterly destroy Jericho and keeps some of the plunder hidden in his tent. As a result, he and his entire family are put to death.

These passages are both difficult passages that display something of God’s character that we would just as soon ignore. As Americans living in the 21st century, we are uncomfortable with the idea of God wiping out an entire nation or having the people execute someone who has broken God’s commands. In these passages from Joshua, we see “the Old Testament God of Fire and Brimstone.” However, when we look deeper at the stories involved, we can see that the Gospel, or good news of Jesus, is evident even in these difficult stories of utter destruction.

First, we need to see how these stories reflect the Holiness of God. We need to understand that the Lord God is altogether perfect and without any blemish. His perfection is so absolute that nothing impure or unholy can exist in his presence. In Deuteronomy 4:24, Moses tells the people “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” When we begin to understand the holiness of God, our amazement is not that he would allow the destruction of Jericho or Achan’s family, but that he would not utterly destroy ALL human life. The amazing fact that should be hard to understand is that he shows kindness to Rahab’s family and the people of Israel.

Second, we see God extending his grace to people who do not deserve it. Achan was a part of God’s chosen people. He was, at least outwardly, a worshiper of God. However, he came under judgment for his idolatry. He valued (or worshiped) a coat, a bar of gold, and some silver more than he valued God’s command. Rahab, on the other hand, was a prostitute. Not only that, but she was a foreigner who lived in an idolatrous city that worshiped pagan gods. The reason that Jericho was to be destroyed is that their evil was full or ripe. In this context, Rahab the Prostitute saw that the Lord God of Israel was the real God. She turned her back on the false gods of her people and acted in faith to hide Israeli spies who had come to spy out Jericho. As a result of her faith, God allowed her to be spared from the utter destruction she deserved, along with all those in her family who would trust her to come to her house to await salvation. Ultimately, we find her name listed in the geneology of Jesus. Not only was she saved, but God allowed his own son to descend from her line. This is amazing and undeserved grace!

Third, in the story of Achan we see that disobedience within God’s people results in a removal of his hand of blessing and discipline. As a result of Achan hiding loot under his tent, the army loses its next battle resulting in 36 men dying trying to take a tiny little town of virtually no significance. Achan and his family receive the death penalty as a consequence of Achan’s sin. Was his family also guilty? Were they innocent victims? I don’t know. But the lesson for us to take away is that God takes our sin very seriously – even after we have been saved by his grace and made a part of his people. In both Acts 5 (Ananias and Sapphira) and in 1 Corinthians 11, we see indications that sickness and death are the direct result of sin on the part of believers.

Please don’t misunderstand – not all sickness or untimely death is a direct result of sin. Most of these sufferings are simply a part of living in a fallen world. But keep in mind that God showed mercy to the prostitute who left behind her external religion of pagan idolatry to follow God, but brought judgment on the person who was externally religiously worshiping God, but inwardly worshiped a pile of stuff he hid inside his tent.

So what are you hiding under your tent? When you leave church on Sunday, do you return to your worship of material possessions, relationships, lust, food, or status? Do you literally have things hidden about your house that you know are sinful? Especially for you men, are you secretly worshiping images of creatures in the form of pornography or sexually explicit materials? If so, determine now to repent and seek God’s forgiveness. Take steps to break free from the sin that entangles you. Call me and get ready to meet with other men to learn how you can purge this area of sin from your life as we go through “Every Man’s Battle” together this summer.

A Vision for the Times

2008-07-11T20:30:00.002-05:00

This was originally published in the July issue of our Chisholm Baptist newsletter. I will plan on trying to post these monthly articles to the blog to help keep it active. Please post your thoughts as comments....

Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 1 Samuel 3:1

We live in a day and age that is similar to the one described in this verse. Few people have a vision for anything beyond a secure retirement with enough money to play out their years. The motto of our times is eat, drink, and be merry. It is reflected in the advertisements with which we are continually bombarded, and it is reflected in the way we, in turn, spend our time, money and other resources.

As a result, there are two very distinct ways that some people respond to the lack of prophetic vision in our times. The first way they respond is by not caring about the lack of vision and just allowing themselves to be swept away with the tide of our times. We do this by simply living our life by the standards of the world where our striving is all aimed towards consuming and enjoying as much as we can in this life.

The second way that people respond is by becoming desperate to latch onto anything that remotely resembles a vision. One I have heard of lately is the "I35 Revival" vision. The gist of this is that Isaiah 35 is actually referring to a revival that will happen along the Interstae 35 corridor from Duluth to Texas. Since Isaiah 35 refers to a highway that will be a "way to holiness," I35 is the road in which this prophecy is supposed to come to pass. While I would have no problem with a massive revival breaking out along the I35 corridor from Duluth to Dallas, I think that the conclusion is a bit of a stretch – to say the least.

In light of these poor reactions to a general lack of prophetic vision in our times, I think that we need to be actively seeking the Lord to provide us with a clear vision for our lives and times. He promised that in these days our sons and daughters would prophecy, our old men would dream dreams and our young men see visions. Most importantly, if we are living lives in step with the Holy Spirit, we need to see through the eyes of Jesus. We need to see people the way that Jesus sees them and we need to see a clear picture of the mission that Jesus has laid out for us in our time and culture.

Specifically, we are living in the least churched county in the state of Minnesota. We support foreign missionaries who are working in countries that have a higher percentage of Christians than we do on the Iron Range. So what is God calling us to have a vision for?
First, I think we need a vision for passionate and transforming faith. Mere religion does not impress Jesus, and we need to have a vision for passing on a faith to future generations that goes above and beyond religious observance. We need to stop worrying about whether our faith is "acceptable" to the culture we live in and start loving Jesus with an abandon that will freak some people out. Without a passionate love for Jesus, there will never be a clear vision of the mission.

Second, we need to take a serious look at benevolence ministry. Our mandate to care for the poor is incredibly clear from scripture, but it needs to be more than "mere handouts." We need several people to step forward and to take on a benevolence ministry that can serve the needs of the poor in our communities in a way that preserves dignity and encourages a biblical work ethic. Ideas such as a benevolence garden, or work projects in return for gas or food vouchers simply need some willing people who are willing to have a huge impact on our community.

Finally, we need to consider planting new churches. This was the clear pattern of the apostles and early church leaders. Planting is also the most effective way to reach new segments of our communities for Christ. As we see our passion for Jesus and the gospel grow, it will translate into a passion to reach the lost in our communities and see them experience the transforming grace of God. Church planting is the natural outflow of these passions.

These are just a few. I would encourage you to seek God’s face and ask him to give you your own vision for your life and times – something more than a life of leisure and lack of discomfort.

Pearls Before Breakfast

2008-03-06T14:02:00.002-06:00

One of the illustrations used by C.J. Mahaney at the Text and Context Conference in Seattle last week was based on an article in the Washington Post entitled Pearls Before Breakfast. The short version of the story is that the Post conducted an experiment on January 12, 2007, at a Washington subway stop. They got Joshua Bell, a world renowned violinist, to take his $3.5 million Stadivari vioin and perform as a street musician at the entrance to the Washington metro during morning rush hour. They wanted to see the effect that context would have on people's perceptions of beauty.

The results? In short, out of 1097 people who passed by, only 7 stopped to listen for more than one minute. The musician who can command $1000 per minute for some of his concerts made $32 and change for his 43 minutes of playing. Most commuters were so engrossed in their normal routines -- rushing to work, dropping off kids, and buying lotto tickets -- that they didn't even notice the beuaty of the moment.

There are great lessons in this for us in relation to the Gospel. The good news of Jesus is the most beautiful and valuable treasure in all of heaven and earth. And yet, how many people cannot take the time to appreciate it because they are so busy with their routine and mundane things? Even for those of us who have seen the beauty and glory of the gospel, we far too often find ourselves losing our joy and passion for this treasure as we chase after other infinitely less valuable things.

Click HERE to read the whole article, and then let me know how it makes you think about beauty and the gospel.

Turning 40.

2008-02-01T10:12:00.000-06:00

Over the years, most of my friends have been older than me. Because we got married young and had kids early, we naturally wound up hanging with a crew that had kids the same age -- mostly 6-10 years older than us. As a result, when I was in my early 30s, we would attend big 40th birthday parties where my friends were mercilessly treated because they were "so old." Even at the time, I realized that by the time I turned 40, these same friends would be closing in on 50 and probably lose their enthusiasm for big 40th birthday parties! So, I think I might get off the hook! (Yes, that is a good thing, I think!)

Anyhow, there is a healthy aspect to examining our lives from time to time. For many of us, the new year is one such time. Birthdays are another -- and in particular, birthdays that mark decades give us an opportunity to ponder the brevity of this life, and to examine what we have accomplished so far and what remains to be done if God grants us a normal span of years.

For me, I look at the fact that my firstborn is nearing his time to leave our home. I think this makes me feel older than the number of my birthday. As I evaluate this fact, I realize that our primary work with Sam is nearing completion. There are still a lot of things I'd like him to know and skills that I would like to pass on -- however, I know that I only have a little time left for this process and I will have to trust that God will finish off the areas that I have not covered. By and large, I am excited to see his adaptation to the adult world and I am optimistic that he will have a significant influence for the Kingdom of God in the years to come.

I also look at the girls and thin that the next few years are critical. As they enter their teen years, I realize that I have unfinished work to do to prepare them to relate to men when it is their turn to leave. I see bright prospects for them to be able to take meaningful stands, develop godly character and to also have influential lives, but I am struck by the weight that falls on me as a dad to teach them how to relate to men. I am struck by the need for me to carve out time for them over the next few years so that they don't seek out male attention in unhealthy ways.

For my marriage, next years birthday is probably even more of a milestone. Using an online day calander, I calculate that 2 days after my 41st birthday, I will have been married for half my life. I am amazed at the grace God has shown me in giving me a woman who would hang in there through all the turmoils that life has thrown at us. I honestly couldn't blame her for giving up years ago. But I need to work at making the next part of our life more tolerable than the first 20 years. I am very aware of the ways that I ahve fallen short, and pray that God would grant me the ability to make significant improvements in the years to come.

Beyond these concerns, my ambitions seem to fade quickly. There are many things I'd like to experience or accomplish, but they fade in importance quickly under this type of examination. Perhaps part of that is realizing that all my work, my preaching and teaching, my activities and hobbies will not carry on beyond my death. As I think about where my legacy will be carried on, it will be in the generations of people who come from my marriage and the raising of my children. I was recently challenged by another pastor's message to pray for a generation I cannot see. I realize that my impact and influence on the next century will come through my work in leading my family. So it is a bit daunting to realize that a huge portion of that work (whether done well or not!) is already behind me. Certainly, there will be ongoing relationship and influence for whatever years lie ahead, but a lot of that will be built on the foundations already laid.

So, for those who may read this who are just starting out, especially, I would challenge you to catch a glimpse of a time you cannot see. Then realize your opportunity to influence that time may be sitting in a high chair and driving you crazy right now. Worry less about their ability to have the American Dream, and inspire them to dream of their part in a bigger Kingdom -- the Kingdom of God. Trust me, there is no greater rush than to see your chidren carrying forward a passion and joy in Jesus as they begin to become missionaries to the time you cannot see.

Schedule update!

2008-02-01T10:09:00.000-06:00

I haven't been on here for awhile, but we'll givei t another chance. Due to my attendance at the Bethlehem Pastor's Conference next week, there will be no Marriage Bible Study on Tusday, Feb.5, 2008. Also, Thursday morning men's study is also cancelled for Feb. 7, 2008.

Don't forget the Super Bowl party on Sunday! Bring a snack to share and come watch the game, play games, or just hang out. All ages welcome.

Why are children bored?

2007-08-15T10:38:00.000-05:00

Click here to read a recent blog post on the Resurgence blog on why children are so often bored in the modern era. Do you agree? How does this thought affect your parenting of your children? No children yet? Then let me know if you think this is valid for why you may be bored at times....

The Illusion of Safety

2007-08-02T09:30:00.001-05:00

Click here to view a blog by Dr. Albert Mohler on the bridge collapse in Minneapolis.

Do you live with a conscious acknowledgement of the brevity of life? Do you understand that your life can end without you being involved in "risky" activities? Have you pondered the reality that you cannot die unless and until God wills you to do so?

We worry a lot. We worry about all kinds of perceived perils and often live our lives trying to avoid as much risk as possible. However, our days are numbered by the Lord and He alone is sovereign over our lives and our deaths. So what is our proper perspective on our lives when confronted by sudden tragedies like this?

First, be ready to meet Jesus. It could be before you take your next breath. Whether rock climbing or resting in your bed, your next breath is never guaranteed, so don't take it for granted that you have tomorrow to get right with God and to do business with Jesus.

Second, having taken care of the first issue, live with a boldness to take risks. This does not mean that you intentionally test God by doing things that are stupid. I can jump out of a plane without a parachute and trust God's sovereignty to keep me alive if it is his will, but my bet is that at this point God's will is for my death or severe physical disability! However, I can take risks of serving God in Baghdad or going to a dangerous part of a city to lead a study knowing that God will only allow my death IF it is for my good and His glory. How liberating! I need not be bound by fear and I can live in the liberty of knowing that to live is Christ and to die is gain!

Finally, the way we worry and the way we take Godly risks is an important part of our witness to the world. Our peace in the face of tragedy and our willingness to go into situations that defy human logic speak volumes to those who are watching us about whether we REALLY trust Jesus or just say that we do.

Weigh in with your take on this issue....

Reflections on the Cross

2007-04-01T20:37:00.000-05:00

For me, the next week looms as one of the busiest of the year. So, before getting immersed in a long list of tasks and meetings, I thought it prudent to reflect on the nature of what we remember this week.

1. The cross was completely unnecessary. God could have chosen to leave us in our sins and rebellion and He could have struck us all dead and banished us to hell. There would have been no cry of "unfair,' for it is truly what each one of us deserves. God was not under a moral obligation to save us. His righteous anger with our sin is completely justified.

2. The cross was absolutely necessary for my salvation (and yours too.) God could not forgive sin, waive the death penalty, and still be considered holy and righteous. If the president granted full immunity to Osama Bin Laden, we would scream out that it was unfair to let this murderer go free. In the same way, if God had merely ignored our sin, all creation would have cried out "unfair!" But God proves both His love and His justice on the cross. His moral perfection demanded a payment be made for sin, and so that is exactly what Jesus did on the cross. He accepted the full blast of God's wrath towards sin on the cross. Without the cross, either I needed to pay the price myself (death and hell), or God had to compromise His moral perfection. Neither would be a good option for me, so for my sake, the cross was completely necessary.

3. In America, we take it for granted that we have rights and we deserve a "good life." Our thinking (and often our words) often focus on how unfair things are. Every time we don't get our own way, we immediately blame God for allowing us to "suffer" so much. Never mind that the suffering we endure may only be to not get everything we want as soon as we want it. We think that by being born we deserve to have everything that our hearts can dream of desiring. It's only when we understand the nature of what happened on the cross that we can come to understand that the only thing in life we are entitled to have is death and hell. Everything we get that is better than death and eternal torment in hell is a gift of a loving and merciful God. Not only do we escape His wrath, but by trusting in what He accomplished on the cross, we have assurance that we can have our deepest longings and desires FULLY satisfied for all of eternity as we spend it with Him. I deserved the cross, but Jesus took it in my place.

A Matter of Life and Death...

2007-03-27T12:20:00.000-05:00

The following opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Chisholm Baptist Church, it's members, board, or pastors. These opinions belong to Pastor Kevin and he is the one you need to complain to if you do not like this post....

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! Romans 10:14-15

There are two events on my mind as I sit to write to you this month. The first is dinner last night. For several months, I have been trying to find a time to have dinner with Shawn, but the demands of my schedule has kept me from it. Finally, I picked up Shawn and we went to Jim’s bar for dinner. We had burgers and played a little bocce ball before I had to get over to the church for cantata practice. As is Shawn’s habit, he introduced me to everyone. I don’t have everyone’s names down as I ought, but I met more non-church people from Chisholm in the hour I spent there than I had at any single event since moving here two years ago.

For those of us who grew up in the church, we have an image of the bar as being a "den of iniquity." We can hardly imagine the evil that is going on behind those mysterious doors. And yet, what we find there is a lot of people. These people all have different issues in their lives. There were people laughing and having conversations together. There were others who looked to be very sad or depressed who did not look like they wanted to interact with anyone. There were couples and singles. There were older folks and younger folks. Most everyone seemed to be on a first name basis with one another. When Shawn ordered his dinner, the server was quick to ask if he was able to have that on his diet.

From my very limited experiences of hanging out in a bar, it was a pretty typical hour. There was music and fellowship. There were signs of pain and heartache and addiction, mixed with times of joy and victory and celebration. There were friendships and good natured ribbing. There were conflicts and struggles. At the center of it all seems to be a deep desire to connect with other people in some sort of a relationship.

In other words, it was a lot like being in a church without the Gospel. Actually, the similarities are staggering. The bottom line is that people long to connect with someone or some thing outside of themselves. For those of us who have learned of the grace of God through Jesus Christ, we understand that this longing is placed in us by God so that we seek Him and find Him. However, we also have the joyous privilege of sharing this good news with those who have not heard. So the irony of the bar is that it has many of the elements of church community that we work so hard to try to create in the church. The thing that is lacking is the Gospel. But how can the Gospel come to the bar if the Gospel preachers refuse to go there?

The other event that is prominent in my thoughts today was the report Sam brought home from work at McDonalds yesterday. One of the young girls who worked there didn’t show up. It turns out that she took her own life. As we talked about this event, Sam was obviously concerned about how he could have done or said something to have altered this situation. While the things already done cannot be changed, we were able to discuss some possibilities of how he can be a Gospel bearer to his co-workers at McDonalds.

There is no shortage of people who are desperately hurting and deeply longing for connection. The lack of purpose that people experience and their deep loneliness can only be met by their loving creator who has made their reconciliation possible through the blood of His only Son. The question then is why is there such a shortage of people who will go to them and tell them the good news of Jesus? On days like today I am reminded that it is a matter of life and death – both now and for eternity.

Spring has Sprung!

2007-03-23T16:34:00.000-05:00

With today's temps well into the 50s, it is beginning to feel a lot like spring. I personally love the sound of water running as the snow melts away, but there isn't much of that since we had so little snow. I think I will take the girls out to fly kites before dark tonight. It was also good to get out the baseball gloves yesterday and play a little catch -- I have to get the arm loosened up before softball season gets underway.

What are your favorite things about spring? Join the conversation and let us know....

Honduras

2007-03-12T10:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry For not posting in awhile. I was blessed to be tv and computer free for the last week and a half due to our trip to Honduras. We left 2 days early to avoid getting trapped by the snow storm. We hung out with family in the cities before flying out of Minneapolis on Friday night.

One of the highlights was worshipping with one of the families from the ranch at their church in Tegucigalpa. I took this next picture after church, overlooking the city. The house parents are a retired couple who have decided to invest their retirement in another generation of children who need their love and experience. God is working in this family and I look forward to seeing how God uses them over the coming years.

On Wednesday, we traveled to the small village of Quiscamote to do an outreach. Our hosts expected about 7-8 people, but we had 76 turn out. Scott Erickson shared his testimony and I had the privilege of preaching the gospel. We had been praying for this outreach and especially that God would bring "honorable men." We had two men and a couple of older teen boys show up. We were able to give the two men copies of the New Testament in Spanish. This day was by far the highlight of our trip. The next picture is one of me and some of my new friends from Quiscamote.
The school we were working on is half done and being used. We worked on the "new" half. We finished sheetrocking and taping the lower level, completed the framing and wiring of the whole building, and put in all the windows. We worked pretty hard for the week, but felt that the work was productive for the ranch. Here is a picture of the whole construction crew at the end of the week with the school in the background.

After a full week, you would think a guy could take a nap in peace! Oh well, at least the thieves returned the camera....

Amazing Grace Update

2007-02-19T18:08:00.000-06:00

At this time, it does not appear Amazing Grace, the movie, will be coming to the range. The nearest theater showing the movie is Duluth 10 (down by the DECC). Showtimes are 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, and 9:40. Matinees are $5.50 and regular admission is $7.50. Please let me know ASAP if you want to arrange to go together on Friday. I plan on taking my family. We would have room for up to three more people in our suburban. If you want to go together, but drive, let me know so that we can encourage more people to come with.

Amazing Grace Sunday - February 18, 2007

2007-02-12T14:30:00.000-06:00

This Sunday, at Side Lake, we will be participating in Amazing Grace Sunday. Over 3,000 churches from across the US and Canada will be singing the classic song and taking time to pray to end the modern day slave trafficing. I will be preaching on the story of Newton and Wilberforce and from Eph. 5:11.

On Feb. 23, the movie "Amazing Grace" will be released in theaters. To check it out, including trailers, click here. As it stands, Duluth is the nearest theater scheduled to carry the movie. I have already emailed Mann Theaters to request that they bring the movie to Hibbing. If you would also like to email them, click here to go directly to a form to contact them. Explain to them that you want to see the movie and invite friends! Maybe we can still get the movie to come to Hibbing.

Please leave a comment to let me know if you will contact the theater.

Also, I would like to get a group together to attend the opening, either in Duluth or Hibbing (if we are successful!). I need to have people sign up by Wed. Feb. 21 so we can arrange group tickets with the theater.

International Adoption Center

2007-02-10T15:50:00.000-06:00

Kim and I just got back from having Corina go through three days of testing at the University of Minnesota International Adoption Center in Minneapolis. They had occupoation therapists, audiologists, neurologists and physicians run her through every test imaginable to help get an accurate diagnosis for some of developmental delays. It was encouraging to watch this team approach of specialists who are all aware of the special needs of adopted children. We won't have the final reports and recommendations for a month or so, but we left with a distinct impression that we had gone to the right place.

I have a couple of thoughts on how this relates to church life. First, we need to be thinking about ministry from a team perspective more frequently. We have a tendency in America to think about things from a highly individualized perspective. Even in team sports, we ALWAYS award a most valuable player award. Even Michael Jordan in his prime would be hard pressed to beat a decent high school basketball team if it was 5 on one.

Second, it was amazing to see the difference that it made to have service providers who were familiar with the peculiarities of adopted kids. We have seen many professionals over the years, only to be frustrated by their lack of understanding for the difficulties we were facing. It was incredibly refreshing to have people recognize symptoms as something more than the paranoia of crazy parents! These providers recognized that our daughter is "broken" by her experiences before she came to our home and they are able to understand her in the context of this brokeness that is common to many children from similar backgrounds. Professional who measure our daughter against "normal" kids have typically only been able to tell us that she isn't "normal."

What this means for our churches is that we need to have a better understanding of what it means to be "broken," if we really want to help our unsaved friends come to know Jesus. When we look at the guy or gal hanging out in the bar and tell them they are messed up, we aren't really contributing anything of value to them. Somehow, we have to get past being judgmental in order to see that these are people that Jesus wants to redeem. Jesus wants to bring new life to replace the broken and messed up lives of the people that are all around us. We have been called to take the Gospel to them and to do that we have to stop simply condemning them and go get to know them. In the process, we might just learn a little more about how broken and messed up we are.

Super Bowl

2007-02-05T00:38:00.000-06:00

Well, the Super Bowl party is over and the mess can wait until tomorrow, but congratulations to Tony Dungy and the Colts! Our party was not real big in numbers, but big in fun. Sorry to any of you who missed out because of the weather.

If you are seeing a video of Tony Dungy's testimony, click here for part one. He talks about his son's death and the whole talk is very encouraging. For a statement of Lovie Smith's testimony (the Bears coach), click here.

Thanks to the recent posters. It's good to know that someone is out there.

Missionary Interview

2007-01-24T11:23:00.000-06:00

Wednesday, 2007/01/17 - Prime Time America

Click on the above link to listen to an interview with Mark Strand, Kim's brother, about his work in China. His interview occurs 31 minutes into the program and lasts about 6 minutes. Enjoy!

Theology and a Movie

2007-01-18T21:14:00.000-06:00

One idea I am tempted to rip off from a hip, cutting-edge church is a movie and theology night. We would get together and watch a contemporary movie that is out on video. We could use the second projector to have the "big screen" experience. After the movie, we could analyze the theological issues that are raised by the movie. We would need someone to host it in their home, and provide popcorn and pop (or participants could bring stuff to share).

Although the vast majority of people in our church probably watch PG-13 movies, and many probably even watch R movies, do you think there would be an issue with showing some of these movies at a church event? I am certain that there would be some discomfort with us showing them at the church, but I am wondering if there would be issues if they are someone's home? I personally wish that a lot of these movies did not have the course language and other objectionable content, but since so many people are watching these movies and being influenced by them, does it make sense to watch them in a context where we can learn lessons from them about the culture we live in, about how that culture impacts us, and how we can influence and redeem the culture?

One example would be the movie "Click." I saw this last week when I was sick. It has a fair amount of course language and sexual inuendo, but it also has strong themes about purpose and meaning in life, the brevity of life, and the lack of satisfaction with the "typical" American Dream.

Please let me know your thoughts, and whether you would be a part of such a project. Also, what are some movies that you might want to watch and discuss with a group?

JESUS - The Plush Toy.

2007-01-17T12:22:00.000-06:00

You can own your very own "My Sweet Jesus" plush toy. Think I am making this up? Click here to see for yourself. You can also see "7x70" reasons why you should buy My Sweet Jesus, and read the touching story of how My Sweet Jesus came to be. If you want to spend more, for $65 you can get this Jesus doll. Or maybe you want to be able to pick a baby Jesus doll with a glow in the dark halo that comes in a the race of your choice, here. There is even a talking Jesus doll, and you can add Moses and David dolls too.

So what do you think of all this commercialization of Jesus? Would Jesus buy Jesus dolls for all his friends, or overturn the tables of these merchants? Do these dolls serve a healthy purpose for a growing Christian, or are they counterproductive to mature Christian faith? Let me hear your opinion.

For a different picture of Jesus, try reading Revelation 1:12-18. I wonder when the "Glorified Jesus Doll" will be coming out???

PS: Bobblehead and action figures your thing? Click here. Or here.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T09:48:00.000-06:00

Made any resolutions? Feel free to post them here. Not only might it inspire us all, it will help you to actually carry them out.

A couple of my resolutions:
1. Resolved: To see to it that my family is up and running by a certain time each morning and to do devotions with them before heading to work on a daily basis (except Thursdays and Sundays when I normally will be to work by 5:45!)

2. Resolved: Through more consistent excersize and better eating habits, to drop below 200 pounds.

3. Resolved: To be more disciplined in my daily prayer life and to attempt to develope disciplines of abstinence -- fasting, silence, solitude, and sacrifice.

4. Resolved: To read use "For the Love of God, Vol.1" by D.A. Carson for my devotional and Bible reading plan this year. This is a daily reading plan with daily commentaries by D.A. Carson. It is available by daily email by subscribing here.

There are some other things I will be working on as well, but you can help hold me accountable on these. Don't be afraid to ask me how it is going!

Gay parenting -- signs of the times.

2006-12-21T16:20:00.000-06:00

Gay fashion designer Stefano Gabbana has stated that homosexual couples should not become parents. Click here to read the story and follow the comments.

Interesting that even in the midst of sin and error, there is still some sense of how things ought to be. Utterly depraved is always at war with created in the image of God.

Prospective Elder Training

2006-12-21T14:46:00.000-06:00

2 Timothy and Titus lay out the qualifications for elders or overseers in the church. When I was a bit younger, I had the privilege of studying under Greg Scharf, now a Trinity Seminary professor, at our church in Fargo. He was going through a program he had put together to train men to meet the qualifications of an elder. Although we moved before I completed the whole two years of training, I view it as one of the most profitable "classes" I have ever been a part of. Greg has been kind enough to send me a copy of his syllabus, which I have been working to adapt for our use here at Chisholm Baptist.

Starting in January, I will be leading a group of men through a one year course of study that will focus on systematic theology, personal character issues, personal and spiritual disciplines, and ministry skills. I am asking men to commit to study 1-2 hours per week on the assigned topic and meet weekly to discuss the topic, to meet in accountability groups, and to pray. I am extremely excited about the potential this has for helping to develop leadership skills within our church.

Men, please prayerfully consider whether you are being called to participate in this training. Women, encourage, support, and pray for your husbands participation.

One final note of warning. When I went through this as a student, I faced some of the most intense spiritual opposition I have ever experienced. It never failed that on Monday night everything would fall apart at our house to make sure I was weary and groggy on Tuesday mornings when we met. If you participate, be prepared for opposition.

If you would like more information about the program or want a copy of the schedule, email me and I will send it to you. Kevin@chisholmbaptist.org

Thinking of Funerals

2006-12-09T17:45:00.000-06:00

I have been to 3 funerals in the last 3 weeks. Not all funerals are created equal. The one I was at this afternoon was a really good funeral. Russell Hill died, at age 79, last Tuesday. On my way to Duluth Tuesday afternoon, I decided to stop at the hospital and see him. What I didn't realize at the time was that all of the children and grandchildren had gathered because they did not expect him to live much longer. I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to say "goodbye."

In the two years I have been here in Chisholm, I got to visit with Russell a few times and was impressed by his deep passion for Jesus. He enjoyed a lot of things, but his eyes lit up and he got extra excited to talk about Jesus -- more than any other topic. His passion and his love for scripture have been a true inspiration to me and I am thankful for his example to me.

All these funerals make me think a lot about my own funeral some day. Have you thought about what you want your funeral to be like? Especially, what do you want to be remebered for? Will your life be marked by the things that you possess, or the people you have influenced? What do you need to do today to work towards the funeral you want when you die?

PS: Welcome and hello to Karie Anderson who has been reading from Wisconsin but not typing in yet!

Give Thanks

2006-11-22T11:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all take time to celebrate by thanking Him for the many blessings you have in Him. What are you thankful for this year?

Deer Stories

2006-11-01T18:13:00.001-06:00

I am SO ready to kill something! (That didn't sound very pastorish, did it?) Anyway, with deer season opening on Saturday, let this be a place to tell your deer stories. Tell one now from years gone by or add you story from this year after it happens.

PS -- Anyone else getting the itch to wear blaze orange and let your facial hair grow???

Wanted: A Few Good Men

2006-11-01T18:10:00.000-06:00

Why is it so hard to get men to come to church? Here is an article that discusses one theory. (Don't worry, it is short!) Read it and respond.

Ok men, is this you? If so, what would make church bearable -- or even possibly enjoyable? Let me know what you think -- I need another cause to champion.

Testimonies anyone?

2006-10-25T14:24:00.000-05:00

What is God doing in your life? We need to know Biblical truth, but we also need to experience that truth at work in our lives to change us and to make us new creations. What's your story? Have you experienced the grace of God in your life lately? How is He drawing you to Himself? Share your story of the ups and downs and how God is at work in you.

Good person or saved person?

2006-10-24T23:53:00.000-05:00

Which are you? Is it theologically possible to be both a good person and a saved person in this lifetime? I will weigh in on this, but not until I have heard from some of you.

Who is Jesus?

2006-10-19T16:06:00.000-05:00

If you pay any attention to the world in which we live, you know there are many different ideas about the person of Jesus. Understanding who Jesus is becomes a matter of eternal life or death, for those of us who take the Bible seriously. What does it mean that Jesus is both fully divine (He is God) and fully human (He is man)? Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle is doing a sermon series on who Jesus is. To listen to sermons on "Jesus as the only God," or "How Human was Jesus," click here. Or download podcasts from the itunes store for free -- just search with the terms Mars Hill to download these and other messages from Mark Driscoll. (Need help downloading messages? Email Pastor Kevin.)

Listen to one of these messages, and then let us know what you think. Especially, let's discuss who Jesus is, and how our perceptions may need to change to fully understand the wonder of the God-man, Jesus Christ.

Accountablity

2006-10-12T08:37:00.000-05:00

How do you maintain your moral and ethical boundaries? Do you have a person or people in your life to help keep you accountable? How do you decide where to draw your lines for acceptable behavior? If you don't really have an accountability partner, do you really want one?

Twenty-something Disengagement

2006-10-10T23:50:00.000-05:00

A recent survey by George Barna reports that roughly 60% of twenty-somethings are less spiritually active than they were as teens. Roughly 20% continued to be spiritually active as adults while roughly 20% had never been spiritually active. Read the entire report online at http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=245.

I want to know if this reflects your spiritual experience. More importantly, what is important to you in a church? In what ways do you want the church to serve you? In what ways do you want to be able to serve the church? For teens, what are the most likely factors to keep you active in church or to cause you to leave the church? Inquiring minds want to know....

Welcome!

2006-10-10T10:12:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the official Java blog! The purpose of this blog is to provide another means to build community for people attending Chisholm Baptist Church. I am Pastor Kevin, the associate pastor, and I will be the primary moderator of this blog. I will try to post frequent comments on a wide range of topics, and include links to interesting articles or sites for you to check out. I also hope that you will become an active participant in this blog by posting your thoughts and responses as we go.

I am new to this, so it may take awhile for me to get the hang of it, but bear with me, check in often, and register with the blog so that you can participate in our discussions. It is my desire that this blog will become one more tool that can help you to grow in your relationship to Jesus Christ so that you can bear much fruit for His Kingdom. I also hope that it provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other better so that I can better serve you as your pastor.

If you are not an attender of Chisholm Baptist Church, you are still welcome to hang around here and post, as long as you register. If you live in Northeastern Minnesota and would like more information about our church, check out our website at www.chisholmbaptist.org.