Thanks to a friend of mine for sharing the following post about people coming to the Lord in some remarkable places.
Read it and rejoice!

http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/more-ex-muslims-will-celebrate-easter-this-year-than-any-other-time-in-history/

A wasted life:

As you could probably tell from my lack of any posts on the matter, I'm behind, way behind on my Bible reading project. I haven't abandoned my goal of reading through the Bible 2x this year, but the commitment is in jeopardy.
It is not that I have not been having a good time with the Lord in His word. I have. For instance in the couple of weeks before Easter, both in my study for my Easter message and in my Quiet Time, I walked with the Lord during the weekend of His crucifixion. The harmony I used can still be found at covingtonbiblechurch.org. Click on devotional aids. I needed that.
It is just that this has been outside of my plan--which I know is OK.
Yesterday, we were visiting with family. For me, most of the day was laid back--take a nap if you want to--which I did in the afternoon--but in the morning I read most of the life of King David.
I began in the later chapters of 1 Samuel, followed him to Philistia, ached with him when Ziklag burned, and then saw him ascend to the throne and deal with all competitors.
In the middle of 2 Samuel, though, there is the little matter of Bathsheba.
The book is divided--David's successes, David's failures. The line of demarcation is a woman who was taking a bath, and a man who didn't take a cold shower.
Tragic, instructive, but tragic.

I'm working on this weeks message from the second half of Eph. 2. I'm thinking about purposely--I'll be up front about it--going with a secondary point. If Jews and Gentiles are brought together in Christ, then why are we two millennia later dividing over skin-color, and musical tastes, or whether we wear ties or not on Sunday morning?
If you would like to weigh in with 2 cents--or even a nickle--I'd be glad to listen.

Easter at our church was great. Thank you Lord.

Some thoughts early in "Holy Week"

I just read the Newsweek cover story,
"The End of Christian America
The percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 points in the past two decades. How that statistic explains who we are now—and what, as a nation, we are about to become"
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1
And Al Mohler's comments, http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php

Dr. Mohler's comments are particularly germane because he figures prominently in the article itself. If you read it you'll understand what I mean.

I have neither the time nor the interest to dissect, analyze, and perhaps refute the Newsweek article. I would say that in many ways I think it is true. Our recent election, and our culture's flow away from the kind of ethical/moral standards taught in the Bible do clearly show a declining influence of Christianity in our culture--particularly in the USA.

As I read Meacham's article I was struck with the fact that there is much about Christianity that he doesn't get. I can't really blame him. Meacham states, "Evangelical Christians have long believed that the United States should be a nation whose political life is based upon and governed by their interpretation of biblical and theological principles." I fear that too many of us Bible believing Christians have given those around us this idea that the article articulates--that Biblical Christianity is primarily a political force. (It is clear in the article that this is not the exclusive view that Meacham sees.) The root of the name "Evangelical" is not political. The word refers to the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In the words of the old gospel song it is time that God's people were reminded that, "This world is not my home. I'm just a passin' through . . ."

Anyhow, both articles are worth the time it takes to read them.

Not unrelated:

• I just had a conversation yesterday with a marvelously articulate 9 year old who wants t be baptized to declare her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. No sign of the end of Christianity in her life.
• I have an ongoing communication with a young man who though raised in the church spent much of his energy as a teen and an adult avoiding Christianity's implications on his life. Our chief topic of conversation recently has been studying the Bible. A few minutes ago, at his request, I sent him some information on some serious, grown-up Bible-study tools. Christianity is not losing its influence on this young man's life, or his family.

I have been encouraging you to walk with the Lord through the last events of His earthly life on this week before Easter. (if you go to covingtonbiblechurch.org and click on devotional aids and then click Easter Reading, you'll find what I'm talking about.) As Kathy and I read the first part of the compilation last night, I was struck with how much the Apostles didn't get it. Here they were squabbling over first place, and in pride resisting taking the role of servant, when our Lord took the towel and washed their feet.

The way of the cross has never been a way to political power in this world. It is the way of the cross.

The Basic, Wonderful, Profound Story

Over the past few days I have been working on a project in preparation for Easter. I have found it profoundly moving.
Using the copy of Robertson's Harmony of the Gospels, that is part of my Bible Study Program, I put together an account of Jesus's words and activities from Thursday night before His crucifixion until Sunday night, when he met with the Apostles. Where there were parallel accounts of the same scenes, I chose one--usually the fuller one. I had originally intended to use the New Living Translation, because it is so conversational, but copyright restrictions prevented me from doing that, so to conform I used a number of translations so that I would stay within the limits.
I posted my work on the CBC website, covingtonbiblechurch.org. You can find it on the bulletin page or under Devotional Aids. Whether you use my compilation or another I hope you will join me in walking with, and listening to the Lord through this most important weekend in history.

You are welcome to leave your comment.

When Does Life Begin? Still above his pay-grade?

I have been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to foment a profitable argument on this blog.
Many older evangelicals have concluded that a number of their younger brethren bailed out on the prolife issue in order to cast their vote for a candidate that they found attractive, though a self-declared prochoice-er.
Some of President Obama's actions since election have perhaps shown him to be even more enthusiastically prochoice than he appeared as a candidate.
The landslide democratic victory clearly handed the prochoice forces in the House, and only slightly less in the Senate a carte blanche to enact their agenda.
There is no doubt where the next Supreme Court appointment will be on the matter.

Maybe my younger readers (I flatter myself to think that there are some) fear that this is some kind of trap. I assure you it is not. I want to give you a place to seek to enlighten we oldsters. I'm not lobbying to have you thrown out of the Evangelical Club. I do sincerely hope that your choices were made on some other basis than the surface/image/cool-factor/celebrity-mindset that so dominates our culture.

I confess, on behalf of the gray-haired set, that we have not done a good job. While by-and-large remaining faithful to a couple of "litmus test" issues we have often behaved in an ungodly manner while claiming to stand for God. As long as your gripes are not profane or excessively hurtful, I'll be glad to publish them.

To add further fuel or fodder, here is a recent STTA, that speaks to the subject.

President Obama declared, during his campaign, that answering the question about when human life begins was above his pay-grade. Since then he has received a promotion. He is now "President of the United States," many would say, "Leader of the Free-World," and in many ways he is assuming the role of, "Decider for the Life-of-the-Unborn." The problem is he has yet to answer the question: "When does human life begin?"Yesterday I saw a picture of a lovely little girl, alive and well, who was once a frozen-embryo. When did her life begin?
If we honestly conclude that there is an age before which people aren't people, then we ought to say so, be prepared to defend our position and make decisions accordingly. If we conclude that life begins at conception (At the least, a very credible conclusion), then the implications are obvious--that is, if we are a civilized society.
If, as our president said a few months ago, we don't know, then do we not owe a benefit of the doubt to the ones about whom we are making decisions? And should we not stay on the ethically safe side of such a question?
Sometimes ignorance is way too convenient.
It's Something To Think About, at least I hope it is.

Deafening Silence & inconvenient truth:

If a blogger blogs in a forest and no one reads it . . . ?
I figure that the lack of any response to my previous post is due to a combination of realities:

• Some young evangelicals have already gone on to something else. Deciding who to vote for is just "So yesterday."
• In post modern-fashion they don't want to wade into another utterly frustrating argument/discussion with a hopelessly hung-up modernist--you know one of those guys who really holds that there are things like right and wrong, and true and false. I mean, how do you reason with someone like that?
• Probably more important than anything else though, is essentially no one reads this blog.

Since postmoderns are supposed to get truth through story let's try this:

Once upon a time there was a kingdom. It was a very nice place to live. High-speed wireless Internet was available even in the most remote points of the realm. The king in his totally awesome benevolence had decreed that access to this network was a right to all citizens and no one was denied.
"Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter to all!" was the slogan heard round the kingdom. In the capitol of the land there was a huge sphere named Blogo. All admired it greatly and looked to it for truth and inspiration. On top of this globe the king had erected a throne. on occasions of great import he would ascend there, and the people marvelled. "He gets it. He is one of us!" They cried. Every house in the land had not only plumbing for hot and cold water, but Starbucks was piped in as well, to provide stimulus.

The citizens of the kingdom existed in blissful satisfaction, except for one thing. The totally green, ecologically-balanced, cool-earth landscape had one problem. In many of the yards around the kingdom there were large, brown, cardboard boxes--you know the kind of containers that ozone-friendly refrigerators come in. Some of these boxes were in driveways, making it terribly inconvenient for some young, hip, up-and-coming citizens to make their way to their upwardly mobile, totally fulfilling jobs, in their totally electric vehicles. Others said that for some having a box in the yard might be a good thing, but for me, right now, it just isn't.

Rumors abounded that there was something in these boxes. People heard noises--remarkably life-like sounds--and others who had ventured to bore holes in the side of a box said that they actually saw children living in the boxes. The strongest evidence of all was offered by those who had seen children come out of these boxes--children that went on to live remarkably normal lives. Others, of course, denied all of this. "These products of recycling cannot be fully alive. Certainly, they do not deserve any particular concern from us. Those that are alive after emerging have life because big people want them as their own and say they are alive. Without that magic blessing they lack true life."

Still the debate continued. Some demanded the right to remove the boxes. Others said that to do so amounted to the unwarranted taking of life. The king of the land chose to remain blissfully ignorant. He gave no heed to those who sent him video that showed that children lived in the boxes. He said that such rhetoric and images were devisive, and interferred with the important business of the kingdom. He declared: "I am not an expert on life-in-boxes. To say what is in the boxes requires more knowledge and education than I have." (Some wondered why he did not seek more enlightenment on the matter, but others judged his answer so wise, clever, and post-containerish that they simply let it pass, or applauded him for his wisdom.)

Soon a special day came when the king had the privilege to grant to his subjects some new boon, as if the magnificence of his reign were not already reward enough. Sweeping aside all the evidence offered by those who sought to protect what they regarded as true life in the boxes, he declared that all, everywhere, may burn, shred, or in other ways dispose of the boxes and their contents. Furthermore it was decreed that should anyone not be able to afford the removal of such an impediment to personal progress, that the king would insist that resources be made available from the coffers of the kingdom--coffers made continually full by the joyful contributions of the citizens. Indeed, one of the king's trusted advisers and allies applauded this decree. She announced that it would lead to the further enrichment of the kingdom.

The citizens marvelled at the wisdom of the king. "He chooses not to know what might interfere with our doing what we want to do. Let us all pray for greater ignorance so that we might be more free. Long live the king."

And all in the kingdom lived happily ever after, except for those who lived in boxes. They didn't live at all.

The Fault-line that ruptured some families:

One of the news stories of the recent election was how a number of young evangelicals chose to go contrary to their elders and vote for (now) President Obama. To say that this syndrome created a crisis in some families I'm acquainted with, is probably not too strong a statement.
Basically, the division came down to the older folk holding onto the view that support for a pro choice candidate violated their commitment to the sanctity of life. Many of them just couldn't understand how their kids could . . .
Though I'm definitely in the Older Evangelical demographic, I think get it, at least to a point.

• The youngsters (and some oldsters) look at a history of opposition to Roe v. Wade abortion law, that has lasted longer than they have been alive and say, "What do we have to show for all this effort? Maybe we should try something else."
• There was the obvious generational difference. I mean you could play basketball with Mr. Obama. Ladies could see themselves shopping with Michelle. Poor Old John couldn't get his arthritic hands above his head. In our image-conscious world, in a way that lies behind our cognitive, this image is powerful. Mr. Obama looks presidential in a vibrant, youthful way. In that regard he is a young version of Reagan.
• Then there are other issues. The younger folk raised a legitimate question. Is the abortion issue the only thing, or the preeminent thing, about which we should be concerned? That is a question worthy of intelligent debate.

Anyhow, now that President Obama is in office, it would be interesting to hear from some of you young evangelicals who supported him. You are welcome to remain anonymous. Did the speedy repeal of the ban on abortion funding disappoint you? Have you been pleased with his efforts to reach-out? Is speaker Pelosi, friend or foe?

I have a post in the works that questions the morality of a person who says that it is above his pay grade to answer the question of when life begins yet sanctions the killing of whatever those things are inside of women when by his own answer, clever though it was, he admits that he isn't sure whether they are human-beings or not. My suspicion is that he knows that they are. His answer was a dodge of that truth. Is avoiding that inconvenient truth acceptable?

Perhaps most important: Since you rejected the paradigm of voting against the friend of abortion, what new framework do you suggest?

I hope to hear from you. If you do choose anonymity, please let us know the general age bracket you fall into.