Pentecostals in the Park

Sunday evening, my wife and I took our kids out to eat, and after dinner, we went to the Sealy Park.  My kids are old enough to enjoy the playgrounds on their own, so my wife and I decided to walk as the kids played.  We knew we were in for a rather different sort of walk when we pulled up to the park.

Under the pavilion, a group had gathered with musical instruments, microphones, and plenty of chairs.  As we exited our car, we heard them singing praise songs.  Obviously, a local congregation had gathered this evening to worship. 

I observed a few intriguing things as I walked:

1. The congregation was essentially oblivious to everyone else in the park.  They simply did their thing perhaps hoping doing their thing would rub off on the rest of the people in the park that afternoon.

2. The rest of the folks in the park were basically oblivious to the congregation which was worshiping.  Several groups continued to play volleyball.  A father and his sons threw a football.  Numerous kids played in the splash pad--all with no concern for this group gathered to worship.

If evangelism and getting folks to worship with them was a goal, it failed.  My wife and I walked around the park about 10 times or so passing this pavilion each time.  No one asked us to join.  No one invited us to sing and be a part of the gathering.  Apparently, this Pentecostal group and most Lutherans have at least this in common...

Now, at this juncture, I would like to make it absolutely clear that I admired this church for taking its proclamation public.  I admire them stepping outside of their four walls and gathering in the open air where others gathered.  I admire them leaving the safety of their sanctuary to risk ridicule in a culture that has become more than a few voices saying, "You can have faith; just keep it private."  Too often, we kowtow to those voices instead of allowing our deep trust in God filter into our everyday lives.

I needed to put all of that out and admire their courage because as I heard their proclamation--their articulation of "the gospel"--I cringed.

Not that I had any right to cringe.  I mean, two or three years ago, I might well have been saying the same basic things just in a different manner.  But that was before my conversion.  Now, I see things in a totally different light.  I see how I was a modern-day Pharisee, and I heard modern-day Pharisaism plain as a bell.

The preacher lifted his voice in that perfect Pentecostal rhythm, cadence, and accent, and each time I cringed.  Several times, I responded out loud. (My responses will be in italics.)

"Gawd wants to bless yuh, today-ah."

He already has.

"Gawd wants to heal yuh, today-ah."

He already is.

"Gawd wants to bring yuh peace, today-ah."

He already does.

"Yuh just have to follow Him and give your life to Him, today-ah."

He's already claimed it.

"Gawd wants to bless our nation, but we must turn to Him first and repent-ah."

Didn't I just preach about this today?

From yesterday's post:

The Pharisees taught over and over and over that the people of Israel should purify themselves.  And if the people of Israel would purify themselves, God would look down upon their purity; their holiness, and be moved to action.  What sort of action?  Well, to establish the Kingdom of God–that kingdom where all of Israel’s enemies were overthrown, a new king who was a king of justice and wisdom would ascend the thrown and lead the people in righteousness, and the Israelites would become another world power growing in wealth and prosperity and power.  The Pharisees believed that if they followed the holiness code contained in the Torah–the first five books of the Old Testament–then God would be forced to act in such a fashion. 

How was the proclamation I was hearing in the park different from the proclamation of the Pharisees so long ago?

It wasn't.  And it isn't.

And there's an awful lot of this proclamation going around.

There's an awful lot of folks preaching that we've got to get our collective acts together for unless we do, God will not bless or God will punish.  Many folks say this is the Gospel, but there is one problem.

It's not the Gospel. 

The Gospel is about what God has ALREADY accomplished through Jesus Christ.  The Gospel is about how God has ALREADY blessed us, forgiven us, justified us, and prepared our salvation for us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.  There is no "repent and God will bless you."  It's "God has blessed you, no repent." 

Just this past Sunday, I took my adult Sunday School class through this--through the wonder of the Gospel.  A class that usually had lots to say--that raises many comments and questions--sat in almost stunned silence.  I asked why.

"This is deep.  It's tough to get your head around."

I agree.  I told them, "Don't feel bad.  I've been preaching for 14 years.  I have eight years of formal theological training.  Before that, I was born and raised in the church, and I am only now beginning to get it."

It's not surprising the response out of those adults.  It's not surprising the proclamation I heard in the park.  For every philosophy and religion teaches the exact opposite of the Gospel.  We are immersed in a culture and in a world which tells us--do the right thing, and you will be rewarded.  Work hard in school, and you will get good grades.  Do your job correctly, and you will be compensated fairly.  Follow the rules, and you will be treated well.  This is pounded into our being from day one.  Theologically, this train of thought is put forth in this manner, "Do what God says; be obedient to Him, and He will love you; you will attain salvation; you will be blessed; etc."

And the Gospel turns it upside down.  The Gospel says, "You are loved; you are cherished; you are saved by Jesus' actions, now be obedient to God." 

It's radically different, and I couldn't help but wonder--would the proclamation of the Gospel have reached across that park and touched those playing volleyball, throwing the football, and splashing in the water?  Would the proclamation of what God has ALREADY done receive a welcome in their ears and in their hearts?

I don't know.

I just don't know.

But perhaps a lesson can be learned from those Pentecostals in the park.  Perhaps the Gospel needs to find public proclamation.  Only when it is taken outside the four walls of a church will we find out.

God in School

I wish I had a better title than the above for I do not believe it does this post justice.  Nothing better came to mind to kind of pull together the thoughts roaming around in my head.

Let's start with Miley Cyrus.  Not only did she grab attention at the VMA's, but the next thing you know, she is featured in a music video riding a giant wrecking ball naked (with hands strategically placed) seductively licking a sledge hammer.  I've read more than a few opinion pieces analyzing, criticizing, and supporting her behavior.  And I ask, "Is it surprising?"

Let's then move to Anthony Weiner.  I posted about a shouting match he had the other day with a fellow Jewish New Yorker.  New York voters soundly rejected him as a mayoral candidate particularly after he was found to be sexting even after losing his congressional seat for doing the same thing.  One of his sexting partners showed up at his election party.  After all was said and done, Weiner flipped the bird at reporters showing little contrition for anything he had done or was doing.  And I ask, "Is this surprising?"

We move now to violence and the horrendous murders we have seen taking place in the news--particularly those with a racial overtone.  I find it interesting how the different news networks have begun dealing with such matters after the George Zimmerman trial.  Suddenly, each time a black person harms or kills a white person, there is a racial overtone and vice-versa.  There seems to be a concerted effort to highlight violence that occurs between people of different color/race/ethnicity.  And I ask, "Is such violence surprising?"

Now, we head toward the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor.  I saw several stories in the past few days highlighting the fact that the wealthy keep getting more wealth while the poor remain in poverty.  The few are lording it over the many, and there are cries rising up about the injustice of it all.  But I ask, "Is it really surprising?"

I mean, I think all of these things have something in common.  There is a common thread that actually binds it all together.

Think about what we teach now in school regarding human beings and how they came into existence.  In our science classes we teach that man descended from apes.  Man is simply another animal who evolved--there is nothing special about him.  And how did that evolution occur?  Through natural selection and genetic mutation.  Now, we know we have little control over genetic mutation.  This happens when our genes fail to make exact replicas either by a mistake in the replication process or from some sort of mechanism including being affected by radiation from the sun.  It really doesn't matter--it's out of any control that we exert.

Ah, but natural selection--that's another story.  For natural selection is all about the survival of the fittest.  Death and disease wipes out the lesser and the weaker leaving the strong to thrive and survive.  Passing on one's genes means rising to the top of the food chain, striving to be the highest on the ladder to ensure survival of one's genetic lineage.  It means attracting the alpha of the opposite sex as well to ensure a good genetic bond.  And protecting one's genes from those considered lesser is paramount!  When a threat arises to challenge our status, it must be met and put down decisively.  This is the natural way of things.  Nature isn't some kind of Eden where everything gets along.  It's fight, flight, freeze, and reproduce to pass on one's genes and ensure the survival of the species.

Sure, we talk about tit for tat and kindness being a part of the evolutionary process.  We talk about how one species can be kind to ensure its survival--particularly if it's effective for a weaker beta male or female.  But this is merely descriptive--it is not proscriptive.

This what we teach in school.  Plain and simple.  And we offer no sort of corrective to this in our science classes at all.  Most high schools that I am aware of do not have the resources to offer philosophy or theology classes, and so most students are taught that this is what makes us tick--as the animals we have evolved to be.

And God forbid that we invoke any thought of a Creator in the educational process for that violates the separation of church and state.  That is establishing a religion, and we simply cannot have that. 

But we have no presented ourselves with a major conundrum.  For science isn't capable of getting us from what is to what ought.  And as a society, we have walked away from any sort of universal ought when it comes to morals and actions--in short we have walked away from any sort of religious foundations for morals and ethics.

And because of that, we are left with evolutionary thought guiding our behaviors and thoughts.  The very stuff we taught in school.  And it surprises me that many get so upset when people act like evolution has bred us to act:

When Miley Cyrus uses sexuality to make herself desirable and wealthy, she is simply using what nature gave her to climb the ladder and pass on her genes.

Anthony Weiner does the same thing from a male point of view.

Interracial violence mirrors what goes on in nature when different colors of fur cause species to attack one another from within.

Garnering more wealth is simply a way of garnering more power and prestige--rising to the top of the evolutionary ladder.

And even though kindness is shown in nature, there is nothing--nothing at all--there to take us from is to ought.  There is nothing which says kindness ought to be the rule instead of fight, flight, freeze, or reproduction. 

Only religion offers a foundation to take us from is to ought.  Only faith gives us a foundation to go against many of the evolutionary instincts which drive us. 

A failure to recognize this means we will simply keep teaching the same things and expecting different results.  Perhaps God does indeed need to be reintroduced in school--not as a means of forcing religion upon anyone, but by helping folks understand:

We are more than animals.

Why I Will Not Unplug

Thanks to Edward Snowden and the Guardian (British newspaper), those of us in the U.S. have now been informed that tons of internet (email, Facebook, Google, etc.) data is being collected by the U.S. government.  We also know that Verizon Wireless customers have had their metadata collected by the U.S. government.  It's a pretty safe bet other phone companies are being required to hand over their metadata as well--even though we don't have those news stories at this point.

I remember reading 1984.  Anyone else having flashbacks?

But here is the thing for me: I refuse to unplug.  I refuse to watch what I say.  I refuse to code my language or cease and desist from saying certain things on this blog or on my Facebook account.  I refuse to get rid of my cell phone.  Was there a desire to do so?  Yep.

Unplug.

Get away!

Don't let them look at you.

Now, I like my privacy.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm not exactly thrilled with the knowledge that someone is monitoring every word I type or put out there.  I'm not exactly thrilled that there are those who might try to use what I say as fodder for coming after me in one fashion or another.

But if I give into those fears, then I've truly lost my freedom.

If I give into those fears, then my voice gets lost because of a perceived or real threat.

If I give into those fears, then I have to run into a field to hide and find just a little bit of escape.  (Remember that from the book?)

I refuse to do that.

There were those in early Judea who tried to silence Christians.  Thankfully, the early disciples and followers refused to keep silent.  What would the world look like if they had kept their mouths' shut?

There were those in the Roman Empire who tried to silence Christians.  They even went so far as to kill and feed Christians to wild animals in arenas.  What would have happened if such tactics would have silenced those Christians?

Where would the Church be if those souls had ceased speaking about Christ and His death and resurrection?  What if they would have succumbed to the pressures of government and the authorities?  History would be vastly different, that is for sure.

In many ways, we as Christians shouldn't have to worry about such matters.  St. Paul instructed us in Romans 13:

Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; ⁴for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. ⁶For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing. ⁷Pay to all what is due to them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. 

This is not rocket science.

Of course, we are to remember who the ultimate authority is:

But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority. --Acts 5:29

So, if we are commanded to do something against the will of God, we are to disregard any rules which would force us to do this; otherwise, we are to go about our business--doing good; proclaiming Christ; being responsible; working to make the world a better place.

The world includes the internet and the technology of cell phones these days.  I don't believe in running away from this.  I believe in being courageous--and not living in fear.

America Losing Its Religion

CNN Religion blogs ran the headline yesterday: America Losing Its Religion.

The headline is a bit of a misnomer because Americans aren't exactly losing their religion.  The article spells that out.  The headline is a cheap ploy to get people to read--yours truly included.  :-)

Pertinent quote--the first four paragraphs:

More than three in four of Americans say religion is losing its influence in the United States, according to a new survey, the highest such percentage in more than 40 years. A nearly identical percentage says that trend bodes ill for the country.

"It may be happening, but Americans don't like it," Frank Newport, Gallup's editor in chief, said of religion's waning influence. "It is clear that a lot of Americans don't think this is a good state of affairs."

According to the Gallup survey released Wednesday, 77% of Americans say religion is losing its influence. Since 1957, when the question was first asked, Americans' perception of religion's power has never been lower.

According to the poll, 75% of Americans said it the country would be better off if it was more religious.

So, the headline is blatantly wrong.  America isn't losing it's religion.  In fact, the poll actually suggests the vast majority (3/4) of Americans believe the country would be better off if it were religious.  This speaks volumes!!  People believe religion has a positive effect on the country!!!

Yet, these same people believe religion is losing influence. 

It's not surprising.  Religion has had a very tough time adapting to a host of things:

1. The rise of secularism.  The secular worldview has ascended to prominence when it comes to debating what goes on in the United States.  Faith based arguments generally no longer have much persuasive power.  This forces people of faith to suspend the place where they draw most of their ethics and morality and argue from a much different, uncomfortable place.  Too many people of faith do not have the tools to do this or to argue the difficulty of dealing with moral issues from a strictly secular point of view.  #2 below has contributed to this mightily as well.

2. The rise of relativism.  This path of thought developed to deal with pluralism.  In our now global culture, we have been made aware of the differences in thought and practice of people and belief.  It is not easy to forge a way forward when confronted with many differing worldviews.  Yet, instead of arguing the merits of which worldview provides a better way forward (atheism? Christian? Muslim? Jewish? Secular? Scientific?), we strive to say all worldviews are equal--none is better than another.  This is most certainly an absurd argument, but it actually has a good number of adherents.  Many people of faith have few philosophical tools to argue with the rise of relativism.

3. The prominence of science.  Science is cool.  It's brought about some awesome things--the ability to understand the world, how it works, and how we can work in the world to improve our survival.  Yet, science has proven poor at providing a framework for morality and ethics despite the claims of some that it is capable of doing such a thing.  Science has also been shown to be quite limited in other areas and aspects; yet one might never really know this based upon what one hears in the news.  For many, science is the be all and end all, and people of faith have had little training in saying, "Science is not this.  It is good in one area and not in others."

Because people of faith have not been provided such tools, secularism, relativism, and scientism have undermined the power of religious faith to shape public policy.  Most are unhappy with this because they see the benefits faith can bring.  Yet, most don't have any idea how to argue in the cultural milieu we find ourselves in.

Perhaps Christian apologists like Timothy Keller, Richard John Neuhaus, Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, William Lane Craig, and Alvin Plantenga will be read and studied more as they offer some substantial tools to deal with this process, for it seems like America does not want religion to lose its influence--and you can count me in that portion of America as well.