Monday, January 31, 2011

Reality check

“Human beings yield in many situations, even important and spiritual and central ones, as long as it prolongs one's well-being.” ~ Alexander Solzhenitsyn

“For more than a generation, American civilization has been prepossessed with the notion that one is entitled to have one’s own way simply because one demands it.” ~ Kevin T. Bauder

One of my favorite childhood memories from my pre-teen years is church movie night. Periodically the independent Baptist church I attended would show movies that included titles like “The Cross and the Switchblade”, “The Gospel Blimp” and “Run Nicky Run.”

Back in the early 70’s long before Tim LaHaye wrote the Left Behind series there was a film called “A Thief in the Night.” The film was written and directed by Donald W. Thompson who co-produced the classic B-movie “The Blob” starting Steve McQueen. Thompson played a small but pivotal role as a liberal pastor, Matthew Turner. This film was released in 1972 and I remember watching it as a nine year old. It left a lasting impression on me and it is probably best remembered for its theme song by Larry Norman titled “I Wish We’d All Been Ready.”

In the film the main character’s name is Patty, a young married girl who has attended a revival rally and for the first time she hears the Gospel message preached. She considers what the preacher has to say, but dismisses the message because she is content in her lifestyle and thinks she is basically a good person. In her mind she believes that by living a good life, doing good works, regularly attending church and trying to live by the ten commandments she will be saved. Her home church led by Pastor Matthew Turner preaches that people do not have to give their lives to Jesus Christ, and Patty trusts this man and chooses her own preferences over what the Bible clearly states.

Patty and her husband attended the same revival, but with different results. He heard the Gospel message and acknowledged that he was a sinner and recognized that he needed to place his faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. A few days later Patty wakes up one morning to find her husband missing and she hears on the radio that millions are missing world-wide. She realizes that this is the Rapture of the church and that she has been left behind. She makes her way to her social gospel church and Pastor Turner is inconsolable and wails with the realization; “No, not another one.” As a 9 year old I had a hard time grasping why someone with the title of Pastor would be left behind.

Over a year has gone by since my Uncle passed away and rarely does a week go by when I don’t think about him. I had the distinct honor and privilege of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him, and he accepted Christ as his savior only a few weeks before he died. This was an answer to years of prayer and a precious memory that I grasp tightly, praising God that I had the chance to participate in God’s gift of grace being revealed in someone I loved. I also had the scary task of speaking at my Uncle’s funeral and I knew that not only did I want to celebrate my Uncle’s life, but also the share with those in attendance the message that gave my Uncle such peace and joy in his final weeks on this earth.

After the funeral we all got together at my Uncle’s favorite restaurant and valiantly attempted to smile in our grief. One conversation during this gathering still haunts me to this day. A very lovely and kind lady was making conversation with me and the topic turned to the Gospel message shared during the funeral. I could sense that she was uncomfortable with the idea that we will all have to give an account one day before a holy and righteous God, that there is a penalty for sin, and that we cannot possibly live a life that is good enough to merit God’s favor. The heart of the Gospel that salvation only comes through placing our faith and trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ seemed to trouble her and I will never forget what she said. She stated that her minister told the congregation one Sunday that even though he could not find this anywhere in the Bible, he believed that after we die God will give us one last chance to accept him. She kindly but adamantly told me that she believed this herself which I admit left me stunned and speechless.

What is astonishing to me is that even though both this sweet lady and this so-called Pastor could not find any hint of this “last chance” in the Bible, they both were grasping at this straw because they could not accept that God would punish anyone who met their personal standard of “goodness”. They both chose to believe what they wanted to rather than the clear and unmistakable message of the Bible. But the fallacy of their logic didn’t just end there. If we think that God is love and therefore would grant us clemency at the last second, then why would Jesus Christ have needed to die to pay the penalty for our sins? If there was any other way to accomplish our salvation then God is not loving at all, but cruel and devoid of compassion. Why would Jesus have to have suffered the humiliation and agony of the crucifixion at all if we simply could live any way we saw fit and receive a last second get out of jail free card? Some people make a conscious decision to put off wrestling with this dilemma, thinking they have more time. But there is a sobering truth in the anonymous quote; “Many who plan to seek God at the eleventh hour…die at 10:30.”

It truly surprises me to find what people choose to believe despite evidence to the contrary. If we believe God exists and have the Bible, His revealed Word then it seems counterintuitive to ignore what it says. If the Bible clearly states what one must do to be redeemed, born again, and regenerated it is quite perplexing why someone would roll the cosmic dice or cross their fingers and hope for the best. What if how we define “good” differs from how God defines it? Do we really think it will come down to a game of rock-paper-scissors at the pearly gates or that if we strenuously object long and loud enough that the Creator of the Universe and the Moral Law is just going to cave in like a mother of four in the super market candy aisle? I am not trying to be irreverent but the idea of hoping the heavenly scales will balance in our favor seems like a mighty big chance to take. There are no do-overs or the best two out of three. It is appointed unto man once to die and then judgment. Game over.

But before any professing Christians get too smug, are we at times guilty of the same thing? We say we believe that God’s Word is truth and that the Bible is inspired and inerrant but then we tend to pick and choose what commands and exhortations we like or feel comfortable following, and ignore the hard sayings of Jesus Christ. We live a kind of dualistic “Christian” life where we pick and choose the type of discipleship we want versus what Jesus demands. We want cheap grace rather than the costly grace that Jesus Christ provides.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who was executed by the Nazi’s for his involvement in the plot to assassinate Hitler. Christians can debate whether or not he was a theological liberal, but I believe his life and writings are worthy of examination and meditation for the simple fact that he felt compelled to live out the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, and while all around him watched idly as a mad man killed millions, he stood up for what he believed. In his book “The Cost of Discipleship” he penned these challenging thoughts.

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks’ wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church’s inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance; and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing....”

Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian 'conception' of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins.... In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the living Word of God, in fact, a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God.

Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. 'All for sin could not atone.' Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin....

Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man’ will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

Costly grace is the sanctuary of God; it has to be protected from the world, and not thrown to the dogs. It is therefore the living word, the Word of God, which he speaks as it pleases him. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Don’t reject God’s reality and substitute your own…

Monday, January 24, 2011

Risky business

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist.” ~ Verbal Kint (The Usual Suspects)

"The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God." ~ Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Some months ago I noticed a link posted by someone on their social media page that piqued my interest. The blog post was titled “16 of the Dumbest Things Americans Believe – And the Right Wing Lies Behind Them.” The post was written by Sarah Seltzer who is a freelance writer who lives in NYC and it came out near the time when the talking heads were questioning the Presidents travel schedule and misrepresenting the cost of his itinerary and the associated logistics. What I found truly amazing was that Ms. Seltzer used this event as a jumping off point to bear her teeth on other issues she felt were worthy of her enlightened derision. An article that challenged the American public to not so readily believe every sound byte quickly turned into a personal axe grinding that left me cold.

Ms. Seltzer pointed to a list that Newsweek published titled “America the Ignorant: Dumb Things Americans Believe”. Both Seltzer and Newsweek were appalled that only 39% of Americans believed in Darwin’s theory of Evolution. I cannot help but wonder if Seltzer's belief in evolutionary theory is based on rigorous study or simply blindly accepting the opinions of her colleagues and university instructors. Seltzer first loses credibility by showing her misunderstanding of the principle of the separation of church and state. The Freedom of religion the founding fathers wrote of was that the government would not set up a State Church or infringe on religious practice and expression and not that the State would outlaw prayer or religious activity in the schools. She also derides people who believe the institution of marriage is being marginalized and proceeds to call religious beliefs “antiquated”. So much for tolerance and unbiased journalistic integrity; don’t agree with someone simply demonize them or ridicule them in the public forum.

I have to be honest and say that I am puzzled by people that completely dismiss the possibility that there is a God and refuse to even entertain the thought. In my personal experience I have found that the expectation is that I am supposed to entertain every theory and idea for the possibility that God does not exist and my faith is misplaced, but there is no reciprocity. I am expected to listen and consider but when I ask to share truth from God’s Word or a personal testimony of how the Gospel has changed my life and suddenly it is time to end the conversation. All effort, research and scholarship can be devoted to what the individual believes but nary can a second be invested to consider whether the Gospel of Jesus Christ is reliable.

In his book “Evidence for God” author David Wood states it well; “If Atheists expect theists to take the denial of theism seriously, they must offer a hypothesis at least as powerful as theism. Yet atheism can’t explain the most basic facts about the world.” What truly fascinates me is that not only does atheism fail to offer reason to abandon my belief in Jesus Christ and the reliability of the Bible, but it is also unable to offer an explanation for the origin of the Universe, how our world is precisely fine tuned to sustain life, the diversity, origin and complexity of life, human consciousness, and objective moral values. Science and neo-Darwinism falls painfully short of answering these key questions and scientific discovery does more to strengthen my faith rather than erode it.

By refusing to even investigate the evidence we put ourselves at great risk. Not just our selves but our children, our friends and acquaintances are at risk because of our decision. Anyone who is within our sphere of influence who might follow our lead or our example is being put at risk. Misery might love company but do you really want to “live” through all eternity knowing your decision directly led to damning someone to eternal punishment. It’s like playing Russian roulette with your eternity; but the big difference is that instead of holding a revolver to your head with only one loaded chamber there are 5 bullets in the gun and the odds of a self inflicted wound are much greater. Is this really a risk worth taking?

A couple of years ago I was sitting in a hotel restaurant in Shenzhen, China and sitting across the table from me was a co-worker who is a practicing Hindu. He shared with me that his wife was a Christian and that she had been encouraging him to attend church and read the Bible. We discussed faith in Jesus Christ and he stated unequivocally that he did not believe in God, and if God exists then why didn’t He reveal himself? He was a new father and I asked him if the miracle of birth caused him to entertain the possibility that there is a God? I also told him that the beauty, complexity and glory of creation itself points to the existence of God. My reply left him speechless as if he never considered either possibility. We want signs and wonders but ignore the evidence that is all around us and in our pride refuse to examine the revelation we have already in our hands. It seems the truth is always the last place we will look.

People can question how an otherwise rational person can believe in God and think me a fool. In the grand scheme of things I have really nothing to lose if I am wrong. If placing my faith in God turns out to be misplaced I still will have lived a healthy, happy and productive life with no regrets. The change in focus, desire and goals has done nothing but make my life one of joy, peace and supreme happiness. Yet what if the non-theist is wrong? What will be the consequences for them? If the God of the Bible exists, and if He has revealed Himself in His Word and has given us a blueprint for life isn’t it worth the effort to at the very least entertain the possibility? There will be no plausible deniability when we stand before God.

The French poet Baudelaire wrote a story called “Le Joueur généreux” about a chance meeting between a gambler and the Devil and he cleverly penned the following about him. “He did not complain in any way about the bad reputation he enjoyed all over the world, assured me that he himself was the person the most interested in the destruction of superstition, and admitted to me that he had only been afraid for his own power one time, and that was the day when he had heard a preacher, more subtle than his colleagues, shout out from the pulpit: "My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil's best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist!"

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." ~ Psalm 19:1

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools” ~ Romans 1:18-22

Monday, January 17, 2011

Keeping up appearances

I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” ~ Gandhi

Men and brethren, if you pray at all, pray God to make you real, through and
through.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

I am a fan of BBC television and enjoy their sitcoms, dramas and mystery programs. Maybe it’s the accent or possibly it’s that they tend to have a more cerebral bent to their entertainment. Maybe it’s because American sitcoms and dramas are too predictable, formulaic or infantile in their story development. Before I give you the false impression that I am an elitist PBS snob, keep in mind that I am drawn to their comedy programming that can at times be too irreverent and down right bawdy. With this in mind I have to be careful not to laugh or approve of what is not pure, and good and right.

One show that my wife introduced me to is Keeping Up Appearances starring Patricia Routledge as the social-climbing snob and eccentric Hyacinth Bucket, (pronounced bouquet by Hyacinth but bucket by everyone else.) Hyacinth is constantly trying to give the impression that she is a woman of class and dignity, and loves to name-drop when she sniffs an opportunity to impress. She constantly attempts to visit stately homes and host candlelight suppers. Her goal is to impress her neighbors, friends and of course “important” people. Her efforts are thwarted however by her ne’er do well sisters Daisy and Rose, as well as Daisy’s “bone-idle” husband Onslow. She is constantly trying to avoid them at all costs, but they tend to show up at the most inopportune moments. Hyacinth frequently tells her beleaguered husband; "Richard, you know I love my family, but that's no reason why I should have to acknowledge them in broad daylight!" Sadly, everyone goes to great lengths to avoid that horrid “Bucket woman” and they find her company insufferable.

During my teen years I regularly attended an Independent Baptist church. One thing that I found particularly vexing was when various members of the church would act one way on Sundays but completely different the other six days of the week and I used this as a rationalization to dampen my commitment. Call it what you want; inconsistent, sanctimonious, holier-than-thou or a “poser”. There are many terms used to describe what everyone commonly calls hypocrisy. As a matter of fact a common objection used by non-church attendees, or those not part of a Gospel believing community is that they will not attend church because it is full of hypocrites. In his book “The Ten Most Common Objections to Christianity” author Alex McFarland lists this accusation in his top ten. While his book focuses primarily on refuting straw men and baseless objections to faith in Christ, he readily concedes that this objection is sadly true. McFarland states; “Many Christians – perhaps all Christians are hypocrites. We don’t live up to our highest aspirations for ourselves. And we certainly don’t live up to the standard that God set for us in Scripture, or the standard that Jesus lived.” As much as I want to deny it, I am guilty as charged. In the infamous words of Walt Kelly’s Pogo; We have met the enemy and he is us.

What exactly is hypocrisy and how is it defined? Merriam Webster states; “a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.” Our modern English word actually comes directly from the Greek hypokritēs which is found in the New Testament of the Bible. In the original Greek the word is defined as an actor, stage player or pretender. The word itself is found in the Bible over 30 times and in most instances it is uttered by Jesus Christ to confront the “religious.” So while Christians may bristle at statements made by the likes of Gandhi, the stark reality is that we would do well to humbly acknowledge the bitter truth of his commentary of those claiming to be “of Christ.”

The key issue for observers of the church is what Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford describe in their book Hidden Worldviews as that of confessional beliefs and convictional beliefs. They state that confessional beliefs are ideas that remain exclusively on the intellectual level versus convictional beliefs that are reflected in our actions. Basically we have great intentions but we fail to live up to the Gospel we proclaim. The watching world doesn’t care so much what we say, but what we do. If we are just half as good of a Christian as we think or try to convince others we are, then we wouldn’t have needed Christ’s perfect sacrifice. If that statement offends you then maybe you do not truly understand the Gospel.

Wilkens and Sanford rightly state “Christians often find it much easier to talk a good game by reciting the right creeds and embracing the proper doctrinal statements than to actually live by the principles embodied in them.” When we are accused of being inconsistent or hypocrites maybe our response should be one of humility and self reflection rather than lashing back with “I know you are but what am I!?!” Could it be that people claiming to be changed by the Gospel need to humbly acknowledge that we battle with hypocritical attitudes and actions? Is our lack of humility a stumbling block to the beauty of the Gospel? Even if the accusation is baseless how we respond can open or close the door to the opportunity to reflect Christ.

But with that being said, my inconsistency or hypocrisy does not prove or disprove the truth of Christianity. And whether other belief systems want to acknowledge the elephant in the room the fact of the matter is that Christianity has not cornered the market on hypocrisy. In many cases using the excuse that you won’t go to church because it is full of hypocrites or pointing out inconsistency in the lives of others is simply a crafty canard to shift attention from the matter at hand; where are we spiritually? It is a red herring meant to throw a dog off the scent. A red herring is a rhetorical or literary tactic of diverting attention away from an item of significance; in this case the message of the Gospel. When it is employed it usually is a means of deception, loaded words or a false emphasis to confuse or throw someone off their game. But it is not simply a tactic that is used by those not part of a Gospel believing community. It is also used by Christians against their peers and leaders to rationalize away a lack of personal zeal for the Gospel. I should know…I have employed it myself.

Are Christians inconsistent and hypocrites at times? Absolutely, but so are “non-Christians.” Turn on your TV or look in your mirror and like charity, hypocrisy begins at home. We tell our kids to tell the truth but we tell “white lies” at work or to our spouses. We talk about civility and respect but secretly tear down or demonize people that don’t share our ideology. We rail against “fat cat politicians” or the Wall Street elite taking advantage of the little guy yet we don’t help the homeless, soup kitchens or food pantries. We exhort our children to be nice to others but cut people off on the highway or race for the free parking spot. Or perhaps we believe in karma and hope for “divine retribution” for those who do what we deem is reprehensible, but of course it only applies to those who don’t share our particular political stance or world-view. The “non-Christian” is also prone to confessional beliefs that are not convictional.

A prime example of “do what I say…” is the Hollywood community. They preach the “religion of Green” but their carbon footprint dwarfs small countries. Actors and producers own multiple homes and typically don’t fly commercial. They have award shows ad nauseum, and the cost to host and produce these banquets could fund multiple homeless families. And when is the last time you saw them pull up in a Prius stretch limousine? Yet Hollywood takes great pleasure in depicting anyone of faith as a charlatan or harboring ill intent. It is simply “freaking pointing” or trotting out the worst offenders rather than acknowledging this is the exception rather than the rule.

Wilkens and Sanford point out that; “Christians are not the only people susceptible to incongruity (or hypocrisy, if you prefer that word). In extreme circumstances, scientific naturalists may find themselves in prayer to God. A moral relativist may live as if universal moral standards do exist.” They go on to say that “a bedrock belief for moral relativism is that no universally valid moral principles exist. However, a second relativist conviction is that we should be tolerant of those whose moral views differ from ours. The glaring contradiction here is that the demand for tolerance by all and for all is a moral standard that is inconsistent with the relativist’s claim that no universal moral standards exist.” If there are no moral absolutes then we shouldn’t get mad if the bank or employer shorts our check, if someone cuts us off in traffic or someone betrays a confidence. It’s all relative. I guess the adage of people that live in glass houses doesn’t apply.

I could go on with examples like a neo-Darwinist that believes in natural selection or “survival of the fittest” but fights for endangered species or against genocide in Darfur. We want ethics violations prosecuted to the full extent of the law for “the opposition”, but we believe in second chances or forgive and forget for those we support. Or consider the inconsistency of those fighting for animal rights or vegans while wearing leather shoes, wool clothing and using personal hygiene products made from animal byproducts. All of these examples are just the tip of the iceberg. To get away from hypocrisy we might run off and live in a cave, but that would fail because we would still be there.

In Romans 2 the apostle Paul warns that in passing judgment on others we condemn ourselves. The sobering thing about this passage and the previous chapter is that if God’s standard is ignored then we will be judged by our own standard which we are not even able to keep. The inconsistency we despise will be our ultimate undoing. Are church goers hypocrites? Yes, but we could use some more so why don’t you join us? We can bemoan the hypocrisy we see in others but in the end we each will have to individually give an answer to the question what did we do with Jesus? What did we do with the truth of the Gospel? Blaming the inconsistency of others will not hold up in the court of God.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ pretense can kill our witness. If we are inconsistent or hypocritical we need to humbly acknowledge that we do fail and look to the Gospel again and again. Don’t pretend or try to give the impression of living out the Gospel, but strive through the power of the Holy Spirit to be a sweet smelling savor, a bouquet and not an old bucket in the nostrils of God. Don’t just keep up appearances. Strive to be a reflection of Christ.

For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” ~ 1 Peter 2:20-21

Monday, January 10, 2011

Gospel kaizen

Kaizen is like a hotbed that nurtures small and ongoing changes.” ~ Masaaki Imai, (Japanese change and quality management guru)

“Alteration is not always improvement, as the pigeon said when she got out of the net and into the pie.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

When people ask me what my day job is, my reply tends to create more questions than answers. It is kind of a running joke with many of my friends and family that even though I have explained it to them, they still don’t know. I sometimes think it would be far easier to just make something up like Martin Blank, the character John Cusack played in the movie Grosse Point Blank. He goes back to his ten year high school reunion and rather than tell his classmates he is a free lance hitman, he dreams up various responses; “I work for Kentucky Fried Chicken…I sell biscuits and gravy all over the Southland.” Rest assured I am not an international man of mystery or a contract killer.

In simplified terms I work for a contract manufacturing company that builds a myriad of electronics products for both large and small corporations. Still confused? Okay, I work in off shoring and we make products in low cost regions all over the globe. See what I mean? Fine, I am really the body double for Bruce Willis…Admittedly I never envisioned working in this industry and like most teens I day dreamed about being the next Dr. J or as a fall back option replacing Walter Cronkite on the evening news. But I realize that I am where the Lord wants me to be, and my job has allowed me the opportunity to travel the world and experience other cultures. It is fascinating interacting with people from varied world-views and belief systems. This blends well with my interest in Christian Apologetics and my desire to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My employer has multiple manufacturing facilities in 30 countries and on four continents, and I often visit these sites to either host a customer or for internal meetings. When visiting these facilities we are typically obliged to take a factory tour and listen to the local staff beamingly share what services and processes their site provides. In the manufacturing industry companies are constantly looking for ways to lower their costs and improve output and profitability which is known as Lean manufacturing. Part of Lean is an initiative developed by Japanese car maker Toyota: a continuous improvement process known as Kaizen, which translated means “improvement” or “change for the better.” This has been applied to government, health-care, banking and many other industries. Wikipedia states; “When used in the business sense and applied to the workplace, kaizen refers to activities that continually improve all functions, and involves all employees from the CEO to the assembly line workers. By improving standardized activities and processes, kaizen aims to eliminate waste.”

Part of kaizen is focusing on what is known as 5S; sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. In our factories we typically have posters and signs that focus on these areas and encourage the employees to make suggestions on how we can improve in these functions. I was on a tour this week and while absent-mindedly looking at a 5S poster it dawned on me that in the life of a believer we need to focus on a Gospel Kaizen of continuous improvement through God’s Word. So if I haven’t lost you yet, stick with me and see if you can apply this to your desire to walk in the Gospel.

The first area is Sort (Seiri); distinguish what is needed and not needed. God’s Word is pretty clear that this is something we need to strive for and this can be seen in verses like Hebrews 12:1. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Distinguishing what is needed and not needed is also seen in 2 Corinthians 5:17; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

The second principle is Set in Order/Stabilize (Seiton); a place for everything and everything has its place. What comes to mind is I Corinthians 10:31; “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” When I think about being stabilized Colossians 2:7 also would apply. “Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

Third, Shine or Cleanliness (Seiso); cleaning and inspecting the work place, which needs to be a Gospel focus for us all. Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:8; “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Many more verses apply to this principle but another could be Romans 12:2; “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The fourth process is Standardize (Seiketsu); share established standards and make standards obvious. The emphasis of being ready to give an answer found in 1 Peter 3:15 points not only to knowing the Gospel but also making it obvious by sharing it with others. Matthew 5:16 commands us to let our light shine before men so God can be glorified and also underscores the need to know the truth and make it obvious. Without a doubt Paul’s letter to the Galatians points this out in chapter 1 when he tells them that the Gospel is not a man-made message and that we need to get it right and proclaim nothing else or the consequences are dire indeed.

The final process is Sustain the discipline or self-discipline (Shitsuke) which is what we are all called to do. The Pauline epistles are filled with imagery of pressing toward the mark, walking worthy, disciplining ourselves through the power of the Holy Spirit to live spirit-filled and spirit-controlled lives. Paul talks about at length in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 when he writes; “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

Long before any efficiency experts or continuous improvement guru “developed” these ideas, God had the perfect solution in mind to change for the better the human condition. This improvement and perfection of our condition is found in none other than the person of Jesus Christ. Have you let the Gospel kaizen your life and are you continuing day by day to let it do so? Are you and I as committed to our spiritual continuous improvement (sanctification) as God is? Fortunately our lack of commitment does not change God’s commitment to us and that is what Philippians 1:6 is reminding us. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it in spite of our unfaithfulness. He fully committed Himself to us on the cross, can we dare give less?

The truth of the Gospel can be seen anywhere we look, even on a mundane plant tour.

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Monday, January 3, 2011

It takes a village

“I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write.” ~ John Calvin citing Augustine of Hippo

“A nominal Christian is content with proving the way of salvation by a crucified Redeemer. But the true Christian loves it, delight in it, glories in it, and shudders at the very thought of glorying in anything else…Let all your joys flow from the contemplation of His cross.” ~ Charles Simeon

In 1996, then First Lady Hilary Clinton caused no small stir when she released a book titled “It Takes a Village” which focused on child rearing and the impact, both good and bad, that the entire community has in the development of a child. I will admit I have never read the book and my exposure to it was more through sound bites from the network and cable news talking heads, as well as the righteous indignation of the Conservative right. From what I have observed from either side of the aisle I am not in any hurry to turn over the rearing of my children to people who are in desperate need of their own personal life coach. Even though Senator Clinton and I don’t see eye-to-eye on politics, economics or social issues, I have to say that I am not so sure she was necessarily far off in this pronouncement. Truth be told we likely would differ on the size, breadth and members of the “community” that should be involved in the lives of children, as well as the boundaries of said community. Even though we disagree on the means and the resources that should be applied to raising a child, I can applaud her effort for making people stop and think about how they go about raising their children and drawing focus on their development and welfare.

The title of the book has been attributed to an African proverb but its origin is up for some dispute. The complete proverb is “It takes a village to raise a child” and per Wikipedia “It originated from the Nigerian Igbo culture and proverb "Ora na azu nwa" which means it takes the community/village to raise a child. The Igbo's also name their children "Nwa ora" which means child of the community. It has been in existence in Africa for centuries.” This saying has been found among other African tribes throughout the continent but one could argue that it doesn’t have its origin just in Africa as many ancient societies across many ethnic groups practiced this same type of philosophy. I am not the first to say that globally we have lost a sense of community and looking out for one another. As time passes we grow more and more isolated from one another, and the positive impact that extended families and the local community can have on both child and adult continues to wane.

One of the distinct character traits of Americans is rugged individualism, and that individual nature was part of the aversion to Senator Clinton’s book. We all know what is best for our family and the hint of government involvement in the rearing of our children will make the vast majority of Americans dig their heels in. In the book “Hidden Worldviews” co-authored by Steve Wilkens and Mark L. Sanford they look at various cultural aspects that have subtly infiltrated the church and individualism is first on their list. They state; “individualism…is the belief that the individual is the primary reality and that our understanding of the universe and lifestyle should be centered in oneself.” They further define it by stating “individuals strive for autonomy and self-sufficiency, relying on others only as they contribute to one’s personal pursuits. Family, community and society are, at best, secondary considerations.” How this plays out in the church is that we twist the words of John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address and say “ask not what you can do for your church community; ask what your church and fellow believers do for you.” Wilkens and Sanford point out that individualism is spied in the church when we use the often-heard statements like, “My faith is between God and me,” “My religion is a personal thing,” or “I believe in God. I don’t need to go to church.” They go on to say that individualism can be taken to such an extreme it ceases to have any hint of Christian truth.

I am by nature a contemplative sort and I spend probably too much time in a self-imposed isolation. I enjoy the sanctity of my home, and being a creature of habit I don’t like my routine interrupted. I readily admit this is not a good thing. Recently I have been thinking about friendship and community and how has my faith in Jesus Christ impacted this. My church’s motto is “The Gospel Changes Everything” and I think I only want it to change SOMEthings rather than EVERYthing. But if I believe this wholeheartedly and live it out, then compartmentalizing any area is an affront to the sacrifice of Christ and supreme rudeness (dare I say sin) to my heavenly Father. The reoccurring thought that runs through my mind is if what I demonstrate is no different than what those not part of a Gospel-believing community experience, then why would they want what I have? I write to learn and much of what I post here are simply fingers pointing back at myself rather than meant to hurl accusations against others.

If you study the 1st Century Christian church this embodiment of a caring and interconnected community is what set them apart from the rest of society and put the world on notice that they were not just some other empty religion being trotted out to add to the pantheon of gods. In Acts 2:42-47 Luke provides a glimpse into the community of the 1st Century church. In verses 46 and 47 he talks about one of the characteristics of true revival as being a desire to spend time in worship as a unified body of believers. And in Acts 4:32-37 they gave of what they had for the mutual benefit of one another. Time and society has changed and the political and economic landscape is far different today, so I am not so focused on the financial benevolence that they shared. But one thing we can share is spiritual encouragement and how God is working in our lives as a means to revive the members of our Christian community. That is truly a priceless commodity that will bring dividends in this life and the next.

I often wonder if the modern Christian has collectively allowed and accepted a certain level of superficiality creep into our church and in our personal walk with Christ. We can all admit to a certain lack of soberness and seriousness about living out of faith on a daily basis. Please don’t get me wrong; I am interested in your children and grandchildren and the funny things they say and do. I am interested in your take on what is going on in society and the political landscape. Where you went and what you may have seen can be very entertaining. I enjoy second-guessing the coaching decisions, play calling and outcome of various professional games, the merits of the DH and the nuances of the West Coast offense. I love to laugh and I have been accused of having a sense of humor. But what I am truly interested in, encouraged by and excited about is what God is doing in your life. How has the Gospel changed you and how is it continuing to change you? How has both the mundane and the amazing taught you a timeless truth about God and the Gospel? What passage of scripture has made an impact on you this week and how did that strengthen or change you? What Christian or non-Christian books are you reading and what spiritual lesson did that reading drive home to you? How did a particular song or movie bring the greatness of God into view for you? I really want to know, and I want my Christian community to share these things to help me raise my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. What conversations we gravitate towards and avoid can reveal where we have fixed our hearts. That is a sobering thought.

I do not want to give the wrong impression and have you think I am ambivalent about Aunt Millie and her pending gall bladder surgery or that I do not want to hear your sorrow over a co-worker or relative with cancer. There are things that we should share with one another and be concerned about. I do want to bear the burdens of my fellow Christians, and rejoice when you rejoice and weep with those that weep (Roman 12:15.) But we cannot let it just stop there. I am also not advocating a forced or manufactured spirituality or pietistic discussion to be seen of men. But we cannot live our lives simply giving lip service to I Corinthians 10:31. We are members of a great community with a great heritage and we are commanded to edify the saints. It takes a village to build up a Christian. We are God’s children and we need to foster a community that is focused on bringing honor and glory to God in everything we say and do.

I love spending time with new believers because the Gospel is so rich and new to them that they are like a child that finds something new and amazing in things we often take for granted. The sad truth for anyone that has been a follower of Christ for any length of time is that familiarity breeds contempt. We become comfortably numb or even bored with the beauty of life in Christ. This is tragedy of epic proportions. We forget that the author of Hebrews charges us to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise or let the fruit of our lips acknowledge His name. The verse that follows in Hebrews 13:16 is what we should all be doing; do good, forget not and communicate! I admit at times it can feel awkward to start a spiritual conversation because we are typically worried about either sounding sanctimonious or worse yet, making ourselves vulnerable to others by admitting our shortcomings. If we are motivated by bringing honor and praise to God and showing gratitude for how He is working in our life eventually that feeling will pass. Who knows, maybe it will be contagious and your friends and acquaintances will jump in and share their heart. Even if they don’t you can never know how or when your encouragement, exhortation or testimony will later bear fruit in their lives.

We have not been called to isolation and the Gospel is not meant to be lived out in a vacuum. Wilkins and Sanford state it quite eloquently when examining Paul’s words in Romans 12; “Our examination of life should not just be an individual endeavor but needs to occur within the context of a community.” What are we collectively doing to build up and edify the saints? How are we “raising” both young and old in our Christian community? Will we be marked by soberness or superficiality? It takes a village…

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” ~ Romans 14:19

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” ~ I Thessalonians 5:8-11