Water Walkers?

Driving down the road, I was listening to music on Christian radio. They were playing the latest song from Rhett Walker, titled Believer. It's a catchy song about how his life's been changed since he was found by Jesus. The chorus says, "I'm a mountain mover, water walker, more than just an overcomer, 'cause I've been set free."

As I listened, I was thinking about the phrase, "water walker." This, of course, comes from the story of Jesus walking on the water, and calling Peter to come out and do the same. It's a great story that captures our imagination. There was another song about this a couple of years ago, called "WaveWalker." Preachers like to talk about this story, as well. I've heard a number of sermons on it through the years. The sermons and the songs seem to reflect one idea: Jesus calls us to walk on the water, to exercise our faith by getting out of the boat and do great things for Him.

As I listened to the song, the thought struck me that this isn't really what this story is about. I went back to the gospels to read the narrative. Matthew, Mark, and John all share this story. The context is important. This comes immediately after Jesus feeds the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish. This was an amazing miracle, and John tells us that the people were ready to make Jesus king by force at this point. Given other references that clue us in to the disciples' desire for power in Jesus' kingdom, we can probably assume that they thought the idea of making Jesus king was a good one. They would have been ready to get behind that, and probably would have led the crowd in this effort. But that wasn't Jesus' plan. 

The writers tell us that Jesus made them get into the boat and go to the other side, and then He dismissed the crowd, sending them home. I imagine there was much grumbling as the disciples obeyed, getting into the boat and beginning to go across the lake. The story says that there were strong winds that night, so the passage across the water wasn't easy. The waves were high. Even though He said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light," sometimes obeying Jesus' commands can be a lot of work.

The story says that Jesus went to pray by Himself, but then, knowing what the disciples were going through, He walked across the water to where they were. Mark says He was going to just walk past them, but they saw Him, and were terrified. To be fair, they only had two options as to what was going on - either someone was walking across the water, which wasn't at all reasonable, or this was a ghost, which also wasn't reasonable. They went with the ghost option - apparently that was less unbelievable than somebody walking on the water. 

Jesus stops, knowing their fear, and says, "Take courage! It's Me. Don't be afraid!" I think it's important to notice here what He doesn't do. Jesus doesn't say, "Come on, all of you, get out here on the water with Me." They are doing what He told them to do, sitting in the boat, rowing across the water. Of course, Peter, always impulsive, says, "Lord, if it's You, tell me to come to You on the water." 

"If it's You." Interestingly, these are similar words to the ones Satan used in the wilderness - "If you are the Son of God..." Words of doubt, but with very different motivation. Satan used them to try to plant doubt in Jesus' mind. Peter uses them expressing his own doubt. Thankfully, Jesus knows our hearts. He meets Peter where he is, and says, "Come." Of course, we know what happens next. It's a big failure on Peter's part. He steps out of the boat, takes a few steps, is overwhelmed by the waves, and starts to sink. He calls out, "Lord, save me," and again, Jesus meets him where he is, catching him and helping him into the boat. 

As I review the story, I understand why preachers and songwriters are captivated by it. We all want to have the kind of faith Peter had, even in the midst of his doubt. We want to believe that we also would step out of the boat if Jesus calls. We want to do great things for God. But notice that it doesn't seem to be Jesus' intention to call anyone out of the boat. He only does so in response to Peter's expression of doubt/faith. He never calls the other eleven to get out of the boat. They are honoring Him by being in the boat, doing what He told them to do. 

It seems to me that we too often miss the point of the story. I don't think the point is that we're supposed to get out of the boat, or to walk on water. The point of the story to me is that Jesus knows what we're going through, and makes His presence known. We are called to do what He asks, even if it's difficult, and He is always there with us, saying, "It is I! Don't be afraid!" He may occasionally go beyond that, as He did with Peter, to meet us where we are, but that's the exception.

So I wonder, am I as willing to be a boat-sitter as I am to be a wave-walker? Am I willing to serve in whatever way He calls me, without needing to ask for a miracle? Do I love Him enough to do what He asks, fighting against the waves, no matter what? I pray that my answer to that will be Yes.

Heaven's Wall and Hell's Borders?

In the last few days I've had a number of friends - a surprising number, really - post a photo that reads, "Heaven has a wall and strict immigration policies. Hell has open borders." Then it ends with that overused phrase, "Let that sink in."

As I read this, it strikes me that it paints a very different picture of God and His Heaven than scripture does.

The first verse that comes to mind is one written by one of Jesus's closest friends, Peter. He says that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Then I think of the parable Jesus tells in Luke 14. In this story, a man prepares a feast, and those invited decline the invitation. So the man says to his servants, "Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame." The servant does so, then says, "Sir, what you ordered has been done, but there is still room." So the man replies, "Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full." (Luke 14)

Again, Timothy states this same idea: "He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." (I Timothy 2:4)

Scripture paints a picture of an inclusive God of love, one who wants everyone to come in. The statement that some are sharing on social media does the opposite, it portrays a picture of an exclusive God, who makes it hard to get in.

I responded on a couple of my friends' posts with this: "Heaven's government has made it easy for anyone to get in who wants to - simply say yes to Jesus. Heaven's government wants everyone to be there, wanting none to be kept out. Those who get in do so at a great price to the government - the very life of the Leader."

Some argue, "But what about the law? Aren't we a nation of laws?" Indeed, Heaven is built on God's laws, and these laws serve as entry requirements to the kingdom. But in His wisdom and love, God realizes that everyone of us is a lawbreaker. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) So He pays the price for our lawbreaking, and credits us with His perfect record, his righteousness. Then He says, "Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

So, dear friends, let your politics be what they may. But when it comes to painting a picture of God and His kingdom, let's show the God of scripture, the God who revealed Himself in Jesus, the God who invites everyone to come in.

Taking a Stand

I enjoy going to ball games. I love the crowd, the game, the hot dogs. I love standing as the Star-Spangled Banner is sung. I find it meaningful that we take those moments to celebrate what it means to be Americans. I stand because I love our freedom. I stand because millions of men and women have fought for that freedom, many giving their lives for this country.

As I stand, though, I recognize that each of our stories are different. Life in America has been good to me. I've had opportunities that many around the world haven't. But I have dear friends whose story has been different from mine.

Several months ago, after yet another news story came out about a black man being shot by police, one of my African-American friends, a young pastor, shared his experience. He talked about the fear he felt when being stopped by police, which sometimes happened when he hadn't done anything wrong. He wondered about the day when he would have to talk to his children about living in a country where there is fear simply because their skin is darker than others.

As I read his words, my heart broke for him, and for all others who his story represented. Of course, I couldn't relate to the story. I've never felt that kind of fear during a simple traffic stop. But I realized that the simple fact of my inability to relate demanded that I listen. I need to hear the stories of others, to listen to those stories, so that I can understand their experience, their feelings.

Today, many NFL players took a stand for what they believe by not standing during the anthem. Some chose to kneel, while some entire teams chose to stay in their locker room until the anthem was finished. As I look at social media, I see dear friends expressing a wide range of views on this. Some support the players, others boycott the games to express their disagreement with the players' actions. Each one has reasons for their position, and I find that there are important points on both sides.

It seems to me that the right to protest is at the heart of what it means to be an American. The players who chose to kneel were not trying to put down the flag, or the veterans who have served this country. They were making the statement that there are problems in this country that we need to address. Many people complained today that these were a bunch of millionaires seeking attention. But doesn't change happen best when those who have the spotlight take a stand for those who don't? I would suggest that these players were doing exactly what each of us should be doing, letting our voices be heard for those whose voices aren't. It's time to listen to each other, hear each other, understand each other, and stand for one another, whatever that looks like.

But there's another side to the picture that is just as beautiful. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose to remain in their locker room during the anthem. But one Steeler, Alejandro Villanueva, couldn't stay there with them. He came out to the end of the tunnel, stood on the edge of the field with his hand on his heart, standing for the celebration of the country he served while stationed in Afghanistan.

I've written this before, but it still seems important to me today: Stand for what you believe in. Take a stand for your country. Take a stand against injustice. Stand for people who can't take a stand for themselves. I'm thankful to live in America, where standing for what one believes in is the heart of who we are.

Reflections on my kids, on God, on life...

Yesterday I shared a post from a place of deep gratitude that my kids are okay. Friday night I got a text from Kaleigh saying that she was going to the emergency room. She was out for a walk with her mom, and had a tightening in her chest. Her left hand was tingling, and she broke out in a cold sweat. She said later that it felt like her heart had stopped for a moment. Given her ongoing health issues - an autoimmune disease that we've been trying to treat for several years - the possibility of a cardiac event raised immediate concern. At the emergency room they ran a number of tests - x-ray, EKG, blood work. The doctor said there was no sign of anything wrong, and sent her home. Since that time, she has felt better. (Big thanks to the emergency room team at Kettering Medical Center.)

Then on Sunday night I got a call from Alex, asking about our roadside assistance information. He said that he'd been driving back to the summer camp from a staff party, and they were going through heavy rain. He hydroplaned, and went off the road. There were no injuries, though he and his passengers were pretty shaken up.

As any parent would be, I was extremely thankful for the outcomes of both of these incidents. Every parent's greatest fear is that something happens to our kids. I'm so glad my kids came out of these events okay, and in my post, I expressed my thankfulness for God's protection.

But in the midst of my own gratitude for my kids' safety, I was reminded that not all events have these same outcomes. I think of dear friends who have lost children - whether by disease, or accidents, or even suicide. Does that mean that God wasn't there when these parents were praying?

What if the outcomes this weekend had been different? What if Kaleigh's event had been an actual cardiac incident? What if Alex or his passengers had been hurt, or worse? Would that mean that God hadn't been with them?

I'm reminded that we live in a world where hurt, pain, and death are still part of our reality. These realities invade all of our lives - yes, even praying people. Jesus stated the fact very simply: "In this world you will have trouble." We shouldn't be surprised, or assume we've been abandoned, when these things happen.

In the class I taught at the college about spirituality and healthcare, we dealt with the question of Why. We talked about how people who are going through sickness, injury, and death often ask, "Why me?" I suggested to my class that a more appropriate question is "Why not me?" As long as we live in a world of sin, these things are a part of our reality. And as such, I know that throughout my life painful things will happen to me, as well as to everyone I know. Knowing this doesn't change the hurt when we go through these things, but maybe it takes us back to an understanding of the world we live in.

I believe that the things we experience in this life can only be understood when we recognize that there is a battle going on in this world. There is an enemy - Satan - and he is responsible for the hurt, pain, and death that we experience. John, in his first epistle, said, "We know that we are under the control of the evil one." We are in the midst of a controversy between God and Satan, and the enemy is doing all he can to bring pain to God, and to his children. The war won't last forever. Scripture promises that the day is coming when sin and death will be no more, and every tear will be wiped away.

Until that day, God promises His presence. He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." He promises His Spirit to comfort and strengthen us when we hurt, when we don't get the answers to our prayers that we would wish for. He's still there. Our great need in those moments is to trust Him, to turn to Him with our pain, our sorrow, our questions. One of my favorite songs says, "When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart."

I'm thankful today that my kids are okay. I still believe that God had His hand on them over the last few days. But I still have questions. Why have dear friends lost children? Why is my daughter still battling this illness? Why are there so many things that cause us hurt and pain? But I'm thankful that scripture tells me that "God is love." Maybe, ultimately, that's all I really need to know.

Are You Mad Yet?

A few years back, I heard a powerful sermon from my friend, Pastor Keith Gray. The sermon was entitled, Are You Mad Yet? Keith talked about the problems that we face in this world, bringing them up one by one, and with each one, he would ask, Are you mad yet? As he preached, he reminded us that the reason for all of the things that hurt us in this world come from one place - an enemy, whose goal is to create as much hurt and pain as he possibly can. Keith suggested that if we're going to get mad about the things we see in the world around us, we should be getting mad at the one who causes it - the enemy.

In one of my college classes that I taught at Kettering College, we used as a text the book, The Shack, by William P. Young. The book is a story that seeks to address the question, If God is good, why is there evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? The book is well written, and led to many great conversations in class. The problem I have with the book, however, is that while trying to explain the existence of evil in this world, Young never once mentions the enemy, the one responsible for the evil.

Now contrast this with the accounts of the life of Jesus as written by the gospel writers. In those accounts, there is no way to miss the existence and the work of the enemy. Jesus faces him head on. We see their battle in the wilderness, after Jesus' baptism. We see Jesus casting demons out of those possessed. We see the battle as it leads to Calvary. We see Jesus rising victorious on the third day. One cannot read scripture without seeing that there is an enemy - he is real, and he hates God with all his passion.

Peter, writing about him in his epistle, says, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." Satan is real, and he is working to destroy as many as he can.

He has one goal, and that is to make God look as bad as he can. He knows he has already lost the battle, but he continues to fight until the end. If he can't take God down, he'll take down as many people as he can, the objects of God's deepest love.

Now, if he were just to destroy people, it would be bad enough. But if he can get people to destroy each other, and do it in the name of God, then it's a double victory for him. He doesn't care if those people claim the name of Christians, Muslims - whatever it might be - destroying in the name of religion suits him just fine. The world looks on, and says, If that's what God is all about, I want nothing to do with Him.

With the events of the weekend in Orlando, social media is filled with conversation, seeking someone to blame. There are plenty of fingers being pointed - at Muslims, at gays, at politicians, at gun control advocates, at gun control opposers. The game can go on forever. I would suggest we need to look at this event, and the altogether too many like it that happen around the world, through different eyes. To me, I can only begin to understand what's happening when I look at it through the paradigm of this great battle between Jesus and Satan. Satan knows that his time is short. He will continue to attack as often as possible. He wants to take as many down with him as he can.

We need to recognize that there is an enemy. That enemy is not human - not Muslims, not gays, not Christians, not any of the people around us. Paul, writing to the Ephesians, said, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." There, my friends, is the enemy.

So what does that mean for us? I believe that for those who are followers of God, it means that we start by loving each other, treating all people as brothers and sisters, rather than enemies. I believe that it calls us to proclaim a different message about our God than the one the enemy wants us to believe. We need to proclaim and show His love, so the world will see the enemy for who he really is, as they see God for who He really is. I suggest we follow the example of Chick-Fil-A, as they served sandwiches on Sunday to those giving blood to help the survivors. I suggest we follow the example of the Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church, who have offered their service to families of the victims, offering a place and resources for funerals and grieving at no charge. I suggest we ask ourselves, How can we show love to those the enemy wants to destroy?

I believe there is a God, and that He is love. I believe there is an enemy, and he is out to destroy. So my friend, Are you mad yet?

Response to "My Journey Away from Contemporary Worship Music"

Dan Cogan recently wrote a blog which has been posted and passed around quite a bit on social media. In his blog, Cogan tells why he has nearly stopped using contemporary music in worship, in favor of the richness of the content of the old hymns.  You can read his article here:

http://www.dancogan.com/my-journey-away-from-contemporary-worship-music

The root of Cogan's argument is that there is much greater depth in the theology found in the old hymns than that found in contemporary worship songs. For this reason, he suggests that our worship services should make much greater use of hymns than of contemporary songs.

I am personally blessed by the great hymns of the faith. When I sing songs like A Mighty Fortress or Great Is Thy Faithfulness, the lyrics speak to a deep place in my soul, and remind me of the greatness of our God, and the wonder of His faithfulness. Those who know me well know that I find hymns to be a wonderful part of my worship experience.

However, I find that the argument falls short in a number of areas. I recently had a conversation with a dear friend who suggested that the hymns are the cake, the contemporary songs are the icing. My friend finds that with icing on the cake, a little goes a long way. He, like Cogan, believes that there is much more theological depth in the hymnal than on the screen in our contemporary worship service.

So out of curiosity, I pulled up my SDA Hymnal app on my phone. I looked at the lyrics of the first 100 songs in the hymnal. What I saw in these first one hundred surprised me. The songs are beautiful, the words are stirring, but there truly isn't a lot of depth. Hymn number 2, All Creatures of Our God and King, for example, is an invitation to praise.

All creatures of our God and King/Lift up your voice with us and sing/Alleluia! Alleluia!/O burning sun with golden beam/And silver moon with softer gleam/Oh, praise Him! Oh praise Him!/Alelluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Beautiful? Absolutely! Theological depth? Not really. Many of these first one hundred songs are calls to worship, focused on God's character and love and our response to Him. I would suggest that these are the same themes as many contemporary worship songs that are often looked down on for lack of depth.

One of the criticisms contemporary songs receive is about repetition. So I was intrigued by the lyrics of hymn 69, Lord, Make Us More Holy:

Lord, make us more holy/Lord, make us more holy/Lord, make us more holy/Until we meet again.

The second verse continues this idea, praying: Lord, make us more faithful. Third verse: Lord, make us more humble. Final verse: Lord, make us more loving. This very repetitious hymn comes from our hymnal.

These examples show us that inclusion in a hymnal doesn't make a song good, rich, or deep. When choosing hymns, one should look carefully at the lyrics, and ask, Does this song express the truths we wish to bring forth in this service? Some will, many won't.

The same is true of contemporary worship songs. A Spirit-led worship leader will choose songs carefully for the worship service. A service may open with a song which expresses the same kind of call to worship as All Creatures of Our God and King, referenced above. This might be a song such as Matt Redman's 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord). Later in the service, one might choose a song with more theological depth, such as In Christ Alone, by Keith and Kristyn Getty. The service may end with a song of response. In a hymn-based service, this might be something like Just As I Am. In a contemporary service, one might use a song like Jesus At the Center, by Israel Houghton.

In both old hymns and new songs, there is a wonderful variety. There are songs that call us to worship, songs about the love of God, songs about the science of salvation, songs that call us to obedience, songs of response. No matter what type of worship service, songs should be chosen because of what they say, not just because it has a catchy melody.

Having said all that, I now come to the heart of my problem with Cogan's argument. It seems to me that promoting the content of the old hymns over contemporary songs is saying that God isn't doing anything new today. It gives the impression that all the truth that can be sung was written over a hundred years ago. We must not have anything to add to it today. The problem is that this paints a very poor picture of God. It says that God was once active in His church, but isn't any longer.

I want my preacher to preach sermons based on what God is doing in his life today, and in the life of the church. I want the sermon to answer the question, What do the truths of God's words have to do with my life today? There are great old sermons that we should listen to or read, by preachers such as Spurgeon or HMS Richards. But if these were preached every week from the pulpit, we would question their relevance. We need something new, something fresh. Adventists like to use the phrase "present truth." Along the same line, I love to read old books. I'm blessed to read from Ellen White, Bonhoeffer, C.S. Lewis, and many others. But I also want to read what today's scholars and theologians are writing. I love to read Jon Paulien and Max Lucado. Their words and thoughts are fresh, and relevant. Why shouldn't the songs I sing at church echo this? Give me the richness of the old hymns, but let's also keep writing and singing new songs, expressing what God is doing in our lives today. In too many churches, there hasn't been a new song sung in years. The service is a memorial of what God has done in the past, but not a celebration of what He's doing today. God said I AM the One who was, and is, and is to come. We too often let Him just be the One who was.

I have heard it expressed what a tragedy it is that today's kids are growing up without knowing the beauty and the richness of the old hymns. I agree with this. It is just as tragic that today's seniors are not experiencing the beauty of such current expressions of faith as How Great Is Our God and Revelation Song.

Old hymns, new songs. Our churches need both. One gives us roots, the other gives us wings.

Decision to Suspend "Rich Man and Lazarus" Comes With Strong Endorsement for Creative Outreach

Seventh-day Adventist world church leadership today announced their decision to remove "The Rich Man and Lazarus" from Luke 16, but agreed to explore the possibility of supporting similar creative storytelling.

The decision came after carefully reviewing the parable Jesus told, which dramatizes the eternal fate of two individuals. Seventh-day Adventist church leaders from different parts of the world and the world headquarters evaluated the parable, participated in the discussions and the decision-making process.

"Seventh-day Adventist world church leadership is committed to using and developing creative methods of outreach that are faithful to Scripture and Seventh-day Adventist ideals to reach segments of the population that will never be impacted by traditional evangelism," said world church president, Ted N. C. Wilson.

"The Rich Man and Lazarus" tells the story of two men who died after living very different lives on earth. In Jesus' story, the rich man goes to Hades, while Lazarus, who had been a beggar during his earthly life, lands in Heaven. A conversation follows between the two, in which the rich man begs Lazarus to send messages to his earthly family who are still alive, warning them about what is to come.

Seventh-day Adventist Church theology sees the state of the dead as an important teaching, one that is central to making sense of what happens after this life.

The church's Biblical Research Institute provided a biblical analysis of some of the problematic and theologically inaccurate matters raised in Jesus' parable. In addition, church leaders were looking for a much more accurate portrayal of the church's understanding of what happens after death

While Jesus prepared Bible studies to accompany the parable and encourage further study, according to the Biblical Research Institute, the content of "The Rich Man and Lazarus" would have put the church in the difficult position of endorsing the misrepresentation of biblical truth while at the same time offering studies which conflicted with the parable. This would invite misunderstandings and cause confusion.

Church leaders at the world headquarters expressed their continued desire to produce creative stories that would be in harmony with Scripture and capture the attention of people seeking divine truth.