A Fish Story

My new found turkey hunting hobby has severely cut into my fishing hobby. By now I've normally had more than a few days on the water, but this spring I haven't even touched my reels. A little surprising because fishing is my first love when it comes to the outdoors. I was reminded why yesterday.

I slipped away after Lilly's softball game to a large farm pond close to our house (I'd tell you where, but I can't seem to remember). It was one of the best afternoons of fishing I've ever had. I caught 17 bass between 1 to 2 pounds, including three over 5 pounds! One was the biggest bass I've ever caught. I'm guessing somewhere around 8 pounds. Of course I was fishing at a pond where the landowner practices "catch-and-release," I had no scales, no measuring tape, no camera, and no eye-witnesses. I just held the bass up to admire, gave her a goodbye kiss, and watched her swim away.

So why am I telling you all this? I couldn't call myself a real fishermen if I didn't brag about my catch every now and then. And yes, real fishermen kiss their fish, especially when they're that big. Just don't tell my wife.

The Name

The last few years there's been a bit of debate about the name "Church of Christ." Some believe it carries too much baggage for seekers and has become a denominational title. Others believe it's a non-issue for seekers and still serves as a perfectly good description of who we are. Churches have handled it in different ways. Consider two of the largest churches of Christ in the country...

The Oak Hills Church dropped the name back in 2003. They claimed it was a barrier to outreach and no longer communicated the non-denominational nature of the church (see Lucado's explanation on his website). They've brought more people to Jesus as a result. On the other hand, the Richland Hills Church has made it clear that they have no plans to change the name despite other changes. They're comfortable with what its means to seekers and believe it still communicates the right message (see Atchley's quote or Garrett's article). They've brought more people to Jesus as well.

So who's right? It depends on the church, the leadership, the theology, the mission, the surrounding community, etc. In other words, its different for each church. (I know some disagree and believe that the name "Church of Christ" is the only Biblically approved name; however, its interesting to note that the simple name of "church" is used more frequently in the New Testament.) I like the name when people understand it for what is. A simple, non-denominational title that declares who we are--we're a church of Christ. I don't like the name when it keeps people away because they associate it with judgementalism, legalism, or any of the other "isms."

My Heritage

Sometimes in my messages I make reference to my church heritage. I talk about what it was like to grow up in a conservative church of Christ in rural Middle Tennessee. My memories are not always flattering because I try to be honest about my experiences (the good, the bad, and the ugly). That's lead some to question my love for the church of Christ. A couple of incidents stand out in my mind...

One back in 1998. I had written a series of articles for the Southwest Church of Christ about "why I'm a member of the church of Christ." I considered them to be pretty positive articles, but I did have the audacity to admit that we weren't a perfect fellowship. That prompted a handwritten letter from the President Emeritus of one of our Universities accusing me of abandoning the faith and encouraging me to leave the church of Christ.

Another was somewhere around 2003. That's when a handful of letter writers (mostly anonymous) starting making accusations based on half-truths and rumors swirling around the Hohenwald Church. It was basically that I was part of a sinister plan to infiltrate the church and lead her away. Frankly, I always thought they gave me too much credit. I didn't have near the influence or sway they imagined and if there was "plan" no one ever told me about it.

Of course there have been other letters and conversations. Recently a member from another church asked me, "Do you even want to be church of Christ anymore?" My answer, "I'm still here aren't I? I wouldn't go through all this unless there was something here that I cared about."

The bottom line is that I do love the church of Christ and want to stay. I still don't think we're a perfect fellowship and there's plenty that I would like to see change. For example, our "quick-to-judge-and-condemn" attitude towards anyone who's beliefs differ from our own (see above). But there's also plenty to love about this fellowship. For me and many others, its' the place where I first learned of Jesus. It's where I was baptized and taught to be a life-long disciple. It's where I learned the morals & values that guide my life today.

I also have an appreciation for the history and doctrinal emphasises of the churches of Christ. I think we bring something to the Evangelical table when it comes to respect for the Bible, regular practice of the Lord's Supper, the importance of baptism, or the role of elders. Granted, we got off track with our "instruments are evil" and "we're the only ones going to heaven" stuff, but that was never part of our core beliefs. Our core was, and still is, rooted in the American Restoration Movement. A movement started in the 1800s to call people back to simple NT Christianity. It advocated doing away with things that divide us (creeds, titles, denominational divisions, etc) and emphasizing things that unite us (our common faith, the Bible, Jesus, etc). The intent was to "restore" the simplicity of the early church, the importance of the Bible, and the centrality of Christ. I still believe in what those early leaders were trying to accomplish. As a matter of fact, much of my frustration with our fellowship concerns areas where we distorted their vision and/or thought we'd already achieved it.

We have to remember that we haven't "arrived" yet and maybe never will. That doesn't mean its time to give up and quit trying, it just means its time to pray a little harder and lean a little more on the grace of God.

A Word of Reason on Imus

Until now I've resisted blogging on the Don Imus fiasco. There was so much nonsense spewing from both sides of the controversy I was afraid to enter the mix. But today I ran across an article by J.C. Watts entitled "Imus was wrong, but so are many others." Its one of the few reasonable voices in this mess . . .

A lot of offensive people are handsomely rewarded every day in America. Like Howard Stern, Rosie O'Donnell, Jerry Springer, Snoop Dog and the list goes on.

In this pond, Don Imus actually is a small fish. In spite of what happened to Imus, I think we owe him some gratitude for raising the conscience level of the discussion over race, and for raising the consciences of all communities to the fact that words are not inconsequential.

As I consider the reverberations from Imus' racial slur at the Rutgers University women's basketball team, I'm concerned that we have created a society of revenge and retaliation rather than a society of what is right and just. It requires no character or integrity to seek revenge. Character shines in justice.

I've heard all the arguments. When things like this happen, we tend to justify bad behavior by pointing to others engaged in similar behavior. Its the old schoolyard "he did it first" defense. In attempting to defend their own feeble attempts at humor and discourse, Imus and his few defenders pointed to gangsta rappers who get away with slurs every day.

If we don't agree that both sides are wrong, then we've learned nothing from the last two weeks...

You can read the rest of the article here (as soon as the Herald posts it!)

Boring Church Services

I ran across this "Top 10" list while looking for a way to illustrate that church services are often boring. It's from Tony Morgan. No idea who that is, but you can check out his website here.

10 Easy Ways to Make Your Church Services More Boring

1. Don’t worry about when you finish. I’m sure no one has plans after the service.
2. Straight Scriptures. No stories. Jesus didn’t teach that way, but you’re a better communicator than Jesus, right?
3. Television. Movies. It’s just a phase. People don’t really need visual stimulation. They prefer talking heads.
4. Use the same service order…every week…no exceptions…ever.
5. Make more announcements.
6. Encourage your elementary school kids to sit through your services. They love lively 45-minute sermons. It’s good for them. It builds character.
7. Talk more about the past and the less about the future.
8. Play the same Chris Tomlin song every week. And, try the chorus one more time.
9. Use lots of big words that no one uses in normal, everyday life.
10. Forget relevant topics and life application. People are really only interested in hearing what you think, not why it matters to them.

Blame Game

I haven't watched every hour of the 24 hour coverage, but what little I've seen confirms my fear. The blame game is intensifying. Just who is responsible for this heinous act? So far the finger has been pointed at the University officials (they didn't do enough to warn students), the teachers (they should have canceled classes), the police (they should have stormed the building sooner), the gun control laws (he shouldn't have been able to buy a gun), the US government (they shouldn't have let him in this country), the acquaintances of the shooter (they should have seen the warning signs). I even heard one talk show host blame the victims themselves (they should have done more to stop him). It seems the the finger is being pointed at everyone except one--the man who actually pulled the trigger.

What drives this need of ours to ignore the guilty and convict the innocent? Do we really believe University officials intentionally withheld information or acquaintances of the shooter willfully ignored warning signs? Of course not. People reacted in the best way they knew how. None of them could foresee this tragedy. If they could have, I have no doubts they would have done whatever possible to prevent it. It's easy for those who were not in the middle of the crisis to sit back and criticize the way it was handled. I've heard several comments like, "If I was the President of that University then I would have . . ." or "If I was in one of those classrooms then I guarantee you I would have . . ." Those are ignorant comments. The truth is that none of us know exactly how we would have reacted. Instead of criticizing those who were unwillingly placed in this awful situation, why don't we put an arm around them and say a prayer?

VT Shooting

My prayers go out to the families of the victims at Virginia Tech. I first heard the news this morning on the radio. They thought about 20 people were hurt. Now they've confirmed 32 have died and 15 are injured. Unbelievable. What brings someone to a point of such unspeakable evil? That's the question we need to be asking. Unfortunately I've already heard debate about gun control, the response time of the police, the university's handling of the crisis, etc. These arguments miss the point. They focus on peripheral issues. The real issue is the heart. How does one's heart become so cold and callused that they even think of doing something like this?? I wish I had the answers.

Mule Day Extravaganza

I just got back from my very first Mule Day Parade. To be honest . . . I was a little unimpressed. I know that's akin to blasphemy in Maury County, but its the truth. It was just a couple of politicians, a dozen police cars, and lots and lots of mules (45 minutes worth). I was at least expecting to see one of the Oak Ridge Boys or some other old country star. What about David Allan Coe? Or Charlie Daniels? You would think the second largest annual gathering in Tennessee could pull off one of those guys. Everything is more interesting with Charlie playing in the background. Of course I probably should just be happy that there were no serious injuries this year. After all, the parade was recently added to Homeland Security's list of potential terror targets.

Nothing to Fear From Honest Study

I'm studying for a new series on worship that starts this Sunday. In my reading I ran across these thoughts from Dan Dozier. . .

I do not oppose debate and honest exchanges of ideas. It is often in the midst of controversy that we arrive at a better understanding of the truth. What sickens my heart and grieves my soul is the venomous spirit and the inflammatory language used by some who would "straighten out" those with whom they disagree without ever having approached these individuals privately. God forbid that this kind of devilish spirit should prevail among us!

It is long past time to restore the exploratory spirit of the Restoration forefathers! Challenges and questions that arise from a rebellious spirit are motivated and generated in an ungodly heart. I want none of that. However, we have nothing to fear from an honest study of any topic. Rather, we have much to gain. Sadly, many Christians have only an inherited faith--a handed down understanding of what they believe and practice in their own congregation. Many people cannot give a reasoned explanation of why they do the things they do (and leave undone the things they don't do) in worship. "That's just the way we're always done things around here," they may say. "That's the way Daddy and Momma and their parents before them believed. If it's good enough for them, then it's good enough for me." "That's what brother 'So and So' said. If he says it's so, it must be so."

That kind of thinking (or lack of thinking) is tragic because it discourages people from arriving at and owning their faith. It assumes that those courageous souls who have gone before did all the studying and thinking for them. It shows that they have grown too comfortable with their traditions. If currently held positions are truly biblical, they will stand up to the most intense scrutiny, and we will be stronger for the search. If they are not fully accurate, then intense scrutiny will reveal the weaknesses so that we can move toward a truly biblical position.

Back on Track (somewhat)

Yesterday I ran 3 miles for the first time in 19 days. I was training for the Nashville Half Marathon. Now I'm not so sure. It's amazing how much you lose in two and half weeks. Of course that also means it should be amazing how much your gain in two and half weeks, right?? That's how I'm trying to stay motivated. I've never canceled a race I signed up for, but this may the first. I have only two weekends left for long runs and I was only up to 6 miles before the sickness hit. I plan to do 8 this weekend, 10 the next, and then decide whether or not I'm ready for 13. I still have the cough, but if I wait for it to go I may never run again.

My friend is running Boston next week. Check out his blog here. He's shooting for a time under 3 hours!! In my marathon I barely broke 5 hours! He's a pretty amazing runner and the reigning Mule Day 5k champ. Too bad he can't defend his title this weekend, but the streets of Boston are probably a little more prestigious. I ran the Mule Day race last year as well, but I got beat by the guy dressed in the hot-dog suit. Getting beat by a guy in a hot-dog suit will really do some damage to your ego.

I'm Still Alive (and so is He!)

I'm still alive out here, even though its been five days since my last post. I've been very busy with Easter Sunday, which has become a very big day at our church. Not only in terms of attendance, but meaning. Historically our heritage has not celebrated Easter. I grew up hearing that "we celebrated the resurrection every Sunday." Which was a good thought and a nice emphasis, but in reality it didn't always happen. In my growing up years I remember hearing a lot about the cross, but little about the empty tomb.

That's why I'm glad this church has chosen to celebrate Easter each year. It's a good time for us to remember and celebrate the foundational doctrine of our faith. Jesus has risen!!

With each Easter that passes I find myself developing a deeper and deeper appreciation for that truth. In my Bible readings I'm catching more of the references to the resurrection and seeing how important it was to the early followers of Jesus. I think we need to recapture that importance today, not just on Easter, but throughout the year. We need to realize what the resurrection of Jesus means--that we now have forgiveness for our past, power for our present, and hope for our future!

Does Anybody Hear Her?

If you have four minutes, check out this video . . . no need for commentary, the lyrics & images say enough.

Sick & Tired

To steal a line from Dave Ramesy, "I'm sick & tired of being sick & tired!" Of course Dave uses that line to refer to financial matters, but I'm talking about physical matters. Tomorrow marks the 2 week anniversary of my virus. I feel better, but the cough persists. It stubbornly hangs on and prevents me from feeling like I'm back at 100%. I'm sick of the cough! It came on the first day I got sick, so now that I'm better, shouldn't it go away? Why does it insist on staying and bringing misery to my life?

Today, in one my coughing spells, the thought hit me that physical sickness is a lot like spiritual sickness. Whenever we sin we usually suffer the consequences immediately. Whether it be guilt, remorse, fear, hurt, pain, etc. But oftentimes those consequences linger. Long after the sin is done, they persist. Stubbornly hanging on so that we don't feel like we should. I wish the consequences would disappear as quickly as they appear. But they don't.

Why do we have such a hard time letting go of these things? If we truly believe in a God who forgives, then shouldn't we readily accept that forgiveness? Yes, but its easier said than done. Receiving forgiveness and accepting it are often two different things. I think we probably receive much more forgiveness from God than we ever accept. Perhaps our prayer needs to be the same as the man in Mark 9:24. When his boy was sick he asked Jesus "if you can do anything take pity on us and help us." Jesus replied, "If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes." The boy's father said, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

God promises forgiveness for all who believe in him. I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!

Bogging Down

At the beginning of March several in our church took the "90 Day Bible Reading Challenge." The goal was to read through the entire Bible in 90 Days. I came out of the blocks at blazing speed! I read Genesis & Exodus in the first two days. Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy took a little more effort, but then I flew through Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1st & 2nd Samuel, 1st & 2nd Kings. After a couple of weeks I had the first 12 books finished. I was surprised at how easy the reading was going and how interested I was in the stories. But then I hit 1st and 2nd Chronicles. They're basically a re-cap of what happened in Samuel & Kings. I've been stuck in them for a couple of weeks and my motivation is sinking.

Why is it that sometimes Bible reading is easy and enjoyable and other times its laborious and boring? Does it have to do with the text or the reader? I know the tendency is to blame the reader, but I can't help feeling that some of the Bible is just not that interesting (at least not for modern readers). I have a hard time getting thrilled about genealogies, censuses, and other records of unknown names and clans. I get really bored with repetition, which is a common trait in the Hebrew narratives. Does that somehow make me a nominal Christian? Am I someone who hasn't reached enough spiritual maturity to truly appreciate every word of the Bible? Perhaps. If so, I doubt I'm alone.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you too are bogged down in your reading, don't beat yourself up. It happens to everyone. Just push through the sections you find tedious and don't let your guilt about not finding every word interesting keep you from reading more.