Year End Thoughts

Twas the day after Christmas, and my thoughts move towards reflection. I must admit that our country is in dire straits. Why? Trust has been shattered.

For me the saddest component of my thoughts are on the sad state of the American church. Our Catholic friends groan under the weight of the moral scandals involving their priests. We protestants discovered that the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals, while fighting for a pro traditional marriage amendment to Colorado's state constitution, was himself a closet homosexual and drug user. Add that to the numerous clergy involved in their own sex scandals. 

One by one our politicians are being outed for their corruption. Having been reared in the Chicago area, I am particularly sensitive to Illinois' Governor being arrested for seeking to sell President-elect Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder. Unfortunately this governor is only one of many politicians being charged with corruption. In Boston, a City Councilor and a State Senator were both arrested for accepting bribes.

In the world of business we are experiencing the collapse of the financial world. Government bail-outs are now an ordinary part of economic life. Much of this money has been diverted from its primary purpose to lining the pockets of corrupt CEOs.

So, our religious, governmental and economic parts of our society are all demonstrating a certain amount of corruption. In other words, every element of society has been infiltrated by corruption. We have become rotten to the core. I come to this conclusion, not because this is unusual, but because the systems have become corrupt. There have always been corrupt clergy, corrupt politicians and corrupt business people. What is particularly galling is that the systems try to cover up the corruption. Within the church, the very guilty parties have found new opportunities for ministry and bring their corruption with them. Politicians refuse to police themselves. Business leaders, even in the midst of a crisis, line their pockets. Trust in our systems have been destroyed.

In our City the Police Department refused to honor the law when a Request for Information was properly submitted. First, the PD asked for an enormous sum of money for the report; then they refused to facilitate the request within the legally defined time guidelines; and then they blacked out everything of substance. Who do you trust when your own Police Department breaks the law? We are all familiar with how the Supreme Court telling the current administration that it was breaking privacy laws with its desire to know everything. Who do you trust when you can't trust your own President? Our governor made a strong pitch to every citizen of Massachusetts to come to the State House and demand what they want. When several hundred thousand citizens signed a petition asking for a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage, our governor did everything in his power to stop that amendment from being voted on by the citizens of Massachusetts. Who can you trust when you can't even trust your governor?

While people fail us and systems have been compromised our only hope is in the Lord. He is still king of kings. Let us pray not only for revival but for a Reformation - something that will spiritually change the way we do business in America. Let's do things God's way.

Walking the Talk

Many years ago, at the beginning of my ministry, Linda and I were engaged in a solve the world discussion with other pastors and missionaries. The topic was vitamins and the amazing powers of Vitamin E to cure all things. I was convinced and ready to go to the nearest health food store to buy some. Then I asked a stupid question, How many and which vitamins do you take? The answer was - you guessed it - I don't take any; my wife does! Well, no Vitamin E for me. If you don't walk the talk then the talk has no value for me.

Evangelism follows a similar logic. There are many programs assisting us with the talk. we can present the gospel in a host of ways. My denomination seems to have a different approach every year! With all the approaches we should expect America to be converted and living for Jesus. We know that's not true, so what happened?

Peter gives us a major clue when he instructs the early believers to be able to give non-Christians an answer for the believer's faith. This verse is the John 3:16 for apologists since the word for reason is the same word from which apologetics is derived. The key, however, is that non-believers are asking believers why they have hope. This verse is in the context of how believers should live in a non-believing world.

Jesus spent his life living and teaching the Kingdom of God. Because of that he was always being asked spiritual questions. Now, for a period of self-examination. When was the last time someone initiated a spiritual conversation with us because of our lifestyle? That is the problem with contemporary evangelism, our walk does not match our talk. Look closely at the Sermon on the Mount - our lives should mirror those three chapters.

You see, non-believers can argue theology and philosophy but they cannot argue our lives. Our new lives are our self-disclosure of our acceptance of the Gospel. If the effects of conversion aren't evident then the non-believer will conclude that the gospel is not powerful enough to change anything. If our lives come anywhere close to the Sermon on the Mount we will get a reaction.

John 3:19-21 tells us what that reaction will be. The reaction depends on the heart condition of the onlooker. If the onlooker is attracted it is because (s)he is of the light; if not (s)he is of the darkness. What one loves will either attract or repulse people from us. Remember when Jesus told his disciples to beware of when people speak well of you? Could it be that the normal reaction of non-believers is repulsion to the gospel? Those that truly are looking for hope will find the gospel inviting, especially if they see the gospel being lived out in you and me.

Christmas is coming - let us not only tell people about the coming Christ; let us also live in a way that demonstrates that he comes to my house. Honey, it's time to pick up the house, company's coming! Even so, Lord Jesus, come.

Justice begins with information

Frustration sets in when you are placed in a situation where the system is broke. For some unknown reason my daughter's medical insurance was cancelled, just as she was having ear infections that required medical attention. For me and her this was a frustrating situation. However, because we know that the insurance company was at fault, and this will be straightened out in due time. We will receive justice because we know our rights.

Unfortunately, many if not most people know their rights. My daughter works for a medical clinic, and I am on the Board of another clinic - perhaps, you can say we have inside information. Those who don't know their rights are at the mercy and indifference of the system who has denied them justice. I remember when the Registry of Motor Vehicles had the worst customer service of any industry; they were just plain rude. Often you stood in line and as you approached the counter the person told you that you were missing a document. So, to the back of the line you went. Now, to be fair the Worcester RMV has good customer service now.

Think on a larger scale of those who have been denied their rights and they don't even know it; they have been purposely kept in the dark. Do you remember in the recent election how much concern there was about who is a proper voter? There were subtle efforts to deny people the right to vote by questioning their registrations (I'm not referring to the ACORN scandal). What about those denied housing, employment and other rights?

One level of education in which we can all participate is informing everyone of their rights under the constitution. This is a basic fight for justice with which we can all agree.