Raw and Relevant

What Matters Most?

2012-01-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

So I’m sitting here on the final leg of our 40-hour journey back home - in this case, scheduled to arrive in San Francisco at 3:22pm west coast time. With about four hours to go, our return trip began nearly 36 hours ago in Kigali, Rwanda. For the past several years, our church has been sending teams to this tiny East African nation in hopes of bringing the grace and love of Jesus Christ to the people God has connected us with.

If you’ve been even remotely in touch with world affairs over the past two decades, you are aware that in 1994, this tiny nation experienced one of human history’s most horrific genocides, followed by a second retaliatory wave of killing in 1997. These horrors involved the tribal conflicts between two principle entities – the Hutus and the Tutsis – a series of conflicts that were as political as they were racial.

Now 15 years removed from the atrocities which eradicated a full ten percent of Rwanda’s population (one million killed in a country of ten million at the time), the Christian church in Rwanda stands at the heart of the ongoing reconciliation process. What an incredible privilege – and also a sobering reality – to be able to work with one particular group among God’s inter-denominational mosaic of wounded healers within this nation's borders.

On average, we have been sending one to two teams per year to target various aspects of holistic ministry among this nation. The group we primarily partner with is the Evangelical Free Church of Rwanda (EFCR) – currently a collection of about 60 churches with a vision to top 100 in the next five years in some of the most remote areas of the country and among the most marginalized.

The first part of our trip centered around an annual conference we’ve been leading for pastors and their spouses. In Rwanda, the reality is that only a very small percentage of Christian leaders are ever able to receive formal training in theological and practical areas of ministry. We had left the U.S. on Christmas night and arrived in Kigali on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 27. Having helped lead the conference in the past, I arrived at the humble event center with my ministry colleagues early Wednesday morning.

As we approached the small conference room packed with over 100 Rwandan leaders eager to learn, I immediately began to fight back tears as I heard the sweet, energetic sound of their worshipful voices, welcoming our small team of Americans with the warmth and excitement we’ve grown to love about these people. Though I could not understand a lick of what they were singing, the Spirit moving among these people was more than tangible.

Our team approached the chairs on the small stage that had been arranged for us to sit in – as though we were their special guests on honor. As I looked out over the crowd, I recognized familiar faces, names and smiles of believers I had met on previous trips. Never short on grace and gratitude, my translator explained to me the essence of the song they greeted us with: “Our lives were once filled with heavy burdens, but Jesus has freed us and taken them away!”

“Really?” I thought to myself as I watched husbands and wives dance together with the unmistakable joy of the Lord beaming from their faces. From a well-resourced western perspective, a surface-level glance around the room seemed to identify burdens everywhere. Exactly WHAT burdens had Jesus lifted from these peoples’ lives? Only 15 years removed from one of history’s worst civil wars, dressed in comparatively tattered clothing and without the luxury of many of our technologies and resources, it took only a matter of minutes for God to remind me that – as usual – I would be learning far more from them than they would be learning from me during our time together.

Opening up the first training session, I placed my freshly-charged Macbook Pro on the plastic table provided for me to speak from. Realizing that the value of my computer alone was about the equivalent of the average annual income of each of the households represented in the room, I kept thinking about the message of the song they welcomed us with: “We were once heavily burdened, but Jesus has taken those burdens away.”

Jesus assured us that it is more blessed to give than to receive – and seldom am I more aware of this reality than when I am with my brothers and sisters in Africa. As always, I come prayerfully prepared to give of myself – and yet while I’m pouring out, I am simultaneously filled up with a fresh revelation of God’s grace being manifest through the very people I came to “invest in”.

At the end of the conference three days later, they reported to us about how encouraged they were – and about how we had helped them build their vision for their families, their churches and their communities. I was humbled by their enthusiasm – and prayerful that they would be able to retain and apply even a small portion of the “fire hose” of training they had received in this short time together.

After a weekend of rest and relational ministry, Monday began our second week with the first of four challenging days of work in Kareba – one of the more remote and marginalized villages near the border of Congo. Kareba is where our church has sponsored and funded a new Vocational Training Center designed to provide practical job skills such as auto mechanics, carpentry, tailoring and moto-taxi driver certification. Among the many activities of the week included the preparation and installation of a new volleyball court to be used for outreach by the school, the repair of various machines and tools needed for the operation of the school, and a visit to a high school campus also sponsored by our church where we observed some amazing advancements taking place.

People have asked us numerous times a very good and honest question: “Why would your church send teams of people to Rwanda instead of just providing them with more money? Wouldn’t the money be more practical?” In fact, early on in our relationship, we asked the EFCR leadership that very question. Their answer? “We are grateful for the resources you send us, but the greatest resource you send is YOU! We value relationship over handouts – and when you come to be with us, it does far more for the Rwandan church than sending cash ever could.”

I could say so much more – but once again the huge takeaway I bring home from this year’s trip remains very simple: grace-based relationships are what matter most in life and ministry. Not fancy buildings. Not the latest and greatest technologies. Not slick marketing or the coolest vibe.

Relationships. Community. They are the essence of the Christian life in practical terms. Jesus said, “In the same way I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” At Valley Church, I am thankful that God enables us to serve our community in culturally relevant ways. I’m thankful for the campus God has given us. I’m grateful for the technologies and resources at our disposal and for the challenge to always steward them wisely. But the thing I value most about Valley Church is the growing, grace-based community we are learning to experience together.

Beyond buildings, technology or creativity – love is always the most relevant thing. Love is something that our media-driven, socially-networked and increasingly tech-savvy culture cannot provide for a single soul. Only God can provide it. And He doesn’t do it by zapping people with a heavenly love-beam. Instead, He does it through people who choose to allow His Spirit to live the supernatural life of Christ’s love through them. I wish every American believer could experience the love I experience when I’m fortunate enough to go to places like Rwanda.

But do you know what? We don’t have to go to another continent to find it. We can have it right here, right now. In fact, we already do – because in reality, this love is not really an “it” at all. This love is a Person who has forgiven us of all our sins and infused us with the very life of God Himself. And our supreme task as a church family is to increasingly allow that Person to live His life through ours. Simple, but not always easy. I’m sure glad we have each other in the process of growing in this grace, because I couldn’t – and wouldn’t – want to live this life without my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Is Your God too BIG?

2011-11-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. That title sounds halfway blasphemous and wholly ridiculous. In fact if you are a believer in Christ you have probably heard the exact opposite question posed: “Is your God too small?” This inquiry seems to surface quite often in sermons, books and conversations (the implication being that your faith in God is probably much weaker than is deserving of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Being).

Of course in a literal sense it makes no sense to wonder whether God is too big. If God is indeed the all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere-present Deity described in the pages of Holy Writ – then He is far “bigger” than our wildest imaginations can conceive of. But therein lies the dilemma.

Often our acceptance of the fact that God is all of those “big” things brings with it an unconscious assumption that He is “too big” to really bother with the average things we struggle with. God, we assume, undoubtedly cares about things like keeping the planets in alignment and solving the world’s biggest problems – but He’s probably not nearly as interested in the otherwise mundane challenges we face. Things such as that disappointment you were hit with yesterday, those frustrations happening in that relationship, or the unfulfilled dreams you are tempted to abandon - are burdens you carry alone assuming they aren't significant enough to bring God into the midst of.

The arrival of Jesus in the manger…and 33 years later on the cross, affirms beyond words that God indeed cares about our perceptions of Him. The very idea of God becoming man reveals to us something HUGE about the heart of God – that He is willing to make Himself “little” enough for us to intimately connect with.

Throughout the life and ministry of Jesus, we see God intimately involved in the mundane affairs of everyday life – from solving the problem of poor planning at a wedding feast to speaking out on behalf of a sinful woman accused of adultery to inviting little children to approach Him freely (an act uncommon for a distinguished rabbi of His day). At every juncture, Jesus reveals to us the reality that God is not only casually interested in the “little things” of our lives – but intensely interested.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:26-30:

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

In this passage Jesus is encouraging His followers to trust in God’s provision – but He is also pointing out the fact that the Creator cares about the little things, and deeply so!

What kinds of problems are you facing today? Are they financial? Relational? Emotional? Spiritual? Do you sometimes unconsciously feel as though inviting Jesus into the center of these things must be some kind of nuisance to Him – as though He’s got bigger fish to fry?

Whatever the burdens you carry, Jesus invites you to find the rest your soul is looking for in HIM. Ask Him to help you begin to more consciously practice His presence. Be aware that He is not only there WITH you, but also there FOR you – to bring every care and concern of your heart. You are never a nuisance to this God who loves you so much He would rather die than live without you. Rejoice in that reality and REST in Him today.

Can Unconfessed Sin Block Answers to our Prayers?

2011-10-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday I was reading through some material written by Beth Moore – a popular and gifted Evangelical Bible teacher. She was teaching on the life of David, and about how the unrepentant sin of King Saul kept God from hearing his prayers. From an Old Covenant framework, I was in general agreement with what she was saying. But as I read on, she began to shift this Old Covenant reality into a New Covenant frame of reference, suggesting that unconfessed, unrepentant sin in the life of a Christian can cause God to choose not to hear our prayers. This kind of teaching is common among Evangelicals, but is it Biblical?

Allow me to preface my remarks by saying that I have a high level of admiration for Beth Moore. I think her ministry is an asset to the Body of Christ in many ways, and in no way am I attempting to cause division in the Body of Christ by critiquing her teaching in this area. Beth Moore is a passionate believer in Christ and I'm proud to call her my sister in the faith.

That being said, I have some very passionate views regarding the importance of our belief in the absolute, finished work of Jesus Christ as our Advocate, Redeemer, High Priest, Savior and King. In my opinion, what I read in Beth Moore’s workbook reflects a very typical view among Evangelicals who routinely mix Old Covenant with New Covenant. This mixture is usually not intentional deception on the part of the teacher, but is nonetheless unfortunate because it minimizes (or in some cases, even denies) Christ’s victorious accomplishments through the cross and resurrection.

Among the many things Christ accomplished for us on the cross was to bring us into an irreversible condition of unbroken fellowship with God (1 John 1:4). Beth’s views expressed in the workbook reflect an error that I have sought to expose through sound exegesis of 1 John 1, among other passages, which some Christians interpret to suggest that if we don’t confess our sins, we are somehow “out of fellowship with God” and therefore subject to Him refusing to commune with us, answer our prayers, etc. until we “get right” with Him. The problems with these ideas are too many to count when you really get honest about what the New Testament thoroughly teaches.

When Christ “fulfilled the Law” (Matt. 5:17), He did so by perfectly keeping the Law so as to become our sinless Substitute and be qualified to die as a pure and unblemished sacrifice for our sins. By fulfilling the Law, Jesus is telling us that He not only DIED in our place, but LIVED in our place. What this means is that His perfect track-record of sinlessness is now credited to us as though it were our very own record of performance. He became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through faith in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Because Christ suffered separation from God on the cross, we will NEVER suffer separation from God in any form of relationship, fellowship, etc. The idea that God chooses not to hear our prayers (or “won’t” hear, as Beth states) is a mixture of Old Covenant and New Covenant realities – plain and simple.

Under the New Covenant, God NEVER turns a deaf ear to our prayers on the basis of unconfessed sin. If this were taken to its logical conclusion, this would mean that we would have to confess EVERY sin in order for God to hear us. Beth Moore and others might suggest that she is merely talking about obvious, “major” sins like the ones she highlights from Saul’s life – but God doesn’t approach the issue of sin that way. He doesn’t operate by an economy of confession. He operates by an economy of blood, because He knows that only an eternal blood sacrifice that can be applied to ALL sin (even the “little” ones we forget to confess) is sufficient to unite us in unbroken fellowship with Him. If confession of sin could restore fellowship to God, the shed blood of Jesus was completely unnecessary.

I could go on and on, but I want to get to the issue of the subjective feeling we sometimes have when it seems like God is not hearing our prayers. While this is never actually the case in the life of a believer, there are times when it sure feels that way – and SOMETIMES this perception can be provoked by sin in our lives that we haven’t dealt with properly. When we are walking in unconfessed, unrepentant rebellion, it is easy to see why God seems distant even though He is actually not. Because we’ve been given a re-created spirit in our inner being, there is a battle between our spirit, which is perfectly righteous and submitted to God, and our flesh, which is often lured away by various temptations. When we walk in sin, we are not walking in accordance with our new nature, but in accordance with our flesh. Because we were not designed to feel fulfilled, secure and at peace while walking in the flesh, we subjectively feel as though God is “distant” or not hearing us.

For example, 1 Peter 3:7 speaks about husbands loving their wives properly so that their prayers will “not be hindered.” These texts in no way imply that God will refuse to answer their prayers, because these believers are already clothed in the righteousness of Christ. What the text IS getting at is that their prayers will be hindered from their subjective perspective. In other words, their prayer lives cannot be as rich, rewarding and fulfilling when they are walking in blatant rebellion against God because pride, guilt, anger, etc. will dull their ability to hear God’s voice and be sensitive to the gentle movement of His Spirit.

So the REAL issue under the New Covenant is not that God refuses to answer the prayers of a rebellious person. The REAL issue is that even though God will continue to answer their prayers on the basis of their irreversible righteousness in Christ, they will not enjoy the experiential peace of that sweet, unbroken fellowship because their own hearing has been dulled by a sinful frame of mind. As Paul explained so beautifully in Romans 8:5-6:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

As Paul told the Ephesians after spending three amazing chapters hammering home the reality of our irreversible righteous standing in Christ, he opens up chapter 4 with the words, “As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” In other words, out of grateful response to the unconditional grace God has poured out upon us, we are to surrender to the Spirit’s leading in such a way that we live lives worthy of that incredible calling.

NEVER are we encouraged to live righteous lives in order to ensure that God will hear our prayers. Why? Because with Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father as our eternal Advocate and High Priest, our prayers will ALWAYS be heard by our gracious Father – no matter the current, temporary struggles of our hearts.

BOTTOM LINE: UNREPENTANT SIN CAN DULL OUR ABILITY TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE – BUT SIN CAN NEVER GET IN THE WAY OF GOD ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS. JESUS HAS FOREVER DEALT WITH THAT BY GOING TO THE CROSS AND RISING FROM THE GRAVE!

Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts about this...

Sabbath-Keeping, Pork and Pagan Holidays...

2011-06-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

Today I received an email from a student who was in my youth group when I was a youth pastor. She asked some awesome questions about the Bible, specifically regarding why Christians don't typically observe the Sabbath, various Jewish Festivals and the dietary laws regarding meat, etc. Because these are such common questions, I decided to post part of my response here in case it can be of help to you!

Let's start with the question about the Sabbath, because it also ties into the other questions about meat and Jewish holidays. To put it succinctly, all of those celebrations, rituals and commands were given as part of the Old Covenant to Israel, in distinction from the New Covenant given to the Church. The Sabbath was given as a covenental sign between Yahweh and the Hebrews.

What is important to remember when we read the Scriptures is that everything changed after the cross and resurrection of Jesus. This is when the New Covenant began. Whereas God commanded His Old Covenant people to rest on the Sabbath day, the Christian tradition began immediately among the early Church based upon Sunday being the day in which Jesus rose from the dead (i.e. the first day of the week rather than the seventh). We are now free from those observances.

For example, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16, which is a New Covenant verse, "Therefore, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day." Then he goes on to imply that those who get preoccupied with this stuff can become puffed up with pride. Paul also told Christians that they were free to eat anything sold in the meat market without raising any questions of conscience, because we are no longer bound by these Old Covenant regulations (1 Corinthians 10:25).

When speaking about the Old Covenant versus the New Covenant, the book of Hebrews actually goes so far as to say that the Old System of the Law of Moses is now "obsolete" and no longer valid for the Christian (see Hebrews 8:13). This does not mean that the Law is bad, for it obviously reflects a perfect standard of ethics in terms of the moral parts of the commandments, etc. The Law still serves a very important purpose - which is that it shows a sinner his or her need for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, since it proves to all humanity that every single person has in many ways fallen short of God's standard of perfection (Galatians 3:21-25 explains this very nicely).

When it comes to celebrating so-called "pagan holidays" - some legalistic groups will say that since Christmas and Easter were invented by mere men, we should therefore not celebrate them. This argument breaks down in numerous ways, most significantly because of the fact that Jesus Christ has redeemed the meaning of every day of our lives - and celebrating his birth and resurrection is a noble thing no matter what day we choose. We are free to choose ANY day (or EVERY day) as believers to formally celebrate these things, and so we are free to participate in the cultural elements of our lives as we see fit, as long as we are not condoning acts of sin or immorality by what we choose to do!

The reason Jesus celebrated the Jewish holidays is because He came to fulfill their meaning. For example, the Passover was a feast which vividly pictured our human need for a sacrificial lamb - which was ultimately fulfilled in the one, final sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Isn't that awesome? Certainly we as Christians are free to observe the ancient Jewish holidays if we want to - but we should do so with an emphasis upon how each of them point us to the fulfillment of their meaning found in Jesus Christ.

One of the things Christians sometimes forget is that when Jesus physically lived on earth, it was still technically during the Old Covenant era. The New Covenant didn't actually begin until after Christ rose from the dead - so even though the books which record Jesus's life are placed in the "New Testament" in terms of how our Bibles are organized, they are actually still about people living under the "Old Testament" up until Christ's death, burial and resurrection. Does that make sense? Understanding this will help you greatly in understanding the amazing message of the Bible and the freedom we have in Christ!

A lot of Christians erroneously believe that we are to live by the 10 Commandments - but that is not really true. The 10 Commandments are designed to lead us to discover how desperately we need Christ's forgiveness and new life! Once we receive that free gift of salvation by grace through faith, we then begin to live by the Spirit - not by the law. As Galatians 3:25 says, "Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."

So the logical question remains, "If I'm not under the Law, how do I know how to judge the standards of morality I should live by?" And that's a great question which Jesus and the Apostles answer for us repeatedly. We now live by the love and life of the Spirit. As a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, and you do not need the 10 Commandments to convince you that lying is wrong, or murder is wrong, or stealing is wrong, etc. You have a brand new nature, and whenever you choose to sin, the reason you feel bad is because you're behaving in a way which contradicts that new nature of Jesus Christ living in you - not because the 10 Commandments say this or that! Isn't that amazing?

This is why Paul wrote to the Galatians that "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1). In the context of Galatians, this "yoke of slavery" is a reference to elements of the Old Covenant Law that the Christians were being duped into believing they were obligated to keep.

Jesus didn't come to abolish the Law, but rather to FULFILL the Law (Matthew 5:17). When He fulfilled the Law, that means that He lived in perfect obedience to the Law because we would fail do so. And then - as amazing as it sounds - upon our faith in Him, Christ actually exchanges HIS perfect record of obedience for our imperfect record of sin. This is why 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "God made him who had no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Hebrews describes Jesus as our Sabbath rest - and while for practical reasons it is wise for us to take adequate time for physical rest and deliberate worship, we are not required by Law to observe a literal Sabbath day on Saturdays. The awesome reality of the Christian life is summarized by Paul in Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Thank God that the true essence of Christianity is NOT religion, but relationship - through which God lives His life through us, using our unique gifts, talents, passions and personalities to make an impact in the world. The bottom line is this: Jesus has done it all, fulfilled it all and finished it all. Therefore, rest in His finished work and live from your identity in and through Him!

An Open Letter to Harold Camping

2011-05-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

May 23, 2011

Dear Mr. Camping:

I have never personally met you, nor have I ever given your ministry much thought until recent months. It is now May 23, 2011 and I – along with thousands of my fellow pastors and ministers around the world – are moving on with the day-to-day ministry God has called us to as many of your followers are trying to adjust from the bewilderment you’ve caused them. It is a serious thing to be a teacher of the Holy Scriptures, because God has given those of us who handle His Word a great level of influence in the lives of those He entrusts to our spiritual leadership.

At the moment I am writing this, there have only been a few vague statements released to the media by some of your assistants. I do look forward to the public being able to hear directly from you in the near future, hoping sincerely that you will take responsibility for the untold number of lives you have damaged through your reckless and arrogant false-predictions.

As a minister myself, I do not fault you for being mesmerized by the prospect of Christ’s soon return. It is a reality that I and millions of believers around the world long for. Neither do I fault you for making mistakes. I have made many mistakes in my life and ministry. I have spoken words that I wish I could take back, and have probably unknowingly damaged someone else’s faith by failing to live up to their expectations. You are a flawed human being like me and while my mistakes may not carry the level of consequence as someone of your notoriety – as a minister of the Gospel it is my responsibility be humble about my flaws and to make amends as much as possible when I have damaged someone emotionally, spiritually or otherwise (however unintentional it may have been).

That being said, the good news is that your embarrassing mistake is not without redemptive potential. You have an incredible opportunity to show the world the meaning of Christ-like humility. My recommendation is that you:
1) Sincerely offer an unconditional, public apology to your followers, the Body of Christ and the world at large.
2) Resign from your post as President of Family Radio
3) Return the money (or as much as has not yet been spent) to each of your donors.

This would go a long way in restoring some semblance of integrity to your life. In response, the Body of Christ would then have the responsibility to graciously forgive you and receive you back into fellowship as a brother in Christ. Such a display of grace and reconciliation could go a long way in the eyes of a skeptical world – showing that the love of Christ can rise above even the most consequential sins and mistakes.

I realize that there are some Christian leaders who have written you off as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and the kind of false teacher the Bible describes as worthy of avoidance at all costs. I confess that I myself have casually referred to you in this way. Yet, I do not believe that it is my place to judge the condition of your heart – or such matters related to your legitimacy as a Christian man.

Based upon some of what I’ve read about Family Radio and words you have written and spoken, you seem to be a sincere believer in Jesus Christ. You seem to affirm the essentials of the Christian faith – such as Christ’s Virgin Birth, His vicarious death and resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and other core Christian beliefs. I know that you and I differ drastically in our understanding of eschatology and ecclesiology, but only God knows the true state of your faith before Him.

Please consider humbling yourself and making amends both publicly and privately with those you have hurt. While this may not be possible with every one of your followers individually, following through with my three recommendations above would go a long way in restoring not only your respectability, but even more importantly, the reputation of the risen Christ among all people.

May God comfort you in the midst of what I can only imagine is a serious time of soul-searching. And may the Body of Christ treat you as graciously as we would each want to be treated if we had sinned so catastrophically. No sin or mistake is beyond the scope of the unconditional love of Christ – and I welcome you with open arms to do the right thing regardless of how difficult it may be. The Name of Jesus is worth it!

Sincerely,

Rev. Jeremy White
Lead Pastor
Valley Church, Vacaville

Can a Person be a Christian without Good Works?

2011-04-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

James 2 has long been a key operative text in attempting to legitimize the idea that all true Christians will inevitably “prove” they are truly saved by their outward good works. Well-meaning believers have for centuries pointed to this passage as evidence for Lordship Salvation (LS) – i.e. the idea that one cannot receive Jesus as Savior without simultaneously submitting to Him as Master. The key statements from James 2 leading to that conclusion are as follows:

“(14) What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him?...(17) In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead…(19) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder…(21) Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered Isaac on the altar?...(24) You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (25) In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? (26) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

Admittedly, these are some strong statements which at first seem to stand in contradiction to an abundance of clear Biblical promises about salvation being available only by grace through faith (including John 3:16, Romans 3:28, Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8-9 and dozens of others). This apparent contradiction is so strong that Martin Luther actually wanted the letter of James to be eliminated from the New Testament canon!

In an effort to reconcile this apparent contradiction between James and Paul, theologians have attempted all kinds of theological and mental gymnastics. The most popular idea among those from Reformed and Evangelical persuasions is that James is teaching that outward “deeds” are the necessary evidence in assuring that our faith in Christ is genuine rather than phony. This is the clear teaching of Lordship Salvation (LS). But is this really what the passage is saying?

While there is some variance among those who interpret this text in light of Free Grace (FG) perspective, upon careful examination it becomes clear that James’s words cannot mean that the life of every true believer will be characterized by a litmus test of “good works”. For a basic understanding of a FG perspective on this passage, I invite you to consider the following realities…

Three Huge Questions:
In considering the context of James’ words, we must ask three significant questions: 1) What does James mean by his use of the word “save”?, 2) What does James mean by his use of the word “dead”? and 3) In what sense does James use the concept of “justification”? A simple look at the overall argument of the letter is indispensable for us here.

James uses the term “save” on five different occasions in his letter, initially in 1:21, where he writes, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” It is crucial to note that James is clearly addressing this letter to those who are already genuine believers in Jesus Christ. He refers to his audience with such terms as brothers, beloved, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, righteous, etc.. Additionally, he speaks to them as those who are having their “faith tested” by trials (1:2-4). Clearly, these thoughts and titles do not apply to anyone other than those who are already genuine Christians.

So if James is speaking to those who are already “saved” in the eternal sense – that is, they have been rescued from judgment and forgiven of their sins through faith in Christ – then his use of the word “saved” in 1:21 cannot be used in that same sense. Because this word “saved” is used of in terms of something that “can” happen rather than as something that has “already” happened, James is clearly speaking about an aspect of salvation other than that of receiving eternal life by grace through faith.

Combine this reality with the fact that James stated earlier in 1:14 that “…sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” The book of James is not an evangelistic book seeking to educate people about the essence of so-called “saving faith.” Rather, it is an admonishment to Christians about the futility of persisting in sin, affirming that “sin…gives birth to death” – that is, physical death, death to relationships, death to the opportunity of a more abundant life, etc. He sets his entire letter up along the lines of practical living, not eternal life.

Having established this contextual foundation, we can move into the latter part of chapter 2 with a better understanding of James’ crucial question: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” Clearly, James is not suggesting that his audience use the presence of good deeds in their life as a litmus test for whether they are genuine Christians! He is using “save” in the same sense in which he has earlier introduced it – as something practical that can rescue or spare a person from the deathly physical, relational and emotional consequences associated with living in rebellion against the Source of abundant life!

The fact is that no one – whether Christian or otherwise – will experience a fulfilling life when living principally to gratify their own hedonistic desires. The pursuit of selfishness always ends in emptiness – futility – and how much MORE for the Christian who has the opportunity to walk with and rest in God!
This sheds light on James’ use of the word “dead” also. He says three times that faith without works is “dead”. To understand his usage, we must look no further than the immediate passage. In 1:15, he gives a hypothetical scenario. “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” The word translated “good” in the NIV is the word “profit”. He is asking “what profit” is this kind of faith?

Clearly, the context points to the fact that “dead” faith means “profitless” faith in terms of practical impact. It does not suggest “phony” or “non-existent” faith, as the LS position insists. In 2:20, he confirms this analysis with the statement, “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” Furthermore, James illustrates his intentions when he writes, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (2:26). No one would suggest that a dead body is a phony or non-existent body. Rather a dead body is a very real body that lacks vitality. It is “profitless” or “useless” for making any practical impact in the world – as is clearly seen in the context of James’ argument.

Finally, the statements in this passage which typically cause the most confusion are related to the issue of justification. Some critics will accuse the teaching of Paul and James of contradiction based on this passage. By way of review, Paul’s teaching on justification is about God the Judge “ruling in our favor” – declaring us to be righteous based on faith in Jesus alone apart from any works of the law (Rom. 3:21-25; 4:1-5; Gal. 3:1-14, etc.).

Meanwhile, James says the following in chapter 2 of his letter: “Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous (justified) for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? (verse 21). And again in verses 23-24, he adds, “And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”

Lifted out of context, it is no wonder skeptics point to these words as a blatant contradiction of Paul’s Gospel! Yet, both Paul and James appeal to the same Old Testament verse (Genesis 15:6) in making their point. Paul says in Romans 4:2-3, “If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God. What does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’” (emphasis added).

By their joint appeal to Genesis 15:6, both Paul and James affirm that they understand the doctrine of imputed righteousness before God – that being in “right standing” with God comes through belief (faith) alone. What James does – in the context of the practical focus of his book – is to introduce a second type of justification. This second type of justification has nothing to do with a Christian’s imputed righteousness before God – but rather, with practical righteousness before men.

In spite of his fame, Abraham made many mistakes – several of which glare at us from the pages of Genesis. Clearly James’ readers knew this and were aware that God had declared Abraham to be righteous by faith (Genesis 15) decades before he ever offered Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22). Abraham’s obedience neither initiated nor proved the reality of His righteous standing before God. That reality was assured by God’s promise alone. What Abraham’s obedience did accomplish was to show that his faith was not “useless”. It showed that his faith was “made complete” (James 2:22). The word “complete” literally means “mature”.

A maturing faith is the exact opposite of a useless, unprofitable faith. It is a faith that is actively involved in showing the world something of who God is. It is a faith that is growing in the abundant life Jesus offers. And while James points to this as an impetus for his audience to live out their faith in tangible ways, he would be horrified to know that many centuries later, Christians were using his words to insinuate a litmus test for the so-called legitimacy of faith in a believer’s life!

LS advocates routinely contrast the fictitious terms “saving faith” with “non-saving faith”, insinuating that James is talking about two kinds of faith here. But when we understand his terminology in its context, we find that the issue is not actually about two kinds of faith – but two kinds of justification. One kind is justification before God which only He sees and which is by faith alone. The other kind is justification before our fellow man – which can be observed, which is by works and which can “save” a person from the earthly consequences of rebellion – up to and including the death he warned about in 1:15.

Simply put, having basic orthodox beliefs about Christ – while a crucial part of what it means to trust Christ for eternal life – cannot “save” you from the consequences of sin in this life. Only obedience to Christ will enable a person to experience the kind of fulfillment God offers in this life to anyone who pursues and rests in Him as a response to His lavish grace.

The sole qualifying factor for our justification is faith (i.e. trust) in Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. When a person exercises this trust, he or she is irreversibly adopted into God’s family and is secure in that relationship (Romans 8:38-39). The Bible makes no such distinction between so-called “saving faith” and “non-saving faith”. Scripture does not delineate between “head” Christians and “heart” Christians. This is another reality we glean from the Gospel of John, in which every time the word “faith” is used, it is in reference to “saving” faith. There is no other kind of faith in Christ – period. If it were not for this solitary passage in James 2 being so grossly misunderstood, this concept would never have been inserted into the realm of Christian theology.

The Faith of Demons
Another fallacy advanced by proponents of LS concerns James’ mention of the faith of demons. Earlier we noted that part of James’ argument is stated as follows in James 2:19:

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.

Many will claim that the purpose of these words are to compare and contrast this so-called “saving faith” with “non-saving faith” – which basically amounts to “mere intellectual assent” to a set of facts, according to LS. This line of reason falls short for a variety of reasons. For starters, this so-called “faith” in God is clearly not faith in the Gospel, since it is merely an affirmation of monotheism (belief in one God). Nowhere in the Bible is it suggested that monotheism is equated to the faith through which humans receive salvation. Many people believe in God (just like the demons) yet are not saved since they refuse to trust in Christ alone and His finished work of redemption.

This is another affirmation that eternal life is not in view here – and besides, the argument breaks down even further when we consider that demons cannot be saved anyway. The New Testament repeatedly affirms that fate demons is already sealed (Matt. 8:29; 25:41; Jude 6), so it is highly unlikely that the author would use demons as a hypothetical element to his argument if indeed he were talking about eternal life. What this text does show is that faith in the Christ is faith in Christ – period. If anything, the emphasis is not placed upon different kinds of faith, but different objects upon which faith can be placed.

Secondly, if the author is indeed arguing that good works are a litmus test for true assurance of salvation, it is a curious reality that Satan and his demons actually have the power to do good works in order to deceive people. If outward works are a litmus test for assurance, then perhaps we should presume that Satan and his demons are in fact saved, since they are able to perform counterfeit signs and wonders (2 Thess. 2:9-11). Additionally, we might be persuaded to believe that members of various pseudo-Christian cults – based on their high quantity of visible “good works” should also rest assured of their salvation. Ironically, many people from legalistic cults do in fact believe they are saved, viewing their good works as both a requirement and result in "proving" it.

The essential reality remains that whenever our assurance of salvation rests upon our performance rather than upon the promises of the Gospel of grace alone – we are setting ourselves up for an experience of the Christian life that is contrary to what God intends for us to enjoy. As Charles Bing rightly observes,

James 2:19 should not be used to argue that works are needed to prove saving faith. This verse shows that demons have a real faith. They believe in one God and know that God has sealed their fate in judgment, therefore they tremble. But they do not and cannot believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. While good works are God’s purpose for us, are useful to others, and give us a good evaluation at the Judgment Seat of Christ, they cannot prove or disprove the reality of saving faith. Eternal salvation is by grace alone through faith alone—apart from any works at any time.[i]

Are There Any Other Views?
In his excellent book The Naked Gospel, pastor Andrew Farley would disagree with the way I look at this passage. Nonetheless, his view demonstrates that even if a person cannot bring themselves to agree with the contextual arguments I have just presented, there are other solid ways to view what James is saying without affirming the erroneous LS view.

Farley contends that James is indeed talking about salvation (from sin) in this passage – and has no problem with James’s assertion that we are saved by works and not by faith alone. The key, he argues, is in understanding what James means by “works”. He explains…

“Rather than assuming that works should be understood as a lifelong record of religious activity, one should consult the biblical text and let the writer himself define the term. James’s own use of the term “works” is quite different from how we use it today.”[ii]

We will get back to that in a moment, but here it is interesting to note that only a few verses later, James acknowledges that “we all stumble in many ways.” (James 3:2). James seems to be agreeing with Paul’s confession in Romans 7, that there were behaviors in his life (and every believer’s life) that often contradict the desire to serve Jesus with whole-hearted consistency. In fact, the entire book of James is a call to live a righteous life, practically speaking. If “obedience to Jesus as Master” is the automatic disposition of those whose faith can be said to be genuine, then why would James (or Peter, Paul, John, etc.) have spent so much time seeking to correct the sinful and selfish behaviors and attitudes of genuine believers in their letters? Clearly, LS misses the mark in its assertion that the truly saved will always live in increasing victory over sin throughout their experience in this life.

If “surrender” is required for salvation, another series of questions arises. How surrendered is surrendered? Is it enough to be fifty percent surrendered? How about seventy-five percent? Ninety-nine percent? At what point are we able to discern what God accepts as surrender to Christ’s lordship? Obviously nobody is 100 percent surrendered to Christ as master or we would never sin!

But now back to James 2 and the issue of James’ use of the word “works”. Farley goes on to explain his belief that by using Abraham (and also Rahab) as illustrative of genuine faith, James is making the point that they “actively responded to God’s message.” He elaborates,

“They didn’t sit back passively and claim that they believed God. Rahab decided to open her door to the spies (Joshua 2:1), and Abraham chose to offer his son on the altar (Genesis 22:3). They went beyond mere intellectual assent and did something in response to God’s message. But how many times did Rahab open the door? Once. And how many times did Abraham hoist his son Isaac to the altar? Once. Hence, works in this passage is really not about a lifelong track record of good behavior. It’s actually about the importance of responding to truth – an act that goes beyond intellectual agreement.”[iii]

While Farley’s ideas on James 2 are among very few things I took issue with in his wonderful book, I include his perspective here to illustrate that even someone who affirms the view that James is in fact talking about faith in relation to salvation from eternal judgment can also remain true to the overall awareness that James is not and cannot be demanding that works are a litmus test in determining whether a person’s faith is genuine. Simply put, works may be and often are an indicator of genuine faith, but using James to prove that they must be goes beyond the scope of the Scriptural Gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone.

I welcome your thoughts....

What Kind of Church Do You Pastor?

2011-04-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

It is a question I hear more than you think. As I am out doing something in the community - coaching, volunteering or just hanging out - people inevitably ask me the same question they ask everybody: "What do you do for a living?" I have to confess, I sometimes get a little nervous to come right out and say "I am a full-time pastor."

The reason I say I get nervous is not because I am the least bit ashamed about my calling. In fact, quite the opposite! However, I realize that while many folks still view the clergy in an honorable light - it can make others feel awkward. They suddenly start thinking, "Is this guy judging my every move? Is he one of those 'hellfire and brimstone' preachers? Have I ever accidentally dropped an f-bomb in front of him? Does he really like me for me or is he trying to secretly convert me?" And the list goes on.

But their question is a good one. And it makes me think from the perspective of a new guest or a person who is sincerely interested, "What kind of church DO I pastor?" Thankfully, I can say with confidence that I am privileged to pastor what I would call a "grace-saturated" community of faith in Jesus Christ. An article I read awhile back (which I have footnoted at the bottom) inspired me to write the following about the church we are....and are becoming....

At Valley, we desire to be more than just a church that talks about grace. We desire to practice God’s revolutionary grace in the way we do life and ministry together as a body of believers. The following is a summary of our aims as a grace-saturated community of faith in Christ’s finished work of redemption:

1 – We seek to teach and preach the grace message consistently. We believe that salvation is available only as a totally free gift from God – through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. This gift is to be viewed as precisely that – a gift! It is not a loan, a bribe or a conditional offer based on any good works humans might attempt in order to “earn” it on the front end or to “prove” it on the back end. We also believe that assurance of salvation is available to all who trust in the promise of the Gospel. Likewise, our subsequent spiritual growth is also based upon grace just as our initial salvation experience was and is. (John 1:12-16; Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11-12)

2 – We seek to encourage and equip believers to grow in grace. As we begin to truly understand and experience God’s unmerited, unconditional favor through Christ, we are motivated by gratefulness in response to His grace. Grace not only nurtures spiritual growth by creating a deep-seated sense of gratefulness, but also allows for believers to make mistakes in their growth process without fear of being condemned by the self-righteous attitudes of others. Contrary to what some may assume, a grace-saturated environment does not minimize a focus on discipleship – but actually magnifies it! We do not view the Christian life in terms of “debt-repayment” as so many Christians have been manipulated to believe (in other words “God gave everything for me, therefore I need to give everything for Him). We believe that this type of thinking is a recipe for burn-out. Instead, we remember that Christ paid the debt of our sin by giving us a gift, not a loan. He is not asking for us to pay Him back as though His sacrifice were a second mortage – nor could we come close to doing so even if we tried! He is simply desiring a response of thankfulness – gratefulness – which can then bear fruit in the way we live. (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20-21; Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 2:6-7; 1 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 3:18)

3 – We seek to accept people as they are. We often remind our people that we are a church where it is “Okay to not be okay.” We welcome people to seek and explore the grace and truth of Jesus Christ no matter what background they come from, and regardless of the hurts, habits and hang-ups they bring with them. We seek to model God’s love and grace not only toward those who are in the exploration process of faith, but also after they trust Christ and enter the spiritual growth process through Him. We accept that there will be differences among us in various areas of culture, personality, opinion, giftedness, and individual preferences regarding secondary or non-essential matters of doctrine and personal conscience. (Romans 14:1-13; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

4 – We seek to allow love to guide our liberty in Christ. Because of grace, we are free to love and serve God and others. While grace frees us completely from the realm of legalism, we do not view our freedom as a license to live selfishly or sinfully. We affirm that in matters of personal conscience or questionable things, maturing believers should be mindful of how their actions may affect those who are not yet believers or are weaker in faith. Often our freedom to abstain from certain practices in specific situations for the good of others is just as important as our freedom to engage under other circumstances. By definition, grace is open to the possibility of abuse. If this were not true, grace would at that moment cease to be grace! However, those who are growing in their experience of grace do not view God’s unconditional favor as a license for sin and selfishness, but as a life-changing state of existence whereby we can truly love God and others. (Mark 7:1-23; Romans 6:1-23; 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:23-33; Galatians 5:13-15; Colossians 2:20-23; Titus 2:11-12)

5 – We seek to emphasize “being” ahead of “doing”. Simply put, we believe that maturity is the fruit of security – not vice-versa. It is very common for Christians to become busy doing religious things, believing that their busyness equates to godliness. As a grace-saturated church, we desire for our people to serve the Lord as a by-product of their security in the new-identity He has given them through Christ. We are not to view ourselves as “sinners saved by grace” trying to repay God for all He has done for us. Instead, the Bible describes New Covenant believers as “saints”, “chosen ones”, “children of God”, “dearly loved”, “brothers and sisters”, “the Bride of Christ”, “the Body of Christ”, “new creations”, and in many other wonderful ways. Never is a believer in Christ referred to in the Bible as a dirty, rotten sinner. As we grow in the security of who we are in Christ (being), the fruit of His Spirit working through us begins to take care of itself (doing). We believe there is ONE Person in the entire universe who can successfully live the Christian life, and His name is Jesus Christ. Therefore, our life as believers is not about us "trying hard" to live for Him. Rather, it is about resting in His finished work and allowing Him to live His supernatural life through us. (Luke 10:38-42; Ephesians 5:1-2; Colossians 2:6-7; 2 Peter 1:2-11)

6 – We seek to deal with sin biblically. Rather than display a condemning or critical spirit toward believers who are caught up in some form of sin, we seek to handle this through loving and prayerful confrontation with the goal of restoring any relationships that have been broken by the sin, wherever possible. We desire to nurture a healing environment of humility, honesty and restoration. (Matthew 18: 15-20; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8; Galatians 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)

7 – We seek to share the message of grace with the world! We believe that the “God of all grace” wants humanity to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. In grateful response to the treasure we have been given in Christ, we desire to share that same hope with the entire world! While we seek to contextualize our approach to the diverse cultures in which we minister globally, we remain uncompromised in our presentation and demonstration of the Gospel of grace plus nothing through faith plus nothing in Christ plus nothing. (Matthew 28:18-20; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; 1 Timothy 1:12-16; 2:1-7)

So there you have it. The kind of church where I am privileged to serve as a pastor! Are we perfect in all these areas yet? YES WE ARE! (Just kidding....of course we're not!). But these are seven realities we hold dear and seek to allow Jesus to manifest in the way we do life together at Valley. If you have been wounded or disillusioned by the joy-robbing huffing and puffing of man-made religion and you're looking for something that reminds you more of the Jesus you were first attracted to, I would invite you to join us soon! I offer this invitation not because we always hit these seven marks for which we aim - but simply because we actually ARE aiming!

If you're starving for uncompromised grace, come check out the community here at Valley Church. We meet Sundays at 8:30am, 10:00am and 11:30am with great modern music and relevant Bible teaching that you can understand and apply to real life. We also offer a Traditional Venue service which meets in our Student Center simultaneously to our 8:30 service - where you will hear the same message live via video but can worship in a more traditional format with older hymns, etc.

(Many of the concepts in this document were inspired by the article "Characteristics of a Grace-Oriented Church" by Dr. Charles Bing. Permission to use the original document as a guide has been granted by the author).

If It's May 22, 2011, Read This!

2011-04-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings! If you are reading this post on May 22, 2011 or later - you have either missed the Rapture, or the Rapture did not occur on May 21 as Bible teacher Harold Kamping and his adoring followers have been predicting. I realize this news must be extremely disappointing for you by any measure.

On the one hand, if the Rapture has occurred and you missed out, it means that crap's about to hit the fan BIG TIME and you were not really saved in the first place. Bummer! On the other hand, if the Rapture did NOT in fact occur on May 21 as your guru predicted - then you have to admit to the fact that you've been following a false prophet for all this time. Another bummer!

Of course, false prophecy is nothing new to the history of Harold Kamping, who predicted Jesus was going to return in 1994. When He did not, Kamping simply apologized for getting a few calculations wrong, but assured his trusting flock that he WOULD eventually come up with the correct figure. Conveniently, that re-calculation is scheduled for this coming May!

If it sounds as though I am being sarcastic or condescending, you got me! The fact is that Kamping is just one of an endless list of cultic personalities who have miscalculated the time frame for the end of the world. In just about every case, these self-proclaimed teachers of the Bible have blamed their miscalculations on any number of things in order to save face. As for me, I'm just crazy enough to believe that their calculations were wrong for another reason. On what grounds, you ask? Oh, merely that pesky little teaching Jesus gave in Matthew 24:36 when He was speaking about His return: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Call me a party-pooper, but I'm betting that if Jesus Himself said that nobody knows the day or hour of His return, then Jesus is most likely telling the truth. I spent about 45 minutes dialoguing with a group of four men this evening who were holding signs in the city where I live which read: "Jesus is Coming on May 21, 2011."

I asked them a few questions that I've been wanting to ask these Kamping-followers if I ever had the fortune of meeting one in person. First I asked "What if you are wrong about this? If you wake up on May 22 and you are still here, aren't you going to feel a little silly for following this guy's teachings?" Their answer verbatim: "We are not wrong about this. The Rapture WILL happen on May 21, 2011. If I am still here on May 22, it means I am not saved and I have missed the Rapture, because it WILL happen no matter what." Uh......okay...

So I moved on to the next logical question: "How do you answer critics like me who would say that Kamping is a proven false-teacher because of the fact that he's already made this same prediction once and got it wrong?" Their answer (I kid you not): "Doctors and scientists don't always get their vaccinations correct on the first attempt. Sometimes it takes numerous tries before they get it right. We wouldn't call someone a bad scientist just because their calculations were wrong on the first attempt." Yes, you read that answer correctly and I am not making this up.

After a number of other caveats in the discussion, including them telling me that God hates many individuals on this planet, that He did NOT die for the sins of the whole world and that He hates the nation of Israel - I decided to ask one final question. I said, "If you're so sure of this, why don't you write me a check for the entire balance of your bank account, post-date it for May 22, and if you're not here you won't have anything to worry about. If it turns out you ARE here, I'll cash the check and give the money to charity."

Without answering my question, one of the fellows said, "Well now you're mocking me." Ya' think? Perhaps as Jesus mocked the Pharisees for placing heavy religious burdens on peoples' backs and misrepresenting the truth of God's unconditional love? Perhaps as Paul mocked the legalists at Galatia for turning the Gospel of grace into a religious code of circumcision, referring to them as the "mutilation" sect?

The great thing about paying careful attention to what the Bible actually DOES say rather than inventing calculations about the return of Jesus is that I get to live the ACTUAL Christian life rather than a neurotic, fear-based roller-coaster ride of manipulation. Because I actually believe Jesus words, I am free to live each and every day with the expectation that He could return for His beautiful, interdenominational Bride at any time. I am also free to proclaim and demonstrate a Gospel of love, grace and truth rather than arm-twisting, shouting and religious fear-tactics.

So if you're a follower of the teachings of Harold Kamping and you are reading this on May 22, 2011 or later - don't fear! You've believed a lie, but you don't have to despair. Christians who actually love people really DO exist - and God has not let you down simply because the false-teachings of a mere man have deceived you. Jesus loves you so much that He would rather die than live without you for eternity. That's the God revealed in the Bible. That's the God we worship at Valley Church along with so many brothers and sisters interdenominationally throughout our city and around the globe. You are welcome here. Don't let your disappointment in a man turn you away from God... :)

History Repeats Itself...

2011-03-29T22:40:00.000-07:00

As I was studying in preparation for teaching the Bible this coming weekend, I was reading Judges 2 - about how Joshua the great Hebrew general led the children of Israel to repent of their idol-worship and turn to the Lord. Then it says they took possession of their various plots of land and began to prosper. These were really great times for Israel - as it finally looked as though the people would begin to fulfill God's plan for them to become a prosperous and righteous light to the nations, pointing humanity to the worship and knowledge of the one true God.

But as the story continues, it says that after Joshua and his generation died, the next generation "forsook the Lord" and didn't know Him, nor what He had done for them in bringing them out of Egypt. Imagine that. In only ONE generation, the people had completely drifted away from their knowledge of God. As I read on, I noticed three specific parallels to the generation God has called me to reach out to with the grace and truth of Jesus.

First, they were born into excessive PROSPERITY. Because of the hard work of their parents, those of the younger generation were handed a very prosperous nation as their inheritance. The prosperity itself was not the problem. In fact, it was a blessing from the Lord. But rather than using the prosperity to serve the Lord, they became greedy and distracted. Sound familiar?

Secondly, they were blinded by esoteric SPIRITUALITY. The whole "Yahweh is the only Way" system seemed much too narrow and intolerant for them. So they began to worship idols and the false gods of power (Ba'al) and pleasure (Ashtoreth). Much like today, spirituality was en vogue. But nobody wanted to be trapped into that narrow-minded claim that there was only ONE true God - so they opted for the smorgas-board approach.

Finally, they were burdened with educational DEFICIENCY. Despite the command of Deuteronomy 6:7 in which their parents were to pass the truth of their faith along to their kids as a matter of first priority - the ball was dropped and this generation had no understanding of the miraculous ways in which God blessed them. Rather than carrying the faith of their fathers into the next generation and beyond, they allowed the false promises of the broken culture around them to convince them to leave their first Love.

Yes, they were living under a completely different Covenant. And yes, God was gracious (just as He is with His New Covenant community) to never leave them or forsake them even though they failed miserably to obey Him. But can you see the relevance here? The modern American church is often addicted to material prosperity, all too willing to blend mystic spirituality with their faith in Christ, and severely lacking in basic knowledge of the Gospel of grace.

We will explore these issues more deeply this weekend at Valley. As always, we'll be celebrating the Good News of God's unrelenting grace toward us in Christ - and we'll be asking the Holy Spirit to further illuminate to us His life-changing power to be IN the world but not OF the world. Hope you can make it...

Jesus Paid It All (No, REALLY!)

2011-03-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

Early this morning on my drive to church, I was blasting one of my favorite Christian songs on the freeway – “Jesus Paid it All”. It’s an old hymn that has been re-vamped for modern worship. I absolutely LOVE the song…except for one word in it. There is a particular line that goes…

“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

Beautiful. And so true.

Almost.

If you are a believer in Christ, perhaps you can guess which word I’m talking about. It is the word “owe.” Is it true that as believers we owe Jesus everything? Do we owe Him anything at all? What are we actually saying when we sing that line?

Oh, think I understand what we MEAN when we sing it. What we mean is that God has been so good by bringing us the gift of salvation, we naturally feel indebted to Him for such amazing love. We subconsciously tell ourselves things like “Jesus gave His life for me, and I owe Him my life in return.”

There is only one tiny problem with this idea. According to the Scriptures, it is nowhere to be found in the framework of the New Covenant way of life. Throughout the New Testament Epistles, we are reassured over and over that the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ is a GIFT. And yet as clear as this is – many believers live the bulk of their Christian existence relating to God in terms of debt-repayment.

Make no mistake about it – before we received the gift of salvation, we were indeed debtors to God because of our sin. But Jesus didn’t come to give us a loan. His life, death and resurrection were not presented as a second mortgage in order to pay off the first. Jesus is our Savior – not a creditor. When He paid the debt of our sin, He did so as a free gift – the gift of forgiveness and new life both eternal and abundant.

How often do we mistakenly relate to God as cosmic bill collector more so than a Savior? Sure, we tell ourselves we understand the fact that we will never be able to “literally” pay God back for His grace – but so many of us live as though we believe He expects us to die trying.

Ask yourself this crucial question: What makes a gift a gift? What makes something a gift is when it is totally free. A gift actually ceases to be a gift the very moment there is even a HINT of the expectation of repayment attached to it. The New Testament Epistles never encourage us to see ourselves as debtors. Yet what we ARE repeatedly told is that we WERE debtors who are now “dearly loved children”, “saints”, “members of God’s family”, etc.

If I could change that song, I would only change one letter. I would add the letter “d” to the word “owe”. My debt to God is now in the past. I owe him nothing in the true sense of the word. Do I FEEL indebted to Him? I once would have told you “yes”. But the more I understand grace, the more I realize that God isn’t asking me to relate to Him in terms of debt-repayment. The greater response is simply thankfulness.

Dozens of times in the New Testament letters, thankfulness is described as being at the core of our response to God’s grace – not guilt or a sense of “owing” anything. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1).

When we operate as free sons and daughters of God – motivated by a sense of deep thankfulness and gratitude – we are more aligned with God’s heart for us. A holy life becomes less about us “living for God” and more about Him “living through us.” Religion wants us to be operating from the mind-set of a debtor. Jesus wants us operating from the mind-set of His irreversibly beloved children.

If you know the tune, then sing the revised version with me…

“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owed.
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

Isn’t the truth good?

Is Rob Bell a Heretic? (Some Thoughts about "Love Wins")

2011-03-16T20:04:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago I began receiving messages and emails related to what I think about Rob Bell’s controversial new book “Love Wins”. Frankly, I tried to steer as clear as possible from reading or watching too much of the hubbub so that I could stay as “untainted” as possible prior to actually reading the book myself (a general practice I’ve tried to develop before making judgments about a book that hasn’t even been released yet).

Of course, in spite of my attempts to minimize any premature conditioning regarding my opinion of the book, there were viral videos and emails and social network messages that made that a difficult quest. One of the most frequently recurring was related to a tweet allegedly sent out by John Piper, pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. The tweet simply read, “Farewell Rob Bell.”

Granted, Bell and his publishers intentionally stirred the pot with a host of preliminary articles, videos and interviews (much the way Mel Gibson fed off of the allegations of “anti-semitism” he received prior to the release of 2004’s The Passion of the Christ). If Gibson made an extra half-billion dollars in revenue from curious Jews and skeptics who saw his movie simply to find out what all the commotion was about, I’m sure Rob Bell and Harper Collins will experience something similar on a lesser scale. I know they made an extra $10.99 from my Kindle download.

On the day of its national release, I went into our local Christian Bookstore asking for “Love Wins”. I was told that they would “not be carrying” the book – something I considered a little surprising given the wasteland of crappy material they actually DO carry. I then bolted over to Borders, which did not have the book in stock yet. That evening, I downloaded it on my Kindle and quickly read through it over the next couple of days.

Having just finished the book, I am very alert to a number of strengths and weaknesses I observed. If I were a reviewer I would begin with strengths, pointing out that Bell quickly and rightly draws our attention to the fact that many Christians have been trained to think of God’s redemptive purposes as being almost totally futuristic (i.e. about “going to heaven when we die”) rather than at least equally focused on living as agents of change in the here and now, bringing the values and qualities of God’s Kingdom into the broken spheres of THIS life. Point well taken.

Another strength was that in spite of Bell’s frequent appeals to human logic and emotion in raising his questions about the goodness of God, he goes much deeper in his use of Scripture than some of the “Christian universalists” I have read on a popular level. I commend Bell for trying to pay attention to some of the passages of Scripture which seem to contradict or at least challenge certain traditional assumptions about God.

In addition, it is hard not to be moved by Bell’s passion for keeping the good news focused on good news. His enduring commitment to present Jesus in light of the most expansive picture of beauty, love and grace possible is admirable in my opinion. It has long been my belief that one of the major reasons people reject Jesus at any given point in time is because the version of Jesus they have been presented with is less than the glorious Jesus of the Bible. Of course, some Christians would rather simplify this phenomenon by insisting that those who reject Christ simply aren’t elect – and therefore, who cares?

Now for a few weaknesses. In my opinion the Achilles' heel of this book is simple. While Bell indeed appeals to a vast array of Scripture verses to support his views, therein lies the problem. Rather than lengthen the book so as to present a sound exegetical defense of his views passage by passage, he cherry-picks from many often-unrelated Biblical texts, using verses, phrases and sound-bites to proof-text his opinions. While this analysis cannot in and of itself “prove” that Bell is wrong – I am simply pointing out that he spends very little time interacting with the opposing, sometimes “traditional” viewpoints he is either questioning or deconstructing.

In similar fashion, many sects and religious groups attempt to bolster their views about the Bible with sound-bite theologies designed to make the Bible say what they desire for it to say. I have no way of knowing whether Rob Bell has in fact dealt contextually and extensively with the dozens of verses he pulls from in support of his opinions – but if he has, then by excluding that documentation he’s simply telling the reader “just trust me” as he’s painting the traditional views on heaven and hell in the most negative light possible.

Therein lies another weakness of the book – namely, its brevity. I read the it cover to cover in just a few hours, and I’m a pathetically slow reader. I understand that Bell and his publishers are trying to reach a popular core audience by keeping his books succinct. But other than some extended comments about the “Prodigal Son” narrative, Bell does not spend any time contextually approaching or exegeting any of the passages from which he pulls his dozens of sound-bites. Again, I’m all for reaching a mass audience by “keeping it simple, stupid.” But could we have had just ONE – or TWO – or THREE extended treatments of a few of the most crucial passages?

By eisegeting (reading into the text) his “New Exodus”, restorationist theology, he is ignoring a number of other sound interpretive approaches to understanding the Storyline of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In essence, I’m not interested THAT Bell thinks a Biblical author means something by a particular verse or phrase if I cannot also know WHY (contextually) he thinks the author meant it that way. To Bell’s credit, he does give a list of further suggested reading at the end of the book, but my guess is that very few of his fans will actually take the time to read those weightier writings and really think through the issues. Sadly, most will in fact simply “take Rob’s word” for it that he’s done his homework.

So in getting to the questions everyone began asking a few weeks ago – “Do you think Rob Bell is a universalist?” – having read his book cover to cover I can unequivocally say that Rob Bell himself tells us the answer is yes. Which raises another question. Is Rob Bell a heretic? Well, I guess that depends.

There is much disagreement among Christians about what is and is not within the pale of orthodox Christian beliefs and practices. A few years ago, the renowned Evangelical theologian John Stott shocked Christendom with his revelation that he now holds to the view of “annihilationism” – or the belief that hell is eternal in duration only, but not in consequence. In other words, unbelievers indeed are separated from God and confined to a placed called hell – but they will be eventually annihilated (put out of existence) and the conscious experience of the punishment will not last forever.

Did that startling revelation make John Stott a heretic? I remember reading the opinion of some who stated it does. My response was “really”? Are we sure of that? Has John Stott denied the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Did he stop believing that Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to the Father? Did he deny that salvation is received only by grace through faith in Christ? Not that I am aware of.

Some would argue that Rob Bell’s views take things a giant step further – and that suggesting all of creation will eventually be reconciled to God in an eternal state of bliss is way out of bounds. I can see their point. Based upon my understanding of the Scriptures, I disagree with both Stott and Rob Bell in their beliefs about hell. But throughout “Love Wins”, Bell confirms again and again in various ways his belief that Jesus Christ is indeed the exclusive way to the Father. In the book he doesn’t say much about issues like the atonement or the Deity of Christ, so it is hard for me to comment on those issues.

Because I am a full-time pastor and not a scholar with the time on my hands to expound on every issue raised in Bell’s little book, having read it personally I am now at least prepared to more critically examine, review and participate in the plethora of theological dialogue – both for and against – that will inevitably surface in the days to come regarding “Love Wins.” This is not the first piece of work I’ve read on Christian Universalism, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. In any case, one reason I love Christ’s Church is precisely because it IS inter-denominational. While many see the different Christian sects, denominations and factions as a negative thing, I their existence is a positive thing. This actually strengthens the church against heresy because it encourages – rather than suppresses – robust dialogue.

The discussion of the eternality of hell is important. Does it rise to the level of determining Heresy with a capital “H”? Some say yes and some say no. What do YOU think?

Stop Trying to Live for Jesus!

2011-02-14T09:14:00.001-08:00

For quite a number of years, the idea behind the famous phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" has bothered me. I know it can seem quarrelsome to raise doubts about a beloved religious slogan that has gained such wide acceptance among Christians of all denominations, but allow me to explain...

The essence of the Christian life is not about living for Jesus. That's right. You read that correctly. The essence of the Christian life is about experiencing an exchanged life with Jesus. Because of the cross and resurrection, Jesus finished His mission to both fulfill the Law on your behalf AND provide the only payment worthy to absolve you from all the guilt of your sin. When we trust Christ as the Savior of our lives, our sin nature is exchanged for His new, righteous nature.

The Apostle Paul wrote emphatically, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). This reality is a world apart from the common models for "Christian growth" that we find in many churches today.

Growing as a follower of Jesus (also called Discipleship) is often centered upon that popular question: "What Would Jesus Do?" We are told - in one way or another - that in any given situation we have choices to make. While this is not entirely false, the emphasis is upon asking ourselves what we envision Jesus would do in a similar situation and then attempting to "mimic" that behavior or "measure up" to that standard. Once we've concocted a visualization of what we think Jesus would do in the situation, we are then told to try our best to copy Him. "Die to yourself", we are often told. "Take up your cross", we are frequently reminded. But is this really how we are supposed to become "more like Jesus"? The New Testament proposes another way.

Every explicit or implicit Biblical statement about the need to "die to yourself" came prior to Jesus' finished work on the cross. As Jesus made these kinds of statements, He was pointing out the high cost involved in being the kind of person God's holiness demands - pure, righteous and perfect. Ministering under the Old Covenant, Jesus was routinely seeking to point His audience toward the New. He would often elevate God's standards to a level even higher than they were commonly understood. For example, in his famous Sermon on the Mount He pointed out that to be lustful was to be guilty of adultery and to be angry is to be guilty of murder. These statements (and dozens of others) were designed to drive His audience in desperation to faith in the cross He was about to endure, for He said clearly that "Unless you righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, you cannot enter the Kingdom..."

Knowing that we could never perfectly attain to these standards, Jesus wanted us to understand that there was only ONE Person in the universe who could actually live the Christian life - and that Person was Him. He fulfilled every requirement of God's Law by living on our behalf the perfect life we couldn't live because of our sin nature. Often in our admirable efforts to emphasize that Christ died in our place, we forget to place equal emphasis on the fact that unless He had first LIVED in our place - His dying would have been meaningless. When we place our faith in Christ and His finished work, He exchanges His perfection for our sin nature. We are counted as being crucified with Him AND resurrected into new life with Him.

When we ask ourselves "What Would Jesus Do?" as a motivation for successfully navigating the moral dilemmas of our daily lives, we completely miss the point. The REAL question is "What WILL Jesus Do" through me in any given situation? This subtle but significant shift in thinking makes all the difference in the world. My old life has been exchanged with Christ's new life in me. Accepting that I have been crucified with Him is an ongoing act of faith. I still have a "flesh" - a part of me that has been conditioned to handle life's challenges independently from God. But my spirit has been made completely new and is fully surrendered to the things of God.

The battle lies in the realm of the soul (mind, will and emotions). When, for example, I am tempted to sin - my spirit desires obedience to God while my flesh desires to satisfy that sinful craving. The solution, then is not to ask "What would Jesus do?" and then try to white-knuckle my way through the battle. The solution is to allow my mind to be transformed by the reality that when I "walk by the Spirit, I will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Paul never told us to "die to sin." That was a pre-cross message. New Covenant believers are told to "reckon yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6).

To "reckon" means to "consider" or to "accept as fact" (by faith) that something is true. I hear many pastors and leaders lamenting the fact that so many within the church continue to live their lives no differently than the world. They say that the problem is that people are not "submitted enough" to Christ's Lordship - or that people are not being taught to "die to self." Yet, those realities - in my opinion - are merely symptomatic (not causal) of the real problem. The real problem is that we've been operating from the wrong perspective.

Maturity is a fruit of security - not vice-versa. Most discipleship models contend that if you live obediently to God, He will bless your life, you'll feel closer to Him, etc. This is totally antithetical to the core of the New Testament Epistles. It is only as we become increasingly secure in the unconditional grace and blessing of God toward us in Christ (Ephesians 1-3) that real maturity can gradually emerge (Ephesians 4-6). People will rip passages like James 2:14-26 completely out of context in order to manipulate Christians into becoming so morbidly concerned with how much "fruit" they are producing that they begin to question the legitimacy of their faith and their security in Christ. Whenever the focus is placed upon our conditional performance rather than on the unconditional promises of Christ and the Gospel - we are in for a neurotic journey of legalism and frustration.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are wary and heavy-burdened - and I will give you rest for your souls." This does not seem to be the experience of many Christians I know. Like the Pharisees of old, many teachers are putting burdens on people's backs that Jesus has already born for us as He lived and died in our place. The pressure to perform is now OFF.

We should not be asking "What Would Jesus Do?" Instead, we can wake up every morning with a much more exciting question: "What WILL Jesus do through me today?" Christianity is not about YOU trying your best to live for Jesus. It's about Jesus living His supernatural life through you! When this becomes the restful obsession of one's life - obedience becomes a by-product of resting in His irreversibly finished work on our behalf! That's what it means, essentially, to live the Christian life: Christ in you, the hope of glory! I challenge you to stop trying to live for Him and begin resting in Him instead. Only then can you allow Him to live the Christian life through you!

Thinking About the Tucson Tragedy...

2011-01-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

In light of last weekend's tragic violence in Tuscon, Arizona, I have been praying for the families and churches in their efforts to comfort the grieving. Whenever such an event strikes a community, there are seldom any clear answers for the pain and suffering of those involved.

As I have been following the media coverage, I have noticed some typical trends. First, many on the political left began to insinuate or outright state that the harsh anti-government rhetoric coming from some conservatives was to blame. Then, after more information revealed that such a connection could NOT be made, conservatives struck back by pointing out that according to mounting evidence, it seemed that the shooting suspect was more in line with extreme non-conservative ideology (Communism, atheism, nihilism, etc.).

Of course, the gun-control activists immediately began to shout about the need for tougher gun laws - to which the other side reminded the public that guns cannot be blamed for killing people any more than cars can (a perspective with which I happen to agree). And in the midst of it all, there is a (probably needful) debate now raging about whether our society is addressing issues of mental illness as seriously as we should be.

I'm not able to say anything authoritatively about that last issue, but what this entire tragedy has demonstrated to me above all else is the call for the Body of Christ to be more alert to the struggles of people around us. I believe that Jared Loughner should be held responsible for his actions and punished to the full extent of the Law. At the same time, I am bothered by the increasing evidence which suggests that Tuscon might have been spared of Jared's actions had family, friends, law-enforcement and the Body of Christ taken his unusual temperament more seriously.

It causes me to do a real gut-check and ask myself - are there people in my life that I intentionally avoid because they are too "weird" or "inconvenient" for me? Are there blind-spots in my day-to-day hurriedness which cause me to miss out on opportunities to minister to those who are struggling spiritually or psychologically? I'm almost positive that the answer is at least SOMETIMES yes. What about you? Any thoughts or comments are welcome....

The Rotten Fruit of Religion

2011-01-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

This week I'm preaching on one of the most famous passages in the Bible - Genesis 3. I love this passage for many reasons, not the least of which is because it establishes both our need for AND God's promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the major elements of the passage which is overlooked by some readers is verse 7 - is where Adam and Eve realize they are naked for the very first time and they end up sewing fig leaves together in order to cover themselves.

I've heard many people say that after Adam and Eve rebelled - we immediately see the sin of murder (referring to Genesis 4 and the story of Cain and Abel). While that tragic event is indeed a significant development in the story of the fall of humanity - it is NOT the first sin following the fall. In fact, the first sin after their initial rebellion was NOT more blatant rebellion. Far from it! In reality, it was a sad turning to RELIGION. Yes, that's right, religion!

Rather than running into the loving arms of a forgiving God in the quest for restoration, Adam and Eve tried to cover their own shame by the work of their own hands. This is classic religious legalism in its rawest form. And what was the result of the very first act of religion recorded in the Bible? The same thing legalism creates today, including...

1) Secrecy - Adam knew he had sinned, so he "hid" from God

2) Fear - Adam told God, "I was afraid, so I hid"

3) Judgmentalism - Adam blamed Eve (and he even tried to blame God for giving creating Eve), and Eve blamed the serpent

I'm sure there are more items I could add to the list, but these three illustrate my point very well. Secrecy, fear and judgmentalism are all evidence of the rotten fruit of religion. If you or someone you know is part of a religious movement where these realities exist, perhaps it is time to consider whether Jesus had something better in mind for you when He hung on the cross to forgive ALL of your sins. The Apostle Paul wrote: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

If you are striving to "live for God" by surrendering yourself to rigorous disciplinary techniques, harsh self-denial or other shame-based, guilt-ridden approaches, why not be done with that and instead trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ once and for all? Why wallow in that pit of self-deprecation when Jesus has offered to live His supernatural life through you, rather than you striving to "live for Him"? This subtle but crucial shift in your understanding can make all the difference in the world as you begin to realize that true godliness comes as the result of RESTING in Him rather than WRESTLING against yourself.

Throw Your Resolutions out the Window?

2011-01-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

So its been a couple of months since I last posted on Raw and Relevant. Tonight is New Years and I enjoyed the evening celebrating with some close friends and family. One of the things I love about New Years is that it represents new beginnings and fresh starts - things for which every human being longs.

The down side to New Years is that it is only available once every 365 days. In ancient Israel, the Hebrews celebrated Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement - at which time the High Priest would make an elaborate annual sacrifice on behalf of the sins of the entire nation. What a day of celebration following this event - to know and rest assured that sins were atoned for! And yet - the book of Hebrews tells us that this annual event was only a shadow of things to come, when Jesus Christ would offer Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (see Hebrews 10:1-18)!

As wonderful as it is to celebrate the newness of a brand new year - it pales in comparison to the daily celebration we can experience as believers in a God whose mercies are new EVERY single morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)! No longer in need of a human priest to whom we confess our sins - we can rest assured of Christ's complete cleansing from the moment we first believe in Him. When we confess our sins (i.e. become Christians) - He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (past, present and future) and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. How much unrighteousness? That's right - ALL.

If you are into making New Years resolutions (I am not) then how about this one above all others? Resolve to respond to the invitation offered by the author of Hebrews to "struggle to enter into that rest" that Jesus has provided for us through His all-sufficient death, burial and resurrection. Rather than making promises you probably won't keep - or attempting to "turn over a new leaf" - how about committing to learning to REST in the completed work of Christ? He has fulfilled the Law on your behalf, so the pressure to perform is now OFF! Instead of striving to live a righteous life by rigid discipline or self-effort, how about abandoning yourself to the supernatural life of Jesus Christ living through you as the temple of His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)? It's a much more joyous way to live - and its the only real way to begin experiencing lasting peace and holy living.

In essence, I'm saying "Throw your resolutions out the window" in favor of the life-giving Spirit of Christ living HIS otherwise impossible-to-live life through you! Instead of striving to become a "better person" - take Jesus up on His offer to "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-burdened, and you will find rest for your souls"! How ironic that God knows that "resting" in him would be a "struggle" for us (Hebrew 4:11)! How ironic that being a disciple of Jesus is more about giving up than it is about trying harder! Jesus' approach is always unconventional, usually surprising, and NEVER dull or mundane. What do you think? Isn't it about time you tried it HIS way?

Happy New Year 2011!!!

Contradictory Christianity

2010-10-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how sometimes well-meaning Christians say contradictory things? For example, sometimes in gatherings where multiple people are praying, a person will pipe up and say something like, "Lord, You said that whenever two or more are gathered together in Your name that You will be in the midst of them. Well Lord, there are more than two of us here, so we know that You are with us!"

I remember hearing people quote those words from the Gospel of Matthew and thinking to myself, "So what does THAT imply? Does that mean that Jesus ISN'T at the center of our prayer experience if at least TWO people aren't praying together? What if I'm praying by myself? Is Jesus ignoring me until I round up a partner?"

I'll let you sit on that one for awhile. I do have an opinion - but I want to raise an issue about a contradiction which is infinitely more important than the example above. The issue I'd like to discuss relates to God's forgiveness for us through Christ. For years I grew up hearing preachers talk about how we are eternally "forgiven" of all of our sins (past, present and future) when we receive Christ and become children of God. I agree with this as a basic tenet of genuine Christianity.

Yet, on the other hand I grew up being told that Christians must confess their sins to God on a regular basis in order to find forgiveness for individual sins. The idea was to "keep short accounts" with God so as to "maintain close fellowship" (whatever that meant). Most of the rationale was based on 1 John 1:9, which says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness." Now, you can see where the double-talk comes in. If I am eternally forgiven of all my sins the moment I receive Christ as Savior - why must I continually confess my sin in order to receive forgiveness and purification?" Is that REALLY what 1 John 1:9 is saying?

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts...

Burning the Koran in the Name of Christ?

2010-09-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

Most of you have seen the reports about how Rev. Terry Jones and his church in Gainesville, FL. are sponsoring a “Koran burning” on September 11, 2010. This kind of behavior is – in my opinion – nothing more than a disgraceful, cheap stunt done in a manner that is both anti-Christian and anti-American. This week I join our Secretary of State and other political and religious leaders in their condemnation of the actions of this church.

In 1790, George Washington wrote to a synagogue in Newport, RI that “This country will give to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” As a Christian, I am obviously in disagreement with some of the teachings of the Koran as I understand them. Yet as both a Christian and an American, I believe in religious liberty and tolerance of those I disagree with. And I also benefit greatly by their treatment of me in similar fashion. I may not choose to worship alongside of a person from another faith, but I will rigorously stand alongside of them in defense of their right to worship as they see fit.

In his condemnation of the terror attacks on 9/11, Reverend Jones is now lowering himself to a level on par with the very terrorists he condemns. In fact, his actions are eerily reminiscent of a former terrorist regime known as the Nazis. I'm no genius, but I think a good rule of thumb is that if Hitler practiced it, it's probably something we should avoid! Repaying evil for evil is not only unbiblical, but extremely unwise in a case like this. In addition to his actions bringing reproach to the Name of Christ, Rev. Jones and his church are also putting many innocent people at risk by inciting more violence against Americans, U.S. Troops and peaceful Christians, Jews and Muslims worldwide.

All legitimate Christians should wholeheartedly repudiate the unfortunate and despicable actions of this pastor and his church. Please pray with me as we remember those lost on 9/11, that this church and its sympathizers will be largely ignored and that the radicals who might respond to this Koran burning with violence will not be successful in the needless taking of more innocent lives.

A Discussion About Grace...

2010-07-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

A little more than 20 years ago, a debate among theologians began to intensify about the nature of the grace of God in the salvation of humanity. One view became known as "Lordship Salvation" (LS). This position is predicated upon a few central ideas:

First, LS claims that true faith (what they call "saving faith") in Christ involves not only belief in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, but also a commitment to submit to Christ as Master over every area of life. The idea is that "repentance" (which LS defines as "turning from sin toward God") is a necessary component of genuine faith - and that without such a commitment to turn from sin, a person is not exercising legitimate faith in Jesus. One common cliche popularized by this camp is "You cannot accept Jesus as Savior while rejecting Him as Lord." Sounds reasonable enough, doesn't it?

Secondly, LS asserts that in the life of all true believers, genuine faith will be "proven" by a lifestyle of increasing victory over sin, a demonstration of consistent obedience, and a track-record of obviously good works. Among the passages used to defend this idea are James 2:14-26 and Jesus' various statements in the Gospels related to "denying" or "dying to" oneself in order to come to Him.

On the other side of the debate, another view became popularly known as "Free Grace" theology (FG). This school of thought also emphasizes some core ideas about the nature of the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus and the Apostles.

In contrast to LS theology, FG theology affirms that Biblical faith in Christ is nothing more or less than simple "trust" or "confidence" that the Gospel is true and that it's promises apply to us personally the very moment we place our trust in this work of salvation Christ accomplished. FG advocates distinguish faith from "surrender to Christ's Lordship" on the grounds that adding mandatory results as a "litmus test" for whether or not one's faith is genuine is unbiblical and runs against the nature of grace itself - which is defined as God's unmerited favor received as a free gift on the basis of simply trusting in the promises of Christ.

Secondly, FG advocates insist that while "repentance" CAN and often DOES involve a turning from sin, we must be careful to define repentance Biblically. The Biblical definition of the verb "to repent" means literally "to change one's mind or perspective". It does NOT mean "to turn away from sin", although as I just mentioned, it could and often WILL include turning away from sin. Popular passages used to defend the FG position include John 3:16 and following, along with various passages in the Pauline Epistles which affirm that grace and the Law are two entirely different systems with unique purposes.

At one time I was a staunch, card-carrying member of the Lordship Salvation camp. Over the years, and with many reasons brought about through careful study of the Scriptures, I have journeyed toward the Free Grace camp in my understanding of the Gospel. Some of the primary voices among the LS camp include John MacArthur, R.C Sproul and John Piper. Noteworthy advocates of the FG position include Zane Hodges, Charles Swindoll and Charles Ryrie.

While I respect each of the men I just mentioned in various ways, I am definitely thankful for the movement toward Free Grace theology that I have experienced as a believer and pastor. I cannot possibly go into all of those issues in this format, but I would be interested in knowing where you fit along this spectrum of thought. What exactly DOES it mean to have faith? What does repentance mean? And how do the two of these ideas fit together (if at all) in bringing about eternal life?

If you have non-combative ideas to share - stuff that you would be able to defend Scripturally and with respect to other viewpoints - I would love to hear from you. As Christians, we all believe that salvation is by grace through faith - but what exactly does that mean? Let's have a good discussion...

Religion Kills

2010-07-12T23:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to take a close look at Jesus - independent from the religious baggage we've attached to Him? I was talking to a guy at Peet's Coffee who asked me what I do for a living. When I told him I was a vocational pastor (which is unfortunately a predictable conversation-killer in most cases), he promptly told me that he wasn't a religious person, but that he respected those who have faith.

You should have seen the look on his face when I responded that I am not a particularly religious person either. "But I thought you just said you are a pastor," he replied, "How can you say you're not a religious person." I began to explain my opinion that there are crucial differences between those who are religious and those who follow Jesus.

When Jesus came into the world, the last thing on His agenda was to launch a new religion. The Jewish culture into which He arrived was chock full of religion. In addition, the Roman Empire was a cesspool of pagan religious practice as well - from Caesar-worship to Greek mythology to ritualistic cults. Jesus came to launch a rebellion - not a religion. In essence, religion is virtually all the same. Sure there are key differences among man-made religions, but they are all essentially about pleasing or appeasing their Deity or Deities through some form of human effort. Even the Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism - while not so much affirming belief in any one "god" - operate on a system of Karma and essentially working one's way to a higher state of reincarnated life.

Jesus' message was quite literally: "To hell with all that!" The rebellion Jesus started was focused on an upside-down way of relating to God - one in which God did all the work, initiating a loving relationship with His creation and salvation that comes as a free gift rather than something you work for. For some people, this message is too good to be true. It is a blatant affront to the prideful human sense we all share - that somehow we want to prove ourselves at least partly "worthy" by contributing to our own salvation.

In the Book of Matthew - chapters 5-7 - Jesus shocks His audience with a message Christians commonly refer to as "The Sermon on the Mount". In that message He challenges religious thinking head-on. The entire foundation of the sermon is built upon a very key phrase where Jesus says, "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, you cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven." This was so shocking because from the outside looking in, the Pharisees were the most pious religious sect among the Jews. They were known for their outward religious adherence to the strictest interpretation of God's Law.

You can imagine how the common people felt when Jesus told them that in order to receive salvation they had to be MORE righteous than these so-called "perfect" religious folks. But that - we would eventually find - was precisely Jesus' point! He wanted to drive them to the desperate realization that in and of their own effort, it is impossible to live up to God's perfect standards. In stating this, Jesus was setting the stage to introduce what for them would be an entirely new concept - namely, that we could exchange our lives for His life. He was claiming that God had sent Him to live the perfect life on our behalf, and that through simply believing in His perfect life and sacrifice on the cross, we could exchange our sinful lives for His perfect life even though our behavior remains imperfect.

The exchanged life that Jesus proclaimed is a radical rebellion against religion. Whereas religions says, "There's a lot of work to be done," the message of Jesus is, "The work has already been done." There is a radical difference between religion and the message of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, humans have neutered the raw power of the rebellion by attaching all kinds of religious baggage to Jesus. But even through the 2,000-year-old fog we've created, the clarity of Jesus' voice rings through loud and clear: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in (your) weakness..." (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Jesus is not about mustering up enough strength to be religious. He is exactly the opposite. He is about admitting your weakness and need for a Savior - and allowing Him to begin living His supernatural life THROUGH you by faith. That's how our lives are changed and become filled with power and joy. Religion kills. Don't let it kill you! Come to the Author of life and let Him exchange His life for yours. And remember, if you hear someone talking about Jesus and the message doesn't sound too good to be true, then you're not hearing the true message of Jesus. His grace ALWAYS sounds too good to be true. That's precisely what makes it grace!

I can hear some of the religious combatants now... "What are you talking about, Jeremy? If you teach people that Christ's grace is an unconditional, irreversible disposition of favor and tenderness toward people - then they will be tempted to abuse God's grace as a license to sin." To which I reply, "DUH! If grace were not open to the possibility of abuse, it would at that very moment cease to be grace!" And yet, when we truly begin to catch a glimpse of God's irrationally free gift of grace toward those who simply receive it though faith in Christ, that same grace begins to change us into grateful creatures. We begin to respond to His unfathomable tenderness with a disposition of surrender to Him as our Heavenly Father, Friend and Lord. But this cannot happen until we rest in the all-sufficiency of His grace. Grace is what sets Christianity apart from man-made religious bondage. it's what makes the message of Christ unique.

If you are reading this and your experience of Jesus has been the kind with all the religious baggage attached, I encourage you to join the rebellion and meet the real Jesus - the One who will never leave you or forsake you. The One who loves you as you are and not as you "should" be. The One who loves you so much that He would rather die for you than live without you for eternity. And yes, the One who loves you exactly the way He finds you - but also loves you WAY too much to leave you that way! He has the power to change your life. Will you let Him?

That's the way I see it. I welcome your thoughts... :)

A Few Thoughts about America and God's Grace

2010-07-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Having recently celebrated Independence Day with friends and family, I was reflecting on the song "America, the Beautiful". One of the lines in the song is the phrase "God shed His grace on Thee..." It got me thinking, is it really accurate to say that God has shed His grace upon a particular country?

As an American, I love this nation where I derive my earthly citizenship. As a Christ-follower, I love grace, because it alone secures me in my eternal citizenship both in and beyond this world. In the New Testament, grace is offered to individuals in numerous ways, not the least of which is through Christ's sacrifice for sin on the cross. So if the New Testament concept of grace is extended to individuals regardless of race, color or national identity, the question is worth asking: In what sense is God's "grace" shed on America - or any other nation, for that matter?

I do believe that America's foundational documents (i.e. the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, etc.) are morally superior to other systems of human government. And while we have at times fallen very short of living up to the ideals of our founding intentions, these documents are nonetheless a beautiful and Scripturally rooted set of values by which we seek to perpetuate freedom for our citizens. In that sense, God has indeed been gracious to the citizens of this nation - allowing us to live in relative peace, prosperity and political freedom by comparison to the vast majority of the global population.

And yet, under the New Covenant God no longer operates through specific "chosen nations" such as He did in the Old Testament. For "there is neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor female - but all are one in Christ Jesus". The New Testament concept of grace is centered upon the unmerited favor of God being freely bestowed upon those who will simply receive God's grace as a free gift through faith in Christ. Obviously, not everyone in America believes this message. So again I ask, "In what sense is God's grace been shed upon America?" Or is that particular line of the song misstated?

Biblically, grace is the highest and sweetest expression of the love of God toward humanity. It is the offer of complete forgiveness of sin and eternal life based upon no effort of our own. So when we say that God has shed His grace upon America, do we mean that He loves Americans more than others? Is this line something that should be sung by Christians, thankful and patriotic as we may be about our country? I would love to know your thoughts...

Praying for the President

2010-06-27T00:33:00.001-07:00

Recent weeks have been tough for America overall. At present, we are faced with an oil spill filling the beautiful gulf coast environment with billions of gallons of sludge. A top military general has been replaced to provide leadership for the war effort in Afghanistan. Sales of new homes plummeted following the recent expiring of the new home buyer tax credit. The only sizable area of job growth has been due to temporary government employees working for the U.S. Census Bureau - all of whom will lose those jobs in a matter of weeks. Political leaders continue to be scrutinized for possible ethics violations. And the list goes on...

Say what you will about President Obama, but if there is one job on the planet I do not wish to have (besides a FIFA World Cup referee) it is his. When Mr. Obama was elected, I vowed that I would pray for him regularly - and I am thankful to say that I am meeting that goal. Even though I disagree with many of this administration's policies, I truly desire for our President to make decisions that are good for America. I want his little girls to be protected and raised well. I pray for his safety against those who would be so sick as to try to do him physical harm. And I pray for God to help me to disagree with grace (which I sometimes fall short of).

One thing we have to keep in mind no matter which party or person is in power - is that God is in charge of His universe. It may not always feel that way when we consider the suffering of this world. But sin is real, and it leads to misery. The good news is that there is a Savior from sin - and this Savior is not a President, or a celebrity, or a billionaire or an athlete. He is Jesus - and He said that His kingdom is not of this world. And He said that His followers are aliens and strangers on this planet who are here as His ambassadors. So I will keep praying for this President...and the next one and the next one...unless there is no next one.

Jesus said "Behold, I am coming quickly and my reward is with me." The early disciples understood this, and while they were definitely engaged in their human citizenship, they saw it as secondary to their heavenly one. So, I plan to remain engaged in the affairs of this planet - but I pray I will never lose sight of the reason I am here. Although I love and give deep thanks for America, I am not primarily an American. Or a voter. Or even a pastor in a formal role as such. I am first and foremost a bearer of grace and truth as I allow Jesus to live His supernatural life through me. What about you? What keeps you anchored to Reality in the midst of the falsehood that surrounds us? Will you pray for the President with me? I hope so. But even more importantly, I want to pray with the Apostle John "Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus..." What say you...?

Can Truth and Tolerance Coexist?

2010-06-01T23:01:00.001-07:00

What is truth? In John 18, Pilate asked Jesus that exact question. The answer may be one of the most consequential conclusions we ever come to. In an increasingly relativistic culture like ours, objective truth is a concept that fewer and fewer people seem to believe in. To suggest that one particular idea or belief system is true to the exclusion of any other is seen by many as arrogant at best - and dangerous at worst.

Yet, Jesus told Pilate that "everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Jesus also made exclusive claims about Himself being the only way by which a person could find God (John 14:6). According to Jesus, objective truth does exist and is found in Him. In today's smorgas-board approach to life and spirituality, it seems that the highest of virtues is not truth, or even love - but "tolerance".

Tolerance is actually a great word and a very biblical concept, when properly understood. The traditional understanding of tolerance meant respecting the fact that everyone has equal rights to believe what they want to believe according to their own conscience. Christians support this kind of tolerance as consistent with the volitional and rational capabilities God has given to humanity.

But in recent times, tolerance has been radically re-defined. No longer is the concept focused on equal rights to individual beliefs - but instead, today's "tolerance" seeks to force everyone to affirm that all views are equally right. So is this a wise philosophy to embrace? Is it true that all belief systems are equally valid and that truth is merely whatever the individual happens to decide is in fact true? Or is there an objective, higher and absolute realm of truth which applies to all people, from all cultures, for all of time?

Beginning this Sunday at Valley Church, we will be launching a brand-new 3-part series called "True(ish)". We will be investigating the answer to these and other questions which are crucial to the process of critical thinking, sound decision-making and ultimately discovering whether the claims of Jesus and the Scriptures are trustworthy. What do YOU think about this issue of absolute truth? Does it exist? If so, is it possible to find and understand? Feel free to chime in here with your thoughts - and also please join us this Sunday at Valley Church (9am and 11am - 5063 Maple Rd. Vacaville, CA. 95687, www.valleychurch.com). Blessings to you...

Is Enforcing the Law a Racist Thing To Do?

2010-05-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

It is my opinion that the term "racist" is being used WAY too freely these days. Before I go any further, let me affirm to anyone who does not know me well that as a Christian, I believe racism to be evil, immoral, unjust and against the most basic ideals of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Racism has no place in the life of a Christian and should be peacefully resisted in America on all fronts.

That's why I am so upset that the definition of racism is being so mischaracterized by many on the radical left of the political aisle - with the latest example being this ridiculous notion that Arizona's new crackdown on illegal aliens is racism. In a ploy of almost unbelievable audacity, Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva recently called upon President Obama to force Arizona to overturn their legislation mandating sworn peace officers and Border Patrol agents to begin more strictly monitoring and questioning those who they suspect may be in the country illegally.

Silly me for being one of those out of touch, old-fashioned idiots who is naive enough to suppose that the main responsibility of the Border Patrol is to CONTROL THE BORDER. I must have missed the memo about these officers and agents no longer being allowed to do the job our tax dollars are paying them to do!

I understand the opposition's argument about fears of racial profiling - which is why I actually went online and READ the bill. It clearly prohibits law enforcement personnel from racial profiling - among several other extremely strict stipulations. Google it and read for yourself if you don't believe me!

You can tell I am passionate about this stuff, can't you? I am so sick and tired of the far left yelling "racism" any time a white person questions the policies of our black president. I am grieved by the notion that some people cannot offer critical analysis of ideas they believe are bad for our country without being labeled with such a terrible and false charge of racism. And I cannot understand the notion that a long-overdue crackdown on illegal immigration in Arizona is now being labeled as a "racist" agenda.

The far left continually talks about how we are now finally a "post-racial" society - with the election of Barack Obama as their greatest proof. While I too celebrate the progress we have made in tearing down racial bigotry in our great country - my opinion is that an even greater evidence of our becoming "post-racial" as a nation will occur when two things happen:

1) When the far-left stops using the term "racist" in such an illegitimate, unwarranted and ill-defined manner, and

2) When a President-of-color can be voted out of office based on his policy failures and no one so much as brings his race into the discussion.

When did agreeing to enforce our states' illegal immigration laws become a racist endeavor? I don't care whether it is a Mexican or a red-haired Irish Canadian attempting to come to America illegally! He or she should be treated humanely, punished to the full extent of the law and deported with no chance for re-entry. This is exactly how Mexico treats the thousands of Guatemalans who illegally cross Mexico's southern border each year! Wouldn't it be great if we could at least enforce our laws as well as Mexico enforces theirs?

Now the Phoenix Suns are sporting "Los Suns" on their Jerseys as a protest from the owner of their team. I truly wish one of their star players had the cajones to sit out of the game without pay in protest of his jersey being used as a political propaganda billboard. I think Dennis Miller said it best when he questioned why nobody is memorializing the poor Arizona farmer who was recently murdered by illegal immigrants or the cop who was recently shot while chasing down illegal immigrants or the dozens of other examples of how out of control this problem is!

That's my opinion - what's yours? If you have a strong conviction that you can share respectfully - please feel free to join in with your comments! :)

Confessions of an Unfinished Pastor - Part 1

2010-04-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

On April 4, 2010 I preached my first Easter sermon as a Lead Pastor. For the first 13 years of my pastoral ministry I had never attended an Easter Sunday service because I had always been on a Mission trip during our students' Spring break. The morning was an awesome experience, as each service was filled with people hungry to worship the risen Christ.

In addition to these worshipers, I came into the morning very aware that on Easter, many people show up to church gatherings who rarely if ever attend. The motives for this rare Easter church attendance vary according to those I have spoken with over the years. Some seem to show up out of a sense of duty to a friend or loved one who has been begging them to attend church for the previous 51 weeks. Others do so out of duty, believing that church is simply what good "God-fearing" Americans do on Easter morning. And there are still others with many other reasons, I suppose.

I treat every worship gathering expecting that many will be in our midst who have not yet become followers of Jesus. Some are genuinely seeking truth. Others are simply curious. But this Easter, I shared some personal things I believed would connect with those in attendance who wanted to believe in a risen Savior, yet struggle with incessive doubt. At various points along the way, I affirmed in no uncertain terms that doubters and skeptics are welcome at Valley Church - and that I too am a fellow doubter who, like Thomas, often wrestles with the desire to "see before I can believe."

While sharing personal information about weaknesses and struggles can be risky for a pastor, I believe that at the end of the day God's people will appreciate the leadership of someone who is honest more so than one who fakes his way through the journey with a plastic smile plastered all over his over-confident face. My risk ended up paying off, as numbers of people have since contacted me expressing a desire to meet over coffee to discuss Jesus further in the weeks ahead.

I realize that on the surface, it may not sound comforting for a person to hear that their pastor struggles with doubt. But properly understood - doubt should not be viewed as an enemy of faith, but rather a friend. Certainly there can be a negative side to ongoing unchecked doubt. But in my journey of faith, doubt has prompted me into relentless seasons of soul searching, Scriptural contemplation and personal investigation into the knowable facts. Ironically, it has been during these wilderness seasons of doubt that God has most significantly deepened and strengthened my confidence in Jesus Christ and His claims.

As my faith has grown, I find that I am rarely ever doubtful about such elementary topics as whether God exists or whether Jesus rose from the dead. In fact, I am confident enough of those things to give my life for them. Nonetheless, I have found that for most people it is NOT easy to walk by faith. It's not easy to believe that God's acceptance is totally unconditional. It's not easy to believe that God doesn't count our sins against us based on simply trusting in Christ. It's not easy to believe that there is no condemnation and that His grace is abounding to us every millisecond of the day. But the Scripture says that these things are true.

Doubts will come and go throughout the ebb and flow of life. Someone once said that an unexamined faith is of no real use - and I would tend to agree. Doubts force us to re-examine our core values and beliefs. Doubts bring us to the brink of realizing our utter dependence upon the God who has revealed Himself to us in creation, the Bible, and the Messiah. So while a handful of people may not want to hear their pastor speak of his own journey through the twists and turns of doubt - I remember that my mom always taught me that "honesty is the best policy." Integrity is not pretending to have it all together. Integrity is being true to the Truth no matter where it leads. So I'll repeat what I said on Easter morning: "Fellow doubters and skeptics...WELCOME TO VALLEY CHURCH!" Let's join with the disciples who honestly said "Lord, we believe - but help our unbelief..." That's when an unexamined faith begins to mature.

Any thoughts you'd like to add? Feel free....

Generous Joe and "Greedy Rich"

2010-03-28T22:39:00.000-07:00

OK, I haven't blogged on Raw and Relevant about anything political in a few weeks. So here it goes...

Lately I have heard a lot of rhetoric from the far left about how these "greedy rich" people who make over $200K/year should shut up and accept that they owe their fellow countrymen universal health care - courtesy of a boatload of increased taxes. Incidentally, the President has recently mentioned that his campaign promise to only raise taxes on those earning $200K or more will likely drop to incomes MUCH less than that...but I digress.

Anyway, my compassionate heart could almost be swayed by an emotional argument like that if it weren't for a few stubborn things called facts. According to USA Today, a "study of wealthy households in 2005 found average yearly donations of $40,746 from people with incomes from $200,000 per year to $500,000 per year."
(Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-12-biden-financial_N.htm)

The 2008 report also goes on to reveal that Vice President Joe Biden - according to his 1999-2008 tax returns - gave an average of $369 per year to charity over that decade. Stop for a moment to re-read that sentence...

Does anyone else find it even slightly hypocritical that the VP would be lecturing hard-working Americans about their duty to pay higher taxes when they already give thousands of percent more of their income to the less fortunate than does Biden? What's wrong with this picture?

Don't get me wrong. I could care less what Biden gives. That is between him, his conscience and God. What I do admit is that I find it a tad irritating when Biden and his supporters attempt to demonize successful small business owners and investors as "greedy" folks who don't care about those who can't afford to go to the doctor.

Mr. Biden, I know that you'll never run across a little blog written by a nobody like me, but if I could fantasize for a moment that you might somehow stumble across Raw and Relevant, allow me to say this. According to your own tax records, my wife and I donate more to charity......every two weeks......than you do in a year. I do not say this to boast, Mr. Vice President - but to illustrate the following point:

Like many of my friends, I work long weeks in a vocation devoted to serving the needs of others. I am privileged and thankful for the middle-class income God provides for us. I live in a modest 31-year-old home that will need a new roof in a few years. The latest-model automobile we own is a 1999 Honda Minivan with a salvaged title we bought off Craigslist. Material crap just doesn't compare to the joy of a loving marriage and healthy children. Our aim is not to be rich - but to be generous with what we have, which is more than I can say for you. Mr. Vice President, how about LOWERING the tax burden on those who actually create jobs and wealth for others?

JEREMY!!! WAKE UP!!! THIS ISN'T A REAL CONVERSATION!!! Ahhh...but if it were - would you agree or disagree with me? Feel free to chime in with respectful dialogue no matter your opinion...

Is the Gospel worth Cussing About?

2010-03-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

So I've been preaching for a few weeks now in an Easter series called "Signed in Blood - The Radical Gospel of Jesus." I have been receiving more feedback on this series than any I have previously preached - including on topics as controversial as sex and the return of Jesus. Why so much feedback? I believe it to be a reflection of the fact that so many in the Body of Christ are starving for grace.

Whenever I write or blog or preach or converse one-on-one with people about the Gospel of grace - usually I get feedback from multiple angles. One of those angles is the notion that by confronting modern-day legalists, I am somehow not being "gracious" myself.

Let me be the first to say that heated, passionate debate can and should remain as respectful as possible. It is never my intention to personally attack an individual. However, when attacking ideas one believes to be false, this is often interpreted by those who hold the ideas as a personal attack on them. I understand this fully, because I am no different. I can easily get defensive and feel persecuted when someone challenges an idea that I believe in. It's part of human nature, and that is why I agree that we must seek to be respectful even in debate.

That being said, is it not the mandate of every generation of believers to defend and clarify the Gospel of grace with the utmost passion? The Apostle Paul, when exposing his former legalistic way of life, said that he now considered all of that past false confidence to be "rubbish". The old King James Version more accurately translates this word as "dung". If we were going to be really honest and unafraid to offend the over-sensitive, the modern equivalent would literally be "S#@%". That's how expressive Paul was in exposing legalism (i.e. front-loading or back-loading the free offer of grace with human works). And that description is included in the INSPIRED Scripture.

Paul also said that he wished perverters of the Gospel would be "accursed" and he called the Judaizers "mutilators of the flesh" because of their insistence that believers had to be circumcised. Does this sound like a guy who was willing to tolerate false teaching about the Gospel? As I've written elsewhere - defending grace rises to a different level in the sphere of theological debate. We can debate such issues as spiritual gifts, the return of Jesus, the age of the earth and a host of other matters of secondary importance all day long. But the Gospel of grace is different. It is in a league of its own. If we get this wrong - nothing else matters.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not implying that I hold the same level of spiritual clout which belonged to the Apostle Paul. Nor am I suggesting that we should not strive to be gracious in tone - a goal which I routinely fall short of. What I AM saying is that grace is worth defending. It's worth fighting for. It's worth dying for. It is the only thing that distinguishes the core of Christianity from mere man-made religion. That's my opinion...what do you think?

GRACE - The Best Way to Live

2010-03-20T20:12:00.001-07:00

In this life, our plans seldom quite end up like we imagine. Today I was at a stoplight with my boys on the way to spend the day at Six Flags. "BANG" was the noise I heard simultaneous to my vehicle being thrust a few feet out into the intersection. In what felt like a millisecond, I asked my boys if everyone was OK and then watched in my rear view mirror as an embarrassed woman followed me through the intersection to the side of the road up ahead.

I don't know who felt worse as each of us stepped out of our vehicles to survey the damage to the back end of our Honda Odyssey. She was obviously upset with herself, apologizing numerous times and beginning to tear up as she noticed I had several children in the car. The reason I felt bad is because I've been on the offending side of a fender-bender, and I know that ugly feeling in your gut when you gather your thoughts enough to admit to yourself "That JUST happened!"

As I gathered insurance information from the woman, I tried to assure her by my demeanor that she had nothing to worry about - that I was not the kind of guy who was going to fake an injury and make her life miserable. And of course I had a selfish motive behind the grace and friendliness - namely, that I wanted to treat her exactly the way I would hope a man would treat my wife in the same situation. After reassuring her that the insurance companies would handle everything just fine, we went our separate ways.

Not exactly the kickoff I had envisioned for a father & sons day at the local theme park! As I reflected on the incident later, the blessing in disguise was that I had been able to show some grace and reassurance to a woman who was angry at herself for something any of us could easily do on any given day.

That's basically true about most everyday mistakes in life. Why do we get so irritated when people do something to "offend" us when on any given day we are just as liable? Why do we complain when our spouse or our children or our neighbor fails to live up to our expectations when on any given day we also fail? What gives us the right to hold a grudge against a person when we have been so freely forgiven by God through Christ?

I can think of times I've flown off the handle toward my kids or my wife or my friends about things MUCH less significant than a car accident! Today was just a reminder that GRACE is the best way to live. In fact - come to think of it, this day turned out pretty swell after all...

Ruffling Feathers with the Grace of God

2010-03-01T18:49:00.001-08:00

Want to know a great way to make religious people indignant? Esteem the grace of God as the freely bestowed, unconditionally secure and flamboyantly generous Divine welfare program that it is! For years, I have been on a journey of seeking to mine the depths of God's grace in pursuit of the reality that it is - and more and more I find that it is GRACE pursuing ME in the Person of Jesus.

Religious people across the spectrum get downright uneasy when grace is lifted high. Cultists will front-load the Gospel by insisting that there are requisites to receiving the grace of God - that one must do as much as they are able and then Jesus will "make up the rest". Hard-core Arminians and Hyper-Calvinists on the other end of the spectrum will rip James 2 out of context to defend the idea that the Gospel of grace must be back-loaded by "results" - or "proof" - that a person is genuinely in the grace of God.

These ideas go beyond what Scripture abundantly teaches. Any time our assurance of salvation is placed upon our performance rather than on Christ's promises, we are in for a dark religious experience. Few and far between are the clarion voices of those like Brennan Manning, Zane Hodges, Steve McVey or Andrew Farley - who dare to esteem the grace of God so high that persecution nearly ensues against them. Why is it that when we mention the utter gratuitous nature of God's grace, we are met by well-meaning voices that immediately want to "balance" the discussion with talk of Christ's Lordship or point us to Paul's words in Romans 6 about not using grace as a license to sin?

Paul said "Where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5). And YES, he cautioned us against using grace as a license to sin. Sin is hurtful to ourselves and to others and to the Kingdom of God in its current earthly manifestation. But the caution to flee from sin in no way NEGATES what Paul had previously established in Romans 5. If Christianity is the least bit unique from other religious claims, this uniqueness rises and falls on grace.

Either the Gospel was and is a free, no-strings-attached offer of pardon and freedom based on faith alone - or it is a bait-and-switch religious scheme promising unconditional favor which it cannot actually deliver. As someone whose conscience is naturally legalistic enough to condemn a small nation, I don't need to be reminded NOT to use God's grace as a license to sin. DUH! I need to be reminded to surrender to an expression of God's kindness that in Christ is so freely offered I have no other response than to lose myself in it. Then and only then will I escape the performance treadmill to which my inner Pharisee wants to enslave me - and instead allow Jesus to live through me.

This "try hard, fail, feel guilty, confess and try again" form of Christianity is not the Gospel Jesus and the Apostles came to proclaim. Jesus' command to "DIE" was given to His audience prior to the cross while still living under the Old Covenant. Under the New Covenant, Paul says we are to "reckon" ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ. This means that no matter how we "feel" at any given moment - we are to accept this reality by faith. When the unconditionality of this identity in Christ becomes our sole source of hope, we begin to rest - and godly transformation is finally possible...

I will close by saying that if I were to post the words "Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more..." on Facebook, I guarantee that my posting would be met by several "Likes" and a few "Amens" and also several "Yeh, but don't forget about Romans 6 or James 2" comments. Why is this? Why can't we stop for even 30 seconds and lose ourselves in the reality of grace untainted by our desire to "balance" it out? By definition, grace IMBALANCES the equation in our favor. If grace were not open to the possibility of abuse, it would at that very moment cease to be grace...

Right on the Money

2010-02-18T17:00:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. Money is not the most popular subject to talk about at church. Some pastors loathe the idea of teaching on the subject. Many church members nestle down into their seats, catch the sermon title and think to themselves, "Money? Aw, man - why did I come to church today?" or "Why did I invite my friend to church today of ALL days?"

Why is money such a big deal? I think because along with sex and political beliefs, it is viewed as an extremely personal issue. And it is. But its not one we can pretend doesn't affect us deeply.

Most of us are great at compartmentalizing our lives. We tend to think of categories like our "emotional" lives, our "intellectual" lives, our "material" lives and our "spiritual" lives. But Jesus made no such distinction. In Jesus' view, all of life is spiritual.

So while I can definitely sympathize with feeling uneasy when ministries beg for money and manipulate people to give more - I can assure you that there will be no begging or manipulation this Valley. We want people to understand how to manage money in a biblically informed way that enables greater freedom in their lives. "Right on the Money" will be a 2-part miniseries followed by a live Simulcast with Dave Ramsey on March 13 at Valley. Here is a brief overview:

FEB. 21 - "Master Your Money (Or It Will Master You)" taught by me (Jeremy) will solidify a theological framework for possessing money rightly rather than it possessing you. This will be a passionate teaching which will also confront and expose false teachings such as the so-called "Prosperity Gospel." You won't wanna miss this...

FEB. 28 - "When the Bottom Falls Out (Rebuilding After the Storm)" taught by Pastor Raleigh Galgan. This message will encourage and teach people who have been swept up in the financial tidal wave of the recent recession - as well as give practical tools to those desiring to avoid financial ruin in the future. This will also be a Sunday you won't wanna miss...

MAR. 13 - On this Saturday, we will be hosting Dave Ramsey's live simulcast of "The Total Money Makeover". If you haven't seen Ramsey's show on Fox Business Network or would like to familiarize yourself, check out his website at www.daveramsey.com. This seminar will inform and inspire you to move beyond merely managing your money - and propel you into a life of greater freedom in this deeply personal area.

Hope to see you this Sunday at Valley at 9am (contemporary or traditional services available) or 11am (contemporary only). If you have questions, call the church at 707-448-7222 or visit our website at www.valleychurch.com.

Pastors and Politics

2010-02-09T21:08:00.001-08:00

As a pastor, I affirm and embrace the reality that I am called to a high standard of conduct. While I fall short of God's standards in numerous ways (in other words, I'm a sinner), I take very seriously the Biblical charge to be an example to others and to live in such a way that I am "above reproach." The Biblical term "above reproach" was literally a legal term that had to do with "not living in such a way that people can easily drag you into court and accuse you." In short, it means keeping your nose clean and striving to be a good example to others.

One of the ways I believe I can be a good example to others is by being engaged with my culture on various levels. For example, I enjoy coaching youth sports - not only because my boys happen to play, but also because I cherish the opportunity to make a positive investment in other families by serving their kids. I will sometimes attend important City Hall meetings and other public gatherings to stay in touch with my community. I enjoy finding creative ways to build relationships between "church and state" in relation to the common ground we share in making our community a better place. And, as you can imagine, I also have socio-political convictions. Unfortunately, this is where it gets sticky for some people.

I am the first to admit that I feel sick to my stomach whenever a "pastor" or Christian leader makes some stupid public claim that would be better left unsaid. I don't think guys like Pat Robertson do Christians any favors by suggesting that natural disasters are God's judgment upon various people and places. We simply cannot pretend to speak for God on that level. Nor should we use our pastoral positions as leverage to endorse a political candidate or to coerce people to vote "our way". But I DO believe it is entirely appropriate to endorse good ideas and oppose bad ones - and this includes the arena of politics.

As a conservative-leaning Independent, many of my views are consistent with Republican and Libertarian points of view at this time in history. This does not mean that I hate liberals or that I despise individuals who see the world of politics differently than I do. But I get frustrated when people assume that because I am a pastor, I should never chime in on socio-political issues such as health care reform, just war theory, the sanctity of marriage or the best way for America to confront terrorism. I am a Christian first, and an American citizen second. Both of those identities require me to think about the superiority of one idea over another.

I am certainly not all-knowing. And i certainly don't claim to have all the answers. And I DO believe it is necessary for all political parties to seek to work toward compromise on a variety of political issues. So while there will always be the Jeremiah Wright's on the radical left - and the Pat Robertson's on the right - I believe that pastors have a responsibility and privilege to engage politically with respect, integrity and conviction while NOT becoming like those I've just mentioned. Yes I am a spiritual leader - but I am equally a husband, dad, friend and community member.

What do you think? Should Pastors be allowed to respectfully speak their mind on political issues? Chime in with your thoughts...

Hide and Seek with God?

2010-02-06T21:55:00.001-08:00

Earlier tonight I was listening to a message taught by a youth pastor friend of mine online, when he posed a very simple yet profound question. In essence, he asked his audience of about 3,000 youth: "Have you ever wondered why God continually invites people to seek Him?" And his answer hit me in a fresh way: "Because He loves to be found!"

He then went into this story that immediately connected with my own heart. He talked about playing "hide and seek" - and how, as a dad, your perspective on that game totally changes from when you are a kid. During childhood, the coolest thing in the world is to be the master at hide and seek. To find that perfect spot and elude the seekers for as long as possible is so gratifying for a 10 year old. But as a dad, it totally changes.

He talked about how dads love to play hide and seek - and how the best part is being found! It got me thinking how when I am playing hide and seek with my four year old, I love to hide in obvious places (like under a blanket with my foot sticking out) so he can find me quickly and feel proud about how good he is at the game. With my older boys, I try to make it tougher - and while I enjoy making them search, the best part is the excitement on their faces when they finally discover that a grown man can fit into a laundry hamper!

God uses the Father/Child metaphor repeatedly in Scripture to describe the way He desires for us to relate to Him. And repeatedly, He invites us to seek Him. Often we subconsciously believe that God enjoys hiding from us and that it is our job to figure out what the heck He's trying to tell us each day. But that's not what "seeking God" is all about. Seeking God is an invitation to find Him. He told Jeremiah "You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Are you feeling distant from God right now? Does His invitation to seek Him feel like another hoop to jump through in order to make Him happy? It's not. He invites you to seek Him so that you can find Him. Sometimes it will be obvious - under a blanket with a sock exposed. Other times you may have to search through some laundry hampers. But God is findable. He is knowable. Jesus said, "if you have seen me, you have seen the Father." Everything you ever needed to know about God can be found by getting to know Jesus. If you are feeling distant, it's not because God is trying to trip you up. He wants you to find Him. Every thought you have or idea you think you know about God must ultimately be submitted to the reality of who Jesus Christ reveals God to be - full of mercy and compassion - and wanting to be found daily in the most surprising places.

Are you seeking Him? I'd like to know your thoughts... :)

Why Slow Down?

2010-01-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I turned 36. I was thankful to be able to take the day off, sleep in, not shave, work out mid-morning, take my 4-year old to Sonic for a slushie, go see a matinee movie with my wife, pick my older boys up from school, shoot baskets in our cul-de-sac with them, watch some TV, enjoy the best fajitas my wife has ever made (and that's saying a lot), and wind down with some friends over for birthday cake. At the end of the day, I realized how much a person can accomplish while they are resting.

It got me thinking about the Biblical concept of Sabbath - and how God offered (well, commanded, really) His people to take a day of rest every 7th. Over the centuries the religious leaders stripped the Sabbath from God's original intentions and placed a bunch of crappy regulations around it which where never intended to be there. Jesus rebuked this legalistic attitude when he said that "the Sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind for the Sabbath."

The point is this: The God of Jesus Christ is gracious. He is not the rigid, fussy and irritable God so many humans have painted Him to be. He knows we have limits. He knows we need planned periods for rest. And He gave us not only permission, but a commandment to take the issue of rest seriously. The Hebrew word for Sabbath means "rest". It originally had little to do with the word "seventh" per se - as some religious groups insist. God indeed "rested" on the seventh day, and He commanded the Israelites to imitate Him in this pattern.

It doesn't matter which particular day of the week you schedule in for some rest. The important thing is that you DO it. The pace of 21st century life will suck the energy out of your existence if you allow it. For most of us, there is always something more to do - another deadline to worry about, another phone call or email to return, another pressing need demanding our attention. Biblically, "rest" is a matter of faith. It reminds us that while it is virtuous to work hard when it's time to work - we are nonetheless NOT little Messiah-clones designed to be able to meet the needs of the universe.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are wary and heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest. Come and learn from me, for I am humble and gentle in spirit." Remember, a day of rest doesn't necessarily mean sleeping the day away. But it may mean turning off the cell phone, focusing on fun and relationships, and carving out some personal space as well. I know - some will say this is easier said than done. But we tend to accomplish the things we make a priority in our lives. Are you getting enough rest - spiritually, physically and emotionally? None of us are perfect on this quest for adequate rest - but God invites us to it...

Your thoughts?

God's Grace...How Sweet the Sound!

2010-01-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had at least three conversations that took the same basic path. We were talking about the marvelous grace of God - and about how His kindness toward us is the only thing that leads to a truly changed life (rather than religious manipulation, trying harder, fear of His wrath, etc.). I based this conviction upon Scriptures such as Romans 2:4, Titus 2:11-13, etc.

In each of the conversations, I was met with similar resistance. While each person seemed to want to affirm the reality of God's grace, they were uneasy about the possibility of "making God's grace too free". Each person said (in their own way) that it is dangerous to talk about grace without talking about holy living. Their fear was that people who view God's grace as being offered with no strings attached would be likely to abuse grace as a license to sin.

I tried to explain that God's grace, by definition, leaves itself open to being taken advantage of. Unless this possibility remains, grace ceases to be grace. The Apostle Paul knew this - and encouraged the Roman believers to live in light of their new life and identity in Christ (Romans 6).

Nonetheless, Paul earlier affirmed that "where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5). Paul's teaching on living in surrender to the indwelling Spirit of Christ in no way diminishes or denies this earlier affirmation. I believe based upon Scripture and personal experience, that until we begin to grasp and embrace the reality of God's irreversible tenderness toward us - regardless of our sins and failures - we will never truly grow spiritually.

I meet so many people like myself - who battle against a vague, nagging sense of God's disapproval. No matter how "good" we perform on a given day, we are racked with existential guilt and a feeling that God must surely be upset with us about something. Often we project upon God the false beliefs we assumed at earlier stages of development and for whatever reason cannot seem to fully lay down.

Thankfully, I am learning with so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ that over the course of time, the truth of the Gospel can chip away, dismantle and expose this false projectionism for the idolatry that it is. From a human perspective, the Gospel is so upside down! The Gospel brings us to the finish line, crowns us with victory and secures our spot in the winner's circle before we have even taken our first baby steps in the race!

The Gospel affirms that the pressure is off! There are no hoops left to jump through. Because of Jesus dying in our place, God is fully pleased with us and no longer are we the recipients of His anger against sin. All of this and more is offered to us simply through trusting in the provision He made through Christ. This is very different than the "organized religion" Christianity is often lumped together with. This is truly revolutionary! T'was grace that brought us safe thus far...and grace will lead us home!

What say you?

Are the 2012 Predictions Legit?

2010-01-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

This week at Valley we will continue with our series "The End of the World as We Know It...And I Feel Fine." Our church's founding Pastor - Raleigh Galgan - will be leading us through Matthew 24 and the "signs" by which Jesus told his audience they could know that the end is near. It's going to be another great week of digging deep into the most amazing Book in the world - the Bible.

As I have been thinking about what the Bible says about the end of the world, I find it so ironic that with all the amazing Biblical predictions which have already come to pass with total accuracy, still so many people would rather look for credence in random so-called "prophecies" related to such things as predictions about the Mayan calendar coming to an end and other outlandish claims. Why does our culture promote interest in predictions which have no proven reliability whatsoever - while at the same time virtually ignoring the one Book on the planet that has never been wrong?

I am not claiming that I fully understand every futuristic detail about which the Bible speaks. There are symbols and mysteries about which we must remain humble and open to careful consideration. But SO much of Biblical prophecy has already come true that it should leave any honest skeptic with little doubt as to its credibility. Many scholars agree that the Bible contains approximately 1,000 specific predictions about the future - about half of which have already come to pass in world history.

What do YOU think about the 2012 hysteria? Do you believe there is anything to it? If so, why? I invite you to chime in with your remarks and I hope to see you at Valley soon! :)

The Future is Now...

2010-01-07T23:39:00.000-08:00

This weekend marks "round 2" of our 7-week overview of Bible prophecy at Valley Church. As a teacher and preacher of the Bible, this is one of my favorite subjects - and yet, it is also one in which extra humility is required from each of us. One of my favorite places to take my kids is Disneyland. No matter how many times I visit the Magic Kingdom, it never fails that each time I go I seem to notice some detail I never saw before on a ride, building or other attraction.

If this is the case with a man-made theme park like Disneyland, how much more true when journeying through the Bible? Even though I may be familiar with the basic layout and story line, it seems that new details always jump out which I never noticed before. The Bible is an amazing book for many reasons - not the least of which is because of its ability to mesmerize the deepest thinkers and scholars while at the same time dispense a core message that a 5-year old can comprehend!

If you are curious about what the Bible says related to the future - I invite you to join us this Sunday at 9AM and 11AM (5063 Maple Road in Vacaville). Come journey through the reality of a love-story written about a God who loves His people so much He would rather die than live without them for eternity...

Hope to see you there!

The End of the World as We Know It...And I Feel Fine!

2009-12-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that while many in our culture increasingly describe themselves as "non-religious", there is simultaneously a rise in self-professed "spirituality". What most people seem to mean by this is that they are suspicious of what they consider to be "organized religion", while remaining "tolerant" and "open" to a spiritual smorgasbord of ancient beliefs and practices.

I find it interesting that nearly any form of spirituality - except that of the Biblical Jesus - is fair game for consideration in our culture. Among a host of other examples, one recent phenomenon has to do with the current fascination with so-called prophecies surrounding the Mayan Calendar and 2012 as a year predicted to hold much prophetic significance.

So many people seem fascinated with conjecture and opinion related to 2012 - in similar fashion to the frenzy surrounding Y2K just a decade ago. Yet ironically, the Bible, which seems to be the only consistently rejected source of information about the end of the world - is the only resource to have proven itself consistently accurate concerning future predictions.

Beginning January 3 at Valley, we will begin an 7-week Series called "The End of the World as We Know it...and I Feel Fine." In the series we will be looking carefully at a series of major passages from the prophetic voices of Daniel, Jesus, Paul and John. Although there are differing opinions among Bible-believing Christians about the details surrounding Christ's Second Coming, all committed Christians believe He will return in power and glory.

As we begin a new decade, I invite you to join us Sundays at 9am and 11am (5063 Maple Road in Vacaville). Come investigate for yourself the claims of Scripture - and see if some of your questions find answers in the pages of the ancient texts. You might be surprised at how relevant these ancient predictions really are! For more info about the ministries of Valley Church, you can contact us at 707-448-7222. I hope to see you this week! :)

Come Home This Christmas...

2009-12-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

Do you remember your favorite Christmas tradition as a kid? Maybe you were allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve. Perhaps you left cookies and milk out for Santa. I remember reading "The Night Before Christmas" with my dad - listening to him intentionally mess up the story with alternate words and rhymes. My favorite part of Christmas was when we would finish opening our presents, then jump in the Oldsmobile and drive to my Grandparents' house for round two!

Then later in life - when God blessed us with our own kids - our joy began to come from watching them go through similar emotions as they patiently wait for the big day. And another thing happens when you get older. You begin to understand that not every child in the world - or even the majority of children - are as fortunate as those in most homes across America.

Our church partners with ministry efforts in various parts of the world, including Mexico, Turkey, Rwanda and elsewhere. Recently some of our partners in the Congo notified us of an extreme rise in violence - including murderous attacks against Christian leaders by various witch doctors from animistic tribes. Children have been raped and abused - displaced from their families and from what little security they had grown accustomed to in this genocidal region of the world.

My heart is ravaged as I read the reports, trying to process the reality of conditions that I cannot wrap my mind around. As my children sleep in the warmth of a well-furnished home, I cannot begin to imagine the pain of a parent whose children have been ripped away from them by force in the middle of the night. And while I cannot allow existential guilt to consume me based merely on the fact that I was fortunate enough to be born on American soil - neither can I allow my heart to become indifferent to the 3.5 billion people in the world who live on less than $2 per day.

We may not frequently meet people who have been ripped away from their families under such extreme conditions as I just described. But each of us know someone who has been displaced - a person who for whatever reason feels like an outcast. Who is that person within your reach this Christmas? Could God be offering you the opportunity to bring the life and light of Jesus into that life? An invitation to Christmas dinner? A Christmas card hand-delivered to their door? An invite to join with your family at a Christmas Eve Church service? Who among the displaced is God calling you to invite home this year?

Jesus came because we were displaced. We had become estranged from God through our sin - and Christmas morning launched the mission of a Messiah who would bring us back home. Maybe YOU are the one who has been displaced. Would you consider joining us at Valley Church for any one of our three Christmas Eve Services - 2pm; 3:30pm; or 5pm on December 24? I hope you will - and that God will whisper to you this week about how much He wants you to come home. Wherever you are at spiritually, emotionally or physically right now - Jesus proves that God is head over heals in love with you. May you open your heart to that love this year. If you want to talk more about connecting to this Savior, please email me at jwhite@valleychurch.com. Blessings to you from the Jesus followers at Valley Church.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On...

2009-12-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how often we cheapen the meaning of words? During a great message taught recently by one of the board members of our church, he made note of our overuse of the word "awesome." If we're honest, we must admit that it is a bit weird to describe both the Grand Canyon and pizza with the same adjective.

I was also thinking about this in terms of the word "celebrate". Christmas is a season of celebration. As a follower of Christ I celebrate love, family, generosity and most importantly - the birth of Jesus. But the other day while driving on the freeway I noticed a billboard for a grocery store chain that said: "COME CELEBRATE...reduced prices on thousands of items storewide!" After a quick double-take, I said to myself, "Really?"

Is THAT what we've reduced ourselves to as a culture? Using the word "celebrate" in reference to saving a nickel on a can of peas? Now don't get me wrong - I love scoring a good deal! My wife and I definitely feel good when we find a bargain. But "celebrate"? Really?

The word "celebrate" is defined as "festive actions taken in response to good news." Celebration is wonderful. The Bible repeatedly instructs and encourages God's people to be joyous. The life lived with God is affirmed repeatedly in Scripture as a life to be filled with celebration. The Hebrew calendar was chock full of festivals. Angels are described as throwing a party whenever people place their trust in Jesus. Jesus' first public miracle was at a wedding. God created the capacity to celebrate and He loves it when we do!

I don't know about you, but I want to allow this Christmas season to re-orient me to the true meaning of celebration. When the angel announced Christ's birth to some random shepherds, the heavenly being said "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today...a Savior has been born to you." (Luke 2:10-11).

Did you catch that? It's not just that Christ was born. Or that He was born to Mary and Joseph. But He was born "to you...for all the people" of the world. What an incredible invitation...and a legitimate reason to celebrate. I hope you DO save a few cents on your Christmas ham - but don't reduce your celebration to having received a bargain on your shopping list. Celebrate everything Jesus offers to a world in pain and turmoil. That's my perspective...what's yours?

As Close to Hell as You'll Ever Have to Get - A Thanksgiving Message

2009-11-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

In the past few years, God has been teaching me thankfulness more than any other virtue. Lately every time I read the New Testament the issue of thankfulness leaps off the pages at me. The Apostle Paul was especially focused on the theme throughout his writings. Often his letters were written to Christians suffering intense persecution under Caesar Nero's iron-fisted rule. Even in the worst of times, Paul encouraged a heart of thanksgiving.

One notable example is in Romans 8, where Paul says to persecuted believers in Rome, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (verse 18). Throughout this passage, while Paul does not use the word "thankful", the attitude shines through like a beacon on the darkest night of a person's soul.

Paul then goes on to remind the believers of how God had cared for all the Old Testament saints gone before them. "For those God foreknew (literally "knew in ages past") he also predestined (literally "marked out boundaries around") to be conformed to the likeness of his son..." Paul is encouraging these Christians with the reality that because of God's faithfulness to mark boundaries around the lives of those with whom He had relationship in times past (i.e. Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, etc.), He will also be faithful to surround the Roman Christian audience to whom he was writing. That many theologians read into these verses their pre-conceived idea that Paul is talking about salvation and God's "choosing" some people to go to Heaven while passing over others (i.e. Calvinism) is a grandiose bummer. It totally misses Paul's point! (NOTE: Please understand that I am not attempting to discredit Calvinism here - but only suggesting that this is not nearly as strong a passage in support of it as most suggest).

He continues by assuring these believers that they are "more than conquerors" and that "no one can bring a charge against those whom God has chosen." He crescendos with the startling proclamation that "neither death nor life...nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." In essence, Paul is saying "what's the WORST that can happen to you? Nero lops your head off? As a follower of Jesus, the worst thing that can possibly happen to you in this life is as close to hell as you will ever have to get!"

I am greatly encouraged by this. While I am deeply thankful that I am not facing the guillotine or the lions as many early Christians did, I AM comforted by the reality that no matter what difficulties I experience in this life, they are as close to hell as I will ever come. There is a future that awaits me beyond the grave for which Christ died in my place to secure my future in it. This life isn't perfect and never will be. Even on a day as wonderful as thanksgiving, there are disappointments and difficulties to face. But our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For that we can be extremely thankful. I hope and pray that you are. Any thoughts you'd like to add? Chime in and God bless you....

Could it be.......SATAN?

2009-11-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Saturday Night Live skits of all time was Dana Carvey's character, "The Church Lady". This lovable, spunky and prudish character hosted a make believe show called "Church Chat", where she would frequently allude to the involvement of the devil as the cause of just about anything she perceived to be negative. Her famous line: "Could it be.........SATAN?"

What isn't so funny is that many people believe that Satan is just about as fictional as the Church Lady. When asked what they believe the devil is like, many average Americans would mention cartoonish depictions of a red-horned fellow with a pitchfork and scowl on his face - basically something you dress up as for Halloween. But the Bible paints a very different picture of this sinister evil Being.

Over the next two weeks, I will be teaching a 2-part miniseries at Valley Church called "The Art of War". In it we will explore questions related to the origin and existence of Satan and demons, the relationship of Christians to these spiritual foes and whether or not the unseen princes of darkness are for real - or simply a fairy tale for grown ups.

You may be surprised by the vidid detail given in the Scriptures. Have you ever wondered how much power the devil really has? Have you ever asked yourself if there is anything legit about so-called "deliverance ministers" or "exorcists"? Do you have any opinions on whether Christians should seek to "bind" the devil, as is the practice of some professing followers of Christ? If the devil IS real, what role does he play in your life? Join us as we arm ourselves with the truth of Scripture and become increasingly secure in our relationship with Christ through this crucial 2-part adventure.

We meet SUNDAYS at 9am and 11am, with a third "traditional" service venue at 9am in our student center for those who prefer a more classic style of worship and liturgy. I hope to see you there - and feel free to chime in with your thoughts about spiritual warfare, Satan and demons on this blog...

Blessed are the Persecuted? You've Got to be Kidding!

2009-11-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

So I am getting ready to close out our 8-week series on "The Beatitudes" this Sunday. In case you don't know, these are a series of 8 statements Jesus makes in Matthew 5 at the beginning of his most well-known sermon. They all begin with the words "Blessed are..." As we conclude the series, the final Beatitude is admittedly one of the more intense subjects, where Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."

November 8 was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. While its great that we have a Sunday to remember specifically those who suffer intense persecution, in a way it is sad that we need to set aside a day to remind us to be aware of what we should never forget in the first place - that followers of Jesus were never promised popularity. Even so, this does not mean that we should wear supposed "persecution" as a badge of honor. Allow me to explain...

I have known numerous professing Christians who basically live with a "martyr mind-set". They reason that symptoms like the following somehow "prove" they are suffering for Jesus:

1) having few close friends to share life with
2) people avoiding them when they enter the room
3) dealing with doors being slammed in their face as though they were unwanted vacuum-cleaner salesmen
4) seldom being invited to hold prominent positions in community affairs

While symptoms like these certainly MAY indicate a form of discrimination or rejection, they are often nowhere NEAR what would qualify as real "persecution" by Christ's own statement. Unfortunately, many professing Christians are avoided, excluded or rejected by others NOT because they are being persecuted, but because they are being idiots. They themselves are simply unlikeable people. Whether it's their "cram-it-down-your-throat" approach to evangelism, or their self-righteous attitude toward "sinners", or their unwillingness to really listen and respond to the needs, doubts, questions and criticisms of their neighbors, I am afraid that often what passes as persecution against American Christians is really nothing more than a reasonable reaction to an unloving approach to life and faith.

So what exactly WOULD qualify as legitimate "persecution"? Jesus said that the "Blessed" would be those who are persecuted because of RIGHTEOUSNESS - not the SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS I just mentioned! He continues in Matthew 5:17 to say, "I (Jesus) came to 'fulfill' the Law" - and He goes on in Matthew 5:20 to warn that "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees...you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." That's the MAIN point of the Sermon on Mount. Unlike the philosophy of the Pharisees, Jesus was trying to get people to see that "righteousness" (i.e. being in a "right" relationship with God) cannot be attained by stacking up an impressive resume of good works. And to further drive this point home, He goes on to say that if you LUST, its the same as ADULTERY before God. If you are ANGRY, it's the same as MURDER. If you take an OATH, you are SINNING. If you WORRY, you are not living faithfully.

So many people approach the Sermon on the Mount as though it's message is "Watch out! If you struggle with lust - you're a dirty-rotten sinner! You'd better do such and such....or else!" The REAL point Jesus is making is exactly the opposite! He's trying to get people (especially the Pharisees) to see that "The reason you struggle with lust - is BECAUSE you are a sinner! So don't think that just because you've never physically cheated on your spouse you are innocent!" His point is not "You'd better do this!" His point is "You CANNOT do this! You cannot live up to God's holy standards. Not even the Pharisees (who keep all these hundreds of laws meticulously) can live up to them. That's the bad news. The good news is that I came to 'fulfill' the Law on your behalf. It is a FREE GIFT to you - not something you work to earn or keep."

Jesus later describes this truth about how to be "right" (righteous) before God as a "narrow gate". In other words, the way to God is exclusively through faith in Jesus. Jesus is not ONE of MANY options available on the spiritual smorgas board. Rather, He is the ONLY way to be right with God. THIS is the "righteousness" for which Christians are persecuted legitimately. This is why every time a Christian goes on Larry King or Oprah, they inevitably hear the same question: "So do you actually think that everyone who doesn't believe in Jesus is going to hell?" The question is obviously a rhetorical one, intended to generate a sense that these Christians must be the most back-woods, un-enlightened, old-fashioned, narrow-minded bigots in the universe!

THAT message - the message of "righteousness" through Jesus alone in a relativistic, pluralistic world - is the phenomenon that will bring persecution to His followers. Always has, always will. Paul said that the message of the cross is "foolishness" to those who are perishing (1 Cor. 1:18). It is just a fact - and the challenge I receive from this reality is two-fold:

First, if I am persecuted because of righteousness - because of demonstrating and preaching the exclusive Gospel of Jesus as the only way to be made right with God - then there is nothing I need to worry about. I am "blessed" in knowing that I am being faithful to the message my Savior left me to proclaim.

But there is an equally important second challenge - namely, that while it is OK if people are offended by the message, it is NOT OK if they are offended by the messenger (me). The message is exclusive, but the messenger should not be exclusivistic - thinking it his or her mandate to act like an arrogant, know-it-all, Bible-thumper who won't listen to another viewpoint or become friends with someone outside their church bubble. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. With confidence, there is also ample room for humility. With arrogance, humility is choked out completely.

So as you go about your week, be confident in knowing that if people reject you because you agree with Jesus' claim to be the ONLY Way to God - you are BLESSED. They are not really rejecting you - but rather rejecting the teaching of Jesus. On the other hand, if you are a Christian who is inclined to see yourself as a "martyr" because nobody likes you - take a deep look within and ask yourself, "Are people repulsed by the message OR...the messenger?" If it is the latter, ask God to help you make the changes necessary to let your love speak louder than your words...

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and questions...

Veteran's Day Thoughts...

2009-11-11T00:09:00.000-08:00

Unless you are a close friend or one of my family members, you have never heard of my grandpa. He was a part of America's "greatest generation" - one of those whose blood, sweat and tears helped to launch us into an era of unprecedented blessing and prosperity. Born in 1918, he was raised and socialized in the era of the Great Depression. He served for 4 years as a G.I. in the jungles of Burma during WWII, and after the war, moved his young family to Southern California where he worked as a laborer for the City of Los Angeles.

Growing up, I always saw him as invincible - physically strong and seemingly able to do anything. His battles with anger and alcoholism did not affect my impression of him as one of my greatest heroes in life. Because of him, Veteran's Day has always been a special holiday in my eyes. For me, it is a day to think about grandpa - and all of those who have put themselves in harm's way to protect and preserve our freedoms.

The greatest privilege of my life came two years ago - when I had the opportunity to lead him to a declaration of faith in Christ while on his deathbed at age 89. God so often used him in my life to bring a sense of strength, protection and freedom in the physical realm - and how joyfully ironic that God would use an otherwise inept vessel like myself to lead him to strength, protection and freedom in Christ even as his moments on earth were coming to an end. Working over the years with my mother and siblings to gradually drip the truth of Christ's love into my grandpa's life, he finally received it at the eleventh hour.

The grace of God is like that. On this Veteran's Day week, while we honor our troops both past and present for the freedom they have secured for us - let's also be mindful of the ultimate freedom offered in Christ...a freedom that cannot be taken from us by any adversary in the physical or spiritual realm... Are there any veterans in your life whose strength or courage has inspired you? Feel free to comment on this blog...

More than Flower Power

2009-11-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

Last night my wife and I attended a costume party for our college ministry. We dressed as hippies - complete with bell-bottoms, flowery clothing and peace-symbols. We had a lot of fun, but as people were snapping photos of us flashing the peace sign, it got me thinking...

Peace. What images come to your mind when you read that word? Do visions of laying on the beach, hiking in the woods or snuggling up with a good book on a rainy day describe peace to you? What about getting along with others in your family, world leaders coming together with diplomacy rather than war, or the idea of every hungry child having food in their stomachs? Peace means different things to different people.

We are currently in a series at Valley Church focused on Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5. This coming Sunday, we will be diving into the issue: "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." For followers of Jesus, working for peace goes much deeper than simply helping others learn to get along or share their blessings. To this day, Orthodox Jews will greet one one another with the phrase "Shalom."

Commonly translated "peace", the word "Shalom" means much more. It expresses a desire for God to bestow His very best upon another person - and to be open to being a conduit through which that blessing can flow. It essentially says, "If you need to be uplifted or upheld, you can count on me as long as God supplies." Shalom is the pronouncement of the full orb of God's blessing and the willingness to BE that blessing to someone else.

In light of the Biblical concept of Shalom, what does peacemaking look like in your world? Peace in the realms of political, financial, and relational realms is important - but can those things truly be realized apart from God's people becoming wholistic peace-makers toward others? Please feel free to comment and I invite you to join us this Sunday at 9AM (2 services simultaneous - traditional or contemporary) or 11AM (contemporary).

Should FOX News be Censored?

2009-10-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

It is often a difficult dance for followers of Christ to live with the tension of our dual citizenship. While our primary allegiance is to the present and future Kingdom of God, we also understand (like the Apostle Paul did) that we have an earthly citizenship by which we can influence the direction of affairs on planet earth by our actions, words and convictions.

As Christians whose earthly citizenship happens to be American, we realize that all human governments are deeply flawed - including our own. That is not to say, however, that some systems are not superior to others. That being the case, most of us are aware of the privileges and freedoms we enjoy by comparison with much of the rest of the world. One of those cherished privileges has long been freedom of the press.

Recently, President Obama's administration has attacked FOX News on a number of fronts attempting to de-legitemize them as a news organization. While I don't personally see eye to eye with everything on the opinion shows that air on FOX during prime-time, I have found that their journalism and news shows are as impressive as any network. Anchors and hosts like Shepherd Smith, Brit Hume, Brett Baier, Chris Wallace, Megan Fox, Julie Banderas and their field reporters do a tremendous job reporting - certainly no less impressive than that of CNN or MSNBC.

I question why ANY administration would seem to have such thin skin as to attempt to demonize a news organization for asking hard questions. There were numerous issues over which I disagreed with President Bush, but one thing was certain - I never saw him or his staff attack a news organization who came against him (which most did with regularity - including FOX). When Dan Rather came out with his embarrassing report of what turned out to be phony documents attempting to de-legitemize Bush's military service, I never heard a word of retaliation from the Bush White House.

Reagan frequently bantered with the media, but won many hearts over with his ability to act warmly and humorously with those who opposed him. Even as I study the Nixon presidency (who was in office when I was born), I cannot find evidence that he or his administration demonized the press for their scathing reports.

Former Arkansas Governer Mike Huckabee recently stated his opinion that Obama's apparent inability to handle criticism is evidence of his lack of executive experience. He included that as a legislator, Obama was a deliberator. But as an executive, he is now required to be a decision-maker. And decision-makers must be able to handle criticism.

As a Christian, I do not believe it is fruitful to demonize an individual - including the President, who I am scripturally called to pray for. But I do believe in respectfully debating ideas and philosophies. I don't like to be personally attacked any more than anyone else. But as a leader on a much smaller scale than a President, I DO need to be able to articulate my convictions to those who disagree with me without demonizing them for their differences.

What do YOU think? Does President Obama have thin skin? Does the fact that FOX has a handful of conservative opinion shows (just like CNN and MSNBC go in the other direction) mean that they are not a legitimate news organization? Isn't it a GOOD thing that there are critics on BOTH sides? And isn't that the job of the free press - to make sure that the likelihood of unchecked political power is as minimal as possible? Is Obama criticized MORE than any previous president? Feel free to chime in with your comments and opinions! Let's have a good discussion...

Relax! The Pressure's OFF!

2009-09-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Bible never ceases to amaze me. I was reading the Book of Hebrews - where it says "After he (Jesus) had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven" (Hebrews 1:3). Hebrews is a book about a Priest named Jesus Christ whom - the Book claims - is infinitely greater than any human priest.

Under the Old Covenant Law, the ancient Hebrew priests would serve God in the temple by daily offering sacrifices to Yahweh on behalf of the sinful people. On one particular day each year - the Day of Atonement - the High Priest would sacrifice an unblemished lamb to cover the sins of the entire nation of Israel. When you study the details and practices of the ancient Jewish temple, you will notice that there exist no chairs in the line up of temple furniture.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the priests are always pictured as active - their daily shifts filled with constant work to be done - and no break room to be found on the premises! Not exactly "kosher" by modern labor standards (pun intended), but an important reality. "Why is that important?" you ask? Because of the contrast between that OLD reality and the NEW reality pictured in Jesus Christ.

Just prior to breathing His last on the cross, Jesus reportedly cried out "It is finished" and He physically died. The Book of Hebrews expands on the meaning of that finished work by stating that Jesus "sat down" at God's right hand. This is an incredibly big deal - and one of the major reasons I believe Christianity to be in a class by itself. While other faiths demand a constant focus on righting one's own wrongs (whether it be through penance, karma, observance of the 5 pillars, following the Law, etc.), Jesus alone claims that the work is over and done with.

By "sitting down" after His sacrificial death on the cross - Jesus is making a very clear statement: There is no more work left to be done in terms of pleasing God! If the Bible is true (and I believe it is) then those who trust Christ alone rather than their own self-perceived efforts are already, permanently and irreversibly pleasing to God. The ultimate "High Priest" has ended His work. Christ provided the "once for all" sacrifice that offers a permanently clean state to everyone who asks for it by simply trusting Jesus. This assurance does not come by earning it through good works on the front side - nor proving it through good works on the back side (as many well-intentioned Christians erroneously believe).

This means that as a follower of Jesus - I am free to live for Him without the pressure of mistaking God for a cosmic bill-collector getting ready to fine me for every late or incomplete payment of my debt! The debt has been paid in full! The Judge is completely satisfied. And yet - probably 90% of Christians I meet do not live with this assurance. I would be interested in YOUR thoughts pertaining to these claims.....feel free to comment - and thanks for reading!

The Good Life: The Way to UP is DOWN...

2009-09-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

The Good Life. What does THAT mean? From politics to religion to everyday living - there seems to be no shortage of opinion. The American Dream claims to offer "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." And there's no question in my mind that I am thankful for that American ideal. But is there more to the so called "good life" than whatever individuals make of it? Is there a common "higher order" designed by a "Higher Power" which leads to greater fulfillment than the pursuit of a nice house, well-behaved kids and a retirement plan?

I think there is. And beginning this Sunday at Valley Church in Vacaville - we are going to embark on a journey of discovery. Whether you are a believer or not, we all agree that Jesus made some incredible claims. Among them, Jesus introduced a world view which He said was "not of this world" - a way of experiencing life that is totally upside-down from a culturally defined understanding of success and fulfillment. In this upside-down paradigm, Jesus claimed that the happiest people in the world are the "poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are humble, those who make peace, etc." Does this make any sense? In a brand new 8-week series beginning this Sunday, we will explore the answer to that question...

If you are sick and tired of the path to insanity you've been on - trying the same stuff over and over while vainly expecting a different result - I invite you to join us this Sunday morning. Come explore whether Jesus' path to fulfillment makes sense. Our brand new service times are 9AM (main service AND new traditional video venue running simultaneously) and 11AM (main service with student church for Jr. and Sr. High). Children's programs are available during all services. Hope to see you there - and I welcome your comments in relation to this blog! :)

Off the Deep End? Evaluating the "Miracles" of a Growing Movement...

2009-09-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

I believe in miracles. Let's just get that out in the open. To believe in an all-powerful God who speaks the cosmos into existence is to also believe in a God who can heal diseases, redeem circumstances and supernaturally deliver people. I believe in a gracious, wonderful, compassionate, miracle-working God. Period.

That being said - I am concerned with certain claims being made in a growing movement within Evangelical Christianity related to supposed signs and wonders of a most bizarre sort. The concerns that I am about to raise in this blog may upset you. They may frustrate you. They may infuriate you. But they need to be asked.

One other point of clarification: As an interdenominationally-minded pastor who appreciates and affirms the diversity we enjoy among Christian denominations and movements, I am committed to striving for unity in both the local and universal Body of Christ. I am not known to be a nit-picker with regard to secondary doctrinal differences. I was raised charismatic, educated at a Baptist college, and currently serve in a Heinz-57 denomination known as the Evangelical Free Church of America. I tell you all of this to support the fact that the concerns being expressed are not those of a bitter, narrow-minded critic looking to pick a fight.

My concerns are rooted in the multitude of conversations I have had with individuals who claim that God is - in an effort to manifest His glory - up to certain "miracles" of the most bizarre nature. Among them:

1) "Gold dust" falling out of the air during various indoor worship gatherings

2) Ordinary fillings in poeple's teeth being replaced by solid gold ones

3) Oil (representative of the Holy Spirit) saturating walls in homes & churches

4) Diamonds and other precious gems mysteriously "appearing" in people's beds and sofas (yes, you heard that correctly)

In case you're in doubt, check out this video generated by some associated with an internationally popular movement in Northern California which promulgates these claims:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBWQCyEbbLQ

In fairness, the credit for these so-called "miracles" is usually given to God by their proponents. The human "instruments" from which these miracles flow are often identified as "Apostles" - people through whom God works to manifest these alleged signs and wonders as evidence of the glory of His emerging Kingdom.

While I personally do not believe that Apostles exist today in the same sense as they existed in the New Testament era (one clear reason being that true Apostles were limited to those who personally "saw" the risen Christ with their own eyes - see Acts 1:2-3, 22; 4:33; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:7-9), this is not my major point of contention. I have never sought to be divisive with a fellow pastor or believer who thinks that Apostles exist in the present day. My issue runs a lot deeper than that. My issue has to do with how these so-called miracles square with the very character of God revealed in Jesus.

Am I supposed to believe that a God who allows children to die daily (by the tens of thousands) from malnutrition and preventable disease is somehow trying to convince the world of His glory by making diamonds appear in the beds of white, middle-class Americans? Should I watch unintelligable home-video-quality clips of supposed "rain" pouring down inside of state-of-the-art worship centers with the best video technology available - and believe that this actually happened but was unfortunately only caught on a home video camera? It almost sounds like that ever-elusive Big Foot or UFO sighting that - in spite of our technologically-advanced age - nobody has ever been able to get a clear photo of!

I don't mean to be sarcastic here. I want to see the glory of God manifest throughout the earth as badly as anyone. I want to see the principles and values of Christ's Kingdom lived out through His Church in ever-increasing ways. But I tend to find God's glory manifest in ways which actually mirror the character of Christ rather than contradict it. Among them:

1) Through the mother who fights valiantly to beat the cancer that is threatening to take her away from her husband and children - and yet never curses God in the fight.

2) Through the 10 year old orphan I met in Rwanda who bravely raises his 2-year old sister in the wake of his parents' losing battle with AIDS.

3) Through the evangelist who - rather than going on TV begging for more money - sells all he has and gives it to the poor.

4) Through the student who resists the lure of viewing a college education as a means to material wealth and instead sees it as a way to serve God and humanity.

Is God the kind of God who is so frivolous that He would plant diamonds in the shag of a carpet in a middle class American home? Would he really turn ordinary fillings into gold while seemingly ignoring the cries of the orphaned 10-year old striving for enough daily sustenance to keep himself and his little sister alive? If so, I'm not sure I want to worship that kind of God.

Do I believe God is a miracle-working God? Absolutely. But I need some Biblical, tangible and socially redeeming reasons to believe that unverifiable, undocumented so-called "signs and wonders" like those I described earlier have anything to do with the character or mission of the God I do believe in. I'm a follower of Jesus - not a snake-oil salesmen. I believe God is good whether He chooses to GIVE or TAKE AWAY. The fact that a stubborn heart like mine can submit to that is probably the greatest miracle of all. What do YOU have to say? I'd be interested in YOUR opinion...

Adequately Inadequate? My Journey as a Pastor...

2009-09-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend at Valley Church, I will be formally installed as the church's second Lead Pastor in its 30-plus year history. The thought of such simultaneous honor and responsibility makes me tremble inside, quite frankly. For years I have struggled internally with feelings of unworthiness related to God's calling on my life as a pastor. I don't always feel "spiritual" enough to be a leader of God's people. I sometimes struggle with comparison games between myself and other Christian leaders who I think are more "deserving" or "worthy" than me.

Have you ever felt a nagging sense of insecurity or self-criticism that wouldn't easily go away? Do you ever struggle with perfectionism - feeling like you barely measure up to your own standards, much less what you presume are God's? Some would say that this mind set is a sign of humility - but I'm not so sure. I believe and embrace the fact that God has called me to live at a high standard as an example of Jesus to others. When I fail, it is reasonable that the Holy Spirit would convict me to strive for better. But at the end of the day - I understand that it is GRACE alone by which I stand.

When I came to Jesus, I was a mess. That's why I came to Him in the first place. I recognized my sinfulness and knew I needed a Savior. Then when He called me to ministry, a part of me felt like God must have had the wrong guy. But here I am, 14 years later and more grateful than ever that He has preserved me thus far. Jesus told Paul that His grace was sufficient - and that God's power was made perfect through Paul's weakness. While I strive to follow Jesus in the daily pursuit of love, integrity and peace - I realize that even the little bit of good I might have to offer is because of His grace. I haven't been called to serve Him because I am in any sense "worthy". I have been called because He delights in using underdogs, strugglers and doubters to accomplish the work of His upside-down Kingdom where the first shall be last and the outsiders are invited to feast at the table.

Hopefully, my deep sense of inadequacy will enable me to bring that grace more fully into the lives of those who need God's transforming power. I am definitely a work in progress - and I'm grateful that my Wounded Healer has chosen me to be a wounded healer in the lives of others. To God be the glory, great things He has done...

God: Our Judge, Jury, Prosecutor...AND Defense Attorney?

2009-09-04T21:45:00.001-07:00

I was recently selected to perform my civic duty by serving as a juror. After hearing the case entirely, we engaged in several hours of deliberations as a jury. The most crucial part of weighing the evidence is keeping focused only on the facts and the law - without allowing personal prejudice, emotion or compassion to influence the decision.

In our case, we issued a "guilty" verdict in spite of obvious personal sympathy for the defendant. On the jury were parents, pastors, nurses, professional counselors and a diversity of others who wished we could simply wring this young man's neck for his foolish decisions, and then give him another chance. But that wasn't an option. Our job was to decide his guilt or innocence based on the law. And there was ample evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

That got me thinking about God's role as the judge of humanity. Clearly, even a cursory glance at the Scriptures affirms that humanity is guilty before God for our collective and individual sin. Yet, because of God's relentless compassion toward the guilty party (human beings), He enacted a plan whereby his passionate love AND perfect justice could be carried out at the same time without diminishing or compromising either.

The crucifixion of Jesus is the precise moment in human history when God's wrath against sin and injustice was fully satisfied through Christ receiving the just punishment as our Substitute. This was a mission to which the eternal Son of God voluntarily submitted so that the compassion and forgiveness of God could be freely offered to the whole world - and the guilty could be pardoned through faith in Christ's vicarious death and resurrection.

Some theologians have rightly referred to this transaction as "The Great Exchange" - our guilt for Christ's innocence. And what a deal it is! Imagine if the man our jury found guilty were to hear the following words from the judge at his sentencing: "Young man, you deserve a just sentence for your crime - but my own son has offered to serve your sentence in your place so that you can go free. Your crime will be placed on his record instead of yours, and you will bear none of the consequences." In essence, this is the offer God extends to humanity. He says, "If you want the pardon, it's yours! You've simply got to believe that my offer is real and that I will accept my own son's sacrificial act as full payment for the crimes YOU committed."

That is faith - pure and simple. Trusting in Christ as the only acceptable alternative to paying your own debt. Why do so many people reject this overwhelmingly great offer? There are many reasons - the chief among them being that humanity by nature loves darkness rather than light. But what about you? Have you received the message of the Gospel by faith - or are you still stumbling to light the path toward God with your own flame? Please feel free to comment on your own spiritual journey in response to these thoughts...

The President in the Classroom: Inspiring or Indoctrinating?

2009-09-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

From various reports I have been reading and hearing, our President's Education Secretary has written a letter to school administrators nationwide asking them to participate in the airing of a speech given by President Obama and directed to all children from K-6th grades. As far as I can tell, the gist of the speech will be aimed at encouraging children to stay in school and pursue education as one of the top priorities in their lives. That sounds fair enough in and of itself. One aspect of the nationwide event concerns me, however.

According to online articles I read from both FOX and CNN, the President is asking teachers to also participate in a lesson plan surrounding the event, part of which would include children writing themselves a letter articulating what they can do to help President Obama. If this is true, does anyone besides me feel as though this is a bit creepy, if not un-American? Is it the job of ANY president - regardless of which party they represent - to attempt to assert this level of influence over young children?

I had the privilege of traveling to Cuba for a church-planting and humanitarian relief trip in 2002. One of the most memorable moments was when we visited the platform in Havana where Fidel Castro delivers his famous propoganda speeches. As I stood behind that pulpit, I was overwhelmed by a sense of awe as I got a firsthand feel for just how many onlookers the area could host. In our hotel rooms, our television choices were either a government-owned sports channel or a government-run news channel with constant political indoctrination. Churches were required by law to register with the government - after which they would be assigned an informant to moniter the religious and political views of the pastors and congregants. This, of course, is what forced the massive underground church movement in which we were participating.

I am not suggesting that our President's attempt to connect with school children on a massive scale is anything approaching the kind of radicalism of Cuba. I only raise the concern to ask: "Where do we draw the line?" Would it have been appropriate for President Bush to send a nationwide message to school children followed by a project related to how those kids could "help the president"? Something tells me that such an effort would have ruffled more than a few feathers. This raises as series of additional questions every lover of the free world should (in my opinion) be asking:

1) Why in the first 264 days of an American Presidency have there been 111 televised speeches, town hall meetings and press conferences - more than most Presidents deliver during an entire term of office?

2) How do we tell the difference between an inspirational, revolutionary leader (such as Martin Luther King, Jr.) and an egomaniacal self-promoter with a Messiah syndrome (such as we see in many world leaders today)?

3) Should freedom-loving Americans consider removing their children from school on the day of the President's speech - not because they disagree with the content of the speech itself, but with the concept of a president using the elementary classroom as a pulpit?

I would be interested in what you think! Are my questions absurd? Is there any real need for concern here? Does this say anything about where America is heading for better or for worse? I'd like to know YOUR thoughts. Nobody's here to fight or condemn, so let's have a friendly discussion...

Fellowship: More than Smiles and Potlucks

2009-08-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

If you grew up in or around church, you have probably heard the word "fellowship" used to describe almost any circumstance under which two Christians are in the same room together. While it is true that fellowship takes on varying degrees of depth depending on numerous factors, the Biblical idea is much deeper than simply hanging out with other Christians.

The Greek word for fellowship means "having all things in common". This commonality not only suggests that Christians view themselves as co-equally responsible for taking care of one another's needs, but it also (and perhaps more importantly) crosses into the spiritual and emotional dimensions of life as well.

James 5 talks about "confessing our sins" to each other in order that we might be healed. This healing is essentially wholeness. Dietrick Bonhoeffer wrote about the fact that confession of sin to other believers is often foreign and frightening to modern-day followers of Jesus. In his classic "Life Together" he wrote about why many Christians never experience true fellowship even though they seem to be sincerely looking for it. He says,

"The final break-through to fellowship does not occur, because, though they have fellowship with one another as believers and devout people, they do not have fellowship as the undevout, as sinners. The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinner. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we ARE sinners." (Life Together, Harper & Row, 1954, p. 110).

To re-state this in simpler terms, Bonhoeffer is saying that many Christians are so fearful of rejection - so concerned that being "found out" may bring detriment to their reputation or perceived good standing among other saints - that they instead choose to plaster on a phony smile and pretend all is well. As a pastor, I am convinced that in spite of all of our recent and repeated affirmation of values like "authenticity", "transparency" and "being real", still far too few people experience the benefit of having even one solitary friend in their lives with whom they can be totally and completely honest - confessing their sin and brokenness without fear of rejection.

I remember what life and ministry was like before I had forged a handful of these relationships, and by God's mercy I will never go back to living that way. Do you have someone you can be totally honest with? A same-gender friend who is safe enough not to reject you and honest enough to challenge you? If you feel frustrated with "church" because you don't seem to be getting any real fellowship - perhaps the problem is not with those around you. Perhaps you need to take the initiative to find a person or small group where you can begin to forge this kind of relational intimacy. What are YOUR thoughts? Feel free to chime in...

The Jonah in All of Us

2009-08-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

This Sunday at Valley Church, I am kicking off a 4-week series of messages from the Book of Jonah called "Shipwrecked: A Rebel's Guide to Obedience." As I have been taking a fresh look at this familiar story, I am amazed at the reality that sometimes a Bible story can become so familiar that we cease to be amazed by it.

When I imagine what it must have been like to slosh around for 72 hours in a pool of stomach-acid, dead fish, seaweed and internal organs, my gag reflex is almost triggered just thinking about it! Have you ever been in a situation you thought was your worst nightmare? I have felt that way on a couple of occasions. And yet, as I was thinking through the narrative, I focused afresh on one primary reality: sometimes the storms in our lives - whether self-inflicted or there by no fault of our own - are the blessings we need to help us change directions. The last verse of chapter one goes so far as to say that "The LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah..."

How often do we think of our troubles as something God actually "provides" for us? Probably not often. If you are like me, you sometimes struggle to embrace the idea of blessings in disguise. I mean, you want the blessing - just not the "in disguise" part. If you've ever messed up in life - disobeyed God or even your own conscience - whether big time or in little ways - I invite you to join us for what promises to be a very practical and life-changing trip through one of the most intriguing little books of the Bible!

Valley Church is located at 5063 Maple Road in Vacaville, CA. You can visit us online at www.valleychurch.com. Our gatherings are at 8AM, 9:30AM and 11AM. Hope to see you there - and please feel free to chime in if you want to share your thoughts on this blog!!!

More On the Health-Care Debate...

2009-08-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

On one of my favorite blogs - Scot McKnight's "The Jesus Creed" - I recently responded to a question posted related to whether Obama-care is the right way to address our nation's health insurance problems. I am obviously very strong in my opinion on this, but I am open to being shown that I am wrong. Feel free to read and comment whether you agree or disagree. We're all FRIENDS here! My response was as follows....

"I agree with Skip above. Health insurance is no more a human "right" than owning a house or a car simply because it is difficult to function without them. Health care is a service industry - and while there are numerous problems to fix in our system, going the dismal and disastrous way of Canada and Great Britain is not wise, ethical or freedom-promoting. Ironically, I write these words less than 48 hours after Canada has announced that its health care system is broke and unsustainable!

No artist who graduates from art school is forced by the government to subscribe to a regulated standard for what his or her work can sell for. The market determines that scale. As imperfect as it may be, the free market is the best way to maintain both quality and equality. We are entitled by our founding documents to "life, liberty and the pursuit (not guarantee) of happiness." Nowhere do those documents suggest that we are guaranteed "health, wealth or prosperity."

I am a politically moderate pastor with obvious conservative leanings in this area - and someone who is actively involved in humanitarian and compassion ministries globally. Our church's efforts to alleviate hunger, train workers and plant churches in places like Rwanda, Mexico and the Middle East represent the heartbeat of the church where I pastor. I say that to assure anyone reading this that I am committed to seeing lives transformed by the compassion of Christ through His church and other private means of goodwill. I also affirm responsible but limited government intervention in various ways.

That being said, the government has no place to stand between patients and medical professionals who have spent a multiplicity of years and dollars preparing to be the very best at the art and science of their chosen practice. Even with our multiplicity of imperfections, the United States already has the most compassionate, ethically sound system of medicine in the world. Yes, there is corruption and greed and such - and those are the issues that if stopped will bring costs way down. But under the Hippocratic Oath taken by all doctors in this country, emergency room services cannot be denied to anyone - including illegal aliens. In essence, we already have free health care.

I'd like to also comment on the so-called 47-million uninsured. It is well substantiated in bi-partisan research that if we subtract the number of people who could afford health insurance but choose not to have it, those who already qualify for state or federal coverage but do not take advantage of it, illegal aliens, and those classified as "under-insured" because they choose only to carry catastrophic coverage, the real number is around 15 million. Additionally, upwards of 85% of Americans are happy with their current plan. Am I supposed to be convinced that the 250+ million Americans who are happy with their insurance plan should be forced into a government-run system because of a problem that exists for 15 million? How about fixing the problem for the 15 million without punishing everyone else?

There is a reason that the DMV is less popular than going to the dentist! There is a reason that the postal service is struggling to turn a profit while Fed Ex and UPS thrive. There is a reason programs like Medicaid and Social Security are unsustainable by every bi-partisan report and opinion out there. Simply put, over the long-haul the government cannot manage things as well as the private sector. And I haven't even begun to address any of the ethical atrocities in the language of the current House and Senate bills (which anyone can get online if they're looking for a cure for insomnia)...

Finally, the original question posted suggests there are "30-million of us right now" who are unemployed. This is also patently untrue. Unemployment is at just over 9% of the work force - not the American population. We don't count children, retirees, stay-at-home parents, etc. in that figure. The actual work force is about 130 million. 9% of that leaves us at about 12 million without jobs. Don't get me wrong - this is way too large a number! But there is a huge difference between 30 million and 12 million, for the record. As for solutions - they include a plethora of things from eliminating frivolous malpractice suits, moving from paper-based to an electronic-based system, tax reform, and the list goes on. Please GOD don't let us go down this unethical, disastrous path when there are so many superior options..."

Those are some of my thoughts...what do YOU think?

The Good Old Days (Is There Even Such a Thing?)

2009-08-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Almost everyone who grew up in America has his or her own version of "the good old days." Even if you grew up under less than desirable circumstances, you probably have at least a few cherished memories from childhood. Perhaps a safe place of escape. An activity that allowed you to become lost in healthy creativity. A memory of spending time with a relative or friend. Ahhh...if only we could go back to that moment and put life on "pause".

For me, I grew up very poor. Our family of six lived in a 700 square foot house throughout much of my childhood. My parents struggled to make ends meet. My parents eventually divorced after many years of dysfunction and turbulence in their marriage. Yet as imperfect as life was, I still recount many great memories of those more innocent years. Now when I watch my own kids play, fight and roughhouse, I relive similar moments of when the world was much simpler.

Don't get me wrong - many blessings continue to fill the adult lives of those who are learning the art of thankfulness and contentment. But when I talk honestly with my adult friends, there is among us an overwhelming sense of angst. Life is difficult. At times it seems torturous. Whether we are walking through the fire or empathizing with those who are - we admit that something about this beautiful world is out of whack.

C.S. Lewis said "If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were created for another world." The Bible claims that this planet is Eden-gone-wrong, and suggests that this is why we often live in limbo between joy and sorrow, beautiful and ugly, pleasure and pain. What is so unique about Christianity is that while other faiths claim that humanity can reach up to find God through human effort, Jesus is the exact opposite: God reaching down to humanity.

Perhaps you have never considered this crucial difference. Perhaps you believe that all religions are basically the same. With no intent to offend, I must say that such a claim is both ignorant and insulting to ALL religions. Clearly, religions do NOT all teach the same thing. And among them, Jesus's claims are by far the most distinct. He empathizes with our pain. He enters into the mess we've made in our sin. When someone tells me they can't believe in a God who allows kids to starve to death, I am compelled to remind them that this planet has been endowed with far more than enough resources to care for 10 times the current population. Let's be honest - God has not been the stingy one. If indeed He created us - He has given us more than enough to go around. The annual collective spending on ice-cream in America is enough to provide clean drinking water to the entire continent of Africa. What if the problem is essentially US? What if WE are the reason kids starve to death? I know it's much easier to blame God for this stuff. But what if it's true that He has called US to be His hands and feet - the ones who drill wells and feed the hungry?

Suddenly, when we begin to view the world through this lens, the randomness of life begins to seem far less random! We begin to discern a greater purpose for WHY we have been placed here! As followers of Jesus, WE are ambassadors of a kingdom that is not of this world, and as such we are to implement the compassionate, redemptive and healing work of Jesus until He returns to bring in the fullness of that kingdom. God invites us to be more than just part of the audience watching a cruel story pass us by. He invites us to be part of the CAST of characters in His grand story of redemption - and heroes rather than villains no less! This makes life worth getting out of bed for every day! This changes everything! This allows us to quit wishing we could return to the "good old days" (which never really existed in the first place) and to make someone else's days on earth better than they would be without us! Would you agree? I'm interested to know your thoughts. Please leave you comments! :)

Zestfully Clean!

2009-07-31T06:01:00.000-07:00

The following was written from a youth camp we recently did at Spirit West Coast...

So I'm sitting here at 6 AM waiting for the showers to open at Spirit West Coast in Monterey, CA. In fact, I've been here for almost an hour already - I've got an hour left to wait. I'm not the only nutty one. I recruited several other guys from our camp to sit here with me - ALL waiting for the first hot showers of the day. In awhile, there will be dozens lined up - then hundreds and even thousands throughout the day! It got me thinking about why we crave being clean. I mean, when I am camping, I expect to get dirty, but I still crave the opportunity to feel clean.

I remember being in Rwanda - one of the world's poorest countries - and seeing a little boy being given a bath by his mother out in the wide open. The toddler was ecstatic as his mom washed him in a small plastic basin of hand-carried H2O. Quite simply, no matter what side of the planet we live on, we long to feel clean. You can see where I'm going with this...

It causes me to ask questions about the attractive opportunity we have in Jesus. Unfortunately, man-made religious rules and traditions have smothered Jesus with so much baggage that many people - even professing Chistians - lose sight of the primarly reason we came to Jesus in the first place! We came to get clean. We came for forgivwness. We came not to attach ourselves to more burdens and religiosity. We came to find life and freedom and reconciliation to God. We came to get clean.

Do you know anyone who resists Jesus because their experience with His professed followers has been negative? Its a shame how my life complicates Jesus for others. I don't MEAN to do so. I just sometimes get distracted from the joy available to me in what I've been given by Jesus. When I fail to rest in that joy, I become legalistic, judgmental and prudish. I unintentionally turn people OFF to the Jesus who simply wants to make them clean too. As I sit here now watching dozens of others assemble in line for the shower, I'm reminded of our universal human condition: we all desperately need to be clean. We can only disquise our odor for so long before we must face the fact that we need a shower! If you are a follower of Jesus - why did YOU originally come to Him? If you are not yet a follower of Christ - what's keeping you away?

Is God in Control or In Charge?

2009-07-26T17:44:00.000-07:00

Our Executive Pastor preached a great sermon this past week related to the sovereignty of God. This issue of God's sovereignty has been at the center of debate among Christians for many centuries. In one sense, to be a monotheist of any kind requires a belief in the sovereignty of that Deity. By definition, belief in the existence of only one God implies that no one else is equal to that Deity. But what exactly do we mean by "sovereign"?

Does God literally "cause" everything to happen in this universe? Is evil, sickness, pain and suffering the result of God "causing" it? Or does God "allow" it, while ultimately still guiding the events of the universe toward an appointed end? Certainly God is never surprised or caught of guard by anything. That would be "open theism" - a position I unequivocally reject. But when we say that God is "in control" - what do we really mean? Without clarification, the words "in control" might imply that God is pulling the strings that force babies to die in genocides, or mothers to be raped and die of AIDS, or disabled people to suffer unthinkably.

I believe that God is sovereign. He can do whatever He wills - however and whenever He wills for it to occur. He is "free" in the truest sense of the word - able to act entirely in and of Himself without any influence to hinder or interrupt Him. I think most Christians would agree with this. But is agreeing that God CAN and daily DOES intervene sovereignly in His cosmos necessarily synonymous with believing that He "causes" evil, pain and suffering? For purposes of clarification, would a better term be that God is "in charge"? Those are just a few incomplete thoughts and questions I have on the matter. I'm interested to know...what do YOU think? I'm pretty sure we can solve this in no time if you'll contribute your thoughts (wink, wink)! Please chime in.... :)

Is Socialized Health Care Wise?

2009-07-24T00:24:00.000-07:00

I try to monitor journalism with a discerning eye and ear, and I am assuming you do also. With the recent media spotlight on our President's agenda to socialize health care in America, I have been forced to (again) ask a series of important questions related to this hugely important issue, and to try to cut through the sound-bite rhetoric coming from alarmists on both sides. On some media outlets, commentators are demonizing our president's plan - suggesting that his motives are a calculated and sinister move toward Marxist ideology. Others embrace such an uncritical acceptance of the plan that one would think the Messiah had arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

As a Christian who believes in limited government and human freedom, I struggle with the idea that higher powers (elected or otherwise) should be able to take money from wealthy people to re-distribute it to the poor. To me, stealing is stealing. Yet on the other hand, I believe that whatever limited government we do have must be compassionate and should seek to keep the playing field as level as possible without punishing higher achievers. There seem to be no easy answers here - as much as either extreme would suggest there are.

If this proposed health-care initiative is signed into law, will the lack of a competitive market eventually lower quality of care across the board? It seems to have done so in nearly every other society or spectrum in which it has been attempted. Why is it that - with the rare exception of those seeking alternative or experimental treatments not offered in the U.S. - virtually NO ONE from America leaves the country to seek the services of foreign health care when being treated for serious illness? On the contrary, why do tens of thousands annually travel to America from other countries in search of the excellence of our services and specialists? Certainly our current system is imperfect - but these questions should shed light on where we are by comparison to other developed countries.

I pray for our President regularly - and I have never known a President (whether Republican or Democrat) whose policies I have been 100% in agreement with. So my issue here is not to impugn the motives of our nation's leader. But ideas have consequences. After all, this would be the largest economic and societal re-structuring of America since the New Deal. Only 60 years after F.D.R., we see what a STELLAR job our government has done in managing social security! If they cannot be trusted to manage such as simple retirement strategy, can they really be trusted to manage something as morally nuanced and financially complex as health care? I only hope that our house and senate do not rush this bill through without weighing EVERY potential consequence. I also pray that journalists would begin reporting the details of this plan to Americans in an unbiased fashion - both pros and cons - so that people can contact their representatives to let their voices be heard (well, you can always dream, can't you?).

Other important questions include:

1) Is it true or untrue that health care is a basic human right?

2) What can we learn from the disastrous stories of Canada, Europe and other socialized systems in order to safeguard our own?

3) Is it really honest to claim that people will still be able to "choose" to keep their current insurance plan - if over time the government puts private insurance carriers out of business by drastically under-cutting their prices?

4) And perhaps the most important question - can we really call something a human "right" if the government has sovereign control over it or can take it away at its discretion (say, for example, dictating who gets what services and when)?

I will close with the following and then invite YOUR comments. During ABC's Town Hall meeting awhile back, the President was asked by a woman about her 105 year old grandma. Five years earlier, the grandmother had been told by one specialist that her heart condition wasn't worth trying to "fix" at her age. After a second opinion, she was given a pacemaker and is still thriving at 105. The President was basically asked what would happen in such a situation under socialized health care. Would her mother have been pushed to the back of a waiting line or told "no" in regard to the surgery due to the needs of someone "younger" or more "deserving"? I sat there thinking to myself....where in the heck AM I? Cuba? Nicaragua? North Korea? I never thought I'd see the day when an American citizen would have to ask her President whether her mother would be allowed to fight for her life! What do you think? Is this a hill worth dying on...or a slippery slope that will eventually kill us? Your thoughts?

At Least ONE Thing I Know About You...

2009-07-16T22:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to consider that you are a worshiper? Yes, you. And so am I. It doesn't matter whether we claim to be Christian, Buddhist, Atheist or Agnostic. No matter the color of our skin, our socio-economic background or walk of life. There is one thing we can be sure of about each of the 6.5 billion people on this plant - as well as the billions who have lived before us: We ARE worshipers!

The question is never "do we worship?" The question is "which god or gods do we worship?" Worship in its most simple definition is "the act of ascribing supreme worth to someone or something." Some people relate this way to their money - or the stuff their money can buy. Others worship their power, fame or influence. Still others worship their bodies, their egos or their dogmas. And of course, many worship a vast array of competing religious deities.

Perhaps you've never stopped to take a long, detailed inventory of what YOU deem as worthy of ascribing supreme value. There is a Catholic retreat center near where I live that I enjoy visiting a couple of times each year. When I go there, I try to spend at least several hours - if not the entire day - in silence. One of the things I challenge myself with during these miniature silent retreats is to evaluate my worship, because as I already stated, it is not a matter of WHETHER - but of WHAT or WHO - I am worshiping at any given season of my life.

As a pastor, I wish I could boldly state that I live every day in unequivocal allegiance to the God of the Bible. But the truth is, I battle daily against some combination of selfishness, greed, lust, pride, arrogance, judgmentalism, etc. There are so many "gods" in the smorgas-board of life that the battle can seem overwhelming at times. For example, I realize that the greatest things in life are not things - and yet I can easily find myself feeling jealous or coveting someTHING that I wish I had.

Fortunately for the Christian, the God we worship understands our brokenness - and rather than kicking us to the curb, has decided to be patient and compassionate with us, sending Jesus to forgive our countless sins and shortfalls. It's that kindness that makes the Christ-follower WANT to continue on in the journey toward becoming gradually more like Jesus. Living in the confident reality that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more OR less than He does at this very moment takes a lot of pressure off - freeing us to be able to get up and try again and again when we fall short.

It is largely this depth of mercy and grace that drove me to conclude that Jesus IS the God exclusively deserving of my worship. He is the only God I know of who has come to planet earth to rescue us. Many popular religions seek to explain how humanity can reach UP to find Deity or higher consciousness (through human effort, discipline, good deeds, etc.). But in Christ we find the exact opposite. In Jesus we find God reaching DOWN to humanity - loving us exactly the way He finds us - and loving us WAY to much to simply leave us that way.

This weekend at Valley Church, we will be closing out our 6-week series from the Book of Acts called "Vintage: Ancient Values for a Relevant Faith". And our topic is - you guessed it - worship. We will be learning from a CRAZY story in Acts 16 about 2 guys who get the crap beat out of them, are falsely accused, and thrown into prison. Yet rather than becoming bitter or angry, we find them chained in the darkness of their cells...praying and singing songs to God. What gives a person the ability to trust and rest in God on the worst day of his or her life? Come find out this Sunday by joining us at one of our three gatherings...8 AM, 9:30 AM or 11 AM. And feel free to chime in with your thoughts related to this blog!!!

Did Michael Jackson's Memorial honor Jesus?

2009-07-07T23:44:00.001-07:00

On the way home from work, I heard a Bay Area radio personality entertaining the question "Did Michael Jackson's memorial service bring honor to Jesus or make a mockery of Him?" Knowing that we had DVR'd the service in order to watch it this evening, I was even more interested after hearing the diversity of opinion from callers.

As I watched the memorial, I was again reminded of what an incredible talent Michael Jackson brought to his art. Love him or hate him, he was simply the best - from a talent perspective - in his genre when he was at his prime. As I listened to the spiritual content, I heard many of the familiar comments I hear at memorials coming from those desiring to comfort and be comforted. Stuff like "He's in a better place" and "Michael's smiling down on us" and "We needed him, but God must have needed him more".

Those sentiments aren't bad. In fact, they are very good - and they prove one thing for sure: When we are grieving the loss of a significant other, we all reach for that hope of a hereafter. Even the most devout atheist - when confronted with losing a loved one - will often admit that they at least momentarily consider the possibility of an afterlife. Is this just wishful thinking? Or perhaps is it a part of an ordered creation - as one philosopher called it "a God-shaped hole" in the heart of every human - that is placed there by the Creator and a restless void within us never settled until we find our rest in the knowledge of that very God?

When Jesus' closest friends were worried about His impending death, He assured them with the following words: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6). These words came just after He had encouraged them with a promise that He was going to Heaven ahead of them to prepare a place for them - and by extension to every other Christ-follower who would come after them.

Was Michael Jackson a follower of Christ? I know he had early childhood roots in the church and Gospel music. I know he was very generous in his quest to help the helpless worldwide (something the Bible calls "pure and undefiled" religion). But a follower of Jesus? I'm not sure. In his worst moments, he certainly didn't seem like one. And yet, his fame made certain that his worst moments were plastered everywhere for the world to see. Which one of us who considers himself or herself to be a follower of Jesus would want our WORST moments laid open before the entire world to see?

God's love certainly covers a multitude of sins. The salvation issue is not about who lives the squeakiest-clean life. The issue boils down to whether or not those sins are forgiven. And according to Jesus Christ, that forgiveness is only available through TRUST - or as the Bible puts it, FAITH - in His redeeming work on the cross. I don't know if Michael Jackson truly understood God in this way. But God knows. And in answer to the question "Did the memorial bring honor to Jesus?" I answer with an emphatic YES! Any time the culture is talking about Jesus, it is a time for His followers to engage in the conversation - and when we do it graciously and wisely, it brings honor to Him.

I would like to know your thoughts on this cultural phenomenon we know as the death of Michael Jackson. Feel free to chime in if you have an opinion or question......

For God so Loved the Terrorists?

2009-06-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

If Osama Bin Laden were to release a video with tears in his eyes, expressing that he had recently committed his life to following Jesus, denouncing his previously violent interpretation of religion - and asking for forgiveness from every individual and family his network had terrorized and harmed - how would you respond? Sound too ridiculous to even consider?

This Sunday at Valley, we will learning from a true story in the Book of Acts which is not too far removed from that scenario. In this case, the terrorist's name was Saul of Tarsus - a deeply religious man who for several years was a key mastermind behind the terrorizing and killing of many early Christians. You can imagine how the early disciples and leaders of Christianity must have felt when when this man approached them claiming to have had a radical conversion to Jesus and to His way of love rather than violence and hate...

"Fellowship" is a radical concept - radical in the right sense of the word. When Christians find themselves in fellowship with one another - they view themselves as standing on a level playing field at the foot of Christ's cross. They realize that they are equally valuable, equally forgiven, and equally grateful for the goodness of God in their lives. How in the world was it possible that a group of individuals who had suffered so significantly at the hands of Saul's evil agenda were now able to fully accept him into their spiritual family? Could you find the strength to do such a thing? Would you even consider this a sign of strength? Come hang out with us this Sunday at one of our three gatherings (8AM, 9:30AM or 11:00AM) to learn more - and feel free to chime in with your thoughts right here at Raw and Relevant!!!

Professional Christians? Where is THAT in the Bible?

2009-06-24T00:09:00.001-07:00

When you look in the mirror, do you see a minister? If you are a follower of Jesus, you do! Unfortunately, when many people think of "minister" - they envision someone in a white collar who preaches sermons and officiates wedding and funerals. But Jesus and the Apostles taught that all Christ-followers are ministers.

It's true that there are some who are called to vocational ministry (such as pastors, evangelists, etc. - see Ephesians 4:11-13) but the term "minister" simply means "servant". Have you ever found it strange that in Western Culture we have professionalized the ministry so much that many churches in search of hiring a pastor will focus on higher education before things such as "character and calling." I'm not downing education. I have a degree in Bible and Theology myself. It's just that I wonder if our view of "the ministry" is a bit skewed...

In Acts 4, there's a cool story about Peter and John being dragged in to face a panel of judges who wanted to interrogate and threaten them related to their spreading the message of Jesus all over Jerusalem. It's interesting that the text says the council was "astonished" at their courage because they knew them to be "unschooled, ordinary men." Evidently these guys couldn't figure our how non-credentialed ordinary fishermen who were not "religious professionals" could be leading such a vast and growing movement.

It goes on to say that the only thing they knew for sure is that these men had "been with Jesus." Can you imagine? What a compliment! Peter and John were not qualified as ministers because they were educated in a prestigious seminary, or had come from the right family line. Rather, their sole qualification was that they had the influence of Jesus all over their lives!

My prayer is this: "God - help me never to become a 'professional minister'. When people get to know me, may they say ONE thing about me above all else - that they can tell I spend a lot of time with Jesus."

After washing His disciples' feet in John 13, Jesus said, "As I have loved you (through servanthood) so you should also love each other...." Granted, personally spending 3 1/2 years with Jesus would have topped any seminary education. But at the end of the day, these guys were still just blue-collar types who learned as they served. Join us this Sunday at Valley for "Vintage - Part 3" as we discover why ministry is something we are ALL called to.....and feel free to chime in with your thoughts related to this right here at Raw and Relevant!

The End of the World as We Know It?

2009-06-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

Upon rolling out of bed earlier this morning, I turned on the news - switching back and forth between FOX and CNN. Riots continue in Iran over the alleged "rigged" election. A rogue North Korean vessel believed to be headed for Singapore and suspected of transporting illegal nuclear devices is about to be intercepted by the USS John McCain. The hunt for Bin Laden drags on in Pakistan. The U.S. prepares to "fight" a dragging economy by burying our children's financial future under $12 trillion (yes, trillion) in deficit spending over the next 10 years. The unemployment rate begins to approach double digits...and taxes are being INCREASED across the board. It makes a person wonder if whether our house and senate members ever sat through even the most basic course in free market economics.

As a follower of Jesus, I'm not immune from wrestling with angst over these realities. I trust that God is in charge, and yet I long for a world where peace is the rule rather than the exception. I long for a world where individuals voluntarily take care of one another's needs rather than relying on the government to do so. I long for a planet where racism is replaced by equality, and where God's kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

Herein lies the paradoxical reality of following Jesus. We live with the tension that on the one hand, a form of the "kingdom" of God is already present and is being manifest through Christ's Church bringing grace and healing to the sinful and wounded. On the other hand, those of us who take the Bible at face value realize that as history unfolds, God's Word predicts increasing wickedness rather than righteousness leading up to the return of Jesus. Jesus said that as the end approaches, "nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom." Paul wrote that in the last of the "last days", people would become more violent and self-serving than ever. I have always wrestled with the reality that Jesus' reign was inaugurated at His first coming, will be consummated at His second coming - and WE live in the "already but not yet" phase of it all. There is so much possibility for peace and healing right NOW if people would but turn to Jesus and follow Him. Yet both Biblical prophecy and common-sense observation suggests that things aren't improving - and won't get drastically better on earth until Jesus comes again.

I would be interested in knowing where YOU stand. What do you think?

Evangelism - How Scary is THAT?

2009-06-16T11:08:00.001-07:00

Whether you consider yourself a follower of Jesus or not - "evangelism" can be a scary word. For many Christians, the idea of sharing the message of Jesus with people can be paralyzing. Questions tremor in our minds. "What if I say the wrong thing? What if I get rejected? What if I come across as being a hypocrite?" and so on.

For the non-follower of Jesus, the word evangelism might envoke thoughts of cheesy TV preachers trying to rope you in so they can get your money. Or it may remind you of that fundamentalist uncle who always seems to be trying to cram Jesus down everybody's throat.

The reality is, evangelism simply means "spreading the good news". In one sense, everybody is an evangelist. Most normal human beings enjoy sharing "good news" with their friends and neigbhors. An MRI reports good results. An estranged child finds his or her way home. A person's neighborhood narrowly misses being enveloped by a forest fire. Good news - from the miraculous to the mundane - is something we like to share.

Unfortunately, sometimes Christians do a poor job communicating the good news of Jesus. As a pastor who talks about Jesus all the time, I regret that I have failed MANY times to accurately represent Him. This week at Valley, we will be diving into an incredible story to discover what evangelism is - and isn't. I invite you to join us for part or all of our current series "Vintage: Ancient Values for a Relevant Faith." I would also be interested in hearing about your experience with this scary word....evangelism....

What does CHURCH mean to You?

2009-06-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

What do you think of when you hear the word "CHURCH"? Do images of fire-breathing pulpit-slammers and holy-rolling emotionalism come to mind? How about painfully boring and predictable repetitions of creeds and slogans? Have you ever been sitting in church and asked yourself the question: "Is this REALLY what Jesus had in mind?" What exactly to they mean by the term "church SERVICE" anyway?

No matter what your past experiences, I think Jesus DID have something different in mind. And while no church is perfect - and some traditions CAN be very Biblical and helpful in spiritual development - it is my opinion that there are a few things a person should look for in choosing a solid church.

First, a person should be concerned with whether a church passionately and faithfully preaches and teaches the Bible - and specifically the GOSPEL of grace.

Secondly, a solid church will be concerned with playing a significant role in God's universal CHURCH in the local community and the world. The early church gave much attention to caring for one another's needs as brothers and sisters in Christ - building one another up and "spurring each other on toward love and good deeds."

Thirdly, one should be concerned with whether the church in question has a clear passion for impacting the CULTURE - rather than fearfully circling the wagons and retreating into a realm of separatism. In other words, a Biblical church should strive to be IN but not OF the world-system, taking every opportunity to bring the life-changing hope of the Gospel to the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of everyone without prejudice.

In his great book "The Radical Refomission", Mark Driscoll points out the crucial need for local churches committing to this triune focus on the GOSPEL, the CHURCH and the CULTURE - and spells out the consequences of leaving one or more out of the picture. Driscoll argues that when Christians focus on....

GOSPEL plus CULTURE while ignoring the CHURCH - we get parachurch ministry. This is not to say that all parachurch ministries fail to work in partnership with or as arms of the local church. He simply points out that many parachurch ministries don't last because they are formed as rebel movements against perceived or real failures within the organized local church rather than initiating reform from within.

He then adds that when we focus on....

CULTURE and CHURCH without the GOSPEL - we get liberalism. Theological liberalism has all but destroyed many once-vibrant mainline denominations. By neutering the Gospel of the miraculous and the eternal, it becomes little more than a network of social do-good efforts aimed at meeting temporal needs. Christ's words then take on special significance when He said, "What good will it profit a person to gain the whole world (materially speaking) and yet lose his own soul?"

Finally, he adds that when a church focuses on....

CHURCH and the GOSPEL while ignoring CULTURE - we get fundamentalism. Modern Christian fundamentalism is that movement which began in the early 20th century as a response to the rise of secular humanism. Honorable in its original intentions, the fundamentalist movement has often become a culturally-irrelevant band of complainers who can scarcely appreciate any beauty or truth in anything outside of their own circles and angrily condemn the very sinners Jesus came to save.

At Valley Church, we aim - however imperfectly - to care deeply about all three of these realities. Proclaiming the Bible and the Gospel it reveals, meeting the needs of one another as best we can through generous love, and caring about the culture so much as to seek to live out Christ's kingdom values over and against the myopic selfishness of secular society. I'm sure a person could pick apart 100 different ways in which we are failing to achieve these goals at any given time. But we ARE trying - and will continue to try by the grace of God.

As beggars at the door of God's mercy, we at Valley are being transformed into grateful followers of Jesus day by day. I would invite you to come join us beginning this weekend at one of our three gatherings - 8am, 9:30am or 11am on Sundays - 5063 Maple Road in Vacaville. Who knows? You might just begin to start entertaining a POSITIVE concept of "church" to replace the one you now live with. I'd also be interested to know your opinion about "church" as you see it. Feel free to chime in....

Vintage Faith in a Cutting-Edge World

2009-06-06T23:09:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to begin a brand new teaching series at Valley on June 14. It's called "Vintage - Ancient Values for a Relevant Faith." In relation to that series, I've asked a few people, how they would complete the following sentence: "If I could change or improve my church, I would......." Then I ask them to think beyond the programs and events they are currently involved in or benefit from. Think beyond the personalities they interact with. D.L. Moody is said to have prayed the following on a regular basis: "God, my generation has yet to see the impact of just one man wholly committed to Jesus. Let me be that man!" What if this was the prayer of an entire church? What if - by learning from the Book of Acts - we surrendered ourselves more completely to BEING the hands and feet of Jesus? I invite you to come hang out with us beginning June 14. Let this be the summer God radically changes your perspective.....

Show Me the Money!

2009-05-19T15:37:00.001-07:00

This weekend I am preaching on the subject of giving and generosity. Sadly, speaking about handling money is one of the most unpopular topics for pastors to preach on. Often if we touch the subject at all, we do so with the awkwardness of a 16-year old chess club member asking a cheerleader to the junior prom! And the televangelists don't help us any. Many people filter their views about Christianity through the skewed lense they see in the Big-Haired, Rolex-wearing, Benz-driving guys begging for money on TV. Please understand, I'm not judging you if you drive a Benz or wear a nice watch.....unless you are simultaneously begging for money!

Back on topic, the reality is that generosity (with our money, talent and time) is a deeply spiritual issue and is addressed in hundreds of places in the Bible. Yet (along with "Hell" and the Book of Leviticus) generosity is usually one of our least favorite subjects. This should not be so! As the soon-to-be-installed new lead pastor of our church, it is my responsibility to teach the whole counsel of God - both the comfortable and the uncomfortable. You might be thinking, "Isn't that a dangerous thing to tackle before you've even been officially installed - especially in the midst of an economic recession?" My answer would be "NO WAY!" (C'mon, I recently taught a 4-week series on SEX - and nobody ran me off for that!)

Next month, our church will celebrate the 30th year of ministry of our founding pastor - and shortly thereafter he will hand the ball off to me. I am humbled by this and reminded of what life was like 30 years ago when he began at Valley Church. America was facing deep economic recession, the wake of an unpopular war, and the heat of moral upheaval generated by the 1960's and 70's. (Does any of this sound familiar?). And through it all, Valley has become one of the most influential and impacting churches in our city. Ultimately it has been all God's doing. But God works through people! Specifically, people who learn to be increasingly generous with the precious resources God loans to us in this life - our time, talents and treasure. Our founding pastor never let the challenges of the day quench his faith in God's ability to do great things - and I pray for that same grace for myself and the people who join with me on the next leg of our journey!

If you don't have a church, come join us this week at Valley or visit us online at www.valleychurch.com. And keep checking back for our new web site coming soon!

Tolerance for Everyone....except Christians?

2009-04-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the controversies stirring in California over the recent passing of Prop 8, and the current debate over HR 1913. The former was the passage of a law defining legal marriage in California as only being recognized between a man and a woman. This of course brought much outrage from those on the political and ideological left. The latter relates to criminalizing the advancement of any negative opinion regarding the gay lifestyle, defining almost any such expression as “hate speech.”

Why are the self-proclaimed prophets of tolerance in California’s political far-left so ardent in their desire to suppress freedom of speech among those who view homosexual behavior as a moral issue rather than an issue of civil rights? It is a question worth investigating.

In one sense, I can affirm their distrust of much of what they’ve seen from organized religion. While I don’t believe the vast majority of Christians are hateful toward homosexuals, there have been a handful in the vocal minority of self-professing religious people who have written and spoken some very ugly, un-Christlike things about fellow human beings who practice a gay lifestyle. Unfortunately, the arrogance and vitriol of this vocal minority has discredited many of those who disagree with the homosexual lifestyle but desire to engage in respectful, honest dialogue over the issue.

Theoretically, HR 1913 could criminalize any effort to publically teach that homosexual behavior is wrong or immoral according to the Bible. This means that pastors, teachers and other Christian leaders could be prosecuted for a hate crime simply for publically affirming their disagreement with homosexual behavior based on Biblical convictions.

Whatever a person’s view on the issue of homosexuality, a legislative maneuver like this should cause all red-blooded Americans significant outrage. Case in point: as a Christian myself, I realize that most self-professed followers of Christ are not the archaic, right-wing bigots they are frequently caricatured as in much of the media. Yet while I disagree with those generalities, I will ALWAYS defend a person’s right to say it. The same laws that protect my right to read and teach the Bible as I see it also protect the right of others to insult me.

As I alluded to above, the key issue in this debate is that homosexuality has become accepted by many as a civil rights issue as opposed to an ethical one. Many would argue that even though honest scientists admit that the jury is still a long way out regarding whether homosexuality is a chosen behavior versus a natural orientation, gays and lesbians are being given the status of actual minorities who DO deserve protection against slanderous hate speech provided in civil rights laws.

As a pastor, I am certainly against public defamation of particular individuals. In my opinion, no law-abiding citizen should be personally targeted for any act of intimidation or harassment for any reason – especially by someone who claims to be a Christian. However, to attempt to incriminate a Christian leader for teaching that homosexuality is one of a myriad of sinful behaviors in the world seems unconscionable. What do you think?

Relationships and Random Kindness

2009-03-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in Peet's coffee on a Saturday morning waiting for a friend to arrive. As I wait, I'm engaged in one of my favorite pasttimes: people-watching. I know its rather nosey, but when I see people walk in for their morning cup of caffiene, I'm astutely aware that each of these people have a story as unique as their DNA.

As a pastor, I'm constantly thinking about how our individual stories intersect with God's Story - the unfolding drama of his love affair with mankind. Sometimes I wish I had the ability of Jesus to be able to see into the recesses of a person's heart so as to know exactly how to encourage them. However, while I am a human being like Jesus, I don't have the God-thing going for me. Therefore, I am bound by the need to engage in relationships in order to befriend someone on this deeper level.

The need for building relationships runs against the grain of our "efficiency-centered" worldview. From a human perspective, caring enough to build relationships is not effecient for several reasons. For one thing, time is a factor. Investing in another person relationally takes time and patience - requiring much more effort than drowning our hours away in front of a computer or TV screen. A second factor making relationships inefficient is the limit of our own capacities. A friend of mind describes this reality in terms of Legos. As finite humans, we have a limited number of connectors. Once our capacity to connect fills up, we simply don't have room for new connections - at least not deep ones.

Yet I think this is OK. Jesus modeled this for us in that while He was Almighty God, He voluntarily limited Himself as a human. Jesus only had a handful of really close friends. Yet, He multiplied His ministry through that handful of friends to the extent that 2000 years later, 2.3 billion people claim allegience to Jesus. This is good news for us in our finiteness! Jesus said that we are His body and that each of us plays a vital role in relationally investing in those for whom He gave His life!

Don't be discouraged if you don't feel "efficient" enough to have a million deep relationships. Just make sure you're loving well those already in your life - and be open to God bringing more along in His timing. Look for little ways to bless those who God puts in your path. Secular culture calls this "random acts of kindness". Followers of Jesus see it as "divine appointments" - believing that no encounter with another human being is random.

Even as I write this blog from my cell phone, the friend I was supposed to meet has not shown up. Yet, it's no accident that I'm here. What you don't know is that the writing of this blog has transpired over the course of more than an hour. In that time, I ran into some old classmates from Bible College that just "happened" to be cruising through town. Then a "random" lady named Brenda walked up to my table a few minutes later and said she was a Christian and that she felt God had laid a message on her heart that she felt compelled to tell me. I invited her to tell me and she spoke the following:

"I feel that God wants you to know that you are going to be a spiritual shepherd to many people - and that God sees the way you've served Him with joy, even through difficult times. He is going to use you to rebuild the broken lives of others and to lead many into a deeper understanding of Jesus. God wants you to know that He notices your service and desires to richly reward you. I don't know if that makes any sense to you, but I felt that God wanted me to tell you that." I was blown away by this woman's words. She doesn't even know me, yet steps out of her comfort zone to encourage me. She had no clue that I'm about to take on a new role as the point leader of our church. After 14 years in youth ministry and heading into the simultaneous thrill and insecuruty of leading a church - her words could not have made MORE sense!

So I sit here at Peet's, aware more than ever that even when an appointment fails to show up, I was here for a reason. I'm not typically one of those types who places much credence in so-called "messages from God". But this one was biblical, delivered humbly and precise to the situation at hand. I thank God for strengthening my own faith today through Brenda. She was His mouthpiece in this divine appointment - reminding me that nothing is ever random with God! I'm thankful that the fear of inefficiency didn't stop her from stepping out in faith to encourage a "random" guy blogging on his cell phone at Peet's coffee on a Saturday morning. Now go BE that divine appointment in someone else's day!

On Being a Dad

2009-03-09T23:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had the priviledge of hanging out with my boys while April was out with some friends. I love having "boys night" with them whenever possible. One of the great blessings of being a dad is what it has taught me about God.

As a very imperfect father, my love for my boys is unconditional. Even when I have to discipline them, it never changes how I essentially view them. No matter their struggles, disobedience or mistakes, I am relentlessly committed to loving them. They don't have to "do" anything to make me proud. They just "are". After I put them to bed, I went in to check on Jake. Just watching him sleep and breathe makes me grateful to be his dad.

If my love as a flawed human being is so vast for my kids - its no wonder Paul wanted the Ephesians to grasp how "wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge..." (Eph. 3:18-19). The love of a perfect heavenly Father is infinitely greater than any love that could possibly flow out of my heart. If you are feeling defeated or deflated today, turn to Jesus. He is not waiting to condemn you, but to rescue you from whatever is keeping you from deep relationship with God - whether sin or doubt or failure or flaw - He loves you.

Sex in Church?

2009-02-28T00:51:00.000-08:00

I'm in the middle of teaching a 4-week series at church called "The Naked Truth - God's Design for Sex and Intimacy." Does learning about sex in church seem weird or awkward to you? When you think of Christians and sex, do you automatically think "prudish, outdated and close-minded"? A lot of people I talk to seem to think that way.

I get bummed when I think about the fact that as Christians, we believe in the God who created sex and blessed humanity with such a powerful gift - and yet for one reason or another, people think we are anti-sex. Granted, this gift has been abused and disrepsected by masses - but it remains a gift. In fact, the very first command in Scripture is "Go have sex!" (OK, God actually says to Adam and Eve "Be fruitful and multiply" - but He wasn't talking about planting an orchard!).

Why does sex get so complicated? What does a 2000-plus year old book like The Bible have to say to an advanced culture like ours about an issue so complex? I'd be interested to know your opinion......is church an appropriate place for an in-depth discussion about.....uh.....boom-chicka-wah-wah? Come hang out with us Sundays for the next four weeks and decide for yourself....

Here are the topics...
Week 1 - The Word on Sex - What the Bible actually DOES teach.....
Week 2 - Straight talk to the Ladies - That's what SHE said....
Week 3 - Straight talk to the Dudes - Listen up, fellas!
Week 4 - The Healing Path - Hope for the sexually wounded....

My New Friend Dave

2009-01-30T21:05:00.000-08:00

I just spent a week in Franklin, TN, with a team of creative people I'm privileged to serve with called The Write Group. Together, we help craft cutting-edge materials to help youth workers use music and media to teach students about God. These materials are designed and published by a company called Interl'inc. You can check them out at http://www.interlinc-online.com/.

I've been writing for Interl'inc for over 6 years now, but this was my first year joining The Write Group at their annual gathering. Part of the fun of hanging out with creative people is that it fuels my creative juices. One particular blessing was meeting a guy named Dave who has been a part of this group much longer than I have.

When you first meet Dave, he is an unassuming presence with a mild personality. Over the course of our week together, I began to learn about various aspects of Dave's creativity. He is a bi-vocational pastor, artist, father and husband who loves God and others deeply. If you are an artist who desires to use your talents to glorify Christ, check out his site at http://www.amokarts.com/ for some great inspiration!

Turn or Burn? The Meaning of Repentance...

2008-12-29T14:48:00.000-08:00

In a sermon I recently preached, I mentioned that the verb "to repent" does not mean "to turn from sin" or "reform one’s lifestyle" as many preachers and teachers have taught for some time. It is my conviction that this definition of repentance is more closely tied to ancient Roman Catholic ideas than it is to a biblical understanding of the word. I too was raised with idea that repentance means "making a 180-degree turn from sin toward righteousness." In fact, this definition of repentance is so prevalent among many evangelical Christians, that it often comes as a shock to people when I question it.....

The Greek verb "to repent" is metanoeo - a compound from meta (meaning "to change") and gnosis (meaning "mind, perspective or knowledge"). Etymologically, the biblical definition of the verb "to repent" is clearly "to change one’s mind or perspective." The etymology of a biblical word is always where we begin our journey in seeking to understand its meaning.

Once we have identified this, we then begin to consider the various ways in which the word or concept is used Scripturally - since context ultimately determines meaning. It is clear that Scripture sometimes links repentance to a turning from sin. For example, the rough Hebrew equivalent of the Greek metanoeo is used to describe the Ninevites who "repented" at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3). There is no doubt that turning from sin can accompany repentance. The big question is whether or not "repentance" and "turning from sin" are in fact. synonymous. This may sound like a technicality, but it is hugely significant in our understanding of the true Gospel of grace.

Much of the debate over "repentance" revolves around two theological "camps" within evangelicalism – The "Lordship Salvation" camp and the "Free Grace Salvation" camp. I once vigorously supported the former, and have since moved toward the latter as I’ve come to what I believe is greater clarity on these matters.

The Lordship Salvationists claim that "repentance" (defined as "turning from sin and surrendering to Christ as Master and Lord) is synonymous with what they call "saving faith." The most outspoken proponents of this view over the past 20 years include teachers like John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Kenneth Gentry and others.

Free Grace salvationists like myself point out that if "turning from sin" were a requirement or ingredient of authentic "saving faith" - this would combine works as part of the Gospel, making Christianity essentially no different from any other legalistic religion. The Lordship theologians (most of whom come from a hyper-Calvinist viewpoint that I once espoused) get around this by their conviction that since salvation includes nothing of the will of humans, then "turning from sin" cannot be considered works-based salvation. In other words, since God essentially "forces" the turning from sin and submission upon the elect individual as a work of his elective process, it’s not really the human "turning" of his own volition – and therefore cannot be considered a human "work."

The bottom line is that the New Testament word "repent" literally means "a change of mind." It is always desirable that a change of lifestyle would accompany biblical repentance. This is why in the very first occurrence of the word in the New Testament, John the Baptist challenges the religious Jews to "produce fruit in keeping with (their) repentance" (Matt. 3). If repentance were synonymous with a changed lifestyle as Lordship Salvationists claim, then John’s words would seem a rather redundant since he in essence would be saying "change your lifestyle in keeping with your changed lifestyle." Clearly, it seems more reasonable to define repentance for what the word actually means rather than reading a pre-conceived theological idea into it that was not originally there. A change of lifestyle can (and should ) accompany a change of perspective about God and Jesus and life – but it is dangerous to imprecisely use these terms in relation to the Gospel. If there is anything we MUST get right as Christians – it’s the Gospel!

When someone exercises faith in Christ (which the Scriptures repeatedly teach is the sole condition for salvation) - in essence, that person has repented by the true definition. They have changed their perspective. They have gone from unbelief to belief – from not trusting in Christ’s finished work on the cross to trusting in Him alone for their rescue. However, if repentance (defined as turning from sin) is part of the Gospel offer - then it is no Gospel at all and no different from the basic ideas of Islam, Mormonism or any other legalistic faith.

When Paul was asked "What must I do to be saved?" he thunderously responded "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!" (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus and the Apostles were united on this point - and we would be also. In his first edition of The Gospel According to Jesus, John MacArthur makes the terribly inaccurate statement "True faith is humble, submissive obedience." (p. 140). I have benefitted from many of the works of Dr. MacArthur and those who espouse his views, and I choose to believe that he was not trying to be deliberately dishonest when he wrote this and other shocking statements like it throughout his book. But this is at best a gross error in understanding what biblical faith is. To be fair, MacArthur softened his words in subsequent revisions of this book.

The Bible repeatedly affirms that changing one’s perspective (repentance) often involves turning from sin. Often the very change of perspective itself is related to the emptiness of living in sin as opposed to living for God. It is also commanded and desirable that all people – including believers – exercise a lifestyle of repentance (which would include, but not be defined as "turning away from a sinful lifestyle wherever possible and living for God.") There are often horrible earthly consequences connected to living in rebellion against God.

I will conclude this brief analysis by stating that I am mindful of the fact that many sincere brothers and sisters in Christ disagree over this issue of the meaning of repentance. While I am presently convinced of my understanding as opposed to the "Lordship Salvation" camp, I respect much of what those theologians have articulated in other areas of theology. Which ever position you lead toward, I invite you to share your thoughts with me on this blog.....

Blessings,
Pastor Jeremy

Reflecting on Christmas and New Year's Resolutions

2008-12-26T00:19:00.000-08:00

It's after midnight - and Christmas day is officially over for 2008. My kids are in bed, and I'm longing to follow suit. As I reflect on the day, I am again overwhelmed at God's faithfulness throughout this past year. My heart as a human father has been filled with joy over the gifts we gave to our kids today - combined with materialistic wishes that we could have afforded to give them more. And the joy I feel about gift-giving triggers thoughts about another Dad who loves giving gifts to His children.

As my young boys opened their presents and enjoyed them all day long, they had no idea about the sacrifices parents make this season. The crazy lines at Target on Black Friday a month ago when this mad rush kicked off. The saving and scrimping to get them a few things they really wanted. The stress and secrecy of mom and dad trying to hide the stuff till Christmas morning. The list goes on.

And as I reflect on those small sacrifices - I am more deeply aware of the Gift God gave for us even though we'll never fully understand the sacrifice entailed in making it happen. As a dad watching my kids enjoy their gifts, I find fulfillment in the happiness on their faces. It makes me wonder - what kind of joy does God's heart feel when He sees His children enjoying Jesus? Isn't that the ultimate point of prayer, worship, Bible study, fellowship, etc. - to simply enjoy Jesus wherever He is found?

If you're planning on making any resulutions regarding your spiritual growth as the New Year approaches, let me beg you not to make any outside of this one pursuit - to enjoy Jesus more. Don't promise God you'll read the Bible 15 minutes a day, or pray 3 times a day, or whatever. Simply ask God for the ability to enjoy Jesus. That's the point of all those things - to enjoy Jesus. Completing your "daily devotions" isn't the point. The point of "daily devotion" is to enjoy Jesus. The Father sacrificed unimaginably to give the gift of Jesus to you and me. And even though we're oblivious to exactly what extent that sacrifice entailed, let's bring joy to the Father's heart by enjoying the Gift daily. He loves you.....go enjoy Him!!!

Welcome to Raw and Relevant

2008-12-19T23:34:00.000-08:00

As a communicator and teacher of the Bible, I love discussing theological and philosophical issues with my brothers and sisters in faith - as well as with those you are yet undecided about Jesus. The Bible isn't for wusses. It is both awe-inspiring and down-to-earth. Both mysterious and practical. Both lofty and simple. No matter your opinion of the Bible, it is both Raw and Relevant. It is full of love and hatred, integrity and scandal, success and failure - just like life itself. And above all it is the message of a gracious God involved in a passionate love-affair with the humanity He created.

As the Scriptures are taught each week at Valley Church, my hope is that you would be more deeply engaged in wrestling with how to apply it to your life. If you are someone who wants to discuss or even debate any of the countless relevant issues addressed in the Bible or in the things taught at Valley - and can do so without being divisive or arrogant - I welcome you to this conversation. Let's help one another grow deeper in the understanding and application of the faith that unites us.

And one more thing. If you are a fellow skeptic to whom faith has not or will not come easy, I have a special place in my heart for you. I am one of you. But more importantly, Jesus welcomes you - for He is the one who said that even faith the size of a tiny mustard seed could move mountains. The "amount" of your faith is not nearly as important to Jesus as the "object" in which your faith is placed. I have found that Jesus is indeed that worthy object. Now feel free to chat away and I will join in as often as I can.......