Wednesday, May 27, 2009

John & Kate Plus 8

Last night I happened to catch the end of a rerun of the season premier of the show "John & Kate Plus 8." If you are unfamiliar with the show it is a reality (or unreality) show featuring a married couple (John & Kate Gosselin) with eight children -- 7 year-old twins and 5 year-old sextuplets (that's six!).

The premier drew a cable record 9.8 million viewers, mostly due to the fact that the Gosselin's are rumored to be heading towards a divorce. While there is a lot that could (and perhaps needs to be) addressed here, it's obvious that the Gosselin's and many in our culture just don't get what marriage is about.

The last 7-8 minutes of the premier focused upon John & Kate and their collective and individual responses to where their marriage was headed. They both essentially shared that whatever happens, they are going to make sure that they will do what is best for their children.

What they don't get is that (1) it isn't about the kids and (2) the best thing for the kids is for it not to be about them.

Why? Because marriage at it's foundation is about the vows -- the covenantal life-time commitment that husband and wife make to one another. When those vows aren't honored, everything else in a family falls apart. What the Gosselin kids need the most is John & Kate to reconcile and faithfully carry out their God-ordained and sanctioned roles as spouses and parents.

I have no idea if the Gosselin's are believers or not, but that is besides the point. If they really want the best for their kids, they will work this out and remain faithful to the commitment they made to one another and to God. Only then can they work towards what is best for their children.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Ralph Winter (1925-2009)

Dr. Ralph Winter, founder of the US Center for World Mission and William Carey International University, went to be with the Lord on May 20. Justin Taylor stated, "It is difficult to think of people more influential and strategic in the task of reaching unreached peoples for Christ."

For more on Ralph Winter, read John Piper's tribute here.

Mercy & Evangelism

The proper model is not (1) to see mercy as the means to evangelism, or (2) to see mercy and evangelism as independent ends, but (3) to see both word and deed, evangelism and mercy, as means to the single end of the spread of the kingdom of God. To say that social concern could be done independently of evangelism is to cut mercy loose from kingdom endeavor. It must then wither. To say that evangelism can be done without also doing social concern is to forget that our goal is not individual "decisions," but the bringing of all life and creation under the lordship of Christ, the kingdom of God. -- Tim Keller in Ministries of Mercy, p. 112

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Science & Religion

A legitimate conflict between science and religion cannot exist. Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. -- Albert Einstein

Friday, May 15, 2009

Adoption

A good friend of mind is currently in the rigorous, expensive, and tremendously joyful process of adopting a child from an Eastern European country. As I have walked through a portion of the process with him it has given me great pause to consider how Christians should highly consider adpoting and/or supporting adoption.

Why? While there are numerous reasons here are two significant ones:


1. Human adoption serves as a picture of spiritual adoption. Galatians 4:1-7 tells us that God has adopted believers into His family and given us the full rights of sons. Though we have done nothing to deserve this free gift, God graciously redeems us and makes us his own. Therefore, when humans adopt a child that has done nothing to deserve adoption, it gives a little picture to the world of the adoption that God offers to those who believe in His Son.


2. Human adoption reflects God's heart of compassion for orphans. Both the OT and the NT are clear that God has a special affection for orphans and therefore His true followers will as well. You simply cannot read the OT and not come away with the realization that God loves orphans. Likewise, in the NT the Apostle James tells us that looking after orphans is one of the signs of true religion.


So, what might God be calling you to in regards to adoption?

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Ministries of Mercy

The ideology of the Left believes big government and social reform will solve social ills, while the Right believes big business and economic growth will do it. The Left expects a citizen to be held legally accountable for the use of his wealth, but totally autonomous in other areas, such as sexual morality. The Right expects a citizen to be held legally accountable in areas of personal morality, but totally autonomous in the use of wealth. The North American "idol" -- radical individualism -- lies beneath both ideologies. A Christian sees either "solution" as fundamentally humanistic and simplistic.

Only the ministry of the church of Jesus Christ, and the millioins of "mini-churches" (Christian homes) throughout the country can attack the roots of social problems.


-- Tim Keller from his book Ministries of Mercy

Monday, May 11, 2009

Producing Fruit -- On Other's Trees

This weekend I read a quote by Peter Drucker that I absolutely love:

The fruit of our work grows up on other people's trees.

If you aren't familiar with Drucker, you need to be. He is widely considered to be the father of modern management and has had a great influence on leadership both inside and outside of the church.

I believe that what Drucker is getting at here is similar to what the Apostle Paul was trying to get across to a young pastor named Timothy:

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

All of us have a responsibility to pass along the faith; often times the work that God calls us to is to produce fruit through others. How are you doing in growing fruit on other trees?

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About Me

I am a husband to Eva, father of 4, pastor, and most of all passionate follower of Jesus Christ. The focus of my life is to make the most of every opportunity God gives me to bring glory to Him. Outside of the time spent in my role as a pastor, I spend most of my time with my family -- a good deal of that coaching various sports teams that my children are involved with. Every fall and winter you will find me rushing to the woods of Indiana and West Virginia in search of a monster whitetail buck.