"If you only knew..."

This post represents a new commitment to posting at least once a week. Mostly, I will be posting observations from some of my teaching. Today I had one of those moments that frightens and makes Pastors mad. I had a student at the University where I teach submit not one, but two papers which were plagiarized word for word. When I called him on it and reminded him that doing so was grounds for expulsion from the University, he told me about how hard his life had been lately and asking for another chance. Now, I am going to give him another chance, but the idea that having a hard time somehow justifies us cheating and stealing, for that is what plagiarism is, just floors me! The truth is that we can all do what is right when there is no cost or bother to doing so. But our character is shown when we do what is right when it isn't easy. We're all sinners? Of course! But Christians are sinners saved by grace who are called to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. So many times I have told my congregation that it isn't obedience when you want to do it - only when you don't want to. Of course times can be tough. But if we are not going to let the power of God change our lives, what is the point?

Pastor Ken

A long time

Well, it has been a long time since I posted anything to this blog. But, in the immortal words from Independence Day "I'm baack!" I was thinking about a set of articles in Christianity Today on the historicity of Adam and Eve and the implications for Christianity of recent genetic evidence that suggests that there cannot have been just a single set of parents for the human race. Now, I must confess, I don't understand all the genetics involved. But, as Francis Collins is one of those involved, I have no reason to doubt that this reflects the most recent scholarship on the subject. I am not prepared to comment on whether I believe it all to be true, though I remember just how many times the "assured findings" of science have turned out to be false. At this point, my only request is that we hold this conversation about the implications, biblically and otherwise, in a civil manner and not question the salvation of those with whom we might disagree. Regardless of what happens, I know that the very human condition we all share of being sinners with no means of saving ourselves, is still curable by the applied blood of Jesus Christ! I am content to follow the discussion, even enter in once in a while, and continue to trust Jesus until that day in glory when we will all be able to laugh at some of the things we thought were so important!

Pastor Ken

PS - Go to Christianity Today for a more complete coverage of the actual discussion.

What Love Demands

It is two days after Christmas. I have had a great time with my family, and now it is time to get back to work - and that means thinking! All during this holiday season a thought has been going through my mind. Or perhaps I should say, a question. Christmas reminds us that the central principle of Christianity is love - Love for God and for our fellow human. We all remember that Jesus told us that the first and greatest commandment is to love God completely, and our neighbor as ourselves. Doing that is difficult in just about every situation, but it is very problematic in the political arena. An example came on Christmas day when someone in my family asked me what I thought about a sticky political question (yes, we do talk politics, even at Christmas). As I tried to formulate an answer I found myself reflecting on what I would say based on my love for others. Should I say that a particular action should be forbidden because it is inherently harmful and sinful, and preventing people from sinning is a loving act, or should I say that we should give others freedom, even when that freedom leads to sin, because that is what God has done to us? I honestly do not have the answer right now. But I am thinking. What do you think?

Pastor Ken

Another month! But I really don't want to write anything unless I have something to say that might be worth hearing. Of course, by that standard, maybe, . . . . Oh well. Today, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! This is such a great time of year. For those of us who are believers, we get all the best. First, there is the family aspect of it. I love all the time we get to spend with family. We will celebrate with my brothers and sister on January 1st. It is always fun and interesting when the 20 or so of us get together (including children and, now, grandchild). We will celebrate with Cheri's side of the family on Christmas Day. Again, there will be around 20 of us and the day will be filled with love, laughter and music. And, best of all, we will have time with our own children for several days surrounding Christmas. I could go on and on. Family is a great part of Christmas for all of us. May your family time be as fun and meaningful as ours!

Then there is the whole wonder, which we will rediscover this year with our grandson. This is the first Christmas where he will have some understanding of the gift part. We expect a lot of wrapping paper and joy as he opens gift after gift - more than he will likely be able to play with! I know Cheri and I have already put back several things we got to give at his birthday in January, just because we bought so much!

But the best part, of course, is the realization all over again of just what Christmas means. It never gets old to me to reflect again on what God was doing that first Christmas. It is popular in philosophical circles to assert that God is so far above us that we cannot hope to really know anything about Him at all. And, to a certain extent, this is surely true. How could I, finite as I am, hope to know much of anything about God? But Christmas changed all that. Because that is when God began the process of making himself known to us - of accommodating himself to our sphere. Everything I need to know about God I learn in Jesus. He is God in the flesh. And while there is more to God than can be seen in Jesus, there is no less. That He would be willing to take on humanity is mind-boggling. This Christmas I want to learn again just what that means and who He is. It is the best gift of all!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Pastor Ken

With Thanksgiving

It is now just about a week until Thanksgiving - that uniquely American holiday. And it reminds me of a scripture: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil. 4:6, NIV). It is but one of the many verses where we are told to give thanks to God. But this one is in the context of prayer requests. And I remember some of the discussions I have heard about just what this means. Do we thank God for what has happened? But if we have needs, doesn't that imply that God my have actually caused the need? And, would God do that? On the other hand, should we thank God that we can take our needs to Him? But does that mean that we don't trust that God may have had a reason for the need we are now presenting? After many decades of ministry experience, I think I may finally have the answer: Just say "thank you, Lord." We do not have to understand everything. I suspect that much of what we think we do understand we are probably wrong about, anyway. So just say, "Thanks!" God will figure out the rest. Because the truth is, I am thankful. For everything. Especially for the privilege of taking my needs to God and knowing that He listens and, yes, answers my prayers. Have a good Thanksgiving! Eat some turkey for me!

Pastor Ken

Confession

Yes, I have a confession. I have not written anything for this blog for over a month because . . . I forgot my password! I would blame age, but I am not willing to admit yet that I am getting older. Though the other day when I went to the golf course they were offering a senior card which would save 40% every time I played. I took it. Unfortunately, senior is quite a bit older in golf than it is in racquetball. I remember a few (well, OK, many) years ago when I saw that they were having a seniors tournament for those over 35. Ah well . . . .

So what am I thinking right now? Well, the election is coming up. That's it. Vote!

Pastor Ken

A long time

Boy, has it been a long time since I wrote for this blog. It has also been a busy time. I want to just admit up front that I carry a lot of doubts around. Not the least of these doubts is the doubt I have from time to time that I am really serving God as He would have me to. This doubt comes primarily from the fact that my congregation is so small and, at least from all practical perspectives, on a collision course with death. Over five years ago we began to have regular prayer meetings asking God to enlarge His kingdom through West Valley Christian Center. Now, I knew what that should have looked like. We would begin to grow as a church, preferably by reaching non-believers, and it would be a steady increase in attendance, offerings and ministry opportunities. Instead I was asked to help an Assyrian Pastor start a church. Then, just over two years ago I was asked to help an Iranian-Armenian pastor start at church. Between those we were approached by a group wanting to start a Spanish speaking church. Then, just over a year ago, I was asked to help a small group to deal with a pretty ugly church split and perhaps help them to begin a new church. All told, those groups now number around 500 people, many of whom are new believers.

This morning one of the churches approached me to say that they were going to be moving to another location. This is a good thing since most of their people come from that other location. But that meant that a part of what seemed to be an answer to our prayers was leaving. That was OK. But wouldn't you know it, within an hour I got a call from another group that wants to plant a new church wondering if we would be willing to partner with them in the process. And yet another group waits in the wings as well.

What does this have to do with my doubt? I have found that my doubts about my effectiveness for the Kingdom is closely associated with the realization that I will never pastor one of those high profile megachurches. And let's face it - that is the definition of success in the American Evangelical Church. But God is showing me that He defines success in completely different terms. I am not saying that pastoring a megachurch is not success. It may well be. But it is the faithfulness that leads to whatever we are doing that constitutes the success. I do not know what God has for my future. I only know that I must be faithful. I trust that what we are doing is a result of faithfulness. But more importantly, I know I must always come back to God and ask Him to examine my heart and show me if I am doing something to be "successful" in His eyes or in the eyes of my peers. The first is the only one that counts.

Pastor Ken