Muddling Toward Maturity Blog

RALPH REED - CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS VOTERS MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE 2014 ELECTIONS

Ralph Reed writes: 

. . . Perhaps no theme of 2014 ran more sharply in contrast to the conventional wisdom than the decisive role played by Evangelical Christians and other voters of faith. According to a post-election survey conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, conservative Christians made up nearly one out of every three voters and voted eight-to-one for Republican candidates, creating the crest of a Republican wave that resulted in control of the U.S. Senate, a likely post–World War II high-water mark majority in the U.S. House, and critical victories in governors’ races.

On Election Day, self-identified conservative Christians made up 32 percent of the electorate and voted 86 percent Republican and only 12 percent Democrat. These voters contributed an astonishing 52.4 percent of all the votes received by Republican candidates. This constituency, the largest and most vibrant in the electorate, is larger than the African-American vote, Hispanic vote, union vote, and gay vote combined. White Evangelicals, meanwhile, made up 23 percent of the electorate and voted 82 percent Republican and 18 percent Democratic, according to the survey. 

WHAT THE GIRL WITH THE HIJAB WITNESSED IN AN ANGLICAN CHAPEL

I love this story, posted by Justin Taylor from a Carl Trueman post.  Here's Taylor's excerpt:

Carl Trueman recounts an experience of worshipping with his son in the famous Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, sitting next to a young Spanish woman wearing a hijab.

Yet here is the irony: in this liberal Anglican chapel, the hijabi experienced an hour long service in which most of the time was spent occupied with words drawn directly from scripture. She heard more of the Bible read, said, sung and prayed than in any Protestant evangelical church of which I am aware—than any church, in other words, which actually claims to take the word of God seriously and place it at the centre of its life. Yes, it was probably a good thing that there was no sermon that day: I am confident that, as Carlyle once commented, what we might have witnessed then would have been a priest boring holes in the bottom of the Church of England. But that aside, Cranmer’s liturgy meant that this girl was exposed to biblical Christianity in a remarkably beautiful, scriptural and reverent fashion. I was utterly convicted as a Protestant minister that evangelical Protestantism must do better on this score: for all of my instinctive sneering at Anglicanism and formalism, I had just been shown in a powerful way how far short of taking God’s word seriously in worship I fall.

You can read the whole thing here.

Me: This was my experience also when attending an Episcopal church for a period of my life.  There was more Bible reading in the worship service than in any evangelical church I had been in.  There were problems, of course, but the primacy of the Bible in the worship service was not one of them.

SHOULD CHRISTIANS DISPENSE WITH HYMNALS?

Many churches have already done so.  Mine has.  But it makes me uneasy.  To dispense with hymnals entirely means serious deprivation and a cutting off from the rich history of the church.   To me "Contemporary" quite often means "superficial," quite often "ignorant," and  sometimes "arrogant."    It says "our generation has it right" and previous ones were all wrong.  Not so.  Justin Taylor links to John D. Witviliet's "10 Reasons Why Hymnals Have a Future,"  an article worth pondering.

1. Hymnals are especially well suited to good group singing of many kinds of songs (though not all).
2. Hymnals are portable.
3. Hymnals are splendid for home piano or keyboard devotional playing.
4. Hymnals are an efficient one-stop worship planning resource.
5. Hymnals make it relatively easy to stumble on and fall in love with good music you never thought you would like.
6. Well-designed hymnals offer a vision of a balanced thematic diet.
7. Hymnals help connect songs with elements of worship.
8. Hymnals give people access to a “cultural memory bank” that many desperately want.
9. Hymnals can be appealing to seekers.
10. A hymnal can be a surprisingly effective catechism for both brand-new and lifelong Christians.

Me:  Read the article for an expansion of each point.  As I was growing up, I found myself playing hymns on the piano and embibing the words and music that have stuck with me to this day.  I am blessed.  Those who have grown up with hymns have a rich theological fare hard to come by today.

Witviliet concludes:

In summary, hymnals are a good resource, not the only good resource. And they may not be even the best single resource for every one of these functions. But for overall value, it’s pretty hard to beat a single book that does so many things at once:

• provides a comprehensive reference resource for finding songs and one technological mode of presenting songs;
• functions as a musical collection and a worship book, with prayers and liturgies for congregational use;
• presents a single-volume snap-shot of the diversity of the church throughout time and space, a kind of working experiment in the “catholicity” or “universality” of the church; and
• acts as a single source for strengthening devotional, pastoral care, educational, and liturgical ministries, making it possible to integrate these dimensions of the Christian life.

BOOK: JOHN KILNER (ED.) "WHY THE CHURCH NEEDS BIOETHICS"

John F. Kilner (PhD, Harvard) is the Franklin Forman Chair of Ethics, Professor of Bioethics and Contemporary Culture, and the Director of the Bioethics Program at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois.   -  Why the Church Needs Bioethics

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Breakpoint interview with John Kilner and Scott Rae - Listen Now | Download

Trinity Graduate School - Bioethics Recommended Reading List

Bioethics
• Cameron, Nigel M. de S. The New Medicine: Life and Death after Hippocrates. Bioethics Press, 2001.
• DeGrazia, David, Thomas A. Mappes and Jeffrey Brand-Ballard. Biomedical Ethics, 7thed.  McGraw-Hill,    
        2011.
• Rothman, David. Strangers at the Bedside. Aldine de Gruyter, 2003.


Christian Bioethics
• Engelhardt, H. Tristram. The Foundations of Christian Bioethics. Taylor & Francis, 2000.
• Lysaught, M. Therese, and Joseph Kotva, Jr., eds. On Moral Medicine: Theological Perspectives on Medical Ethics 3rd ed. Eerdmans, 2012.
• Ramsey, Paul, Margaret Farley, Albert Jonsen, and Marcia Wood. Patient as Person: Exploration in Medical Ethics 2nd ed. Yale Univ Press, 2002.


Christian Bioethics Surveys
• Feinberg, John S., and Paul D. Feinberg. Ethics for a Brave New World, 2nd ed. Crossway, 2010.
• Meilaender, Gilbert. Bioethics: A Primer for Christians, 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 2005.
• Rae, Scott B. and Paul M. Cox. Bioethics: A Christian Approach in a Pluralistic Age. Eerdmans, 1999.
• Thobaben, James. Heath-Care Ethics: A Comprehensive Christian Resource. IVP Academic, 2009.

THE FEMINIZATION OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Roland W. Morant - "The Feminisation of the Church of England Rolls On Apace"

[...] Peter Brierley found that attendance at church in 1980 was 57% for women and 43% for men. In the year 2000 the figures were 60% or women and 40% for men; while in 2010 attendance for women was 63% and 37% for men. Thus although there was a net loss of men and women from churches in the ten year period 2000 to 2010, the proportion of women still attending (albeit in an overall shrinking group) appeared to be steadily rising. This must have been because men were leaving churches at a much faster rate than the women.

The proportion of men worshippers relative to women worshippers has been in decline for a very long time, almost certainly from before the end of the medieval period. The Reformation, a male instigated and led activity, may have slowed down or even reversed temporarily in some of the new national churches a decline in men's attendance. Other factors since then which may have boosted men's presence at acts of worship were the Methodist revival in the eighteenth century, and several other revivals (e.gs. Tractarian, Evangelical) in the Nineteenth Century.

But when we come to recent times, i.e. the Twentieth Century and the present one, we can see quite clearly that the falling away of attendance at church, especially by men has become more pronounced and very visible, and deservedly should be called a haemorrhage of the lifeblood of the Church. That nearly all mainstream churches for a long time - and increasingly so in recent times - steadily and spectacularly have lost their men folk, ipso facto is turning Christianity into a female religion. And that is about as serious a criticism as can be made about the Christian religion today.  [more...]

Earlier today this very topic came up in a discussion I was having with others.  It's a major challenge, and not just for the Church of England.

FRED LUTER, JR. -- NEW PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

This is a great interview.  Congratulations to the Southern Baptist Convention for electing this fine man President.  From CBN News:

New Orleans pastor Fred Luter, Jr. made history last week when members of the Southern Baptist Convention elected him as their first African- American president. Efrem Graham sat down with him to talk about his vision for the largest protestant denomination in America.

 

BANKS FORECLOSING ON CHURCHES IN RECORD NUMBERS

Story here.

MARK TOOLEY - "CULTURE WAR AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH"

Mark Tooley, President of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), offers many insightful statistics and observations in the following article. As most readers probably know, Christianity is growing rapidly around the world, excepting America and Europe.

Culture War and the Global Church

Liberal Protestant denominations are increasingly no match for their conservative brethren worldwide.

Global Christianity is thriving, with one out of every 3 people on earth professing Christian faith, according to a Pew study released last month. But Christianity is shifting south. Two percent of global Christians 100 years ago lived in sub-Saharan Africa. Today, nearly a quarter do, equal to Europe's percentage, and soon surely to surpass it.

Insulated secular elites in the U.S. remain largely clueless about thriving religion even in America, much less globally. To the extent they notice domestic religion, it is often the echoing voices of liberal Protestant elites who preside over increasingly empty churches.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Episcopal Church, both of which are now likely below 2 million members, will have their governing conventions this summer. They will probably solidify their liberal trends, especially in deconstructing traditional marriage. United Methodism, unique among the major liberal Mainline denominations for having not compromised its sexual teaching, will convene its General Conference in late April in Tampa. Its U.S. membership of 7.6 million is shrinking, while is overseas membership of 4.5 million, mostly in Africa, is surging.

GREAT SONG: "VAGABONDS" (STUART TOWNEND)

You've got to listen to this song!  Terrific.   It's a powerful song about the grace found in Christ and what the church should be all about.  See Matthew 22:9: "Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find."    (HT: Immanuel Church)

 

The song's composer, Stuart Townend, also wrote the lyrics to the amazing hymn, In Christ Alone.  He tells the story of "Vagabonds" below.

 

HARRY JACKSON: THE CHURCHES OF CAIN AND OBAMA

This article by Bishop Jackson will be an eye-opener for those unfamiliar with theology's powerful influence on economic, political, and social positions.   Jackson writes:

When Herman Cain began singing "Amazing Grace" at the National Press Club on Monday, some believed he was trying to distract attention from the sexual harassment charges that had surfaced against him. But, as he explained, "My faith is a big part of who Herman Cain is." In fact, though he's decided to campaign on his background in business, Mr. Cain is an ordained minister and deeply religious man.

Like President Obama, Mr. Cain belongs to a mostly black congregation with a black pastor. But that is where the similarities end. Stark differences between the political philosophies of these two men may be rooted in their profoundly different theological heritages. The churches both men are (or in the case of Mr. Obama, were) longtime members of are known for liberal activism, but with notable differences in their views of scripture.

MARTIN LUTHER AND THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

This Monday (October 31) is Reformation Day, commemorating and celebrating the Reformation. It takes place each year on the anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing of the 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Door on October 31, 1517.

Justin Taylor has assembled a wonderful list of resources.  I am sorely tempted to copy his entire post as it is so terrific (includes two videos).  Go over there and see for yourself!

Earlier, Taylor posted:

From the BBC/PBS “Empires” series (which you can watch for free on Amazon Instant Video with Prime), here is the second part of their two hour feature on Luther. The commentary has a bias toward explaining his legacy in terms of individuals standing against authority, but it’s still a helpful piece giving an overview of some key points in his life:

ETHNIC CHURCHES PROVING THE SOURCE OF RENEWAL IN NORTH AMERICA

It's a fascinating story.  Timothy Tennent, President of Asbury Seminary, writes:    (HT: Justin Taylor)  [my emphases]

[...]  While we are witnessing the dramatic decline in Christianity among Caucasians, the Western world is, at the same time, witnessing the dramatic growth of newly emerging ethnic congregations.  The Chinese, Hispanic, African and Korean congregations, in particular, are experiencing unprecedented growth.

This weekend, for example, I had the privilege of speaking at the Rutgers Christian Community Church. It was planted only thirty years ago by a handful of Chinese students from Rutgers University. Today, it is a thriving Christian community with several thousand members. They have English, Mandarin, and Cantonese congregations and are in the middle of a major building program to build a new sanctuary.

Prior to my coming to Asbury I lived in the Boston area.  Boston is the home of a major spiritual awakening. More people have come to Christ in Boston in the last three decades than during the Great Awakening, but it has largely gone unnoticed, because it is occurring primarily among African, Chinese, Korean, and Hispanic peoples. There are over 50 different African congregations in Boston and, indeed, on any given Sunday in Cambridge, Massachusetts, more people worship Christ in a language other than English than in English. It has been called the “quiet revival.”

I am convinced that the greatest source of renewal in the North American church will be found in these emerging ethnic churches. Pastors across this country should begin planting ethnic congregations in their facilities and nurturing their growth. Boston already has more shared-facility churches than any other city in the country. May this trend continue.

 

GOOGLE CUTS CHURCHES OUT OF NON-PROFIT PROGRAM

Christianity Today has the story.  In short, faith-based groups must now pay for search giant's tools. It's sad because if Google wants to do good, as it claims, it has just cut itself off from one of the best ways of doing so.    Chuck Colson explains how short-sighted and unwise it is if Google wants to make a positive contribution to the world.

[...] Presumably, Google made its office tools available to nonprofits at a discount because nonprofits provide beneficial services to society — and visibly supporting charity is good public relations and good business. But is Google now saying that those societal benefits count for less than the easily offended sensibilities of a small minority of its potential customers?

Remember, churches and religious organizations provide an incredible amount of needed services to their communities — and flourishing communities make for better business environments. The University of Pennsylvania’s Ram Cnaan estimates that the average urban congregation provides over $476,000 worth of social services to its community every year. This includes nearly $95,000 of volunteer hours worked; $79,000 dollars in economic benefits for drugs and alcohol treatment; $22,500 worth of divorce prevention, plus other economic stimulus for crime prevention, and so on. Ironically as well much of it goes to helping people with AIDS.

And in almost every case, such church aid is not contingent on the recipient’s beliefs. . . 

IS "FACEBOOK" TO BLAME FOR MILLENNIALS REJECTING CHURCH?

I think Richard Beck makes a good argument for his thesis. 

[...] Church has always been about social affiliation. You met your friends, discussed your week, talked football, shared information about good schools, talked local politics, got the scoop, and made social plans ("Let's get together for dinner this week.").

Even if you hated church you could feel lonely without it. Particularly with the loss of "third places" in America. But Millennials are in a different social situation. They don't need physical locations for social affiliation. They can make dinner plans via text, cell phone call or Facebook. In short, the thing that kept young people going to church, despite their irritations, has been effectively replaced. You don't need to go to church to stay connected or in touch. You have an iPhone.

Sure, Millennials will report that the "reason" they are leaving the church is due to its perceived hypocrisy or shallowness. My argument is that while this might be the proximate cause the more distal cause is social computing. Already connected Millennials have the luxury to kick the church to the curb. This is the position of strength that other generations did not have. We fussed about the church but, at the end of the day, you went to stay connected. For us, church was Facebook.

The pushback here will be that all this Millennial social computing, all this Facebooking, isn't real, authentic relationship. I'd disagree with that assessment. It goes to the point I made earlier: Most of our Facebook interactions are with people we know, love, and are in daily contact with.

Facebook isn't replacing "real" relationships with "virtual" relationships. It's simply connecting us to our real friends. And if you can do this without getting up early on Sunday morning why go to church? Particularly if the church is hypocritical and shallow? Why mess with it?

Why are Millennials leaving the church? It's simple. Mobile social computing has replaced the main draw of the traditional church: Social connection and affiliation.

Basically, Facebook killed the church. May it Rest in Peace.

*****

AN Episcopal priest I sent this story too made the following comment: "This is actually close to the truth. The felt need for community that would have been met by a local church fellowship has, in part, been replaced by the internet. Young adults spend HOURS on the computer talking with friends. This is an outlet that is available to a generation that is brand new. No previous generation had this, or anything comparable, at their disposal. Is it inadequate? Sure- but only when you've known better in your life. If the internet is the "normal" medium through which you relate to your fiends, you have no idea how inadequate it is UNTIL you hit a significant crisis and need more than texting to get you through. But, even in significant crises, people can get by on the internet if they are socialized to think that being the lone ranger who is connected through the internet is enough. They know of NOTHING richer."

Theology, Research ... : Experimental Theology: How Facebook Killed the Church Posted by David Virtue on 2011/4/8 12:20:00 (828 reads) Experimental Theology: How Facebook Killed the Church By Richard Beck http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/ April 1, 2011 There has been a great deal of hand wringing in the Christian community about the onset of Web 2.0 relationality (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, blogs, MMOGs. See <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game> ). The concern you often hear is that "virtual" relationships are no replacement for "authentic" relationships. No doubt this is true. But I've done some research in this area and here's my general conclusion: Facebook friends tend to be our actual friends. No doubt, the vast majority of the people in a friend list on Facebook are strangers, acquaintances, or old school friends you haven't seen in years. But no user of Facebook is confused enough to think that she is "in relationship" with any of these people. These are just the penumbra around the core of our Facebook interactions, connecting with people we actually know and are friends with. In short, Facebook isn't replacing real world relationality. Rather, Facebook tends to reflect our social world. For example, in a soon to be published study some ACU colleagues and I used Facebook to predict student retention at our school (i.e., which freshmen return for their sophomore year). We found that on-campus Facebook activity was significantly correlated with measures of "real world" relationality. Further, on-campus Facebook activity also predicted who would come back for their sophomore year. For example, if you had a lot of Facebook Wall Posts you felt more socially connected and were more likely to come back to ACU for a second year. Which makes sense. Who would be posting on your Wall day to day? Sure, old friends might give you a shout out from time to time on your Wall. But for the most part Wall posts come from people who you'll actually see today. Or at least this week, month or year. The point is, you know these people. Talking with them via Facebook is authentic relationality. It's staying in touch, coordinating plans, offering up encouragement, saying a prayer, working out misunderstandings, and sharing a moment. Over at my friend Mike's blog there was a recent discussion <http://preachermike.com/2010/02/26/bailing-out-of-church> about why Millennials (also known as Generation Y) are leaving the church. His question was, why are they leaving? Most of the answers took aim at the church. Churches are too shallow, hypocritical, judgmental, or political. Many surveys have shown these attitudes to be widespread among Millennials. Consider the Barna research summarized in the book unChristian <http://www.amazon.com/unChristian-Generation-Really-Christianity-Matters/dp/product-description/0801013003> . Young Christians and non-Christians tend to feel that the church is "unChristian." Too antihomosexual. Too hypocritical. Too political. Too judgmental. That's how young people see "the church." And it's hard to blame them. But my argument at Mike's blog was that the church has always been this way. Is the church of 2010 much different from the church of the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, or '90s? I don't think so. So, yes, the church is screwed up. Always has been. The church has been a depressing constant over the generations. So the change isn't with the church. The change is with the Millennials. If so, in what way and how has this change related to the church? <http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_W8k_-zfUyVg/S5ETEcCZZSI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/i12ci3Ecu0o/s1600-h/0702featcellchart.gif> The most obvious change is in mobile and Web 2.0 connectivity. Generation X didn't have cell phones. Nor did they have Facebook or text messaging. And you can't tell me that Millennials see the church any differently than Generation X saw it. Look to the right at cell phone subscriptions plotted by decade. Most have Generation X as birth dates between 1961 to 1981. Which has Gen X as college students in the years 1979 to 1999. As you can see, most Gen X'ers didn't have cellphones. And based on the sociological evidence Gen X was much more cynical and anti-establishment when compared to the Millennials. So you can't tell me Gen X'ers didn't see the church as judgmental, hypocritical, or sold-out. They did. So what happened? Why didn't Gen X leave the church while the Millennials are leaving in droves? The difference between Generations X and Y isn't in their views of the church. It's about those cellphones. It's about relationships and connectivity. Most Gen X'ers didn't have cell phones, text messaging or Facebook. These things were creeping in during their college years but the explosive onset of mobile devices and social computing had yet to truly take off. So why has mobile social computing affected church attendance? Well, if church has always been kind of lame and irritating why did people go in the first place? Easy, social relationships. Church has always been about social affiliation. You met your friends, discussed your week, talked football, shared information about good schools, talked local politics, got the scoop, and made social plans ("Let's get together for dinner this week."). Even if you hated church you could feel lonely without it. Particularly with the loss of "third places" <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place> in America. But Millennials are in a different social situation. They don't need physical locations for social affiliation. They can make dinner plans via text, cell phone call or Facebook. In short, the thing that kept young people going to church, despite their irritations, has been effectively replaced. You don't need to go to church to stay connected or in touch. You have an iPhone. Sure, Millennials will report that the "reason" they are leaving the church is due to its perceived hypocrisy or shallowness. My argument is that while this might be the proximate cause the more distal cause is social computing. Already connected Millennials have the luxury to kick the church to the curb. This is the position of strength that other generations did not have. We fussed about the church but, at the end of the day, you went to stay connected. For us, church was Facebook. The pushback here will be that all this Millennial social computing, all this Facebooking, isn't real, authentic relationship. I'd disagree with that assessment. It goes to the point I made earlier: Most of our Facebook interactions are with people we know, love, and are in daily contact with. Facebook isn't replacing "real" relationships with "virtual" relationships. It's simply connecting us to our real friends. And if you can do this without getting up early on Sunday morning why go to church? Particularly if the church is hypocritical and shallow? Why mess with it? Why are Millennials leaving the church? It's simple. Mobile social computing has replaced the main draw of the traditional church: Social connection and affiliation. Basically, Facebook killed the church. May it Rest in Peace. ***** AN Episcopal priest I sent this story too made the following comment: "This is actually close to the truth. The felt need for community that would have been met by a local church fellowship has, in part, been replaced by the internet. Young adults spend HOURS on the computer talking with friends. This is an outlet that is available to a generation that is brand new. No previous generation had this, or anything comparable, at their disposal. Is it inadequate? Sure- but only when you've known better in your life. If the internet is the "normal" medium through which you relate to your fiends, you have no idea how inadequate it is UNTIL you hit a significant crisis and need more than texting to get you through. But, even in significant crises, people can get by on the internet if they are socialized to think that being the lone ranger who is connected through the internet is enough. They know of NOTHING richer."   Social Bookmarking         --> FlatThreadedNested Oldest FirstNewest First The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content. Poster Thread CH-Discern Posted: 2011/4/8 23:58  Updated: 2011/4/8 23:59 Home away from home Joined: 2009/10/10 From: Posts: 663  Re: Experimental Theology: How Facebook Killed the Church The real question is: Will the Millennials come back? It is a very old truth that those who grow up in the church often leave between the ages of 18 to 28. It was certainly true for my Baby Boomer generation. It is amazing how many of my old hyper-liberal, hippie friends are solid Christians (and politically conservative) now that they are in their 60's. You have probably heard the saying: Young people who are conservative have no heart; old people who are liberal have no brains. In our youth, we are idealistic but naive. However, the experience that comes with age makes us cynical, practical, and more in tune with reality (both spiritually and regarding the nature of the world). angler2 Posted: 2011/4/9 11:42  Updated: 2011/4/9 11:43 Just can't stay away Joined: 2006/6/19 From: Posts: 143  Re: Experimental Theology: How Facebook Killed the Church Silly me! I thought attending church was about salvation, not social networking. The idea that church should be a place to "connect" with friends is the problem, not the solution. mmartha Posted: 2011/4/10 12:59  Updated: 2011/4/10 13:24 Home away from home Joined: 2010/8/18 From: Florida Posts: 531  Re: Experimental Theology: How Facebook Killed the Church People are looking for a habitable place--Facebook, a book, The Book. Bookmarks have that meaning when they read "Books like friends should be well-chosen." All authors don't create that, all teachers and preachers don't; rather often, the writer can be abrasive at the very beginning--not giving attention to the demeanor, language, authority(of subject), conversation, and rapport that make the space created a home for however short or long a time. On Facebook, a person can work at making personal presence felt. It is a place of resort and of great possibilities for Christian hospitality. But in those tensions, as Dr. Ellen Davis has asked about TV, are we sitting in the seat of the scornful? (Ps. 1:1) Are we giving God's time to other interests. If so, surely we want to find our way back to His presence.

SHOULD CHRISTIANS FOLLOW WINNIPEG'S LEAD IN HOLDING AN ANNUAL CITY-WIDE CHURCH SERVICE?

That's the question that went through my mind when I heard of 51 chuches in Winnipeg coming together for a Sunday 11:00 AM service.  Here's the story:  (HT: VirtueOnline)

PHOTOS BY [email protected] Enlarge Image

INSTEAD of attending her own church Sunday morning, Morgan Kiss took a seat in the stands at the MTS Centre to cheer, sing and pray alongside thousands of other Winnipeggers.

"We're here to worship God with other people we don't normally worship with," said Kiss, while waiting in the lineup at the Tim Hortons kiosk with her five-year-old daughter, Mirella, before the 11 a.m. service.

Crystal Cathedral: Bankruptcy filings show generous pay for relatives of Crystal Cathedral founder

So says the L.A. Times.  Depressing.   (I first reported on problems developing at Schuller's Crystal Cathedral back in August.)

"THE BEST SERMON ON RELIGION AND POLITICS"

Well, that was the title Justin Taylor gave a recent blog post describing a sermon delivered by Pastor Mark Dever on September 19th at Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.  Dever's text was Mark 12:13-17 -  "Jesus Paid Taxes."   It's length was 70 minutes.  How many pastors today deliver 70 minute sermons, and in particular, one that could be described as "a biblical theology of Christians and the state, at once full of unction, intellectually challenging, and affecting the heart"?  Remarkable indeed. 

For those without 70 minutes to spare, Collin Hansen has provided an overvew.  David Crowe, a visitor that day, blogged "Capital Hill Baptist Church - Reflections From a Visit." I thought it noteworthy that 750 people jammed the church, and pre-teens were found - not doodling - but taking notes on the sermon!

What strikes me is the great value of the internet!  Not many clergy are capable of delivering such meaty messages, but because of the internet, a message such as this can be heard by anyone anywhere in the world.  What resources are at our disposal!  Are we making use of these resources?  I need to take much better advantage of them myself.  An iTunes podcast of Dever's sermon is available here.  

Some time ago I posted a video of Pastor Mark Dever offering a video tour of his library.  Click here.  You'll find it fascinating.

Speaking of Christianity and politics, the other day I happened to be at Barnes & Noble and there I thumbed through a copy of Wayne Grudem's just-published Politics - According to the Bible.  I found it quite intriguing.  I hope to browse more on a future visit.  Another recent publication that has caught my eye (which I haven't had a chance to browse yet), is  City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era by Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner with a foreward by Tim Keller.  Justin Taylor has posted blurbs and some principles from the book, plus Tim Keller's foreward.   In addition to the book's foreward, the preface in PDF format can be found here.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/09/24/want-to-raise-a-boy-who-reads/

DAVID PLATT - MATERIAL WEALTH AND JESUS' KINGDOM REASSESSED

David Brooks reflects on David Platt's hot-selling book, “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.”  (HT: Between Two Worlds)   Brooks writes:

. . .  Platt earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. At age 26, he was hired to lead a 4,300-person suburban church in Birmingham, Ala., and became known as the youngest megachurch leader in America.

Platt grew uneasy with the role he had fallen into and wrote about it in a recent book called “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.” It encapsulates many of the themes that have been floating around 20-something evangelical circles the past several years.

Platt’s first target is the megachurch itself. Americans have built themselves multimillion-dollar worship palaces, he argues. These have become like corporations, competing for market share by offering social centers, child-care programs, first-class entertainment and comfortable, consumer Christianity.

Jesus, Platt notes, made it hard on his followers. He created a minichurch, not a mega one. Today, however, building budgets dwarf charitable budgets, and Jesus is portrayed as a genial suburban dude. “When we gather in our church building to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshipping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead, we maybe worshipping ourselves.”

NEW CHURCH BODY TO BE FORMED FOR LUTHERANS IN NORTH AMERICA

Conservatives in mainline denominations continue to react to liberal theology that condones ordaining practicing homosexuals and the straying from Scripture.  Read the story.  

More than 1,000 Lutherans from throughout North America will gather Aug. 26-27 in suburban Columbus, Ohio, to form a new church body for confessional Lutherans. The annual Convocation of Lutheran CORE will adopt a constitution that will give birth to the North American Lutheran Church (NALC).

"The NALC will embody the center of Lutheranism in America. The NALC will uphold confessional principles dear to Lutherans including a commitment to the authority of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions," said the Rev. Mark Chavez, director of Lutheran CORE. . .  [more . . .]

David Virtue comments:  " This is exactly the road the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) took when it broke free from TEC [The Episcopal Church] and it is being emulated now by the Lutherans. I believe we will see a coming together of Protestant orthodoxies in the coming months. The devil has overplayed his hand."

SCHULLER'S CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE

The Crystal Cathedral, which has seen more than a 30 percent dip in revenues, has been trying to sell off properties to bridge a $55 to $70 million budget deficit. At least 100 employees have been laid off over the last year or so.

The Schullers will take a 50% pay cut the next four pay periods.  Inquiring minds wonder how much that would be.  What is going on?  Is the monetary shortfall due to the economy alone?  Do people find the ministry style no longer appealing?   What's the story?   [more...]

CHURCH LANGUAGE ISSUES

From a friend's e-mail:

 

And then there's this:

DECLINE OF CHURCH ATTENDANCE OF THE YOUNG

Ben Witherington helps straighten me out on terms used for different age groups.  (I've bold faced them below).  He writes:

My concern in this post however is with the latest Pew Forum on Religious Life which suggests that young adults are less likely to go to church than they used to be. Dividing up the time period as follows-- Greatest Generation (born before 1928), Silent Generation (born 1928-45), Baby Boomers (1946-64), Gen. X (1965-80), and Millenials (born after 1980), the survey says that when asked whether they have any religious affiliation or not only 5% of the Greatest Generation, 8% of the Silent Generation, 13% of Baby Boomers, 20% of Gen Xers, and 26% of Millenials say they have no religious affiliation. This of course does not mean they do not believe in God, nor does it mean that they may not be 'spiritual' or 'religious' in various ways. The survey is basically measuring self-identification when it comes to more traditional forms of being religious. For example, only 18% of Millenials say they attend worship nearly every week or more often, 21% of Gen Xers, and 26% of Boomers. Does the situation change as Millenials and Gen Xers get older? Its too soon to tell about Millenials and most GenXers but if we judge by Baby Boomers in the 1970s 39% of Boomers said religion was very important to them, but by 2000 some 60% of them said so. Or again 47% of Boomers asked in 1980 said they prayed every day, but in 2005 some 62% said so.

WORSHIP MUSIC - HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT IS "GOOD"?

Update 8/10/09 - Yesterday I caught a church service on TV which was being led by some special musicians.  The Spirit came through powerfully and I wondered who they were.  It was Keith and Kristyn Getty, who are producing theologically nutritious material set to modern musical sensibilities.  I blogged about this duo earlier.  Click here.   Also see this article.  And check out this Keith and Kristyn YouTube playlist.  (Words here).

(Original post) - Chuck Colson draws on an article in Touchstone magazine by Donald Willliams titled "Durable Hymns."  Colson cites certain "marks of excellence:

Among these marks of excellence is biblical truth. Lyrics need not to be literal Scripture, but they do have to be faithful to it.

Another mark of excellence—theological profundity. Think of how the words to this great hymn encourage us to worship God with our minds:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes

By contrast, some contemporary choruses are often “so simplistic and repetitive

SHOULD CHURCH PULPITS BE A FOCAL POINT AND ELEVATED?

Doug Groothuis thinks so and writes passionately:

I have noticed that as churches embrace more of popular culture, especially in worship forms, the pulpit disappears or is lowered in elevation. . .  We need a theology of the pulpit. The Word of God is above us. The preacher should explain and proclaim and defend Scripture as true and holy. He or she is a servant of the Word and should be a deep student of its truth (2 Tim 2:15). There is, therefore, good reason for the pulpit to be central and raised up, since Holy Scripture is central and exalted. . .

We are creatures of place and symbol. A low, small, pulpit (or even a music stand, which I hate with a perfect hatred) does not communicate authority or transcendence. Of course, a bad preacher in a good pulpit is a bad preacher still. Yet, the pulpit itself speaks, both to

ANGLICAN UK BISHOP TOM WRIGHT RESPONDS TO THE U.S. EPISCOPAL CHURCH'S OPENING THE DOOR TO ORDINATION FOR ALL (INCLUDING LGBT)

Update - David Virtue analyzes the apostasy of The Episcopal Church and questions whether it can any longer be considered a Christian denomination in any moral or theological sense.

(Original Post) - N.T. Wright, Bishop of Durham, is probably the leading New Testament theologian in the world today.  His condemnation of the U.S. Episcopal church's decision will influence other Church of England bishops.  Read Wright's position here. 

NEWSWEEK'S COVER: "THE DECLINE AND FALL OF CHRISTIAN AMERICA"

Justin Taylor links to Dr. Albert Mohler's response to Jon Meacham's cover story.

Update 4/15/09:  Maggie Gallagher offers major corrections to the impression Meacham's article leaves.  The big jump of those who declare "no religion" took place from 1990-2001:

In that last seven years the number of Americans who say they have no religion barely inched up from 14.2 percent to 15 percent.

She says further,

Far more significant (by far) in recent years than any shift away from Christianity have been the shifts within Christianity. . .  Overall Christianity has been holding its own in recent years. But since 2001, the liberal mainline Protestants have lost a third of their adherents. 

"It looks like the two-party system of American Protestantism -- mainline versus evangelical -- is collapsing," said Mark Silk, director of the Public Values Program. "A generic form of evangelicalism is emerging as the normative form of non-Catholic Christianity in the United States."

Further:

The most amusing thing, if it weren't so sad, is to watch the pundits prophesy that abortion and gay marriage and evangelical boogeymen in general are turning off people from religion. When the reality is that the only Christian denominations declining in recent years are those which have surrendered core Christian teaching on sex, marriage and the dignity of every human life.

What we have all learned over the last two decades is this: A religion that caves in to pressure from sexual liberalism is a dead end. Surrender Christian teachings to appease the secular princes and Christianity dies. If faith leaders had any doubts about that strategy, we now know where it leads.

Pastor Mark Driscoll Featured on ABC's "Nightline"

I first posted on Mark Driscoll on January 11th after the New York Times did a major article on him. He's obviously a hot property right now since ABC"s Nightline featured him on last night's program. It's clear the secular world finds Driscoll fascinating.  I suggest you click through to watch the Nightline segment on Driscoll.  It's 7 minutes and 21 seconds long.

Me:  From the Nightline video, it seems to me that, on balance, Driscoll is doing a great job.  He's clearly bringing people into his church that would never attend a more traditional church.  And yet he has not diluted his message in the least.  It remains unvarnished, uncompromising and biblical -- with a bit of sanctified tang and zest thrown in.  Preaching always comes through a personality, and Driscoll's personality is undeniably interesting!

The NY Times Reports on Seattle Pastor Mark Driscoll

I'm not sure what to make of Mark Driscoll since I have no firsthand knowledge of him or his church.  Nor am I sure what to make of this NY Times article on Driscoll.  But "Allahpundit" responded to the article saying:

"Having watched a few of his videos on YouTube, I think the Times gave him a bad rap. . .  If you want to hear him discuss masturbation or oral sex, poke around here. The Times gives the impression that he’s some sort of heretic or shock jock, but every lesson I saw was entirely conventional. More interesting are these two vids. [Click through to the Allapundit post].  The first deals with predestination, which seems more mundane as he explains it than I thought it would be . . .   [more . . .]

Update #2 - 1/13/08 - Christianity Today magazine reports very favorably on a new book by Driscoll (co-written with theologian Gerry Breshears, Death by Love: Letters from the Cross. The C.T. review is well worth reading. 

Update #1:   Justin Taylor reports that Dr. Don Carson recently spet a weekennd preaching and teaching at Mars Hill Church.  Audio and Video of the talks are available here.  They include Session #1: “The Center of the Whole Bible” (Romans 3:21-26); Session #2: “The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb” (Revelation 12); Session #3: “A Miracle Full of Surprises” (John 11); Session #4: “Why Doubt the Resurrection of Jesus” (John 20:24-31); Session #5: “The Ironies of the Cross” (Matthew 27:27-51)

CONSERVATIVE ANGLICANS CREATE RIVAL CHURCH

Timothy C. Morgan, writing in Christianity Today, reports:

In a history-making gesture, conservative evangelical Anglicans, deeply alienated by the decline of the U.S. denomination, sounded a shofar to herald the creation of the Anglican Church of North America.

On a snowy Wednesday evening, about 1,000 worshipers, mostly from the U.S. and Canada, gathered in Wheaton, Illinois, for a worship service to celebrate the creation of the new entity, which comprises 656 congregations, 800 clergy, 30 bishops, and 100,000 people in regular worship. They represent the evangelical, charismatic, and Anglo-Catholic traditions within Anglicanism.  Read more. . . ]

David Virtue, of VirtueOnline, offers continuous coverage of all things Anglican. He writes:

It is historic and unprecedented, said Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan moderator of the Anglican Communion Network. "It is an extraordinary day for us. We have reversed 40 years of

A POSTMODERN APOSTLE PAUL ADDRESSES HEARERS AT MARS HILL

Douglas Groothuis' helpful book, Truth Decay, has just entered its 10th printing.  I love his description of what a postmodern Apostle Paul would sound like "preaching" in Athens today:

WHAT DOES EVANGELISM LOOK LIKE IN THE ULTRA-LIBERAL EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS?

Pretty unbelievable.  From VirtueOnline:

Ever wondered what evangelism looks like in the ultra-liberal DIOCESE OF   MASSACHUSETTS? The Bishop of Massachusetts, Tom Shaw doesn't want what he calls "conservative fundamentalist Christians to define the word evangelism". So in "These Young Evangelists," a column of his in the Summer 2008 issue of the Episcopal TIMES, the diocesan newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, he equates a female graduate student at Boston College as being an "evangelist" for having arranged an evening of Reiki therapy and Zen tarot card readings with the assistance of her Episcopal college chaplain. Furthermore, he states, regarding the five examples he gives, "These young people under the age of 35 seem unafraid of being evangelists. They see themselves as disciples, the 21st-century recipients of our risen Lord's command to go out everywhere teaching in the name of God (Matthew 28:20)."

QUICK TAKES

Browsing in a few old Wall Street Journals I came upon the following:

    - Getting ordained online by the "Church of the Latter Day Dude" (among other possibilities).

   - "Religious attendance can help make better dads". - so contends W. Bradford Wilcox, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia

    - Charismatic U.S. pastors are creating new flocks overseas using satellites, DVDs and franchise marketing.  (I'm not too wild about this idea).

EVANGELICAL CHURCHES FEELING RENEWED BY ADOPTING ANCIENT WORSHIP PRACTICES

This is a fascinating article that appeared today in the Washington Post.  My own journey towards the Anglican Church enables me to identify with the hunger which this article describes.  I had to leave the Episcopal Church in the United States some years ago, but I deeply appreciated much of my worship experience there.  Sometime I will have to write more about that.

Update 3/9/08 - I got around today to reading my misplaced Christianity Today magazine for February, 2008 and came across the cover story on the same subject, "The Future Lies in the Past."  It is comprehensive and illuminating.  Also appearing, in the same issue, the sidebar, "Monastic Evangelicals: The attraction of ancient spiritual diciplines," which mentions a number of recent books.

MILLIONS OF SINCERE CHRISTIANS SEEK ALTERNATIVES TO CHURCH

So says Mike McManus in a recent article:

George Barna's latest poll indicates that "a major shift in people's spirituality is underway in America."

"For decades, American Christians, who comprise more than four out of five adults, assumed that they had one legitimate way to practice their faith: through involvement in a conventional church," Barna writes.

"But new research shows that this mind set is no longer prevalent in the U.S. The latest Barna study shows that a majority of adults now believe that

"EMERGING CHURCH" - INTRODUCTION AND ORIENTATION

DJ Chuang offers a helpful post offering links to oft-quoted articles on the "emerging church." Various perspectives are offered. I found this collection of articles invaluable, the more so since I am not in the "thick of things."  I have blogged previously on the "emerging church" here and here.

Small Rural Churches are This Country's Backbone

Here's a column (by Nancy Williams) which you won't come across very often.  I found it exceptionally well-written. It offers a counter-focus to what usually occupies media attention.  Read it.  You'll enjoy it!

Church Refuses to Hold Funeral for Homosexual Man because it Would Include Gay Propaganda

The following news article (which uses the headline above) is from LifeSiteNews.com:

The decision is "not based on hate, or discrimination, but upon principle and policy"

By Elizabeth O'Brien

ARLINGTON, August 14, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Christian Church in Texas has refused to hold a funeral for a homosexual man because the family wanted to display a multimedia memorial presentation that condoned his actively homosexual lifestyle.

High Point Church is a large, non-denominational parish that believes that

Banned Video: What It takes to Be a Church Planter. (Video for Men)

Mark Driscott, about whom I don't know a whole lot,  explains. 

HT: Smart Christian

Can Pope Benedict XVI Successfully Alter Europe's Secular, Post-Christian Mindset?

Though not Roman Catholic myself, I maintain great respect for Pope Benedict XVI.  His grasp of the modern world and the European situation impresses almost all observers.  I suspect he is the right Pope at the right time.  I learned from today's New York Times that the Pope will turn 80 on April 16th.  From the article:

Benedict is one of the most intellectual men ever to serve as pope — and surely one of the most intellectual of current world leaders — and he has pinpointed the problem of the age, as well as its solution, at the level of philosophy. His argument, elaborated in the years leading up to

On Old Hymns Being Set to New Music...

Earlier this summer Chuck Colson celebrated a new trend: putting old hymns to contemporary music.  One of the groups doing this is Indelible Grace.  Matthew Smith, one of the lead singers of the group, has this to say:

“The praise songs I sang in high school mainly spoke about what I wanted to do: how I wanted to worship God, how I wanted to be renewed, et cetera. While those things were true, singing my desires didn’t produce

How Pastors Can Avoid Sexual Temptation and Sin

We are all aware of the tragedy of Ted Haggard.  I was astonished and impressed to read the lengths Pastor Mark Driscoll goes to avoid sexual temptations and sin.  Click here.   This is a 5 Star article.   A must read!

Update:  11/21/06  Mark Driscoll added some clarification to his position on 11/16/06.  (HT: Smart Christian)

What is the "Emerging Church" Movement?

Scott McKnight answers the question in an address delivered at Westminster Theological Seminary, October 26-27, 2006.   Warning:  McKnight is a theologian and his answer, though highly readable, is comprehensive, and therefore lengthy.  (HT: Smart Christian)    Click here for an earlier post on the Emerging Church.

MARRIED COUPLES ARE NOW A MINORITY IN AMERICA

Here's a short article exploring the implications for churches.  The original news article is here.  (HT: Andrew Jackson) 

THE EMERGENT CHURCH - A FIRST POST

I haven't written anything on the "Emerging Church" because I haven't felt it was something I was supposed to spend much time concentrating on.  That will probably change at some point.  But for now, I'll simply link to an article by John Mark Reynolds which offers something of an introduction and a mild critique.   Here is Mark Driscoll on a 3 1/2 minute video offering his own introduction to "Emergent vs. Emerging Churches."  Finally, Justin Taylor summarizes Darrell Bock on emerging church (or hear it from Darrell himself).   (HT: Andrew Jones)

THE CASE FOR RECITING CREEDS IN WORSHIP

I have long been an advocate of the regular recital of creeds.    Here is an article that offers a discussion of that position.

HYMNS ARE MAKING A COMBACK!

Charles Colson doesn't like "musical mush" (i.e. much modern Christian music) and is therefore thrilled with the new trend of putting old hymns to contemporary music.   He especially likes Indelible Grace Music.   Colson's article has numerous useful links.  One of them explains the power of hymns.  This article is really worth reading.  I was fascinated to read that the college crowd is rediscovering "Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken."

Update: 12/13/06 - Here's an excerpt from Colson's Part 2 -

U2’s lead singer, Bono, puts it this way: “Music is worship: whether it’s worship of women or their designer, the world or its destroyer . . . the smoke goes upwards . . . to God or something you replace God with . . . usually yourself.” So while I lament that some Christian radio stations have taken away programs for biblical teaching, that does not mean I discount the ways in which music itself teaches us and the way it moves us.

Dr. Reggie Kidd, a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary and a worship leader for nearly twenty-five years, has written a book, With One voice , that truly transcends the “worship wars.” Dr. Kidd talks about how music, or more precisely a community of Christians gathered in true worship, is a scaffolding for faith in a culture that has lost its ability to imagine. . .  (Read more)

Here is Bono on the Psalms. 

THE MELTDOWN OF LIBERAL CHRISTIANITY

Charlotte Allen offers a summary of the meltdown of Liberal Christianity in this Los Angeles Times op/ed piece.   It summarizes the lamentable situation extremely well. 

WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH?

There's no lack of comment on the Episcopal Church's General Convention 2006.   R. Andrew Newman reviews The Episcopal Church's cavalier handling of Scripture and wonders if it remains, in any real sense, a Christian Church.   Peter Toon describes in an evenhanded way the two religions that reside under the umbrella of the Episcopal Church.  After reading his article, one understands why he concluded:

What seems to be clear is that these two different Religions cannot stay permanently together in one jurisdiction, be it a diocese or a province. If ether group concedes any major point to the other side it loses its integrity and its whole position becomes unstable.

I strongly recommend reading Toon's articulation of the two religions.  A split is near.

Finally, the Pakistan-born Bishop of Rochester, England, Michael Nazer-Ali  also speaks of two quite different views of religion and is well worth reading.

HOUSE CHURCHES ARE GROWING LIKE MUSHROOMS

See Jim Rutz's article.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF DENOMINATIONS IN THE U.S.

I found the maps that Albert Mohler links to quite fascinating.  Did you ever want to know where most Lutherans, Episcopalians, Baptists, or Catholics (and others) live ?   Check out the links provided in Mohler's article.   Truly fascinating.