Salad For Breakfast

Salad For Breakfast

We gather at Cracker Barrel. The background music is ‘Casting Crowns’ bringing us hymns and choruses (this is Alabama). The Waitress, who is always cheerful, brings us coffee and water. Then she takes our orders with the exception of one man. This is where it gets interesting. He always gets the same thing.

There are 8-9 men in this group. We meet at 6 AM to enjoy the common bond we share in Christ and to be accountable to one another for the integrity of our faith. Did we share the Gospel with anyone in the past week? Are there any specific issues in the lives of people we contact each day that need our prayers and encouragement? Any specific issues for which we can and should praise the LORD?

Back to the guy who always gets the same thing. He is a Fireman. He often joins us just having completed a night shift with the Fire Department. His order is always the same. In fact, our waitress knows what to order for him without asking. He gets a HUGE salad (cf. photo below). Cheese wedge, deviled eggs, ham, lots and lots of lettuce and two large containers of dressing. This is his ‘evening meal’. There is never a shred left when he finishes. The others consume eggs, pancakes, sausage, oatmeal, grits, bacon, etc. He gets Salad!

When you encounter people from day to day, remember this. When they have salad for breakfast they are not whacky. Their journey has a different rhythm than yours. And, you may want to try ‘Salad For Breakfast’ some time. You may enjoy it!

The Lottery

One of the candidates for the office of Governor in AL is proposing a Lottery, ostensibly to fund and support Education. Such a proposal is ethically, morally and pragmatically bankrupt. 

Wisdom Literature, the Book of Proverbs, declares with absolute clarity that the incorporation of such a mechanism into Social Policy is woefully lacking and counter-productive.

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,

           but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. (Prov. 12:11)

The literal translation from the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Old Testament for the final phrase in this verse, ‘lacks sense’ is ‘has a needy or deficient heart’,  (kesar leb). The NIV translation of this verse is ‘but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.’ The lottery is the quintessential fantasy and those who fund this endeavor by purchasing lottery tickets are the least able to afford such expenditures. The poor are enticed by this fantasy and squander financial resources they can ill afford to waste. Waste indeed! In the end of this game, everyone is a loser.

A 2011 paper in the Journal of Gambling Studies conducted a thorough review of the available research on lotteries and concluded that the “poor are still the leading patron of the lottery”[1].

The most effective means of improving the education of children in Alabama is dedicated and involved parents, mothers and fathers. They turn off the TV. They shut down the Video Games. They read to and with their children. They model the vital importance of education by daily focus, instruction and personal investment in the things that matter most.

Buying a Lottery Ticket is indeed a fantasy. We do not need a Governor that promotes fantasy as Public Policy. We do need parents that invest wisely and persistently in the education and development of their children.

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[1] See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/economics/personal-finance/research-review-lotteries-demographics#sthash.J2BDCXoa.dpuf

Pontification

The ministry of IgniteUS is dedicated to bringing Health & Effectiveness to Pastors and the local church. We focus on ENCOURAGING those who lead in a very difficult time.

The proliferation of opportunity provided by Social Media streams has exacerbated what I characterize as “Pontification”. Let me explain. 

An individual correctly cites an injustice promoted by some element of our faith. They lob a not so thinly veiled barb at those they perceive (and often correctly so) as being flat out wrong. They then retreat to the safety of their study with a not seen, but ever present smug self-affirming smile. They have just assumed the role of “Pontif” on this subject.

The problem – nothing has been resolved. There is no attempt at resolution. There almost certainly will be a counter-point offered by those they indicted in their pontifical post. The beat goes on.

I recommend those reading this post follow the link below. This takes you to what I regard as the finest article on dealing with those with whom we differ. It was written by Roger Nicole, now deceased. He being dead, yet speaketh and quite eloquently I must say.

We would all be well served by applying what he presents. Most certainly, Christ would be honored, the church made healthy and Pastors and Leaders encouraged. Well worth the effort. 

Would appreciate your thoughts when you have read through this. THANKS!

http://founders.org/fj33/polemic-theology-how-to-deal-with-those-who-differ-from-us/

The "Battle of The Bulge!"

How many pulpits in America would be vacated if Pastors were required to mount the scales before they mounted the pulpit?

Recent research reveals that obesity among Pastors is greater than obesity among the overall population. The church does not tolerate the sins of gossip, greed, or false witness. They should not tolerate obesity due to the intemperate and undisciplined consumption of food and a lack of discipline in exercise and physical fitness. Failure in these areas reflects poorly on the message of the Gospel.

According to Pulpit & Pew, an interdenominational research project on pastoral leadership, clergy work was considered one of the healthier professions in the past, just below teachers in terms of low mortality rates.

Follow the link to a color map of the USA showing the Obesity rates by State.

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html 

However, recent data has found the obesity rate in clergy members has climbed to 30 percent.

One of every three American adults is obese

By 2015, 75% of adults will be overweight; 41% will be obese

Google BMI = Body Mass Index. Find out how you are doing in the “Battle of the Bulge!”

"Witch Hunt" or Orthodox Fidelity?

Social Media is a blessing and a cursing. Blessing – there is an infinite opportunity to exchange messages with a host of people, some redeemed and some not. That is great. Cursing – this infinite opportunity includes many who are not biblically literate and in fact downright heretical. Their thinking is shaped by some of the influences promoted on this same tool.

Here is where the conflict enters the picture. The text of Scripture, Titus 1:9 includes a command for those who are Elder/Pastor/Shepherds to teach/instruct in SOUND DOCTRINE and to REBUKE those who contradict it.

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:9)

When correction is offered regarding unorthodox or heretical postings the conflict rages. What one regards as a proper REBUKE, others regard as a WITCH HUNT. The Strange Fire Conference hosted by John MacArthur at Grace Community this past October turned a brush fire into an inferno.

REBUKE has many nuances in the original language; bring to light, expose, convince, reprove, rebuke, punish (A Reader’s Greek New Testament, 2^nd Edition, p.464, note 42).

The following are my thoughts offered during one of the Social Media Exchanges.

A Word about the "Witch Hunting" accusation that is appearing with greater frequency in Social Media among professing Christians.

First, there are some who are attracted to controversy like bugs to light. There is excessive criticism and perhaps hatred in their post. This should not be.

Second, great (faithful) Leaders are commanded to teach Sound Doctrine and Rebuke those who teach otherwise (Titus 1:9). Doing so IS NOT WITCH HUNTING - - IT IS OBEDIENCE TO THE CLEAR MANDATE OF SCRIPTURE. 

Third, a primary test is motive and manner. When I encounter false teaching I must first examine my own heart/eye and make sure there are no LOGS present. Then, I must speak/write with absolute accuracy based on sound exegesis of the text. Then, I must carefully and honestly 'rebuke' the offending party/parties.

Fourth my Brothers and Sisters, compassionate and consistent fidelity to the commands of Scripture is NOT "Witch Hunting".  I call upon all who are using this nomenclature to cease and desist. The fall out will be intense but the task is not conditioned by the response of those we speak to in love.

There is Pathology in Theology. When error however obscure is not challenged it ALWAYS grows and eventually explodes into damaging heresy and apostasy. 

Responses solicited and welcome. THANKS!

Follow the link to  acquire additional insight into this false accusation that exegetical precision is "Witch Hunting". Anything but.

http://jimhamilton.info/2006/06/26/the-greatest-danger-facing-the-church/

Basic or Premium Version?

The following text was written by a Pastor friend of mine (35 years) as he prepared his Sunday morning message. Well worth reading. This kind of friend is a gift of the richest fare!!

Preparing for Sunday's Message and wrote out the following thoughts on "Following Jesus." 

Just recently, I joined a new gym. I spoke to Andre and he explained the terms of membership. It was much like my previous gym. I could get a basic membership for $25 per month but for a few dollars more I could use the massage machine and bring visitors with me for free. The same approach is used by Amazon; you can sign up for free, but for about $100 a year you can get Amazon Prime that allows you many extra privileges such as free shipping and access to a variety of Movies and Music. For the avid reader you can sign up for Kindle Unlimited that gives you access to hundreds of thousands of Ebooks; you can read and listen to them for $9.99 a month. For another $15 per month you can join Whispersync for voice and seamlessly move between reading and listening to a book. There are probably other services they offer that I still haven’t discovered.

I hope you see the point. In the market place it is not all or nothing but you can decide which services you want and ignore the others. As the consumer, you decide what is good for you and without penalty ignore the parts that are not a fit. This climate has in many ways filtered into the church in America. Many churches have become Amazon clones and offer a variety of services that you freely choose to use or ignore, no questions asked. The lines become a bit blurred here and it is easy to feel the marketing shadow creeping in to shape membership commitments in the church. It is not so easy to say whether this is totally right or wrong.

Let’s take this one step further and ask if there are such options for “Following Jesus.” Can you sign up for the basic package with minimal commitment and be guaranteed a “fire escape clause” but for a bit more get a measure of joy, a sense that life has meaning, and a guaranteed future in heaven. For the really hard core you can sign up for the full membership with discipleship, scripture memory, and even some suffering for Jesus. It is clear that many approach following Jesus much as they choose their Amazon options. Has Jesus offered us these options or are they marketing ploys that religious franchisers use to sell Jesus?

Matthew’s Gospel makes it quite clear that following Jesus is quite different than the familiar marketing model. In fact, it is all or nothing! Jesus said if anyone wants to come to me the terms are not negotiable. You can’t sign up for basic or premium discipleship. You are either in or out! You either follow Jesus completely or you follow your own path (which is really Satan calling the shots without really understanding how he is using you). Every one who chooses to follow Jesus must exercise self-denial, kill the sinful passions that constantly pressure you to conform, and purposely and intentionally follow Jesus without reservation. Luke’s Gospel makes the demands even stronger, unless you hate mother, father, children, and even spouses you cannot be his disciple. Isn’t this a bit too radical??? Don’t we need some balance?

Almost eighty years ago D. Bonheoffer wrote, The Cost of Discipleship to combat such cheap grace. There is no basic membership offered by Jesus but for those willing to follow him at all costs there is life that throbs with his presence and Joy unspeakable and full of glory.