Shit hole countries and the Gospel

I know the language may offend some - but it is a common term.

What as a Christian am I supposed to do with this term that is in the news lately?

First, lest there be any misunderstanding, the pictures come from a place I lived 4 years and with a group of people I really love.  But that being said, there really are differences between countries and cultures.

NOT ALL COUNTRIES AND CULTURES ARE EQUAL!

Going back to the Old Testament, in the first books of the Bible, the country and culture of Egypt, as refined and cultured as it was at the time was judged as a bad culture.  The 10 plagues which God sent upon it where an attack upon the "gods" of Egypt and it's culture of using the Hebrew slaves and not submitting to the rule and reign of Yahweh - the name of God in the Bible.

When God sends the Israelite people into Canaan with the instructions to completely eliminate the people and culture - he judged that culture as a shit hole - something that was not worth admiring or preserving.

Are there "good" cultures in the world today?

NO!  Sin has entered the world and all cultures have experienced the effects of that sin with crime, pollution, injustice and so forth.  

That being said, are some cultures better than others?  

YES!  Some cultures have incorporated the thoughts and teachings of the Bible into their law and culture.  This doesn't mean that they are Christian - it just means that in many respects, they have taken part of the Christian worldview and made it a part of the nation.

Yes - there are shit holes in the world. But even in these places which are dominated by the destructive power of sin and Satan, God is at work calling people to come to his grace, be saved and changed. 

Why join a church?

I was recently reading on the 9Marks web site and came the article, "Why join a church".  Let me know what you think!


Join For Other People

Join a church for the sake of non-Christians.

• Church membership helps make the gospel clear to non-Christians by providing a unified witness of what it means to be a Christian. 
• Membership provides this unified witness by implementing a statement of faith, encouraging unity in doctrine, and a church covenant, encouraging unity in lifestyle. 

In our church the statement of faith includes:

 a belief in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior 

and an acceptance of the Bible as the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

Our church covenant includes the following promises:

a promise to read and study the Bible

participate in the work and mission of the church

support the government of the church (decisions made by the Session)

love your brothers and sisters in Christ

strive to overcome temptation and weakness

be a good steward of all that God gives you

Join a church for the sake of weaker Christians.

• God is not merely concerned about our own private piety, but also about our care for the other sheep.  This is a whole aspect of godliness that privatized Christians ignore.  If we don't love God's people, then John says we have reason to question our love for God Himself (1John 4:8).
• God wants us to encourage weaker Christians and run the race with them.  Don't leave it to other people to care for those outside your circle of friends.  This is your responsibility.
• Members should see themselves as providers - coming to serve others, not to be served.

Join a church for the sake of the church leaders.

• If regular attenders don't eventually make themselves known to the pastor as members of the church, then the pastor and elders cannot take responsibility for them as part of their particular flock. Pastors and elders need to know for which sheep God will hold them accountable so that they can tend to them most responsibly and effectively (Heb 13:17).
• If regular attenders don't join churches, then pastors cannot be freed to do what they do.  Pastors can only devote themselves to the ministry because they are set free to do so by members who fund their work.  Regular attenders benefit from the commitment of other people who have become members and who give and serve and pray regularly.

Some interesting thoughts.  I'll post more of this article later.  For now - why do you think people should join a church - or why should they not do so?

Grace and Peace

Pastor John

Lifting up leaders

Sometime during the week of May 20th, three men agreed to lift Peggy and I up in prayer. I want to report that those prayers worked! Peggy pointed it out Friday morning, the 27th. Something changed and a spiritual breakthrough occurred. Our spirits lifted and our vision expanded in ways it hadn't for some time. We realized then just how much under spiritual attack we had been. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, had been going yhrough like a roaring lion in our lives. To Rick, Billie, and Tim as well as a wonderful couple we visit with in Panera's, Thank You!


You may not realize it, but when you lift up the pastors in the church, you are doing a wonderful work! Every year, large numbers of ministers drop out of the ministry. Please pray for us. Pray for our church. Pray for our elders. Pray for our teachers. Pray for our members.


Remember what Jesus said, 'You have not because you ask not.'
Thanks
John

RadioActive

The news continues on Japan and the crippled nuclear power plant.  People are in a panic.  Not so much fear about an explosion - but the invisible radiation that could contaminate the area and cause disease or even death.  Part of the panic comes from the thought that you have so little control.  Once you are poisoned by radiation - there's really not a lot you can do about it.

We pray for the people of Japan.  What they are going through right now is terrible.  We can only imagine what devastation like this could be like.

Please pray for all those suffering the disaster and pray also for all those who are being contaminated by the effects of sin and don't know to panic.
Pastor John

In everything give thanks

"in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonian 5:18.  Is that really what we are supposed to do?  In everything?  What about war?  What about earthquakes?  What about death?


In everything give thanks - why?  The answer lies in the rest of the verse - You are putting your trust in God's will.  And lest you think that will is hard and unfeeling and uncaring, it is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  


God's will is always a function of John 3:16 - for God so loved ... that he gave.
Thanks
John

Al Green - He's coming back.

Al Green does a wonderful video about the return of Jesus!  Rev. Al pastors a church in Memphis.

Races, skinned knees and cancelled parties

This was an interesting new years eve.  I ran a mile - quite successfully - except for the end.  When I cross the finish line I succeeded in tripping on the flat sidewalk and seriously scraping up my leg.  I have been told that's what you should expect as you get old. :-(

We also had a cancelled party at our church.  I went to it anyway expecting no one to be there.  Everyone who had said they would come - couldn't.  So instead, we had twenty people show up!

Life is strange.  Just when you think you have it all under control - ...