Fridays are for Friends & Family on 9.11.09

Welcome to Friday everybody and with it the uniqueness of the day we commemorate. On September 11, 2001, two thousand eight hundred and nineteen people lost their lives in the tragedies of the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the farmlands of Pennsylvania. As a result, our nation was changed forever. Many of those who died were rescue workers, whose courage and determination remain an example of selfless sacrifice to those of us who remain.

One of our church planters at the time, Dave Cowan, traveled to New York in the first couple of weeks after the tragedy of 9/11 and recorded a moving tribute on film. He has since posted it on YouTube. Some of us have used it with our church; others find it a private opportunity to grieve for these innocent victims. You can watch it below.

We must never forget: “God is our refuge and strength, an EVER-PRESENT help in trouble” (Psalm 46.1).

Monday Morning Rewind: In God We Trust?

In 1956, by an act of Congress our national motto became “In God We Trust.” It has adorned all our money since that time, and in some instances even before (back in the Civil War days). But regardless of what our money “says,” the ultimate reality of our trust is seen in our behavior…the things upon which we build our lives. In the final analysis, that foundation has to provide us with purpose and meaning. Consequently, whatever it is will shape our present moments as well as our destiny.

Solomon knew something about all of this. Having followed his father to the throne as king of Israel, he watched and heard David declare that “in Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name” before the nation (Psalm 33.21). Acknowledged in Scripture as “the wisest man who ever lived” (1 Kings 4.31), Solomon nevertheless had to come to a place where he personally professed his allegiance in God, not because his father did, but because he knew it was right. The book of Ecclesiastes tells of that personal, existential journey. As “the Teacher” for Israel he shares the lessons of his journey, a journey littered with many wrong turns and mistakes along the way. One commentator even calls the message of Ecclesiastes “the art of staying off dead-end streets.”

Where did Solomon “journey” to try and find meaning in life? In what was he willing to place his trust and allegiance in hopes of discovering a purpose for living?

He looked for knowledge to provide the answers in life (1.17). He sought out a cognitive form of mental gratification that helped him grow and increase the accumulation of wisdom. He experienced and applied what he learned. But he came to realize it was an unending battle to master information that was multiplying too fast to grasp. On the one hand, knowledge adds to arrogance (“I’m better than others”); on the other hand, it adds to frustration (“I can never know it all”). As a result, it was unsatisfying; Solomon’s word is “vanity,” emptiness, meaninglessness. It was like trying to catch the wind!

He looked to pleasure to bring meaning in life (2.10, 1, 11). 1 Kings 11.3 actually tells us how this was manifest in his life: he had 300 wives and 700 female concubines. In his own words, he says he denied himself nothing his eyes or heart desired; he sought to provide for himself a form of physical and emotional gratification. John later on helped us realize that the source of temptations come to us through the lust of the eyes, the pride of life and the lust of the flesh (1 John 2.16); Solomon apparently succumbed to all of these temptations in another vain attempt to find meaning and purpose in life. He discovered two things: first, this desire for pleasure is insatiable and second, that this too was an empty foundation upon which to build the stability of life.

He looked to “success” to provide meaning in life (2.4-6, 8-9, 11). This took the form of work, projects, etc., supposedly for the benefit of others (but in reality to boost his own ego and self-importance…he uses the words “for myself” five times in this section). This led to the accumulation of wealth as a source of meaning, and when that didn’t satisfy, he tried the authority of power, but this too left him empty. He fell prey to “the myth of more.” All of these things that so many of us long for, and feel like if we only had “this,” it would make everything alright…well, Solomon found them all to be just as meaningless and unsatisfying as knowledge and pleasure had been.

But Solomon made a great discovery! The source and foundation of meaning and purpose in life is God! (2.24-26) He came to realize that only God can provide meaning in life, only He can be the foundation upon which to build a life worth living. Why chase after the by-products (happiness, peace, etc.) that will be here today and gone tomorrow, instead of chasing after the source of it all, God? He alone can provide contentment and enjoyment in life. He alone can give the wisdom and happiness we need and so eagerly desire. In this discovery, Solomon had come “full circle” from what his father had taught him long before: in God we trust. He came to own this truth for himself personally, for only God can provide you and me with the satisfaction and fulfillment that we seek in life.

For many of us, we’ve been on that journey and come to realize the very same truth. Some are still seeking. I pray that if you are searching, you will consider the wisdom and experiences of Solomon and look to God as the source of your life, too. Jesus said, “I have come that YOU might have life–life in all its fullest.” Why not discover the reality of this truth for yourself? You’ll be eternally grateful that you did.

America the Beautiful

Happy Birthday, America!

What a blessing it is to be granted the privilege of living in such a great country as this.

Here’s hoping everyone has a great Independence Day. Enjoy the video!

Fridays are for Friends & Family 07.03.09

Another Friday and another flurry of activity! It seems every week is filled with news and experiences to share, so let’s get started. This is a special weekend in America, as we celebrate our nation’s birth. For many of us, we will attend parades, watch fireworks and musical celebrations, in addition to exercising our personal freedom of eating too much over a cookout with family and friends. Nationally, one of the significant “new” distinctly American experiences for citizens and visitors to enjoy once again is an opportunity to visit the crown of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor. It reopens to the public this weekend for the first time since 9/11, but visitors will need advance reservations. Here’s a report on the opening from one of the national news channels; you can watch here to find out. Also, USA Today has posted on its website this weekend a panoramic view of “Liberty Enlightening the World” and you can see it here.

There has been much written this week about Michael Jackson, both his life and his death. Undoubtedly, there will be much more to come. We’ve known the brilliance of his artistic ability and the bizarreness of his behavior. But this article,  7 Ways Michael Jackson Changed the World in last Sunday’s Baltimore Sun newspaper, attempts to summarize his impact. I thought it was worth the read.

In the world of “ministry” this week, a couple of important blog additions have been posted. David Putman of churchplanters.com has posted his take on “Common Mistakes Church Planters Make.” David now serves with Shawn Lovejoy at Mountain Lake Church north of Atlanta and previously was on staff at the North American Mission Board in the area of church planting. While not posted on my blog, I have written about this as well in my book, PlantLIFE: Principles and Practices in Church Planting (you can find information on securing the book by clicking on the icon in the right margin).

Joe Miller, a left coast colleague in church planting, provided a “scoop” online this week in a three part video interview with William P. Young, author of the highly popular and somewhat controversial book, The Shack. Young offers “practical insight concerning some very controversial issues of social change, the Gospel and culture. There are even a few answers that may shock you!”  You can get to part one of the interview here. Subsequent parts are posted as links on his site, as well.

Twitter Picture of the Week

This week’s picture comes courtesy of Ed Stetzer on a recent Home Depot trip. I suppose vegetable seeds fit the motif, but it kinda makes me want to go “hmmmmm.”

My daughter Sarah has another newspaper article published! Her latest news article, this one about an award winning artist from metro Vancouver who landed a big theater role in Toronto, came out in the SurreyNow newspaper today. You can read the story here.

Two weeks ago, I posted this picture with my FFF weekly edition, indicating that four of us (Larry, Hannah, Dottie Lou and me) were trying to find the rest of the gang that were student missionaries in New Hampshire during the summer of 1977 at the Agape-In at Hampton Beach.

Agape-In staff, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire 1977

I’m happy to report that we’ve been able to find several others, some of whom are on Facebook and others who are not. The updated list of the group is listed below. Boldface indicates the ones who’ve reconnected, where they were from when we served together and where they’re living now. These names are listed from left to right.

• Michael Hogue,  Tennessee
• Annette Nielsen, Connecticut (now in South Carolina)
• Me, Louisiana (now in Maryland)
• Charlie Westbrook, Oklahoma
• Vernetta Eleazer Cousins, New York (now in North Carolina)
• Barry Morris, Delaware – in back – ( now in North Carolina)
• Dottie Lou Crisp – in front – (now in California)
• Christy Glenn Brendle, still in Tennessee
• David Purifoy, still in Arkansas
• Keith Young, still in Tennessee
• Larry Beasley – kneeling – still in Tennessee
  
• Hannah McConnell Gillenwater, still in Tennessee
  
• Valerie Brewer, Mississippi
• Debbie Johnson, Maryland
• Billy Redford (not pictured), Georgia (now in Illinois)

And since this is the Fourth of July weekend, I want to end as I started, by celebrating our nation’s freedom with a heart of gratitude for all of those from the earliest days until now, who have labored hard for us to experience the joys and liberties we share every day of our lives. It all started in Philadelphia many years ago. You can read the Declaration of Independence they crafted here. And in honor of our country, I offer you a video my brother Jeff highlighted on Facebook earlier this week, as Jennifer Hudson–she of personal fame and private tragedy–sings with great and intimate passion of her love for our nation. May God richly bless you in this holiday season and may God bless America.

Rev. Lowery’s Benediction at the Inauguration

So many of you have responded to my post on Rick Warren’s invocation at the Inauguration. Thanks for that! As a result, I thought I’d post Rev. Lowrey’s benediction here as well. As you may or may not know, this 80-year old man lived through the Civil Rights Movement and his perspective is personal. Watch his prayer here:

Again, what are your thoughts? Appropriate or not? and, What place do you see “religion” playing in this administration? I’ll post your comments here.

Rick Warren’s Invocation at the Inauguration

Rev. Dr. Rick Warren’s involvement in this inauguration ceremony presented great controversy before the event today.  Here is what he actually ended up praying:

I for one was stirred by his words and his participation in this significant moment in American history. What do think of what he prayed and the controversy surrounding his participation in this ceremony?

A New President, A New Day

Today the United States of America saw the 44th President of this country inaugurated as the leader of the land. In his speech, he spoke with determination and resolve as he reminded Americans of the need for sacrifice and responsibility. Our “patchwork heritage” is a part of our great strength as a nation, he said, and our lifestyle will bring no apology to nations around the world who often criticize us. It was a “stirring” speech, but not a “soaring” one, according to the political pundits, just as the President and his writers wanted and nothing more.

So what does it mean to those of us in this land?

It cannot be denied that this is a historic day of epic proportions. Few days of celebration in my lifetime have ever carried the impact of this one (national tragedies have, but that’s a totally different story). The mass of humanity that descended upon Washington, D. C. spoke volumes to the world. Their mere presence shouted hope, expectation, joy and some sense for many of fulfillment, especially among African-Americans. To them, the ascendancy of a fellow countryman to the highest office in the land is a (at least partial) fulfillment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech from forty-five years ago. It is a day many thought they’d never see in their lifetime.

For all minorities and those previously marginalized by government and bureaucracy, it signaled a potential change of direction and possibly then, opportunity for the American dream to be fully realized in their own lives. As I wrote on Twitter earlier today, today’s events were more an Emancipation Actualization for them, as the President represented the reminder that anyone–even the son of an African immigrant–could make good on that dream. All Americans want to take hold of that “audacity of hope” and believe it can be for them, too.

A new day in America? In the end, rhetoric is easy and celebrations are often mirages. The evidence of whether or not the country enters a era of real change and progress will only be seen in the impact his leadership enables over the coming years. As President Obama reminded us today, we must all put away childish things and do our own part to make America better than ever before.

I for one will pray for him regularly, asking God to grant Him wisdom and grace as He leads our nation into the future. I ask you to join me in this responsibility we have to our Maker and for our President.

Fridays are for Friends and Family 11.28.08

It’s Friday again, and while we’re all stuffed from turkey and tired out from shopping, we take a few moments to pause and reflect again on “friends and family.”

This week’s edition starts with Bob Roberts, who recently wrote on his blog about “The Church of the Now.”  He notes that the church of the ’80s and the church of the ’90s were characterized by different values from the current church, and he frankly likes it better in the “now” than in the past.  Read about it here.

My family and I went earlier this week to the National Archives in Washington, DC.  It’s a must see for any tourist (or resident) in the area.  Among the documents housed there are the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, Bill of Rights, Louisiana Purchase and Emancipation Proclamation.  It also houses one of only a handful of copies of the Magna Carta from A.D. 1215! Check out the government’s website about it here.

In view of that, Leonard Sweet has long had posted on his website an item called the “Magna Carta of Trust by an Out-of-Control Disciple.” It’s a great document and one after which more of us ought to pattern our lives.  Check it out for yourself here.

My son, Jonathan, this week on a dinner trek to the Burger King in our neighborhood decided to try out for the first time their Triple Whopper with Cheese.  It’s an unbelievable 1230 calories (but what is that to a growing teen-age boy, right?).  After eating it he was hyped up for hours, claiming it was a “ball of flaming energy in my belly.” Hmmm…

With tomorrow’s “Iron Bowl” (Alabama vs. Auburn football game for those of you who don’t follow such things) upon us, Ian Rappoport of the Birmingham News writes about the turning of the Tide in his blog.  Read about it here, then watch ‘Bama and the Tigers tomorrow on CBS at 3:30pm in one online sports site this week called “the best football rivalry in the nation”…Roll Tide!

And finally with all the turkey we’ve eaten this week I thought it might be fitting to end my post today with a video found on You Tube, simply called “Thanksgiving Turkey,” to the tune of Gloria Gaynor’s disco hit “I Will Survive.” Enjoy, everyone…

Until next time!

Thoughts & Observations on the Presidential Election

By all accounts, the election yesterday was one of historic proportions.  I am already on record as saying it will change America forever; perhaps, the reality would be better stated that America has already changed and we awaken today to this sobering reality.  The overwhelming election of Senator Barack Obama yesterday signals a new day for this country and its people.   Here are my initial thoughts and observations on what it all means.

First, while this may seem trivial it appears to me that the endorsement of Oprah Winfrey was a watershed moment for then-candidate Obama. No other endorsement this year had the same kind of impact as Winfrey’s endorsement of the Democratic Senator.  Certainly celebrities have been endorsing candidates for a long time, but Winfrey is a different kind of celebrity.  She attempts to be America’s counselor, self-help guru, confidante and friend.  Her influence stretches deep and wide.  And while we’ve known this for some time, her foray into the political world at this point in time could arguably have made the difference in this election.

Second, President-elect Obama and his team “get it” when it comes to communicating with the younger generation. They maximized personal style, authenticity and down-to-earth realism in a way that resonated with younger Americans like never before.  In addition, they embraced the world of younger America and communicated with them on their terms through YouTube, Twitter and Facebook among other means like never before.  Others before him have attempted to intersect the younger generation of Americans on their terms, but none with the combination of authenticity and method, form and function exhibited by the Democratic candidate and his team.

Third, Obama is the first candidate in my lifetime that is clearly trans-racial and trans-ethnic. Who would have thought twenty years ago that America would ever elect in our lifetime a candidate with a name so obviously evidencing his ethnic heritage and a son of an interracial marriage who was able to draw passionate support across all racial lines?  Wow…this is a remarkable achievement indeed, and not one that just anybody could have accomplished.  He appears to be a “new generation” of African-American leadership, sharply different from Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Alan Keyes and Al Sharpton before him.  The result is that such a person galvanized a voter-base passionate, multicultural and younger than virtually any candidate in history.

Fourth, the social issues that energize this new younger, multicultural coalition of voters are not the same issues as the previous generation, even among evangelicals. While previous generations were vocal about abortion and prayer in schools, this new coalition is more concerned about social justice and the environment. These issues may constitute a move away from attention on the personal ethics of others and a more pronounced concern about over-arching issues that transcend the individual (and even the nation?) to the nature of mankind and the global community.

Fifth, female candidates are clearly the most neglected, scorned and ridiculed of all who are willing to enter “the fray,” whether they be liberal (Clinton) or conservative (Palin) in their beliefs. It should be evident to all by this time, that they are not treated or judged in the same way as male candidates.  I for one do not believe that it’s all simply about their views on the issues.  This is sad and may say more about the character of our hearts than the candidates themselves.

Finally, God is neither Democrat or Republican. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He is still the Sovereign King of the Universe.  Nothing catches Him by surprise; in fact we are taught in the Scriptures God ordains the government and we are to be submissive to the appropriate authorities “over” us.  Moreover, I would argue that the New Testament in particular is amazingly “apolitical.”  It acknowledges the reality of governments and rulers but nowhere suggests we should try to overthrow them, lobby them or take action to legislate morality.  Rather, we are to transform the world one person at a time, one family at a time, one village at a time, as we live Christ-transformed lives before their eyes.

These ramblings have been many today, not so typical for me.  But it is not my nature to promote fear or division, but rather to live by hope and expectancy as I look to the future.  And if the events of the last twenty-four hours do nothing more that cause believers to walk more closely with God and depend on Him more earnestly than they have in previous days, then that is enough for me. I for one will be praying for President-elect Obama and for our nation in the coming days.  I invite you to join me.

We Must Never Forget

I suppose everyone today is thinking, more or less, about the events of 9/11 in 2001.  My family and I were on vacation when the events occurred.  What happened that day unfolded on television right before our eyes and as it did, it changed our world forever.

Not only did I have the naive, insulated view that our country was safe from such behavior, I had a hard time believing that there could be ones who hated America so much that they would inflict such pain and heartache on so many to make their point. Real evil exists in our world and we saw it that day–pure, unadulterated evil, seeking to cast fear into every heart that loves life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  It was a darkness we must never forget.

In the days that followed, the government responded quickly to what had happened.  And whether you agree with what President Bush and the Congress have done since then or not, it is a fact that our nation has not seen another act or terrorism like that day since.  For that, I hope and pray that we are all grateful.

The church responded too.  It opened its doors, it comforted the hurting, it attempted to explain, hopefully from the Scriptures, the nature of evil and the triumph of good.  It sought to point people back to God and to a personal faith in Jesus Christ.  In the immediate days after, it was somewhat successful.  Since then, its impact on the lives of most Americans has consistently decreased.

Our world was filled with heroes on that day, some who lived and many who died.  Some gave their lives unwillingly; they were taken from them.  Others offered them freely, because there were beliefs and truths that meant more to them than life itself–things like freedom, country, family, service and compassion for the hurting.  They were thinking beyond themselves, to a world they believe can exist: a world that values others above self, where right does not retreat from wrong, and where what we leave behind is far greater than the cost it may bring us.

Today we honor them and we pray for their families and for our nation.  We ask God once again to “shed His grace on thee,” America.  And we are mindful, as Jeremiah was many years ago in the midst of a time of barren, heart-wrenching destruction in his own land, of the faithfulness of a God who loves us and sent His Son to die in our place,

“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.  Yet I will dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the LORD never ends!  By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction.  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day.  I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!’” Lamentations 3:20-24 (NLT)

We must never forget.