Out the Door

The Lost Tomb of Jesus

There's been a lot of hype about the Discovery Channel's upcoming "documentary" "The Lost Tomb of Jesus."  Some Christians are getting up in arms over it.  Personally, I think the issue should be re-framed and seen as an opportunity.

This show is an obvious attack upon the Christian faith and calls into question the validity of Christianity.  The resurrection of Jesus is the link pin that holds Christianity together.  Without it, everything else falls apart.  St. Paul recognized this, "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."  (1 Corinthians 15:14)

Making up stories to disprove Jesus' resurrection is nothing new.  It has been happening for 2,000 years.  "When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, 'You are to say, "His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep." (Matthew 28:12-13) 

The thing is, I don't see the apostles throwing a tizzy fit over the chief priests' actions, like some Christians are doing with this TV program.  That Hollywood disses Christ should come as no more of a surprise to us than the fact that the chief priests did way back when.

For many years Christians had free reign over American culture.  We could have lax and lazy theologies because it was assumed that everyone bought into a Christian worldview.  "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" proves once again that this is no longer the case.  Christians have a couple of choices how they will deal with this program.

1.  They can holler and scream and call for letter-writing campaigns and boycotts.

2.  They can just ignore it, and act like it has no impact whatsoever.

3.  They can use this challenge to commitment themselves to building spiritual muscle. 

I choose option 3.  The first 300 years of Christianity was a time of incredible evangelistic growth within the Church.  It was also a time of great theological thinking.  Is there a Christian apologist alive today who can match the likes of Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Tertullian or Origen?  Not to my knowledge, but there needs to be.  Personally, I know I'm not intelligent be that person. However, I, like every other Christian, have the responsibility to witness to what the living Christ has done in my life.

While it's important that the denial of Christ's resurrection not go unchallenged, most people aren't pursued to put their faith in Him through some well thought out theology.  Rather, the greatest witness to the truth of the resurrection is a life lived in love with Jesus and with others.

That being said, I believe Christians need to be able to say more than just "Jesus saved me," as true as that might be.  Faith is not solely a matter of the heart and a believer should have the ability to clearly state in a reasoned the evidence of Jesus' resurrection.  So briefly, here it is.

It's argued that the disciples stole the body.  The fact is the tomb was guarded by soldiers who knew full well that falling asleep on duty as punishable by death and even if they had, it is in no way possible that the disciples rolled away the large stone covering the tomb so quietly as not to awaken the guards.  Further, the disciples were depressed and disillusioned following Jesus' death.  Their despair and fear, as exemplified by their fleeing from the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter's denial would have made it highly improbable that they would attempt such a daring feat.

The second proof is the reported appearances to the disciples and their incredible change in behavior.  These mostly uneducated men didn't back down from an argument with the most highly educated people of their nation.  Further, many of them died a martyr's death.  Would they have undergone torture and death into order to maintain a lie?  Not likely.

Thirdly, is the growth of the Church.  In a mere 300 years, they revolutionized the world.  And wherever they went, their message was unchanging, "Jesus is alive."

I hope American Christians can take advantage of the opportunity presented by "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" to proclaim an alternative, one which has the power to transform the world, "Christ is risen."

Back Home in Iowa

After traveling half way across the country last week, 1,600 miles one way, it's good to be home.  I will have to admit that I enjoyed my brief time down south.  I had only been to an ocean once before in my life and to be able to come back to wintry weather and talk about wading in the water under clear blue 80 degree skies as the palm trees waved in the breeze has been a lot of fun.

Best of all, I made it back to Chicago without freaking out.  Airplanes and I just don't get along usually.  Once I arrived at in the windy city, my adventure really began.  What normally would be a 5 hour drive home, turned into 10 hours.  I felt like I was living "Trains, Planes & Automobiles."  Along the way, I ran into rain, sleet, freezing rain, slushy and ice covered roads, power lines hanging down onto the highway, more cars & trucks in the ditches than I could count, and during the last 20 miles a near complete white out.  I made it through all that, starting with one car in Chicago, switching to another one in Cedar Rapids and then completing the final leg of the trip in my son's car that I picked up in Cedar Falls.

I talked to my wife about once an hour during my journey home.  What in the world did we ever do without cell phones?  And more important than that, what do people do who don't have the power of prayer on their side?  And believe me, when I was only about 10 miles from Sumner on a road I've driven hundreds of times, but was feeling like I was lost, prayer sure came in handy.  Julie had been trying to tell me for hours how bad conditions were, but I thought she was exaggerating the situation, so I put her off when she asked me about canceling worship on Sunday.  Some day I may learn to listen to her.  It didn't take me long to realize as I got closer to home that it would be foolish to try to hold worship services.  Most of NE Iowa was without electricity and still is today. 

Well, that's my adventure.  And if you're wondering, no I'm not joining Jason in Florida.  Iowa is my home and where my heart is, despite the nasty weather we get once in a while.

Off to Florida

Our oldest son has taken a job as a chef at the Pelican Isle Yacht Club in Naples.  He just finished his culinary education about a week ago.  We've packed his things in a U-Haul and he and I are heading south tomorrow.  It's about a thirty hour drive from here.  I'm flying back on Saturday.

I'll wave to my Nashville blogging buddies as we go by.  Talk to you all next week.

Open Communion

One of the many things I think makes the United Methodist Church great is our long practice of open communion.  All who love Jesus, who earnestly repent of their sins and seek to live in peace with others are invited to our Lord's Table.  This three-fold invitation defines who is welcome.

First, all who love Jesus.  Those who have experienced the grace of God given through Christ Jesus and have responded to that in some way are invited.  Thus a Muslim, Buddhist, atheist or other idolater are not included in the invitation.  These individuals don't love Jesus nor have they earnestly repented of their sins.  They may be good people who do good deeds, but not accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is a sin for which they have not repented. 

On the other hand, all those who have acknowledged Jesus as Savior or have had that done for them through baptism are welcome.  Holy Communion is the family meal for the family of God.  Thus all those who are a part of God's family regardless of their ability to understand are included.  The label by which one identifies oneself, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, Pentecostal plays no role in determining who may receive the sacrament, for we affirm that there is only one body of Christ made up on many parts.  Holy Communion is offered to all who claim to be a part of the body.

Second, who earnestly repent of their sins.  Paul speaks about participating in communion in an unworthy manner. 

So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord.  That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.  For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself.  1 Cor. 11:27-29 (NLT)

Honest self-examination by a Christian results in repentance.  We are going on to perfection but none of us are there yet.  At least, no one I've ever met.  A lack of self-examination can lead to self-righteousness and pride, seeing the speck in another's eye while overlooking the log in our own.  Only those who are humble may receive the grace given through the sacrament.

Third, who seek to live in peace with others.  Jesus said, if you're bringing an offering to the altar  and remember something a brother or sister has against you, go and make things right with them and then come back and make your offering to God.  This part of the invitation recognizes that it's not about us, it's about the community of faith.  Certainly there is an individual aspect to the sacrament, but there is also a communal one.  Holy Communion is always shared within the context of the body of Christ, where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name.

Besides being a part of my theology, open communion is a personal matter to me.  My wife, and her  sisters were raised Missouri Synod Lutheran. In their home church, they were all baptized, went through three years of confirmation classes and joined the church, and were married.  Each of them happened to marry United Methodists and all are now active in the UMC where they live.  However, when they go back home and attend worship they are barred from the communion table.  I find that incredibly insulting.  It denies the validity of their faith and that of their families.

And perhaps it is because of my desire that people feel included and connected with God in worship that I'm thankful that in the church I serve, Holy Communion is open to all believers.

Do Beer & the Bible Mix?

The Journey, a 1,300 member congregation in St. Louis says "yes,"  St. Louis Post-Dispatch story.  Each week the church holds a gathering at Schlafly Bottleworks where very unspiritual topics are discussed, at least in the traditional understanding of spiritual.  Obviously, The Journey's approach is working since it's grown from 30 original members in 2002 to its present size, mostly made up of 20 & 30 somethings.  Still, there are some who question their methods.

Now I'm not advocating an unrestrained life, but why is it the church get so hung up on alcohol?  Of course, there are those who abuse alcohol and that must be adamantly condemned, which the scriptures do.  On the other hand, if alcohol is such a bad thing, why was Jesus first miracle changing water into wine?  Wine throughout the Old Testament was a symbol of God's blessings and of His abundance.

In a way, this debate reminds me of the present attitude toward touching in the church.  Because some touch is bad and again must be adamantly condemned, there are those who would have us think that all touch is bad.  Once again, the scriptures give us a broader point of view.  The Bible condemns taking advantage of another person physically, while at the same time, instructing us to greet one another with a holy kiss.  The operative word here is "holy."  Holy touch isn't a self-gratifying action.  It is a physical expression of Christ-like love.

I'm getting a little too far from my original thought.  In the end, the question that arises from the success of The Journey is this: How far from traditional church values should a congregation be willing to go to spread the good news of Jesus Christ?

HT: Steve Beard

NFL the real loser at the Super Bowl

The Chicago Bears took at beating at last night's Super Bowl, but the real loser was the NFL.  Churches across the nation canceled Super Bowl parties when the NFL informed an Indianapolis church that showing the game on a big screen was a violation of copyright laws.  The Indianapolis Star's report of the story has draw more than 450 comments, 90% of which ridiculed the NFL.  The NFL contended that copyright laws restrict showing broadcast media on screens larger that 55 inches. 

I'm glad that they didn't find out about the party Julie & I attended.  We watched the game on a friend's 60' wide-screen TV.  And while I am only speculating, I suspect that across the nation in sports bars, Best Buys & the like, the game could be seen on screens much larger than 55".  Why the NFL would choose to shut down church sponsored parties while ignoring all the other violations is a mystery.  It is this inconsistency that will cause them the most trouble in the future.  What's the difference between going to an ESPN Sports Zone and watching the game on a wall-sized TV and going to a church? 

There was a time when a 55" TV was a very large screen, but not anymore.  Copyright laws need to be updated to reflect new technologies.  If lawmakers take up the cause, as I think they should, the NFL will soon discover they opened a Pandora's box and their little victory this year will turn into a major loss. 

UM Pastor charged with sexual abuse of a parishioner

A Winona, MN pastor has been placed on leave after being charged with 10 counts of 3rd & 4th degree sexual misconduct.  The pastor denies the charges and says the accuser is a troubled woman.  Star Tribune story.

The pastor must be guilty.  Anytime a clergy is accused on such a crime, it's automatically assumed. 

Now, whether or not he really is, I don't know.  But I am concerned that in cases of clergy misconduct, a person is guilty until proven innocent.  The fact is that pastors deal with troubled people all the time.  That's why it's especially important that pastors protect themselves against such accusations. 

Assuming he is innocent, it still seems pretty obvious that this pastor knew this woman had problems, thus extra caution should have been taken.  If it had, he might not find himself in the position that he's in.

On the other hand, if he is in fact guilty, he should be permanently removed from his position and have is ordination papers taken from him.  We had a case here in Iowa about 10 years ago that was similar in nature.  The pastor had sexual relations with a parishioner he was counseling and was put on involuntary leave and after a couple of years, the Bd. of Ordained Ministry recommended that his ordination be forfeited.  However, being a good liberal, his friends came to his aid and had him reinstated at the clergy meeting at Annual Conference.  The percussions of that action are still reverberating throughout the Iowa AC.

If the accusations against this MN pastor are true, the local church, the Minnesota Conference and all United Methodists will suffer.  We talk regularly about connectionalism.  Our connection impacts us in both positive and unfortunately, sometimes negative ways. 

HT: John the Methodist on Methoblog