How to Win the Culture War

Calvin College - 1/25/98

The Culture War 53:20 15.5MB

Introduction (0:00)
1. We Are at War (2:44)
2. Knowing Our Enemy (21:55)
3. The Weapon (33:01)
Questions (43:35)

HT: Peter Kreeft

As Long As I Don't Hurt Anyone

"As long as it doesn't hurt anyone else" is by far the ethical principle guiding our culture today. People often use this principle to justify a whole host of behaviors, including gambling, viewing pornography, drinking alcohol to excess, and engaging in pre-marital sex, but there are several problems with this ethical philosophy.

First, if there are no concrete ethical principles that apply across the board, how do we measure hurt? We need to know what constitutes "hurt" in order to apply the "as long as" principle. Without concrete ethical norms, the "as long as" rule is empty.

Second, this principle only scraps the very bottom of proverbial ethical barrel. It's aim is only concerned with not harming others, it doesn't do anything motivate others to help others or do anything that would benefit anyone else. Suppose those who could create a vaccine for swine flu decided it would be more profitable to devote themselves to seeking a "cure" for wrinkles? Would they personally hurt anyone? Of course not. But they certainly wouldn't create any good either.

Love or Lust?

It's nearly Valentine's Day and love is in the air ... right? Unfortunately many confuse love for what is in fact lust - and it's a horrible mistake to make. While love builds us up and has our best interests in mind, lust comes to steal - to rip from us whatever it can for the purpose of satisfying selfish needs.

John Piper helps us flee from lust by encouraging us to rely on Love, the God-man and Savior, Jesus Christ. Who came to love. Who died for love. And who lives today so that we can know true love. He puts his help in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.

A - AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness" (2 Timothy 2:22). "Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).

N - Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. "In the name of Jesus, NO!" " Strike fast and strike hard. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

T - TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying "no" will not suffice. The Bible calls lusts "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. We must stock our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, "NO!"

H - HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. They say, "I tried to push it out, and it didn't work." I ask, "How long did you try?" How hard did you exert your mind? The mind is a muscle. You can flex it with vehemence. Take the kingdom violently (Matthew 11:12).

E - ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ.

M - MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11).

HT: Desiring God

Is Man Basically Good?

"Much that we take for granted in a civilized society is based upon the assumption of human sin. Nearly all legislation has grown up because human beings cannot be trusted to settle their own disputes with justice and without self-interest. A promise is not enough; we need a contract. Doors are not enough; we have to lock and bolt them. The payment of fares is not enough; tickets have to be issued, inspected and collected. Law and order are not enough; we need the police to enforce them. All this is due to man's sin. We cannot trust each other. We need protection against one another. It is a terrible indictment of human nature." - John Stott, Basic Christianity

But thank God for this: "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost" (1 Tim. 1:15).

HT: Josh Harris

Make 2009 Your Best Year of Prayer

I had the fortunate and unexpected opportunity to visit John Piper’s church yesterday while in Minneapolis on a youth trip and I found his message inspiring (not surprising). He challenged the congregation to make 2009 the best year of prayer that they have ever had and he gave them three practical suggestions has we all move into the new year:

1. Set aside a time to pray and show up. Don’t leave it to chance. The devil defeats most of our efforts to pray by distracting us with things they may not seem bad, but still rob us of our time (like blogging).

2. Read scripture while you pray and then pray about what you’re reading in scripture.

3. Pray in concentric circles. Start with your own sin, your own struggles, etc., then move outward to your spouse, your children, your family, your church, your community, your country, and our world - or pray the other way, starting globally and ending with yourself.

Piper’s message was inspiring, funny, challenging, and I highly recommend that you take some time to listen to it when it’s available. There was so much more to his message than what I have summarized here, so check it out!

Update: The sermon is now online here.

An Advent Calendar That Should Cause You To Stand in Awe And Worship

“As we head into the traditional western Holiday Season, I’d like to present this Hubble Space Telescope imagery Advent Calendar. Every day, for the next 25 days, a new photo will be revealed here from the amazing Hubble Space Telescope.”

HT: iMonk via takeyourvitaminz

Holiday Blood

The holidays are upon us and in the midst of carols, cookies, lights and gifts it can be easy to lose sight of the wonderful reason we celebrate season. Be reminded of the reason for the season at holidayblood.com

HT: The Plow

Christ the Only Way By R.C. Sproul

Obama Trades Church for the Gym and the Top Ten Excuses For Avoiding Church

President-elect Barack Obama has yet to attend church services since winning the White House earlier this month, a departure from the example of his two immediate predecessors.

On the three Sundays since his election, Obama has instead used his free time to get in workouts at a Chicago gym.

Asked about the president-elect's decision to not attend church, a transition aide noted that the Obamas valued their faith experience in Chicago but were concerned about the impact their large retinue may have on other parishioners.

That's a new one for me. Here's the ten more of the top excuses for avoiding church:

10. I was forced to as a child.

9. People who go to church are hypocrites; they don’t practice what they preach.

8. There are so many different kinds of churches, I can’t decide which one to attend.

7. I used to go, but I got bored and stopped.

6. I only go on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.

5. None of my friends will go with me.

4. I’ll start attending when I get older.

3. I don’t really have time to go to church.

2. I don’t believe that church does anybody any good. It’s just a crutch.

and the # 1 excuse for not attending church …….

The church is just after your money.

HT: The Politico

Using the Twilight Series to Share Your Faith

I have to admit that I am completely out of the loop on this whole Twilight deal, but it seems to be everywhere right now (including interest among students in my church), so I looked into the gist of it and came across this article from Dare2Share Ministries about how to use this book series (and movies) to share your faith with your friends (or with the young people in your church).

From what I have read about the book series, I do not think this is appropriate for the teenage audience that it appears to be targeted toward. Many teens, if not most, are not spiritually mature enough to read this type of material without being both emotionally and morally impacted by the story. However, if they have already read it, then youth pastors and parents should definitely use it as a teaching tool and as a way to point them toward Biblical truth about God’s plan for our lives … the same goes for everything else in our culture (i.e., movies, music, art, etc.) that glamorizes sex.

Here’s a blurb from the article:

This unusual romance saga is pumped full of the push and pull of a desire for true love and … sexual tension. … there are some striking similarities to the real world teens find themselves confronted with every day, surrounded by a culture that is saturated with sexual connotations, innuendos, and a warped view of human sexuality, yet longing for true love and respect.

So as Christians, how do we handle the push and pull of sex that permeates our own lives, and our social networks? Well, God ’s … blueprint for sexuality (calls for us to):

God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity. Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God. Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful–as beautiful on the inside as the outside. (1 Thess. 4:2-7).

Every human, Christians and non-Christians alike, have struggled with lust in one form or another. But as God’s Word says, sexual lust destroys both our relationships and our self-esteem. Lust only devalues the person and objectifies them. Each of us has been created in His image and deserves to be treated in a respectful and honoring way. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to come along side us and be our strength in time of our weakness. We need His help in fleeing lustful temptations (2 Timothy 2:2).

Use the popular Twilight series as a springboard in conversation with your friends to talk about God’s plan for our lives! Here are some questions to help you get started:

• If your friends (or students) have read Twilight, ask them who in the books they think show true love. How? Why?
• Ask your friends how they would define lust. Listen, and then share what God’s perspective of lust is.
• If it seems appropriate, consider asking your friends how they deal with sexual temptation (lust, pornography, premarital sex, masturbation).
• Explain how our Heavenly Father wants to protect us from later harm by giving us His blue print for sexuality.

Share how Jesus came to this earth and died and then rose again so we can have His strength and power here on earth to overcome the struggles of this world.

Real and lasting self-control can only come from the Holy Spirit’s divine guidance. So, step out with His power and share with your friends how they too can step into God’s loving direction for dealing with the challenges of this dimension of life.

HT: Dare2Share

40 Reasons to Be Thankful

Be thankful because you are …

1. A Child of God (Romans 8:16)
2. Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy (Psalm 107:2)
3. Forgiven (Colossians 1:13,14)
4. Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)
5. Justified (Romans 5:1)
6. Sanctified (I Corinthians 6:11)
7. A New Creature (II Corinthians 5:17)
8. Partaker of His Divine Nature (II Peter 1:4)
9. Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)
10. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Colossians 1:13)
11. Led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)
12. A Son of God (Romans 8:74)
13. Kept in Safety Wherever I Go (Psalm 91:11)
14. Getting All My Needs Met by Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
15. Casting All My Cares on Jesus (I Peter 5:7)
16. Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might (Ephesians 6:10)
17. Doing All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me (Philippians 4:13)
18. An Heir of God and a Joint Heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)
19. Heir to the Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13, 14)
20. Observing and Doing the Lord’s Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:I2)
21. Blessed Coming in and Blessed Going out (Deuteronomy 28:6)
22. An Heir of Eternal Life (I John 5:11, 12)
23. Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1:3)
24. Healed by His Stripes (I Peter 2:24)
25. Exercising My Authority over the Enemy (Luke 10:19)
26. Above Only and Not Beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)
27. More than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)
28. Establishing God’s Word Here on Earth (Matthew 16:19)
29. An Overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony (Revelation 12:11)
30. Daily overcoming the Devil (I John 4:4)
31. Not Moved by What I See (II Corinthians 4:18)
32. Walking by Faith and Not by Sight (II Corinthians 5:7)
33. Casting Down Vain Imaginations (II Corinthians 10:4, 5)
34. Bringing Every Thought into Captivity (II Corinthians 10:5)
35. Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind (Romans 12:1, 2)
36. A Laborer Together with God (I Corinthians 5:21)
37. The Righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5:21)
38. An Imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)
39. The Light of the World (Matthew 5:14)
40. Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually Praising the Lord with My Mouth (Psalm 34:1)

HT: Dare2Share

Advent Conspiracy

The story of Christ’s birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it’s all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Check out the Advent Conspiracy … pastors, this website is full of helpful resources.

Constructive Use of Humor

We all like to laugh, but is humor always good? When is humor harmful and when is it helpful?

Healing Humor

Bonds us in understanding or accepting difficulty and responsibility

Laughs at itself

Illuminates solutions

Decreases tension

Builds confidence

Involves others in enjoyment

Harmful Humor

Divides us from one another and places blame on others

Laughs only at others

Obscures solutions

Increases tension

Destroys someone’s self-worth

Excludes others from enjoyment

What Does a Mature Christian Student Look Like?

For those of you serving in youth ministry in some capacity, how do you determine whether or not your students are growing spiritually? Dr. Wesley Black at Lifeway.com suggests the following marks of a mature Christian student:

A Mature Christian Student…

• Seeks spiritual growth - Alone and with others pursues questions, guidance, and commitment through conversation, study of faith, reading the Bible, prayer, small groups, retreats.
• Possesses a vital faith - Keenly aware of God present and active in one’s own life, the lives of others, and the life of the world.
• Practices faith - Actively practices faith in Jesus Christ privately and publicly through regular attendance at worship, participation in ministry, and leadership in a congregation.
• Makes the Christian faith a way of life - Recognizes God’s call and integrates one’s beliefs into the conversation, decisions, and actions of daily life.
• Lives a life of service - Involved in activities caring for others and addressing injustice and immorality.
• Reaches out to others - Reaches out to others who are different or in need through prayer, hospitality, conversation, and support.
• Exercises moral responsibility - Lives with integrity using faith in making considered moral decisions.
• Speaks publicly about faith - Speaks openly about Jesus Christ and God’s participation in one’s own life and the life of the world.
• Possesses a positive spirit - Reflects loving and hopeful attitudes toward others and life.

HT: Lifeway

Bible Across America

It was cool to be a part of this across America project, celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the NIV version of the Bible. My everyday bible is ESV, but I have an NIV as well and enjoy reading it as well. Zondervan is eventually going to publish this hand-written version of the NIV, to which I was given the opportunity to record Numbers 29:17, “On the second day prepare twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect” (I’m sure that’s a common memory verse!). If the Bible Across America RV rolls into your hometown, I hope you’ll take a moment to be part of this project.

HT: Bible Across America

Should I be a Stay-At-Home Dad? By Mark Driscoll

I respect Mark Driscoll and value his teaching of the Word of God, but as a dad who takes my daughter to work with me each day (some days we work from home, some days we work from the church), I find this teaching difficult. I am not saying that it’s wrong or inconsistent with scripture, only that it’s difficult, and I don’t feel it’s an accurate assessment of what the majority of dads who care for their children do each and every day.

By caring for my daughter during the day, I feel that I am providing for my family. My wife and I both provide for our family financially, but because of the nature of my work, I am able to keep our daughter with me during the day, which prevents her from having to go to day care - something that I feel is a blessing.

Am I a traditional stay-at-home dad? I guess not. I do work, as a pastor and as a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in Education. Do I agree that my wife is better equipped to take care of our daughter? Yes, but as a dad I have an important role to play too, and I think I take good care of our daughter as well. Do I think it’s alright for my wife to have her own professional career? Yes. She’s a dentist in a community health clinic and she’s very good at what she does. And what about 1 Timothy 5:8, that “if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” As I said, I feel that I do, together with my wife, provide for my family. I do provide for our family financially, I am the spiritual leader in my home, and my wife and I together make sure that our home is a Godly and healthy place for our daughter.

Maybe Mark Driscoll would disagree with my assessment, maybe you do too, but I do not see that the way my wife and I care for our daughter is unbiblical in any way. What do you think about this important issue? I would sure love to hear from you if you do disagree with me, or if you are a dad who cares for your children during during the day.

HT: The Resurgence

Porn Again Christian By Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll has written an e-book on pornography and masturbation for all men. The book will be released in the coming months, but is available free online.

HT: Resurgence

Twelve Sins We Typically Blame on Others

By Ben Reaoch, pastor of Three Rivers Grace Church in downtown Pittsburgh, PA.

It started in the Garden. Adam said to God, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12).

The first man, caught in the first sin, turns to blame his wife. And he extends the blame to God as well! He implies that he would have remained innocent if God hadn’t put Eve in the garden with him.

The blame-shifting in the Garden continues today. Our proud hearts send us desperately looking for someone else to point to every time we’re confronted with our own sin. There must be someone else—our spouse, sibling, parent, boss, co-worker, pastor, friend, or God, himself.

We are so desperate to justify ourselves that we become irrational. Here are 12 examples.

1) Anger

I wouldn’t lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate.

2) Impatience

I would be a very patient person if it weren’t for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn’t have so many things to do, and if the people around me weren’t so slow, I would never become impatient!

3) Lust

I would have a pure mind if there weren’t so many sensual images in our culture.

4) Anxiety

I wouldn’t worry about the future if my life were just a little more secure—if I had more money, and no health problems.

5) Spiritual Apathy

My spiritual life would be so much more vibrant and I would struggle with sin less if my small group were more encouraging, or if Sunday school were more engaging, or if the music in the worship service were more lively, or if the sermons were better.

6) Insubordination

If my parents/bosses/elders were godly leaders, then I would joyfully follow them.

Read the other six here.

HT: Desiring God

Atheist Advertising: There's Probably No God

These posters are the idea of the British Humanist Association (BHA) and have been supported by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins. Here is what Dawkins had to say about the campaign. “This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion.”

How do you quantify a “probably”? 50% chance there’s no God? 70% chance? I say there is a God. If I’m wrong, then I’ll never know. They say there probably isn’t a God. If they’re wrong, they’ll definitely know it.

HT: Church Marketing Sucks

ESV for Your iPod

It could be that I’m way late to the game on this, but an iPod edition of the ESV Bible is available for free at: http://www.podbible.org. If you're anything like me, there's probably not any room on your iPod for this and even if there was you'd rather read your actual Bible, but I can see how this could be useful if you're traveling or backpacking or doing something during which you'd rather not risk losing or damaging your Bible.

This works for Nano, Classic and Video iPods thru the Notes application. How cool is that?