Pixelated Pad and Pen

Kevin DeYoung on Patriotism and the Church

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 30 May 2011 13:01:00 +0000

There are approximately 25 nationalities in the church where I'm an elder. Every Friday (we worship in a Muslim country) is a little vision of Revelation chapter 7:9-12.

Last year there was a young man from the US who was doing a semester internship in Dubai and attending out church. He had never had an extended experience outside the US and God was teaching him some important things about his heart for the ALL the nations.

One Friday after the service he said, "It's amazing to experience this church... You don't pray for the troops (like my church back home). But if you did, who's troops would you pray for?!"

Along that theme, Kevin DeYoung, a US pastor, author, and blogger writes on Memorial Day celebrations and the church...

We (Americans) should pray for service men and women in our congregations. We should pray for the President. We should pray for the just cause to triumph over the evil one. We are not moral relativists. We do not believe just because all people are sinners and all nations are sinful that no person or no nation can be more righteous or more wicked than another. God may be on America’s side in some (not all) her endeavors.

But please think twice before putting on a Star Spangled gala in church this Sunday. I love to hear the national anthem and “God Bless America” and “My Country, Tis of Thee,” but not in church where the nations gather to worship the King of all peoples. I love to see the presentation of colors and salute our veterans, but these would be better at the Memorial Day parade or during a time of remembrance at the cemetery. Earthly worship should reflect the on-going worship in heaven. And while there are many Americans singing glorious songs to Jesus there, they are not singing songs about the glories of America. We must hold to the traditions of the Apostles in our worship, not the traditions of American history. The church should not ask of her people what is not required in Scripture. So how can we ask the Koreans and Chinese and Mexicans and South Africans in our churches to pledge allegiance to a flag that is not theirs? Are we gathered under the banner of Christ or another banner? Is the church of Jesus Christ–our Jewish Lord and Savior–for those draped in the red, white, and blue or for those washed in the blood of the Lamb?

In some parts of the church, every hint of patriotism makes you a jingoistic idolater. You are allowed to love every country except your own. But in other parts of the church, true religion blends too comfortably into civil religion. You are allowed to worship in our services as long as you love America as much as we do. I don’t claim to have arrived at the golden mean, but I imagine many churches could stand to think more carefully about their theology of God and country. Churches should be glad to have their members celebrate Memorial Day with gusto this Monday. We should be less sanguine about celebrating it with pomp and circumstance on Sunday.

You can read the rest of his post here.

(ht: Justin Taylor)

HRH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al Maktoum Visits the American School of Dubai

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:42:00 +0000

My wife works half time as a nurse at the same school my kids attend here in Dubai: The American School of Dubai. It's the oldest American curriculum school in Dubai and they just moved to a brand new campus in Al Barsha. The campus is spectacular.

Today Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al Maktoum visited (one day notice) to tour the new facility. Flags were handed out to all the students and the day was spent getting ready for his arrival and then in welcoming him.

When we arrived 9 years ago I saw Sheikh Mohammad driving down the road or on the beach several times during the first couple years.

Then as Dubai exploded in growth and Sheikh Mohammad became the countries Vice President, rather than Dubai Crown Prince, he became less prominently seen in public.

Here's a picture my wife snapped with her phone camera this afternoon.

A Christian's View of Osama's Death - Part 2 (Thankful)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:43:00 +0000

As our dinner conversation continued I interjected, "As much as I'm sad that he was not a Christian before his death, I'm also thankful upon hearing this news".

"Why thankful Dad?"

I'm thankful because the Bible teaches that God has put governments and earthly powers in place to restrain evil and even punish evil, at least in an 'earth-bound' sense. God even uses governments and leaders who do not believe in him and do not submit to his law or believe his gospel.

Osama bin Laden was a man who ordered the murder of thousands of people. I believe it was right to order that he be hunted down and stopped. That is the role of the state, as fallible and imperfect as it is.

But I don't think that my thankfulness should turn to jubilation or celebration. That implies vengeance and that is not something that Christians are to take on (Rom 12:19). As thankful as I am for this event, the scenes of partying, flag waving, and raucous singing of songs like "We Are the Champions" seems grossly inappropriate for Christians because even God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek 18:23).

These two feelings, sadness and thankfulness, remind me of the two Kingdoms of which I'm a part. First I'm a part of the heavenly Kingdom because of faith in Christ. My citizenship is ultimately in heaven. This is my most important citizenship (Phil 3:20) and my desire to see all men come to a saving knowledge of Jesus is the sentiment that brings sadness at Osama's death.

But I'm also a citizen of an earthly Kingdom; the United States. And I'm commanded by God to obey the authorities over me in this Kingdom as well, in as much as they don't force me to disobey God. So I'm glad when the government restrains and punishes evil as God has intended it to do. (Incidentally, I'm also a resident of the United Arab Emirates and I see it as my duty before God to obey their laws and be subject to their government as well, in as much as they don't command me to refrain from doing something that God has commanded me to do).

The goal of the people in the first Kingdom, local churches, is to spread the knowledge of God and his Gospel (see Matt 28 again). And a major goal of the second Kingdom, the State, is to uphold earthly justice, restrain and punish evil (1 Peter 2:14). It's the proper role of militaries to defend, protect, and restrain evil but the role of the church in the world is take the Gospel to the nations.

And so you and I live with a cross section of responsibilities and citizenships, both "in the world but not of the world". That's how I can be both sad and thankful for Osama's death.

Note: Some of you have commented on what it means to "love your neigbor" if your neighbor was Osama bin Laden. I would hope you would share the gospel with him (if possible). Or at least wouldn't you want the gospel shared with any jihadist? One popular account these days is of the conversion of son of a Hamas leader. What if no one had shared the gospel with him? And I would hope too that you would pray that any murderer would be caught and punished for his actions. Loving people doesn't mean we let them do whatever they want to do, but it doesn't include withholding the message of hope from them either.

A Christian's View of Osama's Death - Part 1 (Sad)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Tue, 03 May 2011 10:11:00 +0000

We finished thanking God for our dinner and then began eating.

"So Osama bin Laden was shot and killed yesterday. There are pictures all over the internet of cheering Americans waving flags celebrating. What do you think a Christian should think about his death? How should we think about this event in a Christian way?"

"We should be sad because he wasn't a Christian" piped up Emma, my youngest and only not-yet-a-teenager.

As much as I'm glad that a mass murderer has met with justice (more on that in another post) I agreed with her. To think about the world from a Christian perspective means to think about it from a Gospel perspective. And anyone who has not repented and believed in Christ still has the condemnation of God to face. (John 3:18) That's true for him and it's true for everyone else as well. It's why we share the Gospel with everyone and anyone. (Matt 28:18-20/Acts 4:12) Because the gospel message is the only thing capable of removing the condemnation of God from us and making us adopted sons and daughters of the King.

In the 2 Chronicles 33 there is a story of King Manasseh. If ever there was a despicable human being it was him. Charged with leading the nation of Israel in the ways of God, he did the exact opposite. He led Israel away from God. Injustice, murder, immorality, and idol worship all grew during his reign. And as if to characterize his evil reign with one sentence, it says he sacrificed his own children on the altar of foreign gods. (2 Chronicles 33:6) He literally put his children to death in a selfish attempt to gain favor with the foreign gods of the nations around them.

So God brought other nations to conquer Israel in judgment. And Manasseh was led away in chains and thrown into the prison of his captors. That seems just doesn't it?

But God is so rich in mercy that he moved in Masasseh's heart to truly and deeply repent of his sin. Sitting in that dungeon was the mercy of God to awaken him to his own wretchedness. He truly and deeply repented. And God forgave him.

Not only that but God eventually had him rescued from prison and restored to the throne in Jerusalem.

Now that's amazing grace.

If God can forgive Manasseh then there is hope for everyone else on the planet. People like Osama bin Laden and even me.

Dubai Muslim Christian Dialogue - Raw Audio

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:19:00 +0000

The following is the 3+ hour audio of the recent Muslim-Christian Dialogue held in Dubai on March 6, 2011. The event featured Thabiti Anyabwile and Bassam Zawadi as speakers. Video is being currently produced and will be available in April.

http://www.mediafire.com/?83g6artz4tsp1p9

Great Quote: The Aim of Music

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:29:00 +0000

The aim and final end of all music should be none other
than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. If heed
is not paid to this, it is not true music but a diabolical
bawling and twanging.

... J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Great Quote: The Limits of Logic

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:48:00 +0000

Every logical position ... will eventually lead into
trouble, and heresy, and chaos. Every logical position is fully
consistent, but coherence arises from the human mind, not
God's. The human mind is finite and cannot grasp eternity, and
therefore the finite mind sees the infinite as not graspable
coherently. If we could grasp it all coherently, without
contradiction, we would be God. The person who insists on being
logical to the end winds up in a mess. I am not saying that we
should not be rational. I am not anti-intellectual. I am saying
that the intellect by itself is helpless to arrive at total
truth.

... Kenneth L. Pike (1912-2001), Stir, Change, Create, p.
44

Iranian Government Unveils Islamic Ministry Approved Haircuts

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:16:00 +0000

As reported in the UK Telegraph, the Iranian government unveiled Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. People without these "approved" haircuts risk arrest and barber shops offering "un-Islamic" haircuts risk being shut down.

"The proposed styles are inspired by Iranians' complexion, culture and religion, and Islamic law," said Jaleh Khodayar, who is in charge of a Modesty and Veil Festival later this month at which the guide will be promoted.

AFP: Boxing's Mike Tyson on Mecca pilgrimage: report

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:15:00 +0000

AFP: Boxing's Mike Tyson on Mecca pilgrimage: report

Fun with Misplaced News Headlines

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:59:00 +0000

Is Diego Maradona looking for a new home after his current World Cup loss?

7days, a local newspaper here in Dubai, is famous for it's headlines and pictures that don't match. I don't know why they don't see the funny associations that will occur when they look at the final layout. There are typically two stories on the front page. One that is dominated by a picture and the other that is dominated by text.

Often the two become intertwined. The above picture is an example. The headline belongs to an article about some workers who have been abandoned by their company here in Dubai. Diego Maradona, the coach of the Argentinian football team in the current World Cup is pictured as well. He's dejected because Argentina are out of the tournament.

And with their recent loss combined with the extreme passion for football in Argentina, maybe he does qualify as a "stranded man". Maybe it's not so smart for Diego to go back to Argentina for a while.

gulfnews : Scholars divided over imam's fatwa on music

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:41:00 +0000

Riyadh: A fatwa (religious ruling) issued by Shaikh Adel Al Kalbani, a former imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, in which he claimed that Islam does not forbid singing and music has split Saudi scholars, Islamic thinkers and secularists...

Al Kalbani is a son of an emigrant from the UAE who came to Saudi Arabia from Ras Al Khaimah in the 1950s looking for work.

gulfnews : Scholars divided over imam's fatwa on music

History and Doctrine - J. Gresham Machen

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:26:00 +0000

"From the beginning, the Christian gospel, as indeed the name "gospel" or "good news" implies, consisted in an account of something that had happened. And from the beginning, the meaning of the happening was set forth; and when the meaning of the happening was set forth, then there was Christian doctrine. "Christ died"-that is history; "Christ died for our sins"-that is doctrine. Without these two elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluable union, there is no Christianity.

It is perfectly clear, then, that the first Christian missionaries did not simply come forward with an exhortation; they did not say: "Jesus of Nazareth lived a wonderful life of filial piety, and we call upon you our hearers to yield yourselves, as we have done, to the spell of that life." Certainly that is what modern historians would have expected the first Christian missionaries to say, but it must be recognized that as a matter of fact they said nothing of the kind.

...The great weapon with which the disciples of Jesus set out to conquer the world was not a mere comprehension of eternal principles; it was an historical message, an account of something that had recently happened; it was the message, "He is risen." The world was to be redeemed by the proclamation of this event. And with the event went the meaning of the event; and the setting forth of the event with the meaning of the event was doctrine. These two elements are always combined in the Christian message. The narration of the facts is history, the narration of the facts with the meaning of the facts is doctrine. Such was the Christianity of the primitive church."

(Taken from J. Gresham Machen's Christianity and Liberalism [Eerdmans, 1923], pp. 27-29)

In Islamic Iran prayer sellers' trade is booming

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:53:00 +0000

In Islamic Iran prayer sellers' trade is booming

Here's an interesting quote from the article...

"'There are lots of methods depending on the problems. Some prayers (written on a piece of paper) should be burned and some should be put in a bowl of water. You should follow the instructions.'

According to Islam, prayers have a divine source and make a spiritual connection between God and his servants. Those who have the right religious knowledge can write prayers for others to help them obtain better results."

What do you think effects if and how God answers our prayers?

Consider reading Matthew 6:5-13 and Matthew 7:9-11 in the Bible.

First 'official' gurdwara in Dubai - Chandigarh - City - The Times of India

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:27:00 +0000

First 'official' gurdwara in Dubai - Chandigarh - City - The Times of India

This Sikh temple has been under construction about 200 meters from the church we attended up until planting Redeemer Church in February. They've been working on it for over 2 years I would say. I think it's pretty progressive for the country to allow this temple to be built. And it's kind of interesting that it's been given space right next to the church compound in Jebel Ali where there are about 12 churches meeting each week.

Some might be upset about it but I hope it provides an opportunity to engage some new Sikh neighbors in conversation about who is God and what is true about the world, people, and our eternal destiny.

By the way, I (hope) think this might have been a misquote?... "Sikhs don’t worship idols like in Islam and once authorities were convinced that setting up a gurdwara was not anti-Islamic, things quickly started falling in place. My dream is to make Guru Nanak Durbar the best, second only to the Golden Temple in Amritsar," adds Kandhari."

Canada cancels travel visa of Islamic preacher - thestar.com

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:46:00 +0000

More places that Zakir Naik can't visit now...

Canada cancels travel visa of Islamic preacher - thestar.com

UAE shuts 40 firms for illegal trade with Iran - Arab News

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:14:00 +0000

Ahem... It's interesting to know that there may be nuclear centrifuges in the neighborhood. It is only a short boat ride from Ras Al Khaimah to Iranian shores. :)

UAE shuts 40 firms for illegal trade with Iran - Arab News

On C.H. Dodd's Influence in the Revised Standard Version

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:26:00 +0000

For all you Christian theology buffs...

There's an interesting quote in the first chapter of the book "Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution". It sheds some light on a bible translation that I've used often in the past.

"In the mid-twentieth century, the case against penal substitution was articulated most strongly by the Biblical scholar C. H. Dodd... his understanding of (texts referring to propitiation) was also reflected in the Revised Standard Version, produced in 1946."

This makes me want to go back and read some important passages in the RSV. Passages like Romans 3:25, 1 John 2:2, and 1 John 4:10.

Email Campaign to Protest the UK's Rejection of Zakir Naik

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:40:00 +0000

An interesting development has come about as a result of the UK's rejection of Dr. Zakir Naik to enter the UK for a Muslim event in Sheffield. An email is circulating here in the UAE with this message:

World Briefing - Europe - Britain - No Entry for Preacher With Radical Views on Islam - NYTimes.com

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 03:04:00 +0000

World Briefing - Europe - Britain - No Entry for Preacher With Radical Views on Islam - NYTimes.com

This article above is about Dr. Zakir Naik, an Islamic preacher based out of Mumbai. I heard him speak in Dubai several years ago and I was on some type of Islamic mailing list and was sent an announcement of his Sheffield lectures recently as well. I have some Muslim friends here in Dubai who know him. I'm sure they're disappointed with this outcome.

Sermon on Luke 7:1-10; The Centurion with the Greatest Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:43:00 +0000

My latest sermon on Luke 7:1-10.

Evangelism and Social Justice

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:42:00 +0000

I recently read a 2009 Christianity Today editorial with which, for the most part, I really agreed. It is entitled "The Greatest Social Need". Here is a quote to help you know what it's about.

The greatest social need in the world today is not HIV/AIDS outreach. It's not hunger. It's not global warming. Not ending poverty or eliminating malaria or tuberculosis. Not clean water. Not racial reconciliation. Not sexual trafficking. Not abortion. And it's not peace in the Middle East, and not even world peace... That social problem is alienation from God.

I posted this article on my facebook page and it drew an interesting response from one young woman. Here is her response.

She says, "strange, i've noticed the opposite. christians who evangelize to the poor without addressing any of their needs (except perhaps to put a band-aid on their problems by throwing money at them or going on a week or two trip). seems that there should be a balance between addressing both the physical and spiritual needs of a person. we do not fully know the gospel if we preach to the suffering, but leave them in it. we "do violence to the poor" by giving them a gospel that we do not live out."

I've written a response to her here. Read it and tell me what you think. It's a pressing issue in Evangelicalism today.

Let me address your comment and the article. The article argues that the spiritual problem of alienation from God is the biggest problem the world faces. Genesis chapter 3 (and onward) makes this clear. All other problems stem from sin and death being loosed into the world. And if you believe what Jesus and his apostles taught then you know that dying without coming into a saving relationship with Christ leaves people separated from God and eternally condemned. This is a terrible fate.

These days, the pressure from those outside our faith (and from many inside now) is to basically abandon sharing the Gospel with people and to emphasize things like eradicating hunger, disease, and things like sexual trafficking. These are all terrible things of course. All stemming from Genesis 3.

The article doesn't say that Christians should not help those in physical need. In fact, those who are truly regenerated by God through the Gospel and who understand the implications of the Gospel for their lives will begin to work for these issues of social justice but they continue to understand the proclamation of the gospel is the greatest pressing need of the people on our planet.

So why are there lots of people who are rich and go to church and do nothing in the way of physically loving their neighbor? I think that's what is bothering you. My opinion is that there are many who are not truly regenerated; they are not really Christians. The other problem is that they are not being taught well and discipled in the implications of the Gospel for their lives.

But the answer for both these categories of people is not to just demand that they begin to feed to the poor. That is what seems to be happening in evangelicalism. The drumbeat is to focus on social action. But in doing this many of these people are left unconverted and undiscipled with no real knowledge of the very Gospel that would produce sacrificial lives (Acts 2:42-47).

In fact, sidelining the true Gospel only produces self-righteous do-gooders, many of whom will meet Jesus on the day of judgement and point to their acts of service to others only to have Jesus say, "Depart from me, I never knew you." (Matthew 7:21-23)

If it's true as James says, "Faith without works is dead" then what people who have no true faith need is... faith! They need the transforming power of the Gospel. Remember, the Gospel is not just how we enter into the Kingdom of Christ, it's how we're sustained and grow too. Titus 2:11-14 reminds us that it's grace (or the Gospel essentially) that teaches us to live godly lives, i.e. feeding the poor and healing the sick.

Teach the Gospel to transform people and the world; to both save people for all eternity and unleash a community which will serve others sacrificially.

Great Quote: "He Who Through Faith is Righteous, Shall Live"

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:18:00 +0000

In Romans 1:17, we are accustomed to find the words, "The
just shall live by faith." This declaration has been a clarion
call to faith and has been the text for many a sermon on the
necessity of continued faith throughout life. It is true that
this verse may have this meaning, but it is more probable that
it means, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." This
is in keeping with the whole emphasis of Paul throughout
Romans, which has as its theme "justification by faith" (Romans
5:1). Paul does not present two themes in Romans: the one,
"living by faith," and the other, "justification by faith." His
purpose was to emphasize one great primary truth of Christian
doctrine: the righteousness which comes by faith in God. It is
a kind of imputed righteousness, which has its origin in the
grace of God and its response in the faith of man. Not only is
this translation more in keeping with the Pauline context, but
it is more faithful to the Hebrew of Habakkuk 2:4, of which it
is a quotation.
... Eugene A. Nida (b. 1914), God's Word in Man's Language,
Harper, 1952, p. 73

Sad But Funny Satire on Contemporary and Relevant Church Services

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 10 May 2010 11:26:00 +0000

It's been another long stretch of time since I posted to the blog. Kinda feeling the "itch" to restart. Of course long layoffs are not good for building faithful readership :) Oh well.

Just saw this today. Pretty funny stuff.

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Women of Saudi Arabia

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:24:00 +0000

Very interesting video today on the women of Saudi Arabia. The women of Dubai/UAE have many more freedoms and yet the video is instructive about some of the basic aspects of the lives of women in the Gulf.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Disturbing Article on Marital Reconciliation Methods

noreply@blogger.com (Brian64) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:09:00 +0000

This article published on November 9, 2009 is titled Official Stresses Need for Marital Reconciliation in the GulfNews states this near the end.

According to Sharia, a husband is counselled to adopt a civilised and productive method and to be responsible and patient before divorcing.

"We call that ... the gradual edifying reconciliation method … whenever a husband notices a bizarre behaviour from his wife, he can advise her, then avoid sleeping with her in one room and if that doesn't work out then he can whip her gently in a manner that makes her understand the situation.

Is this standard interpretation of Sharia Law?