A Reformation of Information

As we are on the eve of Reformation Day, I find myself pondering the way the original reformers spread their message of grace. The methods employed seem quite significant. As I look at the tools they used to perpetuate the reformation spirit it seems that they were on the edge of a cultural shift in the way people utilized and received information.

They were experiencing a shift from an aural/verbal society to a visual/printed society. This can be seen in rising rates of literacy (not that a huge percentage were literate but numbers were increasing) and by the pressure the reformers were under to publish and print their new treatises, sermons, and theses as soon as they were able. Luther even went to lengths to ensure that his small catechism included images so those who were illiterate could still get the message from pictures. This printing provided for further distribution of materials and fueled the influence and spread of the reformation as it moved across Europe.

As I look at this shift in the medium of communication I can't help but wonder if the shift was ignited by natural cultural development or by the invention of the printing press. For sure, effective use of the new technology facilitated the spread of the Reformation. But did the invention itself produce the cultural need for information to be received visually or was the invention of the printing press fulfilling an already existing need?

This question begs a similar inquiry of our current digital age. Has the invention of the internet and interactive media necessitated a need to uptake information in this way or are these new technologies simply addressing a cultural change? In either case we must be aware of the most effective ways in which to relay information to new generations. We must also be aware of how new communication technologies work so as to be effective communicators. We must also continue to ask questions of new technologies especially relating to how they impact our ability to give and receive information.

This all becomes very practical when we apply it to education. Can today's children effectively learn in a non-digital environment? Is their ability to recall, and comprehend information that they have read the same as that of previous generations? Do we need to require teachers to educate their students in an interactive way versus a strictly verbal or visual way? What impact will the current shift in the way our culture receives information have on the way our society communicates and interacts? And what does this mean for interpersonal relationships and social situations?

Obviously this post has strayed from my original musings on the Reformation, but I believe we, like our 16th century ancestors, are standing on the edge of a significant turning point in the way communication occurs in our world. With this in mind we must learn and we must adapt or we run the risk of our message, no matter how important, not being heard, seen, or interacted with.

A Church that burns Bibles!?

Have you seen this? (video below) I know there are fundamentalist groups out there but I think this is a bit extreme. There are various KJV (King James Version) only groups out there but I have never heard of any of them condemning other translatiosn as satanic or burning them.

I think it is important to try and find the strengths of other denominations so we can work together to bring the gospel to the whole world, but I don't know if I can find a strength here. To think that the KJV is the only Bible you can consider the Word of God is ridiculous. It requires an unfounded view of what constitutes the Word of God. If you are going to limit God's revelation to humanity like this you have to limit it to the original which would mean the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek of the original Biblical documents. Claiming a specific piece of literature that has been translated into English is the only Word of God is saying the English dubbed version of Tora, Tora, Tora, is how the director intended it.

I have the understanding that the Word of God is not limited to a specific order of words on a page. Rather the Word of God is a three tier revelation of God to humanity. First and foremost Jesus Christ is the Word of God. God revealed himself to humanity by becoming human and dwelling among us. This is a concept taken straight from the Bible (every translation I have ever seen-check our John chapter 1). Secondly, any direct proclamation of the forgiveness of sins accomplished by the life, death, and resurrection Jesus is the Word of God. God reveals himself in the gift of grace that is given to us in the pronouncement of forgiveness-the work of Christ. Finally, the Bible, as the divinely inspired historic collection of and carrying out of that proclamation of God's entrance into the world and gift of forgiveness, is the Word of God.

The Word of God can take many forms, it is not limited to specific wording in King James English. To limit the Word is to limit God himself. So let's think about this...who is more powerful people or God? I am going stick with idea of an all powerful God who can speak through any translation of the Bible instead of trying to trap God in a box of archaic grammar and dusty vocabulary.

Can Christians have common ground with Humanists?

E. O. Wilson, author of The Creation, was just given an award for his efforts in preserving the planet. (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-prince-albert-ii-of-monaco-foundation-celebrates-award-recipients-for-their-extraordinary-efforts-dedicated-to-preserving-planet-earth-63935077.html) Often the topics of conservation and “being Green” can create tension between Christian and secular groups. But is this necessarily the case. Is there something to be done? Can a Christian be Green? In the book noted above, E.O. Wilson suggests that Christians and Secular Humanists can find common ground when it comes to taking care of the earth. Is this true? Can we, as Christians, really have anything in common with Humanists? My answer is yes. While the fundamental doctrines and worldviews of Christianity and Humanism are vastly different, we are united by our lives on earth. We only have one planet. This should be enough reason for anyone to care for creation. As we explore this common ground we will discover that despite a common desire to care for creation, the Humanist and Christian motivations for doing so are decidedly different.

E. O. Wilson presents the welfare of humanity as another part of our common ground. On this I agree with him only to a point. Both Christians and Secular Humanists care for humanity but our motivations are very distinct. A humanist cares for humanity because he believes humanity can solve all of life’s problems. He believes that due to man’s highly evolved intelligence, humanity can figure out how to solve all of society’s problems and create a utopian civilization. Humanists believe the world can be saved through ingenuity. Christians care for humanity because it is their duty from God. Christians understand that the tragedies of this world are all the result of sin. While we can provide care and comfort for the afflicted and suffering, the only true salvation is found in the death and resurrection of Christ. We know that all of the suffering of this world will pass away when Christ returns, but only on that last day will life be restored to a utopia. It is the spreading of this hopeful message that the Church is most concerned with. The commission to do so manifests itself by also attending to the physical needs of our neighbor. In the issues before us today that means caring for the environment (our neighbor’s home).

In society’s current turmoil many would have us believe that irresponsible care for God’s creation has brought the world to a critical point in its ability to sustain life. I am talking, of course, about global warming. Many scientists tell us that because of humanity’s pollution and irresponsible use of the earth’s resources, the ecosystem of the entire planet is being thrown out of balance to a tipping point that will bring catastrophic results. Whether or not this is true is not the issue in our obligation to care for the environment. We must take care of the environment because God told us to and as Christians we respect God’s commands and creation.

Many secular authorities have pointed the finger at religious groups (mainly Judaism and Christianity) for perpetuating an attitude of exploitation of the earth rather than conservation. Sadly this accusation is true of some Christians. These groups sometimes think they can bring about Christ’s second coming by destroying the earth. Others have seen the earth and the things in it solely as gifts from God to be consumed for the betterment of mankind. Both of these views are inappropriate. The former is a misunderstanding of God’s majesty over all of creation, man included. Everything is accomplished in His time not ours (Psalm 75:2-3, Mark 13:32). The latter understands that God is the creator and originator of all things, and that Man was given dominion over the earth and its inhabitants (Genesis 1:28), but they misunderstand what that dominion means. A reevaluation of scripture can give us the proper Christian attitude towards the environment.

Starting at the beginning we see, in the first chapter of Genesis, that God created everything—the earth, the oceans, the trees, the animals, and finally man—absolutely everything. This first chapter also ends with the declaration that all of God’s creation is good. The realization that we are merely a creature (part of creation) should be enough to know we must respect the creator. Such respect would include caring for the rest of God’s creation. This is strengthened by the declaration that creation was good. We should want to preserve that which God has called good.

It is true that Genesis 1:28 states that man is supposed to rule the animals and have dominion over the earth. Admittedly this can be understood in terms of dominating or exploitation. However, if we look further ahead in Genesis to 2:15, we see man’s position more clearly defined. Here it states that God placed man in the garden to tend it and watch over it. This verse describes the dominion and rule of man over the rest of creation. Man is not to use nature merely as a means to his own end. Neither is man to rule over the earth as a tyrant. Rather he is to be a steward of creation and care for that over which he has dominion. This is the obligation for a Christian to care for nature. It was mankind’s created position. God designed man as a care taker over creation. Man in his very nature is a steward of the earth. It was only in the fall into sin that this position of stewardship was perverted.

The model of a person placed to reign through service should not be altogether foreign to the Christian. Indeed our very identity as Christians bears witness to this idea. The word Christian means “to be Christ like.” It is no surprise that Jesus himself said, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life—a ransom for many.” (See Matthew 20:28.) It was the nature of Christ to serve. It is also ours. Our very name tells us we are to be like Christ. If we are to live up to our name then we are to be like Christ and serve.

We must serve all creation both man and nature. This can be brought back the words of Christ as well. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (See Matthew 22:37-39.) If we truly love God we will love his creation and care for it in loving worship of the creator. This includes man and beast, nature and society.

So what common ground do we have with Secular Humanists? We both want to care for the earth. This common ground remains. However, our reasons for doing so are distinct. The Humanist cares for the earth out of self-preservation or hope for the future of mankind. We do so out of love for God and His creation. We care for humanity and nature because God designed us to do so and God cared for us through Christ. We know that ultimately salvation is obtained only through Christ’s service to us, but we must also remember that this salvation is also seen through our service as we are called to be (as our name insists) Christ like.

Online Media in worship

I realize there is an ongoing debate about worship styles. Some think only traditional worship is appropriate some think only contemporary is effective. I personally think if you are worshiping the triune God and using his Word to do so you are worshiping correctly no matter what type of instruments or music that involves. This however, is not what I am going to talk about today. Instead I am looking at the utilization of new media in worship, not just new music.

It is clear that (generally) the generations under 30 in our society communicate and interact much differently than the previous generations. The cause of this new communication is mainly technology such as cell phones and the internet. I am attempting to view these new technologies as tools rather than a symbol or instrument of right or wrong behavior. The technologies are here and people use them, and it is how they are used that will determine any degree of morality or usefulness to them-not the technologies themselves. My suggestion is that we utilize these technologies in worship. If people are using them anyway, why not use them in a way of serving each other with the Word in worship?

This whole concept stems from my belief that our society has moved on yet again. I believe that we are no longer an aural society, nor a visual society, nor even a mixed media society. I believe we have entered into a stage of interactive society or collaborative society. the speed of information and the readily available means to participate in online media such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc, has given people the ability to have a stake or part in everything.Worship can be the same.

Instead of telling youth to turn off their cellphones and refrain form texting and tweeting during church why not have a live twitter feed in worship. This will allow people to express their thoughts about a given song, prayer, sermon, etc.

This concept could even be extended to the format of the service itself. With a little training, pastors could be taught to compose sermons with very little prep time. During the service a scripture lesson could be read then people could text or tweet questions to the pastor who then picks one or two of them and composes a 5-7min sermon corresponding to them during a song or hymn. This could then be done two or three times during the service. This would then keep the focus of the service on the Word and still give the congregation a way of participating in the service. They would now have a stake in it.

Please keep in mind this is not intended to replace the liturgy or replace any part of the service, it is merely an exploration of how to utilize new media into our worship services as a means of helping the people communicate in the ways they are best able to do so.

Any Comments are encouraged.

Sermon from October 4th, 2009.

Thought I would share another sermon with you. This one was delivered at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Minot on Sunday, October 4th. The Text was primarily Genesis 2:15-24. This one was difficult to write but I think it holds together pretty well.

What’s in a name?

A name…Everyone has one. But what does it do? What is its purpose? Have you ever heard the song, A Boy Named Sue, by Johnny Cash? In this song the late Mr. Cash entertains us with the story of a boy with the unfortunate name of Sue. This poor boy is treated as weak and inferior because of his name. His own distaste for his name gives his life purpose. He sets out to destroy his father as a way of avenging the hardships he has suffered on account of his name. For the boy named Sue, his name labeled him for others, and it gave him his life’s path—what he did with his life. But of course this is just a song. But in the song Mr. Cash has stumbled onto some truth.

Our names do in fact have some influence on us; they identify us and describe who we are. My name, for example, Richard, means powerful ruler. (Yeah, right.) And this name was used by several kings of England the most famous of which was Richard the lionhearted during the crusades. The idea of a powerful ruler is an attempt to describe and define the person.

Names do not only identify character traits, they can also describe what we do or who we are. The name Taylor originated as identifying a person as actually being a tailor. Do you know anyone who has the last name of Baker? A distant relative of theirs was a baker. What about names like Johnson, or Anderson? These actually describe someone as being John’s son or Ander’s Son

Our titles and names describe us and identify us. This has always been the case. There is even an old superstition that to know someone’s name is to have power over them. This is the understanding behind the story of Rumplestiltzkin. By guessing his name the princess had power over him and did not have to give him her child. Our names are important they identify who we are and describe what we do.

From the very beginning names have identified and described people. For Adam and Eve titles and names were very important. Adam simply means man. And Eve means life. Adam and Eve mark the origin of human life and their names bear that fact. But their title goes beyond just identifying them as living humans. Our lesson today also reveals what it means to be called man or woman.

Genesis 2:22 states that woman was created from man—from his rib in fact. This means that men and women are made the same. We were created from the same materials. Men and women are equals among the rest of creation. Adam recognizes this fact immediately. Verse 23 shows Adam saying, “This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. He even gives her a name similar to his own. They are woman and man. God created them as a pair, this further identifies them.

The next verse describes man and woman as being joined as one flesh. This illustrates that men and women complete each other. This is the basis for marriage but it is so much more. It is the fundamental unity between humans. Men need women and women need men.

The ways men and women complement and compete each other is clear from our physiological and psychological differences. Wait…hold on a second, I thought you just said men and women were equals. We are equals, we are equals in our status, in our very nature and place in the world but God has also designed us to have different characteristics to better suit each other. These differences have nothing to do with status and everything to do with completing the relationship between men and women. The point is, when God created woman, he created man’s equal, man’s partner, he did not create a slave for man or a beast of burden. No he created an equal and made their union a further completion of two wholes.

This union of completion is illustrated no more clearly than in marriage. We often use verse 24 in marriage ceremonies. The connection that marriage brings is illustrated further in Matthew 19:6: what God has joined let no man separate. God’s perfect design for marriage is the joining of a man and woman in a bond only separable by God, at death. When I think about depth of the marriage bond I am reminded of the words of C.S. Lewis in his book, A Grief Observed. In this book he writes about the emotions he felt after losing his Wife. He compared the loss of a spouse to the loss of a leg. His wife was a part of him, and now he would never be the same. We see the same loss in anyone who has lost a spouse no matter how they lose them. Marriage is a clear reminder and illustration of the way men and women are created as equal complements to each other.

This is all fine and good but if you remember we said that a name also describes a person’s occupation, or what they do, so what does being man and woman have to do with how we conduct ourselves. Along with showing the way men and women complete each other our lesson today also sheds some light onto the occupational significance of being called man or woman. Genesis 2:15 says, “God put the man in the Garden to work it and take care of it.” There you have, right there. Man’s occupation is to care for God’s garden, God’s creation. Man is man to work, to serve the world. And so is woman, when God said he was going to make a helper he is describing the occupation. God is not just suggesting that woman is to help man. Rather, he is saying that woman is a helper just as man is a helper. God says, “I will make a helper like man.” This is describing man and woman as helpers for creation-for the world.

God had a specific purpose for humanity. Being called man and woman means we are created: to tend to the world—the things God has created. Our very identification as humans means we are designed to work. Man and woman were made for each other and they were made to care for God’s creation. But this is before the fall. So it was not work for them. It was not toil. It was loving service.

So if men and women are equals, created to serve the world, where has this idea of male dominance or in some cases even female dominance come from? And where has the drudgery and labor that is associated with work and service come from? The answer of course is sin. Sin has broken our world. And the result of this brokenness affects even our view of the world and our relationships with each other.

Sin has distorted how we interpret this section of Genesis. It has corrupted the way we understand our names—man and woman. This brokenness is evident in men who see women as inferior or less capable. It is seen where there’s violence in the relationship. It is evident in the way women are objectified in our culture. It is seen in our derogatory language used to describe sexuality and even the marriage relationship...and much more!

The brokenness of sin is seen in the way we are burdened with our jobs rather than seeing them as a way of serving others…which would be living up to our names as helpers of the world. Our sinfulness makes all work and service seem like undesirable labor. Sin is seen where parents, created to provide loving service for their children, pass on the brokenness through neglect and abuse, or when they’re just the opposite. Not disciplining children, not instilling morals in them, is not serving them. Not respecting you wife or husband is not serving them. Not helping your neighbor in every need (including whatever service you job provides) is not serving your neighbor. Every failure to live up to our original names of man and woman is sin. We could always be fulfilling the purpose of our titles better.

And though we continually fail to fulfill our names, there is someone who did not fail. There is someone who lived a perfect life of service to the World. This person is Jesus Christ.

Jesus, whose name means God Saves, provides us with the ideal fulfillment of humanity. Jesus lived a perfect obedient life to the will of God our Father. He lived a life of service to the world. Mark 10:45 says, “The Son of man came not to be served but to serve.” This is what God intended for man—to serve.

Our other lessons today show Christ’s service also. The lesson from Mark 10 shows us Jesus serving children. This is in a time and culture where children were seen as little better than slaves. Yet Jesus takes the time to serve them, as a man (human) is supposed to.

The lesson in Hebrews shows Christ serving all of humanity when it says that he suffered death so we don’t have to. That sounds like serving your neighbor doesn’t it? I don’t think you can serve someone more completely than by giving up your life for them. In fact, John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” It sounds like Jesus has provided us with the perfect example of loving service for the world. Jesus provides the perfect look at what it means to be man or woman.

But he does still more. Jesus not only grants us eternal life through the forgiveness of our sins, and fulfills the title of Man perfectly; he also enables us to recapture our names. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” This tells us that when we have Christ we are recreated. We are given a new title– Child of God. And when we are baptized we are given a new name – Christian!

And do you know what our name Christian means? It literally means: to be Christ-like. So when our new name is combined with the real forgiveness and eternal life that comes with being a Christian we see some amazing changes.

As Christians, new, Christ-like creations, you are able to fulfill what it means to be Man and Woman. Christ has freed you from sin so that you have a new attitude toward serving. You are now free to see your jobs differently and to perform them well because you know you love your neighbors by doing so. You serve your neighbors with the love of Christ when you file tax forms effectively. You serve your neighbors with the love of Christ when you fix your harvester, or feed your cattle, or sheer your sheep. You serve your neighbor with the love of Christ when you change your infant’s diapers. You serve your neighbors with the love of Christ when you forgive your spouse instead of continuing the argument. You serve you neighbors with the love of Christ when you take out your trash and mown your lawn. Everything you do can be a way of caring for God’s creation and when you do anything with the love and forgiveness you have in Christ you are fulfilling your name as man, as woman, as Christian.

If we look back at the Johnny Cash song, we remember that Sue’s name shaped his whole life. He did the things he did because of his name. We are the same. We have been given the name Christian and because of what that signifies, what that identifies and describes about us—Christ—we do exactly what we were named to do—to love and serve the world.

Sermon from September 27, 2009

Decided I wanted to share my sermon with you all. This was delivered on September 27, 2009 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota. The lesson I chose to use was The Armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-20. (please keep in mind that a power point presentation accompanied this sermon)

Hope you enjoy it.

The Battle of Faith
Sermon for 9/27/09

We are at war. We are fighting battles every day. And there are casualties every day. But I am not talking about the military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan—although for many of us that is an all too clear and personal reality. No I am not talking about that kind of war. I am talking about a spiritual war. A Holy war, if you will. This is what our lesson today is about.

We are living in a spiritual battle ground. We are constantly wrestling with Satan and his influence in the world. This is what Paul is getting at in this message to the Ephesians. He is preparing them for a battle of faith. This war is over the souls of believers and it is for eternity. To illustrate his points Paul uses familiar war imagery

As he describes the armor of God in this passage he is using familiar pieces of the Roman soldiers’ uniform. You see, the roman soldiers were a constant presence in the market places and civil activities of the ancient world. People knew who the soldiers were and they certainly knew what the uniforms looked like. Paul is using this imagery to help his listeners remember and understand his point. Hopefully we can do the same here today. But before I get ahead of myself we must first establish what the problem is. That is, we must figure out who the enemy is.

So who, or what, is Paul talking about here? In verses 11 and 12 he gives us the answer. This war is against the devil (Satan), and the spiritual forces of evil. We are fighting a war against Satan and Sin. But we’re not really warriors are we? We can’t actually be expected to stand against the power of Satan and sin? Paul seems to think so. Here in verse 13 he tells us to do everything we can to stand against these evil forces. This means we really are supposed to engage Satan in this spiritual warfare. I don’t know about you but to me that is a terrifying expectation. Satan is far too powerful and sin is everywhere.

It was a very clever tactic for Satan to choose sin as his primary weapon against the forces of God, because sin is like an atomic bomb. When sin first entered the world there was a huge mushroom cloud of destruction. The first sin resulted in the shattering of relationships. It severed the relationship between God and man—Adam and eve were banished from the garden. It corrupted the relationships between people. The book of Genesis tells us that original sin caused the struggle between men and women. This is the initial destruction of sin but as I said it is like an Atomic bomb so there is fallout too.

Sin’s radiation infects every aspect of our lives. We must now struggle and toil to supply for ourselves and our families. Death enters the picture. Sin corrupts everything; all of creation feels the effects. All the pain, decay, weariness, fear, loneliness, suffering, cruelty, and evil in the world are all the aftermath of sin’s destructive force. With sin Satan has the ability to cloud our judgment and obscure our view of the world. Sin is a devastating weapon, and with it Satan is winning an awful lot of battles. He is winning them in your life and mine.

We feel the weariness of sin in our lives. We let it get to us too. We don’t treat our spouses with the love and respect they deserve. We hold grudges against neighbors and relatives. We feel trapped in a job that is demanding more and more of our time that should be spent with our families. We let our marriages crumble instead of resorting to forgiveness and love. We give in to peer-pressure. We enable our bad habits that are destructive to our bodies and our relationships. Or maybe we are feeling hopeless from the weariness that life has forced on us. We are struggling just to get up day after day to keep food on the table. We are feeling crushed by the pressures of our jobs or school. We feel like we have nothing left and no one to protect us. We are completely disconnected from our spouse. You’re kids don’t listen to you and constantly misbehave. We are treated like an outcast and left unloved by the world. Maybe we are mourning the death of a loved one. There is no source of comfort anymore. All of these things, all of these struggles, they are Satan winning the battles in our lives. Satan is wining battles and we are living in sin’s nuclear winter. It’s infecting us, we are guilty of sin, in fact we are ripe with it. Satan’s weapon has literally corrupted everything we experience from this world.

I know this all sounds so utterly devastating. If sin is so powerful why does Paul tell us to do everything we can to stand up against this evil? I am not going to lie to you; we cannot do much to turn the tides of this war. And even when we try we will often fail. We cannot defeat sin. So how can we possibly be expected to fight an enemy we are so clearly incapable of defeating? Well this is revealed in our lesson also. Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God.

Paul is not expecting Christians to fight Satan and sin empty handed. No, he describes all of the wonderful weaponry God has given to the Church to help us withstand the attacks of evil. So what is the armor of God and what does it entail? Let’s look at the list. Remember Paul is describing the Roman solider who would have been very familiar to the citizens of the Roman Empire.

Paul begins with the belt of truth. For the Roman soldier a belt kept all of your clothing together and tucked next to your body. This prevented you from being grabbed or snagged as easily in combat. The belt was an important piece of equipment. By equating the belt of a Christian soldier with God’s truth Paul seems to suggest that real truth which comes from God is the part of faith that keeps everything held together. This is important because it reminds us that real truth lies only with God and his Word. John 17:17 reminds of this point also.

Next Paul lists the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was also an essential piece of hardware for the Roman soldier. Its strong metal construction protected him from attacks by the blade of both swords and arrows. For the Christian the idea of putting on righteousness is not foreign. Many verses in the bible describe such and act. Job 29:14 is an example. This piece of armor is simply another reminder of how God’s righteousness covers the Christian and protects him from the dangers of sin in the world. By following God’s will and living by his laws we cloth ourselves with His righteousness which both protects us from sin and distinguishes us from those who do not follow God.

After the chest plate Paul talks about feet. The roman soldiers wore leather sandals that strapped part way up their legs. What is Paul getting at with this? Well, similar to the modern tennis shoe or cross trainer, the roman sandals gave the soldiers better grip, which provided them with a firm foundation from which to deflect and deliver attacks. The sandals would have also protected the feet from sharp rocks or other debris that could have injured the soldier. They also provided speed. You can run much faster without having to worry about injury due to slipping or rough terrain. For the Christian these sandals of readiness for the gospel of peace provide our foundation in faith upon the Gospel. Our beliefs are founded on the gospel of Christ. With this we can be assured of our footing as we march into battle against the evil in the world.

Next we have the shield of faith. This one is great. For the Romans the shield was of huge importance and ingenuity. They were often a metal core with a wood and leather covering. The wood and leather covering were then soaked in water before battle so that if the enemy used flaming arrows the shields would literally extinguish the flames. Paul is not just using a vivid image here it is based on Roman military technique. But what else does a shield do? It protects you from attacks. That is exactly what our faith does. Our faith is a shield against the lies and accusations of this world. It deflects every insult, every jeer, every hurtful action. Why can we stand firm when people call Christianity irrational or hypocritical? Because we have faith in the real truth, that God is in control of everything and that sin has corrupted the way even our own rationale works in this world. We have faith which is based solely on God—the only one not affected by sin. The shield of faith can deflect the world’s flawed wisdom. When you are persecuted and put down because of Christ—this is what the shield is for.

Now comes the helmet of salvation. What a wonderful thought: a symbol of our salvation resting right on our heads. You see a helmet not only protects a soldier from blows to the head, it also identifies them as a member of their army. The Roman armies had their red plumes we have the red blood of Christ. Our helmets of salvation are a constant reminder that we are in God’s army, we fight alongside Christ, we are members of eternal life by our salvation.

These items—the belt of truth, the breast plate of righteousness, the sandals of gospel peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation—make up the armor God gives us. With this armor we are equipped for battle against sin. But wait, all of these items are only defensive. We have no actual weapon. It is great that God is providing us with protection from Satan’s relentless onslaught of sin, and we know that God is more powerful than Satan but how can we fight back? Are we just supposed to sit back our whole lives and let Satan beat his weapons upon our armor? NO.

This is where the sword of the Spirit comes in. God provides us with not only armor but a sword as well. He gives us a weapon so we can fight back. And what weapon does he give us? He gives us His Word. He gives us Christ! Many are familiar with the metaphor of Christ as the Word of God. John’s gospel makes this connection clear. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God… This is Christ.

Now let me tell you how God used Christ to defeat sin. Remember sin is like an atomic bomb. It had enormous consequences in the beginning, but its radiation—its fallout—infects everything still today. God had to do something equally devastating to win the war against Satan. God had to send his Son, Jesus to die on the cross and rise again to atone for sin—that is to make up for it, to cover it. And Christ’s sacrifice did just that for all the sin of the World. But how did that sacrifice do that? The answer is: with forgiveness, with love.

You see when Christ died on the cross for our sins he did more than just take our sin away. His sacrifice, out of love for us and for the Father, enabled God to declare us forgiven; he spoke words of forgiveness to us. This is what Paul is getting at. Our weapon is not just the death of Christ on the cross. Out weapon is the entire event of the cross and the resurrection, namely the proclamation of Christ’s death for the declaration of our forgiveness. Our weapons are the words and actions of God’s forgiveness—the words and actions of love.

Words of love and forgiveness are far more powerful than sin. Sure Satan is winning battles with his arsenal of sin, but God has provided the end game. These two are not even on the same playing field. God has completely changed the rules. By making Christ into a sacrifice to take away the power of sin God has changed the game and Satan is completely unaware. Satan is playing checkers while God is playing chess. If sin is an atomic bomb, Christ’s death is an ingenious alteration of creation itself that feeds off of the radiation sin leaves behind. Forgiveness uses the damage of sin to point to the healing found in God.

This is terrific news; it means our weapon, Christ’s death, has already won the war. We are forgiven in Christ, and in Christ we have been given the power to combat Satan, but how do we use it? How do we use the weapon of forgiveness and love? We do so with our words and actions.

God declares us forgiven, and we do the same to the world, to our neighbors, to our families, to our co-workers. We proclaim the love and forgiveness of Christ to each other and to the World. We call upon not just Jesus’ name but upon Jesus’ sacrifice and victory—the cross. When we do this it does not matter how many battles Satan wins or how badly sin is influencing our lives, because when we call upon the forgiveness and love of Christ we are calling upon the victory that has already been won, the victory of eternity.

Take heart and stand firm in the victory that Christ has already won for you. God knew you could not stand to this enemy alone so he did it himself, he did it for us, he did it for you. Christ died to take away sin’s consequences so no matter how weary you are from battle; you have the assurance that the war has been won for you. You stand in victory every day.

Now, finally brothers and sisters, we are not alone in our struggle against sin, God has provided our savior, this is true, but he has also provided the Church. He has provided us with strength in numbers. All the saints are in this together. This is another reason why it is so important that our weapon consist of words. We can speak forgiveness and encouragement to each other, and we must. Think of soldiers stuck in the trenches, they must rely on each other for encouragement and building up.

This is what Paul is suggesting with his closing urges toward prayer. When we pray we are equipping ourselves with the armor God has given us. Prayer is a source of strength and encouragement. The love of Christ found in every Christian is our support system. The love of Christ, the strength in Christ, is our way of rallying for the final charge against our enemies. So I urge you, all of you, speak love and forgiveness to each other. Call upon God in prayers for each other. Only by utilizing the tools God has given us will we have the strength and courage to continue proclaiming God’s victorious weapon of Christ to the world. So when Satan has got you pinned down by sin, take up your swords and fight the good fight, for the war is already won.

What about the Pastor's

Just finished up with the Pastor's conference in Bismark today. All in all I really thought the conference was great. The presentations were all very well done and the topics were helpful. I am left with one question echoing in my mind. the question was posed, during a discussion on the health of the pastors, "Who does a pastor turn to when he needs a pastor?" The first thought was a circuit counselor, however that relationship can also be one of ecclesiastical supervision, meaning a evaluation of one's suitability to be serve as a pastor. This would require the reporting of anything of any behaviors, attitudes or conduct fringing upon unethical or befitting of a Christian leader. And while this position is necessary and helpful there is also a need for genuine pastoral care for pastors. Who do I go to when I am in need of absolution? Who do I turn to when I need guidance in my marriage or ministerial conduct? Often times the need for pastoral care and direction could manifest itself before the extent of needing a circuit counselor. So when a pastor is hurting from the brokenness of the world, or feeling the pressures of the ministry, to whom does he turn without feeling judged or inadequate? Where do our pastors get the help they need to continue providing the services the laity needs? I think the only solution is to turn to our brothers in the ministry. Pastors must turn to fellow pastors for accountability and stability. We must provide care for each other. And we must do so as a pastor to a parishioner, with patience, prayer, love and a suspension of judgment. We are in a unique situation to understand the challenges and hardships of the ministry and we must provide this service to allow our pastors to continue in effective service to the Church. Pastors need the grace and assurance of Christ too.

First Entry

Well, I told myself I should never start a blog. Then I decided I wanted a way of journaling that would not be a waste of money (notebooks can be expensive). Anyway, this seemed like a way of both keeping myself journaling and saving some cash. Anyway, just thought I would write something quickly before I have to go teach confirmation class. tootles.