Coy-dogs and other things that go bump in the night

The moon was full and the night was full of strangely moving shadows when a lone howl cut through the late night darkness. An answering cry was heard, closer this time. Shivers went up and down my spine as I wondered, was it a pair of vampires on the prowl, or perhaps a couple of werewolves out for a midnight snack? Nah, it was probably a coy-dog looking for mice and moles!

Lately I took some heat for posting a link to an article on Facebook entitled, “Top 20 Unfortunate Lessons Girls Learn From Twilight”, from the website “wired.com”. The article posed 20 different lessons that girls in particular take away from the Vampire and Werewolf thriller now in theaters. The arguments are totally non-religious, just basic psychology and sociology. In many cases they are simply common sense! The movie and books encourage the obsession many females have with the ‘bad boy’ and everything that goes along with it. Would you want your daughter lying to you, spending time with someone who engages in bad behavior that could hurt or kill them? It is amazing to me how many teen girls and even adult women are drooling over the hunks in these movies in an almost obscene manner. Most guys I have heard look at the phenomena with disdain and perhaps even a little jealousy.

I look at the 'Twilight' series and take note that nowadays vampires and werewolves are becoming more and more regarded as simply a fantasy subculture where there is good and evil, a microcosm of the human race. The evolution of this concept of a superhuman, supernatural subculture is fascinating. Viewed through the lens of Hollywood, the early films about vampires and werewolves regarded them as tortured beings, cursed and damned. They were evil, even if sometimes unwilling victims. 'Nosferatu' in 1923 showed an ugly and thoroughly detestable vampire. Lon Chaney was the epitome of evil when in his werewolf form, but as a human was an object of pity. Dracula as played by Bela Lugosi in 1931 was plain evil with no trace of good. As the mid-century approached the role changed. Frank Langella in 1979 changed the genre by portraying Dracula in a romantic light with his victim Lucy. The Anne Rice novels further evolved the character of the vampire, while films such as 'A Werewolf in London' changed the character of the changeling wolves. The 'Underworld' series of movies and brought together the two races in a different way. This culminates today in the 'Twilight' series of books and movies.

A couple things to keep in mind, here. Werewolves and vampires are two fantasy races of what were originally conceived as embodiments of demons and demonic forces, hunting humans as prey. They are fantasy creatures, not real. However, spiritual warfare is very real. Those forces who oppose God will try anything to keep our focus off our spiritual condition and off God. The progression here also indicates the increasing fascination with a culture of death, seen all around us and in many ways, but is maybe most easily seen in Hollywood productions. Not only this, but our distinct human tendency to reverse the order of things become plain. Simply put, what was once called evil is now called good. What was good is now evil.

It is a sign of the times, I guess. It has always happened, and frequently happens in sub-cycles, too. The question is, do we recognize it? Or do we pass it off as the ravings of a few conservative religious nuts who don’t like movies and fantasy (which, by the way, I love both)?

So, is this a real evil, like a vampire or werewolf, or simply a coy-dog howling in the night?

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God”. John 3:19-21 (NIV)

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New Beginnings

We received our first snowfall of the season last night, or should I say...our first measurable snowfall. Half an inch measured at Burlington International Airport. We actually tied the record for latest first measurable snowfall. The world looks white and sparkly, like we have a new beginning. I like it. Of course, by the end of February I won't be in such a good mood when we get snow, and if we get snow any time past March I definitely won't be happy. But for now, it's nice.

I've had another new beginning this last week. I've been getting a bit stressed out over some conversations I've had with a couple people. My father-in-law and I had a long talk about them, and he pointed out to me that I have been taking the Lord's tasks and making them my own. They are tasks that I, in fact, cannot handle. So I have given them back to Him. I have gone so far as to limit my contact with these people...they have my phone number, my email address and my physical address so contact has not been totally removed, but I am no longer 'friends' with them on Facebook and other venues.

As I have matured in the faith I find that I have a hard time dealing with certain types of people. Specifically, I have no problem at all dealing with your typical unsaved and secular person, nor do I have a problem dealing with people who take their Christian faith seriously. But I have a huge issue with people who claim to be Christian, but put the lie to that claim by their actions during the week. As it says in Revelation 3: 15-16, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

So, a new beginning is at hand. I will not try to usurp the role of the Holy Spirit any more. I look forward to Advent and Christmas, and reclaim the joy that is mine in Him.

May the joy of His birth surround and permeate you today!

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Grace and Growth

It’s interesting that when you talk to Christians you get such a different view of life. We really look at life through a different set of lenses than the world at large does. I am becoming more convinced though, of the factor of growth in the Christian’s life, because I’ve met so many at different points in their walk. But sometimes we forget that the grace we’ve received from God needs to be transmitted to other people through our hands. I think this is what leads to the charge among many non-believers that the church is full of hypocrites, one way or the other.

First, people outside the walls of the church see a group calling themselves followers of Christ and notice there are various forms of behavior that don’t jive with the speech. In other words, they see behavior at odds with our profession of faith in Christ. Sometimes our walk does not appear to be very holy.

Second, when someone comes into the church we somehow expect that there is going to be an overnight change in behavior. Sometimes this does happen…I’ve seen alcoholics lay a bottle on the altar and never go back. But often the process is a bit slower. Someone comes into the church and people start grumbling about how they smoke or go to bars. Certainly these are not behaviors we condone. Nevertheless, what they may not see is that the person has overcome some tremendous sin in their life and the smoking and drinking, bad as they might seem, are minor in comparison. Eventually those will disappear, but for right now they need the grace of God administered through our hands. I’m reminded of my dogs at home. When they poop in the kitchen I don’t like it under any circumstances, but when they at least hit the paper I praise them! Maybe we’ve forgotten what it feels like to be a new Christian. Maybe that in itself is reason for us to go to our knees.

Third, sometimes we do have cases in the church where the grace of God is not tied to repentance. When someone is in the midst of witness-destroying behavior and claims that God’s grace covers it all, there is a problem. They do not acknowledge that repentance is needed. It is important to remember that without repentance, there is no forgiveness. You cannot be in the middle of sin and simply expect God to keep whitewashing it. We do not keep sinning to display God’s grace, Paul was clear on that in Romans 6:1-2 ( “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” ) Growth demands change, and Satan is happy if he can keep a Christian stagnant.

As a pastor I walk this line all the time. I see sin in people’s lives, but I have to consider the whole person, where they come from and how far along the journey they are. Do I say something now, or wait? How can I show this person God’s grace? How can I help them, not push them away?

The important thing to remember is to talk the talk, but walk the walk, too. Without the one, the other means nothing.

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It's a mystery!

George Carlin used to do a skit based on some of his experiences in the Catholic Church. According to him the answer to some questions was just a simple, “It’s a mystery!” in the inimitable Carlin voice. I’ve found that that actually is a good answer for a few things, especially around the church. Other times it is an answer, but a frustrating one.

As a holiness preacher I stress that theology is something that has to be applicable to real life or it is useless. It has to be something that affects you not only on Sunday morning, but every moment of everyday. But some people’s actions are a mystery to me.

Why is it that some people who call themselves Christian still align themselves in every area of life with the world so thoroughly? Without bringing politics into the equation (there is room in the church for all political parties) I know “Christians” who think it is fun to drink alcohol and get intoxicated. I know “Christians” who like recreational drugs. I know “Christians” who are not married, but are living with someone of the opposite sex with whom they are involved romantically. I know “Christians” who think being homosexual is ‘natural’ and ‘just a different lifestyle’. I know “Christians” whose favorite entertainment is R-rated. I know some “Christians” who regard the church as their own private playground. I know "Christians" who haven't opened their Bible in a long time, nor have they prayed. I know "Christians" who have a job, but think tithing is giving $5 a month in the offering plate. I know some “Christians” who display emotional animosity towards certain classes or ethnicities of people. I could go on and on. Some “Christians” I know embody several of the foregoing attitudes and characteristics.

How can a person who reads the Bible not follow the commands and principles it contains? How can a follower of Jesus Christ discount His words so blithely? There's an old saying that, "Being in a church doesn't make you a Christian, in the same way that being in a garage doesn't make you a Chevy".

In one sense, “it is a mystery”. In another, it is no mystery at all. People simply put their own attitudes and opinions above those of Scripture. And what is that called? Idolatry! They worship themselves. Their thoughts and opinions are above those of God.

Let’s be crystal clear. You may not agree with everything in Scripture, but if you are going to be a follower of Christ you MUST comply with what He tells us in the Bible. If the Bible says not to have sex before marriage, then don’t do it! If the Bible says to respect your elders, then respect your elders! If the Bible says to support your church, then contribute your tithe, pray for your church, lend your time and talents.

There is a growth curve to Christian maturity. If you’ve been a believer for awhile you should see yourself being transformed into a more and more Christ-like person. If this is not happening, then you need to find out why. There is a sin, maybe more than one, blocking your spiritual development. A person who is actively and willingly involved in sin, as defined by the Bible and not you, cannot be a spiritually healthy Christian.

And frankly, if you decide that the Bible is a bunch of fairy tales and your opinions matter more than Scripture, then don’t call yourself a Christian, because you are not. You're just giving the rest of us a bad name.

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A little magic

I was reading a book today called “Learn Magic” by Henry Hay. I’ve always had an interest in the art of the magician and sleight of hand. When I was in Middle School my interest peaked and I became pretty good at a few tricks. My teachers actually allowed me to go around to the various classes, toting my magic apparatus along with me. I did shows for the classes and gained a bit of a reputation. Later my interest waned, but it has never completely gone away.

A quote from “Learn Magic” on page 25 struck me; Mr. Hay stated, “…by moving the left hand away while the right stays still. Anything that moves catches the eye; anything that stands still becomes part of the background.”

Now, intuitively I have know this for a long time. When deer hunting the emphasis when moving is to move slowly and quietly, and to remain as still as possible when not moving. A deer will catch movement in the woods as quickly as it will catch scent. If you don't move, as far as the deer is concerned you are just another part of the background. But when I read this quote my mind went to the church. We have had discussions of late with the Board and a few key leaders about growth in the church. As good as it has been, we know it can be much better. We’ve talked about why the growth is slower than we’d like, and this quote puts it into perspective.

Simply put, we need to be moving in the eye of the community. If we stand still, so to speak, we will just fade into the background. We need to get ourselves noticed in the public eye. How to do that? That is the question. It occurs to me that it almost doesn’t matter what we do. What matters is the movement.

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."

Colossians 4:5 (NIV)

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Spots on the road

I was on the highway this morning, very early. It was about 6am when I started out, heading to a meeting with my prayer partner at the Friendly's Restaurant in Williston. We meet at 6:30am so that I can get to work on time, and actually it allows him to stay in bed late. Most mornings he is up at 3:15am! Suffice it to say, I am not up that early.

In any case, as I passed Exit 14 heading south I was struggling to stay focused on my driving and wondering why I was on the road at such an hour. Suddenly, as I passed a grease spot on the highway, my eyes snapped open and I frantically reached for the heater controls to shut it off. The stench was nearly causing my eyes to water; I realized the grease spot in the road I had just passed over was in reality the hapless remains of a skunk. The effect on my focus was amazing. Everything in my path was now crystal clear.

As I finished my trip I was thinking about this incident and how it might relate to some things that we have been dealing with recently (preachers always think this way). It occured to me that in normal circumstances we just kind of cruise along the highway of our life. It's quiet, kind of boring and we are half asleep. Then something in life comes along that really just stinks, but the effect it has is that suddenly we are brought up short and the events are brought into a sharp focus. Sometimes it is an illness, sometimes a job loss, sometimes the loss of a loved one. Other times it is conflict with another person or group, perhaps not even our issue but a problem with someone close to us such as a child. But the rest of life is now in sharp relief.

The issue with this is eventually the stink wears away, we forget it and go back to what passes for normalcy, our placid, bored drive, until the next skunk shows up and wakes us from our stupor. The good news is that God knows where all those stinky points in our lives are and He is still in control. So trust in Him, and watch out for the skunks!

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7


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Vacating

The air is starting to grow crisp and the leaves are beginning to turn into the red and gold’s of autumn. The Champlain Valley Exposition has come and gone. Whether we like it or not, fall is coming. The last two weeks were the only really decent weather we had this summer, with temperatures in the upper seventies, clear skies and a light breeze. If I closed my eyes I could smell the surf on Waikiki, but when I opened my eyes I saw maple trees instead of palm trees.

It occurred to me that this summer has been very busy and that we really didn’t get much time off. We either had church business to attend to, children to get back to school (regardless of the time off, four straight days driving is NOT vacation!) or other busy work. We took one weekend off in July to go to my in-laws in Maine, during which time it rained. This last weekend was the New England District Men’s Retreat, which I could not afford either in terms of time or money, so I was not able to attend. Consequently I feel somewhat starved for a true time of rest and relaxation.

What is a ‘vacation’ anyway? It is a time to ‘vacate’, in other words to ‘empty oneself’. You’ve gotten full and feel like drowning, and need to empty some of the cares and worries from your heart and mind. ‘Recreation’ is another word we use for this, meaning it is a time to ‘re-create’ oneself.

Sensing the lack, one of my prayer partners and I will be spending a couple days in October at an undisclosed rustic location in southern Vermont. We have no agenda; we will walk, talk, read the Bible, pray together and eat stuff we shouldn’t eat. We’ll catch up on family and mutual acquaintances. We’ll enjoy God’s creation out under the stars (weather permitting). We’ll take pictures and empty ourselves of our cares, so that when we return home we can perform our tasks with renewed passion and vigor.

Have you vacated and re-created lately?

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

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Taking his ball home

There are times when you have a discussion with someone of an opposing viewpoint and you wonder if it did any good whatsoever. I had one of those discussions yesterday. I was reading a post where the author, an avowed conservative, was saying that Wisconsin had a small victory for gay marriage advocates. I disagreed with an assertion it was not possible to oppose gay marriage without resorting to the Bible, and therefore any opposition is invalid.

To refute this argument I simply stated one of his premises and then broke it down logically, showing what the basis for current law is, and then what would happen if that basis was removed to allow gay marriage. He responded and we were off and running. However, despite the logic of the position, he refused to acknowledge the weak points in his arguments and even at one point 'put words in my mouth'. He never did address the primary issue. Final conclusion? He stated that I was wrong and said he was going to stop responding to me. In other words, he couldn't argue with my statements, so he took his ball and went home.

We in the church need to be aware of one of the points I was trying to drive home with him. Many issues we deal with, both individually and publicly are not driven by logic, but by emotion. "I'm right because I say so!". When faced with logical or even physical proof that they are wrong or mistaken, the evidence is ignored because emotion trumps everything else. I am a big believer in the usefulness of the 'apologetic' method. However, many people will not be swayed by logic. Even those who might be swayed will take a long time to come to their own conclusions.Bottom line, they must OWN the decision they make, not go on someone else's arguments. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Cor 4:4 It is the work of the Holy Spirit to change people's hearts and minds, not ours. We can present the truth, but only God can change a heart.

The eye of the beholder

I had a discussion a few days ago with someone about one of our local parks on the shore of Lake Champlain. It was stated that the beach was filthy, dirty and unhealthy, and the park itself was not suitable for families, especially with children. Having just talked with the park supervisor who stated that the beach is cleaned daily, the water quality is tested daily and was rated good at this time, and that there were two park employees on duty when we were going to be there I felt pretty comfortable with going there.

When we reached the park we found the picnic tables were clean, a fresh bag in the garbage can and no trash strewn around. There was some lakeweed along the shore, but it was an overcast day and we were concentrating on the barbecue, the volleyball game and bocci ball. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Looking around, my daughter made a comment to me about how clean everything was. She has just spent the last four years in the Chicago area at school, and she helped out with a children's ministry. Going to the cleanest of parks in the Kankakee, IL area, she said they always had to check the ground for smashed glass, the bathrooms for used syringes and were cautious around the water where literally anything might have been tossed in. She said that maybe the beach wasn't as clean as it could be by Vermont standards, but by Illinois standards it was a paradise!

It made me think about the fact that sometimes we are so conditioned by what we are used to that we have trouble seeing conditions for what they are. Like an artist who has to unlearn 'seeing' in order to draw....to learn to draw what IS rather than what the eye fills in. Or the person who is abused, but since that is all they know they think it is normal. God wants so much more for us than just what we are immersed in. His future for us is bright, shiny, clean and new every day. I thank God for the clean beaches of Vermont, and for the vision God has for us that lifts us beyond what we know.


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What happened to John Wesley?

I recently had my eyes opened to a phenomena that took me by surprise. I was listening to a favorite radio station, KLOVE, which plays Christian Soft Rock. The lyrics of a song struck me and I realized that I really liked them, except for one particular line. The song is “I believe”, by Wes King from the album “The Robe”. It is a very good confessional song, laying out the beliefs of a man in the basics of Christian faith, much as the traditional creeds do. However, the chorus states, “I believe, I believe, I believe in the Word of God, I believe, I believe, 'Cause He made me believe”. The concept of free will is completely ruled out by the last line. Where is personal responsibility? Where is our place in the plan of God?

According to all orthodox systems of doctrine the plan of salvation was conceived and carried out by no one but God. It is administered by the Holy Spirit and is only valid by the Blood of Jesus. We cannot save ourselves by any stretch of the imagination. Our only part is in accepting the free gift of God given by His grace. But it is in accepting that gift or rejecting it that we find our part in the plan; we are not robots controlled by God's unseen hand.

The theology of John Wesley is a hybrid between John Calvin’s doctrine of election and predestination and that of the theology of Jacobus Arminius. The Holy Spirit was emphasized and the doctrine of free will was acknowledged. (Caveat: Yes, yes, I know it is more complicated than that!) It is the basis for the great Wesleyan and Holiness movements of the 1700’s and late 1800’s. All branches of Methodism, Pentecostalism and several other lines owe their existence to these movements.

Despite this, what I see being represented in the marketplace is dominated by a more deterministic theology, not even a true Calvinism, but with a severe lack of free will and personal responsibility. There is a lack of knowledge of the true power of God to not simply whitewash over the sins of a fallen mankind, but to truly cleanse the sinner through the Holy Spirit. We are told that man must sin in thought, word and deed every day. This is reflected in books, music, movies, articles and interviews. It results in either a very fatalistic faith, or a very fuzzy faith.

Where has John Wesley’s insight into this power of the Spirit gone? Where is the knowledge of a God who can change the heart of a person so they no longer desire to do wrong, to act contrary to the will of the Father? Where is repentance?

We see in the so-called civilized areas of the world that there is a debate among Christians over this doctrine. We see widespread losses in American churches because we preach a Gospel without power, leaving people in their sins and feeling that this is the normal course of Christian life. But in other areas of the world there is no such watered-down Gospel no matter the official doctrine, and the church is indeed in revival. Look at Asia, Africa and South and Central America and the churches are booming. Here, there is no question of the power of God to transform lives.

We need a revival of the Holy Spirit to sweep over us once again. To do so, we need to return to preaching and teaching the power of God over sin, and the need for personal responsibility and repentance among the people of the church. Sin, not simply doing wrong, but living willfully in sin cannot be the norm in the church. We cannot teach that it is the normal course of a Christian’s life to accept salvation and then see no change in their life. The Gospel is nothing if not tranformative.

Until we preach and teach this, and our people believe it and desire it with all their hearts, I fear that John Wesley will remain hidden, and revival will not come.

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The Beginning from the End

I was reading a book on chess and came across a very interesting statement. The discussion was about ‘forking’, that is, attacking two pieces with a single piece. Such an attack means that one or the other of the attacked pieces can be saved and the other is captured. He stated, “In cases like this one you might compare a chess player to the author of a whodunit who starts his work by figuring out the solution which will come at the end of his book…the Knight’s forking check is the ‘solution’. Black’s task, once he sees this check is to search for the moves that make the check meaningful.” 1

It occurred to me that this same process is applicable to us in the church. First, it is a clear way to structure our spiritual life. What is our goal in our spiritual life? Every Christian should strive to become more Christlike disciples, to be closer to God. You know where you want to go, and where you are now, so how is that reasonably accomplished? Daily Bible reading and prayer, finding an accountability partner, finding and using your spiritual gifts are all excellent paths to this goal.

Secondly, we can apply this to other areas of our lives. If you want to achieve certain things in your life, then what do you need to do to get there? For instance, if you want to write a fiction novel, you need to sit down and start writing. If you want to get a Doctorate, then you need to work on your Master's degree. If you want to be a motorcycle mechanic, then you need to buy a 'beater' and enroll in a course or buy some books.

Finally, in the collective church we have goals as well. The high-falutin’ church language calls this “casting a vision” and there are entire seminars and college classes about it, but it’s really simple. The first question should be, “What is our vision for this church?” Where do we want to end up? What do we see this church being or doing in five years, or ten years? So many times we go along with no goal, and then wonder why we don’t seem to get anywhere. There’s an old story about a flight of military planes flying through overcast skies just after World War 2. Their navigational instruments were out when the controller radioed them and asked where they were. The pilot in the lead plane answered, “Well, I really don’t know, but we’re making good time!”.

If we want to be known as a “Praying Church”, do we have prayer meetings and activities? If we want to be known as “Friendly”, how do we support that goal? If we want to be known as the church that has its hands in the local community, how are we striving to get there?

Don't just dream about it and think God is going to drop things in your lap. Make a conscious choice to pray about where God wants you to go and what He wants you to do, then follow Him!




1 “How to be a winner at chess” by Fred Reinfeld: Fawcett, c1954, p65

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The Tower of Babel

In the book of Genesis 1 there is a story about how the people’s of the earth decided to get together and build a large tower to reach to the heavens. God knew their pride and folly and decided to confound them. Now He could have simply reached down and swatted them like flies, but He chose a more subtle approach…He made them unable to communicate with each other by giving them multiple languages to speak. As they grew frustrated they eventually wandered off in language groups to found their own nations and the Tower of Babel was forgotten.

In a Sunday sermon a few weeks ago I told the church that ‘we have lost it’. What is ‘it’ and who are ‘we’? ‘We’ are the church and “it’ is the ability to speak to the outside world. We have become so insulated in our own little cocoon that we have forgotten how to speak to the people around us. When we get together we have a special ‘church language’ we speak and everyone knows what we mean. Even more, when we present our (very valid) concerns to the people outside the walls of the church, we present them in the same way we might discuss things with someone inside the church, and the person doesn’t understand. A month or so ago in Vermont we urged our people to contact their representatives concerning the issue of same-sex or genderless marriage. When I called my representatives one of them asked me why I felt the way I did. I gave her three relevant and valid concerns she could evaluate and weigh, and in language she could understand. What I did NOT do was quote scripture to her and tell her I did not believe in genderless marriage because the Bible says it is wrong. That would have been correct, but she would not have cared for nor understood the arguments. She would simply have put me down as a religious crackpot.

I have related on this blog discussions with my doctor concerning my diet in relation to my colitis. I understand where he is coming from, what arguments he can accept and those he cannot accept. If I speak outside of those terms he will dismiss me out-of-hand. When I present an argument to him in favor of the SCD diet in terms he can relate to, citing formal studies supporting it, he is more understanding and receptive.

The whole point is this…no matter what the issue, we need to understand that speaking to an unbeliever as though they were a believer is pointless. Like Paul before the Areopagus in Acts 2, we present the argument in terms that our listener can understand. That means we must not only know the Scripture, but we must know the meaning behind it and be able to relate it to everyday life in the 21st Century in our cultural setting.

Yes, we’ve lost it. But we CAN find it again…indeed we MUST find our collective voices again, or face being marginalized.

1 Genesis 11:1-9
2 Acts 17:16-34

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Treading the Academic Maze

I have recently been treading the academic maze in a new and different way, and have found myself turned around and upside down by the complexities. What started me on this journey? The Church of the Nazarene has a denominational requirement for all ordained ministers to take two CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) each year. Since this was relatively recently introduced even District leadership doesn’t fully understand the process. The idea is good, of course; we as professionals need to keep our minds sharp and abreast of the latest developments in our field. So far, so good.

First, knowing the burden this places on the minister in terms of time and money, Nazarene Bible College offers courses through their Institute for Ministry Enrichment at $35 a course, plus the cost of any texts. These are totally online and are only four weeks long. They count as one CEU, so taking two courses a year is a realistic goal. They do not count as college credit, however.

Next, the Districts themselves can ask for specific events to count for CEU credit. So, for instance, a Saturday seminar on prayer or evangelism can count. Depending on the ‘seat time’, or amount of time actually spent in instruction, the seminar may only accrue a fraction of a CEU. As a result, you may have to attend many seminars to get your two CEU’s. The lowest I have personally seen is a seminar that had ‘.1’ CEU…that’s right, one-tenth of a credit! The catch to this is that the District must have the event approved before it runs in order for it to garner any credit.

Finally, an individual can request credit for either an event they are attending (say, a seminar on puppet ministry put on by a third party) or a book they are reading. The proper forms must be submitted to the District CEU coordinator, who then may request a written report on the event or training. As long as the book or training has application to the ministry the credit should be granted, with consideration given to time and effort spent on the training. In other words, the coordinator determines how much CEU credit the training is worth. Recently our church staff and lay leaders were required by our insurance company to go through training for “Sexual Abuse Prevention”, which encompassed a set of DVD’s, a textbook and workbooks. We requested credit for that training, as it was long enough to be valuable in CEU terms, and directly applicable to our ministry.

Now is when it gets interesting. See, I have an aversion to taking random courses, no matter how good they may be, earning no college credit and having no possibility of a degree/diploma/certificate being awarded. So since I already have a bachelor’s degree, my thoughts turned to graduate school and earning a Master’s degree. I also reasoned that this will allow me to contribute to my District because I will be able to teach our next generation of ministers. I love teaching, so that would come easily.

I looked first at Nazarene Theological Seminary, our flagship school. They have an ‘in-service’ program for ministers who don’t want to move to Kansas City. I found that the degree is costly, but not only that, it has a residency requirement. You spend 2 weeks twice a year at the least (4 weeks total) in on-campus intensive courses to fulfill this requirement. Why is this so? Because they are accredited through the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). ATS accreditation states that you MUST earn a significant percentage of your credits in a classroom…even if the rest of the credits are online. What this means in a practical sense is that the NTS ‘in-service’ program is only available to pastors who are in fully-funded pastorates. Any bivocational pastor is going to have a tough sell to their secular employer as to why they should have four weeks off a year! NTS told me that they have a large grant to try and rectify this situation, but the reality is that as long as ATS accreditation is part and parcel of the equation, there will be no help forthcoming from NTS.

So, what about other schools? It turns out that most major seminaries are accredited by ATS. If they have an online program it likely has on-campus requirements of some kind. There are Nazarene institutions which do have fully online programs; Northwest Nazarene University is a case in point. They have a fully-online program with several Master’s degrees, including an MDiv.. They are, of course, not ATS accredited, but are regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Taking this program means among other things that an ATS accredited school may or may not take that coursework in transfer or when working for another higher degree. The only schools pretty much guaranteed to take them are other Nazarene institutions. The cost at NNU is still high, but at least it seemed a possibility.

So, what about non-ATS accredited schools? I found several likely looking schools who were affordable, but did not have a residency requirement. Many of them are affiliates of ABHE (Association of Biblical Higher Education). Several of them use the same curriculum as some of the larger seminaries such as Nyack College in New Jersey. They are definitely not fly-by-night degree mills. Inquiry at our local training facility (Reynolds Institute) indicated that all of our instructors are certified through Nazarene Bible College. A quick call there discovered that in order to be an instructor you must have a degree from an ABHE full member school. Affiliation with ABHE was not enough, despite the solid curriculum.

So I started leaning toward the program at NNU for an MA in Missional Leadership. In talking with people on our District, the consensus was this degree was useless. "No one would be allowed to teach a Bible course based on this degree". "Only an MDiv was worth getting", so the argument went! Who in their right mind would get an MDiv at the cost of $30-40,000 in a position that is essentially unpaid, or even at the typically low salary of a pastor?

This begs the question, why do it (take a degree from an ATS accredited school or an ABHE member school)? Will it further your ministry ‘career’? Will it result in higher pay or more opportunities? Is the goal more knowledge and experience so you can minister to your congregation better, taking them to new heights? Is it for peer recognition? You can take courses and get a degree from one of the ABHE-affiliated-but-not-member schools and fulfill your denominational requirement. It’s cheaper and available in a delivery format that is more amenable to bivocational ministry. You just won’t be able to teach in the local training center. And when was the last time someone asked you about the accreditation of the school you attended outside of an academic setting?

The sad thing about this is that I really do want to help our District train new people; otherwise I have no aspirations to anything other than ministry in the local church here in Vermont. But the means to help the District (especially in our somewhat isolated corner) has been placed out of my reach. So I will have to settle for second-best until our denominational schools get their act together in a fashion that reflects the real-world circumstances of the bivocational minister.

Probably not anytime soon.

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Lessons over the board

Recently during one of our potluck lunches I had the chance to play chess with one of our church members. I’ve played chess since I was about 12 years old, usually playing best two of three games with my father almost every night for most of my teen years. I’ve played off and on since then, and although I’ve never played in a tournament I considered myself a decent player. During the four games that I played with Tayo I learned differently; he beat me three times in ten minutes, although it took him ten minutes to beat me the fourth time. It turns out Tayo has been playing since he was 9, and growing up in New York he played chess in the parks with some of the best.

There are several things I have gotten from this experience that I would like to pass along, as much for my benefit as for anyone who might read this, lessons that Tayo and chess have recently taught me.

The first lesson is to have a right opinion of yourself. The Bible says in Romans 12:3, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Now, it is important that you don’t have an exalted opinion of yourself, but it is also important that your opinion should not be lower than it ought to, either. Sober judgment is called for, to assess yourself correctly.

The second lesson is like the first. Have a right opinion of others. As the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. You would probably not take Tayo for being the “chess shark” that he can be. He looks much too genial. It’s like assuming that the soft-spoken gentleman you are talking to is a push-over only to find out he has a black belt in karate. Tayo also happens to be a very good teacher; as he is making his moves and watching yours, he is asking 'leading' questions and showing you ways to improve your game.

Another very valuable lesson that this has taught me is that I need to have persistence of action. It would have been very easy for me to simply shrug it all off and say, “Tayo is the better player” and never play him again. I could have said, “Chess at this level is beyond me”. What I did was load up a chess program on my PC, start playing and got some books from the town library on chess. I played Tayo two weeks after that first round of games. And the result? I lost again! My goal is to improve my game, not to beat Tayo. And my game is improving, so I’ve been successful.

I’ve learned some very valuable lessons along the way here from the game itself, which I will write about in another blog. In the meantime I’m having fun, and there is ministry going on, so what more could I ask for? So here’s to Tayo (Thanks!) and to chess, and to a great God who made it possible by putting it all together exactly when I needed it.

The Sound of Snow

It sounds a bit strange to hear, especially if you are a southerner reading this (anyone south of Concord, NH!). But snow can have not only different looks and feels, but distinct sounds associated with it. As the snow falls when there is little or no wind there is a silence that falls over the world. It seems as if everything has gone still and into hiding. Even a passing car makes little noise. Talk between people is hushed. A scientist would say that this is because the falling snow absorbs sounds…as if you were trying to speak in a room surrounded by curtains and hung with laundry. Whether it has a simple explanation or not, I love the peaceful feeling the silence of the snow brings.

There is another sound the snow brings. As you walk across snow you can literally tell how cold it is by the sound. A soft, slurpy sound tells you that the temperature is near the freezing point of water, maybe even a little above. The snow has been partially melted and is that most terrible of mixtures known as slush. The danger with slush is manifold. It is the kind of snow most likely to cause heart attacks in the elderly when they try to shovel, since it is very heavy. It can quickly saturate your clothing, and cool your body, sending chills up and down your spine. If not dealt with quickly it can lead to hypothermia.

Another sound is when the snow falls and the temperature is a bit lower, often referred to as ‘crisp’. The whoosh of your boots through the snow tells you that it has just enough moisture in it to make a good snowman or a snowball, but not enough to instantly soak you. This is the snow kids love to play in.

And there is yet a third sound you may hear. When you walk across the snow you hear a distinct crunch and there is an edge to the air that takes your breath away. The temperature is low enough that there is no moisture left. Snowballs crumble, snowmen are an exercise in futility. Breathing is difficult and every exposed area turns red and numb in short order. When you hear the snow make this sound, there is danger afoot. Frostbite can strike the careless in minutes or even seconds.

In our Christian life there are instances where a single action in and of itself may lead to different results and consequences. The act of watching television, for instance, can be very uplifting and educational, or it can lead to potentially harmful actions, incline the mind to temptation or be sinful in and of itself. To tell someone watching television is always sinful is taking the easy way out. But to go the other way and discount its potential danger is foolhardy, like hiking up Mount Washington in September in a t-shirt and shorts. The same can be said for many things we encounter daily. Paul says, “…if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Cor 10:12-13 NIV)

Keep your eyes open, your mind sharp and your eyes fixed on Him and He will provide for you. And listen to the snow.

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