60-Second Stretch

Less Talk, More Action

2020-03-18T17:37:00.000-04:00

The past two days, I’ve watched as many businesses and organizations—large and small, for-profit and not-for-profit—figure out creative ways to stay in business while at the same time creating additional (i.e., previously unavailable) value for their audience. This is a win/win strategy! For example, I’ve seen:

A group of church marketing experts who are offering congregations free advice on how to quickly establish livestreaming and online community options
A marketing firm that is offering a webinar on how to better manage your marketing during a crisis
A drug store that is offering free delivery of prescription medications
A nonprofit consultant who is offering a free tip sheet on how to communicate event cancellations

This is just a few of the many examples I’ve seen. These things cost the businesses very little, but they are delivering something new that will really help their customers and clients. In each example, they started with a simple question:

What can I create/do, right now, to help people, that is in alignment with my core business model and values?

In less than a week, we’ve been flooded with an unprecedented amount of information and commentary about the problem: COVID-19. Very few of us (possibly none of us outside medical and science fields) actually need more info about the problem. What we all need are solutions—ways to cope, manage, and possibly even thrive during this crisis.

What added value can you offer others—on top of what you typically offer—that will actually help people to survive (and maybe even thrive) during this crisis?

Figure that out and do it! It may be just a seed today, but you better believe that people will remember what you did to help them, and before long you’ll start to see the fruit of your kindness.

Thanksgiving Ushers in Peace!

2018-11-01T21:26:00.001-04:00

When my kids were little, we spent many long hours traveling to the grandparents’ house for the holidays. In order to help our littles cope with the 6 or 10-hour trips (one way) they always packed a “busy bag”. Invariably, something ALWAYS got left behind and grandma would find it later. So I started making them create an inventory list of what they were taking. Then, as we packed to head back home, they used the inventory to make sure they had everything. It saved us MUCH consternation over the “I forgot my favorite ___” panic/meltdown.

Taking “inventory” is not a new concept by any means. In fact, it was actually a common occurrence in the Old Testament because they Israelites were a nomadic people. The articles of the Tabernacle had to be inventoried on the many moves to make sure each piece was accounted for (Exodus 38:21 – “This is the inventory for the Tabernacle …”). But God also instructed His people take an “inventory” of the ways He had blessed and cared for them. That’s a really good and healthy practice to keep. The Bible even gives as a list of 12 specific reasons we should give thanks which would make a great “inventory” sheet!

I have more to say about this inventory, but I want to shift gears for just a few minutes.

I love Christmas. I truly feel it is the most peaceful time of the year. But research shows that this is absolutely not true for millions of people. For a myriad of reasons, Christmas causes a tremendous amount of frustration, anger, violence, loneliness, and more. What causes Christmas to be peaceful for some but not for many others? I’m convinced that there are some very specific reasons that Christmas is a time of great peacefulness—at least for my family.

First is the fact that Christmas is a time in which we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:14). Those who do not recognize that this is what Christmas is really about are off on the wrong foot, for sure. But there are plenty who do understand the true nature of Christmas and still manage to miss out on the tremendous season of peace that it can be. I think there’s a reason for that which is also found in Scripture. Look at Philippians 4:4-7:

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Those who know me know my distaste for our culture’s inexplicable rush to crank up the Christmas machine as soon as Halloween is over. I hear you: If Christmas is such a peaceful time, why shouldn’t we rush to get it rolling and extend it as long as possible? That’s a legitimate question. And here’s my answer: I feel like, from a theological/psychological point of view, the rush to kick off Christmas is too often accompanied by an improper shift in attitude, like skipping a grade, skipping in line, or skipping gears in a vehicle. Not ALL the time. Not EVERY person. But far too often. Far too many. The proof is back in Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians. Look at it again with some key phrases emphasized:

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

There’s a very specific pattern here. If you first rejoice, offering prayers and petitions with thanksgiving, peace will follow.

In other words, a rejoicing, prayerful Thanksgiving precedes and USHERS IN a time of Peace!

Psychologically, symbolically, and even theologically, to focus on Thanksgiving sets you up to have a truly peaceful Christmas. When you essentially “skip ahead” to Christmas, you are inclined to miss the proper setup, the preparation as God intended. Now, that’s not to imply that the calendar arrangement of Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December is somehow divine, but it is fortuitous. It is a practical way to help you approach the birth of Christ with the right mentality, to help insure that Christmas is a season in which the Prince of Peace rules and reigns in your soul and in your home.

At the beginning of this post I mentioned that God has instructed us to take an “inventory” of the ways He has blessed and cared for us. Now look at the next two verses in Paul’s letter to the Philippians:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you” (4:8-9).

Notice the END of verse 8: THINK about these things. The Greek word is logizomai , which literally means to take inventory. Take inventory of the things for which you should give thanks and THEN the God of peace will be with you.

There is a divine order to things—rejoice, pray with thanksgiving, take inventory of all the good things God has done and then PEACE will come—and it just so happens that our holiday traditions match that order. I think that’s truly fantastic, and it is something for which I personally am VERY thankful!

Christmas Angels, Pt 1

2017-12-21T19:22:00.000-05:00

No doubt about it: Christmas is a magical season. Short-lived though it may be, the Christmas Spirit transforms our lives and communities each year in a way that no other holiday even comes close to doing. Back when all my children were young (early 2000's), I had a realization about one particular Christmas transformation that I had never thought of before: The ability to talk and sing openly about Angels—without baseball, ridicule, or straight jackets being involved! So I opened my Bible, did a bit of reading, and realized (also for the first time) that in the Gospel according to Luke, the good doctor mentions three separate encounters with angels that are all critically tied to the birth of Christ. Here’s the first.

Zechariah’s Angel

The priests stood in a circle awaiting the casting of lots. The first lot, which took place at the break of day, was to decide who would clean the altar and prepare its fires. Later that morning, at the second gathering, lots were cast to decide who would offer the sacrifice and clean up the candlestick and the altar of incense. But the third lot was the most important, the most prized. Sure, the sacrifice was critical, because it was the only way to obtain a “meeting” with God. But the sacrifice was not the end game. The highest honor of a priest’s regular duties was in the third lot. It was then that it would be determined who should have his prayers “like incense” (Psa 141:2) lifted up before the Lord in the Holy Place.

Zechariah, a descendant of Abijah (and thus Aaron), was one of 16 different priestly families who rotated duties. With such a large number of priests vying for the third lot, only those who had never offered incense upon the altar were deemed eligible. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be chosen for this sacred duty of prayer.

After the assistants had reverently spread the coals on the golden altar and arranged the special incense (a mixture of Frankincense and spices), the chosen priest was left alone in the Holy Place, while the remainder of the priests awaited reverently outside in anxious intercession.

Zechariah and his wife had served the Temple faithfully for many years. Luke says that they were “both righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” (Lk 1:6). Yet, despite their faithfulness, Elizabeth remained barren. For a priest, it was the ultimate humiliation; the Scarlett Letter that he could not shake. And now, on this one day, he found himself chosen by sacred lot to stand just inches from the curtain which separated mankind from the very throne of God’s representative presence on earth. It was surely a sign that God was not punishing him or his wife. Hope was being reborn.

His heart raced and his hands trembled as he symbolically lifted up the people of Israel in prayer through the pure white smoke of the sacred incense. But deep down, Zechariah remained burdened by his own situation. Surely, the thoughts of his barren Elizabeth fought their way through his subconscious mind as he prayed silently, reverently.

The temple was eerily quiet. Any noise outside was lost in the reverential solitude of the Holy Place. Zechariah was alone, with God, and with his own thoughts.

And then the unimaginable happened. Luke says that “an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared to him” (v. 11). Confused and frightened beyond words, Zechariah felt his knees begin to buckle and his head grow faint from the sudden rush of adrenaline. His eyes filled with terror as he stood frozen in holy awe.

Then the Angel spoke. “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. Joy and gladness will come to you, and many will rejoice at his birth” (vv. 13-14).

The joy he experienced at that moment was almost overwhelming. After all these years, it was finally true: God was not mad at him after all! God had heard his prayers. There would be a successor to the priestly line of Abijah.

Despite his doubts and concerns, Zechariah lived to see the birth of John. The words of Gabriel, though many months before the birth of Christ, rang true, and the world would never be the same again.

During this Christmas season, may your heart’s desires be like holy incense reaching straight into the throne room of heaven. And may the words of that special “Christmas Angel” ring as true for you as they did for Zechariah: “Do not be afraid, for God has heard your prayers.”

Click here to read part two.

LUCKY!

2017-03-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

Do you consider yourself to be a "lucky" person? How about a "blessed" person?

In 2000, recording artist Rachel Lampa released a song that you may remember:

“I am blessed / I am blessed / From when I rise up in the morning / 'Till I lay my head to rest.”

Are you blessed? Perhaps more importantly, what exactly does that mean? What sort of “proof” does that conjure up in your mind? Do you think of your family? Your job? Your great hair or flawless tan?

It’s interesting when we look at Matthew 5:1-12, some of Jesus’ remarks about the "blessed" are so counter-intuitive: Poor in spirit; mournful; persecuted; insulted. It's doubtful that very many of us would call ourselves "blessed" in these contexts.

There’s even more shocking stuff tucked away in these so-called “beatitudes” of the blessed. The Greek word is makarios, which means “fortunate, well off, happy.” It isn't a particularly religious word at all (especially when compared to eulogia). It describes someone who is in an enviable or "fortunate" position. It corresponds to the Hebrew asar and connotes someone whose paths are straight. In other words, no matter what, in the end, everything always seems to work out for this guy or gal. In the immortal proclamation of Napoleon Dynamite: “Lu-cky-y-y!”

Strange, right? Can you even imagine hearing these words: “Dude! Mr. Poor in spirit. You are lu-cky-y-y!” or “Whoa! Crying man. You are so-o-o lucky!” Weird. But keep in mind—not lucky as in some random chance of the cosmos or the result of owning a rabbit’s foot, but lucky as in being in the right place at the right time. How so? Because the Kingdom of heaven is near! Your circumstances are just right for the intervening grace of God. You will be comforted. You will inherit the earth. You will be satisfied. You will be shown mercy. You will see God. You will be called the children of God. If grace were a seed, your circumstances are the exact kind of soil that the blessings of God thrive in. “Lu-cky-y-y!”

Your circumstances may not make you feel very “lucky” or blessed, but you are, because you are a disciple of Christ, and each step of faith and obedience puts you in the right place the right time for God’s guidance and care. Lu-cky-y-y!

Have you ever thought about the beatitudes in this way? What do you like about it? What do you dislike?
Is this the kind of message that would appeal more to the person who seems to have been “born with a silver spoon in her mouth,” or to the person who is struggling?
Given the historical context, Jesus’ audience was most likely filled with those who were struggling—the poor, the lonely, the hurting. How do you think they responded to his message?

The beatitudes are the most well-known “blessed” verses, but there are plenty of others. If you really want to learn the secret to getting "lucky"—to being in the right place at the right time to experience God's blessings—take a look at these verses (opens a PDF via Google Drive)!

St. Patrick, Bold Faith

2017-03-15T12:28:00.000-04:00

Are you familiar with the classic hymn, "Be Thou My Vision"? Did you know the story behind it was inspired by the life of St. Patrick?

On the Eve of Easter (and during the Celtic feast of Bealtaine), 432, the High King Loaghaire prepared to kindle the “new fire” on top of a hill at Tara, the ancient capital of Ireland. All fires had to be extinguished as the High King lit the “first fire,” from which all others would then be lit. The Druids would then take these fires to their homes. But on this night of the Druid New Year, another first fire, ignited by the Holy Spirit himself, had already been lit in the heart of a man named Patrick. As such, Patrick couldn’t bear to stand back and watch this festival take place without opposition.

So Patrick built a fire of his own on the hill of Slane opposite the hill of Tara. The Druids complained to Loaghaire that the fire, lighted in defiance of his royal edict, would blaze forever unless they extinguished it that very night. Nine chariots were sent against the saint. But Patrick’s fire seemed to have magical powers and the kings’ men were unable to prevail against the power of this holy fire.

The next day, Loaghaire invited Saint Patrick to Tara, intending to ambush and kill him along the way. Patrick accepted the invitation. Along the path, he and eight young clerics began reciting the Breastplate Prayer (a.k.a., the “Deer’s Cry”). As the soldiers readied the ambush, a cloak of darkness fell over the men causing the soldiers to see only eight deer and a fawn going past them. Even the Druid wizards had warned the king that the posterity of this man would remain until doomsday, because he was the herald of the Prince of Peace. In the end, Loaghaire was forced to concede that Patrick’s God was more powerful than the gods of the Druids. From that time on, the influence of Saint Patrick spread until all of Ireland had heard the message of Easter, thanks to the courage and anointing of this remarkable disciple of Jesus Christ.

Today, a statue of St. Patrick sits atop Tara, an area once dedicated to the ancient pagan kings, while ruins of a 1512 "friary church" sit atop Slane. Each serves as a monument to the fire that "would blaze forever" throughout the Emerald Isle.

Patrick's boldness at Slane would eventually inspire an Irish folk song simply called Slane. Nearly two centuries later, the saintly poet Dallán Forgaill would pen the words to Rop tú mo Baile, which translated means Be Thou My Vision. Both the poem and the folk song were destined to meet, and today we have one more reason to be inspired by the life of St Patrick every time we sing this beloved and ancient hymn.

As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the Easter season, “May your blessings outnumber the Shamrocks and may the strength of Three be in your journey.”

The Story of Santa Claus, Part 2

2016-12-11T11:13:00.000-05:00

In part 1, we learned about the historical inspiration for Santa Claus, Nicholas of Myra, who died on December 6, 343. Nicholas’ habit of cheerful giving, and his commitment to both children and the poor, allowed him to become quite the celebrity.

After Nicholas’ death, the stories about him became bigger and more fantastic with each retelling. To thousands of people, especially sailors visiting the popular seaport town of Patara, Nicholas became a sort of superhero! True stories were mixed with fairy tales, and soon Bishop Nicholas became known as Saint Nicholas. His stories were told in faraway places like Germany, Spain, and even Holland, where Saint Nicholas was written as Sinterklaas (pronounced seen-tur-klos).

From Sweden to Greece, Christians everywhere loved Saint Nicholas. He became one of the most popular saints in the world, second only to Mary herself! And as the stories spread, a peculiar thing happened: more and more of those stories became about Nicholas rescuing and helping children. In fact, another famous tale about Nicholas involved him rescuing (and resurrecting) two boys out of pickle barrels!

Before long, people began celebrating December 6 as St. Nicholas Day. And children everywhere believed that—if they were good—on St. Nicholas’ Eve, he would come and fill their stockings with goodies, just like he did those three girls so long ago in Myra. The fact that the church in Spain began a practice of sending a bishop to Holland each year in order to distribute gifts to children and the needy only reinforced the tales. After all, to Dutch children, Spanish bishops decked out in their bishop’s red finery seemed to square perfectly with the tales of Sinterklaas.

Let’s fast-forward to the 1600s. The Dutch people had migrated from the Netherlands to the New World (America) and they brought their fantastical tales of Sinterklaas with them. The Puritans weren’t crazy about stories of Dutch saints bringing gifts to children, but by the 1800s, the new world had changed. New York, as the settlement was now called, wanted to learn about its history. So a man named Washington Irving made up a story about how a magical Dutch bishop named Saint Nicholas founded the city in his flying wagon! A few years later, theologian Clement Clark Moore wrote a poem about St. Nicholas based loosely on Irving’s history. One important change Moore made was that Saint Nicholas arrived on the night before Christmas instead of on December 5th. Moore’s poem spread like wildfire and soon, Americans everywhere were telling the story of Sinterklaas, which they pronounced "Santa Claus."

Over the years, cartoonist Thomas Nast drew many pictures of jolly old St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, as they were now calling him. And since Americans then were as fascinated by the North Pole as we are now about other planets, Nast decided to make the mysterious North Pole Santa’s secret home. But it wasn’t until 1931 when artist Haddon Sundblom was commissioned by Coca Cola to create a picture of Santa that our tall, Bishop Nicholas started to look like the Santa Claus we now know and love. Oh, and one more thing is missing from our story: Rudolph! Robert May, an advertising editor for Montgomery Ward (kind of like Sears or JC Penneys) wrote the story of Rudolph. (If you aren't familiar with May's story is it well worth reading!) Now Santa’s story is complete.

It took hundreds of years and many exciting stories, tales, poems, and pictures for little Nicholas of Myra to grow up and become known as Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas was an actual person who loved God more than anything. Because of his love for Christ, Nicholas turned secret and cheerful giving into a personal habit. Doing good for others and giving gifts to those in need became his modus operandi. In fact, for hundreds of years, we’ve not only loved the stories of St. Nick, but each year at Christmastime we (perhaps unknowingly) endeavor to be like him by giving gifts in secret. Some people even go so far as to dress just like him! Every time we see jolly old Santa Claus, it should remind us of the world’s most famous cheerful and secret giver: Saint Nicholas. And when people ask us if we believe in Santa, we can tell them, “Yes, we do! We believe in jolly old Saint Nicholas, the loyal servant of Jesus who gave away all he had in order to bless others.”

“But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:3–4).

The Story of Santa Claus, Part 1

2016-12-06T09:44:00.000-05:00

Santa Claus is surely one of the most beloved figures of modern times. But did you know that he was perhaps even more beloved long before he acquired a fur-trimmed red suit, a big round belly, and nine flying reindeer to pull his sleigh? It’s true, the historical figure who would one day come to be known as Santa Claus was famous for his kindness and generosity. His story began less than 300 years after the resurrection of Christ in modern-day Turkey—just 500 miles or so up the coast from the boyhood home of the Apostle Paul. Even more fascinating is how his fame spread north and west, throughout Europe and eventually to America. From America, his fame spread all around the world so that today it is told in some form on every continent. As author William J. Bennet puts it, it is a “long and circuitous route,” so be prepared for a lot of history.

Nicholas of Myra

Our story begins with a little boy named Nicholas who grew up in Lycian Turkey, in a popular little seaport town called Patara. Unfortunately, our story also starts off sad. Nicholas’ parents became ill and died when Nicholas was still little. Thankfully, in a monastery not far from Patara, Nicholas had an uncle who would become his guardian. So Nicholas grew up much like the Biblical story of the prophet Samuel who spent his childhood in the Temple under the care of the High Priest, Eli. A key part of Nicholas’ history is that he was the sole heir to his parents’ substantial wealth. But Nicholas was clearly cut from a different cloth even early on. He didn’t really need or want the inheritance. Instead, he decided to give it all away! I don’t know about you, but I don’t know very many people who would give away their entire inheritance.

Scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.” Without a doubt, Nicholas of Myra was one of history’s most cheerful givers! Perhaps the most well-known story of Nicholas’ largesse is the story of the three poor sisters. In those days, a dowry was part of the marriage process. Upon learning about the need, Nicholas devised a plan to slip out under the cover of night and drop a bag of gold through a window and into the home of the girls. (Some tales have the bags of gold dropping into the girls’ stockings that had been hung to dry.) He did this on three separate occasions—one bag of gold for each of the girls. The third time, he was caught by the father, but Nicholas made the grateful man promise not to reveal his identity. His act of charity would remain a secret.

Eventually, Nicholas became the Bishop of Myra. He loved and cared for the people with complete devotion, and soon his generosity and kindness became known far beyond the borders of Myra. When new sailors would come to town, they would learn the tales of Bishop Nicholas and then take them back to their own towns and families far away. Nicholas became quite famous. Too famous, perhaps, because when the Emperor Diocletian began his persecution of the Church, Nicholas was sought out, arrested and tortured for his faith in Christ. After more than five long years, Nicholas was finally released by a new Emperor named Constantine. As soon as he was released from prison, he went back to serving as bishop, and the stories of his life continued to grow and spread all over Europe. On December 6, 343, after becoming a very old, wise, loving man, Nicholas himself died. Today, paintings of Nicholas in a long red bishop’s robe and a full white beard can be seen all over the world.

While the similarities are striking, it still doesn't explain how Nicholas of Myra became Santa Claus. That's part two.

"Change Your Mind!" Daily Devotion Email Sign-Up

2016-11-29T20:49:00.002-05:00

I earn a living by helping others make positive changes to their brand, themselves, and their relationships. But my personal belief is that the single most important change anyone can make is the one described by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans (12:2):

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing [Gr: "renovation"] of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

By adding your email address to the form below, you'll be subscribed to my daily devotion. These very short daily observations will literally come from my own daily reading of Scripture and are simply intended to inspire, encourage, and even challenge you to change your life by changing the way you think! Here's a sample to help you decide whether or not to subscribe:

Psalm 63: The Sandwich Approach

When I was in my early twenties, someone introduced me to the idea of the sandwich approach to communication. It’s simple, yet ingenious: when you have something tough to say, something hard to chew (the “meat”), you “sandwich” it between two soft, sweet, easy-to-chew statements (the “bread”). Since being given that pearl of wisdom, I’ve used the sandwich approach in almost every form of communication imaginable. It really works. But it doesn’t just work as a communication technique … it works as a life strategy!

In Psalm 63, David starts with these words:

“O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee” (v. 1, KJV). The Hebrew word is “shacar” and literally means “to dawn; to be early at any task.”

Then in verses 6, he continues, “When I think of You as I lie on my bed, I meditate on You during the night watches” (HCSB).

Start your day seeking God, and end it meditating on Him. Those are your sweet spots. Then the stuff in the middle, no matter how tough it may sometimes be, will be a whole lot more manageable.

Have a blessed day!

Ready for some daily "renovation"? Type your email in the form below and then click the "Subscribe" button! Easy!

Sorry, Angry Birds!

2016-07-07T22:24:00.001-04:00

This is the first radio spot that I wrote and recorded for Surf's Up Carwash in Cleveland, TN (many more would follow). At the time, Surf's Up already had a successful location in Chattanooga and was expanding to Cleveland. They hired The Alderman Group to help them launch and get the word out, which we crushed, if I do say so myself. This spot was such a huge hit, that long after our initial contract with them ended, they continue to have us do special promotions for them and I've been their official "voice" ever since (2013)! Take a listen!

Does God Command Me to Vote?

2016-07-06T13:49:00.000-04:00

Do I Really Have To Choose Between Hillary And Trump?

Over the course of the past two years, and particularly in the first half of 2016, debate has reached an all-time high about whether or not Christians must cast a vote in the upcoming presidential election.

The primary driver behind these debates is the idea of “civic duty.” This is due, in part, to the belief by some that voting is the delegated responsibility of those living in a “we the people” form of government. Perhaps even more often cited is the ‘gratitudinal’ responsibility (a made up word/phrase that essentially means a responsibility based on an attitude of gratitude) that derives from all the soldiers who have fought, bled, sacrificed, and died in order that we might have the right to vote.

The argument of delegated responsibility, while less common, is a legitimate argument that requires some care in addressing, so let’s look at it last. First, let’s address the more prevalent driver behind the civic duty argument: ‘gratitudinal’ responsibility.

Sworn Oaths

When I joined the United States Military in 1989, I took an oath, the same oath that every service member in any branch of the United States Armed Forces must take:

“I, Eric Wilbanks, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

I never saw combat. But the American heroes who did (and still do) are fighting, bleeding, sacrificing, and sometimes dying for one and the same cause: to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to display allegiance and obedience to the U.S. authorities under which soldiers serve.

It’s all about the Constitution.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”

In our form of government, this Constitutional drive toward a common justice, tranquility, defense, welfare, and liberty is sacred (or, at least, it used to be). And when it comes to the Constitution, U.S. citizens are guaranteed, among other things,

The right to free exercise of religion (Amendment I);
The right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press (Amendment I);
The right to peaceably assemble (Amendment I);
The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances (Amendment I);
The right to keep and bear arms (Amendment II);
The right to vote (Amendment XIV).

So, yes: Hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers have sacrificed so that I might have the right to vote. But they also sacrificed so that I might keep and bear arms and enjoy liberty. So whether as a soldier or a citizen, I do indeed “pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

But what happens if a loyal and patriotic citizen—in the spirit of liberty—abstains from the right to keep or bear arms or to exercise religion? Has he or she failed in civic duty? Are they less American? It’s doubtful anyone would seriously make that argument. So why does the right to liberty (choosing whether or not to exercise your first or second amendment rights) not also apply to your 14th amendment rights? How is it unpatriotic or ungrateful to abstain from your right to vote if it isn’t unpatriotic or ungrateful to abstain from other rights?

It’s perfectly fine if you are of the opinion that everyone should vote, regardless of the candidates running or their values. But from both a Constitutional and legal point of view, it is a weightless argument … albeit one which you are at liberty to both have and freely proclaim! And the soldiers of the United States Armed Forces have all sworn by oath to protect your right to both exercise or abstain from exercising all those rights. God bless America!

The Republic for Which It Stands

Now for the less common (but weightier, in my opinion) argument based on delegated responsibility.

America is not a democracy, we are a republic. A pure democracy is little more than mob rule, and our founding fathers did everything in their power to prevent America from becoming a democracy, or as Thomas Jefferson called it, “an elective despotism.” So, technically speaking, your vote is not cast for president so much as it is cast for an elector. While it is unusual (it’s happened only four times in our history), a candidate can win the majority popular vote and still lose the electoral vote. Understanding the real power of a single vote seems to requires an advanced degree in math and/or statistics (neither of which I have). So to say with absolute certainty that my #NeverTrump inclinations could decide the outcome of the race seems like hyperbole at best. But I willingly concede: it’s debatable. Mathematics debates aside, I think there is a bigger issue for Christians to consider, and that is the issue of citizenship.

Show Me Your I.D., Please

Sometime around 2012-13, I was reading through Matthew 10, when Jesus sends out the Twelve, and one little verse struck me in a way that has set me on a true mind-shifting, paradigm-stretching trajectory. When he sends them out, he says, “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’” Think about that. Jesus could have given them any number of important, contextually relevant messages to spread. He could have commanded them to speak out against the Roman Empire, the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders, or the need for honest tax collectors. But He didn’t. He told them to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. That struck me as so odd that it made me spend the next year studying every single passage in the New Testament that speaks about the Kingdom of God/Heaven. It was an amazing journey. The end result was a radical shift that I can only compare to taking the Red Pill in the Matrix:

MORPHEUS: The Matrix is everywhere, it's all around us, here even in this room. You can see it out your window, or on your television. You feel it when you go to work, or go to church or pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.
NEO: What truth?
MORPHEUS: That you are a slave, Neo. That you, like everyone else, was born into bondage ... kept inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch; a prison for your mind.

My earthly citizenship—American or otherwise—is a matrix, pulled over my eyes and blinding me from the Truth about my true citizenship: The Kingdom of God. Once you can wrap your brain around that tiny bit of information, everything suddenly changes. A year after starting that journey “down the rabbit hole,” here’s the raw conclusion I reached and jotted down hurriedly one day into Evernote.

Seek First the Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is both now and not yet. We seek the now in order to prepare ourselves for the not yet.

Imagine a takeover of a country. Christianity does not have the resources or authority of a full and present Kingdom. Not yet. So we can't "take over" government and law and business, etc. What we can overtake, though, is the human heart. “Thy Kingdom come” is first a prayer for the rule of God in the hearts of individuals. That's what it means to seek first. Only a heart that has surrendered to the rule and reign of Christ cares about God’s righteousness ... not over society but over my own soul.

The rule of Christ over society is the not yet. The rule of Christ over my own heart is the now. That's a much taller order than we give credit for. In fact, it is a lifetime's worth of daily surrender to God's authority. Why does the Church have so much trouble with members living ungodly lifestyles? It is because they have not yet surrendered their hearts to the rule of Christ. They are—spiritually speaking—illegal aliens: seeking all the benefits of citizenship without the full and legal submission to the Divine law of the Kingdom Now. They want heaven, they want favor and blessings, they want care and guidance, love and forgiveness. But they want those things on their own terms. They do not want to surrender themselves to God's Kingdom rule over their lives. Besides, many of His requirements are "clearly" backwards, antiquated, and altogether unreasonable for modern man. Surely God is not that out of touch? Surely he has amended his laws and procedures concerning citizenship in his Kingdom, right?

Wrong. Deadly wrong. And when the role is called, many will be surprised to find that their names were never on the list. They never surrendered to the King. They refused His rule, and the consequences are dire. If you refuse to submit to the Kingdom Now, you will be denied entry to the Kingdom Not Yet.

“Thy Kingdom come” is actually a twofold prayer. It is first a prayer for His rule over the fiefdom of my heart and life today. Second, it is a prayer for the merciful coming of His rule over the whole earth … a prayer that we may never see answered in our own lifetime. So we exist in an odd space. We declare allegiance to one King while living under the tyranny of another. It is hard, but it is the life we have been destined to endure. Here we are all called to be Josephs. We are all called to be Daniels. The examples of those men is a clear path. Joseph never once tried to turn Egypt into Israel. Daniel never once tried to turn Babylon into Israel. But their hearts were fully Israel, fully surrendered to the God of Israel and His rule. Surrender your heart to God. It isn't your job to establish the coming Kingdom (of Not Yet). God will do that all by Himself. Your job is to serve God faithfully as a witness of His coming Kingdom all the while enslaved under petty kings, in full submission to their laws whenever they do not violate God's laws.

You are a country within a country. If the kings of the earth try to violate the borders of your heart, you have a duty to peacefully refuse. God rules there. It is sacred ground, claimed by the Kingdom Now. Otherwise, you must submit to the laws of the land and pray to Lord to expedite His Kingdom Not Yet.

As a believer, you must know your borders and guard them vigilantly. Guard your heart, Proverb 4:23 says. Do not allow the borders of your heart to be conformed to the shape and pattern that the petty kings and citizens of this world are trying to force upon you (Romans 12:2). Stand your ground (Ephesians 6:13). Your soul is the rightful property of the King of Kings (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). But even more dangerous than the petty kings and citizens of this world is the ruling spirit of this world. It is an evil, deceitful, corrupting spirit. You must not allow it entrance into God's Kingdom Now in your heart. The values and beliefs of this world are always contrary to the values and beliefs of God's Kingdom, sometimes subtly, other times aggressively. Unless you are daily “seeking” God's rule and reign, renewing your mind with His words and law, your borders will most assuredly be compromised. Secure your borders, and never forget that they begin and end with your own skin.

There are two dominant camps in Christianity today. The one is the activist Christian who feels a duty and calling to establish God's Kingdom Not Yet rule over society (instead of the Kingdom Now rule over the human heart), which we know is a misappropriation of spiritual authority and resources. The other is the "Relevant" crowd. They love to rail against the activist agenda of those who are trying to establish the Kingdom Not Yet via human means. There is a third group, but they are in the extreme minority. They are the Kingdom Now crowd, the ones who seek God's daily, increasing rule and reign over their own souls. They do seek to expand the Kingdom, but they do so soul-to-soul, one person at a time. Their "activist" agenda is purely spiritual—they seek to make disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission. They have no specific, vested interest in expanding the borders of God's Kingdom Now beyond the borders of human skin. That will happen, but it will happen by God's hand and timing, not our own. Someday all the individual fiefdoms will unite into a worldwide, societal Kingdom. But not yet. That cannot happen without the physical presence of the King. So for now, we "settle" for the conquest of the human heart and the establishment of new fiefdoms until our King reappears to establish the Kingdom to Come.

A Not-So-Clarion Call

It may seem, at first glance, like I am making a call to completely disengage from the affairs of this world. That’s not true. Others seem to have made that call. Wayne Jackson points out that David Lipscomb, in his book, Civil Government, “took the position that Christians ought not to vote” and that because God “puts into office those he chooses (Daniel 2:21; 4:17), Christian people ought to leave the matter to him, and remain aloof from the political process.” I’m not ready to go that far just yet. I am, however, calling you to take the Red Pill. Recognize—in all of its myriad implications—that you are first and most importantly a citizen of the Kingdom of God and your whole duty in life is to advance God’s Kingdom to new souls, committing your life to knowing Him, living for Him, loving others, and bearing spiritual fruit. So long as you are operating within those four boundaries, you have the freedom to do as you choose, and that includes any involvement in politics. (It should go without saying, but that freedom should typically include obeying the laws of the land you live in—provided they do not require that you violate any of God’s laws.) And I am calling you, as a citizen of the Kingdom Now, to familiarize yourself with what God’s Kingdom laws have to say about your responsibilities on earth.

Jesus himself confirmed that we should give to Caesar his due and pay taxes, but He also used the occasion to remind His listener’s that there is another Kingdom more powerful than Caeser’s (Mark 12:17).
The apostle Paul used his earthly (Roman) citizenship to his advantage, working within earthly laws to gain a better platform from which to share the gospel (Acts 22-26).
We must respectfully submit ourselves to governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7). However, when forced into a choice, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:27-29).
We must be careful not to “approve of those who practice [evil]” lest we, too, become subject to God’s wrath (Rom. 1:26-32).
We must diligently guard the sanctity of our own conscience in order to avoid sin (Romans 14:23).
As long as both we and the leaders we select follow the Lord, all will be well. Any other scenario will invite God’s wrath (1 Samuel 12:13-25).
We are commanded to pray for, intercede for, and give thanks for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Finally, a Conclusion!

Let’s ask the opening question again: “Do I really have to choose between Hillary and Trump?”

From the perspective of ‘gratitudinal’ responsibility, the answer is a clear, “No.” Your gratitude for the sacrifice of our soldier heroes is not dependent on whether or not you exercise a certain right. Their sacrifice affords you the freedom to choose.
From the perspective of delegated responsibility, the answer is “Not really.” If you are a citizen of God’s Kingdom Now, then your primary responsibilities are to His Kingdom first. After that, it is completely your choice. Scripture gives you the freedom to choose so long as your choice does not violate any laws in God’s Kingdom.

Remember, allegiance to God’s kingdom must be first for believers, even if the context of our earthly situation seems dire—such as, for many, having to choose between Hillary or Trump. Jesus reminds us in Luke 12:22-34 that we should not worry about our needs. Instead, we should “seek first” the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If we set God’s Kingdom Now as our priority, He will meet our needs—which is a promise that neither Hillary nor Trump will ever be able to make or keep.

Why Marketing Gets a Bad Rap Sometimes

2016-06-28T17:39:00.000-04:00

Dilbert creator, Scott Adams, has spent years skewering all things corporate America, and marketing is no exception. If you want a good laugh, read through some of these Dilbert strips on the subject:

And, honestly, most of the time, corporate America has earned the skewering. In fact, when I see things like I saw today, it just reminds me of how bad things can be. But, instead of ranting, I've decided to turn my observation into a bit of advice (hopefully, useful) for business and organizational leaders who are contemplating doing business with marketing types. Here goes:

When a firm, agency, or individual boldly proclaims that they've "built some of the [city] area's most successful brands" ... you should check AT LEAST two things:

How long has the firm, agency, or individual been 'building brands'?
How many years have the biz/orgs referred to been strong?

If the answer to (1) is less than 4 years and the answer to (2) is more than 30 years, it's pretty safe to say that the firm, agency, or individual is blowing smoke up your behind and deserves to have a Dilbert strip made about them. I advise you to place both hands firmly on your wallet and back away slowly.

But that's just me. I could be wrong on this one. Either way, you have a link to some great Dilbert strips, so you can chalk it up as a win.

Someone should create an RPG and call it Trumpolitics & Trumptianity

2016-03-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

I think I *may* understand the appeal of Trump for the average American, Christian or not: He claims to be somewhat of a political conservative, while at the same time, *morally*, the facts about his life and beliefs seem to indicate that he is anything but the so-called fringe known as "strictly Evangelical." In the parlance of classic RPG alignment, Trump is "Chaotic neutral."

For those of you who know what that means, let that sink in for a moment. Yeah.

Meanwhile, polls have shown for years that the Church, as a whole, is also NOT "strictly Evangelical." The bell-shaped curve is still alive and well, and the majority of the Church fits neatly into the giant bell in the middle. Interpret that in whatever way makes you happiest. Leaders who do fall along those thin lines to the right of the bell are generally viewed as "too good for their own good" and out of touch with how "real people" live day to day. Today's culture--the Church included--rallies around leaders who unashamedly embrace their own "flaws and humanity" and are viewed as "real" and "authentic." Let's face it: we want leaders who are at least as messed up as we ourselves are, only "successful" regardless of any supposed moral failures. Leaders like that put us at ease, and allow us a chance to dream of success that doesn't really require that we change ourselves in any significant and especially difficult ways. Trump certainly meets that criteria--at least the Trump brand does. Trump, as far as I can tell, is a PERFECT statement about the current state of the Church in America. I suppose how you interpret that depends on your own "alignment."

I get it, really. Everyone has different values. And by casting your vote for Trump, you are--in essence--saying that you value Trump's style and occasional campaign promises as more critical than moral leadership on any number of fronts, including:

abortion
greed
sexual immorality
and even the treatment of others

I get it, really. Everyone has different priorities in life? Heather Fox, a field director for the Trump campaign, recently showed where Trump and his followers’ priorities lie:

“Look at immigration, look at terrorism, look at the things that really matter. If we don't have a country, it's not going to matter about the Bible or the Constitution because we are going to be dead and gone."

Things that really matter. Not the Bible or the Constitution. In the end, those things don’t really matter to Trump or his followers. They only matter if everything else in the world is right.

Those of us who oppose Trump and his “chaotic neutral” manner happen to have priorities that are the complete opposite. “Strictly Evangelicals” happen to believe the Bible matters regardless of what is happening in this world. And some of us happen to hold the Constitution in high enough regard that we also believe it matters regardless of what is happening culturally.

Listen, if you plan to vote for Trump, far be it from me to try and persuade you otherwise. Exercise your citizen right and cast your vote! All I'm asking is that you be honest -- "real" and "authentic" -- enough to admit that you consider Trump's lack of moral leadership to be far less important than some other issue(s). I will caution you, though: you can be absolutely certain that, should Trump take the White House, there will come a time when you will be immensely and irreparably "challenged" by his lack of moral leadership. In that day, I'll do my best to keep from saying, "I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen."

Jólabókaflóð: The Icelandic Christmas Book Flood

2015-12-19T18:10:00.000-05:00

I feel like 22 years has just been stolen from me and my family. Why? Because I recently learned about an Icelandic Christmas tradition called Jólabókaflóð.

I’ll let the blogger at icelandwillmakeyouhappy.wordpress.com give you the details:

“In Iceland, the Christmas season … starts with the publication of a catalogue, the bókatíðindi, a catalogue that lists all of the books available for purchase in Iceland during the Christmas season. As it is customary for every Icelandic person to receive at least one book for Christmas, approximately 80-90% of the books published each year in Iceland come out during the Christmas season since this is the time of year with the greatest book sales. So many books are sold during this time of year that this period is referred to as the jólabókaflóð, or ‘Christmas book flood.’ In each family’s home, the bókatíðindi becomes dog-eared and worn by the time Christmas comes around. … Oh, and also the commercials. The TV commercials at this time of year are full of advertisements for books – not TVs, laptops, or diamond stud earrings.”

Did you catch that? Every Icelandic person receives at least one book for Christmas. That is amazing and wonderful. Jólabókaflóð, where have you been all my life? All my family’s lives? [Obviously, in Iceland. Duh.] So many years of traditional, purposeful, all-inclusive book-giving missed out on. Sigh.

But wait. There’s more!

“It is common to discuss potential book purchases with friends, family, and work colleagues. While soaking in the hot pots, the common conversational topic at this time of year is a discussion about the books that one plans to purchase. … There are discussions about the design of the book covers and the recent interviews on TV with the big authors of the season. Christmas is very much about books in Iceland.

“All Icelanders sit down to a formal meal on Christmas Eve and listen to the mass on the radio at 6 pm, even if their families aren’t religious. That’s just what you do to start the holiday celebrations. Once the meal is over and cleaned up, the gift distribution (or book distribution) begins. When everyone has received their book, it is common to climb into the freshly cleaned sheets of your bed, in your new pajamas, and read late into the night. Isn’t that the coziest thing you have ever heard of?”

A study conducted by Bifrost University found that over 50% of Icelanders read more than eight books in a year. As a brand consultant with many years of work in and around the publishing industry, I can tell you that the average American doesn’t read books at all. For the small percentage who do read them, the average is five books per year.

I can’t do much to impact the culture at large, but I can do this: I can adapt the beautiful tradition of Jólabókaflóð for me and my family. I may have missed out for 22 years, but I don’t have to miss out anymore. This year, I plan to spend the final hours of Christmas Eve and the first hours of Christmas Day—together with my entire family—snuggled up in warm PJs with a hot cuppa (tea for me) and a good book. How about you?

How to use the Hootlet Chrome plug-in now that Facebook has changed the partner API policy

2015-07-13T12:42:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The folks at Hootsuite are seriously "Johnny-On-The-Spot"! They've already made fixes so that the following blog post is already outdated. BOOM! Nevertheless, I'll leave this post up as a record of how much chaos heavy-handed API changes can cause for end-users. ;-)

In case you haven’t noticed, Facebook made some API changes recently that resulted in a significant shift in how third-party platforms function, even when not being used to post or schedule posts to Facebook.
Here’s part of the explanation/notice from Hootsuite:

“Facebook requires that messages posted to Facebook be fully user generated, and not pre-filled with any content that the user did not write themselves.” You can read the rest here: Facebook Platform Policy 2.3 Updates.

The bottom line is that the Hootlet no longer works like it used to, even if you are scheduling for Twitter, not Facebook. After a little bit of experimentation, here’s how the Hootlet now seems to works for Twitter.

Navigate to an article you want to share. Click the Hootlet icon in your toolbar.
The new dialogue/share window which pops up will look like this:
Select the Twitter profile you want to post to or schedule for.
Your Twitter post will be constructed with the following parameters:
Here’s the info from the previous image after being shared on Twitter, noting that the content below the "C" link will NOT show up in your Twitter post:

Have I left anything out? Let me know in the comments!

A Simple Solution for Those Who Disagree with the Supreme Court and Same-Sex Marriage

2015-06-27T14:41:00.000-04:00

It is official: The Church drug its feet, and has lost the battle over marriage. Government and homosexual advocates have co-opted the word "marriage" and redefined it to suit their purposes. There is no going back (at least not any time soon … if ever). As they say, that ship has sailed.

For those who are bothered by this, I have an idea of how to “fix” this situation, but first some groundwork.

What has been the “stated” goal of same-sex advocates? The hashtag says it plainly: #EqualityForAll. We could have easily solved that by adopting my initial “simple solution” and dropping the word marriage altogether. Everyone gets a civil union. Everyone is “equal.” But few people bought into my proposal. Only a couple of thousand people even read it. I suspect that, even had my proposal gone viral and received national attention in every news outlet, every pulpit, and bent the ear of every politician, it still would have been rejected because it would have seemed like a compromise for both sides. In the end, there had to be a winner and a loser. That’s the American Way. So those who support traditional marriage between one man and one woman (apparently the overwhelming majority of Americans by a 12 to 1 vote ratio in State amendments) lost. Those who support same-sex marriage won. Game over.

To the winners: congratulations. You showed tenacity and commitment, and you had a brilliant, shrewd strategy that you stuck with start to finish. You earned the win. Kudos. The “losers” could learn a lot from you in that respect. It reminds me of the words of Jesus: “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light” (Luke 16:8).

So, what about the losers? What has been the driving force behind their less-than-stellar opposition to such a vocal and potent minority? I think part of the problem is that the opposition could not really be powerfully summed up in a hashtag. (As a branding person, I mean that sincerely.) But if I had to encapsulate it in the smallest statement possible, I’d say it was a desire to be recognized as having something different, something “loftier,” something divinely ordained. Those who support traditional marriage did not want the unions they have with their opposite-sex husband or wife to be demoted and equated with the same-sex unions proposed by those who supported this new definition of marriage.

So I have another simple solution, a way for the “losers” in this socio-political game to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Move the goal line. Raise the bar. How? Glad you asked.

Give up on the word “marriage.” Accept its full demotion. [Relax, take a deep breath, and stay with me. I think you’ll at least appreciate where this is going, even if you disagree.] And for those congregations who still believe that homosexuality is a sin and that homosexual relationships cannot and will not be recognized or blessed by God, refuse to hold "marriage" ceremonies for anyone, under any circumstance. Set yourself free from the tyranny by joining the #SCOTUS (and culture, to a small extent) in demoting “marriage” to the place of a civil/government program, required by law in order to enjoy certain legal benefits. In plain language, accept that the bar for marriage has been lowered and that marriage is now nothing more than a legally binding contract. Stop trying to give meaning and power to a word which has lost its meaning and power both in the eyes of civil society and the government.

Think about it. If the word "marriage" is now legally and culturally defined and recognized to include what you see as sinful activities and mindsets, then you should put a little distance between yourself and that word. Instead, I suggest the Church begin to offer restricted "Covenant Union" ceremonies, available only for one man and one woman who have professed their mutual faith in and commitment to Christ—“till death do us part.” Covenant Unions would then become a sacrament of the Church, like baptism and communion.

By leaving the "legal marriage" business to the government and other organizations that have no problem endorsing homosexual activity, the Church can return to focusing on sacraments—a practice that no law will ever be able to co-opt. By doing so, the Church rids itself of any legal issues concerning the secular marriage ceremony.

What we used to refer to as “marriage”—a union established by God in Genesis 2:21-25 and upheld by Christ in Mark 10:5-9—needs a new, more powerful, more descriptive name for disciples of Christ: a Covenant Union. Those who believe that only a husband and a wife can become sexually yoked without shame and joined by God the Father as one flesh need a way to describe that union without allowing it to become legally entangled or culturally irrelevant. Let’s be honest: those who oppose same-sex relationships do so because they view those relationships as a shameful celebration of sin. And if those relationships are to be associated with marriage, then the Church must accept marriage as something far less than the standard by which we conduct our own relationships.

So I challenge you, Church: Put up or shut up. If you really believe that the Christian union between a woman and man is somehow “better” than a same-sex partnership, prove it. Raise the bar. I urge you to adopt the sacrament of a Covenant Union as your standard. In fact, my wife and I have often discussed renewing our vows. As far as I am concerned, the “marriage license” we have is now of no greater value than our drivers licenses. It is legally necessary in a civil society, but religiously irrelevant. Since we have always approached our relationship as a covenant, we are now looking to make our covenant ceremonially official, as a public statement that what we have is far more than a marriage—it is sacred and holy.

The added beauty of this approach (and, frankly, what makes it much better than my previous proposal) is that it requires no government intervention of any kind. In fact, any effort to turn Covenant Unions into a kind of legal ceremony will eventually be no different than marriage. We are in our current state because the Church gave marriage over to the government. It was Luther himself who said marriage is “a worldly thing ... that belongs to the realm of government.” We do not need the government involved in a Church sacrament. All that to say, you can make this change yourself. You need no permission from anyone to move forward. Decide today that you will abandon the civil idea of marriage as your goal and allow it to be what it now is: a legal agreement. Then, make your true goal the sacrament of a Covenant Union. Ask your pastor to do the same. If you are engaged, go to the court house, do your due diligence to secure a civil marriage license, and then plan a Covenant Union ceremony to make it matter. And if you are already legally married, ask your pastor to perform a vow renewal ceremony under the banner of a Covenant Union. Local congregations can establish their own guidelines for Covenant Unions, and/or denominational headquarters can set standards for each of their congregations.

Move the goal. Raise the bar. Set it much higher. Snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and allow your Covenant Union to become what it was always intended to be: an example to the world of God’s Covenant Union with His Bride, the Church.

The Confederate Flag Battle

2015-06-25T11:17:00.000-04:00

For the record, I do not currently own anything with a Confederate flag on it. Growing up in South Georgia, I knew it as the "Rebel Flag" and used it as a curtain in my bedroom. It was just another piece of art, along with a hundred or so heavy metal posters which adorned every square inch of wall space. When I became a Christian (mid-80s), I got rid of it (and the posters) because "rebellion" seemed at odds with the person I was trying to become. To my knowledge (i.e., the friends and family I had contact with, black and white), never once was the flag associated with slavery or hatred for another race. For me, it was simply a symbol of regional pride. Think about it: How many times have you seen a southern roadside stop selling wares with the phrase “Southern and proud of it!” (or similar phrase) accompanied by a Confederate flag emblem? I know, you will point out the history of the situation as you’ve been taught. I’m not trying to debate history. I have friends who are much more capable of making that debate, and so I’ll leave that to the experts and all you who aren’t experts but play one on social media. I’m merely pointing out my own experience as a bona fide Southerner, born and raised in the Deep South. I’ve never in my entire life met a single human being for whom the Confederate flag was a rallying call to hate people of color. Maybe I was just naïve or sheltered. I’m OK with that as well.

Fast-forward 35 years, and much has changed. A June 24 article from Reuters pointed out that Google, Amazon, eBay, and Walmart have all jumped on the “ban the Confederate flag” movement, ignited by the demonic attack that happened in Charleston, South Carolina, leaving nine people dead. Now, as I previously stated, I do not own (or sell) any confederate flag merchandise, so I’m not personally affected by a ban. But I fear that I will be greatly affected by the movement itself. Here’s why.

That same June 24 article from Reuters went on to say, “In announcing its decision to pull Confederate flags on Tuesday, eBay said the banner had become a ‘contemporary symbol of divisiveness and racism.’”

Notice the phrase “had become.” So even eBay is passively admitting that the symbol has not always been (or in every case been) a symbol of racism or hate. And then there’s this statement from Google: “We have determined that the Confederate flag violates our ads policies, which don't allow content that's generally perceived as expressing hate toward a particular group.” Generally perceived? Hmmm.

For a country that has always prided itself on Liberty and Free Speech, we are on dangerously thin ice, here. And for those of us who are disciples of Christ, the threat seems even more ominous.

While it may be hard for some to understand, there is, in fact, a war on Christian values, both in this country and around the globe. The war did not begin this week, this year, or even this century. Americans didn’t even start the war as it preceded our history by more than a millennia. But it is real. What has changed is the number of vocal opponents and the number of laws being enacted to limit Christianity’s reach and influence upon society at large. So, what happens when the efforts of those who want a society free from religious ideals, values and beliefs are successful in having those things labeled as “divisive and hateful?” One only need to look to other countries to see some implications of this already in action. And if the Confederate flag issue is any indication, the move to ban Christianity from the public sphere could be swift and exacting given the right ignition switch. That’s frightening on every level imaginable.

I recognize that this is a very complicated and nuanced issue, that my perspective is subjective and limited by my experience, and that there is plenty of room for civil debate. I also realize that, for you, the Confederate flag may well be a symbol of racism. I’m sorry for that. I do not share your perspective, though I can comprehend it. But we must also admit that most people don’t think very deeply about these type issues. Instead, we go with gut reactions (as evidenced by the swift move on the part of corporate and government types this week concerning the Confederate flag). That’s all the more reason we should think twice about jumping on the bandwagon to ban the flag and begin cleansing Southern culture of public references to the Confederacy. That action could one day become a nightmare of our own making—allowing something we associate with to become labeled as hate and banned from the public sphere as well. That thought should send cold chills down your spine.

P.S. As I was getting ready to post this, a friend of mine shared this article by Robin Koerner titled “150 Years After the Civil War, How That Flag Comes Down.” It is a thought-provoking piece with a unique perspective and well worth your time to read.

Losers, Baseball, and Mindsets

2015-05-01T16:47:00.000-04:00

This morning I had the privilege of sharing a morning devotion with 100 or so Regional Speech and Debate competitors from the NCFCA. I thought I'd post the "transcript" of that message here for those who may have missed the devotion as well as for those who simply need a word of encouragement. The message I had for them was tailored to the speech and debate competitor, but I think you'll find the overall theme can be applied to each of us in one way or another.

Take a good long look at the people around you--left, right, front, behind. You ALL have something in common and I bet you'll never guess what that is.

Go ahead. Take a guess.

Ready for the answer?

You are all losers.

That wasn’t very nice, was it?

Before you get too offended, let me clarify. I don't mean "Loser” as in the infamous L-shaped-hand-gesture-to-the-forehead, I mean that you've all lost. Repeatedly. Even the so-called "winners" in the room have lost far more often than they've won.

You've lost arguments. You've lost debate rounds. You've lost speech competitions. You've lost athletic events. You've lost. And losing can be tough.

Any baseball fans in the room today? I truly love baseball because Baseball players have to learn to cope with defeat more constantly than any other athlete.

If you know anything about baseball, you know that even the greatest players in history only have batting averages in the .300s. Ty Cobb’s lifetime batting average was .366. Ted Williams was .344. Babe Ruth: .342. Lou Gehrig: .340. Hank Aaron: .305. Mickey Mantle: .298.

That means that for every ten times these Hall-of-Famers got up to bat, they either struck out or batted out seven times. Seven out of ten times they failed. 70% fail rate. Wow.

Sports columnists Thomas Boswell once said:

“A losing streak can mount up on you so much quicker than a winning streak that it's a kind of terror that grips a team. It's like the spooky music that runs under baseball.”

So how do baseball players learn to deal with SO MUCH constant “failure” and loss?

It could be their superstitious nature. Or maybe they are just mentally deranged? Can they not see that getting out 7 out of 10 times is a horrible track record?

I think Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck has the answer.

Dweck has spent decades of research on achievement and success, which she wrote about in her book called Mindsets.

According to Dweck, mindsets are just beliefs—beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities.

your intelligence,
your talents,
your personality.

QUESTION: Are these qualities simply fixed traits, carved in stone? ~OR~ are they things you can cultivate throughout your life? According to Dweck, your answer indicates whether or not you have a FIXED or GROWTH mindset.

In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities—intelligence, talent, etc.—are simply fixed traits. They spend their time PROVING those qualities over and over. Every situation is evaluated: Will I succeed or fail? Will I look smart or dumb? Will I be accepted or rejected? Will I feel like a winner or a loser? And they have no strategy to deal with failure. They give up and move on to something easier.

By contrast, in a growth mindset, your qualities—the hand you’re dealt in life—is just the starting point for development. Someone with a growth mindset isn’t focused on PROVING but on IMPROVING. They believe everyone can change and grow through application and experience.

This growth mindset creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. People with a growth mindset understand that no one has ever accomplished great things—not Tchaikovsky or Ty Cobb—without years of passionate practice and learning.

Dweck argues—quite convincingly—that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life and what you will be able to accomplish.

Why waste time PROVING over and over how great you are, when you could be IMPROVING instead? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them?

The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives—those times when the losses seem to be mounting up.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Phillipians (3:2-15, NET):

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!
For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials – though mine too are significant. If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, I have more:
I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews.
I lived according to the law as a Pharisee.
In my zeal for God I persecuted the church.
According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.
But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.
More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung!– that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness– a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.
My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.

The Apostle Paul did not have a fixed mindset. He did NOT believe that who he was and what he was capable of was fixed, written in stone. He believed in a God who makes change and growth possible—and so he determined to continue learning, continue growing, and continue IMPROVING!

I challenge you: when you walk into a room today and prepare to debate or give a speech, check your mindset. Are you going in there to PROVE yourself to be a winner (fixed mindset)

~OR~

Are you stepping in that room and looking at those judges, that moment, as one more chance to IMPROVE yourself—to become a better speaker, a better debater?

If you choose the latter, you have already won, regardless of how you score on the judges ballots.

Medals, awards, certificates … these are all great. But let’s be honest: They have no value in and of themselves. You can’t resell them—even on Craigs List—for more than a buck a piece. But IMPROVING yourself, LEARNING to be a better speaker than you were, a better debater than you were, that knowledge is a priceless treasure that will profoundly impact your life—far more than any trophy or award ever will!

Say this with me:

Always learning!
Always growing!
Always Improving!

Now go learn. Grow. Improve. Always.

More Bible Passages

For those who would like to explore this topic from a biblical perspective, I encourage you to meditate on the following passages of Scripture:

Are You a Spiritual Diabetic?

2015-03-19T21:07:00.000-04:00

According to Healthline.com, “29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, 8.1 million of whom may be undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. In adults 20 and older, more than one in every 10 people suffers from diabetes.”

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. As a result, those levels can become dangerously high, potentially damaging nerves, skin, eyes, kidneys, and bladder.

That’s why diabetics are told to monitor what they eat and drink. A cupcake can pose a real risk under the right conditions. But what about “all the good stuff” they have to miss out on? Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day … those may have come and gone, but there are plenty more holidays on the way, and holidays often bring indulgences at social gatherings. Should diabetics be expected to “miss out” on what “everyone else” at the big shin-dig is enjoying?

In a word, yes. It is the sacrifice they must make in order to stay focused on the "mission" of better health. To quote Count Rugen from The Princess Bride: “If you haven't got your health, then you haven't got anything.”

The truth us, we are all diabetics, spiritually speaking. Our bodies are flawed. They do not have the ability to regulate themselves and stay on track. That’s why we need Christ. That's why we need God's Word. Oftentimes it is incredibly tempting as believers to see things that the rest of the world is indulging in and think, They look like they are having so much fun. No one is getting hurt. No laws are being broken. Can’t I just do what they are doing? What could it hurt?

Please ... stop excusing disobedience. Furthermore, don’t mistake God’s amazing grace for His approval. Yes, God is long-suffering. But think of how much healthier we could be if we just learned to obey God's Word. In other words, what if instead of having a "missing out" mindset we chose instead to have a "mission-oriented" mindset? Think about it.

They look like they are having so much fun. No one is getting hurt. No laws are being broken. Can’t I just do what they are doing? What could it hurt? Have you ever felt this way?
Why is the thought of “missing out” so compelling? Why do we care?
What would you say are the most common things that the world wants us to think we are “missing out on”?

Throughout the Old Testament, Israel often found some lame excuse to try and justify their disobedience or to excuse them from submitting to God’s will. We’d do well to learn from their mistakes.

Is God's Word Like a Map?

2015-03-02T08:50:00.000-05:00

We have a small group of believers ranging in age from nine to 50-something that meet in our home each week for prayer, fellowship, a meal, and Bible study. The Bible study portion of our time together is very interactive. We read Scripture, we ask questions, we make observations; we wrestle and chew on the concepts that present themselves from God’s word. We rarely have any 3-point lesson plans to guide us. As you might imagine, that leads to some fun and interesting conversations, but it also leads to some really amazing “A-HA!” moments for our little community of faith.

Recently, we were discussing the concept of sin as “missing the mark.” The focus was on how we seem to be constantly getting off-target and on how God works to get us back on target. One of the teens in the group piped up and said, “So, it’s like a divine GPS! And God is constantly having to repeat the same patient phrase: ‘Rerouting…’”

Dr. Lee Roy Martin notes that the popular idea of God’s Word being a road map is not without merit, but it is “too impersonal.” It doesn’t take into account the fact that God has a purpose and plan for each of us. God interacts with us through His word, His Spirit, prayer, and more. A GPS (while still not perfect) is a much better analogy, I think, because it recognizes both the reality of a destination and the interaction along the way. Our challenge is in learning to recognize and trust His voice as He divinely directs our paths each day . . . hopefully without too much rerouting being necessary.

Has God ever spoken to you . . . not necessarily in an audible voice, but in a way that you were sure that it was Him?
Why do you suppose it seems so difficult at times to recognize God’s voice when He speaks?
Do you think God ever gets tired of having to constantly “reroute” us in order to keep us on track?

For deeper study, consider reading the story of Hannah and Samuel in 1 Samuel and consider how God’s providential guidance was at work in their lives.

Facebook Newsfeed and the Misdirected Outrage of UnFans

2015-02-27T13:30:00.000-05:00

Today I received a message from a “former” fan of one of the Pages I manage on Facebook. This particular page has over 85k Likes, so the volume of Messages and Notifications is pretty high. This particular message stood out, though:

“please stop sending messages.. i have unlike you and dont know why i keep getting posts”

This is one of those frustrating things about how Facebook works that most users do not understand. But she was nice enough in her message, and even if she had been hateful, I want to try and answer people in the kindest, most helpful way possible on behalf of my clients, so here is how I responded. Feel free to use this as a guide for the next time you receive a bit of "misdirected outrage" from a Facebook “un-fan” about seeing your posts in their newsfeed. Alternatively, if you are one of those who is frustrated because you keep seeing posts in your Newsfeed from Pages that you have "un-Liked" (or never Liked in the first place), these instructions will help you as well.

Our apologies, Beth, but we do not control what appears in your Newsfeed. Facebook makes those decisions for each person individually.

If you have "unliked" the [brandX] page but are still seeing posts from us, it is likely that Facebook keeps showing you our posts because your Facebook friends have Liked, Commented, or Shared our posts. Here are the instructions on how to stop that from happening in the future. The next time you see a post from [brandX] in your Newsfeed, take the following steps:

In the upper right corner of any [brandX] post which appears in your Newsfeed there will be a small, grey drop down arrow (looks like a lower case "v"). Click on it.

In the drop-down list that appears, there should be an option to "Hide all from [brandX]. Stop seeing posts from this page." Click that button.

If that doesn't work, you'll need to use Facebook's "Help" feature for any additional troubleshooting on this issue.

So there you go. Problem solved ... maybe. Only Facebook really knows. Also, maybe I didn't give the best advice to this user. Did I leave something out? Are there reasons that she could still be seeing our posts that I failed to mention? Let me know in the comments. (And as always, please be nice.)

12 Biblical Reasons to Give Thanks

2014-11-17T18:05:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I certainly love it as much as I love Christmas (even though it doesn't get near the treatment that Christmas gets).

Growing up, Thanksgiving was the day when my Mom's side of the family got together. It was always a huge meal with lots of people. Of the "big three" (Food, Family, Faith), the first two were always associated with Thanksgiving. But the "faith" aspect of Thanksgiving wasn't really ignited in me until 1986. I was still a new Christian and learning how to have a different outlook on life. Then along came Back to the Street, by Petra. It was the first album to be produced by John and Dino Elefante and the first to feature new lead singer John Schlitt. The entire album is amazing, but the last song, Thankful Heart, really impacted me.

I have a thankful heart
That you have given me
And it can only come from you...
Help me be a man of God
A man who's after your own heart
Help me show my gratitude
And keep in me a thankful heart

I want to be someone who lives with an "attitude of gratitude," and so Thanksgiving is an opportunity each year for me to sort of "recalibrate" and prepare myself to enjoy the Christmas season in a truly non-commercial, non-material manner.

This year I started thinking, what does the Bible have to say about thankfulness? Many of my Facebook friends participate in the activity of making a daily post to identify their thankfulness for something or someone. That's fantastic. A few years ago, I started the "Say Thanks" campaign on Facebook and each year try to get a few more people to participate. Also fantastic. But I felt like some element was still missing. So I did the study and found that the Bible did have a lot to add to this conversation. Here are twelve Biblical reasons to give thanks:

Scripture Commands It. 1 Chronicles 16:8 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." Psalms 100:4 says we are to "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Need more? See also Psalms 105:1; Isaiah 12:4; and Colossians 3:17.
Because of His Righteousness. "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High" (Psalms 7:17).
For His Laws. What would cause someone to want to get out of a nice warm bed at midnight? Psalms 119:62 says,"At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws."
Because His Name Is Near. "We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds" (Psalms 75:1). This is the most fascinating reason I found. I think, as believers, many of us have really missed out on the power of knowing some of the many names Scripture uses for God. His names reveal His character—and in many cases, His promises to us. To have that kind of knowledge near (handy) is something for which we should truly be thankful.
Because He Reigns. The twenty-four elders of Revelations 11:17 fell prostrate before the Lord and had this to say: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign."
For His Deliverance. "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise" (1 Chronicles 16:35). Later, Psalms 106:47 would repeat this almost word-for-word.
For Answered Prayer. The Psalmist gave thanks because the Lord answered his prayer for salvation (Psalms 118:21). And in his second letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul said "many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."
For Christ and the Victory He Gives. In 1 Corinthians Paul writes, "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (15:57). And then in his second letter he echoes that sentiment, saying, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him (2:14). In 2 Corinthians 9:15 he calls this an "indescribable gift!"
For His Love and Deeds. When Scripture uses the same phrase multiple times (even in Psalms), it's worth giving a bit of extra attention to: "Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men" (Psalms 107:8, 15, 21, 31).
Because His Love and Mercy Endures Forever! This is a big one. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says it outright: "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Then in verse 41, people were "chosen and designated by name" to give thanks in this fashion. When Solomon moved the Ark into the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:13) he had a full band and choir on-hand to sing this phrase, and then "the temple of the LORD was filled" with the glory of the Lord. We see this same phrase used contextually in 2 Chronicles 7:3, 6; and in 20:21. The Psalmist repeats it eight times (Psalms 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1-3). And finally, the prophet Jeremiah records the phrase in 33:11 as a prophetic promise from the Lord concerning what one day will again be heard in Israel.
For Other Believers. In his letters to both the Ephesian and Roman Christians, Paul takes time to give thanks for other believers (Ephesians 1:16; Romans 6:17).
For Everything! This may be the hardest reason to give thanks. Ephesians 5:20 says we should be "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 backs that up saying that we should "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." That's for the good and the bad, the highlights and lowlights. Of course, it is easier when you make reasons 1-11 a matter of lifestyle.

This year, as you prepare for Thanksgiving Day, I encourage you to spend some time meditating on each of these reasons to give thanks according to Scripture itself.

Intoxicated

2014-10-16T16:05:00.003-04:00

In October of 1983, I was just starting my sophomore year in high school and Huey Lewis had just released his Sports album. Heart and Soul, The Heart of Rock & Roll, If This Is It, and I Want a New Drug were all hits. At that time, I was more of a metal head, so I missed these songs the first time around. In fact, I didn’t even realize I liked Huey Lewis until many years later. But how can you not like a song with lyrics like this:

I want a new drug ...One that won't make me nervousWondering what to doOne that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with youWhen I'm alone with you

You know what he’s talking about. A lot of folks associate this with romance and infatuation. But those who’ve experienced true, deep, abiding love that spans decades know something that romance can’t even come close to touching: this “feeling” is unstoppable. In the words of Westley from The Princess Bride: “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.”

In a 2000 LA Times article, Kathleen Kelleher wrote the following:

Call it a natural high, but like drugs, the feeling can become addictive. [When in love], the brain is awash in drug-like chemicals. Michael Liebowitz, a psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, theorizes that there is a substance in the brain called phenylethylamine, or PEA, which quickens the flow of information between nerve cells. PEA is the body's natural speed: It jolts lovers' brains with feelings of euphoria, elation and exhilaration.

Of course, Huey Lewis didn’t invent this idea. It’s been around a while. Consider Proverbs 5:

My child, be attentive to my wisdom, pay close attention to my understanding.Drink water from your own cistern and running water from your own well.May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife you married in your youth – a loving doe, a graceful deer … may you be captivated by her love always.

That word “captivated” is a Hebrew verb (shagah) which means “to swerve; to meander; to reel” as in drunkenness. In other words, Solomon is calling on his son to be always intoxicated with his wife’s love.

This year, Phyllis and I celebrate 21 years of marriage. They say the legal drinking age in the US is 21, but I can tell you for certain that I’ve been drunk on her love now for over two decades. I suppose now it’s legal. And I’m looking forward to drinking deeply for many more decades to come.

Good Friday Meditation: O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

2014-04-18T13:01:00.000-04:00

Hands down, my all-time favorite "easter" song is O Sacred Head, Now Wounded. The original poem is often attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), but in recent years has been attributed to the Medieval poet Arnulf of Louvain (died 1250).

The first time I heard the song was on the 2000 4Him release Hymns: A Place for Worship. Listen to the 4-Him version here:
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded by 4Him on Grooveshark

The music and lyrics both are hauntingly powerful. Let them burrow deep into your soul....

O sacred Head, now wounded
With grief and shame weighed down
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown
How art Thou pale with anguish
With sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish
Which once was bright as morn!

What Thou, my Lord, has suffered
Was all for sinners' gain
Mine was the transgression
But Thine the deadly pain
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
'Tis I deserve Thy place
Look on me with Thy favor
Vouch safe to me Thy grace

Sacred Head now wounded
Sacred Head with shame weighed down

What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend
For this Thy dying sorrow
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever!
And should I fainting be
Lord, let me never, never
Outlive my love to Thee!

Sacred Head now wounded
Sacred Head with shame weighed down

The Story of the Christmas Tree, Act 3

2013-12-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

In Act 1, we learned how the little fir tree became important to Christians. Boniface used the tree as an object lesson to teach about God! Then in Act 2 we learned about the Paradise Tree and its use in teaching about Creation and the Fall. But it would be another 350 years before the final act would take place.

In 1512, a brilliant young theologian named Martin Luther was brought on to teach at the University of Wittenberg in Germany. But Luther was much more than a theology professor. Luther was a passionate student of God’s Word. So passionate, in fact, that it got him in quite a bit of trouble over his lifetime. On October 31, 1517, Luther wrote a letter to bishop Albert of Mainz. In it, he included a copy of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences," which came to be known as The Ninety-Five Theses. Luther’s studied objections to “indulgences” and other church practices eventually led to his excommunication by the religious leaders of his time earned him the title of outlaw by the Emperor. In fact, it was made a crime for anyone in Germany to give Luther food or shelter. Nevertheless, Luther refused to back down, stating publicly, “I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything.”

In 1525, Luther married former nun Katharina von Bora. Because of Luther’s status, money was often short, but the marriage was strong. The two had six children, and by the time his first child was born in 1526, Luther had already shifted his focus to the organization of a new congregation of believers based on his beliefs.

As the story goes, one wintery night, Martin Luther was returning home to his family. It was dark and cold, but the sky was filled with millions of stars. The trees, mostly tall evergreens, were covered with frost. Legend has it that Luther was meditating on God’s word, preparing a sermon for his people. When Luther saw the stars twinkling in the sky through the icy green pines, it reminded him that Jesus was the light of the world. Luther was deeply moved by the beauty of this natural wonder and the spiritual truth it brought to mind. When he arrived home, he was eager to recount his experience to his family. To help them understand, he gathered some candles and hung them on a little fir tree to represent the twinkling lights he had seen on his walk home. The tradition of lighting the tree with candles had officially begun. Eventually, a “tree skirt” was placed underneath to catch the melting wax from the candles.

Perhaps that walk was the seed for Luther’s thoughts when he would later quote and then comment on Isaiah 60:1 in one of his Christmas sermons: "’Arise, shine ; for thy light is come.’ Undoubtedly, Christ is the light of which Isaiah here speaks, and which, through the Gospel, shines in all the world, enlightening those who rise — who desire him.”

And so, from a tiny fir springing out of the stump of a mighty oak, to a tree decorated for a play, to a legendary walk by Martin Luther, the story of the Christmas tree is born.

But to be fair, the value of the fir tree goes back even further than any of these stories. The prophet Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Creator himself, would speak these words more than two thousand years before Boniface or Luther:

“Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the Lord, a permanent reminder that will remain” (Isaiah 55:13).

As you gaze at your Christmas tree this week, may it remind you of His Story as recorded in the Bible. He is the creator. He is eternal. He is three in one. And even though Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, He sent the Light, Jesus Christ, to save us.

Thank you, Lord, for the Christmas tree that keeps telling that story year after year. Amen.

The Story of the Christmas Tree, Act 2

2013-12-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

In Act 1, we learned how the little fir tree initially became important to Christians. Boniface used the tree as an object lesson to teach about God the eternal, creator of all things—Father, Spirit, and Son!

As the years went by, churches all over heard about what happened and they too wanted to use the tree to help others learn about God. This eventually led to something called a Paradise Tree.

From the eleventh Century, (during the middle ages), the church celebrated Adam and Eve day on December 24th. As part of that celebration, they used religious plays called “Mystery Plays” to depict the story of the creation of Adam and Eve, their sin and banishment from Eden. It’s at this point that our story is more practical than spiritual.

If you were tasked with putting together a winter play or pageant about the Garden of Eden and wanted to fill your stage with beautiful trees in winter, what sort of tree would you have to use? The answer should be obvious: An evergreen tree was the logical choice. And at least one tree in particular—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—was decorated with apples symbolizing the forbidden fruit.

Apples on a fir tree. Seem familiar?

The play ended with the promise of the coming Savior and his incarnation, so gradually flat wafers symbolizing the forgiveness of sins in communion were added to the paradise tree, making it now not just the tree of knowledge but also the tree of life. This resulted in a very old European custom of decorating a fir tree in the home with apples and small white wafers representing the Holy Eucharist at Christmas time. These wafers were later replaced by little pieces of pastry cut in the shapes of stars, angels, hearts, flowers, and bells.

So in Act 1, Boniface used the tree to teach about God. Then in Act 2, believers used the tree on December 24 to teach how Adam and Eve sinned and why we need Jesus. But there’s still one more very important part to our story, and this part wouldn’t happen for at least another 350 years! That's Act 3.