Whirled Views with Dan Burrell

I’m going to try and vent without ranting. I think I’m too tired today to rant.

I hate to shop. It almost always puts me in a sour mood. I’m leaving Friday for a week on the mission field — Albania, to be exact. I had to go shopping today. It was the only time I’ve had to go for two weeks.

First stop — Target. I have a fantastic electric razor made by Braun. Top of the line. Nearly $200. It cleans itself automatically. It uses fluid. You have to buy replacement cartridges of the fluid. Guess what the Target where the carry the razor told me? We don’t carry the replacement cartridges. I ask, “Why would you carry a $200 razor that requires the use of refill cartridges, but not carry the cartridges.” The clerk looks at me blankly. I go to Wal-Mart. A lot of people hate Wal-Mart. I like them. They carry the cartridges.

I need a sport coat. I always buy my clothes at Men’s Wearhouse. They usually get me in and out very quickly. They know me there because that’s where I buy (or should I say “bought”) ALL my suits. They hustle when I walk in the door. I sometimes bring guests with me to get them new suits. I spend thousands there each year. Apparently, they have new managers at this Men’s Wearhouse. I recognized no one. They didn’t acknowledge me when I walked in the door. They didn’t offer to help me. They were understaffed. They didn’t even say they’d be with me in a minute. I waited 10 minutes anyway. Still no one offered to help me. I left. I’ll just wear my old sportcoat a little while longer. Then I’ll go somewhere else and buy a new one.

But I need some books to give to someone I’m counseling. I’m in a hurry. I go to Lifeway Christian Books (owned and operated by the Southern Baptist Convention.) I buy LOTS of books every year. I’m a major bibliophile. Lifeway gets tens of thousands of dollars of our church business every year. In general, I get treated worse at Christian bookstores than just about any other bookstore where I shop. Lifeway is no exception. I always use the same books for this kind of counseling. I buy them in bulk from Amazon.com. The reason I buy them from Amazon is because everytime I go to Lifeway to pick up a couple of copies, they are “out.” It’s a best-selling book. The last three times I’ve gone to Lifeway to pick them up, they are “out.” I’m an optimist. “Today’s my day”, I think. No it isn’t. They are out. Again. I find 3 other books. I go to buy them. I ask to charge them to my account which is part of our church account. We have like a dozen church accounts at Lifeway. That’s because we buy SO many books there. I have my own account. I have a discount card that gives me 10% off as a pastor. I ask the clerk to put them on my account and hand her my discount card. She tells me that she can’t give me a discount if I use the account. I can use a credit card. I can pay cash. I just can’t use my account and use my discount card. It’s only 10%. I can save 30% by shopping at Amazon. My church buys tens of thousands of dollars of books from them. No discount. It’s only 10%. I put my card away. I mention to her that she is making it much easier for me to shop at Amazon.com in the future. I wasn’t being rude. Actually, I was just making a promise outloud. I wasn’t angry…just aggravated. She looked at me with the same blank look that the girl at Target gave me. That’s OK….I like Amazon.com. The clerks don’t look at me and they give me a nice discount. Shoot, I almost always get free shipping. Plus, sometimes they send me a free mug or mousepad or something. They apparently like it when I shop there. I wonder why Lifeway doesn’t?

My screen on my cell phone goes berzerk. Strange lines and funny colors. I can’t see anything on it anymore. The phone is 1 year old. I have 1 year left on my 2 year contract. I go to Verizon. I stand in line. Finally, they take my phone. Come back in an hour. I do as I’m told. Can’t be fixed is their diagnosis. You need a new phone. But that one’s only 1 year old and I have a two-year contract. We know, but too bad. How much will it cost me to get a new one? Sixty-five dollars. What’s the warranty on it? 30 days. 30 days? But I have another year on my contract. What happens if it breaks again. $65 more dollars. I get out my credit card. I remember that for some inexplicable reason, Verizon’s service isn’t strong enough for my phone to work at my house or office. So I say, I want to upgrade to a more powerful phone. Fine, they say. You will have to extend your contract for two years. I don’t want to extend my contract, because when this contract’s up, I want to switch to a plan where I can get email like Blackberry. Sorry. Upgrade your phone and you must extend your contract. But I want a better more expensive contract with better more expensive service as soon as this contract runs out. I know sir. But you can’t upgrade your phone, even if it doesn’t get service at your home or office, unless you extend your contract. I buy the $65 cheapo phone. I privately vow to switch carriers when my contract is up. The clerk looks at me blankly. The clerk sitting next to him suddenly mutters, “I HATE THIS PLACE” over some problem with her computer. I ask them if they’ll transfer my numbers and settings to the new phone. Sure! Come back in 30 minutes. I do as I’m told. I pick up my phone. On the way home, I use it. My settings are gone. I’ll have to completely reprogram them. Thanks for doing business with Verizon.

Target, Men’s Wearhouse, Lifeway, Verizon….they don’t care. I’m just a face. They get what they can from me. If I like it, good; if I don’t, no sweat. Someone else will come in tomorrow and buy another razor or sportcoat or more books or a new cell phone plan. They don’t really need me.

Aren’t you glad that Christ doesn’t treat us that way? And, if we are being honest, too many times our churches act more like a business in that regard than Christ. Every person is important. Impressions last. A heart of service and concern make a deep impression. People should know we care. We shouldn’t take each other for granted. Particularly at church.

I’m not mad, just disappointed. I’m not ranting, just venting. I’m also hoping that in all things, I can learn to see the greater spiritual lesson that God is trying to teach me.

Helen Thomas may have once been a respected White House Correspondent. Now she just appears to be a crazy old bat who has problems applying her lipstick correctly.

I believe the IPod may quite well be the best invention in the last 20 years. Its just too cool.

People should be limited to only 1 blog posting per week that refers its readers to another blog. For some blogs, they have become little more than one blogger pointing to another blogger who has pointed to another bloggers blog. If youre going to refer your readers to another blog, at least have the initiative to add a few of your own comments or a bit of personal analysis to it, for Petes sake!

Have you ever noticed that the same people who tend to be blindly loyal to religious camps or gurus also tend to think that any criticism of a Republican or the war or the President makes you unpatriotic or unchristian or both?

Asparagus is a very under-rated vegetable.

Its been over 25 years since she died and I still miss Karen Carpenter. And rainy days and Mondays DO get me down.

Have you noticed that the more vocal the KJVO proponent is, the worse his haircut is and the larger his glasses usually are?

I think the ESV is one of the most under-appreciated translations of Scripture.

Why do teenagers text message? You have the PHONE IN YOUR HAND! Call them!

The cutest baby cry is the one that they do where they get really worked up and then it sounds like they are quivering kind of like a crying vibrato. But I only like it for about 10 seconds then Im through liking it and I want them to stop it.

If any good thing has ever come out of a teenager spending a lot of time in a chat room or instant messaging, Ive never heard of it. On the other hand, I can tell you about a LOT of bad things that have happened.

Why is that the closer to the ocean you live the more politically liberal you tend to be?

I like Franklin Graham better than Billy Graham. He hasnt bought into the whole lets-play-nice-with-apostates thing.

I have a protocol question in the event of a pandemic. Would it be considered poor form to offer someone suffering from the Bird Flu a nice bowl of chicken soup?

People who have never been in a church-wide prayer meeting where everyone prays out loud with each other are missing a blessing. Sometimes we Baptist are so afraid that someone will walk by and think were charismatic, we suck the life out of spiritual exercises like prayer, worship and fellowship.

I read recently that 80% of the adults who are active Believers and 80% of people who are in ministry made their commitments to Christ and ministry before reaching the age of 16. Yet, I know quite a few people who tend to roll their eyes when young people make decisions for Christ or ministry. These are often the same people that gripe that we arent doing enough for the older people.

Have you ever noticed that born-again men have more meticulous parts in their hair than any other subgroup of society?

Do the women on TBN actually think that the teased out and shellacked hair, the interesting colors of hair dye, the triple coat of eye shadow and the moo-moo dress actually make them attractive?

A country reaches civilization nirvana when the citizenry no longer chews gum.

Recently, I was in Hollywood, California and saw three large Scientology buildings, but only one Baptist church. I wonder if Christians believed what we say we believe as fervently as Tom Cruise and Sylvester Stallone do if it might be three times as many Baptist churches as there are Scientology buildings in Hollywood.

I think before any pastor agrees to have their church support a missionary going to the mission field they should ask that missionary when the last time it was that they lead anyone to Christ personally. If they stammer, dodge and blush, then I dont think we should support them. If they arent winning people to Christ at home, what makes us think they are suddenly going to turn into evangelists half a globe away living among people who speak a different language?

There are lots of things about being a pastor that get on my nerves, but they dont seem like all that big a deal any time I get to preach, win someone to Christ, lay hands on someone at an ordination service or baptize someone.

I like using big screens more than using hymnals and some people think Im a liberal because I do. I just like to sing with my hands free, my head up and with the print large. Interestingly, if you like hymnals better than big screens, I dont have any bad feelings toward you. People that want to make this an issue of spirituality have too much time on their hands. I think we should ask them when the last time was that they lead someone to Christ.

People who read blogs should not be offended when the blog writer asks odd questions, offers cheeky observations or is just annoyingly random.

Maybe it’s because I’m currently hearing the “tick-tock” of the clock in my head reminding me that my eldest is getting ready to graduate from High School in nine weeks, but I’m thinking way too much these days about how quickly time goes by us.

How easy it is to miss some of life’s most important moments because of delay, procrastination, excuse making or laziness. Perhaps all of us would be better off if we more often embraced the notion of “seizing the moment.”

The Bible and an old gospel song tells us to work for the night is coming when men will work no more. My mom used to quote the epigram, “Only one life t’will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” At my wedding, over twenty years ago, we had the song sung, “We Have This Moment” which contained the lines, “We have this moment to hold in our hands and to catch as it shifts through our fingers like sand. Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never be, but we have this moment today.”

How many important things are left undone, because we refuse to seize the moments?

How many passengers on the Titanic passed up opportunities to hold hands with their spouses at dinner on that fateful April night in 1912?

How many kids have asked their dad to play pitch and catch in the yard only to be told by their father that they couldn’t because the news was coming on?

How many phone calls from parents or children have been interrupted by the incessant clicking of “call waiting” only to discover after they prematurely hung up that the caller was a salesperson or a nosy neighbor?

How often have roomfuls of family members from around the country sat in silence around the television being mindlessly entertained by a sitcom rerun or a trashy movie as the moments for exchanging tales and reliving memories are lost forever?

How many people have used excuses ranging from “I’ve got a roast in the oven” to “my hair’s a mess” to beg off a dinner invitation offered at the last minute when the roast could have been hustled into the refrigerator and a hat could have been thrown over the mussed up ‘do and a lovely evening was lost forever?

How many of us have avoided a significant church service or a birthday party or a trip to a nursing home because it “looked like rain.” What Don’t we have an umbrella? Will we melt if we get wet?

We pass up dessert, we put off making phone calls, we delay vacation trips, we don’t buy clothes until we’ve lost that five pounds, we place laundry and toilet cleaning above bedtime stories and games of checkers, we shrug off hugs and fall asleep without good night kisses, we make excuses to avoid reunions and dates, we hope that someone will witness to our neighbor and we ask the pastor to make the hospital visit to our long-time friend for us, we wait so long to send the thank you note that we don’t do it in embarrassment, we think about our childhood friends but we never call them.

And we lose the moments.

The ones that can never be recaptured or relived.

And we sow the seeds of potential regret as we ignore the potential of blessings gained today.

How about it? Isn’t it time we all start seizing the moments? The apostle asked the rhetorical questions… “What is life? But a vapor, It appears for a little while and then it vanishes away.”

Seize the moment today. Witness to your friend. Call your mother for no particular reason. Call your wife and tell her you are taking her to dinner tonight. When she tell you she already has dinner in the oven ask her if she’s ever heard of a refrigerator and a microwave. Take your kid to breakfast tomorrow morning and get them a late pass for being tardy to school. Go for a walk as the sun is setting tonight. Take that cruise this year. Get your physical before there’s a problem. Join the choir — this week. Send a thank you note to your Sunday school teacher. Go to the nursing home and give everyone you see a daffodil out of your spring garden. Bake a plate of cookies and take them to your new neighbor. Don’t wait. Don’t make excuses. Don’t delay.

Seize the Moment!

In this morning’s edition of the Charlotte Observer…

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan man is being prosecuted in a Kabul court and could be sentenced to death on a charge of converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under this country’s Islamic laws, a judge said Sunday.

The trial is believed to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what shape Islam should take here four years after the ouster of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime.

The defendant, 41-year-old Abdul Rahman, was arrested last month after his family accused him of becoming a Christian, Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada said. Rahman was charged with rejecting Islam and his trial started Thursday.

During the one-day hearing, the defendant confessed that he converted from Islam to Christianity 16 years ago while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, Mawlavezada said.

“We are not against any particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law,” the judge said. “It is an attack on Islam.”
Mawlavezada said he would rule on the case within two months.

Afghanistan’s constitution is based on Shariah law, which is interpreted by many Muslims to require that any Muslim who rejects Islam be sentenced to death, said Ahmad Fahim Hakim, deputy chairman of the state-sponsored Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

Repeated attempts to interview Rahman in detention were barred.
The prosecutor, Abdul Wasi, said he had offered to drop the charges if Rahman converted back to Islam, but he refused.

“He would have been forgiven if he changed back. But he said he was a Christian and would always remain one,” Wasi said. “We are Muslims and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty.”

After being an aid worker for four years in Pakistan, Rahman moved to Germany for nine years, his father, Abdul Manan, said outside his Kabul home.

Rahman returned to Afghanistan in 2002 and tried to gain custody of his two daughters, now aged 13 and 14, who had been living with their grandparents their whole lives, the father said. The matter was taken to the police.

During questioning, it emerged that Rahman was a Christian and was carrying a Bible. He was arrested and charged, the father said.

Afghanistan is a conservative Islamic country. Some 99 percent of its 28 million people are Muslim, and the remainder are mainly Hindu.

A Christian aid worker in Kabul said there was no reliable figure for the number of Christians, though it was believed to be only in the dozens or low hundreds. He said few admit their faith because of fear of retribution.

Hakim, the human rights advocate, said the case would attract widespread attention in Afghanistan and could be exploited by Muslim conservatives to rally opposition to reformists who are trying to moderate how the religion is practiced here.

Hakim said that if Rahman was acquitted, it would be a propaganda win for the Taliban rebels, who have stepped up their insurgency in the past year.
In the months before U.S.-led troops ousted the Taliban in 2001, it claimed Western aid groups were trying to convert Afghan Muslims.
———-

I’m sure glad I haven’t lost a son, brother or father fighting to free a country who holds these values. Frankly, I’m outraged that my tax dollars have had to be used. We should have blasted the Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban off the earth and then come straight home — only to return for periodic bombing runs any time the remaining Taliban crawled out of their holes. Let’s face it, democracy doesn’t work in heathen countries.

Last night, some of our dear friends took me and my wife to a concert featuring the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers. We enjoyed a very nice dinner together and then headed over to a large local church for the concert. Now, if you know me at all, I’m not into listening to music. If I had an IPod (I don’t, but wish I did, hint, hint), I’d fill it with preaching and teaching more than music. I don’t dislike music. I enjoy it while it’s happening. I just don’t crave it like some people do. I like words. I want to hear or read clear, uncluttered sentences which challenge me, speak to me, make me think. Music requires too much of me — I have to pay attention to both the lyrics and the music. (Maybe that’s why if I do listen to music, it’s often simply instrumental. Oddly, I’m somewhat a fan of both Barque music and Bluegrass…as long as no one’s singing.)

But I enjoyed last night’s concert. Oh, the music was fine. My wife, who tends to be more of a music aficionado than I do, was in heaven. The auditorium was packed and we had seats on the sixth row which just made me as nervous as all get out. Julie loved being that close to the stage. She sang, she laughed, she cried…it gave me a lot of pleasure knowing that she was thoroughly enjoying it.

It was genuinely worshipful. We started off singing a wonderful positive and upbeat arrangement of “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” which segwayed into a praise chorus of the same theme. The orchestra was fantastic, the Hickory Grove Baptist Church choir was awesome and the worship leader was one of the best I’ve ever seen. They Brooklyn Tab Singers wove testimonies of changed lives into the evening via video and live testimony in such a way that I left challenged and inspired to my core. Pastor Jim Cymbala preached a clear gospel message and a challenge to prayer that confronted me personally. I enjoyed being with our friends and in the vicinity of several pew-fulls of Northside members who were also there.

But most of all, I enjoyed the diversity of the audience as they worshipped together. One of the songs was sung in Spanish and the numerous folks in the auditorium who were of Latin descent were singing along — some weeping or holding up their hands. Then they did a rousing Gospel number and I couldn’t help but grin as a row full of African-American ladies in front of me jumped up, threw their hands in the air, opened their mouths and hearts and sang along with all they had. It was the closest thing to a mosh pit I’ve ever been near. They cried, they sang, they stepped to the music (that’s Baptist for danced), they were fully engaged. There were several intense and quietly reflective songs that resonated with this ol’ conservative Baptist preacher.

I looked across the auditorium and was struck and moved by the tremendous racial diversity that was in that room and because of the uniqueness of the Brooklyn Tabernacle ministry, most every person in the room could identify with at least one of the singers in the group ethnically. But more importantly, every believer in the room could identify with the focus of the worship. We were diverse and we were unified. I couldn’t help but think that this must be what heaven will be like as we gather around the Throne of God singing in full throat and quiet intonations, dancing jubilantly and falling prostrate, weeping at times and shouting at times — people from every generation, every tribe, every race, ever accent — diverse and unified in the presence of the Savior. Last night was a little bit like a rehearsal, I’m guessing.

The first time I preached at Northside, I was the candidate to become the third pastor in the church’s history. In the 60’s and 70’s, our church had a history of supporting racial segregation. That history was evident in the auditorium in December of 1999 as I looked across a sea of white faces with very little color offering any other contrast. I asked a friend of mine specifically to ask a question during the public Q and A session that is part of the tradition of pastoral interviews. I asked him to ask, “How will Northside be different in 10 years than it is today?” I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I want it to be less white than it is today. If that was going to be a problem, they needed to know it right away. (It wasn’t based on the vote of approval I received.)

My first church, Berean Baptist in West Palm Beach, had over 3 dozen different ethnic groups in it. It was not unusual for us to have 20 or 30 different nations represented on a typical Sunday. Anglo’s were quickly becoming a minority in the church. It was wonderful. From Latins to Africans to Europeans to Asians were hailed from all over the world. We had folks from the Caribbean Islands and Long Island. There was every hue of skin under the sun and under the Son in the congregation from week to week. I don’t miss a lot about South Florida, but I DO miss that.

When we worshipped, it was a delight. The first generation Latin would be sitting next to a graduate from Bob Jones University and two more different worship participation styles could not be found — but NO ONE cared. The Island blacks worshipped completely different than the African Americans…and NO ONE cared. The wealthy sat next to the poor, the educated next to the illiterate, the foreigner next to the daughter of the American Revolution and NO ONE cared.

Certainly, there were cultural differences. My Jamaican friends often teased me and laughed at me for my insistence in starting services on time. They lived by “island time” which meant that church started when ever everyone got there — not according to a schedule. My African-American members teased me for being rhythmically challenged. In their words, “I clapped like a white boy.” I did my best to master Spanish and failed miserably. One guy from Venezuela called my efforts “Spanglish.” But the love we had for Christ overcame all of our differences and drew us together on common ground. What started off being a little uncomfortable at times, became one of the best things about our church.

We not there at Northside yet. We’re moving in the right direction. We’re located in the right part of our city for it to happen. Attitudes are changing and more importantly, so are hearts. I pray regularly that the Lord will increase our diversity so that we look like the city of Charlotte and more importantly, that we look like the family of God. If that is to happen, all of us will have to open our minds and our hearts and our arms in new ways. But it’s absolutely Biblical.

Whether it’s the passage I read in James that speaks of not having socio-economic “castes” in the church or Paul’s message reminding us that there is neither Greek nor Jew, bond nor free in the family of God, I’m constantly reminded of how diverse God’s family is and should be.

I know a lot of Northsiders read this blog and I’m writing to you. Pray that the Lord will allow us to become a church for all nations and ethnicities. Invite your friends, greet our guests, make them feel at home. Don’t insist that you always be comfortable. Repent of latent racism of the heart. Embrace God’s model of unity.

To those who worship elsewhere and read this blog, may I challenge you to get a vision and heart for reaching people who may not look just like you? Developing a multi-cultural church takes time and effort. It isn’t a matter of just being “friendly” to folks who visit even though they look different from us. It’s going out and compelling them to join us. It’s not just greeting them, it’s inviting them over to our homes. It’s not just hand shaking; it’s embracing them as equal parts of the family of God.

Blended churches have challenges, but the blessings far outweigh the burdens. Your vision of missions will change, your heart for others will grow, your love for people will increase. Perhaps it’s time for more of us to lift the blinders from our eyes and ways of thinking and reach out to the diverse cultural and ethnic community that is right at our own doorstep., It’s not just the job of missionaries and evangelists. We live in a period of history where our world grows smaller and smaller every day and the mission field is now coming to us.

Last night, I was reminded of the joy of corporate worship with others who aren’t like me. It’s my dream as a pastor, to make that a weekly occurrence in our church.

I recently received a link to the blog called “Slice of Laodicea“. In the archives you can find an article on the Ebenezer Lutheran Church aka “Her Church“. This so-called church is a new wave of “feminist worship” and I’ll post a bit of their web information here. Please, before reading further, stop sipping coffee, Pepsi or any other fluids in order to prevent spewing them on your monitor and potentially causing electrical damage and assorted stains.

Here’s what you’ll find on their website…

We are a diverse community, standing firmly within the Christian tradition in order to re-image the divine by claiming her feminine persona in theology, liturgy, church structure, art, language, practices, leadership, and acts of justice. Challenging the church’s restricted language of the past, we pay special attention to images and metaphors that attempt to embrace divine fullness and that offer a witness of holy nurture and inclusive justice, both to the church and to the world.

(From the Sunday Morning Liturgy of Welcome: Sunay 10:30 AM at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 678 Portola Drive, SF - near Woodside).

——–

OK…back to reality now. If you want additional laughs, go to the video link found in the article on “Slice of Laodicea” and watch their promotional video. If I wrote what I’m really thinking after viewing that snippet, I’d get flamed for being unkind, unpastoral and uncouth, so I’ll just let you draw your own conclusions.

Now let me get serious for a minute…

The overt agenda of the feminist movement, even in churches, is nothing new. This is indeed a hallmark example of the extremism (not to mention rank heresy) one will find in a “faith” (and I use that term loosely) which is void of the Gospel and filled with liberal claptrap.

Some have mistakenly assumed that “Feminism” as a movement is waning, but I’d argue that it is not. It is simply being mainstreamed at a level wherein it is more subtle than it is overt. Pathetically, one of the friendliest places for feminist infiltration today may well be the “evangelical” church. (NOTE: In this situation, I am referring to the “evangelical” church, not as an historic theological position, but as those identified with today’s “evangelical” movement.)

In 1997, World Magazine made a lot of liberal evangelicals angry for exposing the feminist agenda permeating a revision of the New International Version of the Bible. In a story that first appeared on March 29th, 1997, Mindy Belz and others exposed that the NIV revision was being shaped significantly by feminist culture at the expense of traditional textual standards and that much of the revisionism had been carried out in secret. Thus, the cover of that addition of World was emblazoned with “The Stealth Bible“. The publishers of the NIV went nuts with outrage and the ramifications of this major exposure played out for years and to some degree still do. Once the darling of those who appreciate ever evolving translations of Scriptures, the NIV has seen a significant reduction in its standing and perceived reliability by scholars and others and there is a significant question mark over the reputation of those who would deign to “translate” the Scriptures toward a more modern vernacular.

Receiving far less attention has been the trend in evangelical churches, publications and organizations in accepting female pastors. One only has to read the latest issues of Christianity Today, Discipleship Journal or Leadership Magazine to see multiple examples of female clergy cited without so much as a blink or apology. Many of the megachurches so highly held for public emulation have shifted toward embracing females in the roles of pastor/teachers, elders and bishops…both in title and in role.

Some hymnals and songs are being emasculated by using “gender neutral” verbiage even when referring to God. Many evangelicals seem apologetic about the Biblical distinctions of the roles within the church and even the home to the point wherein they water down the clear teaching of Scripture in order to be more inclusive.

While there are some reasonable areas for debate and discussion within the church as to the roles of women such as whether or not there is an office of “deaconess” or can women provide administrative leadership if it isn’t pastoral, the issue of the difference in roles and responsibilities in the home and in the church as it pertains to headship and authority are hardly ambiguous.

In our postmodern world and in postmodern Christianity, the smudging of definitive lines and absolute values is not just a consequence, it’s a cause. Orthodox Christianity, which has historically embraced the authority of Scripture as a fundamental value, must not buy-in to the trendy nebulousishness that neuters the authority of maleness, the Godhead or the offices of the church.

Few of us will be seduced by the in-your-face feminism that smacks of hairy-knuckled lesbians demanding death to patriarchalism. Sadly, many more of us are susceptible to the constant nagging of political correctness which moves us away from our Biblical foundation inch by inch.

In Christ, we are all equal — male and female. But in Christ, there are still distinct roles — some, but not all, of which pertain to our gender. In God’s economy, the order and structure of His institutions are both a model and a message relating to the Authority of Truth found in the Word of God and the Person of Jesus Christ.

Several weeks ago, I wrote an article regarding Rick Warren’s gross mischaracterization of fundamentalism by lumping Christian fundamentalists in with secular and muslim fundamentalists [extremists]. Apparently, the volume of questions reached a point where Warren decided to have someone respond to the criticism, but according to one blogger’s report, it did nothing but further muddy the waters. Take the time to click HERE and read Ken Field’s take on the topic. I think you’ll agree with me in that apparently Mr. Warren doesn’t really understand fundamentalism of the Christian variety very well based on these “clarifications.”

Well, today was a full and interesting day during which we saw a different facet of California life. It was eye-opening for many to see that all that looks sexy, glamorous and glittery in Southern Cal, in real life can be filed with seedy, scheming, sadly lost people who are chasing an illusion. Many are looking for an angle, scheming for that moment of success, another hit of weed, a couple of bucks in their pockets — looking for life in all the wrong places.

This morning, we left the hotel around 11:00 to go north through LA to Venice Beach. Venice Beach is frequently seen on movies, TV shows, etc… as the place of “muscle beach”, curving sidewalks filled with skaters and bicyclers, wide sandy beaches and loads of “beautiful” people. In reality, it’s a messy place filled with street venders, homeless people, burned-out druggies, petty criminals and has-been hippies. For those who care about the souls of people, you can’t help feel a deep sense of sadness for many of these folks who really don’t understand what REAL “life” is all about.

But without wanting to stay “heavy”, I will say that the seniors had a good time VERY BRIEFLY dipping their toes in the frigid waters and then doing some shopping, site-seeing and playing on the beach for a couple of hours.

Then we headed to Santa Monica Pier which was a little more civilized and a fun place to spend the afternoon. We started with a group meal at the World-Famous Bubba Gump’s where we dined on fresh seafood with outstanding service and our own private, ocean-front room. We ate until we were stuffed and then headed out for some more site-seeing. It was too cool and windy to enjoy the pier with its carnival rides and vendors, so most went up the hill to a mall and the famous 3rd Street Promenade which was filled with neat shops and stores, street performers and all manner and types of people. You’ll have to ask Travis about his interaction with a rather large, African-American Transvestite who startled both me and him as he/she/it pretended to be some sort of undercover security guard or police officer.

I found a couple of interesting books while others got souveniers and trinkets. We then loaded the bus to head back to the hotel where the kids all went to another mall to shop and catch a movie or get coffee or just hang out. We’re meeting together at 11:00 tonight to talk about the spiritual lessons we learned and to recap our trip as we celebrate our final night of our trip. Well, technically, there’s one more night, but we’re going to be on a plane together during that as we head to the airport tomorrow evening for a 9:55 departure.

Tomorrow a.m., we’ll drop Morgan off at the airport for her early flight and then we’re heading to Hollywood for the day to sight-see a bit. I told the kids tonight to remember that what they put on to wear tomorrow morning they’ll be wearing for nearly 24 hours. That should be pleasant!

So, the week draws to a close and I’m already fussing under the stress of all the work that awaits me as soon as I get off the plane on Saturday. I’m looking forward to being back in the pulpit this Sunday though and I know everyone is looking forward to seeing their families again.

Special props will go to my son and NCA Senior, Nathan, who will turn 18 as he flies home. Doesn’t seem possible that I now have an 18-year old kid.

Finally, on a personal note, I’m really glad that I got to go with these kids. After I agreed to coordinate the trip and go as a father/chaperone/school official, I had a thousand different reasons cross my mind as to why I shouldn’t go, couldn’t go and wouldn’t go, but I’m usually like that before I go on any trip. I can say that this has been a good week for me which has reminded me what a privilege it is to be a father, a pastor and a Christian school admnistrator for entirely different reasons.

I was energized by the passion of our students. They are whacky and exuberant and totally goofy at times, but they are also smart, witty and charactered young adults. After over a week with them, the biggest problem we’ve had was being 5 minutes late or misplacing something. I appreciate the fact that the kids went out of their way to include me in their activities. There are few things “uncooler” than a 44-year old pastor and yet, they invited me to hang out with them, joked and discussed the oddest things with me and made me feel welcomed throughout the trip. Not every group of senior high students would have done that, for sure.

So parents, you have reason to be proud. We’ve had a good week and we’re looking forward to being back home. I’ve always felt close to this class because of Nathan’s presence in it and the fact that many of them have been at my house over the years. But even without that, I can say without hesitation that I believe God is going to do great things in the future with these young people and I’m proud to have been part of this adventure in the course of their young lives.

See you all Sunday, Lord willing!

Samantha and Richard enjoy their view of the Pacific Ocean!

Alison and Megan order a “small” dessert to share.

The hungry gang awaits their tables being ready at Bubba Gumps.

Hey Mom, Do I have a surprise for you when I get home!!!

Thomas tries to wrestle a dolphin….and loses.

The gang prepares to invade Santa Monica Pier!

The group takes in some Venice Beach skateboarding while Nathan anticipates joining in.

Brandon and Nate discuss the fine line between fearlessness and foolishness.

Nathan goes for it and gets totally sick. (For those of you over 30, that’s a good thing.)

Brian demonstrates that he is too cheap to send a postcard and begs me to blog this instead.

Andrew strike a pose that he just knows will attract some beach babes.

Jared demonstrates his deep and personal fear of sand.

It’s hard to believe we’re closing in on a week and the final 48 hours of our Senior Trip. I titled today “California Screaming” because that’s the name of the roller coaster most of us rode today at Disney’s California Adventure. They got me on it twice which was one time too many. I also called today “California Screaming” because that’s what my feet are doing. Today, I hit 17,028 steps which is over 6.5 miles. I just talked to Carl Gibbs (our other male chaperone and math teacher)on the cell phone who ended his conversation with “Well, I need to go pop another blister” creating a mental picture for me that will haunt me throughout the night.

I think the kids (and the chaps) “hit the wall” today in terms of weariness. Some of the kids were in bed 20 minutes before the shuttle left the hotel. Several of them left the theme parks early today to relax, hit the pool, go to the mall for a little shopping and one or two said they just needed a map. I come from a generation that believes “if I’m gonna’ pay some awful price to get into a stinkin’ amusement park I’m staying there until the place closes down!” So, I hung out at the Disney parks until my feet would no longer tolerate it and rode back to the hotel with the last group of seniors. Actually, I was riding the steam train by myself around the perimeter of Disneyland when I suddenly realized that was such a pathetic “loser” thing to do (as the kids would call it), and decided it was time to go home. I’m so weird, I actually figure out how many rides I ride per day and divide them into the cost of the ticket to figure out a “per ride” price. I really need therapy.

So now, I’m safely ensconced in my room, anticipating an early turn in so as I do an “everyone is where they are supposed to be” check. Tomorrow is at 10:45 departure for Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach excursion.

Not as many anecdotes from the kids today as I didn’t have as much “hang” time with them as I have had the previous days. Here are a few pictures from today and yesterday.

Final post on our trip coming this time tomorrow night.

The gang strikes a pose in “Tarzan’s Tree” at Disneyland.

Have you ever heard of “shop lifting“? This is “shop dropping“. I wanted to take a picture of these guys standing next to this cool police car they use in Downtown Disney and they were “afraid” to ask him if they could take a picture. So, Travis decides he’s going to non-chalantly “drop” his bag of purchases and then the rest of the guys all rush over to “help” him pick it up and I had just enough time to snap the picture. What a punch of pansies!

Nathan and Catherine model sunglasses in a store where many of them cost upwards of $200 a pair! I personally like my $4.00 Wal-Mart ones.

Is the plural of “princess” princi?

No…these guys weren’t caged for some of the bizarre things they’ve done in the last 2 days. This was the worst (or best - depending on your definition of motion sickness) ferris wheel on which I’ve EVER ridden. They couldn’t get me out of this contraption soon enough. I was sure I was going to give these guys a memory they’d never forget had the ride not ended when it did.

Well, I’m either in Theme Park Heaven or Theme Park Purgatory — whichever way you want to think of it. Yesterday was Sea World, today was Disneyland and tomorrow is Disney’s California Adventure. My feet are KILLING me! Barking, screaming, moaning, begging for mercy, if you get my drift. My pedometer tells me that I walked 16,227 steps today. But enough about me….

The kids woke up bright and early (some of the girls woke up at 5:00 to beg salt from the kitchen to help Candice with her sore throat afer listening to her gargling with mouthwash). The breakfast buffet was great with eggs, bacon, oatmeal, fresh fruit, sausage, waffles and much more. It was good to “load up” before getting to Disney where they gouge you on every possible item they can sell you.

We took the shuttle to the park and got there just as they opened. After a quick regular shot and fun shot as a group, everybody headed off to the Land of the Mutant Rodent and a good time was had by all. I personally rode every stinkin’ roller coaster they could drag me on.

Brian Whitecotton has made it his personal plan to spend as little as possible on food this week and to find as much money as possible. He picks up every bit of change he can find. So when he discovered that people had been using the “It’s a Small World” ride as a very long wishing well with all kinds of coins in it, he began riding it over and over (I think it was because he liked the little dancing dolls, but he’s sticking by his story) and mostly all his fellow riders could see was his rear-end as he was leaning out of the boat to pick up coins. By the end of the day, he had over $6 in coins including a peso and a Somalian coin. I offered him $20 if he’d just cut it out, but he started to take me up on it and so I backed out. (I actually paid Travis Williams $20 for his seat last Friday so I wouldn’t have to sit in the middle seat to which I’d been assigned which is how I got stuck behind Mr.-Cancerous-Growth-On-My-Head for 6.5 hours.)

It was on the “Small World” ride that I remembered why I loved working with high schoolers so much. In the course of one stupid ride, I listened to the guys converse on topics ranging from scatological indiscretions to the message of socialism they felt permeated the ride to a discussion regarding the influence of the Anti-Christ on popular culture back to a conversation that will forever be left in California and will not be bloggable now or ever. Somewhat random, always revealing and ever interesting. High schoolers are the best if they don’t just intimidate or frustrate the tar out of you in the process. As for me, I sometimes miss my days of trying to teach teenagers how to diagram a sentence and this trip has reminded me of that.

Nick Cauthron has been trying to find a date all week long and finally snagged the poor girl that drove the Jungle Cruise boat. I don’t know if it was his handsome NC looks, his incessant (and I DO mean INCESSANT) talking or the smell of that gargantuan turkey leg that he had just eaten on his breath, but apparently, he slick talked her into getting a picture with him. So his trip has been successful.

Anyway…the kids (and the grown-ups) are having fun. The hotel is great (I think I’d rather stay in the extra-padded bed with the 1,000 threadcount sheets than go out again tomorrow). No one has been hurt, beaten, threatened or thumped by cranky preachers yet. So, it’s been a good week.

By the way, the juniors are on their trip as well and Clayton Cromwell — one of our super High School teachers, is blogging their excursion. You can find it HERE.

As always….More tomorrow!

Travis suddenly develops a Peter Pan fascination — or at least, he decided to display it in public. Replete with hat and feather (he wouldn’t spring for the dagger accessory), he wasn’t going to leave the park until we went to Fantasyland to ride the Peter Pan ride.

Interestingly, throughout the ride, Travis kept muttering something about wanting to see Michael Jackson and Neverland, but we couldn’t quite make it out. (Just Kidding, T.)

After a long day, the guys await the arrival of the bus back to the hotel as they listen to Nick’s report on all the cute girls whom he has met today.

Prices that were only obscenely high (as opposed to those at Disney) await these lovely ladies as they went to Nationals to grab a bite to eat.