Real Theology

Hello everyone! We are both doing well but are really busy. I'm trying to play catch up on some school assignments since we were out of town the first weekend. Bethany's job opportunity finally got posted so hopefully we'll know one way or the other what will happen with that.

For a thought this week I'll refer you to an older article by one of my heroes of the faith dealing with life, theology, adoption, and a birthday party. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You can read it here.
Have a great week!

Almost There!

The Fall Semester started this week and promises to keep us both pretty busy. The class list includes: Marriage & Family, Ministry of Proclamation, Church History, Missiology, and the Cooperative Program. The biggest challenge will be trying to read the 20 books that come with those classes and retain the basic info. More importantly, I am really focusing on just getting prepared for long term ministry and prayerfully seeking where God will have us serve. We are really excited to be finishing up seminary, but want to stay focused and finish well. Although that pretty much sums up what our lives will look like the next 3 1/2 months, we will be traveling in October to take part in the wedding of one of Bethany's lifelong friends, which will be a nice break. As always, we truly appreciate your prayers during this time! Remember to keep in touch!

Evangelism Linebacker

Evangelism Linebacker

The answer was there all along right in front of us... check out the newest discipleship program coming to a church near you!
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Who's on first?

One of the best things about my short break is getting to take in a lot of baseball. Since the stations up here don't carry many Braves games, I've had to take more drastic measures to get my fix. After going to a Chattanooga Lookouts game and a quick trip to Atlanta, I get to taken out to the old ballgame again this weekend in Cincinnati with my family! This is all pretty exciting for a baseball junkie like myself. Even though it has been a subpar season for a Braves fan, I'm still pretty pumped about getting to watch them play. The season has had its moments, one of which is happening on and off the field...

I read something pretty interesting in the Atlanta papers and there was a lot of buzz in the city about their Faith Day a week ago. After the game and everyone exited the stadium, they allowed people back in for a concert and message by John Smoltz. (my favorite player by the way) Smoltz shared about how he became a Christian and how God has a hand in everything he does, including pitching baseball. As you might expect there was considerable uproar over this event. I read the articles of several bashing Smoltz for his controversial move. While some arguments were a little more coherent than others, the one that was the most prominent and the most telling to me went something like this... It is fine to believe in Christ but just don't let it affect what you do on the baseball field. Don't be so caught up in your faith that you share it with others at every turn, this is baseball for crying out loud not church!

I think this is illogical at best and a telling sign of what faith means to the masses. Tolerance is triumphed until it opens the wrong doors and faith is welcomed as long as it doesn't really mean anything to you. If John Smoltz, or any other person who has ever professed to follow Jesus Christ, believes that a man who claimed to be the Son of God was crucified for our sins and was risen from the dead, he would be a fool to not seek every opportunity to share and live out that message... the gospel. We don't flaunt it, but neither can we ignore it. Expressing faith in everyday life goes beyond pointing toward the heavens after hitting a homerun or scoring a touchdown. It means much more than having a gold cross bounce around your neck as you run around the basepaths. Yes it isn't "church", and maybe that's the problem. We are called to live and breathe this truth outside a worship building, behind a desk, driving down the road, and even on a pitching mound.

College Crisis?

The growing struggle for churches in college ministry is alarming. The statistics out there are showing that the majority have strong spiritual or religious beliefs but a very small percentage of them are found plugged in to a local church. The church we attend is starting another college/career/?? class to help out our students. One of my close friends living in Chattanooga is beginning a college ministry outreach and I wished him all the best with my prayers because it is an area in need of serious examination in church life. If I know anything it is that I do not have all the answers but I do know there is a clear distinction that can help shed light on the problems. Ministering to believers who already know Christ and were involved in church ministry and reaching out to those who do not know Christ or who are "seekers" are unique but very similar, each having their own set of challenges.

With so many students who were involved in youth ministry but are not actively involved in church ministry when in college, the issue goes back to before they walk the stage at high school graduation. Youth ministries that are completely disconnected from other age groups and ministries in the church may draw the largest number of kids in the short term, but in the long term do not produce as many growing disciples of Christ. The results are often college students who will only attend youth meetings but couldn't tell you about anyone or anything else going on in the church. The growing worship movements through local campus ministries is an awesome thing, but I have talked to many campus ministers that are frustrated by how few of those students at the big gathering will come for Bible Study and prayer. Simply put, a true life of worship is a life of obedience. The solutions offered in many churches is putting college students or those who are fresh off the college campus as the leaders of the college ministries. This idea sounds great because it apparently meets the relevance and peer relationship needs, but is it best? I don't think this is wrong as much as it is counterproductive since there is still a disconnect with the church body and does not help answer what is out there for the believer after they eventually do graduate college (see photo).

For reaching unbelievers, I believe that churches can learn a great deal from the worship movements in campus ministries and the most fundamental lesson for them to learn is that God is enough. We don't have to try to add creative lures and extras on top of the gospel because when Jesus is lifted high He truly does draw people to Himself. Churches must also be willing to meet the challenging issues and go deeper into some of the life struggles that many face on college campuses. We must be willing to meet unbelievers where they are and not expect them to conform to church pews and hymnals they have never seen before they are allowed to hear the gospel. This is a battle ground for Christians to pay close attention to with the growing anti-Christian message that college students hear from professors who practically brainwash the masses with new age philosophy and naturalism. On the other end of the spectrum, genuine believers who are being encouraged and discipled in their churches and campus ministries are a spark of revolution on these same campuses. The solutions may come in asking the right questions and looking where, or to whom, we should've been looking all along for the answers.