Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Driscoll: Jesus Shoots the Wolves



I had the opportunity to be present when this message was delivered at a DG National Conference.  It is one of the most memorable and most powerful messages I have ever heard.  The entire message is available for free on audio and video.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

To Judge or Not to Judge?

"By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are."

- Dietrich Bonhoefffer

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Politics & Religion

If one is looking to ruffle feathers, one needs look no further than the subjects of politics or religion.  If one is looking to get stones throne at them, one needs only combine the two. 

I am stunned at the silence proceeding from many church leaders, denomination leaders, indeed many Christian leaders in our nation regarding some of the happenings of our day.  I know that there are many bold leaders, who regularly preach the truth from pulpits that have a broad and in some cases national and international reach.  Yet these leaders remain silent regarding a great many issues that are effecting our society today. 

Don't get me wrong, some are starting to stand up and to speak up.  But most are choosing the sidelines rather than the front lines.  Bonhoeffer's words reach prophetically from his grave to our day, "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil:  God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act." 

I admit that I do not know all of the details, however as I understand it, there are some rules that pertain to churches in order for them to maintain their tax exempt status.  One of which is that political statements cannot be made from the pulpit.  Again Metaxas' book on Bonhoeffer still rings in my ears with the sound of the nazi government of the 1930's which became very involved in what preachers could and could not say from the pulpits of Germany.

To America's preachers I make this plea:  Speak up.  Speak up now, while you still can.  Engage your congregation in understanding the events of our time, how the Bible speaks to those events, and how that impacts us and our responsibility as followers of Christ.

Surely many people will cry "separation of church and state" when they encounter the combination of politics and religion.  Yet as for me and my house, we will both cherish and use the freedoms that our country was founded on, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of religion (NOT freedom from religion). 

I am a patriot, I love my country, I am proud to be an American, but I am first a follower of Christ.  To the United States of America:  You can keep you tax exempt status.  I'm going to say what needs to be said.