Here are two interesting articles I came across tonight.

1. The first is a spicy commentary about a prediction Donald Miller wrote for CNN about religious trends in 2011.   http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2011/01/open-letter-to-donald-miller.html
I read Donald's book "Blue Like Jazz" a couple years ago, and I think Frank Turk's comments are right-on.  Frank makes great points about the true gospel (of repentance and forgiveness, truth and love) that Jesus Christ preached.  Jesus was an "extremist"... a "radical"... in the best possible way...

2. The second one is about how Francis Chan recently left his 4000-member California church because he felt it was becoming too focused on him rather than on Jesus Christ.  http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/22/%e2%80%9cchristian-famous%e2%80%9d-pastor-quits-his-church-moves-to-asia/
Here's a quote from the article:
In his world of big conference crowds, multiple services each week, and instant access to social media, the notion of pastoral care had begun to change. His fame was straining his work as a pastor. “When there is a large constituency, there’s a lot of voices,” he said. “It makes you arrogant or it makes you want to shoot yourself. When thousands of people tell you what they think, how can I be quick to listen, like the Bible says? I don’t want to be a jerk and tune everyone out. At the same time you, can’t love every single person and answer them.”

Francis is so right about that.  And I highly admire him for his action.  The whole idea of the salaried pastoral "job" is not quite Biblical, it seems to me (though pastoral/elder roles are Biblical and voluntary financial gifts to assist them in their work are Biblical)... as are the large buildings and other trappings of modern institutionalized "church".  (For more thoughts, see my posts on Steve Atkerson's book 'House Church', e.g. http://tim223.xanga.com/725607096/house-church-reading-notes-ch10-20/ ).

Fame sometimes comes, as God's gifts attract attention.  But the modern church paradigms tend to put more pressure on pastors/elders than God intended for them to bear.  They are asked by Western culture to be CEOs of veritable religious corporations, spending their energies on building projects and christian community center programs, instead of God's charge that they take care of His people.  They are asked to be the man at the top of a pyramid of authority and honor, instead of God's paradigm:  "Do not be called leaders, for One is your Leader, that is, Christ."  Matthew 23:10

Joshua Harris commented in the above article on Francis Chan's decision: "...Not every pastor of a big church should leave.”  Whether or not Joshua is right, I suggest that every pastor of a church should seek to multiply himself; to work himself out of a job; to disciple and raise up other men to lead and teach and preach... and disciple others.

Taking a paid job as "pastor" or "clergy" in a Western institutionalized church is not necessarily evil, and I have been blessed by the friendship and preaching and mentorship of many such men over the years.  But it is a dangerous position, filled with perils and pressures that are unnecessary and not required by the Biblical plan for God's Church.

All of that to say, I admire Francis Chan for his action, and I pray that God will use him with even greater effectiveness in the future as he serves smaller groups of people.  May his desire be granted: that people interacting with him would come away thinking not about him, but about Jesus Christ.

Interesting brief opinion article about contemporary medical ethics, by Cal Thomas (http://online.worldmag.com/2010/12/30/she-told-us-so/)

She told us so

Written by Cal Thomas
December 30, 10:11 AM

Sarah Palin deserves an apology. When she said that the new healthcare law would lead to "death panels" deciding who gets life-saving treatment and who does not, she was roundly denounced and ridiculed.

Now we learn, courtesy of one of the ridiculers - The New York Times - that she was right. Under a new policy not included in the law for fear the administration’s real end-of-life game would be exposed, a rule issued by the recess-appointed Dr. Donald M. Berwick, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, calls for the government to pay doctors to advise patients on options for ending their lives. These could include directives to forgo aggressive treatment that could extend their lives.

This rule will inevitably lead to bureaucrats deciding who is "fit" to live and who is not. The effect this might have on public opinion, which by a solid majority opposes Obamacare, is clear from an email obtained by the Times. It is from Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who sent it to people working with him on the issue. Oregon and Washington are the only states with assisted-suicide laws, a preview of what is to come at the federal level if this new regulation is allowed to stand. Blumenauer wrote in his November email:

"While we are very happy with the result, we won’t be shouting it from the rooftops because we aren’t out of the woods yet. This regulation could be modified or reversed, especially if Republican leaders try to use this small provision to perpetuate the ‘death panel’ myth."

Ah, but it’s not a myth, and that’s where Palin nailed it. All inhumanities begin with small steps; otherwise the public might rebel against a policy that went straight to the "final solution." All human life was once regarded as having value, because even government saw it as "endowed by our Creator." This doctrine separates us from plants, microorganisms, and animals.

Doctors once swore an oath, which reads in part: "I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion." Did Dr. Berwick, a fan of rationed care and the British National Health Service, ever take that oath? If he did, it appears he no longer believes it.

Do you see where this leads? First the prohibition against abortion is removed and "doctors" now perform them. Then the assault on the infirm and elderly begins. Once the definition of human life changes, all human lives become potentially expendable if they don’t measure up to constantly "evolving" government standards.

It will all be dressed up with the best possible motives behind it and sold to the public as the ultimate benefit. The killings, uh, terminations, will take place out of sight so as not to disturb the masses who might have a few embers of a past morality still burning in their souls. People will sign documents testifying to their desire to die, and the government will see it as a means of "reducing the surplus population," to quote Charles Dickens.

When life is seen as having ultimate value, individuals and their doctors can make decisions about treatment that are in the best interests of patients. But when government is looking to cut costs as the highest good and offers to pay doctors to tell patients during their annual visits that they can choose to end their lives rather than continue treatment, that is more than the proverbial camel’s nose under the tent. That is the next step on the way to physician-assisted suicide and, if not stopped, government-mandated euthanasia.

It can’t happen here? Based on what standard? Yes it can happen in America, and it will if the new Congress doesn’t stop it.

I agree with Cal Thomas.  The basic problem is that a large and increasing number of Americans is turning away from the Bible as their source of moral grounding and authority.  The Bible teaches that humans are created in the image of God, and thus they may not be killed (except in a few specific punishment scenarios).  Thus it used to be said that humans are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  Especially, humans may not be killed for the sake of convenience, whether they are old, sick, unborn, mentally or physically handicapped, or otherwise dependent.

Once one rejects the Bible, human life becomes of similar value to animal life, and one's "right to live" becomes allegedly dependent on other people's consent.   And specifically, the government's consent.  If the government doesn't have the funds to pay for your medical coverage and decides that you are expendable, your "right to live" is theoretically immediately removed.

"Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body."  Hebrews 13:3

http://www.worldmag.com/articles/17288

Here is a letter from a friend of mine who helped in Haiti, and a response by me.   How would you respond?  What are your thoughts on this topic?

________ wrote:
> Bonswa once again,
>
> It's hard to believe that our trip is coming to a close. In all honesty, I'm really unsettled about coming home; I'm fairly certain that most of us would never be able to sustain this pace or make Haitian reality our permanent reality, but I've felt sick for the past two days and have a sense of overwhelming guilt about not being able to perform at my peak in the last hours. It's gotten harder to take pictures of Haitians and even tell stories of horrible patient scenarios as I'm reminded that I can quickly jump a plane and go home to my comfy life and they have no way out. I'm not sure if my thoughts completely make sense, but the only comfort I'm finding through prayer is the reminder that Christ was fully God, but he was also fully human. The enormity of his healing work regularly tested his human nature and I'm sure he fell into physically illness and exhaustion. He can relate to the stress felt whenever and wherever we encounter overwhelming need, in America or in foreign lands. He repeatedly holds us accountable, disciplines us, and perhaps lays guilt in our hearts so that we may be tested. I have faith that His aim is not to destroy me through this experience. I'm sure that He will actually do the opposite and even though I'm sitting with this horrible feeling of worthlessness, I pray that He allows it to pervade all facets of my life and allows me to realize just how weak I really am (II Cor 12:9-10). Please pray for safety as we journey home and that we may all have to peace of mind to settle any internal struggles. Your prayers have been with us and I can't wait to give and receive your hugs. I thank God for the girls that I have been able to share this experience with and thank you for all of your encouraging letters and emails. They have meant the world to me in time when I needed them.
>
> Love,
> ____________

Hey ________,

Yes....  thanks for the update...  praying for you all...

Regarding the poor and abused, I have wondered similar questions and felt guilt too.  I lived for six months in Africa when I was a child and traveled briefly in Thailand in college, and lately I've learned more about the persecuted church and the slaves trafficked around the world and have been trying to help in what little ways I can.  For what it's worth, this passage comes to mind:  Mark 14:6-7

But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
At first it almost seems callous, when Jesus says "you always have the poor with you...".  Somehow Jesus was able to fully comprehend the suffering of the poor, and even the fact that there will always be poor, suffering people in this world until the end comes, yet he stayed sane and trusted in God through the knowing.   Perhaps His implication is "Don't despair...  put Me first in your life, and then secondly keep helping other needy people all your life long whenever the opportunity arises, knowing that there will never be an end to the poverty and need until the new earth comes."    ?

I'm not trying to give an easy answer to the questions you're wrestling with because of Haiti.  I know it's not just about poverty in Haiti, but about the earthquake suffering, and the violence and abuse there, etc.  Surely they need the gospel more than any other type of aid there, especially long term.  But as I've been pondering these things myself over the past few years, I'm coming to the conclusion that for me it's a matter of doing my little daily part to help the poor (out of love because of the love with which God has loved me first)... like the man walking along the beach tossing stranded starfish back into the ocean before they dried out and died, and the passerby who told him "you can't save them all", and his answer "I know, but I can save THIS one (toss), and THIS one (toss), and THIS one..."

Other related passages that come to mind - Isaiah 58,  Proverbs 19:17,  Luke 13:1-6,  Psalm 37...  and there are obviously many more.  Also if you have time and interest, I recently posted some thoughts on my blog about Psalm 37 - http://tim223.xanga.com/726147754/psalm-37/   I'll be interested to hear more of your thoughts on these things and some passages that you find helpful, as things become clearer some time after the Haiti trip.

With esteem, Tim

This is an interesting article about some political events in France.   One particular group of people are exercising what the article labeled "unofficial rights"...  blocking streets, establishing their own private security forces, intimidating other citizens, setting up their own laws, etc.  The regular police are forbidden to intervene, and the media does not cover the story.  Why?  Because they are afraid of the resulting violence if this group is confronted directly.

The concept of "unofficial rights" is seen all over the world and throughout history.  The drug lords in Mexico exercise them.  The white people in the Deep South of the USA 100 years ago exercised them.  Those who feel 'secure' in their oppression of others always tend to exercise these 'rights'.

But we Christians need not fear, and we need not even feel anger toward those who push us around.  We have a Supreme, Omnipotent, God... who is watching out for us, and after this temporary season of persecution has passed and we find ourselves with God forever in eternal joy, He will take full vengeance and make everything right.  Because of this, we can "love our enemies" as Jesus instructed (and modeled).

I think that God is setting up a worldwide "stage" (some Christians are already performing on it, and have been for centuries) for us His children to demonstrate His worth by continuing to trust in Him through major persecution.   May He grant you and me the grace to "endure to the end".

    ¹Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
²For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb.
³Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
⁴Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalm 37:1-4)

Regarding the "crash" (collapse of peace and economic prosperity in the USA and beyond) which some people (including myself) see on the horizon...

underlying cause:
- millions of individual unsaved Americans, a collective nation turning gradually further from God (we were never God's chosen people, and we were only a "Christian nation" in the sense of being composed of a high percentage of people espousing Christianity or judeo-christian morality (e.g. one might just as well say that we used to be a "Caucasian nation" or some other such originally shared characteristic), and not in the sense of possessing a divine national charter)

proximal causes:
  ==>> abortion (twenty thousand precious unborn humans murdered per week in America)
-> recognition of homosexual 'marriages'
-> abandoning Israel
cultural factors leading to the decline
- divorce, homosexuality and the breakdown of the family
- removing the Bible from the public square (especially schools) and requiring secularistic science teaching
- affluence --> laziness (engineering school enrollment, etc)
- feminism (more girls now going to college than boys, divorce epidemic, etc, cf. Mohler articles such as http://www.albertmohler.com/2009/10/23/feminism-unfulfilled-why-are-so-many-women-unhappy/
http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/02/09/newsnote-where-are-the-young-men/
http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/02/05/newsnote-masculinity-in-a-can-fight-club-at-church-and-the-crisis-of-manhood/
http://www.albertmohler.com/2009/10/28/the-divorce-divide-a-national-embarrassment/)
- media evil: Hollywood movies, tv shows, pornography, etc

factors in the predicted coming economic collapse of the USA and subsequent one-world government
Global:
- sovereign debt (of many nations, e.g. Greece, Spain, Ireland, Britain, and the USA...)
- oil dependency - for transportation, food growing and transporting, manufacturing, energy, etc
- nuclear Iran (dilemma: if pre-emptive attack of Iran, risk losing 'world goodwill', if wait/sanctions, risk nuclear war and/or an EMP-bomb attack against Israel, Europe, USA, etc) http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/the-time-to-act-against-iran-is-fast-approaching/?singlepage=true
USA:
  - national sovereign debt - $14 trillion and growing - now equal to 100% of the 2010 GDP
- continued expansion of government entitlement programs like welfare, unemployment, disability, medicare, etc
- social security collapsing due to borrowing - e.g. paying out more than it takes in, starting 2010 http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/539411/201007061804/Are-Overdue-Reports-Concealing-ObamaCare-Impact-On-Medicare-.aspx
- the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - approximately $1 billion spent so far
- the subprime mortgage crisis due to Clinton-era FreddieMac/FannieMae intervention - http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerkimball/2008/09/29/who-caused-the-biggest-financial-crisis-since-the-great-depression/
- 12 million illegal immigrants taking up millions of dollars in local services
- high personal credit card debt, $8000 average per household
- the Obama $700 billion 'stimulus' bill of 2009
- the national healthcare bill of 2010, taking effect gradually over the next 5 years
- Bush tax cuts expiring in 2011

Predictions
  - something will trigger a global economic meltdown
- runaway money-printing / inflation will occur in USA and the dollar will lose most or all of its value (cf. Argentina, Zimbabwe)
- some level of national turmoil will occur, especially acutely in the cities with riots when gas and food run out
- Christians will experience major persecution

At some point, the world will transition to a one-world Islamic government and everyone who accepts the new world leader will receive an implanted RFID microchip allowing them to buy and sell.  However, the timing of the transition is not known... the USA meltdown might occur many years before the world transition, or within a few weeks or months.   God might grant many more years to the earth before bringing the final end of the age.

Recommendations
- http://tim223.xanga.com/722854326/preparing-for-the-coming-distress/ (Rejoice in Jesus Christ all day long!    and prepare in a few prudent earthly ways)
- Pray for revival in the USA...
- More ideas: www.transitionus.org  ,  www.postpeakliving.com

Our government seems to be relying more and more on Other People's Money these days... in the continued welfare programs for unemployed people, in moving toward a more socialized healthcare system, in borrowing money from China and other countries to sustain our deficit, etc.

At some point, there usually comes a time when it is generally realized that borrowing other people's money won't work any more.   "Why don't you spend the money from your own pocket to help the poor, rather than taking money from someone else's pocket?"... the sentiment is eventually inevitable.

However, this post is not primarily about fiscal policy, but about an analogy between the eventual breakdown of such "OPM" expectations and the salvation of our friends who do not believe in Jesus.  First a bit of background, then a thought at the end making the link.

As many of you readers know, the Bible indicates that all humans have an inborn bent toward sinning (inherited from Adam and Eve) which causes us to commit actual sins... thousands of them every day... acts of arrogant evil and corruption in blatant disobedience to God.   Even people who do not read the Bible still have some knowledge of what is right and wrong... and still often choose to do what's wrong anyway.

As the Bible explains, the One True God who created the world happens to be both Just and Loving.  His Justice does not allow him to turn a blind eye to our sins.  Instead, "the person who sins will die" (Ezekiel 18:20); "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).  But His Love caused Him to decide to essentially pay the debt Himself that we owed... God the Son in cooperation with God the Father volunteered to be "pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

It so happens that not everyone will receive this salvation, however... only those who "believe"; those whose hearts God "opens" (Acts 16:14) to accept God's free gift of salvation and put their allegiance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.   Moreover, according to Jesus this will be a minority of humanity:  "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

It so happens that I have received this free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and so I will some day be in heaven forever with God in indescribable joy and bliss, though I fully deserve instead to be forever in hell.  But it also so happens that a large percentage of my friends, neighbors, coworkers, and other acquaintances do not believe in Jesus and so are on their way toward eternal hell and what the Bible calls "the second death".   So I am often burdened to pray for my friends, that God would have mercy on them and open their eyes to see the truth.

And so, I often beg for "Other Person's Mercy", specifically, that God would have mercy on my friends, changing their minds to see the evil of their own souls and their need for Jesus Christ.  I so desire it.... I so want my friends to experience eternal life rather than eternal death.  I want this so badly that sometimes I almost get upset with God for His delay in answering these prayers, and my fear that maybe He will say "no" and my friends will end up in Hell.

Recently then, I was reminded how it is completely God's prerogative to show His own mercy to whomever He deems would be best to enter Life, since He is "paying the bill" of their ransom, so to speak.  I can ask, but that's all I can do.  It's not my place to dole out His mercy and His suffering and His 100%-commitment-'chesed'-covenant-love to various humans that I meet during my seventy-whatever year trek on earth with my 3-pound puny little brain.  If He decides not to select any of my unbelieving friends for salvation, I can trust the all-knowing, eternal, infinitely loving and infinitely wise God to choose what is best.

Do you have 5 minutes to spare toward the cause of saving millions of innocent lives?  Do you have 5 minutes to spare for the sake of your country?

The United States' president's health care bills are currently being debated and voted upon in Congress.  They have been stripped of the protections of conscience freedoms and protections against funding abortion with tax dollars.  In other words, if it passes, millions more innocent young human lives will be killed over the next years.   Here's a link with some more information: http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/03/16/this-is-life-were-talking-about-abortion-and-the-health-care-bill/

You have an opportunity to contact your senators and representatives to oppose it.  You can email, call, or fax them.  Here's the link for your Representative: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml  , and here's the link for your Senator: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Do you have five minutes to save a baby's life?

Interesting link --  http://movein.to/vision/

We are encouraging all young Christians to ask themselves to move where they move on purpose and to challenge their default motivations.  Sadly, it seems to have become the norm for Christians to move into a neighbourhood not because of the need or because of a calling to reach it, but because it is convenient. Furthermore, neighbourhoods that are inconvenient or unsafe are avoided.

It is time for Christians to move into neighbourhoods because they are not safe - to move into neighbourhoods that are messy and have high crime rates, high poverty rates, low standards of living, and a disproportionate representation of Christ.

“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” Paul, Romans 15:20

Tonight I came across an article in a recent The Atlantic issue written by a secular reporter about the prosperity gospel in America. I found it sad and challenging and thought some of you readers might be interested in it too. Afterward, I also came across a related 2007 article in Christianity Today and some related articles on Desiring God.org. I copied all the links below.

If you only have time to read or watch one out of all of these, I'd recommend prioritizing the 10-minute video of John Piper explaining "Why I abominate the prosperity gospel". He discusses a lot of scripture; it's not just his opinions. I'd love to hear any more thoughts you might have!

Article 1 - "Did Christianity Cause the Crash?"

Article 2 - "Gospel Riches - Africa's rapid embrace of prosperity Pentecostalism provokes concern--and hope"

Article 3 - "Prosperity Preaching - Deceitful and Deadly"

Video - "Why I abominate the prosperity gospel"