Down 2 Earth

Being a Pastor Stinks...

(It's Watercooler Wednesday... join us)

It's not easy being a pastor... in fact, it really stinks sometimes... Here are some stats why (reference links are provided below):

50% of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce
80% of seminary graduates will leave ministry in the first 5 years
70% of pastors are grossly underpaid (compared to the amount of work they do)
80% of pastors’ spouses believe their spouse is overworked
50% of pastors feel unable to meet the needs of the job
80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their family
56% of pastors’ spouses have no close friends
80% of pastors’ kids seek professional help for depression

80% of pastors feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors

50% of pastors are so discouraged they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

85% of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people.

90% of pastors said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people

95% of pastors do not regularly pray with their spouses

70% of pastors do not have a close friend, confidant or mentor

66% of pastors and their families feel pressure to model the ideal family to their congregations and communities

5 years - the average tenure of a pastor at a church

1500 pastors leave ministry each month due to moral failure, burnout or contention in their churches

Pastors who work fewer than 50 hours a week are 35% more likely to be terminated

The average church member expects the pastor to be able to juggle 16 major tasks

Approximately 4,000 new churches begin each year while more than 7,000 churches close down each year.

Doesn't sound like it's the ideal job!!! I guess we should be praying for our pastors then! 

Source:
http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=2693
http://www.maranathalife.com/lifeline/stats.htm

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I Need a Fork...

In a website that was dedicated to the cute things kids say, I read this:

                                             

'I accompanied my 4 year old, Matt, to a pre-kindergarten screening session where they tested his hearing, his eyesight, speech and motor skills. His last stop was with the school nurse who emphasised the importance of washing hands before meals.             

       

"Germs from our hands can get on our food while we are eating," she explained.                                  

                                                                                       

"Oh, I don't need to worry about that," Matt assured her. "We use forks at our house."'

                                                                               

Sin is a continuous struggle. Like a germ, it finds its way into every sacred corner of our lives. We are constantly affected by the sin virus, so we do all we can to avoid contact. We close ourselves up, we create rules, enforce laws. We isolate ourselves from the ones we see as "the infected" just so we ourselves may not be infected. As Christians, though, we forget that God has given us the resources to help us out. A child's perspective is so simple, how do we deal with germs? "I have a fork". How do we deal with sin? "I have Jesus". In Luke 18:17 Jesus says to us "I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it". We consider ourselves intellects, we know the Bible well, we create great soaps and disinfectants, but in doing so we've lost track of what God has given us.                                                                                                                               

'When driving thru Pennsylvania Dutch country, Michael, couldn't get over all the Amish buggies.         

                                                                                                   

"Grandpa, why do they use horses instead of cars?"                                                                                                      

"Because they do not believe in automobiles," his mother replied.                                                                                    

It was quiet for a moment, then Michael said, "But can't they see them?"'

Circles or Dots

I just came back from listening to Ravi Zacharias at a conference held by the C.S. Lewis Institute. I truly enjoy listening to Ravi and can't help being challenged each time he speaks. And this time was no different...

What does it mean to be Christian? The challenge comes from how we live our faith. How important is it for us to be Christians? And how is that reflected in our lives? They are pertinent questions that we sometimes ignore. We take it for granted, and sometimes treat our faith much like the t-shirt we wear or the pair of sneakers we put on without thinking about it. In other words, there's me, and then, a part of me or within me, there's the Christian me. 

In reality though, the opposite should be the case. I am a part, I am within, Christianity. All of me being emcompassed by the big picture of my faith. So that instead of my faith being the sneakers I wear, it's me. It's all of who I am.

Even though these two pictures may look the same, there is a significant difference...

Right or Wrong

I had a pretty long conversation today with William Attaway, the senior pastor at our church. He's a pretty resourceful guy and has an annoying knack of being "mostly" right all the time!!!! The question I've been mulling on after all that was said, is not so easy a question... 

Right or Wrong? Is there a defined black and white answer to all matters or does grey account for the majority?

Any first year philosophy student will think me childish for thinking such a question because the answer can only be subjective. But I believe in God, and that He created me and this world in such an orderly way that it is driving most secular scientists batty trying to hop, skip and jump around the obviousness of His intelligent design. And believing that God's concern goes right down to the subatomic level, why would He leave something to be interpreted as "grey".

Each situation is different and I am not arguing whether or not a right decision in a situation be the platitude for all future decisions. But in society today where we embrace the "grey" as being a standard for living, decisions are becoming so subjective that community is dying and individuality increasing. Basically each human is becoming his/her own island in the archipelago of life, living to their own "feelings" with little to challenge their lifestyle.

I believe God has given us the "grey" to challenge us to think. To use our minds continuosly, not only in the quietness of our solitude, but also in the communal interactions with our friends and neighbors. To challenge each other to live the right and reject the wrong. "Grey" may be the initiator, but ultimately there has to be a right and there has to be wrong.

Witness...

I'm a big fan of Ravi Zacharias and in particular, of "A Slice of Infinity", a daily apologetic devotional. Today's word was quite a challenge, speaking about us being God's witnesses but are we like Peter who stood around quietly while false witnesses were brought forward to accuse Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:55-59). There was one quote in particular by Albert Holtz that struck me deeply...

"We speak about God without opening our Mouths. What are the chances that by watching me a person can learn that God is love?"

What are the chances?

Questioning Authority

Has there ever been a time where you've found yourself questioning authority? In Italy, questioning authority is an institution! Here in America questioning authority is sometimes hampered by perception...

What will people think? How will it be perceived?

What are your thoughts?

Blood...

As Christians, the centrality of our belief is based on a series of events that began with the spilling of blood. The importance of that blood, and its meaning, is something that can be easily forgotten!

Before we can talk about the importance of Jesus' blood, we need to understand the cultural importance of blood.

Throughout every primitive culture blood represented life and the shedding of it represented death. It was believed by some cultures that the life force of a creature could be taken on to oneself by the ingesting of the beat's heart or drinking of its blood. All this then begins to set the stage for the practice of the blood covenant which is so prominent throughout the various cultures of the primitive world.  In many of these cultures, the blood of animals or even that of human beings was consumed in the ritual by either party. The blood covenant which God had instituted however, could not include the actual consumption of blood, for his own law had forbidden it. Instead, wine would be used in place of the blood as a symbolic representation of what was in essence a spiritual reality.  Because the ritual was spiritual, it would not matter whether the literal blood or the wine be used.

If a man could inter-commingle his blood with an animal and become one new nature, thereby absorbing into himself the strength and life of the beast, there is no reason why he cannot do so with another man. His greatest goal would be however, to partake of a blood covenant with deity that his own nature might be made to share in the divine nature. Is this what Jesus is saying in John 6:53-56. Here we read that Jesus himself taught of the inter-commingling of two spirit natures becoming united as one. He was proclaiming that it was indeed possible for a man to come into union with the divine spirit and to become one with deity. Although this might indeed be possible to doubt or debate by just these spoken words alone, yet, in the light and weight of inference through the application of the ancient blood covenant principles, it would seem that this was without doubt his ultimate intention. Because of these words and actions of Jesus, it seems absolutely necessary that we have a thorough understanding of all that the ancient blood covenant had encompassed, so that we might completely understand the intent of Jesus in making such a covenant with his followers. We begin to understand why the memorial of the Lord's Supper is so vital in the Church today. We further begin to understand exactly what it means to be saved by the blood of Christ.

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Christian Homosexuality

I just read a Eric Stillman’s blog on homosexuality and I’ve been left a little taken aback by it. I firmly believe that we as Christians have dropped the ball in regards to being good Samaritans, most especially toward the homosexual community, but I really find it hard to sit back and hear some of the comments made in that post. I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit has been and will continue to lead in awakening and changing us from the lifestyles and cultural influences that have so much shaped our Christianity, much like Peter's experience with accepting gentiles (Acts 10:9-37), and much like the issues of slavery and women in leadership. But to say that the Bible is not clear on the issue of homosexuality is a real far stretch. All you have done is redefine a term (homosexuality) to fit our own cultural views for today. That's just bad apologetics.

The Bible clearly states that homosexual behaviour is sinful (1 Cor. 6:9, Rom. 1:26-27, & Lev. 18:22) regardless of whether one is born that way or is in a monogamous relationship. That's akin to saying, you cannot have sex outside of a marriage-covenant relationship but oral sex is ok because intercourse is not involved and anyway, the Bible doesn't talk about oral sex so that should be a green light for it. Some of us need to review scripture a little deeper (Rom. 1:24 & Gal. 5:16).

I can hear the accusations coming out now… “Rob, you are judging, we are called not to judge”. There is a clear line that needs to be drawn here, Paul states really clearly that we are not to judge those who do not profess to be Christian, but he is also very clear on judging those who do profess to be Christians (1 Cor. 5:12-13). So, for those of you that continue to hark on the "don't judge", that's all fine and well until we are on the same playing field. The Bible wasn't written to appease people, it was written to challenge us. As much as it is comforting, it is also hard and demanding.

The issue of homosexuality has caused many problems and I love the fact that for once many of us are doing more to understand and less to condemn, many are seeking to embrace and not dispel. This is a good thing, and like Eric's earlier post (Question Everything) we really need to be sure of how and why we believe what we believe. But we are called to be like Jesus, and His ministry was first based on healing people, His next step was to instruct them to sin no more. In the past Christianity has been notorious for telling people not to sin and not caring about healing them. Today it seems like we prefer not to heal or deal... just be accepting.

Deliberate People

When you get a chance, check out Phil Joel's new site: The Deliberate People. Now here's a bloke that was part of what is arguably the biggest Christian band, has come out with three of his own cd's, and yet, leaves it all for God's calling! Not a bad testimony! And good reason to check out what he's up to!

We really need to become deliberate about being Christian. It's time to stop pretending and start turning our passion for the Lord into a deliberate plan to pursue Him

Evangelically Irrelevant

At Remedy last night we debated the homsexual issue and whether or not the Bible was relevant regarding this hot topic.

It is shockling to know that most Christians have a real hard time putting themselves in the position of other people. This is most apparent when it comes to homosexuality, where the issues just seem for us to be cut and dry and there is very little room for understanding, compassion or love. It is as though the sin of homsexuality supercedes any and all other sin. It is also clumped into the sin of sexual promiscuity, which most Christians don't even know its Biblically meaning.

The issues regarding homosexuality are not as clear cut as we think they are, nor should homosexuals be stigmatised for who they are. Regardless of lifestyles, God created all people, and He loves each and everyone them! I can almost hear the response...

"Yes God loves them all.... but!!!!"

Before you do say that, let me ask you: How can we continue to believe that people would listen to us when we are spending most of our time like street preachers belching through megaphones accusing and condemning people for their lurid lifestyles when all that saves us is the death and ressurection of Jesus Christ, who died once and for all for all sins, regardless of the lifestyle we live? The hypocrisy of believing that we, ourselves, are made better by our lifestyles and not by the fact that it is Jesus, and only Jesus, that makes us in any way, shape or form, holy, is absurb and we need to stop condemning and start loving. Of course it may be good to start in the church where in some places it can be the hardest place to find any unconditional love!

I'm not trying to share any special support for homosexuality, but I do want to challenge us christians on how we approach the issue. I know that there is a real need for repentance when it comes to sin (any sin!), but first and foremost there has to be an acknowledgement of who God is. So for me, as a Christian, I would prefer to introduce my God as Jesus did, a loving God who wants to have a personal relationship with all people, and not a judging, demanding God presented by the pharisees.   

Women Praedicatio et Eruditio

Women preaching and teaching, there has been no other topic that has caused more division in the church. Why and where does it come from? Is it as Biblical as some want to think? I want to be honest with you all, this is a topic that I have struggled with. I guess it comes from my brethren background!

Why do I feel uncomfortable dealing with such a topic? I don't know, it doesn't at all question or put in jeopardy my salvation (or that of others). Yet when the topic is raised good friends become enemies! So why am I dealing with it? Because I feel there is need for me to. As a pastor I'm tired of people only seeing one side and not taking the Bible as a whole.

Ok where to start... 1 Timothy 2:12:

"I do not let women teach men or have authority over..." (NLT)

This is the first one. It's hard to deal with because the words are black and white. I had a discussion with a friend of mine who says this is the crux of it. And at face value I agree. But can we take all that the Bible says at face value? I don't believe so. When Paul, a few verses later, says in v.15:

"But women will be saved through child-bearing, and by continuing to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty". (NLT)

Can we truly believe that women can only be saved through child-bearing!? What do we do with those words that are so "black and white"? However we want to take it, one thing is for sure, most, if not all Biblical commentators (including myself) firmly believe that this verse is NOT saying women may be saved only if they experience child birth. Men and Women are saved by grace alone, not by any work. So what does v.15 say? We need to understand how the grammar and words are functioning, how it fits with the theology and theme of the entire letter. In fact, we need to compare and understand it theological compared to the bible as a whole. It's not "black and white"! So in light of this, what makes v.12 so different to v.15.

Also, taking it a few verses back, in v.9, Paul says women should not wear jewelry. Do we take that seriously today? Well, (the response I've heard too many times), that is cultural and the command for women not teaching is not. How do you know? Does that mean we don't have to dress modestly anymore (v.9 & 15). Can we truly dissect a paragraph and say that one verse is cultural while the next is not. What exegetical method is that? Either you take it all as cultural or not.

Also it is important to note v.15 is a personal comment from Paul, he specifically says that HE does not permit women teaching, it is not God that does not permit!

Ok next one, Titus 2:4

"These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children..." (NLT)

This verse is used to back 1 Tim 2:12. But is it imperative? I mean, does it solely mean that women should train younger women and ONLY younger women? Paul does not say ONLY younger women!There is nothing said by Paul about older men training younger men, so what does that mean? Only Timothy is given the charge.

God has used women throughout the Bible as leaders, when challenged with those women, men like to respond that there were no men worthy enough to stand up as leaders, and that this was a great travesty. But where in the Bible is that said?? (For example: nothing is said about Deborah!!! In fact she works together with other men leading Israel!). Some say that Jesus only chose men as apostles! Ok, fair enough. But why did He do that? Simple, culture dictated it. Also it would have been inappropriate for Him, a single man, to be fraternizing so closely with women. He was already scrutinized for having women friends. 

The more we look into it the more it does not warrant the amount of hard lined, conservative attention it gets. It baffles me why some people would consider it heresy if a women were to preach in church based on verses that really fall apart with just some simple Biblical exegesis. So why the hype? You tell me! 

Suicide...

I was confronted last Sunday at church by one of our young adults who was a little distraught. She had found herself in a discussion with some Christian friends about suicide. She was taken aback by the fact that they all agreed that if a Christian committed suicide they would go to hell. She may have been taken aback, but I was slightly appalled.

Why would such a notion enter the mind of a Christian? Biblically speaking there is very little spoken of it. But a lot has to do with understanding the character of God. Would He send someone to hell if they had made a mistake? Would not the blood of Jesus cover that sin?

Tom Brown (best known for his deliverance ministry in El Paso, TX) says this:

I tell believers to fear God enough not to take the risk. You could lose your soul by committing suicide, so it's better to simply play it safe and trust God to make you happier. I lean to the idea that most, if not all, cases of suicide lead to damnation. I wouldn't bet on anyone going to heaven who committed suicide. I think the odds are against the person. Besides, suicide is the ultimate statement of unbelief. People commit suicide because they don't have faith that God will help them, and we are saved by faith.

It sounds logical, but is it really? What does the Bible say about a Christian who commits suicide? I do not believe that a Christian who commits suicide will lose salvation and go to hell. The Bible teaches that from the moment a person truly believes in Christ, he or she is eternally secure (John 3:16). According to the Bible, Christians can know beyond any doubt that they possess eternal life no matter what happens (1 John 5:13). By Jesus’ one sacrifice He has made all believers perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14). Nothing can separate a Christian from God’s love! (Romans 8:38-39). If nothing can separate a Christian from God’s love, including a Christian who commits suicide. Jesus died for all of our sins...and if a true Christian were to, in a time of spiritual attack and weakness, commit suicide - that would be a sin that Jesus died for.

This is not to say that suicide is not a serious sin (the underlying issue is one we all struggle with – lack of faith)… you really don’t have a chance to take it back after it’s done. You lose any potential for what God can do through you on this earth. In Jeremiah 29:11-14 (Jeremiah, the prophet who, of any biblical personage, had every right to commit suicide!!) says: "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you," says the Lord.