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It’s Sunday Again: God is God, God is good [Psalm 100]

I return to Psalm 100 again and again to be reminded of two great truths about God: God is God, God is good. I enjoy other aspects of this short psalm as well, but these two truths are foundational. The short and simplified (simplistic?) version of what Sundays are about for the Christian is to celebrate that God is God and that God is good. This is the reason for the assembly of the community of faith. This is the “why” of our songs, prayers, communion, sharing, and study.

A recent sermon struggled with the second affirmation. Is God really good, or is He at times not good? The subject of the sermon was the imprecatory psalms. The sermon sent me back to Scripture and Bible study resources to resolve my dilemma. A summary of my thinking is the subject of a recent web posting: Imprecatory Psalms: Psalms of Divine Redress?

My conclusion? The words of the Psalmist in Psalm 100 are true: God is God, God is good. And, as we sometimes add, “all the time.” God’s desire and ultimate purpose is to bless creation. Today as the church assembles around the world, may we remember two great truths and celebrate them joyously: God is God, God is good!

Some Reflections from a Generalist

The phrase caught my attention because it describes (at least in part) the direction of my life: “I am a writer here and there on this and that.” Indeed! I would add: “I am a writer here and there on this and that from time to time.”
I unabashedly admit it. I am a generalist. I want to know as much as possible about as many things as possible. My ideal is to know a little something about everything! (Impossible, of course) Through the years, I have read extensively. I enjoy interdisciplinary studies. I like to discover new patterns of integration and connection. Some days, I flit from one topic to another, amazed at the wealth of knowledge and variety of applications available in today’s world. In my ministry and mission roles of teaching, preaching and writing, I find lots of interesting connections.
Someone has to do the dissections, drilling down to know more and more about less and less. I have often wondered about the danger of learning more and more about less and less until you know everything about nothing.
As for me, give me the freedom to flit a few more years. I may not learn anything new, but then again I may discover that the jigsaw puzzle fits together in more than one way.

Guatemala Reflections: Developing and modeling an approach for effective Bible study

Our seminar approach is not only to share specific Bible information, with different classes and lessons which can be adopted and taught “as is.” We do some of the former, but we more often seek to demonstrate and model an exegetical approach to Scripture, a way to study and understand God’s Word, beginning by thinking about what the text meant in the original historical context given the intent of the original author. It takes time to explain and model the process, but it is essential. The text cannot mean what it never meant. The application of Scripture in contemporary culture is dependent on valid Bible interpretation. The knowledge of world history which many of the Guatemalan ministers and leaders have is amazing. Equally amazing is how quickly and adeptly they learn and use the exegetical process.

Guatemala Reflections: Individual Studies vs. Seminars

I am seeing more and more the importance of individual Bible studies in the process of leadership and teacher development. On this trip, I spent much more time than in the past in studies with families and potential leaders, in individual studies and conversations. These individual studies are very encouraging and have great potential for leadership and teacher development. I want to do more of this on future trips.

On the other hand, seminars provide lots of teaching hours and help the churches more quickly. The best use of teaching time is in seminars with preachers and church leaders, because the things I present are then taken to the various local congregations for study and sharing. Consider the impact of three seminar days in Chichi, with 6 hours of seminar each day—18 teaching hours x 25 present = 450 student/hours of instruction. There were between 15 and 20 congregations represented.
At the seminar in the Bible training institute, one day with 6 hours of instruction x 45 present = 270 student/hours of instruction.

The situation should not be seen as an either/or option. It is both/and–both seminars and individual studies.

Guatemala Reflections: At least some of the Mayans are preparing for 2013

Chichicastenango is an area where the influence of the Mayan culture is obvious. The congregations in the area are heavily influenced by the Mayans, and many of the leaders and members are of Mayan heritage and Quiche speakers. On the bulletin board in the church building in Chichi, I was encouraged to see that the schedule of upcoming events included activities for 2013. At least some of the Mayans believe that nothing is going to happen (regarding the predicted end of the world in December 2012, based on the end of the Mayan calendar).

Praying: hope and patience

I am praying today. I hope that goes without saying. I write a lot of prayers, but don’t often share them. Writing is one way I slow my mind and contemplate my God.

Dear Father and God, promise-giver and hope-sustainer, please give me today the patience I need to wait on Your will and your plans for me and for your Kingdom. Give me inner peace as I wait. Give me understanding as I try to discern your will. Give me boldness to step out in faith. I depend on your promise to give wisdom. Thank you for your presence, your forgiveness, and the love you have extended through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ which saves me and sanctifies me and secures me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Doing what God put us here to do!

We will Exalt the Lord. We worship him, we glorify him in word and deed. We seek to honor him and lift him up as worthy of praise and adoration.

We will Edify one another. We find spiritual life and meaning within the community of faith, and recognize the need for encouragement and strength.

We will Evangelize the lost. Knowing that the good news of Jesus has changed our lives, we will become like our King by seeking and saving the lost. We will live in the story, and live out the story in our own lives to attract others to Christ and share the message of salvation.

We will Equip the body. We will use our spiritual gifts for the good of our fellow Christians and fellowman. We will help others grow in faith and service.

We will Expand the kingdom. As disciples of Jesus the King, we will make his purpose our purpose and work to expand the kingdom in number, in spirit, in service, and in love.

It’s Sunday Again: Family

We will be with our family again today–our eighth different family reunion location in eight weeks. Over the past seven weeks we have visited and worshipped with our brothers and sisters in Tulsa, Lexington, Nashville, McAlester, Solola, Antigua, and Guatemala City. Except for Jan’s preference for English-speaking worship, each week has been a unique and wonderful blessing in our lives. God’s family is alive and well, even prospering, in countless places around the globe.
This morning I received a report from Mexico City–the new church planting team there (Continent of Great Cities, Baxter graduates) has had 53 baptisms since October, with 128 present last Sunday. Last Sunday I preached in a new church plant in the Historical Center of downtown Guatemala City, another Baxter graduate serving in ministry, 56 present for the 6th week of the church’s existence, four baptisms during the past week.
Yes, there are problems in every place. But when God’s people keep their eyes firmly focused on Jesus and God’s eternal purpose of seeking and saving the lost, many problems fade. I remember the words of a professor in my undergraduate studies, “Churches don’t have many problems when there are waves on the baptistery.”
The question is still a good one–for churches and for every Christian: “What on earth are you doing for heaven’s sake?”

Guatemala, March 2012

The work accomplished in Guatemala was beyond expectations.
The brief summary is visits to six local churches for studies, preaching and teaching; visits and studies with several different groups of brothers and sisters; individual studies to answer Bible questions and strengthen and train leaders and potential leaders; a visit to Health Talents clinic in Chichicastenango/Lemoa; a one-day seminar taught in a preacher training program; a three-day seminar for leaders and workers in Chichicastenango where there were about 25 present each day from about 20 different congregations. The total is somewhere beyond 50 hours of preaching and teaching, not including informal visits and studies. The four days of seminars alone total almost 700 student-hours of instruction.
We were blessed to meet many brothers and sisters we had not previously known, to renew friendships and acquaintances in Christ, and to learn more about the state of the churches in various sectors of Guatemala.

Education and Foolishness

We don’t know what to do with education. I regularly hear comments and read sermon segments that belittle study, academic pursuits, and learning. Of course, most of these are references to advanced learning and collegiate or graduate ministry training. On the surface, it appears the church is still “for” education–we maintain our Bible schools and Bible classes. On the other hand, maybe we as a people are “against” education since barely over 50% of the members in the average congregation participate in Bible education through these Bible classes! Have we come to value ignorance over knowledge? Do we want some truth but not all truth? Does intelligence or knowledge automatically move one away from God? Does education necessarily imply that one ceases to depend on God, substituting one’s personal ability or reasoning? That there are potential dangers in education does not deny its value. If one could choose between education and not being educated, why would one choose to be uneducated?

The Bible never says that the wise man or the educated man cannot see God. Paul says that education is not the basis for one’s calling from God (1 Cor. 1). We read too much into this passage if we conclude that education disqualifies one from being called by God. The man who penned these words was a man educated in the Jewish traditions, at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the most well-known Jewish teachers of the day, prior to God’s calling in his life.

If we don’t value education, do we unwittingly value ignorance? In Romans 3, Paul quotes the Old Testament text, “The fool has said in his heart there is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Education and foolishness are not mutually exclusive. Remember the descriptive phrase, “educated fool”. Why does the fool deny God?

Some educated people are fools. Some uneducated people are fools. Our task is to understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:15-17).