Every Christian experiences spiritual ebbs and flows or periods when there is less fervor; less hunger.  I may be coming out of a time like this.  I could feel the sense of dissatisfaction in my soul as I woke up this morning; dissatisfaction with where my spiritual life has been of late.  I awakened praying, as if I had already started reaching out to Him in my dreams.  I so wanted to read Scripture.  So, wanted to turn a corner and start again. Remaining in bed was no option.  I want to go through a period of re-energizing, like I have done a thousand times before.  Christianity is not for most a constant rise upwards, but a series of undulations, like the typical charts I see that track the growth of blue-chip stocks.  What one must see is the big picture of growth over the years, without being either elated or deflated by the daily vagaries that come with immediate successes or failures or momentary victories or disappointmens. So, I will die to self, again, like Paul dying daily, only to find that the One who gives life to all has been faithful, waiting to revivify me.  Perhaps this time the fervor, the hungering, will last longer.  Perhaps it will be a bit more heightened, more intense.  Perhaps the ebb, when it comes, will be of less duration.  We will see, but in this moment, with apologies to Dick Vitale, it's stock up!

In the last couple of weeks we have enjoyed the blessings of three baptisms through the ministry of our church, with the converted coming from the world, not from one of our families, and conversions like these are always especially encouraging.  Some intentional nurturing is in order!

A Healthy Approach to Asking Questions and Finding Answers

Searching questions by faithful people can be very valuable, and God knows the numbers of times when I have asked questions about Christianity, addressing such questions both to myself and in dialogue with others. I definitely appreciate the God-created part of us that seeks after truth, with no sincere, reasonable question being out of bounds. This is one of the best things that God did in creating us. My own response to such questions in my life has been to do tons of reading, both of solid believers and of those who are not, in order to hear the best of both arguments. So I have read ancient critics like Celsus, ancient gnostic heretics, ancient philosophers, and lots of church history, whether doctrinal history or just church history. I have also tried to read modern secular philosophy, especially those who directly challenge the Christian faith (like a David Hume or Feuerbach or Nietzsche). I have also read much in the area of NT criticism and critical theology, including FC Baur, DF Strauss, Bultmann (lots of Bultmann), Dibelius, Schweitzer, Norman Perrin, Schubert Ogden, and the Jesus Seminar guys and their friends (Spong, Borg, Crossan, Funk). I have also read those who critique the challengers of Christianity, like Ben Witherington, NT Wright, Scot McKnight, and a number of others who have written alongside or who have preceded these three (FF Bruce, Ralph Martin, Ward Gasque, TW Manson, Charles Moule, and many others). My point is not to give my reading resume, it is to say that some of those whom I read or with whom I have personal discussions are motivated for whatever reason to ask/answer tough questions without being willing to turn over every rock for clues, and I think this greatly hampers their searches. I personally know several former Christians who lost their faith because they read a few critical voices and stopped there, convinced that the faith side of things had little or nothing to say in response. They were/are wrong. Read Borg, but read NT Wright (and not just the popular stuff he writes). Read Crossan, but read Ben Witherington. Writers like Wright and Witherington are of substantial ability, trained by some of the best, and they make defensible arguments that give credence to Christianity. Read William Lane Craig, Anthony Thiselton, and Kevin Vanhoozer. All of these faith-filled writers are acutely aware of all the critical issues, and they still believe in the Resurrection! The idea that the critics are the ones who have a corner on honest seeking, sound logic, and historical exactitude is inaccurate and a distortion.


I write such things because we are all called to be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within us. I also want for the some or many who have questions to understand that discerning, challenging questions can be asked and answered in a context of absolute faithfulness. The truths of Christianity and the integrity of the Bible can be rationally and spiritually upheld in the context of vigorous intellectual discussion and rigor, and we as traditional, orthodox Christians have nothing to fear from the critics, the philosophers, the academics, the intellectuals, the scientists, or whomever you wish to read--unless we refuse to give as much place to the defenders of the faith as we do to the critics. Just as bad as a closeminded Christian is a closeminded critic or heretic who rules out the thoughts of defenders of the faith as if there is not a chance that the faithful could be correct or as if the faithful are the only ones unwilling or incapable of thinking and researching well without bias. I have given abundant room to the critics in my own personal search; searchers, seekers, and critics need to extend the same effort in giving room to qualified, respected defenders of Christ.

From Oscillation to Consistent Progress

While the general tenor of my perspective on the church is positive (how could it not be in light of Jesus, especially on Resurrection Day?!), a number of realities cause me to daily oscillate in my feelings about how things are going.  I look at the health and progress of a capella Churches of Christ in western Canada and I think, "Whoa, we're in big trouble, we have virtually no impact in our communities!"  Then I electronically dialogue with Blair Roberts, or have a phone conversation with Kevin Vance, or hear about something that Zambia Mission Fund--Canada has done, or talk to Colin Hattrick or Jordan Clark, or have a meeting with Darcy and Hope, or see the positive things happening with our young adult ministry at Calgary C of C and I think, "We have every reason to be hopeful."  Then I think about how apparently unimportant Sunday morning worship is to some Christians when I don't see them for weeks, and I say to myself, "The desires of the world are largely controlling our choices and priorities."  Then I watch Larry and Joann Luck come on a Saturday and fill our pantry so that we can feed the needy, and I am so pleased with the church's ministry to those around us.  Then I talk to someone about their habits with respect to spiritual disciplines, and I think, "I don't know if any of our people are consistently spending time in Scripture."  Then I get a devotionally oriented book for a relatively new Christian like Andrea Milner, and she gobbles it up and tells me about how she and Kaitlyn read the Bible together.

I do think that Churches of Christ in western Canada and the church I serve have a long way to go in order to be what Christ wants us to be.  In many ways we are essentially irrelevant, in fact, we are statistically almost non-existent in our cities, in that, we impact such a relatively small part of our populations.  But as long as there continue to be Resurrection days, there will continue to be life in our churches, with opportunities to move forward from here and to have the kind of impact in our world that God wants His Kingdom to have.  This will require that our young take the ministry of the church seriously and that they play a significant role in the body of Christ.  This will require that the our choices and priorities regarding our time be primarily governed by the gospel and the Kingdom.  This will require that we increase the level of our service to the needy of our communities.  It will require that we possess biblical attitudes toward our Elders and their leadership, rather than the immature questioning of them that I hear too often (there is a mature way to question leaders, but most of what I hear is not this).  It will require that we, at my own church, take seriously the plan for discipleship that our Elders have adopted, so that we work the plan.  It will require a love for the lost that supersedes our love of self, permitting us to outwardly focus.  It will require that families make financial sacrifices for the good of the Kingdom.  It will require that a new generation becomes significantly interested in the spiritual disciplines of prayer, study, giving, service, and worship.  And with these things, and many more, as possibilities, it seems we have a chance to consistently move forward.  Because God is always there ready to bless, the oscillations present in my own perspective can be replaced by not just consistent hopefulness, but by consistent joy as we see the progressing of the Kingdom that God wishes to work among us.

New Canadian C of C Survey

Geoff Ellis, a long time leader in Churches of Christ in Ontario and closely connected with Great Lakes Christian College, has sent out survey info requests for a capella Churches of Christ in Canada.  I appreciate Geoff very much in doing so, and his efforts caused me to think about where our Movement is in Canada (the Stone-Campbell or Restoration Movement, that is), especially in western Canada, which is, of course, where I have spent the majority of my adult life and ministry.  One question I have is about the churches to which Geoff sent the survey and how he decided those to whom he would send it?  I need to ask him, of course, but did he send it to the Shelbourne St. C of C in Victoria, which has for several years now used instruments in worship?  Did he send it to the Glen Elm C of C in Regina, which now uses instruments on Sunday mornings about half the time?  Another question I have concerns the number of churches which have disbanded.  If there is a C of C family or two left in a city or town, but no formal meeting of the church with several families typically meeting at some central location, is this still a church that will be surveyed?  I wonder if he will be aware of whatever church plants may have taken place and be able to contact them for their info?  Mostly, I am, of course, interested in the results of the survey.  My impression is that the still purely a capella churches are for the most part really struggling in western Canada, with there having been no a capella churches in western Canada experiencing notable growth during the last five years, and very few new a capella churches started (I know only of the newer one in Edmonton, and I don't know how they are doing.  I know Tim J. is moving to Barrie).  If you are a reader of this, I would love to hear if you know of something different.  IF my description is accurate, and we are for the most part struggling, I would think that those of us who are leaders in our churches need to seriously consider (or re-consider) what we have been doing.  What kind of revival may be in order?  What shifts in thinking or method need to take place ?  I would think it unlikely that any of us would want to just continue down the same path, which appears to be heading in the direction of a long slow death, with the gates of hell clearly prevailing against the church.  Thoughts?

Avoiding False Dichotomies in Faith and Ministry

If Jesus is our model, authentically living out faith means understanding that relating to, ministering to, and instructing/leading needy people must be what we do much of the time; this must be a priority not just for faith, but for life.  At the same time, I don’t think this day by day, moment by moment focus on blessing others makes coporate worship less significant, but enhances its importance because here we not only participate directly in worship, but we also minister to the faith and very significant spiritual needs of others, along with ministering to their needs for community (yes, I think true community can happen in Sunday worship; it happens for me all the time!).  Further, I don’t think that making ministering to others a priority means that time spent gaining personal intellectual understanding and knowledge of God or Scripture, or even focus on doctrinal fidelity, somehow become less important, because these parts of faith are crucial not only in our personal relationships with God, but in what they enable with respect to our ministering to others.  My point is that holding up ministry and downplaying worship is a false dichotomy for faithful people.  We do not—cannot—choose ministry or justice over worship in order to get Christianity right.  In fact, to do so de-legitimizes our efforts at ministry as much as choosing worship over ministry or justice de-legitimizes worship.  Further, holding up ministry or social justice and downplaying personal intellectual understanding of God or Scripture is an unbalanced approach to prioritizing.  We do not—cannot—choose ministry or justice over personal intellectual understanding and knowledge of God or Scripture to get Christianity right.  Granted, the history of my faith tradition in Churches of Christ has at times made it look like Sunday mornings and/or knowledge of the Bible or doctrine are higher priorities than day by day, moment by moment faith-fostered focus on blessing others.  So, it is a good thing that we would challenge ourselves to not let Sunday worship or personal intellectual

understanding of God (our scholarship) dominate our spiritual lives to the point that these priorities relegate ministry and justice to places of less significance than what our true faith should require.  But, when we have been at our best, this has not been a problem.  When we have truly worshipped, including our Sunday corporate worship, and when we have experienced true theological understanding, even in its most ivory tower, esoteric forms, ministry and justice have also been priorities, because all of these elements are part of what it means to authentically live out our faith.

Being Quiet When it is Best to Be

Sometimes it's hard to be quiet. My biggest struggle comes when someone who has either all, or almost all, the answers expresses an opinion or attitude that I am convinced isn't right, but he or she accepts contrary opinions like a rattlesnake accepts being poked at with a stick. Often, when the stakes are not high, it seems best to me to just be quiet, to offer a few agreeable sounding noises, and to let it go. Our culture typically sees such a strategy as weakness and spinelessness. But the kind of reaction I am talking about is certainly not that. In fact, the easy thing to do, the weaker thing to do, I think, is to insist on making sure that the one to whom you are speaking gets it right. Set him or her straight. Assert yourself. Don't let them walk all over you. But that is more what I would call spinelessness; anyone in the world can be defensive in this manner. And in the process you may step right away from the more difficult route of being what Jesus calls us to be. Don't get me wrong. Does Jesus want us to be weak, spineless, "yes-Persons," on whom others are always stepping? No. That is not what he modelled. But answering others gently, taking the route of the peacemaker, choosing meekness and humility, sometimes choosing to bite your tongue--these seem to me to be wiser courses of action than what we are naturally prone to choose. Quite simply, the natural way, society's way, is not the way of Jesus. And I get a bit weary of some I know who effort at making me think it is. They should know better. I am not suggesting that one should just avoid conflict; Jesus certainly did not. But there are people I know with whom it is absolutely profitless to argue. They glory so much in trumping your point and trumpeting their own that they often don't even hear your point and what it is they are trumping. They are so convinced of their perspectives that clouding the issue with contrary views instantly creates defensiveness rather than a hearing. In such cases, I think it wise to say very little. Yes, they will probably think that they have won the day. I have watched others turn away from me with smugness because they were convinced that their arguments absolutely silenced me. Instead, I would like to think that it was the Holy Spirit that silenced me. I would like to think that I can be enough open to the Holy Spirit that my pride can be Spiritually quelled into respectful, wisdom-filled silence. Am I perfect at letting this happen? Far from it. Those I love most may read this and wonder who I am trying to kid; or they may wonder about the ghost writer who has usurped my blog. But my weaknesses shouldn't be taken as weakening the position I've stated; what the coach is saying is usually correct, even if his physical limitations never allowed him to implement his own instructions near as well as the talented players he is coaching. He's not wrong, and in this case I don't think I am; I just wish I could do it better.

So, It All Begins; Let's Get to It

Today I will begin to blog, but I am not going to begin with a lengthy explanation about why I blog. I am blogging because it can be a format for discussion. Facebook recently has been fun, and the sharing there has been insightful. I have had some exchanges there about the Bible and Theology, but the format is limited; so this is likely to be better. This week I will be preaching on "Will Our Children Have Faith?" That theme has been on my mind much recently as I reflect on the church and the unnerving statistics about the numbers of our young people that abandon their faith as young adults. It is equally unnerving to hear of young people who are quite committed to Christ, and who in some cases are even in Christian ministry, but who want little or nothing to do with the formalized church, thinking that it is now passe'. My thought process at this point is not so much asking the question, "what must we do about this?" as, "what do they wish to get away from?" "How have we so poorly exemplified Christianity that they are so easily drawn away?" However, I am not much interested in what I consider to be the not-so-discerning answers I often hear about the modifications we need to make in our worship style or the songs we sing, or in the kinds of things we preach or teach--in our theologies. These things play a role, and modifications need to be made, but for me they are not the heart of the matter. Today, I am more interested in praxis and priorities. Perhaps the songs we sing need to be changed, but more important is the spirit with which we worship. Preaching needs to impact more the heart, but the question of whether or not our hearts belong to God, leading to life transformation, is more important than whether or not we are emotionally stirred by a thought-provoking story told on a Sunday morning. How we speak to each other at the supper table, or in an Operations' meeting is more important than what the lesson was in Bible class last week. Time spent laughing at the supper table is more important than time spent at the Board Room table. We need to continue to make strides in Churches of Christ in restoring authentic Christian faith and practice, overcoming the unbiblical sectarianism of the past (and we have made great strides!), but consistently living out some simple Christian truths is even more important. Again, don't get me wrong, modifications in how we do church are in order. But I tend to think that authentically lived Christianity is in every generation more important for our effectiveness in passing on our faith than the somewhat cosmetic changes that reflect generational preferences. Forty years from now claims will be made that our young people are leaving the church for reasons quite similar to the claims made now (antequated worship styles, stale preaching and teaching, irrelevant theology), and these claims will be made about church as it will be conducted by those who are now young (if they hang in there). Retention of the young then will depend on what I see as the most important factor for their retention now-the praxis by the not so young of authentically living before them the priorities of biblical Christianity.