Semper Fidelis

Today is the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.  It is a day that we remember our traditions and the heroes who have established the honorable legacy of the Corps.  Around this time we often recite our honor roll; names like O'Bannon, Lejeune, Vandegrift, Basilone, and Pappy Boyington and Chesty Puller.  These are men who have displayed extraordinary courage, skill and leadership.  It was appropriate, then, that in my devotional reading today I read Hebrews 11.  It turned my attention to another honor roll.  This one of men and women who also displayed extraordinary courage and leadership, but more importantly displayed amazing faith.  Their faith was in the awesome God, creator of the universe.  Their faith was not some pie-in-the-sky wish for some positive outcome, but a well-grounded, solid conviction in the sovereignty and goodness of God.  Their faith points us to one who is truly faithful; one who has promised good to those who are his and is more than able to carry it out.  He is the ultimate embodiment of the Marine Corps motto, "Semper Fidelis".

I'm still around

...but it has been hard to publish blog posts when I am out in the field.  My battalion and I have been training hard for our upcoming deployment.  We have been in the field for 4 weeks now and have 2 more to go.  I haven't really been able to think about anything to post.  I didn't want this blog to turn into a Twitter update type thing of what I have been up to lately.  I still don't.  As I have the mental energy, time and internet connection I will continue to post.  I didn't really have any readers to lose anyway so my infrequency of posting is probably no big loss.

Stimulus not virtue?

If this article title is not a nice summary of what is wrong with America then I don't know what is:

"America needs stimulus not virtue"

The article is about economic policy, but the title summarizes the attitude of Americans in many arenas of life. I don't claim to be an economic expert but there is little I agree with in the title or the article.

Our lives are not in vain

A great post here from Tim Challies:

"...God makes people serviceable to his glory and that he does so in the way he thinks fit. He may let us serve him in our actions or in our suffering. Regardless, as long as God can be glorified in us, then our lives are not in vain and our suffering is not in vain. No situation is useless or hopeless or irredeemable if God uses it to glorify himself."

Read the rest here:
http://www.challies.com/christian-living/we-were-not-made-in-vain

Running the race

I enjoyed this post from Triablogue:

"The Christian pilgrimage is a paradox. At one end, when we begin the race, the journey is intimidating. We have such a long journey ahead of us. So many miles to cover. So many years to travel. And we will pass through so many strange towns and cities, side-streets, crowded freeways, and deserted highways on the way to our hoped-for, longed-for destination. It’s a daunting prospect.

On the other hand, when we begin the race, we’re young and strong. Fresh and vigorous. We have energy to burn. Snappy reflexes. Brimming with optimism. In the very prime of life. There’s so much to do, but we have so much in reserve.

At the other end is the aging runner. He has far less ground to cover. So many miles behind him. So few ahead. His destination is so much closer than when he began. And that’s encouraging.

On the other hand, he’s bone-weary. Every step is effortful. He’s fallen down so many times. Been injured so many times. Where he used to sprint, he limps. He’s hot and dry and breathy. His feet ache. His knees ache. His eyes are bleary.

The remainder of the journey is brief, but it takes more effort to cover less ground. Every hill may be the last, or every hill may be the next to last. He only knows by going.

Some of his fond old companions have gone ahead. Disappeared over the distant hills and ridges. Others fell behind. Dropped out of the race. Settled for a way station.

At that sparse stretch in the race he is far from the verdant valleys of his earthly home, yet he hasn’t arrived at the outskirts of his heavenly destination. There’s no going back, but he can’t skip ahead to the finish line. He’s learned from sad experience that short-cuts take longer. So mile-by-mile and day-by-day he must press ahead, one step at a time. Yet whenever he feels on the verge of collapse, something unexpected keeps him going. A spring rain. A sudden breeze. A cooling stream. Wild blackberries.

Then one morning he gets up, just like any other day, only this day is not just any other day. As he heaves and pants his way up another interminable hill, he catches a glimpse of the heavenly spires, gleaming in the everlasting dawn. And as he rounds the hill, a cloud of witnesses is standing at the finish line to welcome him home."

My response:
I also like to imagine that when we get to the heavenly city there are running trails along the banks of the river that flows from the throne. I can run there, for enjoyment now, on untiring legs. Sometimes, one who runs on nail-pierced feet even joins me for a few miles. Light is everywhere, so there is no shadow. It is the light of glory so there is no need or desire for shade. However, I imagine that it will still be enjoyable to run beneath the boughs of the trees whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Battle Wounds

I am in a desperate battle.  Most of the members of my unit are in captivity to the enemy.  Of those who are free, most are too frightened to do anything about it, or just don't think it is important enough to try.  However, there are some few who, with me, are trying to rescue the captives, to bring the great power of our high command against the strongholds of the enemy. 
Things were actually beginning to shape up.  We have been setting the conditions for a future success.  Then, all of a sudden, my right-hand man in this mission was grievously wounded.  What now?  My heart aches for the pain he is feeling.  My skills in first aid are limited but I do what I can.  I call out for help from high command, and I know it is on its way.  But, full healing will take time.  Meanwhile, the battle still rages.  Will he be able to continue in the fight?  He is going on courageously for now but his capabilities will have to be affected.  It is too early, yet, to know exactly to what extent.
So again, what now?  I can't leave him behind.  We don't do that in my outfit.  And, I need his particular skills for this mission.  Besides, he is my friend.  I will carry him myself if I have to.  We will make it work somehow.  We must.  Our commander has assigned us this mission.  We will press on.  We will be provided assistance and reinforcements when they are needed.  It will not be easy.  Further wounds will likely be suffered; though, I hope none so deep as this one.  With the help of our high command, we will succeed.

Christians Need Spines

Outstanding political commentary here by Doug Wilson...

"I said that the Muslims know what they are doing. What is that exactly? They are exposing the intellectual, theological, and ethical bankruptcy of secularism, and they are doing it on purpose. To answer their challenge, someone as intelligent as Charles Krauthammer is reduced to saying that sacrilege is defined by what lots of people think, true or false, doesn't matter, or where lots of people died, right or wrong, doesn't matter either.

Someone really does need to tell secularist America that her gods are genuinely pathetic. And currently, the Muslims are doing this because the Christians won't. And the Christians who won't do this are not so much in need of a different kind of theology as they are in need of a different kind of spine."

Read the rest here...
http://www.dougwils.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7892:a-different-kind-of-spine&catid=146:mere-christendom

Steak on a Paper Plate

Great analogy and a good, thoughtful post. I hadn't thought of it that way, but it resonates.
http://trevinwax.com/2010/08/17/steak-on-a-paper-plate-a-reflection-on-worship/

Links

A couple of good, convicting posts from Ray Ortlund...
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2010/08/10/the-unbeatitudes/
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2010/08/10/for-the-sake-of-the-liberation-of-others/

Dancing on the edge

This week I read Acts 5 during my devotional reading.  It was a bit convicting to read about the apostles who defied the rulers of their day when they were ordered to preach no longer in the name of Jesus.  The apostles decided to obey God rather than man. 
I, too, am under a gag order of sorts.  As a military officer, especially as a battalion commander, I am prohibited from proselytizing.  According to regulations, I cannot freely preach the gospel in my professional context.  I can make it clear that I am a Christian and I can live according to Biblical principles.  I am fairly safe to answer questions about my faith.  Even my chaplain is not allowed to proselytize except in the context of a religious service for his specific faith group.
Sometimes I struggle with this.  Should I be more forward about sharing the gospel and risk censure, or even losing my leadership position?  Or should I abide by the regulations to protect my position because I can still open about what my beliefs are without actually "preaching" or "witnessing"?  Obviously I am not going to be completely quiet about my faith and I am going to live according to Biblical morals.  But I want to do more and I wonder how much I can get away with, or even how much I should try to get away with. 
For now I have been trying to be content with just being clear where I stand.  I look for opportunities to share more when talk sometimes turns to the spiritual.  It gets tiring dancing around on the edge of regulations.  Maybe that is why I am interested in retiring and going into Christian ministry.

Training

Today my battalion is officially in the pre-deployment training program.  It is still about eight months until we deploy but I have been struck with how much training we need to do and how little time there is to do it.  It has been said that there is a moral imperative in command.  The moral imperative shows up in many aspects of command, but the one I am most aware of right now is the need to properly train my Marines and Sailors to be ready for the rigors of combat.  It is incumbent on me to ensure that they get the training they need to do their job as well as possible - lives may depend on it.  It is a heavy responsibility. 

It brings to mind a similar responsibility - that of pastoral shepherding.  There is a moral imperative for training there too, one that is so often neglected in the church today.  The pastors and elders have a responsibility to train the congregation to get them ready for the rigors of spiritual warfare.  The weapons and equipment are different than in physical combat, but every Christian should be proficient in their use.  The way most churches train their congregations in doctrine, in love and in service is like if the Marine Corps emptied out a few elementary schools and sent the students to Afghanistan.  Shameful!  May God have mercy on us and give us the grace to do better - to train the new believers to properly wear their armor and to skillfully use their swords and shields. 
The battle is joined! To arms!

Various thoughts

Sorry it has been a while since I last posted.  Not that I think anyone missed it, since I have all of one or two readers who show up every once in a while.  Rather, I am trying to stay disciplined and not doing very well.  It isn't that I haven't had thoughts that I could blog about, I just haven't taken the time to sit down and write.  So, a few updates on things recently...
- Started geocaching recently.  Lots of fun for the whole family.  Hikes with a mission.
- Had an earthquake today... 5.4, just south of Palm Springs.  We could feel it pretty strong where we live.  Pretty weird to feel the ground/floor moving under your feet.
- Speaking of the ground shifting, this article from Al Mohler took my breath away (in a bad way)... just amazing how sinful we humans can be.
- When they say leadership involves spending 90% of your time with 10% of your people, they speak truly.  It makes it all the more a joy to sign good conduct medal and promotion certificates.  It reminds me that the majority of my Marines are motivated professionals who want to do the right thing.

Grandad

A great man went home yesterday. My Grandad was a man's man. He grew up slinging around 100lb sacks of grain and 200lb bales of wool on a sheep ranch. He would kill a snake by grabbing its tail and cracking it like a whip. The Australian Army tried to draft him during World War II but didn't due to a heart murmur. So instead, he served God in probably harsher conditions as a missionary to the aboriginal people in Western Australia. He was three days drive into the desert from the nearest civilization, and that was just a ranch. Because of the petrol shortage during the war, he was able to adapt a method of using charcoal gas to power the truck they used for the mission. He continued mission work and started a family at another mission station near Alice Springs. He pastored churches, he started a travel agent business, he started the Australian Christian Businessman's Association, and he coached the national lawn bowling team. He could succeed at anything he put his hand to. He also grew flowers, did amazing woodwork and took incredible photographs.
My Grandad could claim accolades for all his accomplishments. But, what he would want most of all is for God to be glorified for what He did in and through Grandad's life. I didn't get to spend nearly as much time with Grandad as I would have liked since most of the time we lived on different continents. Whenever we talked he would exhort me to succeed with a casual optimism. Even more, he would exhort me to serve God with my life and encourage me to keep seeking Him in prayer. Nothing about Grandad was accompanied with fanfare. He just quietly and humbly served God and cared for his family and his church.
Now, Grandad is with his Lord being crowned with the crown of glory. And, knowing Grandad, the first thing he will do with that crown is cast it down at the foot of the throne of God.

Husband and Wife

I love how this post by Ray Ortlund derives the needs and roles of the husband and wife in a marriage from the Creation story.

Paradox

I am a paradox.  I am a sinner - at least I sin a lot, yet I am a redeemed, cleansed, child of God.  I loathe myself in my sin, yet I selfishly want to sin more.  I think I am the worst of people - a recipient of God's grace who yet spurns that grace by continuing in sin, yet I pridefully think of myself as the best of people - at least better than that guy over there.  I have been made a new creature in Christ, yet I act like the old monster.  My spirit is made new and yearns to draw upward into the embrace of God, yet my flesh still yearns to go down and wallow in the muck of the world.  I am torn apart.  I am at war in myself.  We talk about fighting the battles between good and evil in our society and culture, but what am I to do about that battle in me?  In both places I know who will ultimately win, but that doesn't change the battle that rages each day.  Who will set me free from this existence of sin and death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  I look forward to that day when His work in me is finally complete.

Discover the remnant

Consider for a moment this quote from Marilynne Robinson about Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
"He [Bonhoeffer] is using the scandal of the cross to discover the remnant church among the multitudes of the religious". (from the essay on Bonhoeffer in "The Death of Adam").
If the depth of meaning, and relevance to our current cultural situation, in this simple statement doesn't blow your mind you haven't thought about it enough.

Christians in the military

  I got in a bit of a discussion today about whether a Christian may serve in the military.  This has been answered before by many people smarter than I using rationale such as God identifying Himself as a mighty warrior; His praise for David and Joshua, who were warriors; and the absence of condemnation toward soldiers by John the Baptist and Jesus when given the opportunity.  One of the arguments often given by those claiming Christians should not serve in the military is that the governmental authorities may use the military to do something unjust or immoral.  I grant that the occasion may arrive in which a Christian would have to choose to disobey military orders in order to stay true to Biblical principles.  However, I get annoyed with those who make a facile assumption that they know why a country is taking a particular military action. 
  Take as given for the moment that it is not prohibited for a Christian to serve in the military of a secular government (no prohibitions were given to the centurion who impressed Jesus or to Cornelius).  This government will make most of its decisions to employ the military using self-serving Machiavellian motivations, not generally God-honoring motivations as if it were a God-centered theocracy.  God's chosen people, Israel, weren't even able to stay true to God-honoring purposes in the use of their military.  There may occur moments when a nation will openly state wicked purposes for engaging in military action.  The military may be ordered to invade another nation to take possession of its land and to exterminate the population in the process.  That would be one of the more obvious cases where a Christian soldier would have to make a choice between his vocation and the God he serves.
  However, it is not usually that obvious, at least in the modern era.  In the case of two of the more maligned recent conflicts, Vietnam and Iraq, people like to glibly say they were about oil or money or whatever.  However, in both cases the stated reason was to neutralize a threat to the United States and to support and enable the local government (in Iraq that second reason came in after Saddam Hussein was deposed).  For the service member in the military, there is no obvious reason to object to the strategic mission.  Sure, we could all second guess various aspects and claim various hidden agendas but, really, we don't have sufficient evidence to go against our orders.  Then, military commanders at various levels could interpret or apply their mission in ways that contradict Biblical principles.  That could happen in business or other organization as well.  As members of a military unit, we know that if an immoral order is given, such as happened at Wounded Knee or My Lai, we have the right and the obligation to refuse the order and to report the incident.  In 99.9% of situations, the actions of American military, at least, are consistent with Biblical injunctions and what would be expected of being part of the sword wielded by the state.  Those that are not usually violate the law of war set forth in the Geneva Conventions and/or the Uniform Code of Military Justice and those individuals are punished.
  All that having been said, I am not happy with the direction the national government is currently headed and the implications that will have for the military.  I can imagine it will become more difficult in years ahead for a Christian to serve in the military in good conscience.  And if that happens the absence of salt and light can cause a downward spiral that is difficult to reverse. 

Mountains as witness

This past weekend my family and I went to the mountains near us for some camping.  It was beautiful, with gorgeous trees and flowers and majestic peaks.  The mountains are good for my soul.  It was interesting then, that one of the mornings, as I was sitting on a boulder looking at the mountain peak, I read in my devotions Micah 6:1-2, which reads:
   "Hear what the Lord says:  Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
    and let the hills hear your voice.
    Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth,
    for the Lord has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel. "

I think the Lord has an indictment against the Church in this land as well, and the mountains can be a witness.  We have sold out to the cultural pressures around us like the Israelites sold out to the pagan religions surrounding them.  Unless the Church returns to its first love and becomes again the pillar and ground of the truth, this nation will continue in its precipitous slide to immorality.  The meat without salt will become rancid, and we have already begun to see the rot set in.  Reform and revival must begin with the Church.  Lord God, have mercy on us.  We have walked far from your truth and have done what seems good in our own eyes.  Please create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us.  Amen.

Discipline: FAIL

So, one of the main reasons I decided to start this blog was to try to develop some discipline in writing, to make myself sit down and put my thoughts (some of them) in writing.  Obviously I am not doing very well.  I am finding it very difficult to make the time after a full day of work and needing to spend time with my family when I get home.  I have thoughts that seem worthy to put in a blog post fairly frequently, but they are not at a time when I can actually put them in writing.  Most often, it seems, they happen while I am commuting.  And then, when I do finally sit down at the computer I can't think of what seemed so good to blog about.  So, maybe blog posts won't be as frequent here as I was hoping for.  Or, maybe I can develop some discipline to keep writing.  It would help if I got more comments so I would see feedback on what I write.  I guess it takes time, though, to build up enough of a reader base that comments are regular.  I'll just keep taking one day at a time and try to write more often.  We'll see what happens.

Insurgency and Counterinsurgency

OK, I'm back.  I was in a class on counterinsurgency all last week, getting ready for my deployment next year.  By the time I finally got home each evening I didn't have the energy to write a blog post.  One random thought from the class was was the applicability to the Christian life.  Metaphors abound that compare the Christian life and evangelism to military action.  So, I wondered, is the Christian life more like insurgency, or counterinsurgency?  On the one hand I thought it is like an insurgency:  Satan is the Prince of this world and he holds the reigns of power from our perspective.  We Christians are a minority and we are trying to undermine the legitimacy and power of the evil one.  On the other hand, I considered that it might be more like a counterinsurgency.  God is the legitimate sovereign government and Satan and his minions are the insurgency.  Christians in this model are like a special forces team behind enemy lines, trying to win the hearts and minds of the population and restore governmental control.  Of course, neither metaphor is perfect.  If anyone is still reading this blog, which do you think fits better, and why?

Roosevelt on Immigration

I knew I liked Teddy Roosevelt! Here's what he had to say about immigration:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American.There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
--Theodore Roosevelt 1907

I don't think that means that ethnic/cultural heritage cannot be celebrated. It is just that ethnic/cultural heritage must be subordinated to the new loyalty and identification as American.

American flag sent home

Did you see the news article about the high school students in Morgan Hill, CA who were sent home for wearing American flag shirts at school on the Fifth of May?  Amazing!  Wearing patriotic apparel might be too divisive on Cinco de Mayo (a holiday that isn't even celebrated widely through Mexico)?  Then, the Hispanic students demonstrated through the streets of the town waving Mexican flags?  This is just incredible.  Patriotism isn't politically correct?  This kind of thing just might be why the citizens of Arizona are standing up and saying "Enough!"

More on Franklin Graham

Just to clarify on my previous post about Franklin Graham... I really appreciate his clear, public stand for the Christian faith.  I applaud his clear, uncompromising stand - which is what got him uninvited in the first place.  I just think it was unnecessary for him to react offended and to make comments that appear to be playing power politics.

Slap in the face

From USA Today: "If President Obama fails to intervene to allow controversial evangelist Franklin Graham to lead a National Day of Prayer event Thursday inside the Pentagon, 'it will be a slap in the face of all Christians,' Graham said Tuesday."
What?! Why is he so worried about this? If we are slapped, shouldn't we just "turn the other cheek"? Should we be concerned as Christians to be respected by our national government? We already know they don't respect us. Indeed, much of what they do is antithetical to what we believe. How is acting offended over this slight going to help advance the Gospel?
Of course we should be involved as good citizens in the activities of our government the the extent we are allowed. And, of course we should pray for our nation, not just on one particular day, but continually. We don't need to be invited to some event at the Pentagon to pray effectively for our nation. In fact, I would argue that prayers at such an event may even be less effective because of all the political trimmings and trappings.
Why would President Obama even care whether he offends "mainstream evangelicals". It has been obvious in his campaign and following that he is courting votes from completely the other end of the spectrum.
By all means, pray for America. We have turned our backs on God and are completely deserving of His judgment. We need His mercy more than ever. But, we don't need some official event or the sanction of our government to pray. Just ask Daniel.

Being Comes Before Doing

I need to read Scripture daily to be reminded of who I am in Christ. Then, I need to act like who I am.  Justin Taylor says it better at his blog.

The gift

  The ministry of a church can be likened to a gift from the elders to the congregation.  The wrapping paper and bows on the outside are the cultural trappings such as music style and sanctuary decor and what type of clothes the pastor wears.  The box and packaging are the organizational structures and programs of the church.  The actual gift on the inside is the Word of God.  It is what really matters.  The packaging can help in delivering the gift but is not the gift itself.  The wrapping paper is just decoration, but can make the gift look more enticing.
  A problem often seen is similar to when you give a gift to your children on Christmas morning.  They become more enamored and interested in the packaging and wrapping paper, and the gift of value is forgotten.

A new heart

I just read Ezekiel 36 this morning for my devotions.  I was reminded how clear this passage is in support of God's sovereign initiative in salvation.  He acts, we respond, and it is all for the sake of His holy name.  He gathers His own.  He cleanses us.  He gives us a new heart and a new spirit.  And then, we will remember our evil ways and loathe ourselves for our iniquities.  It looks to me that regeneration comes before repentance.

The Gospel...

...is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.  If we really believe that we will act like it and the gospel will fairly ooze out our pores.  If we don't really believe it we will think we need to help the gospel in evangelism by attracting people with glitz and action or by helping the gospel in our own lives by adopting a legalistic attitude toward rules.  Check out another good post on this by Jared Wilson.

Chuch leadership 3

OK, so I let even more time elapse since last post.  It has been a mix of the first rush of blogging energy being over and a week of busy days so that I am very tired in the evenings with not much brain power left for writing.  I would promise to try to do better but I can’t guarantee.  I am sure there will continue to be up weeks and down weeks.

   In this post I will look at what direct instructions are given in God’s Word to church leaders and to the congregation in relation to church leaders.  If you read my first posts on this topic you will remember that I said that I would be making the point that Scripture shows church leaders being more authoritarian, i.e. wielding a great deal of authority, than we would be comfortable in modern evangelical churches.  They do this, however, as servant leaders, doing what is best for those they lead, not what is best for themselves.  Besides Jesus, Paul is the clearest example of this.  He obviously wields significant authority, such that he can command certain things be done, but he does so with humility for the good of the people under his charge.  In II Corinthians 10:8 he says he will not be ashamed of boasting of his authority, which the Lord gave for building the Corinthians up.

   So, a snapshot of passages giving instruction to leaders and followers:

I Thessalonians 5:12-13:  Paul asks the Thessalonians to “respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love”. 
I Timothy 5:17:  Paul says the elders who “rule well” should be considered worthy of double honor.  So it expected that the elders would exercise authority.
I Timothy 5:19:  Charges against an elder should only be admitted on the testimony of 2-3 witnesses where the standard for regular people was only 2 witnesses.  This seems to show that there is a special trust given to elders and it recognizes they may be a potential target for slanderous charges.
Titus 2:15:  Paul tells Titus to “exhort and rebuke with all authority.  Let no one disregard you.”  Wow.  That’s pretty strong.  I suppose some elders/pastors may take that instruction wrong and act like a dictator; but it seems that most don’t recognize the authority they are supposed to be vested with.
And it is not just Paul.  Hebrews 13:17:  The author tells the readers to “Obey your leaders (speaking of church leaders not political leaders) and submit to them.”  I am sure there are a lot of elders/pastors out there who would love to have their congregations read that one and take it to heart.
Finally, Peter gives concise instructions to elders.  I Peter 5:1-5:  They are to exercise oversight as under-shepherds, but with three positive and three negative injunctions: 
       - willingly, eagerly and being examples
       - not under compulsion, not for shameful gain, and not domineering

So, the overall view of elders seems to me to be one of great authority as subordinate leaders under Christ (like in the military context we might see company commanders under a battalion commander).  They are to execute His intent and His specific instructions.  However, they are to do so as servant leaders who seek the good of those under their charge, not their own comfort, prestige or other sort of gain.

Church Leadership 2

    What approaches to leadership do we see in the New Testament?  What leadership environment and style is modeled by the leaders of the church at the beginning?  I will look at what is in evidence from narrative accounts in the book of Acts and what the writers say about how they approached leadership situations.  Right up front I will say that the view I get of these leaders is that they had a much more authoritarian approach to leadership than we would be comfortable with in the modern American church.  The view is a bit narrow in that the only leaders in view are apostles who, by definition, have a higher degree of authority than a church elder.  But, since these are the only leaders described in action, this will have to do for now.
    - In Acts 4-5 we see the members of the Jerusalem congregation bringing money for the church and laying it at the apostles’ feet.  I recognize that this may be a cultural idiom, but it sure gives me the picture of high authority.  Laying something at another’s feet is something you would expect of a subject doing to a king.
    - Paul talks in his letters as one with a great deal of authority.  I am not talking about his laying down of doctrine, we would expect that from an apostle.  I am talking of his direction with regard to specific issues for churches or individuals.  Examples that come to mind are the Corinthian church (I Cor 5) and when he tells Philemon that he could command him to do what he wishes with regard to Onesimus (Philemon 8). 
    - In III John, the Apostle John speaks negatively of Diotrephes who does not acknowledge his authority.
    This is a limited view because we don’t see much in the way of leadership in action other than Apostolic preaching and exercising of doctrinal authority.  Next entry I will look at what directives are given to church leaders about how they are to lead.  And, I will try not to let as much time elapse between posts as I did with this one.

Church Leadership 1

   OK, finally, here is the long promised (I am not sure I could say long awaited) look at church leadership in the New Testament.  I say “look” because this will not be a very in-depth study.  It will really only be a surface look at a few Scripture passages and what they suggest about church leadership style. 
   I was motivated to look at this as I considered that someday in the future I may want to (be led to?) step from my current role in military leadership to a more extensive role in church leadership.  I wondered what, if anything, may have to change in my leadership mode and style. 
   The military is obviously a fairly authoritarian leadership environment.  The rank and hierarchy sets it up so that one can order something done and those subordinate must obey.  Within that environment one can have different styles.  I have a fairly cooperative style:  I invite input for decisions from my staff and subordinate commanders.  However, once I make a decision that is the end of discussion and my decision must be carried out.  My concept for church leadership (how it generally is, not necessarily how it should be) is much more egalitarian.  In other words, the leadership (specifically elders/pastors) do not hold much, if any, inherent leadership over members of the congregation.  They must lead by persuasion and encouraging cooperation. 
   So, this line of thought led to wanting to see what the church leadership environment looked like in the New Testament.  Now that this post has turned into a background/context post, I will save the first actual look for next post.  In that next post I intend to look at leadership environment and style as modeled by actual leaders.  Then, in the next post, I will look at any commands given to leaders as to their behavior/style.

Mercy and justice

It was appropriate for Resurrection Sunday that my devotional Bible reading brought me to Lamentations 3.  What a bright light of hope and restoration!  It is all the brighter because it comes in the midst of such darkness and suffering.  The same with Jesus' resurrection.  At the moment that things seemed the bleakest and the most hopeless, He arose!  New life began for us who are His.  God did the the most amazing thing.  In which, I disagree with those who say mercy triumphed over justice.  No.  The amazing thing is that mercy and justice were both perfectly accomplished in the same act.  That was the trick.  God could remain true to both aspects of His nature. 
And the other incredible thing is that He saved me.  Me, who was such a despicable rebellious sinner and, but for His grace would still be.  Some complain that God did not save all.  But as it says in Lamentations 3, "Why should a living man complain about the punishment of his sins?"  We deserve God's judgment.  The writer of Lamentations 3 recognizes this after having been a witness to the destruction of Jerusalem.  So, instead of complaining about the punishment of our sins, "Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!  Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven".  We can do this in confidence because we know that "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him". 

I'm back

from vacation and content will continue.  I thought I would blog while on vacation but I didn't.  I am sure that disappointed all 1 or 2 of my readers.  But, now life can go on.  Which, incidentally, is a good theme for Resurrection Morning.  Because He rose, our lives can go on - forever, with Him.

I'll be back soon

I haven't posted in a while because I was out in the field with my battalion.  We were going to try to get a satellite internet connection up, but didn't get it working in time for me to use it.  Overall it was a crazy week.  Now, I am on vacation with my family over my kids' Spring Break.  I have a few posts churning around in my head that I want to put out here.  As soon as I get time I will do that.  So, I haven't abandoned this blog.  Please check back.  There will be new content soon.

Classical Music

So, I have been on a classical music kick lately as I make my 40 min commute to and from work.  It all started when I read "Evening in the Palace of Reason" by James R. Gaines.  It is about an epic showdown between Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederick the Great, which really symbolizes the collision between two worldviews and two eras in world history.  Anyone who is into music or history would love reading it.  Anyway, because I read this book, I had to go out and get a J. S. Bach album to listen to while I drive.  This week, as I was listening to Bach's music I had an interesting experience.  It was the auditory equivalent of staring into the flames of a fire, with its endlessly flickering patterns.  Bach's music is similar.  Many composers write their music in what I call "musical sentences" - a series of notes that end in a "note of resolution" - such that it goes in series of 4 - 8 or 10 notes that culminate in a note held just a little bit longer and then a small pause that seems to close out that series.  I am sure any of you that know musical theory could enlighten me on what that is called.  Anyway, much of Bach's music does not do that.  It just keeps going in endlessly flickering patterns.  Many times you will hear what seems to be a note of resolution, but it won't pause and another thread of melody will take up the lead.  It was quite surreal.  It also seemed to me that listening to Bach was the musical equivalent of reading a deep work of philosophy or theology.  It was dense - as opposed to most other classical music and definitely modern music, which is more like reading a pulp fiction novel.  Any other classical music buffs out there?  What do you like?

Essence

It has been a few days since my last post.  Crazy week at work and trying to finish taxes can take a lot of time and energy.  So, this isn't a start to my series just yet. 

But, another thought on how we do church: 
My parents used to say that losing weight is quite simple in concept:  you just have to burn more calories than you ingest.  Everything else is just fads.  Now, I know there is a little more to it than that:  good fats vs. bad fats, best exercise intensity to burn fat, etc.  But these things just assist the core concept.
Similarly with what happens when the church meets together.  The core concept is simple:  As I see from Scripture, there are  four main things that should happen:
(1) Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
(2) Breaking of bread (Communion)
(3) Prayer
(4) Preaching the Word (which I think of as reading it and explaining it).
We get wrapped up in the fads of how we do these things, but they only assist (or detract from in many cases) the core concept.  And, God's Word should be central to all of these four activities.  Our songs should be Scripture-saturated.  Our breaking of bread and prayer should be in accordance with the Word.  And, our preaching should be more God's Word than our own words.  God's Word is power.  He spoke and the universe was created.  We should trust His Word to do His work in His church.  Not our little faddish methods.

Post series coming

I don't have time for a post tonight because I have been spending too much time commenting on other people's blogs.  However, I want to start a series (I guess that is what all the cool bloggers do) in which I look at the leadership styles in the early church.  I have no idea how long it will take.  I may finish it in one post.   But, I want to take a bit deeper look than that, so we'll see.  More later.

One month

Wow.  I have had this blog going for a month.  I have exceeded the posting frequency that I expected.  However, that is probably the rush of a new thing.  We'll see if I can keep it up.  For those few who have come to read what I have posted here, I do hope that you will interact with what I have written.  It is an "iron sharpening iron" opportunity that I would appreciate.  I intend to keep writing whether people read and comment or not though.  I see it as an opportunity to develop more intellectual discipline and organization.

Learning to love people we don't like very much...

Since I was just posting about why it is important to be involved with a local church body, the following post by Doug Wilson caught my eye:  He has the Same Problem.  It starts out:

"As one writer aptly put it, one of the reasons we go to church is to learn how to love people we don’t like very much. And the testing point of this is here, at this Table. When you come, you are coming as a reconciled people, and this means that you are not only reconciled to God, but also to one another."

I encourage you to read the whole thing.

Do you love the Church?

A friend of mine recently posted on his blog that lately he doesn't much like going to church, and he is in full-time ministry.  I can relate to his feeling because churches can sometimes seem so dysfunctional, and the members can sometimes be so messed up and even mean.   The following is a slightly adapted version of my comment in response. 
Christianity is not about feelings, it is about Truth.  We have to act in accordance with our truth commitments despite what we feel.
So, what is true in this matter?
Well, God's Word says in Hebrews 10:25 not to neglect meeting together.  Why?  So we can stir one another up to love and good deeds and encourage one another.  I know that, unfortunately, the churches we know today do not do these things.  But, you cannot help improve something unless you take part in it.  And, it is still a command.
Another thing that is true is that you cannot say you love Jesus if you do not love His Bride, the church, and all your fellow members thereof.  John the Apostle, speaking to the Church, writes of this in his first epistle. (I John 2:10-11; 3:10; 4:7-8). 
Marriage is a useful analogy here.  In marriage, there are many times that you don't feel "in love" with your spouse, that you don't feel like being around the one you have committed your life to.  But, having made a commitment, you choose to love that person anyway.  You choose to do what is best for him/her. 
There is certainly a lot that is broken in our modern Church.  Jesus knew that, but He loved us anyway.  How can we do any less?

Means and Ends

Speaking of putting experience over theology, I had an experience with that just yesterday. In his sermon, using John 7:37-39 as his text, the preacher at my church spoke of the possibility of the Holy Spirit being active in our lives. He said that Jesus wants to give us more. He said that it is not coming to church that we need, it is not more Bible reading that we need, it is not Bible studies that we need. We just need Jesus. We just need to experience more of Him.
Now, this is a message I have heard before and, quite frankly, it irritates me. How, exactly, do they expect us to "experience Jesus"? Should I sit on a mat in the lotus position with my eyes closed? Should I go about my normal business and wait for Him to "show up"? If He did, what would it look like? (We are usually told that you just know).
What the preacher was doing, along with many others who convey a similar message, is confuse the ends with the means. It is true that our Christian life is not about "doing stuff" like Bible reading and going to church meetings - it is about a relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, these speakers are right to try to turn our focus to the ultimate purpose that needs to be in view. But, you can't leave out the means to achieving that end. One experiences Jesus by reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, meeting with others who love Him, etc. I don't think it is helpful to tell people that these things aren't important.  It is important to teach that they should not be an end in and of themselves, but they are a means to an end, namely experiencing Jesus.
Sorry, this hasn't been my most organized post - I know I rambled a bit.  The important thing is that we do develop an intimate relationship with our Lord Jesus (experience Him) through Bible reading, prayer, fellowship with other believers.

Theology shapes experience

This week, my first issue of "Christianity Today" showed up in the mail.  I didn't subscribe to the magazine.  I still don't know who signed me up.  I have shied away from CT in the past because it has seemed to me that they have succumbed in no small way to liberalism and cultural relevance.  It caught my eye, then, that the cover story was about doctrine.  This is a hot-button issue for me because I think it is woefully neglected in our churches today. 
I was pleasantly surprised to read the article by Darren C. Marks, "The Mind Under Grace: Why theology is an essential nutrient for spiritual growth".  He holds up doctrine and theology as a starting point in our Christian lives, rather than our own spiritual experience.  He states, "I see doctrine not as a boundary but as a compass.  Its purpose is not to make Christians relevant or distinctive but rather to make them faithful in their contexts [emphasis his]".  Mr. Marks holds up Friedrich Schleiermacher as one who has led the church down the wrong path in this regard.  Schleiermacher taught us to start with our spiritual experience and to build theology around those experiences.  Mr. Marks comments, "A theology grounded in experience ultimately fades into soft moralism, humanism, or, in the unique case of American Christianity, a civic religion wherein God and country are easily confused". 
In contrast, the Bible should inform our doctrine, which should shape our experience.  As stated by Mr. Marks, "We do not start with 'my spirituality' and then identify core beliefs.  Instead, we begin with core beliefs - those discovered by the church as it has intellectually wrestled with the truth of Scripture in the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit.  These beliefs, which come from outside myself, correct and shape my spiritual experience".  Deitrich Bonhoeffer is held up as a counter example to Scheiermacher.  "Bonhoeffer knew, as did Calvin, Augustine, and many others, that dry, seemingly irrelevant ideas like the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Atonement, and eschatology are crucial elements of our spiritual formation". 
I could go on about the importance of doctrine and theology in our lives and our churches; and I will in posts to come as God gives me grace.  However, this is enough for now.  Suffice it to say that this article was a welcome surprise.  If you can get a copy of the March issue of CT, I highly recommend reading the whole thing.

An Escape from Captivity?

A few days ago I posted about the Western Church today being in a Babylonian captivity. It appears that Os Guinness has written a book about that The Last Christian on Earth - actually he has updated a book of his, The Gravedigger File, from 1983. But, the Church has not escaped its captivity in that time. If anything it has gone deeper into captivity. Mr. Guinness' book is intended to open Christians' eyes to the dangers and act as a call for renewal. Justin Taylor has posted an interview with Mr. Guinness at his blog. I will be adding this book to my "need to read" list - which is already too long.

Therapy Session

Michael Patton over at Parchment and Pen has a good post about the importance of theology - whether you want to admit it or not. He makes three main points:
1. There is no way to distance yourself from theology. Everyone has a theological position. The only question is whether you can account for your position.
2. No one can live rightly without believing rightly. Belief drives practice. You will always act in accordance with your beliefs (but not necessarily in accordance with what you say you believe).
3. Get over the fear of being wrong. Don't avoid the search for truth because you are scared of being wrong. The truth is worth the danger. You may be wrong from time to time. Be willing to change your mind if it is demonstrated convincingly that your position is in error.

Read the whole thing.

Disposable Beauty

I got a glimpse of God's extravagant wealth this morning. As I was driving to work, God drew a gorgeous sunrise across the eastern sky. It made my heart ache to look at the magnificence of those vivid pinks and oranges, especially since I realized that in a few seconds it would be gone. But then it occurred to me that God is so abundant and overflowing in majesty and splendor that he can casually produce such a display of beauty, then throw it away and do it all again tonight or tomorrow morning. It is more amazing than Michelangelo recreating the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel every morning and evening. It is a foretaste of the streets paved with gold. God is so overflowing with glory, wealth and beauty that it is commonplace, a casual everyday thing - just an expression of who He is. May the inexpressible wonders of God's creation continue to lead me to Him who created them.

Truth has stumbled in the public squares

Read Isaiah 59:14-15a and see how well it describes the current environment of public discourse (politics, journalism, higher education, etc.) in the United States:

Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Then read on to v.15b:

The LORD saw it , and it displeased him that there was no justice.

And further in v.18:

According to their deeds, so will he repay,
wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
to the coastlands he will render repayment.

The only hope is indicated in v.20:

"And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression," declares the Lord

Christian leadership in a secular context

I posted Wednesday about the best way to fulfill my oath to "support and defend the Constitution" being to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ because the greatest threat we face as a nation is our own sin and immorality. However, that is a source of great frustration to me. I cannot be as vocal as I would like to be because of the prohibition against prosyletizing. I have to be careful about creating undue influence or pressure towars Christianity from my leadership role as a commander. Don't get me wrong, I have been completely open about my faith. When I introduced myself to my staff the first thing I told them is that the most important thing for them to know about me is my Christianity, that I receive and process information through the grid of my Biblical understanding and that I make decisions in accordance with my convictions. However, I cannot lead the way I would like to, like I would, say, in a church context. I cannot lead the staff in prayer before making decisions. When someone is having trouble, or in trouble, I would like to point them to what the Bible says about that issue and reach back to God's authority in the matter rather than just my own. I can do that a little bit, in a rather indirect manner, but I have to be careful how I do it. I think the members of my unit know where I stand, but I cannot be as explicit as I would like to be. I pray that God use what I can say to His purposes. To me the greatest measure of my success as a leader will be the spiritual effect God has been able to have through me on the men and women under my charge.

Ruined For Anything Else

Great post over on Tim Challies' blog about our need as Christians for solid doctrine.

"true believers want and eventually need to move from milk to meat. Though they may not have a category to describe what is missing from their lives they will feel a restlessness. The Spirit works in them to give them a craving for solid food. And when they take a bite of that food, their eyes light up and they know that they are experiencing something they were meant to enjoy."

Read the rest.

National defense

As a military officer, I swore to defend the Constitution "against all enemies, foreign and domestic". It occurs to me, however, that our greatest enemy is domestic - it is us. Specifically, our sin and immorality. Not that I think the Constitution, or any other governmental system, is a savior or the key to our problems in any enduring sense. It is just that as a sojourning citizen of these United States, and a proud member of U.S. military, the best way I can uphold my oath to defend the Constitution is to boldly proclaim the Gospel, calling all men to repent and believe. The more our nation falls into sin, the more we can expect Divine judgment - as we are already experiencing in crime rates, abortion, divorce, and corrupt politicians.
I think we in the Church are most to blame. We have abdicated our responsibility to be salt and light. We have allowed the culture to shape us instead of spreading the Gospel to shape the culture. God forgive us. Strengthen us and enable us to be your representatives in this world, boldly proclaiming your truth in love.

Dehydration

Y'know how they say that if you wait until you feel thirsty to start drinking water, you are already behind the power curve? Likewise, if you wait until you feel helpless to start praying, you are already behind the power curve.
- Inspired by Chapter 6 of "A Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller

Better a shack on a rock...

than a castle in the sand.

This picture, and the Casting Crowns lyrics perfectly capture the mindset I am trying to portray in this blog.

Exile in Babylon

The Church is in a Babylonian exile. In the Bible, Babylon is commonly used as a symbol of the world system hostile to God. So, the Church, especially in the West, as it is conformed to the world in the pursuit of "relevance" is in a kind of Babylonian exile. God brought His people, His remnant, out of Babylon by raising up His servant, Cyrus, to rebuild the temple and restore the order of worship. Who is our Cyrus now?
In one sense, Jesus is our Cyrus. Given that Cyrus is often spoken of in messianic categories, Jesus is the fulfillment of that type for today - in both a personal sense and a corporate sense. The personal sense is obvious and that analogy is commonly made. In the corporate sense, a renewed focus on Jesus Christ within the church will restore true worship. The Western, especially American, Church needs to come out of Babylon by submitting anew to Christ and returning the Good New of His salvation to the center of our message and practice.

Prayer

Prayer is not one of my strengths in the Christian life. I have a hard time spending any significant amount of time in focused prayer. I have also struggled with some of the teaching about prayer that is generally heard in the church - especially how to think about certain passages in Scripture. The Bible teaches that the key to effective prayer is to believe, to have faith (e.g. Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 11:22-25, James 1:5-8). How does that happen? How does one muster up enough faith to believe like that? That faith must come from God. If the faith in Christ as Savior that I start my Christian life with comes from God, then the faith to believe that a particular prayer will come to pass must also be His gift. It seems to me that when God has purposed to do some action, He provides the faith also to His people to pray, believing that the action will occur. From our perspective, we just need to pray in accordance with God's revelation of Himself and believe that God will provide the faith necessary to pray without doubt when He so chooses. Usually we ask for things in the spirit of "not my will but yours be done". When God has purposed to do something He will often give the faith to His people to pray for that thing, knowing it is His will.

Isaiah 33

Two passages caught my eye as I read in Isaiah 33 this morning. The first was in v.6, which reads: "and he [the LORD] will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion's treasure." In these tumultuous times, as in Isaiah's, God is our only stability. On a personal level, it says in Hebrews 6:19 that our hope in Christ is "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul". On a national level, as it was for Judah in Isaiah's day, true stability can only come when "the fear of the LORD is Zion's (or America's) treasure". I don't know that national revival of that scope will ever happen for America. But, whether or not it happens, God's people will find their treasure in Him.
The second verse that stuck out to me was v.15:
"He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
who despises the gain of oppressions,
who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe,
who stops his ears fro hearing of bloodshed
and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,"
This is speaking of the one who can dwell with the consuming fire (v.14, speaking of God in His holiness). This speaks of a personal holiness that has definite implications in our choices of movies and TV shows to watch and video games to play. Instead of trying to stay away from graphic descriptions/portrayals of violence and moral perversion, we see how much we can get away with. The interpretation here is a bit complicated in that the very next chapter (ch 34) is a very bloody one. However, we can't put the immoral violence of Hollywood on a par with God's description of His judgment of evil doers.
There is a lot more that could be said about both these verses, but these are some initial thoughts and about all I have time for right now.

Valentines' Day Reminder

This day should be more than a celebration of romantic love... it should be a celebration of the committed love of a husband and wife as a symbol of the love between Christ and His church.
A good reminder of the essential relationship between husband and wife was given by Ray Ortlund at his blog, Christ is Deeper Still.

Starting Up

I guess it is good to try new things. So, here we go. I don't know anything about blogging, though I do read several blogs (check the blogroll).
I have been feeling like I need to start developing the discipline of writing. I have been a good consumer of other peoples' thought content, but I have been lax in coming up with my own. This is not to say that I don't have thoughts. It is just that I have not expressed them in an organized fashion and subjected them to outside scrutiny. I think this will force me to organize my thoughts and ensure they hang together.
As a unit commander in the U.S. Military my job right now is pretty busy. However, I am setting the goal of posting about 2-3 times a week. I expect to generally cover topics of theology, leadership, the Christian life and family life; but, other topics may creep in also.
So, that is all the time I have for tonight. More later.