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NJ Pastor is Offline (Part 2)
Posted in Current Events, Media Critique, Social Media, Thoughts and Reflections on November 22, 2010
Adding a “Part 2″ to my original article wasn’t my plan. But someone sent me this link and I knew I had to address the issue again.
As I wrote my initial response, I considered throwing out the idea that the urgency and irrationality of this pastor’s efforts was probably linked to personal guilt. I could have said that he is making this firm stand, and forcing his people to take it too, because he was guilty of what he is denouncing.
Well, I didn’t add that to my previous post. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, I was right in my hunch.
In no way would I imply that everyone who takes a firm or irrational stand on something is guilty of it….but it has been the trend in high profile religious scandal recently. This makes me sick…but it is also very frustrating.
Along with what I discussed in Part 1, it is helpful to remember some biblical truth here:
And he called the people to him and said to them, ”Hear and understand: 11it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”12Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13He answered, ”Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15But Peter said to him, ”Explain the parable to us.” 16And he said, ”Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
Matthew 15:10-20 (ESV- emphasis added)
Like the apostles needed to see, we need to see what the real issue is here.
The problem is not Facebook….or Twitter….or alcohol…or guns…etc. The problem is what is in our heart. What is in our heart will come out, through our words and our actions, and will show who we are.
We could rid the world of every form of social media and guess what….people will still find ways to have inappropriate relationships. We could bring back prohibition and you know what….people will still turn to something to give them relief…something other than God.
Of course there are some things that are evil in and of themselves (pornography, human trafficking, etc) and I don’t want to stir up confusion here. But in this case with the Facebook denouncing pastor, the real issue is clear.
We, as fallen creatures, have a problem with sin. Most of the time we don’t want to acknowledge that problem but would rather put the blame on someone or something else. That is the way it has been since the garden of eden…and it will remain this way until Christ reigns in Glory.
Until then, we need pastors and other children of God to stand up and confess their sin, be discerning in their thoughts and behavior, and compel others to explore Christ because of their humility not their self-righteousness.
NJ Pastor is Offline (Part 1)
Posted in Media Critique, Social Media, Thoughts and Reflections on November 18, 2010
If you haven’t heard about pastor that is telling his staff to get off Facebook, you can read about it here and here.
In my opinion, the pastor is misinformed and moving in a direction that is simply not helpful.
Here is his main argument:
In his pastoral counseling, he has seen a increase of people using Facebook to reignite old flames. People essentially think that what they are doing is hidden and anonymous. This leads to a trail of deception and is highly damaging to their marriages and families.
Of course, this is true. People are guilty of this. However, I don’t think that the problem is the social network itself. I definitely don’t think the answer is leaving the network in protest. Yet this is what he has determined for the others on staff:
It’s to the point now that this Sunday, anyone in our church in a leadership position and who is married and is on Facebook has to resign their church position if they do not give up Facebook.
Bad idea…and it really doesn’t make sense.
Suppose people use automobiles to drive themselves to bad places where they engage in bad behavior. Are the cars to blame…or the roads…should they be abandoned and torn up. Or what about those pesky restaurants where people eat way too much food. Should we stop going to out to eat.
It is the same with social networking. Sure, people abuse it. People take advantage of the connection it enables and use it for sinful purposes. Since the dawn of time this is the plight of man.
Most importantly, we should not remove ourselves from the environments that so desperately need the Gospel. A better line of action would be to encourage our pastors and leaders to engage their communities and people through the social networks. We should show that our ‘online life’ and our real life actually have no distinction.
If we are so quick to remove ourselves from such engagement, we may actually be ensuring that the negative and destructive behavior will remain unchecked.
Media Monday: Social Media Revolution…Really?
Posted in Media Critique, Media Monday, Thoughts and Reflections on November 8, 2010
Watch this Video and then read my response below:
The statistics in this video are staggering. I couldn’t believe some of the numbers the first time I watched this. Over the past couple of months I have been working with various leaders and organizations to help them understand the new reality that Social Media has ushered in. This is not a fad, it is here to stay.
But…What is it?
Is this really a revolution?
Sure, the technology and software that has come on the scene in recent years has changed the way in which we communicate. In my short 33 years I have witnessed the shift from email to tweets, from sharing pictures from a wallet to sharing them on facebook.
Just considering the last ten years shows the advancement of technology. Ten years ago I had a pager. Yes…I even clipped it to my belt. Contrary to popular belief at the time I was not a ‘local pharmaceutical rep’. I thought it was amazing that people could get a message to me at any time…and the message went through the air to this little box. It was incredible.
Now I sit here, accessing the internet wirelessly on my very compact super-computer and my phone is nearly just as powerful. On my smart phone I can receive email, text message, check the weather report, track UPS packages, tweet, check-in to GPS locations, etc….Oh and I can call people too.
Technology and Social Media really is amazing.
But what’s the point? Is this revolution something new?
I don’t think so. We have certain capabilities like never before, but the mission of is all is as old as the earth itself.
As humans, made in the image of God, we were created for connection. We are designed to be in fellowship with our creator and with our neighbor. The technology that we have today provides ways of connecting that are not too different from the stories told around the campfire, the conversations in the pub or coffee shop.
As Christians, we need to understand our culture. We need to be on the forefront of the advancement of media and influence it for good. But we must not lose sight of ultimate reality. God is over all. Jesus is Lord. We must be connected to Him. As the body of Christ, we must be connected in ways to advance the proclamation of the Gospel to the nations.
If there is a revolution as a result of social media, my hope is that it will be a Gospel revolution. Let us leverage what we hold in our hand for the greatest good: That people will see Jesus, that they will repent and believe.
Social Media is only a threat and danger when we lose sight of this.
Christ Followers or Sons of God?
Posted in Conferences, Events, Thoughts and Reflections on July 22, 2010
I was reminded recently (via the message given by RC Sproul Jr. at the Ligonier National Conference) that we are often mistaken in the way we express our identity as believers. It is clear that when we do so, we miss a central truth regarding the Gospel. Let me explain.
Dr. Sproul addressed the crowd in Orlando with a confession. He explained that there is a particular teaching that, in light of a clear understanding of the Gospel, he now has to repent for teaching. What has come to distress him is that for years he had taught that God loves you now as much as he ever will. There is nothing we can do to gain more of God’s love. This is often where we stop in our teaching.
While this is definitely true in what it affirms, it is slightly off. The truth of the matter, a central hope of the Gospel, is that God loves us in this way for the very fact that He loves His Son in this way. Now, through the atoning and substitutionary death of Christ, we are now clothed in the imputed righteousness of Christ. When God looks upon us, he doesn’t see filthy rags of our sinfulness, He sees the righteousness of His Son.
What Christ accomplished through Good Friday and Easter Sunday was not simply a doing away of God’s wrath. At the same time, He made it possible for us to know the fullness of God’s Fatherly love. We are now given the privilege of being called children of God.
In hearing this truth again, my heart immediately asked this question: “If this great truth of sonship and adoption is so central, then why are so many Christians trying out this new identifier ‘Christ Follower’?” So often we will hear people say in response to the question “Are you a Christian?” the seemingly provocative reply, “Well, I am a Christ follower.”
Again, while this is certainly true- we follow Christ, it misses the point and could be misleading to the hearer. Are we simply a follower of Jesus like Muslims are followers of Mohammed or Buddhists are followers of the…um…whatever? We don’t simply adhere to another way of life, a certain teacher we follow. We are radically different. We have become children of God.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-9
We have been born again. We have an inheritance. Two things unique to sonship through Christ, not traits of mere following. Through this (Christ’s atoning death that achieved our adoption) we have a living hope that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. It is so because Christ has won it.
What is it that caries the Christian through trials and testings? Is it the quality of his followership…or the reality of his sonship?
We need to remember that the power of the Gospel rescues the thief on the cross and the death-row converted not because they follow Christ, but because he has made them His own.
Media Monday-Light On Their Faces
Posted in Media Critique, Media Monday, Music, Thoughts and Reflections on July 18, 2010
During one of my usual browsing sessions through YouTube I came accross this video from Owl City. I’ve only recently become aware of this artist…which I guess just shows how out of touch I am. Its electronic. Its catchy and fun. But I like it.
I was telling a friend the other day that electronica music is great for winter-time. I’m not sure why, it just is. I find myself grabbing for it on summer days as well.
What I like about this video is the way the face of each individual is changed by what they see. Each person begins the scene in a gloom and sadness. Then, one by one, their face turns toward a light. Something caught their eye, they turn toward it, and they begin to change. The gloom turns into faces full of hope, joy and even a sort of worship (clearly seen in the case of Shaq).
If you read the lyrics you gather that this is basically a love song. However, the way the video is produced and the focus of the last stanza, one could easily wonder if something else is the focus of the song. What is the artist aiming at here?:
When violet eyes get brighter,
And heavy wings grow lighter,
I’ll taste the sky and feel alive again.
And I’ll forget the world that I knew,
But I swear I won’t forget you,
Oh if my voice could reach back through the past,
I’d whisper in your ear,
Oh darling I wish you were here.
The first time I watched the video, I was impacted by the simplicity of what was taking place. These people were changed by this strange light in the sky. You see their faces reflecting something…as the observer you’re drawn in. What do they see? What is so compelling? Why are they being changed?
I immediately thought of one of my favorite passages of Scripture- 2 Corinthians 4:1-6:
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, we do not lose heart…because we have see the Light of the Jesus Christ. It has shone upon our face…and it has changed us forever. We were walking in gloom…and then something caught our eye, something was shining upon us. By grace it was a light shining out of darkness. We looked and saw Christ as Lord.
I have no idea if this is what the artist has intended here. But I do find it compelling…and powerful…to think that maybe he has seen such a great Light, and has been changed himself.
