Friday, November 21, 2014
Doing the right thing the wrong way
After reading a transcript of President Obama's remarks on immigration from last night, I agree with what he is doing from a policy perspective. Showing compassion to families is the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean the President's action is wise or will produce the kind of results he wants.
Even if you do the right thing doing it at the wrong time and in the wrong way is still poor leadership. This President does not want to govern. All he knows how to do is campaign. That's why for all his promise of being a unifying figure he has only added to the sense of division in the country. Campaigns necessarily divide us. They are the art of getting to 50% plus 1. Wise governance is what unites us and I don't believe that he is capable of that even if he wanted to do it.
Many have criticized Obama for not waiting and giving the newly elected Congress a chance to act and work with him. It would have presumably given his unilateral action greater justification than acting between Congresses after a bad election for his party. Here's why I think he didn't...the influence of the Tea Party in the GOP caucus will be less in the new Congress. Sure you'll still have some bomb throwers, but GOP candidate recruitment was much different this cycle than in the past two. The new Republicans as a group would be much more likely to work with him than the old. These new members would especially help Boehner in the House and most folks believe that Boehner would have been willing to deal on this issue in 2013 if he wasn't afraid he'd lose his leadership position. If Obama didn't act now, he may have risked forfeiting the electoral advantage that Democrats perceive they have on this issue. That was a risk the campaigner in chief was not willing to take.
Monday, June 10, 2013
5 Things Dads Should Pray Over Their Daughters Daily
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5 Things to Pray Over Your Daughters Daily
1) Her Salvation. Dad, if you are a Christian and any of your
children do not yet know Jesus Christ as their Savior, it is spiritual
malpractice if you do not pray for the Lord to draw them unto Himself every single
day! I’ve spoken to far too many heartbroken parents about their lost children
to take this for granted. The stakes are
far too high to ignore.
2) Her Calling. Culture tells us to want more for our children than we have obtained for ourselves. This is a noble aspiration to an extent, but far more than wanting success for our children, we should want them to discover and follow God’s calling on their lives. God has a plan for all of His children. A life lived in obedience to God’s call is a success greater than man can measure.
3) Her Husband. Men, we have to face it. We won’t be the only man in her life for very
long. It is never too early to begin
asking the Lord to prepare a Godly young man who will love your daughter for a
lifetime and provide the spiritual leadership her family will need. If you doubt the importance of this, just
speak to any Father who has watched his little girl go through the tragic pain
of a divorce.
4) Her Mother. You want to let you daughter see what it
means for a man to love his wife? Let it
begin by hearing you pray for her mother.
There is no bigger influence on a little girl than her mother. Ask God to give her strength to live that
example well. If you have a Godly wife,
then let your little girl hear you thank God for that gift. Your daughter needs to know you love her
mother and the high value of motherhood needs to be affirmed. Don’t let a day go by without it.
5) Her church. God has not called us to live the Christian
life in isolation. He has given us the
gift of Christian fellowship through the church. Men, Jesus loved the church enough to die for
it. Your little girl needs to know you love the church too if you expect her to
love it after she leaves your home. With so many young people leaving the
church after they leave home teaching your children to love the church has
never been more important.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Most Ridiculous Discussion in Christianity
I just wasted 15 minutes reading a comment thread on another website dealing with what I think is the most ridiculous discussion that I hear regarding Christianity and church. The discussion was on what is the proper clothing for people to wear on Sunday morning.
It is sad that this is such a divisive issue for some people. Some folks insisted that people should wear the best clothes they have because it shows respect and pleases God. Others insisted just as forcefully that "dressing up" keeps some "unchurched" people from feeling comfortable. The tone and triviality of the discussion has motivated me to share some thoughts on it here.
1) God is much more concerned with the posture of your heart in worship at church than He is about what you are wearing.
2) If you dress up for church, do it for the right reason. If you just want to be seen or show off your nice things you aren't doing anybody any favors much less pleasing the Lord. I admit that I generally dress for church the same way I would for court (remember I'm a lawyer by trade). My reasons for this are: a) I want to model to my family the same amount of respect for God's institution as I show for those of man; b) I have found in my life that my dress does affect my attitude. When I am dressed up my mind feels more alert than when I'm in jeans. I want to be at my best when I'm at church most especially when I am teaching and this helps me to perform better; and c) I personally just like wearing a suit. Notice that none of those reasons are directly Scriptural or have to do with making me more worthy than anybody else. They are all matters of personal conviction and preference. To make any more of it than that is to be a self-righteous jerk.
3) If you dress down for church, do it for the right reason. If you just want to be different from old, stuffy hypocrites in "traditional" churches or if you just want to brag about how hip and counter-cultural you are then you aren't pleasing the Lord either. That said, I do believe there is something to be said for intentionally creating a culture in a church and that the cookie cutter culture churches have employed for a long time in America does not fit some people as well as others. There's nothing wrong with having a contemporary worship culture any more than there is with eating chocolate ice cream. Vanilla just isn't everybody's favorite and I get that. It is great to give people a choice.
4) It doesn't matter how you are dressed if the Gospel is not proclaimed and the Holy Spirit is not present. Friends, if people are leaving your church because some folks are over dressed or some folks are under dressed, chances are you don't have a clothing problem, you have a spiritual problem. My experience is that when people in a congregation experience the life changing message of Christ and interact with a spirit filled body of Believers, it doesn't matter if they are wearing tuxedos or sweat pants. If we believe the Gospel can overcome the power of sin and death, then surely the color and design of some swaths of fabric shouldn't pose that much of a problem.
So I got that off my chest...now I can get back to studying for midterms.
It is sad that this is such a divisive issue for some people. Some folks insisted that people should wear the best clothes they have because it shows respect and pleases God. Others insisted just as forcefully that "dressing up" keeps some "unchurched" people from feeling comfortable. The tone and triviality of the discussion has motivated me to share some thoughts on it here.
1) God is much more concerned with the posture of your heart in worship at church than He is about what you are wearing.
2) If you dress up for church, do it for the right reason. If you just want to be seen or show off your nice things you aren't doing anybody any favors much less pleasing the Lord. I admit that I generally dress for church the same way I would for court (remember I'm a lawyer by trade). My reasons for this are: a) I want to model to my family the same amount of respect for God's institution as I show for those of man; b) I have found in my life that my dress does affect my attitude. When I am dressed up my mind feels more alert than when I'm in jeans. I want to be at my best when I'm at church most especially when I am teaching and this helps me to perform better; and c) I personally just like wearing a suit. Notice that none of those reasons are directly Scriptural or have to do with making me more worthy than anybody else. They are all matters of personal conviction and preference. To make any more of it than that is to be a self-righteous jerk.
3) If you dress down for church, do it for the right reason. If you just want to be different from old, stuffy hypocrites in "traditional" churches or if you just want to brag about how hip and counter-cultural you are then you aren't pleasing the Lord either. That said, I do believe there is something to be said for intentionally creating a culture in a church and that the cookie cutter culture churches have employed for a long time in America does not fit some people as well as others. There's nothing wrong with having a contemporary worship culture any more than there is with eating chocolate ice cream. Vanilla just isn't everybody's favorite and I get that. It is great to give people a choice.
4) It doesn't matter how you are dressed if the Gospel is not proclaimed and the Holy Spirit is not present. Friends, if people are leaving your church because some folks are over dressed or some folks are under dressed, chances are you don't have a clothing problem, you have a spiritual problem. My experience is that when people in a congregation experience the life changing message of Christ and interact with a spirit filled body of Believers, it doesn't matter if they are wearing tuxedos or sweat pants. If we believe the Gospel can overcome the power of sin and death, then surely the color and design of some swaths of fabric shouldn't pose that much of a problem.
So I got that off my chest...now I can get back to studying for midterms.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The SBC and What's in a name?
As a student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary I have watched with interest the reaction to the recent report of the name change study committee. For those who haven't followed the story, last year Bryant Wright (SBC President) appointed a committee to study the wisdom and feasibility of changing the name of the Southern Baptist Convention. It has been suggested by some that the regional connotation of Southern may be some type of hindrance to ministry efforts beyond the southeastern US.
The committee recently reported its recommendation. Importantly, the idea of a name change was rejected because of questionable need and legal costs that would mount into the millions. However, for those churches and missionaries who believe the name may pose a hindrance in their particular venue, they recommended what amounts to an official nickname of Great Commission Baptists. Nobody will be forced to use the nickname, but it will merely exist as an option for those who want to try.
If you are like me, you might think how in the world would this be problematic to anyone. Judging from reading the reaction online and around blogs though you'd be wrong. Here are some of the more common reactions/objections I've seen and my response to them.
1) "I don't care what they do, I'll always be Southern Baptist." I hear this a lot and I sympathize with that. Anybody who has ever heard me say a word knows I'm about as Southern as they come. I've been attending SBC churches my entire life. I attend their "flagship" seminary (not sure what that means but that's what they tell us anyways). I am proud of my affiliation with an organization that does so much to spread the Gospel, but it's not who I am. I'm a Christian. Jesus Christ is the only name for which I'll contend unconditionally and I sincerely believe that most if not all of those I hear saying these things would agree with me on that. But to hear some of these folks it's as if they think the committee is telling them they should apologize for being Southern or that they shouldn't call themselves Southern Baptists. Friends, nobody is asking us to apologize for anything and nobody is saying we can't or shouldn't call ourselves "Southern Bapists", and most importantly nobody is suggesting that we compromise on the core doctrines that define the substance of who we are. There's no reason to act like we are under attack from within.
2) "I've never had any objection to the name Southern Baptist in my ministry". To that I say, "so what?" That is an anecdotal statement and proves nothing at all. Your experience does not cancel out the experiences reported by people in the field who say that it hinders them. Are we to call them liars without having been in their particular situation? Surely we can give these brothers and sisters in the Lord that much benefit of the doubt. Honestly, I don't think the name is a widespread problem but I can see how there might be situations where it is. What's the harm in putting it to the test and finding out? It seems worth a shot to me.
3) "We've got bigger fish to fry". I've heard this a lot and I completely agree. Many people are rightly pointing out that a name is superficial and point to the real substantive problems facing the SBC (and there are many). Though this is true its application in this context represents flawed logic and a foolish management style. It basically says that we can't address small problems until big problems are fixed. You can't run an organization like that. It takes time to build consensus and address big problems. It would be foolish to just ignore smaller problems that might be easily fixable because you are dealing with the big things. Good leaders can and should multi-task. Any time spent criticizing the committee for taking up this small issue is much better spent praying for solutions and consensus in dealing with the big ones.
4) "What we really need is revival". Amen Brother! But here is the thing, do you really believe saying that in a critical spirit is going to do anything to bring it about? Further, do you doubt that the leaders in Nashville and at the State Conventions want the same thing? If I did doubt that, then I'd probably be looking for a new church affiliation. I don't think there is any controversy or dispute that we need revival in America (and in our SBC churches). Yet I see some declaring this as if the matter is hotly contested. Surely we have more important things to do than to get bogged down in a contest to see who can scream about the need for revival the loudest.
Don't misunderstand me, I passionately believe we need revival and think it is healthy to talk about the need constructively. Let's acknowledge the need, roll up our sleeves, and get out in the field and work for the harvest. If somebody is willing to cooperate with me in doing that, I really don't care what he calls himself.
The committee recently reported its recommendation. Importantly, the idea of a name change was rejected because of questionable need and legal costs that would mount into the millions. However, for those churches and missionaries who believe the name may pose a hindrance in their particular venue, they recommended what amounts to an official nickname of Great Commission Baptists. Nobody will be forced to use the nickname, but it will merely exist as an option for those who want to try.
If you are like me, you might think how in the world would this be problematic to anyone. Judging from reading the reaction online and around blogs though you'd be wrong. Here are some of the more common reactions/objections I've seen and my response to them.
1) "I don't care what they do, I'll always be Southern Baptist." I hear this a lot and I sympathize with that. Anybody who has ever heard me say a word knows I'm about as Southern as they come. I've been attending SBC churches my entire life. I attend their "flagship" seminary (not sure what that means but that's what they tell us anyways). I am proud of my affiliation with an organization that does so much to spread the Gospel, but it's not who I am. I'm a Christian. Jesus Christ is the only name for which I'll contend unconditionally and I sincerely believe that most if not all of those I hear saying these things would agree with me on that. But to hear some of these folks it's as if they think the committee is telling them they should apologize for being Southern or that they shouldn't call themselves Southern Baptists. Friends, nobody is asking us to apologize for anything and nobody is saying we can't or shouldn't call ourselves "Southern Bapists", and most importantly nobody is suggesting that we compromise on the core doctrines that define the substance of who we are. There's no reason to act like we are under attack from within.
2) "I've never had any objection to the name Southern Baptist in my ministry". To that I say, "so what?" That is an anecdotal statement and proves nothing at all. Your experience does not cancel out the experiences reported by people in the field who say that it hinders them. Are we to call them liars without having been in their particular situation? Surely we can give these brothers and sisters in the Lord that much benefit of the doubt. Honestly, I don't think the name is a widespread problem but I can see how there might be situations where it is. What's the harm in putting it to the test and finding out? It seems worth a shot to me.
3) "We've got bigger fish to fry". I've heard this a lot and I completely agree. Many people are rightly pointing out that a name is superficial and point to the real substantive problems facing the SBC (and there are many). Though this is true its application in this context represents flawed logic and a foolish management style. It basically says that we can't address small problems until big problems are fixed. You can't run an organization like that. It takes time to build consensus and address big problems. It would be foolish to just ignore smaller problems that might be easily fixable because you are dealing with the big things. Good leaders can and should multi-task. Any time spent criticizing the committee for taking up this small issue is much better spent praying for solutions and consensus in dealing with the big ones.
4) "What we really need is revival". Amen Brother! But here is the thing, do you really believe saying that in a critical spirit is going to do anything to bring it about? Further, do you doubt that the leaders in Nashville and at the State Conventions want the same thing? If I did doubt that, then I'd probably be looking for a new church affiliation. I don't think there is any controversy or dispute that we need revival in America (and in our SBC churches). Yet I see some declaring this as if the matter is hotly contested. Surely we have more important things to do than to get bogged down in a contest to see who can scream about the need for revival the loudest.
Don't misunderstand me, I passionately believe we need revival and think it is healthy to talk about the need constructively. Let's acknowledge the need, roll up our sleeves, and get out in the field and work for the harvest. If somebody is willing to cooperate with me in doing that, I really don't care what he calls himself.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
How expensive is happiness?
I get a kick out of now former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, but some of the comments he made upon his departure last night are just sad.
"I want more money. I don't work here for years. No, I want more money. Years -- what, I'm going to die poor with the White Sox? Hell, no." Guillen continued, "Life is about money. People don't believe that. People are happy after they make money."
This coming from a man already making around 2 million per year to manage ballgames. It begs the question, if you can't buy happiness on a 2 million dollar salary, just how expensive is it?
Friends, I'd submit to you that there will come a day when Ozzie won't care a lick about what he has in his bank account, but rather would trade it all for just a little more time with family and friends. Don't believe the lies the world tells you. There's nothing wrong with money, but life really is about so much more.
Your relationships are what matter. Your relationship to God, your spouse, your kids, your parents, your other family and friends. I don't mean this to say that I don't believe Guillen values these things. Guillen is an emotional guy and speaks without any filter whatsoever. I think his comments just show how easy it is to get caught up in what we do and the rat race for material "success" that we lose focus on what our priorities should be.
Stuff is nice, but the greatest thing you can leave behind is a legacy of character. What kind of legacy are you building?
"I want more money. I don't work here for years. No, I want more money. Years -- what, I'm going to die poor with the White Sox? Hell, no." Guillen continued, "Life is about money. People don't believe that. People are happy after they make money."
This coming from a man already making around 2 million per year to manage ballgames. It begs the question, if you can't buy happiness on a 2 million dollar salary, just how expensive is it?
Friends, I'd submit to you that there will come a day when Ozzie won't care a lick about what he has in his bank account, but rather would trade it all for just a little more time with family and friends. Don't believe the lies the world tells you. There's nothing wrong with money, but life really is about so much more.
Your relationships are what matter. Your relationship to God, your spouse, your kids, your parents, your other family and friends. I don't mean this to say that I don't believe Guillen values these things. Guillen is an emotional guy and speaks without any filter whatsoever. I think his comments just show how easy it is to get caught up in what we do and the rat race for material "success" that we lose focus on what our priorities should be.
Stuff is nice, but the greatest thing you can leave behind is a legacy of character. What kind of legacy are you building?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
What can you learn from a piece of tape?
I love NASCAR. I know that it doesn’t seem to be the most cerebral of sports to some folks, but believe me when I say that there is a lot more to it than guys driving fast and turning left.
This past Sunday I was down in the Sprint Cup garage area waiting to take my family and some friends to the pre-race chapel service for drivers and crew members. We watched as the teams pushed their cars through the final technical inspection area before they would put them on the starting grid. There was a slight mist falling but not so much that we were uncomfortable.
Several cars were in line including the cars of Hendrick Racing teammates Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
As we watched, my friend Gary Hogue noticed that Johnson’s car had a piece of tape covering the exhaust pipes that point out from under the side of the car. Being an engineer by education, Gary surmised that the tape must have been placed there to prevent any moisture from entering the engine. Gary also noticed that of all the cars in line, only Johnson’s car was taped in this fashion. Not even his own teammates were taking this precaution.
If you follow NASCAR racing at all you know that Jimmy Johnson’s team has won the last 5 Sprint Cup championships in a row.
I thought about this for the next several hours. (There ended up being a rain delay so I had plenty of time to think) I came to several conclusions about that little piece of tape.
1) The value of associating yourself with people with different views and perspectives is immense. I’ve been attending NASCAR events since I was a boy, but I never would have noticed the tape or considered its purpose if I hadn’t been standing next to an engineer. Nothing in my legal or seminary training had conditioned me to see things that way. If we become too homogenous in the people we surround ourselves with we will necessarily miss out on some things. Nobody sees everything. A wise leader will understand where his blind spots are and seek out people to help him in those areas.
2) It is cliché, but those who excel at the highest levels are those who pay attention to detail in ways that seem odd or obsessive to most of us. The chances of rain getting through those pipes and getting into the engine of that racecar were probably miniscule, but they weren’t taking any chances. You have to wonder how many other things that Johnson’s team is doing on areas of the car that can’t be seen or in their shops away from the track that their competitors don’t do. I bet it’s a lot more than putting a piece of tape over an exhaust pipe. Details make the difference.
3) Don’t allow pride to cause you to become hard headed. The most amazing thing to me in all of this was the failure of Johnson’s competitors to notice the tape and implement it themselves. Johnson has won five consecutive championships. You’d think his competitors would be studying him intensely given his success yet that didn’t seem to be the case. Why would these other teams miss such an obvious thing? It surely isn’t laziness or a lack of educated engineers. Every NASCAR team works super hard and has lots of smart engineers. The most reasonable explanation I could come up with is pride. Sometimes smart folks with a lot of drive let pride and ambition cloud their minds. It’s not just that we want to excel, but we want to do it our way. We hold to doing things our way sometimes even though others around us are continually having better results doing it differently. We don’t just want to win. We want to be vindicated. Pride can bias our vision and our judgment. Wise leaders will recognize and guard against this tendency. It’s much better to be an adaptable winner than a hard headed loser.
Now, maybe I’m reading too much into a small piece of tape. Or maybe I’m not. After the race concluded Tuesday (it had to be rescheduled due to rain) there was a new driver leading the Sprint Cup point standings. His name was Jimmy Johnson. Go figure.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Random Things Final Installment
I'm sure everybody has been breathless with anticipation for me to finish this up...LOL
1. I'm a country bumpkin. Let's get that straight right off the bat. I hunt, fish, like Nascar, drive a tractor, and I've castrated pigs on the farm. And though she isn't as country as I am, my wife once clogged at the Grand Ole' Opry when she was a girl. That's bona fide!
2. Having children is the greatest thing I've ever done. Words can't describe how much I love them.
3. The most important days to come in my life will be the days when my kids accept Christ as their savior. Living an example of Christian faith in front of my children is the most important priority in my life.
4. A good steak and my Mom's onion rings has been my favorite meal for as long as I can remember.
5. I am unapologetically Southern, and it's a good thing too because my accent kind of makes it difficult to pretend to be anything else. Keep your stinkin' yankee oatmeal. I'll be eating grits.
1. I'm a country bumpkin. Let's get that straight right off the bat. I hunt, fish, like Nascar, drive a tractor, and I've castrated pigs on the farm. And though she isn't as country as I am, my wife once clogged at the Grand Ole' Opry when she was a girl. That's bona fide!
2. Having children is the greatest thing I've ever done. Words can't describe how much I love them.
3. The most important days to come in my life will be the days when my kids accept Christ as their savior. Living an example of Christian faith in front of my children is the most important priority in my life.
4. A good steak and my Mom's onion rings has been my favorite meal for as long as I can remember.
5. I am unapologetically Southern, and it's a good thing too because my accent kind of makes it difficult to pretend to be anything else. Keep your stinkin' yankee oatmeal. I'll be eating grits.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Why do we pray? Some thoughts on the invocation that is sweeping the nation.
If you haven't seen Pastor Joe Nelms' pre-race prayer from this past weekend's Nationwide Series NASCAR race, you should check it out. I'll hand it to him, it has certainly got folks talking.
Here's the link if you are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM_MKCg1U-c&feature=related
Since I'm pretty outspoken about my faith and my love for NASCAR racing some folks have asked me what I thought of it. While many people are calling this the greatest sports prayer ever (including some Pastor friends of mine), I just cannot agree. The prayer didn't sit well with me for several reasons.
First, this pastor was asked to come pray before a highly dangerous sporting event. The drivers and crew members in NASCAR put themselves in potentially deadly situations with regularity. Part of the reason that NASCAR always starts events with a prayer is that although this reality is not often openly talked about, it is something that everyone in that community understands. That moment before those guys strap in their seats and fire engines is a serious moment for them and their families. It was inappropriate not to recognize that.
Second, this pastor lost sight of the fact that a public prayer should be more about bringing honor and glory to The One being prayed to and not the one doing the praying. We should pray to seek God's blessing, not to entertain people listening. It reminds me of the way the Pharisee prayed in Luke chapter 18. You might remember that there the Pharisee gave a long, proud sounding prayer to impress all those around him. In response to this Christ says in Luke 18:14 "...For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Third, it is absolutely great to give thanks for your wife. Men should do that. The Scripture says that he who finds a wife finds a good thing. However, living in a culture that routinely makes sex objects out of women, I don't think that it set a good example for a pastor on national tv to objectify his wife by calling her "smokin' hot". I'm glad that he finds his wife attractive. I find my wife attractive too. However when I think of her beauty and all the reasons I'm thankful for her, physical attractiveness takes a back seat to all of her other traits that matter so much more. Emphasizing physical attractiveness over Godly character in prayer is a prime example of the culture influencing the church instead of the church influencing the culture.
Fourth, it was fairly obvious that this pastor's "inspiration" for this prayer was a scene from the movie Talladega Nights where Will Ferrel's character offered a rather ridiculous prayer before a meal. The purpose of the scene was to make people laugh by making fun of people who actual take saying grace before a meal seriously. It was irreverent and sacreligious. Pastors ought to be seeking their inspiration for prayer from other sources.
I know that some will read this and think that I'm just an uptight Christian who can't take a joke. That's not the case at all. It's just that I expect that kind of humor from Will Ferrell. I expect something a little different from a pastor.
At the end of the day, his prayer was more about entertainment than anything else and that bothered me. When called on to give an invocation before a sporting event, it's best to leave the entertaining to the drivers/players.
Here's the link if you are interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM_MKCg1U-c&feature=related
Since I'm pretty outspoken about my faith and my love for NASCAR racing some folks have asked me what I thought of it. While many people are calling this the greatest sports prayer ever (including some Pastor friends of mine), I just cannot agree. The prayer didn't sit well with me for several reasons.
First, this pastor was asked to come pray before a highly dangerous sporting event. The drivers and crew members in NASCAR put themselves in potentially deadly situations with regularity. Part of the reason that NASCAR always starts events with a prayer is that although this reality is not often openly talked about, it is something that everyone in that community understands. That moment before those guys strap in their seats and fire engines is a serious moment for them and their families. It was inappropriate not to recognize that.
Second, this pastor lost sight of the fact that a public prayer should be more about bringing honor and glory to The One being prayed to and not the one doing the praying. We should pray to seek God's blessing, not to entertain people listening. It reminds me of the way the Pharisee prayed in Luke chapter 18. You might remember that there the Pharisee gave a long, proud sounding prayer to impress all those around him. In response to this Christ says in Luke 18:14 "...For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Third, it is absolutely great to give thanks for your wife. Men should do that. The Scripture says that he who finds a wife finds a good thing. However, living in a culture that routinely makes sex objects out of women, I don't think that it set a good example for a pastor on national tv to objectify his wife by calling her "smokin' hot". I'm glad that he finds his wife attractive. I find my wife attractive too. However when I think of her beauty and all the reasons I'm thankful for her, physical attractiveness takes a back seat to all of her other traits that matter so much more. Emphasizing physical attractiveness over Godly character in prayer is a prime example of the culture influencing the church instead of the church influencing the culture.
Fourth, it was fairly obvious that this pastor's "inspiration" for this prayer was a scene from the movie Talladega Nights where Will Ferrel's character offered a rather ridiculous prayer before a meal. The purpose of the scene was to make people laugh by making fun of people who actual take saying grace before a meal seriously. It was irreverent and sacreligious. Pastors ought to be seeking their inspiration for prayer from other sources.
I know that some will read this and think that I'm just an uptight Christian who can't take a joke. That's not the case at all. It's just that I expect that kind of humor from Will Ferrell. I expect something a little different from a pastor.
At the end of the day, his prayer was more about entertainment than anything else and that bothered me. When called on to give an invocation before a sporting event, it's best to leave the entertaining to the drivers/players.
Monday, July 25, 2011
More random things 6-10
Almost done...
6. I've had three dreams of what I'd like to accomplish in life. The first was to be a country music singer, but I can't carry a tune in a bucket. The second was to play major league baseball, but I couldn't hit my body weight against good pitching. The third was to be Governor of South Carolina, but I've really grown sour on the idea of running for office. (haven't ruled it out though)
7. Speaking of politics, I served two terms the State Chairman of College Republicans in SC and I was the youngest delegate from South Carolina to the 2000 GOP National Convention in Philadelphia. (Strom Thurmond was the oldest)
8. I like to drive fast. I've been to numerous race car driving schools and I don't mean the thing where you go follow an instructor for 10 laps and get a certificate. I'm talking about multi-day things where they teach you how to go fast. I'm able to achieve a focus when I'm behind the wheel of race car that I can't achieve anywhere else. Trying not to get killed will do that to a man I guess.
9. Making my wife laugh is one of the simple pleasures in life that I hope I never take for granted again.
10. I have many limitations as a man, but one of the biggest ones is that I may be the least "handy" man to ever be born into my family. It's so bad that sometimes when friends are doing handyman projects they will call me and ask if I'd like to come over and get in the way.
6. I've had three dreams of what I'd like to accomplish in life. The first was to be a country music singer, but I can't carry a tune in a bucket. The second was to play major league baseball, but I couldn't hit my body weight against good pitching. The third was to be Governor of South Carolina, but I've really grown sour on the idea of running for office. (haven't ruled it out though)
7. Speaking of politics, I served two terms the State Chairman of College Republicans in SC and I was the youngest delegate from South Carolina to the 2000 GOP National Convention in Philadelphia. (Strom Thurmond was the oldest)
8. I like to drive fast. I've been to numerous race car driving schools and I don't mean the thing where you go follow an instructor for 10 laps and get a certificate. I'm talking about multi-day things where they teach you how to go fast. I'm able to achieve a focus when I'm behind the wheel of race car that I can't achieve anywhere else. Trying not to get killed will do that to a man I guess.
9. Making my wife laugh is one of the simple pleasures in life that I hope I never take for granted again.
10. I have many limitations as a man, but one of the biggest ones is that I may be the least "handy" man to ever be born into my family. It's so bad that sometimes when friends are doing handyman projects they will call me and ask if I'd like to come over and get in the way.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Random things about me (11-15)
11. The Tommy Bowden "era" of Clemson football surely took 10 years off my life. I'm not sold on Dabo, but at least there's hope we won't continue to underachieve as we have in the past....Maybe now we can just expect and accept mediocrity.
12. My Grandfather and I shared the same birthday 60 years apart.
13. The best teachers I ever had taught me tons more outside of a classroom than they did inside of one. Thanks Walter Hogg, John Huggins, Billy Keels, Booker Ingram, David Gillespie, Tom Weaver and Jody Lipford.
14. I'm totally convinced my wife is a direct descendant of Job from the Bible. No way anyone could stay with me for as long as she has without patience that defies understanding.
15. I've never left the United States of America but I'm hoping to rectify that soon. My favorite places to visit in the US are Manhattan, Washington DC, and San Francisco. I don't particularly care for Las Vegas.
12. My Grandfather and I shared the same birthday 60 years apart.
13. The best teachers I ever had taught me tons more outside of a classroom than they did inside of one. Thanks Walter Hogg, John Huggins, Billy Keels, Booker Ingram, David Gillespie, Tom Weaver and Jody Lipford.
14. I'm totally convinced my wife is a direct descendant of Job from the Bible. No way anyone could stay with me for as long as she has without patience that defies understanding.
15. I've never left the United States of America but I'm hoping to rectify that soon. My favorite places to visit in the US are Manhattan, Washington DC, and San Francisco. I don't particularly care for Las Vegas.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Dad as Pastor Part 1
So how does a man serve as the Pastor of his home and provide the spiritual leadership his wife and children need? Here are some specific ways you can follow the servant leader example of Christ with your family.
1) Take your family to church regularly. Many folks will say that you don't have to attend church to be a Christian, and while that is technically true, it misses the point. If your goal is to pattern yourself as a servant leader in the model of Christ, then you have to look to his behavior. Luke 4:16 tells us that it was Christ's regular practice to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath. If it was important for Jesus to be in a house of worship on the Sabbath, then I think it's safe to say that it is important to your family too.
2) Make it your business to serve your kids at every opportunity. Christian leadership is really about being an effective servant to God, your family, and your fellow man. Don't sit back at the dinner table and wait to be served. Be proactive and serve everyone else. Wash the dishes, fold some laundry, help the kids make the bed. Be service minded and your kids will too.
3) Don't miss an opportunity to teach your kids. A big part of a pastor's job is teaching the congregation. If you want to be the pastor in your home, you've got to teach too. Too many times fathers are quick to criticize and find fault. While it's part of a father's job to point out error when appropriate, we should always try to pair that with a message about the way something should have been done. Always be ready to say, "here, let me show you how to do it" or "now let me explain the reason why we don't..."
4) Love their mother. The Bible describes the church as the bride of Christ. If you want to demonstrate Christian leadership in your home, then you've got to obey the command that tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Serve your wife. Sacrifice for your wife. Never do anything major without first considering what effect it will have on her. The way you treat your wife will impact the type of husbands your sons will make and set the bar for what your daughters will expect in a potential mate. For those of you guys who are divorced or had a child when you weren't married, it is still very important to treat the mother of your children with courtesy and respect. (I don't care how much she does to make you angry)
5) When it comes to complaining, shut your pie hole. If you want to be the spiritual leader in your home put a sock in it when it comes to complaining in front of your children. A habit of complaining and murmuring is one of the worst things you can pass down to a child. A hopeful and content attitude is one of the hallmarks of a man who has put his trust in the Lord. Let your walk demonstrate that you have a peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) Trust me, it will show through and it will make a ton of difference in all of your relationships, especially within your family.
I'm sure some are wondering why there is no mention of prayer, bible reading, or devotionals in this list above. There will be more to come on those subjects later in the week.
1) Take your family to church regularly. Many folks will say that you don't have to attend church to be a Christian, and while that is technically true, it misses the point. If your goal is to pattern yourself as a servant leader in the model of Christ, then you have to look to his behavior. Luke 4:16 tells us that it was Christ's regular practice to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath. If it was important for Jesus to be in a house of worship on the Sabbath, then I think it's safe to say that it is important to your family too.
2) Make it your business to serve your kids at every opportunity. Christian leadership is really about being an effective servant to God, your family, and your fellow man. Don't sit back at the dinner table and wait to be served. Be proactive and serve everyone else. Wash the dishes, fold some laundry, help the kids make the bed. Be service minded and your kids will too.
3) Don't miss an opportunity to teach your kids. A big part of a pastor's job is teaching the congregation. If you want to be the pastor in your home, you've got to teach too. Too many times fathers are quick to criticize and find fault. While it's part of a father's job to point out error when appropriate, we should always try to pair that with a message about the way something should have been done. Always be ready to say, "here, let me show you how to do it" or "now let me explain the reason why we don't..."
4) Love their mother. The Bible describes the church as the bride of Christ. If you want to demonstrate Christian leadership in your home, then you've got to obey the command that tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Serve your wife. Sacrifice for your wife. Never do anything major without first considering what effect it will have on her. The way you treat your wife will impact the type of husbands your sons will make and set the bar for what your daughters will expect in a potential mate. For those of you guys who are divorced or had a child when you weren't married, it is still very important to treat the mother of your children with courtesy and respect. (I don't care how much she does to make you angry)
5) When it comes to complaining, shut your pie hole. If you want to be the spiritual leader in your home put a sock in it when it comes to complaining in front of your children. A habit of complaining and murmuring is one of the worst things you can pass down to a child. A hopeful and content attitude is one of the hallmarks of a man who has put his trust in the Lord. Let your walk demonstrate that you have a peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) Trust me, it will show through and it will make a ton of difference in all of your relationships, especially within your family.
I'm sure some are wondering why there is no mention of prayer, bible reading, or devotionals in this list above. There will be more to come on those subjects later in the week.
Monday, June 13, 2011
The best advice I ever got about being a Dad
You know when you start having kids you get a lot of advice from people. Some of it is bad. Some of it is just tongue in cheek nonsense. Some of it is actually pretty good. The best advice I've ever got on parenting came from my Pastor at Riverland Hills Baptist Church Dr. Ed Carney.
Meeting in his office one day we got to discussing the subject of fatherhood. Ed asked me "You know what your biggest job is as a Dad right?" I paused for a second realizing I had never approached the idea of fatherhood with such a systematic thought process. I knew a list of things Dad's should do...provide financially, protect his children, take them to church, be sure they get an education, etc...
Before I could answer Ed told me, "You have to be the Pastor in your home. You see I'm only their Pastor one day a week for just a few hours. Your family needs pastoral leadership every day, all the time. That's you. That's your job. It's more important than anything else."
As soon as he said it, a light clicked on in my head. I'd read the Bible. I knew much of what it said about the husband being the head of the home, raising your children in the way they should go, not provoking your children to wrath, etc. but this simple word of wisdom put all of it into a new simple perspective to me.
My #1 job as a husband and father is to provide spiritual leadership. That starts with making a commitment to raising them up within the community of church and modeling the Gospel of Christ in my life. My kids know that church is important to Daddy. But more than that, they know Monday through Saturday that God is the real boss in our home. If you don't make that plain then you aren't really living the Gospel in front of them, you are just showing them how to be a hypocrite.
Now you may say, "I don't know anything about being a Pastor. How am I supposed to do that?" Don't let that trouble you. You may not know how, but if you humbly and sincerely submit yourself to the leadership of God, then He will show you how to lead your family.
I'll write some more this week about practical ways you can show practical, pastoral leadership in your home.
Meeting in his office one day we got to discussing the subject of fatherhood. Ed asked me "You know what your biggest job is as a Dad right?" I paused for a second realizing I had never approached the idea of fatherhood with such a systematic thought process. I knew a list of things Dad's should do...provide financially, protect his children, take them to church, be sure they get an education, etc...
Before I could answer Ed told me, "You have to be the Pastor in your home. You see I'm only their Pastor one day a week for just a few hours. Your family needs pastoral leadership every day, all the time. That's you. That's your job. It's more important than anything else."
As soon as he said it, a light clicked on in my head. I'd read the Bible. I knew much of what it said about the husband being the head of the home, raising your children in the way they should go, not provoking your children to wrath, etc. but this simple word of wisdom put all of it into a new simple perspective to me.
My #1 job as a husband and father is to provide spiritual leadership. That starts with making a commitment to raising them up within the community of church and modeling the Gospel of Christ in my life. My kids know that church is important to Daddy. But more than that, they know Monday through Saturday that God is the real boss in our home. If you don't make that plain then you aren't really living the Gospel in front of them, you are just showing them how to be a hypocrite.
Now you may say, "I don't know anything about being a Pastor. How am I supposed to do that?" Don't let that trouble you. You may not know how, but if you humbly and sincerely submit yourself to the leadership of God, then He will show you how to lead your family.
I'll write some more this week about practical ways you can show practical, pastoral leadership in your home.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
25 things continued 6-10
And the list continues...
6. I've had three dreams of what I'd like to accomplish in life. The first was to be a country music singer, but I can't carry a tune in a bucket. The second was to play major league baseball, but I couldn't hit my body weight against good pitching. The third was to be Governor of South Carolina, but I've really grown sour on the idea of running for office although I haven't totally ruled it out. (my wife has though...LOL)
7. Speaking of politics, I served two terms the State Chairman of College Republicans in SC and I was the youngest delegate from South Carolina to the 2000 GOP National Convention in Philadelphia. (Strom Thurmond was the oldest)
8. I like to drive fast. I've been to numerous race car driving schools and I don't mean the thing where you go follow an instructor for 10 laps and get a certificate. I'm talking about multi-day things where they teach you how to go fast. I'm able to achieve a focus when I'm behind the wheel of race car that I can't achieve anywhere else. Trying not to get killed will do that to a man I guess.
9. Making my wife laugh is one of the simple pleasures in life that I hope I never take for granted again.
10. I have many limitations as a man, but one of the biggest ones is that I may be the least "handy" man to ever be born into my family. It's so bad that sometimes when friends are doing handyman projects they will call me and ask if I'd like to come over and get in the way.
More to come later.
6. I've had three dreams of what I'd like to accomplish in life. The first was to be a country music singer, but I can't carry a tune in a bucket. The second was to play major league baseball, but I couldn't hit my body weight against good pitching. The third was to be Governor of South Carolina, but I've really grown sour on the idea of running for office although I haven't totally ruled it out. (my wife has though...LOL)
7. Speaking of politics, I served two terms the State Chairman of College Republicans in SC and I was the youngest delegate from South Carolina to the 2000 GOP National Convention in Philadelphia. (Strom Thurmond was the oldest)
8. I like to drive fast. I've been to numerous race car driving schools and I don't mean the thing where you go follow an instructor for 10 laps and get a certificate. I'm talking about multi-day things where they teach you how to go fast. I'm able to achieve a focus when I'm behind the wheel of race car that I can't achieve anywhere else. Trying not to get killed will do that to a man I guess.
9. Making my wife laugh is one of the simple pleasures in life that I hope I never take for granted again.
10. I have many limitations as a man, but one of the biggest ones is that I may be the least "handy" man to ever be born into my family. It's so bad that sometimes when friends are doing handyman projects they will call me and ask if I'd like to come over and get in the way.
More to come later.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
25 Random things about me (first installment)
I did this list back when it was going around Facebook a couple of years ago...figured I'd repost because I've made a lot of new friends since then.
1. I'm a country bumpkin. Let's get that straight right off the bat. I hunt, fish, like Nascar, drive a tractor, and I've castrated pigs on the farm. And though she isn't as country as I am, my wife once clogged at the Grand Ole' Opry when she was a girl. That's bona fide!
2. Having children is the greatest thing I've ever done. Words can't describe how much I love them.
3. The most important days to come in my life will be the days when my kids accept Christ as their savior. Living an example of Christian faith in front of my children is the most important priority in my life.
4. A good steak and my Mom's onion rings has been my favorite meal for as long as I can remember.
5. I am unapologetically Southern, and it's a good thing too because my accent kind of makes it difficult to pretend to be anything else. Keep your stinkin' yankee oatmeal. I'll be eating grits.
Be looking for 6-10 next week.
1. I'm a country bumpkin. Let's get that straight right off the bat. I hunt, fish, like Nascar, drive a tractor, and I've castrated pigs on the farm. And though she isn't as country as I am, my wife once clogged at the Grand Ole' Opry when she was a girl. That's bona fide!
2. Having children is the greatest thing I've ever done. Words can't describe how much I love them.
3. The most important days to come in my life will be the days when my kids accept Christ as their savior. Living an example of Christian faith in front of my children is the most important priority in my life.
4. A good steak and my Mom's onion rings has been my favorite meal for as long as I can remember.
5. I am unapologetically Southern, and it's a good thing too because my accent kind of makes it difficult to pretend to be anything else. Keep your stinkin' yankee oatmeal. I'll be eating grits.
Be looking for 6-10 next week.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Truly Amazing People
This past Saturday night was about as good as it gets for me in watching sports. I got to watch two friends executing in their sport at the highest level. I flipped between watching my friend Ray Allen and the Boston Celtics put a whipping on the Miami Heat on ABC and seeing Kasey Kahne leading the most laps in the #4 Red Bull Toyota at the Southern 500 on Fox. I've been fortunate to have several friends who either are or were formerly professional athletes but I'd never been able to flip between watching two of them at the same time. I have to admit that I went to bed Saturday right proud of myself for being so connected to such famous, successful and amazing people.
On Sunday morning I got up and took the family to church. We'd been in Sunday School for about 5 minutes when God hit me up side my head with a 2 X 4 of truth and perspective. Two stories were told in our sharing time prior to the lesson that put some perspective on what being an amazing person really is all about. (I will share the stories here with first name only to preserve privacy)
My friend Robin teaches 4 year old kindergarten in Irmo, SC. She had shared with us some weeks previously about a girl in her class whose mother was in the midst of a very complicated pregnancy that was going to require her to be hospitalized in Pennsylvania up until she gave birth. She was going to have to be away from her family for several months. Robin updated us on the situation Sunday. She first shared that all was going as well as could be expected medically under the circumstances. Then she shared that the family member who had been caring for the girl in her mother's absence was being forced to return home. There had been some uncertainty as to what would happen because the child's father had a demanding work schedule and could not afford to lose his job. Finally, she told us that she and her husband had decided that they would take the little girl in until her mother returns from the hospital. She and her husband asked the group to pray for them and their children as they prepared for this opportunity to show the love of Christ to these people in tremendous need.
Before anyone could really comment on this another Brother asked that we would be in prayer for another class member named Chris because of what he had done on Friday. Many in the class didn't know what Chris had done so it had to be recounted for everyone. Chris is active in prison ministry. Over the past year, he had befriended a man on death row who had been found guilty of three murders, the last of which had actually occurred in prison. As I understood it, Chris had a hand in leading this man to Christ. The man had been scheduled for execution Friday evening for his crimes and as part of the preparation that does along with that, he got to pick one person to come spend the last 10 hours of his life with him in his cell. The man chose Chris. Chris spent from 8AM to 6PM on Friday with his friend and didn't leave his side until they came to take him to the death chamber.
As our class secretary wound up the sharing time with a prayer and I stood to teach, the Lord convicted me about my misplaced pride from Saturday night and I had to confess it to our class.
Now I don't want it to seem like I'm implying anything negative about Ray and Kasey. They are both humble, hard working, charitable and worthy of admiration for the excellence they display in their fields. But what I was struck with so powerfully was the immense nature of what these two people right in my very own Sunday School class were doing and how easy it is to get caught up in pride about the temporary and worldly things we do instead of rightly focusing on the things we do that count for eternity.
I'm so thankful to know and serve with people like Robin and Chris. They are truly amazing.
On Sunday morning I got up and took the family to church. We'd been in Sunday School for about 5 minutes when God hit me up side my head with a 2 X 4 of truth and perspective. Two stories were told in our sharing time prior to the lesson that put some perspective on what being an amazing person really is all about. (I will share the stories here with first name only to preserve privacy)
My friend Robin teaches 4 year old kindergarten in Irmo, SC. She had shared with us some weeks previously about a girl in her class whose mother was in the midst of a very complicated pregnancy that was going to require her to be hospitalized in Pennsylvania up until she gave birth. She was going to have to be away from her family for several months. Robin updated us on the situation Sunday. She first shared that all was going as well as could be expected medically under the circumstances. Then she shared that the family member who had been caring for the girl in her mother's absence was being forced to return home. There had been some uncertainty as to what would happen because the child's father had a demanding work schedule and could not afford to lose his job. Finally, she told us that she and her husband had decided that they would take the little girl in until her mother returns from the hospital. She and her husband asked the group to pray for them and their children as they prepared for this opportunity to show the love of Christ to these people in tremendous need.
Before anyone could really comment on this another Brother asked that we would be in prayer for another class member named Chris because of what he had done on Friday. Many in the class didn't know what Chris had done so it had to be recounted for everyone. Chris is active in prison ministry. Over the past year, he had befriended a man on death row who had been found guilty of three murders, the last of which had actually occurred in prison. As I understood it, Chris had a hand in leading this man to Christ. The man had been scheduled for execution Friday evening for his crimes and as part of the preparation that does along with that, he got to pick one person to come spend the last 10 hours of his life with him in his cell. The man chose Chris. Chris spent from 8AM to 6PM on Friday with his friend and didn't leave his side until they came to take him to the death chamber.
As our class secretary wound up the sharing time with a prayer and I stood to teach, the Lord convicted me about my misplaced pride from Saturday night and I had to confess it to our class.
Now I don't want it to seem like I'm implying anything negative about Ray and Kasey. They are both humble, hard working, charitable and worthy of admiration for the excellence they display in their fields. But what I was struck with so powerfully was the immense nature of what these two people right in my very own Sunday School class were doing and how easy it is to get caught up in pride about the temporary and worldly things we do instead of rightly focusing on the things we do that count for eternity.
I'm so thankful to know and serve with people like Robin and Chris. They are truly amazing.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
We don't need to raise taxes on ANYBODY!
President Obama rolled out his plan today to eliminate 4 trillion dollars from the budget deficit. Predictably, it included plans for a massive tax increase on "the wealthy".
Of course that sounds good...most of us aren't wealthy so it's easy to say soak the rich. But is that really a good idea?
Let's say you had a child who came to you and asked for a raise in his allowance to invest in his future. Now assume that child had a demonstrated history of reckless and irresponsible spending. Would you give him the allowance right away or would you make him prove his reckless days were over?
Common sense and parental love says that you would make the child prove that he had learned a lesson. Well friends, that child is President Obama. He wants a raise in the government's allowance. Evidently he thinks that he can convince enough people to throw common sense out the window and support his spending habit.
The President doesn't seem to understand that our government doesn't have a problem with revenue. It has a spending problem and a bad one at that. The truth is that we can't tax our way out of this hole. If we collected 100% of the income of all the people in the highest marginal tax bracket, we would still have over a 1 trillion dollar deficit in this year alone.
The President hasn't learned a thing and he doesn't deserve the raise he's asking for.
Of course that sounds good...most of us aren't wealthy so it's easy to say soak the rich. But is that really a good idea?
Let's say you had a child who came to you and asked for a raise in his allowance to invest in his future. Now assume that child had a demonstrated history of reckless and irresponsible spending. Would you give him the allowance right away or would you make him prove his reckless days were over?
Common sense and parental love says that you would make the child prove that he had learned a lesson. Well friends, that child is President Obama. He wants a raise in the government's allowance. Evidently he thinks that he can convince enough people to throw common sense out the window and support his spending habit.
The President doesn't seem to understand that our government doesn't have a problem with revenue. It has a spending problem and a bad one at that. The truth is that we can't tax our way out of this hole. If we collected 100% of the income of all the people in the highest marginal tax bracket, we would still have over a 1 trillion dollar deficit in this year alone.
The President hasn't learned a thing and he doesn't deserve the raise he's asking for.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
My current reading material...
I love to read and I read quite a bit. Sometime soon I hope to post a blog about some of my favorite books and how they have helped shape my thinking. Before I do that though I'll just share a list of what I'm reading right now. I'll try to post the current reading list every few weeks as I start a new batch of books.
Here's what I'm reading right now:
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. Hard to believe I had never read this 25 year old classic.
A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. Just getting started but the book comes highly recommended from people I respect a great deal.
Forgotten God by Francis Chan. Another great effort from Chan that challenges the average Christian in his understanding and appreciation of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The New Guidebook for Pastors by Mac Brunson and James Bryant. It's a very comprehensive and helpful guide for men at all stages of a ministry career.
Here's what I'm reading right now:
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. Hard to believe I had never read this 25 year old classic.
A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. Just getting started but the book comes highly recommended from people I respect a great deal.
Forgotten God by Francis Chan. Another great effort from Chan that challenges the average Christian in his understanding and appreciation of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The New Guidebook for Pastors by Mac Brunson and James Bryant. It's a very comprehensive and helpful guide for men at all stages of a ministry career.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Why Would Anybody Want to Chair the SC GOP?
Anybody who knows my history knows I've done more than my fair share of work in the Republican Party. As a student, I was Chairman of the state College Republicans for two terms. As a young lawyer, I was the Chairman of my home county's GOP. I've been a delegate to the national convention, and in recent times I've often been asked to endorse candidates or serve on various finance committees. I love politics. Always have, probably always will. That said, I have no idea why anybody in their right mind would want to be the Chairman of the South Carolina GOP.
Ok, I know that this sounds extremely hypocritical given my background of activism....but hear me out.
Now that the GOP has pretty much completely achieved one party rule status in SC, I just don't see what allure being party chairman would have. By definition the Chairman has to stay impartial in primaries. The primaries are the only elections that matter any more in this state. Why run for a job that a) means you can't take sides and b) doesn't pay a thin dime? I don't get it. It's like not getting paid to not participate. I can do that at home without waging a statewide campaign.
Many years ago Henry McMaster took the office of GOP Chairman with the mantra of making Democrats so scarce in South Carolina that we'd have to hunt them with dogs. Under his leadership and that of Katon Dawson, that work was accomplished. What else is there to do? Beating Democrats in South Carolina is like me pushing over my 3 year old nephew. There's no challenge in it.
Moreover, given the number of "Republicans In Name Only" (RINO's) that currently populate many high ranking elected positions in SC, the last thing that a real conservative activist who wanted to change things would do is to take a position that where you'd have to carry water for some of those clowns. I'd rather hunt these RINO's than feed them.
What we really need in SC are political leaders who want to make these RINO's so scarce that we have to hunt them with dogs. If somebody wants to lead that charge, then sign me up. Otherwise, I just don't see the point.
Ok, I know that this sounds extremely hypocritical given my background of activism....but hear me out.
Now that the GOP has pretty much completely achieved one party rule status in SC, I just don't see what allure being party chairman would have. By definition the Chairman has to stay impartial in primaries. The primaries are the only elections that matter any more in this state. Why run for a job that a) means you can't take sides and b) doesn't pay a thin dime? I don't get it. It's like not getting paid to not participate. I can do that at home without waging a statewide campaign.
Many years ago Henry McMaster took the office of GOP Chairman with the mantra of making Democrats so scarce in South Carolina that we'd have to hunt them with dogs. Under his leadership and that of Katon Dawson, that work was accomplished. What else is there to do? Beating Democrats in South Carolina is like me pushing over my 3 year old nephew. There's no challenge in it.
Moreover, given the number of "Republicans In Name Only" (RINO's) that currently populate many high ranking elected positions in SC, the last thing that a real conservative activist who wanted to change things would do is to take a position that where you'd have to carry water for some of those clowns. I'd rather hunt these RINO's than feed them.
What we really need in SC are political leaders who want to make these RINO's so scarce that we have to hunt them with dogs. If somebody wants to lead that charge, then sign me up. Otherwise, I just don't see the point.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
What's behind the Charlie Sheen meltdown?
I've been making a lot of comments about Charlie Sheen on my Facebook the past couple of days. You'd have to live in a cave not to have followed the story. It has been ubiquitous to say the least.
But in case you do live in a cave, here it is in a nutshell. Sheen has, in the course of a week, alienated most of his friends, had his publicist quit, his top rated tv show canceled, and lost custody of his children all the while saying some of the craziest, most delusional things ever heard on national television. His bitterness is evident even as he declares he is a "winner" with "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA" living with porn star "goddesses" flying around the world in private jets.
Why would a man with all of this be so bitter and delusional?
I believe I know the answer. Sheen has finally realized that the world has been lying to him all of his life about where to find fulfillment and it's impossible to hide the bitter disappointment and anger he feels. He's tried money, women, whiskey, drugs, and fame and they are all empty. He's worshiped at the feet of all of the major idols of our popular culture and they can't fill the whole he has in his heart.
It's a story that I know a little too well (though thankfully not nearly to the same extent as Charlie). I had bought in to the idea that what I needed to be happy, accepted, and fulfilled was success, money, status, and popularity. I've made many of the same mistakes in the wake of success as Sheen has. I've looked for meaning in whiskey, women, and money/success and having experienced more than my fair share of all three, found them sorely lacking. It was only when I turned my heart and life completely over to Jesus Christ that I found any measure of contentment and meaning in my existence. I came to know the truth in Christ's promise that He had come so that we may have a truly abundant life (John 10:10) and it has made all the difference.
The sad truth is that the only difference between Charlie Sheen and a lot of us is that he can afford to make mistakes on a grander scale than we can. We meet people everyday with the same basic problems Charlie Sheen has. They are looking for someone or something to help them make sense of life in all the wrong places. The lost, hopeless, bitter, depressed and disillusioned are all around us. It's a whole lot more common than you think.
It's hard not to laugh at Charlie Sheen's nonsense. Lord knows I have. But Charlie needs prayer. Instead of being filled with tiger blood, Charlie Sheen needs to be filled with the Holy Ghost. And we all need to see this saga for exactly what it is, a textbook example of the destruction and despair that come from believing the lies the world tells us. Proverbs 14:12 describes it perfectly, "There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death". Let's hope that Charlie stops going down this road before he proves that verse to be true.
But in case you do live in a cave, here it is in a nutshell. Sheen has, in the course of a week, alienated most of his friends, had his publicist quit, his top rated tv show canceled, and lost custody of his children all the while saying some of the craziest, most delusional things ever heard on national television. His bitterness is evident even as he declares he is a "winner" with "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA" living with porn star "goddesses" flying around the world in private jets.
Why would a man with all of this be so bitter and delusional?
I believe I know the answer. Sheen has finally realized that the world has been lying to him all of his life about where to find fulfillment and it's impossible to hide the bitter disappointment and anger he feels. He's tried money, women, whiskey, drugs, and fame and they are all empty. He's worshiped at the feet of all of the major idols of our popular culture and they can't fill the whole he has in his heart.
It's a story that I know a little too well (though thankfully not nearly to the same extent as Charlie). I had bought in to the idea that what I needed to be happy, accepted, and fulfilled was success, money, status, and popularity. I've made many of the same mistakes in the wake of success as Sheen has. I've looked for meaning in whiskey, women, and money/success and having experienced more than my fair share of all three, found them sorely lacking. It was only when I turned my heart and life completely over to Jesus Christ that I found any measure of contentment and meaning in my existence. I came to know the truth in Christ's promise that He had come so that we may have a truly abundant life (John 10:10) and it has made all the difference.
The sad truth is that the only difference between Charlie Sheen and a lot of us is that he can afford to make mistakes on a grander scale than we can. We meet people everyday with the same basic problems Charlie Sheen has. They are looking for someone or something to help them make sense of life in all the wrong places. The lost, hopeless, bitter, depressed and disillusioned are all around us. It's a whole lot more common than you think.
It's hard not to laugh at Charlie Sheen's nonsense. Lord knows I have. But Charlie needs prayer. Instead of being filled with tiger blood, Charlie Sheen needs to be filled with the Holy Ghost. And we all need to see this saga for exactly what it is, a textbook example of the destruction and despair that come from believing the lies the world tells us. Proverbs 14:12 describes it perfectly, "There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death". Let's hope that Charlie stops going down this road before he proves that verse to be true.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
CAMO Conference report/Facebook ministry
This past Saturday I had the great pleasure to attend the Ironman Outdoors CAMO Conference on men's ministry. It was a fantastic, spirit filled event. The keynote speaker on Friday evening was Dr. Bill Jones, president of Columbia International University. He preached a wonderful expositional message on practical evangelism from Colossians 4:2-6. Dr. Jones made plain that if you want to be an effective witness for Christ you have to 1)Pray Something; 2) Do Something; and 3) Say Something.
On Saturday, my dear friend and mentor US Navy Captain Mike Langston spoke and I was so honored to be able to introduce him. Captain Langston is a true leader of men and man of God. He made it plain that men want to be led and that we have an obligation to do so if we want to impact people's lives with the Gospel of Christ.
Most fun for me was that I was invited to lead a breakout session on Saturday morning about how to use Facebook as a ministry tool. I don't believe that God has allowed the great technological advancements of the internet and social media simply so teens can post embarrassing photos and celebrities can build big fan followings. Communications advancements have always lead to ministry opportunities. The unique thing about social networking as a ministry tool is that you don't need expensive equipment or lots of infrastructure to start a ministry. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a desire to impact your sphere of influence for Christ. I outlined ten keys to unlocking your Facebook profile as a ministry tool. It was a good session and it's been very rewarding to see some of the men there already implementing some of the strategies I talked about. Hopefully the Lord will bless me with other opportunities to share what He has taught me on this subject.
Thanks to Ironman Outdoors for allowing me to participate. If you want to know more about Ironman Outdoors and their ministry visit them at www.ironmanoutdoors.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ironmanoutdoors
On Saturday, my dear friend and mentor US Navy Captain Mike Langston spoke and I was so honored to be able to introduce him. Captain Langston is a true leader of men and man of God. He made it plain that men want to be led and that we have an obligation to do so if we want to impact people's lives with the Gospel of Christ.
Most fun for me was that I was invited to lead a breakout session on Saturday morning about how to use Facebook as a ministry tool. I don't believe that God has allowed the great technological advancements of the internet and social media simply so teens can post embarrassing photos and celebrities can build big fan followings. Communications advancements have always lead to ministry opportunities. The unique thing about social networking as a ministry tool is that you don't need expensive equipment or lots of infrastructure to start a ministry. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a desire to impact your sphere of influence for Christ. I outlined ten keys to unlocking your Facebook profile as a ministry tool. It was a good session and it's been very rewarding to see some of the men there already implementing some of the strategies I talked about. Hopefully the Lord will bless me with other opportunities to share what He has taught me on this subject.
Thanks to Ironman Outdoors for allowing me to participate. If you want to know more about Ironman Outdoors and their ministry visit them at www.ironmanoutdoors.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ironmanoutdoors
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