Reviews: Everybody Loses if This 'Love Wins'

Is Hell real? 
Does it matter?
Eternal souls are at stake. 


The teasers for Rob Bell's 'Love Wins' book coming out in April set the Christian social media world on fire. It was first  based on speculation as to what the book PROBABLY said.


Well now reviewers have copies of the book. Two solid reviews by people who actually read the book are available and I recommend them.


If you don't know what 'universalism' (the false teaching that eventually everyone will be saved) looks like in the modern world, Bell's teaching in this book is one (probably popular) example. 


The reviews are good and solid. I don't think either reviewer is trying to be mean. Neither takes personal stabs at Bell. However, they take issue with his theology and his misinterpretation of the Scripture and history.


So, the book has many serious faults. Stand firm in your faith. Know the issues. Be kind in your replies and comments. 


The long review is by Pastor Kevin DeYoung. The shorter review is by Tim Challies. 

Zoolander School of Service Training - Trend #4

Serving others is great! And should be encouraged!! Yes! Finally a positive trend to discuss!


So Do Something. Do Good Stuff. Do Anything. 


Really? 


Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller character in the 2001 movie by the same name) takes a jab at the popular rush to Just Do Something. The life-changing realization of this 'ridiculously good-looking male model' causes him to start "The Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too" where "we teach you that there's more to life than being really, really ridiculously good-looking."


So Ben/Zoolander puts in the dig and we keep rushing out to pose for the camera while we are doing something good.


Are we a society of poser servants?
While serving others may be better than a hoarding greedy 'Me-first' attitude, I wonder if the inspiration and motivation to serve is as awesome as we all think. 

• Could it be that people serve because it is popular?
• Could the appearance be more important that actually helping someone? 
• Could our posing for pictures be the motivation more than the one we serve?

I'm not sure. But Barna comments on the fourth mega-trend in current religion and Christianity:

Largely driven by the passion and energy of young adults, Christians are more open to and more involved in community service activities than has been true in the recent past. While we remain more self-indulgent than self-sacrificing, the expanded focus on justice and service has struck a chord with many. However, despite the increased emphasis, churches run the risk of watching congregants’ engagement wane unless they embrace a strong spiritual basis for such service. Simply doing good works because it's the socially esteemed choice of the moment will not produce much staying power.

To facilitate service as a long-term way of living and to provide people with the intrinsic joy of blessing others, churches have a window of opportunity to support such action with biblical perspective. And the more that churches and believers can be recognized as people doing good deeds out of genuine love and compassion, the more appealing the Christian life will be to those who are on the sidelines watching. Showing that community action as a viable alternative to government programs is another means of introducing the value of the Christian faith in society.

I'd be stupid to assume I know all that Barna thinks about this trend toward serving but it seems he thinks the church needs to jump on the bandwagon while it is trendy to serve. I have no problem with serving. We serve at Crosspoint/Encuentro. I am questioning our hearts behind the actions.


Serve as Jesus Served is Different
Jesus did not call His followers to serve and make a big deal about it. Scripture says if you bring attention to your service then you have your reward in full. So should be take lots of photos and promote our serving?


Jesus called His followers to self-sacrifice. Actually he said 'take up your cross and follow me' and he didn't mean take up your cross jewelry. He meant join me in humiliation, accomodation, crossing barriers of race, class and ability and join me in self-sacrificial, even death.


Is that what the rush to serve is all about? Or is Ben Stiller's Zoolander pointed social commentary.


(More) Biblical Service
We do not have it all figured out here. We don't. But we are aiming toward biblical service to the poor, seeking reconciliation and justice and making a practical difference.


The book that is leading our thinking is called When Helping Hurts: How to Allievate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor... And Yourself. This is a tremendous resource and introduction into the problems and solutions of our modern rush to serve the poor. Read it and get into the training.


The way it has impacted us is that we don't start with our need to do something. 


We start with God's view of the poor, then develop relationship with real God's-image-bearing people who may need our help, encourage them to make changes based on their assets (not our view of what they need), then stay in long-term relationship learning together. I hope we learn to actually belong to one another and love one another.


Other churches have been doing this much longer and are more experienced disciples. The New City Fellowship Churches in Chattanooga and St. Louis help us enormously.


So Broken Pastor, Are You Against Service?
NO! I'm against self-serving service for the sake of the rich. It does more damage than truly helping someone.


I'm in favor of thoughtful, Scripture-directed Kingdom-of-God-service where the gospel of the Kingdom is proclaimed and to set captives free and actually, practically help the widow, fatherless, alien and powerless - without hurting them in the process. I want us all to receive really good news, alleviate real suffering and offer developing relief so people, families and cities change.

Easy Mac Trend Toward Insta-Spirituality

Macaroni in minutes. Just add water. A vacuum-seal package. Insta-food is normal. Speed is king.


But it's not 'simple'. It's someone else's highly-polished complexity in a serving-sized container. Someone else's hard work you ingest.


Insta-spirituality is similar. Tastes good, fills up  but isn't good. Trends toward pre-packaged spirituality isn't spiritual growth at all. Barna describes the problem like this:

Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life. When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments and is not necessarily perceived to affect their ability to achieve their dreams.

Among adults the areas of growing importance are lifestyle comfort, success, and personal achievements. Those dimensions have risen at the expense of investment in both faith and family. The turbo-charged pace of society leaves people with little time for reflection.

The deeper thinking that occurs typically relates to economic concerns or relational pressures. Spiritual practices like contemplation, solitude, silence, and simplicity are rare. (It is ironic that more than four out of five adults claim to live a simple life.)

Practical to a fault, Americans consider survival in the present to be much more significant than eternal security and spiritual possibilities. Because we continue to separate our spirituality from other dimensions of life through compartmentalization, a relatively superficial approach to faith has become a central means of optimizing our life experience.

Not biblical faith. It's faith in something other than the God of the Bible. It's idolatry of pragmatism, trusting in one's ability to work the American system. It will lead you straight to spiritual illness and death as clearly as living on McDonalds will Super-size you. Judgment is built into the experience. 


If easy-made insta-spirituality is your faith in God, you are in deep trouble.


Counter the trend? With a Real Bad News/Good News Gospel. 
'Insta-spirituality says the foundational problem goes like this, "I need to overcome inconveniences and discomfort and God will help me."  


God says in the Scriptures the fundamental problem is much worse. God has a problem with you. It's your own personal sin. 


At Crosspoint/Encuentro we say this: you are a sinner just like everybody else. A sinner like a prostitute, pimp, alcoholic, corporate raider or murderer. Isn't that what Jesus meant when He said lust is adultery and calling somebody an 'idiot' is murder?


Sin is much worse than the sanitized versions we hear from I'm-trying-to-be-happy religious or spiritual people, right? And I am (the pastor) more sinful than I imagined too.


The Problem Needs to be Felt and Seen as Severe
The Law of God points out to us the depth and severity of our sin. That is a good thing in the long run.


Why? Because as we see the depth and severity of our own sin, we realize we need a stronger, bigger Savior.


Good News is Severely Good Gospel (Gospel means 'Good News')
Put personally, Jesus volunteered to become a man, lived the life I should have lived and allowed himself to be arrested, tried, convicted and crucified. And while He was dying, hanging on a cross as my substitute, God took all my severe sin - past, present and future - and put in on Him and punished Him in my place.


He died as my substitute and three days later was raised from the dead.


It took a severe price to redeem this severe sinner. It's the only real solution. It isn't cheap. It wasn't easy and it isn't instant. He's bigger than my convenience and my comfort.


And good news is offered to all who turn and trust what Jesus did for them.


How do we grow in the Gospel? Cosmic restoration.
Restoration means real effort, practical help, spiritual discipline and fighting emotionally challenging idolatry. Challenging presumptions about American life.


We aren't wasting our lives on nice. Or happy. Or comfort, retirement, successful careers. There's more.


- We worship. Weekly we put real effort into worship each Sunday. Our church will not take a Sunday off for convenience. Sunday's designated for worship. It's the way He designed us.
- We serve. Our Redeemer was extremely practical. He asks us to do practical, inconvenient, hard actions on His behalf. We practically help folks who aren't like us, welcome people of other races, cultures, legal status, ability and class. We serve without alerting the media.
All people are made in the image of God. So dignity is big. Help without hurting. No matter how the world treats them, with us they are honored.
- We pray. Twice a year we devote ourselves to prayer. Our intercession team prays weekly. Families and individuals pray together in our vocations and as we go.
- We observe the disciplines of historic Christianity. We give, read/study God's Word, meditate, observe silence and cekebrate. We repent and forgive each other. We learn our gifts and serve accordingly.
- Our eyes on the nations. Our mission takes 'real' Christianity to Smyrna, Atlanta and all the nations. Crosspoint/Encuentro plays a role in a world-wide enterprise.


Note: We also interact with friends and family, culture, art, music, movies, parties and have fun. Pretty normal people who aren't settling for the American dream.


Different than nominal Christianity
By faith in Christ's redemption we stand forgiven, cleaned, guilt-free and adopted in His radical family. 


God is shaping us into ambassadors and freedom fighters for His kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven.   


Our hope and prayer is that Americans can think further ahead than the present. This return to historic Christianity is far more robust, significant and vital than this small present American situation.


If you would like to talk about what you can do to encourage real, vital, winsome historic Christianity, leave a comment. 

The L O S T Trend in Outreach

Who's on an island with a Shepherd, a bunch of Others and wants to be rescued? Wrecked, hard luck passengers from Oceanic flight 815? No.


Apparently much of the church in the US is wrecked on an island.


Outreach appears to be fading along with theological literacy. So in this second of six discussions of Barna's Megatrends in the US Church, I want to show you how the vision and mission of Crosspoint and Encuentro engages this problem and suggest ways to grow a healthy church that fight the trends.   


Outreach isn't a program, its the fruit of a healthy gospel-centered church. As a student and Jr Hi pastor in the 70s, 80s and 90s, it seems to me, the American church emphasized skill development, programs and motivational speeches to get the faithful to reach out to its primarily homogeneous neighborhood. 


Skills are important but its sort of like training with a knife when you're going into a sword fight. The outcome is a church in the 21st century withdrawing rather than advancing.

Barna notes: Despite technological advances that make communications instant and far-reaching, Christians are becoming more spiritually isolated from non-Christians than was true a decade ago. Examples of this tendency include the fact that 

• less than one-third of born again Christians planned to invite anyone to join them at a church event during the Easter season; 

• teenagers are less inclined to discuss Christianity with their friends than was true in the past; 

• most of the people who become Christians these days do so in response to a personal crisis or the fear of death (particularly among older Americans); 

• and most Americans are unimpressed with the contributions Christians and churches have made to society over the past few years. 

As young adults have children, the prospect of them seeking a Christian church is diminishing--especially given the absence of faith talk in their conversations with the people they most trust. With atheists becoming more strategic in championing their godless worldview, as well as the increased religious plurality driven by education and immigration, the increasing reticence of Christians to engage in faith-oriented conversations assumes heightened significance.

It is challenging to reach out so are church attenders giving up? Changes challenge 70s-90s modern outreach strategies:

• Our neighborhoods are more diverse socially, racially, economically and spiritually here in the greater Smyrna area. Myriad options get plenty of screen time.
• The gospel contains Bad News few want to admit. Even fewer want to hear it even from a kind and concerned person. The potential for a social snub is way higher now. 
• Societal norms demand privatization of religion and tolerance of all viewpoints. No matter how contradictory or down-right stupid. 
• Attractional mega-churches, Mass, TV preachers and my Grandma's old church color most people's presuppositions about what people think they are being invited to.
• The internet removes all mystery and makes everyone a psuedo-expert on religious matters. So why actually go to a church? "I can download whatever I need if/when I need it."
• Professional Christians on the internet inundate theologically weak Christians with piles of resources. The regular guys don't have to learn anything because they can (wrongly) assume their friends will find faith in Jesus via a Google search. 

It appears no one really 'needs' to do awkward personal outreach anymore, right?

People's exposure to church in most cases isn't good news. But can a living faith in God be transferred without personal real-life interaction? A living faith in Christ can not happen outside connection to the real-life body of Christ. Anything other else in my opinion, is manipulation based on legalism, moralism, therapy or a circus atmosphere. 

So do we Christians throw up our hands and all escape to comfy mega-churches? No. 


Crosspoint/Encuentro and other church plants are lean, not-so-mean humility machines. Okay, so machine isn't the right word, but 'family of humbled sinners saved by grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone' doesn't rhyme with lean and mean. 


Seriously, our 'outreach program' is interpersonal humble interaction among sinners, dependently praying (only God saves, remember?) and patiently answering good questions with good answers about the bad news and good news of the gospel. 


Our lives together become outreach. Our words and actions are one of many presentations of the gospel.


The How-To is stay simple and enter into (incarnate) people's lives. We remain lean. We focus on people, not programs. Our facility and budget reflect serving people where they live, work and play.


We are not-so-mean and humble. The single most compelling outreach tactic (if you can call it a tactic) is humility. We admit we are sinners. We ARE no better than anyone else. We aren't trying to impress anyone or prove anything first. We welcome folks no matter what. The worship services are not slick, personality-driven, video light shows - on purpose.


The main goal is not to get 'more butts in seats' but to introduce people to Christ's awesomeness. We want Jesus to be more famous than our worship service, our programs or our church or our pastor.


This means we all, from pastor to most successful businessperson to youngest teenager, approach our friends, neighbors and co-workers humbly. We lead into 'outreach' admitting out loud that they have every reason to be skeptical and unsure about us, our church and the message we purport to believe.


This approach is both an expression of freedom in the gospel and an invitation into the community of the gospel.

Homer Simpson Trend in Theology

(Thanks to Robin C in Alpharetta for this important link.)

"Doh!" appears to be the operative word in the Protestant church in the USA where theology is concerned.   Barna is reporting trends I saw early as a youth pastor to Baby Busters in the 90s.

In this first of six discussions of harmful and dangerous trends in the church, I'm going to let you know how the vision and mission of Crosspoint and Encuentro prepares to grow a healthy church, fight the trends and suggest these are ways other churches can too.

Theologically trained disciples led by theologically astute elders, deacons and leaders. The battle to be theologically literate starts and ends with church leadership. In this respect, we are purposefully counter-cultural and apparently rebels. Kinda funny. Theological training is retro? Oh well.

Crosspoint and Encuentro also value multi-generational ministry. We get a broader tapestry of wisdom, depth and knowledge as older men and women teach younger men and women. We aren't totally dependent on the charms of our photo-genetic pastor either. (Which is a good thing for more than one reason...)

Barna's report notes...

"What used to be basic, universally-known truths about Christianity are now unknown mysteries to a large and growing share of Americans--especially young adults. For instance, Barna Group studies in 2010 showed that while most people regard Easter as a religious holiday, only a minority of adults associate Easter with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other examples include the finding that few adults believe that their faith is meant to be the focal point of their life or to be integrated into every aspect of their existence. 

Further, a growing majority believe the Holy Spirit is a symbol of God's presence or power, but not a living entity. As the two younger generations (Busters and Mosaics) ascend to numerical and positional supremacy in churches across the nation, the data suggest that biblical literacy is likely to decline significantly. The theological free-for-all that is encroaching in Protestant churches nationwide suggests the coming decade will be a time of unparalleled theological diversity and inconsistency."

Crosspoint/Encuentro bucks this trend other ways too. We preach through books of the Bible so the theological concepts get taught. Though we speak in everyday language, we use and explain those big, theologically rich words like 'justification' and 'sanctification' so people learn theology. Two of our seven elders learned theology through our Theology for Ministry training module taught in small groups.

Here's a surprise maybe. People who have been in churches that do not teach theology want to know the details! I'm finding folks are hungry to know how things fit together. Offering the training to hungry people in non-traditional formats requires some changes in delivery methods, but the outcome is tremendous.

We are not the only ones working for theological literacy by any stretch. Our denomination (PCA) vigorously plants churches that are theologically grounded. So does Acts 29. Seminaries we love, like Reformed Theological Seminary, Covenant, Westminster and even many of the Southern Baptist Seminaries teach men and women well. And I should not forget that several campus ministries are quite theologically robust. RUF (Reformed University Fellowship), CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) and Campus Outreach graduate some sharp theologically trained students.

There is hope as leaders are trained that we can lead the church to theological literacy (and even vibrancy) in the future.

The question this raises in my mind isn't 'Are there enough theologically astute people in the Protestant churches in the USA?' The bigger question is this: Are there accountability structures that will weed out false teachers in the pulpits of our churches?

Trust me. If I (or any elder or pastor in our denomination) stray for orthodox Christian doctrines, I will be corrected and if I refuse to be corrected I'll be disciplined and removed from the ministry.

Accountability is the answer to this problem in the church. We don't need pastors who go free-lancing on theology.

Why You Should NOT Buy an NIV Bible

If it is the new 2010 NIV 'version', you have an impostor in your hands!

I have been using the New International Version copyrighted in1984 since 1999 because it is an accurate and very readable translation. It is a great translation for beginning Bible readers. Several of my seminary professors worked on the original 1984 translation.

However, in my sermon prep a few weeks ago, I went to BibleGateway to copy the text to start my studies, as I have many times. What I got shocked me!

Galatians 3 was different! I had unknowingly copied and pasted the NEW 2010 edition of the New International Version (NIV). There are significant editorial changes that are NOT in the original language nor in the original 1984 translation. This is wrong and misleading! 

For example, the original language says in verse 26, 'You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.' However the new edition for 2010 mistranslates the verse 'You are all children of God...'

Do These Changes Matter? 

Yes! This is a key verse in the doctrine of adoption. The original word choice is not only revealed from heaven, it has significant meaning! In ancient times, only sons received an inheritance. God, through Paul the writer, was making a very radical, pro-female statement in saying that by faith in Christ Jesus all who believe are His sons.

To say we become 'children' of God is just not what the original language or the original translation of the Scripture into English says at all.

(I will withhold my guesses as to any agenda the editors of the NIV2010 are trying to accomplish.)

And for sake of space, I will not offer an exhaustive list. One change of this caliber is enough. If you want more examples, ask for follow-up.

So do NOT buy a new NIV (c)2010.

Misleading to Keep the 'NIV' Label

What really bugs me is this: the NIV 1984 is a great translation and the NIV 2010 is a different editing job of that translation using the same respected label for an inferior work.

Honestly I wonder how the professors who worked so hard to give us the original NIV must feel? Their work now hacked up and changed beyond recognition...

So, Here is Your Christmas List!

Buy an English Standard Version for each reader in your family and circle of friends. That is what we will be using in the Crosspoint English-speaking congregation* beginning in 2011. 

Part of  my calling as your pastor is to protect you from false doctrine. Our Bibles are the starting point. I want you all to be reading and studying a reliable and accurate translation of the original language. The NIV2010 is simply not reliable or accurate. And it is too confusing to try to keep using the 1984 edition.

Time to Make a Change for Our English-speaking Church. 

Get an English Standard Version (ESV). Or if you have an older New American Standard Bible (NASB) you are reading an accurate and reliable translation.

I'll keep you posted if we need to make adjustments for our Spanish-speaking congregation.

Three Reasons We Welcome Aliens

1. There are at least 10 verses in Scripture that command God's people to love, care for, treat justly and remember that He defends aliens. Don't believe me? Do a search on the text of the NIV for 'aliens' or in other versions for 'sojourners' and you'll see it clearly.

There are a few other moral reasons Crosspoint/Encuentro welcomes people (especially Mexicans) regardless of their legal status.

2. Rising fear from drug violence and weak protection from their own government. I am no policy expert but it doesn't take much to recognize that this kind of violence would make any sane person seek a safe place to live - even if it isn't legal. In June 2010, hundreds of people in border towns were executed by drug cartels.

This is the results from a search on the words 'Mexico' and 'Violence' on Yahoo!

3. Persecution for being a Christian. Voice of the Martyrs include the state of Chiapas as a 'hostile' area where Christians are persecuted. This is more than just being snubbed for converting. Pastor Hector Guzman has friends bringing in basic supplies to families who have lost everything.

Granted not everyone coming to the US without status is a Christian, but no matter the reason for their arrival, shouldn't the church and the people of God seek both mercy and justice for fellow image bearers? Shouldn't we leverage this time of unrest that is sending refugees and immigrants to our nation as an opportunity to advance the gospel?

Bonus Reason: Our allegiance is first to Christ, then to our nation (Galatians 3:26ff) If I'm making you uncomfortable, it's on purpose. Reason #1 is the only reason we need to welcome aliens. God says He is their God. We are His people. If Arizona or Georgia or any other state makes a law that violates God's law, then morally who should we obey?

Think about that.

Excited about Church Planting Momentum in the Atlanta Area

Crosspoint/Encuentro is part of some significant Kingdom expansion work you would seldom see. Today I went to our monthly Church Planters Network (CPN) meeting and there were 40 church planters, coaches and visitors. This represents almost 20 church plants in Georgia, Minnesota, North Carolina, London and Bucharest. We are usually mostly white, middle-aged and Presbyterian, but today I looked around the room and saw five racial backgrounds, young guys and old guys. 40!

Several men from Bethlehem Baptist Church Minneapolis (where John Piper is the pastor) checked out what we are doing here. We had visitors from the London Church Planters' Network some of our men helped start and even a church planter from Romania! It was so cool to hear him say straight up that he and a few other pastors from the International Presbyterian Church in Romania are making plans to change their whole country through church planting. Seriously. I believe it.

Ten months out of the year, though you may not know it, I spend a day (630am-230pm) in Atlanta with this network. Pastor Hector too. I used to go to receive, now I go to give back. I coach other church planters who have started churches on the Atlanta Westside, in Vinings and East Atlanta.

Every month there is peer-coaching, prayer and training. This month's training and prayer time inter-weaved as Dr. Tom Wood and Alex Villasana led us in strong, gospel-centered life-changing interaction. I'm so proud of Tom and Alex, he's the guy that recruited, trained and still mentors me. And Alex just preached at Sunday night at the Regional Hispanic Worship Gathering for the four Hispanic churches in our area.

And I heard that J. Allen Thompson, the church planting guru of the PCA and Redeemer NYC is moving back here. My guess is so he can be closer to family and Cuba where he frequently travels to train church planters and church leaders where he was born, raised, planted churches and got kicked out in 1960.

Why tell you all this? A lot of reasons:
It's personal. Crosspoint/Encuentro is one of the first three church plants from this network.Without these men and this training I would have flopped more than once at church planting.
It's spiritual. This is the kind of momentum we have been asking the Lord of the harvest for and working towards for ten years.
It's missional. Our church vision has always been to multiply churches for all the nations because it is God's ordained method to saturate the world, Atlanta and Smyrna with the gospel.
It's eternal. Alongside godly people doing ground-breaking work in the 21st century, we will have continuing impact long after we pass into eternity.
It's global. This behind-the-scenes work is the greatest opportunity for the most people in the most places to worship King Jesus.

We are so honored to take part in this world-changing enterprise!

Overwhelmed! One Reason I Need Prayer

As a broken pastor, how often do I forget the army of the Lord? Often. I'm sitting here overwhelmed with some opportunities before us. Feeling alone. Man, I'm such a dope sometimes.

As a broken pastor, I need prayer. And I know it. Sometimes I even remember! Because I am broken, our elders, deacons, members and those who are yet-to believe need prayer too. Especially because I am their pastor but specifically for some options before us

Would you pray for us? We are considering BOTH a better temporary facility for 2011 and at the same time raising funds for a better permanent facility for beyond.

After 8 years of faithful growth through evangelism and mercy, our church has the opportunity to upgrade for a year while we raise funds for a faciliity to serve the church and the community as a resource center for training and community development. Crazy that we have these opportunities. 

Pray like this:
For wisdom. Our vision for a facility is to find a location that increases our reach to those that are unreached with the Gospel and with practical help. The elders and I have some key decisions to make.

For faith. As one of my mentors Randy Pope says, we are indeed at the point where if God isn't in this, we will fail. Pray for fearlessness.

For persevering leadership. I am stretched. Doing things I have no experience with and often doubt God's faithfulness and my ability. O me of little faith!

PS - For those of you who've known us and prayed for me for a long time, do you hear God chuckling at the irony of His power and plans? I do!

Acts 4:13 comes to mind, '...they realized that they were unschooled ordinary men... astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus.'

We're proof that Jesus will build His church and use ordinary broken people to gain the fame He deserves.

Parenting Wisdom Resource

My Mom's Wise
Mom always learns and always follows Jesus. And she writes about what she has learned as a resource for the next generations.

After growing up in the 'top-secret city' of Oak Ridge TN during the war, marrying at 18 and starting a family at 20, she and my dad raised the four of us in the church and in that old-school small-town way people do in Appalachia.

In addition to the expected discipline, respect for elders and 'knowing your place' my mom was counter-cultural. She taught us to be curious, studious and to challenge conventional thinking. She was a liberal Christian in Knoxville in the 70s. (And I mean that in the best way possible.)

She lived Dr. King's views on race. We took in foster children. Though we didn't have much, we helped the poor. Like her sister had done, we made plans to adopt an unwanted racially-mixed sister after abortion was made legal. My parents taught us to live by faith. And put that faith into action.

All that to introduce her parenting resource
After watching many young parents struggle, Mom researched child development and combined it with biblical principles and some old-school know how and wrote a book about parenting. 

Now she posts daily parenting tips on her new blog Joyful Musings.


A most vital and important work

Mom has continued to teach Elizabeth and me how to raise our children well. The fruit of their godly parenting is evident in our children who are now 20, 18 and 15, and all our extended family (pictured above). I hope such biblical wisdom impacts the churches in which we serve and pastor.

It is the biggest joy and deepest honor to be loved and to love well. Isn't that what we all want for our children?


I hope you will follow her blog.  At least until she learns how to work Twitter...

Pressure on Pastor Planning to Burn Qurans is Absurd and Wrong-headed

Well I'm back and I'm a little ticked off. It's amazing to me that one pastor in a remote corner of Florida USA can garner so much attention over what amounts to a gimmick. It's foolishness.

This article is the #1 Top New Story on Yahoo! News on September 7th, 2010. Four more days and it's an all out assault, an enormous nation-wide and world-wide media pressure to get a pastor to stop doing what he thinks God is telling him to do.

Since when does the US government get to pressure citizens about their religious beliefs?

He wants to burn Qurans. He wants to offend Muslims. He wants to take a stand. So? LET HIM. Can't Muslims take some criticism like big boys?

Over 100 people have threatened to kill this pastor for his convictions? Over 100 death threats?! Yet he won't back down on his sincere convictions. I can respect that part. Immensely.

The US State Department has aligned themselves with Muslims on an one church event that left to itself would have been ignored by 99.999% of the world. I can't get it... the State Department meddling in a slightly quirky publicity stunt? Seriously?

I don't know Pastor Jones. But I'd pray with him, listen to him. Probably find a lot of common ground and common concerns. But I'd encourage him to do something different and more effective in fighting the battle against evil. Something like preaching the gospel, praying and fasting, befriending a Muslim who needs Jesus.

What's the Truth?
But at the root what sticks in my windpipe is this: he's a pastor, part of what he is saying is legitimate and biblical.

We are in a spiritual battle. Islam is a false religion and according to Scripture will deceive millions into a Christ-less eternity. I'd say that is evil. He is a pastor with spiritual and moral authority.

And his response if the shoe were on the other foot?

... if Muslims wanted to burn Bibles in the front yard of a mosque. "Of course, I would not like it," Jones said. But "I definitely would not threaten to kill them, as we have been threatened."

That seems more sane and reasonable than demonstrations, threats of violence and a media smear campaign..

And it feels good to be back in the blogosphere.

R&R - Rest and Re-Connect with God (and Family)

Not that I've ever set a blistering blogging pace, but I'm taking some time off from my weekly posting.

Just finished a preaching series about rest and reconnecting with God by taking up His yoke and learning from Jesus, so I'm going to take the Lord's command seriously. And I'm enjoying it.

I'm enjoying my 23rd wedding anniversary trip to Pigeon Forge compliments of some dear friends. Enjoying hearing others preach at Crosspoint and looking forward to time with my extended family at North Myrtle Beach in July. Then we'll be ready to send two of my children off to Athens (Jake got notice that his transfer application was accepted) and gear up for another ministry year.

Enjoy your summer.

'Jesus Never Fails' - Reviewing My Mom's Book

My mom just wrote a book. Well this one's been in the works for 35 years. It's about my parents risking everything they had to follow Jesus' call into full-time ministry with Campus Crusade back in the late 70s.

Now as an adult (and pastor) I think they were crazy! But as an 11-15 year-old I didn't know.

They were just my heroes following their Hero.

Last month I read the rough draft of mom's journal notes and stories taking shape into this book. I was struck hard by the intensity. Often I choked back tears at the behind-the-scenes confessions and prayers of what my parents went through learning to trust Jesus to put food on the table, clothes and shoes on four growing kids and let Him shape their young hearts. My, how it shaped us all.

I am emotional still as I think of the legacy they passed on to me in their own broken but faithful way.

Mom tells the stories straight: the good, the bad and the ugly. It's a real story of a real family struggling and celebrating God's faithfulness. The journey has been hard and with much heartache along the way.

But it's totally worth it. For God's glory and fame!

O that more of us would live stories of deep and even crazy trust. These stories are priceless and I'm honored to have been raised by parents that were willing to risk everything to follow Jesus. May the Lord raise up more of us who will trust Him and find out Jesus Never Fails. For our benefit and our children.

I'm helping her get the word out. If you could order one directly from her for $12, she can save you $5 off the publisher's price. I think its worth it to challenge more folks to trust Jesus with their lives in a practical way. Thanks for considering it.
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from my mom Barbara Moon
Jesus Never Fails:Stories of God's Faithfulness illustrate through story after story both the difficulties and joys of living by faith and seeing God provide. These stories are taken from my  personal experiences, a diary I kept while we raised support, and newsletters we sent to friends, family and supporters after joining a faith-based ministry.

Whether you’re learning to live on a budget, struggling to trust God with your finances or a missionary, campus minister or church planter raising support, this short 93-page book will help you see God’s faithfulness. I’m excited about the potential for people to see God’s creative provision when learning to trust Him.

1. Could you help me get in 60 paid for direct-orders? I want to get Jesus Never Fails into the hands of people who could use a break. The retail price is $17 with shipping. But if we can get 60 orders paid at $12 then I can use my author’s discount and ship them at no extra charge!

2. I have no advertising budget. Could you spread the word via email, Facebook or Twitter to people who might want to buy a copy for friends or family members who would benefit from these real-life encouraging stories? Thanks!

To direct-order from me, send a Facebook message--or email to barbaramoon77@yahoo.com and I’ll tell you how to send a check. Thanks so much!

Jesus Never Fails Indeed.

L O S T not a Loss for this Father

L O S T is over.

And I have a few comments. As a fan, as a student of philosophy.And as a father. Mostly as a father.

• I watched this show with my teenagers. When we started they were 14, 12 and 9 and now they are 20, 18 and 15. And it was worth it. I got a glimpse into the world in which I am sending them to navigate. I also got to see their hearts, share in some drama and philosophy. And it was fun.
• Reincarnation makes for a sweet 'heaven' ending for a TV show, but it's depressing. Everything in that story we cared about is an illusion? Seriously? Compared to the incomparable, real, actual inheritance of the heaven of the Bible, that was 'making mud pies in the sewer when a day at the beach is offered.' I'm pretty sure my children get that difference and distinction.
• People who claim that all religions are equal or the same (as apparently do the writers of L O S T) are ignorant or stupid. Putting symbols of world religions in a church building does not mean they agree. The major religions of the world make mutually exclusive truth claims. Don't be naive.

Do I think watching this show L O S T was a loss? No. Am I going to rant about it and preach against it. No. Will I make a point to watch all 6 seasons with my future grandchildren. Probably not.

Those who watch it will enjoy a delightfully complex story. At the end, a thinking person will have a very compelling and memorable view of the meta-narrative of 21st century secular religion. And hopefully we'll be able to kindly, firmly and truthfully critique it and compare it to the meta-narrative of the Grand Story of Redemption.

That is part of what makes L O S T not a loss. I'm raising thinking people. They get it. Jesus' sacrificial redemption is real and effective and not an illusion. Thank God.

Porn and the Dark Side of Christian Conferences

The uptick in porn usage during Christian conferences is depressing. But its real.

And I think I know why. But I'm not sure we want to admit it.

Dark Side of Success
As a pastor, when you go to a conference, you are wishing and hoping your ministry would be more successful. Or if you aren't in ministry, you are hoping your life or marriage or children will be more successful.

All the cool people on Facebook or on Twitter or in your denom or your church talk up this *awesome* conference with all these big name successful speakers. You pay the big bucks to go. You get there and about halfway through the third session from a highly successful Christian, you start to feel depressed.

Why? Because your ministry or life or marriage or whatever will never be as successful as him or her.

Denying the Dark Side
Oh but you keep up appearances, rave about content, joke and chat in the hallway and buy some books you won't read when you get home. Then you go to your room and the facade can finally drop.

You paid all this money to hear the same stuff again and YOU ARE STILL A LOSER. You're a loser Christian or loser pastor that nobody knows and nobody wants to know. So you justify watching some skin on the small screen, maybe cuss. Or cry. But you are still a loser.

Why I'm Leery of Conferences
Christian conferences are like porn. They flash temptations of sexy ministry success. And no I'm not talking to prosperity preachers. I'm talking to evangelical and reformed people. Keller and Piper and Sproul and Childers and Stezer and Chan and Hybels just keep putting out the temptations and nobody ever tells you to stop lusting after successful ministry.

Christians and pastors, we worship the idol of success. It's a pagan fertility ritual wrapped sensually in acceptable Christian clothes.

And it is killing us and giving the church a black-eye. You know why? We want ministry or life success more than we want what the Sovereign God has given us.

So I don't go to conferences like I used to. Keller and Piper et al cause me to cheat on the Lord's call for me. I can't keep from being tempted.

But I'm learning that Jesus loves me - even though I cheated on Him. And being broken and a loser is better than I thought...

PS - Now please sign up for my 'Loser Pastor' conference, okay?

Cancer Fighter Realities - Really Helping

More on how to help from a friend who went through cancer fighting...
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How do cancer fighters feel about visits? It really depends on the chemicals they are using. What kind of cancer? For me I had 6 rounds 21 days apart. (Karen will have 4 rounds 21 days apart). The hair falls out on day 17....I had mine shaved ahead of time.

I would have treatment on Tuesday (Karen's will be Wednesdays), by Thursday I started to feel bad. Friday was the worst day then by Saturday I would feel better. Mine caused a great deal of bone pain...kind of like the flu...just achy all over.

Over time your white blood cell count or your 'numbers' goes down so the more treatments the more tired and run down you feel and the longer it takes to bounce back. I worked as a school teacher during my treatments except for the week of treatment.

As far as visitors go, I didn't mind visitors...in fact the day before treatment I LOVED having a small group come and worship and pray over me. It brought great peace and allowed them to feel a vital part of my treatment...which they were.

The only days I really didn't like company were the bad days when my bones hurt so badly. Later in treatment I also had a hard time because I could barely walk across a room without being out of breath. It is hard to have a conversation at that point, but I had a transfusion and was much better.

My symptoms were manageable for the most part. I had stomach issues the same time as my bone pain...I never threw up but I had other issues. So having certain things to eat or drink was helpful.
Smoothies were the only thing that tasted good for the first few days. So taking some fruit or yogurt from time to time might be helpful.

One thing that Bill [her husband] did for me that helped a ton, was take me for rides through the mountains on my bad days. His theory was we know its not the flu and laying in bed just makes it worse...so we would get in the car and ride. I'm not sure I would have wanted to do that with anybody else, but it was wonderful for the two of us...windows down and fresh air.

One thing to consider is that her immune system will be low and too many people also brings many germs. I had two infections that prevented me from having chemo so it delayed my treatment. The longer she goes the weaker she will be. With chemo many times it is the complications that cause the difficulty...not always the cancer itself.

For me was my blood counts were too low and I had several infections which can be very dangerous. It is like a domino effect and one body system affects all the others.

I am glad Karen has a good support system. It really helps more than you would know to have many in your corner pulling for you.
Praying for courage is a critical at the beginning, at least until she gets to her new normal.
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So Crosspoint, let's keep praying, serving and loving.

Five Reasons Crosspoint Welcomes Illegals

Five reasons Crosspoint/Encuentro welcomes and accepts people without legal status.

1. Aliens are people too. God created each one in His image. A person's status with any government does nothing to change God's view of them as His creation - worthy of dignity, respect and an opportunity to receive the gospel. Scripture is the higher law in these cases.

2. God's people are aliens.God commands us to not mistreat an alien and remember that we too were aliens in Egypt (Exodus 22:21 and 23:9). Our citizenship is first in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

3. Articles like this one in the US media tell only a glimpse of the fear, intimidation and terror that brings Mexicans here to the US without status. People in our church don't just come to 'steal American jobs' but rather they are refugees escaping fear, injustice and intimidation from many fronts.

4. We are missionaries of the gospel of God's grace through Christ alone. If our church members who do not have proper status get arrested (and many have) and deported (and some are), then we send them back as missionaries. The gospel of grace is foreign in the religious landscape south of the border.

5. It is not only a biblical value. As a serious student of American history, a descendant of immigrants from many nations including Native Americans, I recall these words are engraved on our Statue of Liberty.

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Beg the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

'If You Need Anything Call Me' - Not Helpful

How many times have I said to someone who was struggling, 'Let me know if you need any help. Really. I mean it.' Hundreds? At least. Turns out that is NOT actually helping those who suffer.

I am not a naturally empathetic person around the sick, suffering or hurting. More like 'concerned but awkward'. So this post by Ed Welch on CCEF's webpage really helped me deeply.

I need this prescription. Hope it spurs you on to go on and simply help people who are suffering rather than thinking they will ask.

"Here is something that I have heard a number of times on the “Not Helpful” list. I have heard it often enough that it deserves to become part of our body of pastoral wisdom.

“If you need anything, please call me—anytime.”

"Sufferers are usually gracious and give us a lot of slack for thoughtless remarks, so I was surprised when this became a theme. Those who mentioned it didn’t say that the comment was meaningless to them, though it was. They said that it was actually unhelpful. Why? I usually don’t ask that question, but I can piece together some of the answers.

• If “comforters” knew anything about real hardship, they would know that sufferers usually don’t know what they want or need.[surprising to me but makes sense]
• If comforters knew anything about the sufferer, they would know what the sufferer wants or needs. [guilty of not looking too hard]
• If comforters really knew the sufferer, they would know that he or she would never make the call. Never.

"The speaker is not giving any real thought to the comforter’s needs and circumstances, and the suffering person knows it.

"That’s the bad news. The good news, of course, is that the same people who have heard the “call me” comment have also been blessed by friends who do the opposite: these friends don’t wait to be called, they just figure out what needs to be done and they do it. [Wow! That is smart and kind!]

"First, they listen and understand the suffering person. They pick up on to-do lists that are growing and impossible. They identify tasks that are especially important. They don’t barge in and do trivial work or serve in ways that leave more disarray....  A good friend can identify what would be truly helpful.

"Next, they do it. They get the dog groomed, do the dishes, drop off a meal, cut the grass, baby sit the kids, bring a meal over and eat it together, clean the house, give a ride to small group, drop off a note of encouragement and then another and another, arrange for a hair cut, and so on.

"Any of these acts of love and service make life easier for the suffering person. That certainly helps. But a meal is never just a meal; maid-service is never merely maid-service. These say to the suffering person, “I remember you,” “I think about you often,” “you are not forgotten, you are on my heart,” “I love you.” That, as they say, is priceless.

"When in doubt, and you are concerned that you might unknowingly rearrange the library; you can get ideas from those who know the sufferer best. There is nothing wrong with the direct approach and ask the suffering person, “Would it help if I ______?” That’s great, but realize that he or she will demur.

"What commends the approach in which you ask friends and family is that you give even more thought to the suffering person’s interests and needs. It is the time you give to creative strategizing that is the power behind these acts. That is unmistakable love that mimics the strategic planning of the triune God’s rescue mission. He planned and acted even before we knew our real needs. [Wow.]

"We can say that there is indeed more misery around us than we know, but may those who experience misery be able to say that there is more comfort available than they imagined, and may they say that God often uses people as angels of comfort."

That is actually helpful.