Whirled Views with Dan Burrell

Recently, I’ve been having a dialogue with a friend and confidant whom I respect and with whom I enjoy intellectual sparring on a wide variety of topics. Our topic du jour has been the issue of racism, how to identify it and how to address it in a ministry context. It is an interesting (and might I add…on-going) exchange and it is forcing me to examine my own attitudes and responses to something that indeed stains many “southern” and “conservative/evangelical/fundamentalist” churches.

I pastor a larger church that, in all honesty, has taken unbiblical positions in its history on issues of race, integration and prejudice toward people of color. It is a stain on the fabric of our church’s reputation and it has limited our ministry and diminished our effectiveness if the truth be told. I know of very few out-and-out prejudiced or racist individuals (in or out of our church) but that doesn’t mean that we have a Biblical attitude toward how we should treat others who don’t look “just like us.”

One of the challenges of my own leadership is that I need to discern it, confront it and deal with it — not from a cultural perspective, not from a pragmatic perspective, but from a BIBLICAL perspective. And it would also be nice if I could do it in such a way that it creates healing and repentance and unity, not controvery, disharmony and re-opened wounds. Quite frankly, I’m still searching for answers.

But a larger issue still looms as I experience the microcosm of the problem in my own ministry. What do we do about the transending problem of addressing unBiblical attitudes toward racial harmony in the Body of Christ as a whole and in local churches individually?

Recent surveys have revealed that one of the most segregated places in America is the church on Sunday mornings. Many of us send our kids to Christian school that were, at their inception, little more than white flight academies. It takes missionaries going to African continents far longer to raise their support from our local congregations than it does for missionaries going to European or even South American countries.

Why is this? Could it be that there is still the shadow of latent racism casting its ugly shadow over conservative evangelical congregations?

Some would argue that many evangelical churches have outreaches to the homeless, inner-city neighborhoods and even run buses and vans into minority communities offering free rides for the kids to Sunday school. I think these are wonderful and important facets of ministry. But I would also ask, if this is a part of our mission for reaching people of color, why arent our adult worship services more integrated then? Could it be that we dont mind taking ministry to minorities, even busing their kids to Sunday school, but somehow the welcome mat isnt put out when it comes to making them part of the internal life of the church? If that is the case, and I suspect it is far too frequently, then we are sinning against God and violating His word and we ought not ignore that.

Where are majority white congregations with a black or latin Senior Pastor? Where are the black or brown associate pastors on our staffs and deacons or elders on our boards? What have we done to welcome and develop and prioritize racial minority representation and participation in our local churches? Shouldn’t the church be at the forefront of this and not a johnny-come-lately?

Im afraid that some of us in churches today would protest vehemently if someone accused us of being racist, yet, under the right circumstances, in safe places, among our own kind, we are just as likely to utter some insensitive or racially derogatory remark and not even realize it unless someone had the courage to call our attention to it. How can we expect to be the kind of lighthouse for the grace and love of Christ to all people if we fail so frequently and miserably in demonstrating that grace and love in our own lives?

Sure there are cultural differences that may impact where we feel more comfortable during worship. Ive preached at black churches in the past wherein I was the person present with the least amount of rhythm. I mean, I cant even clap to the beat. Ive also worshipped with Hispanic congregations where the openness and emotion were far freer than I am used to from a more staid tradition. But quite honestly, these small impediments shouldnt keep us from being warm and welcoming to those who may not look like us on the outside when in the eyes of God, we are all just sinners saved by grace.

Its time some of us took a look at our inner heart and ask the Lord to reveal any hint of residual racism that may lurk therein. Whether it is something so overt as telling a racist joke or simply insensitivity based on stereotypes and cultural traditions, we ought not make excuses for attitudes, actions and words that cause pain, demean character and build walls. We need to confront this problem honestly and deal with it Biblically.

Christians should be leading the way by confessing the sin of racism and building bridges that will move us beyond the dark days of our past. Only when we deal with this thoroughly can we expect to remove the shadows of latent racism that limit our effectiveness in presenting the gospel to all peoples today.

Dan Burrell is on hiatus for a few weeks. He will return in mid-July. Until then he is reposting a few early blog posts and articles from his syndicated commentary. This post was originally published in February 2005.

Much is being said, written and debated regarding worship these days. We call our church services worship services, but in reality, most of us confine our thoughts of worship to that portion of the service, which is primarily music with the occasional prayer or scripture reading inter-twined. But in viewing worship services as such, we miss the benefits of fully worshipping through every part of the service.

Consider how we can worship by fellowshipping. Arriving at church in time to give testimony to one another about how God is working in our lives. Let me pause here and express personal aggravation for people who are never late to work, to a movie or getting their kids to school, but who cant manage to drag themselves to church in time for Sunday school or before the second hymn is sung. I think tardiness to church is a loud statement about what we really think is important in life. But I digress.

Greeting one another, learning of burdens and prayer requests, sitting quietly with a friend and praying for each other are all expressions of worship and body life that are Biblical and healthy.

No doubt, music is integral to worship, but quite frankly, many people miss the blessing of worship because they are too fixated on whether or not they like the song, the style of the song, how it is sung, what the singer is wearing and whether or not there is applause after it is offered. Once again, we too often miss the point. We are NOT the audience; God is and that should change our perspective. It doesnt matter whether or not we like the song, the singer or the style does He? And it is wrong to assume that God always likes exactly what we like, not to mention arrogant. Next Sunday, try really paying attention to the words of the hymns and choruses. Sing to the Lord and not just about the Lord. If you need to, close your eyes and focus on the Lord to eliminate outside distractions. Try praying when you are tempted to criticize.

The offering is a part of worship. Throughout temple and tabernacle worship in Scripture, a part of the worship service was the presentation of tithes and special gifts. It embodied submission, it communicated obedience, it was motivated by devotion and it reminds the giver of their dependence upon God, as He owns all things. Dont just plop a check into the plate as it goes by; pray that God will honor it as you do. Dont see how little you can give or give with resentment. Instead be a joyful even reckless giver who abandons self-interest in an act of worship to the Owner of all.

Dont forget to worship during the sermon. In many churches, quiet and not-so-quiet Amens punctuate the sermon as people proclaim their agreement. The term from which we get Amen actually means so be it and communicates that we want the salient point to be true in our own lives. Its almost an exclamatory prayer.

Speaking of prayer, when someone leads in prayer, dont just listen to what they have to say. If they are truly praying, they arent talking to you anyway. Why dont you join them yourself — if no one is following them in prayer, can it honestly be said then that they are leading in prayer? Ive visited churches in France and Cuba and Africa where people joined aloud as someone lead in prayer and the music of voices blended together in prayer was just incredible.

Did you know that the invitation or decision time is also a time of worship? Worship is about yielding what is Gods to Him. That means we have a worship opportunity to think on what weve learned through the music, fellowship, giving, preaching and prayer and commit ourselves to obedience as the Holy Spirit leads us to change. To do so is an act of worship.

So this week when you head to church, lets be fully committed to real worship in every part of the service. Its not merely a service or an exercise or an event its something far more eternal. Its Worship!

Dan Burrell is on hiatus from Whirled Views for a few weeks. This is a reprint of an article posted in January of 2005. Dan will be back in mid-July.

I just got back from speaking at Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, NC this morning. I always enjoy speaking to college kids. They are typically earnest, yet appropriately discombobulated. They are at the cusp of adulthood, curiously curious and often full of themselves.

I miss those days in my own life having settled into the typical middle-aged morass of having more maturity than energy. I spoke on the topic of “temptation.” I thought it would be an appropriate subject considering that in a mere couple of weeks, most of them will be back home, with their old friends, visiting their old haunts. I watched some kids pretty much come “undone” during Christmas break during my own college years and the sudden relief from daily college stress often came with a price of stupid decisions and unBiblical behavior.

The subject of temptation is an important one regardless of the age of life in which we find ourselves. Certainly, temptation varies according to the stage of life or even time of year. Things that tempted me when I was younger aren’t the draw as much today, but I find that other things have emerged to replace those youthful temptations. So I’ve penned some thoughts on the topic.

Temptation happens. If you never experience temptation, then youre dead either brain dead or physically dead. We can be tempted to cuss, quit, lie, cheat, steal, murder, trick, do violence, rage, sneak, mock, blaspheme, indulge, gossip, accuse, harm, cover and rebel. Chances are each of us have been tempted to do all of that considerable list and more, and more than once.

A frequent question on the heart of many believers is why doesnt God deliver me from these temptations? Ive spoken to people who struggle with their tempers, with feelings of worthlessness, with homosexual attractions, with materialism, with pride, with gluttony, with adultery and they often say, I dont WANT to be this way how can I get victory? Did God make me this way? Why doesnt He change what I want?

Certainly there are some times when testing comes into our lives and God is in control of the circumstances and situation. He wants to use what is occurring to teach us something, to test our mettle, to mature us, to add to our perspective, to prepare us. If we endure the test, we come out on the other side better and wiser and stronger.

But in the midst of the test, there is also the presence of temptation. This is Satans attempt to sidetrack us, to make our defeat his victory, to provide a way of escape that will weaken us and keep us from maturing spiritually.

There are many examples of this in the Scripture. The Children of Israel would be one of the best examples. God had delivered them from slavery and captivity. He had performed ten miraculous plagues to obtain their release. He had protected their firstborn. He had split the Red Sea. He had given them manna in the dew and fresh water from rocks. Yet, they became thirsty and found only undrinkable bitter water, they turned on God and blamed Him. When Moses was gone a little too long up on the mountain, they took their gold and made an idol. When they tired of Moses leadership, a band of them rose up in rebellion and sought to overthrow him. In the midst of a trial or a test, they gave in to temptation.

Make no mistake, whenever you are under stress and pressure and enduring a trial, Satan is going to do his best to add temptation to do wrong to your burden. You commit to taking an evangelism or discipleship class and it gets long or hard or inconvenient. Satan will tell you that you arent smart enough, or the teacher isnt interesting enough, or the expectations are too difficult so that youll quit. You have an illness or someone you love does and you are faced with difficult treatment or even death. Satan will tempt you to get mad at God, to curse God and die, to exact revenge on others, to give in to hopeless depression, to quit or ignore your faith. You lose your job or get laid off or your car breaks down or an unexpected bill comes along this is a triala test to see if you are willing to trust God and keep your faith steady. Satan will come along and say, Quit tithing, what good is God doing you now that you are in this situation? Perhaps hell tempt you to steal or cheat on your taxes or default on a debt. Satans goal is to turn your test into temptation.

God will help you endure lifes trials and valleys without making a bad situation worse by succumbing to temptation and complicating the situation with sin. Scripture tells us twice in the book of Proverbs, There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Many believe that we can disregard Gods word, ignore His Spirits leading and are exceptions to Gods universal laws. But eventually they will discover that there is no immunity from the consequences that come from disobeying Gods word.

Temptation is going to enter your life and mine this week. Lets be ready to face it head on but remember that greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.

Dan Burrell is on hiatus for a few weeks. This article is a republication of an article which first appeared in December 2004 on this blog and through Evangelical Press News.

I will admit, my role as a pastor, parent and educator provides me with a uniquely multi-faceted perspective when it comes to parenting. As a pastor, I deal with ideals, philosophy and more ethereal components of parenting as I encourage people to follow Biblical principles in rearing their children. As an educator, my focus is on the process which encompasses training, discipline and objectives. As a parent, my life is extremely real as I daily delve into the practical and sometimes most difficult aspect of parenting personal application. I was quite the expert on parenting prior to the arrival of my four children. Now I sometimes pray that Ill survive the experience.

One of the things Im sure of from my experience and point-of-view, parents have a definitive choice that they must make as they navigate the parenting minefield. Are we to be liked today or will we be loved tomorrow.

Lets face it its a good thing that parents are not subject to recall votes or re-election schedules. I know in my case, Id definitely be a one-termer. It frustrates me that it seems that so much of parenting time is spent saying no or not yet or explaining why I wont let my kids camp out on the roof, stay out until late or wear that particular pair of jeans. Their responses can run the gamut from tears to anger and in the process; I often end up feeling like an ogre. I know my kids love me sometimes I wonder if they really like me. Its the parents dilemma.

Ive chosen to parent with the long-term in mind, not the short term. I dont like to be unliked, but Id rather be loved in the long-haul. My parents were often tyrannical in my opinion. There were certain people with whom I couldnt ride in a car. I wasnt allowed to date alone most of my teen-age years. Parties were screened and my parents checked up on me to see if I was where I had told them I would be when I went out with my friends. They werent afraid to tell me no and sometimes they couldnt give me a reason I felt acceptable. It was their call and they were going to make it. As my dad often explained to me, as long as I put my feet under his dinner table, he got to call the shots. End of discussion. I dont think that Oprah would have approved of his parenting technique, but Ill tell you in the end, I love him for it.

For twenty years, Ive caught the tears of parents who had just discovered some dark secret about their child. A pregnancy, an abortion, a drinking problem, sneaking out at night, deep-rooted resentment and other issues had emerged and now they had this tremendous sense of betrayal and failure. As I helped them work through their grief and disappointment and tried to help them develop a plan for recovery for their family, I was often struck by the reality that many of these parents had seldom established protective policies and principles for their children. On some occasions, Ive actually had them tell me that they knew they should have been stricter or held their kids more accountable but that they were afraid that it creates a confrontation, that it would hurt their relationship with their kids or would result in conflict. So, they chose a path of less resistance and capitulated. The kids enjoyed freedoms they werent mature enough to appreciate and as a result, ended up in a condition that was damaging, damning or both. Sadly, for many of them the tolerable relationship with their kids for which they had compromised was simply an illusion. In the end, there was no respect, no committed love and no appreciation. They had been liked, but now they werent loved.

Todays culture screams permissiveness, live-for-the-moment, and relativity. But kids need an anchor, a foundation, a moral and philosophical compass and until theirs is completed, mom and dad must provide it for them.

Dont be afraid to tell your kids no. Dont be afraid to be a bad guy today to be a good parent forever. Remember that a little pain today may indeed protect you from a lot of pain tomorrow. Its a choice worth making.

Dan Burrell is on hiatus from this blog for a time. This article was first posted on this blog in October of 2004.

As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I am going to be taking a hiatus from regular fresh postings on this blog for a few weeks. I am not planning a permanent departure from the blogosphere, but I need a little bit of spiritual and intellectual refreshment. So, in the words of Peter, I plan to “go a fishing” at least figuratively.

While gone, I plan on re-evaluating the purposes for this blog. It has grown dramatically each month in which I’ve been counting hits. I get a ton of feedback both locally and nationally and I appreciate the many who have written me privately in the last week or two asking me to continue blogging. Your words are kind and you’ve been a personal encouragement.

Just so you’ll know my heart, I’m not personally discouraged over the article written in the Sword of the Lord and to which I responded last week. Leadership involves criticism. Sadly, in ministry I have found that the deepest and most painful wounds have always come from those who claim to be on the same spiritual team as me. But that’s just life — I’m not griping, it’s just what is. I am just a little bit tired.

As odd as it may seem coming from someone who hangs his intellectual, spiritual and personal meanderings out in cyberspace like so much underwear on a clothesline, I really don’t aspire to be some sort of “national figure” in fundamentalism. I realized years ago, that the best thing I can ever be in God’s economy is a faithful husband, good father and a principled pastor. I’m not going to change the world by running all over the place speaking or writing articles. I’m going to continue speaking and writing, but as the Lord leads, not as Dan desires. In the last couple of months, some of my articles have taken on a life of their own and as a result it has brought a lot more feedback and attention than I really anticipated. In addition, I have found myself being “edgier” and “sharper” in my tone than is necessary or healthy. I believe we can and should speak clearly and directly. But we don’t need to go overboard and in all honesty, some of my non-article postings have been intemperate and that’s going to stop.

Someone wrote me last week to remind me that “Northside Baptist Church” isn’t just “any” church. For many years, it was extremely high-profile in Charlotte and around the country. It was one of the first of mega-churches, though by today’s standards, it just barely meets that classification. Because of the wonderful facilities that the Lord has entrusted to us, we have hosted major conferences and events for years which have allowed hundreds of thousands to visit our campus. There are times, when I forget that the legacy we’ve enjoyed has brought a unique level of on-going scrutiny to our ministry. In South Florida, I ministered in relative anonymity as we were not seen as part of the “Bible belt” and many in fundamentalism tend to view the whole of Florida south of Orlando as the equivalent of a pagan mission field. Charlotte is quite a different environment and Northside is a different kind of church than what I had previously experienced. That’s not a complaint — it is what it is.

In recent months, I’ve tried to tackle some tougher issues as I think through things in my mind. I tend to think through my fingers which only fellow writers can truly understand. As I’ve written about controversial topics, asked impolitic (if not impolite) questions and determined to pull the coverings off some of the moldy furniture in fundamentalism, it simply has take a little bit of a toll and I want to rejuvenate a bit.

In the meantime, because so many of you have asked that I continue to post at least something in the interim, I will put up a “Best of…” article from the earliest days of this blog when I had few readers or perhaps one of my old EP News commentaries a few times each week so that you’ll know that I haven’t abandoned this site altogether. When I can’t contain myself any longer, I’ll be back and then I’ll share what you can expect from this blog in the future.

Thanks again for your faithful readership and the many kind words which you have shared. I’ll talk to you next month sometime.

Note - this is an edited version of a memo that was sent to our staff and children’s ministry workers at Northside Baptist Church.

At some level, I guess I consider myself a Wordsmith. I love words. New words, fancy words, words that are so narrow and accurate that they can be position like individual pins capable of provoking exact responses, broad sweeping words that paint splashes of color like tempera thrown on a blank wall. I will not claim to always use my words precisely. I have been known to use my words carelessly. Ive watched my words cause pain and at other times leave wrong impressions. Words are the very currency of communication.

Because of that, Id like to ask our team to consider a particular issue.

It actually involves a phrase that is older than I am.

When I was a kid, we would sing a little ditty that I think was popular among those who worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship. It was called, Into My Heart. It went something like this.

Into my heart. Into my heart.
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come in I pray, come in to stay,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

A catchy little song and obviously well-crafted enough that I still remember it after forty years.

Theres just one problem. Where in the Bible are we commanded to ask Jesus into our heart for salvation? Sure, there are illustrations and allusions. We know that Romans 10:9-10 speaks of the heart when it says, if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. But we also know that the heart as used here is considered the seat of knowledge and will. Its not literally our heart that is being referenced.

Anyone who works with children will tell you that the discernment part of the brain develops incrementally over time and that the typical elementary aged children may be very inclined to think of literal terms when we use the terminology of asking Jesus into our hearts or at best, may think of salvation as something akin to inviting someone in through a door. (How many of us can remember that picture in the back of most of the Bibles we carried as a kid that features Jesus standing outside a door gently tapping wanting to be let in? This is based on Revelations 3:20 and really isnt even an accurate illustration or representation of Salvation.)

Salvation indeed involves a surrender of the will which causes us to give our heart to Christ. But Scripture also speaks of recognizing our sins, repentance and acknowledging Christ as the Resurrected Son of God, Lord and Redeemer. Thus, I believe that the phrase Asking Jesus into your heart may be a confusing, incomplete over-simplification of genuine conversion that can at best confuse children and at worse, lead them to a false sense of salvation.

We must be careful to avoid Christian jargon with which we may be familiar, but which may be unfamiliar or confusing to non-Christ followers or those too immature to understand the terms. Another example would be the word Saved.

My fifteen-year-old daughter came home after helping with VBS recently and commented that at the end of their teaching time, the kids were asked to tell about when they got saved. One little girl gave a long convoluted story about how her brother was picking on her and then her mom came in an stopped him and she was SAVED!

Well, thats a cute anecdote, but it is also an example of how we need to be careful that we use accurate terms, relevant terms, explained terms, culturally and generationally up-to-date and precise terms.

Please join me in avoiding terms that might be confusing to our kids and lets make sure that we chose the words we use carefully and wisely when explaining the Gospel.

If I link to an article on this blog, you know it has to be good because I can’t stand blogs that constantly link to other blogs like a dog chasing its tail.

Ben Wright, over at paleoevangelical, addresses a topic that I’ve rarely seen broached — It deals with the issue of churches relocating to different neighborhoods. If we are to be perfectly candid, many, if not most, churches do so for racial and socio-economic reasons. White-flight is still alive and well in many parts of the country.

At the same time, let’s be honest…. transitioning a church as a neighborhood changes is an impressive challenge that is painful at best and rife with the potential for major problems before, during and after.

Ben does a great job in asking his readers to consider some very pointed questions. I hope you’ll read his article. You can do so by clicking HERE.

After a few days off, re-entry into the world you left behind is often difficult under the best of circumstances. What with piles of mail, clothes to unpack/wash/put away, email to answer, getting back onto the treadmill… it really kind of “undoes” a vacation. But this week-end was a particularly rough ‘re-entry’.

I made a decision that I would try to avoid being gone on Sunday’s this summer with the possible exception of taking Nathan to college. I was out of the pulpit more than I like in the first quarter of this year due to missions trips and chaperoning the Senior Trip, so I felt it would be healthier for the church if I arranged my personal time off to permit me to be home on Sundays. So… after five days in Orlando, we loaded up the gang and drove like mad all day long Saturday so I could be here to preach and teach in three services Sunday.

We pulled in the driveway around 8:40 or so Saturday evening. There was just enough light remaining that I took a quick tour of my garden and checked in on the flock of chicks I inherited from one of our school teachers the last week of school. The kids found 3 MORE baby kittens (if you want a kitten…PLEASE call us… and soon. I have a dozen now that are ready to go.) My garden was…well…MAGNIFICENT. I can’t believe how great it looked. My squash was loaded with baby summer squash and zucchini. The green beans are ready to pick. The tomatoes are 4 feet tall and loaded with blossoms and little green tomatoes. The sweet corn was lush and tall. The lettuce is even still bearing. I walked into the house and told Julie, “That is the BEST garden I’ve ever raised in my entire life.”

Then at about 11:15, the worst storm I’ve seen in a couple of years rolled up. Lightening flashed, the wind howled, branches were falling from trees, it hailed, it rained — it looked like the end of the world for about 30 minutes. About 15 minutes into the storm, most of the power went out. I say “most” because there was enough left to allow the incandescent bulbs to cast off an eerie glow and the fans to spin very slowly. I’m not electrician, but I’m pretty sure that is very hard on appliances and electrical gadgets, so we started scrambling to unplug anything and everything we could. I looked down at the church and could see the same thing happening there as the parking lots went dim, but I could see the eerie glow of the security lights inside flickering.

We called Duke Energy to report the problem. I have no idea why we had a “little” electricity, but shortly we were sitting by candle light. The little kids were so freaked by the howling and thunder and darkness, we had a family prayer meeting in the living room. Then all was silent. Dead silent. All night long. Oh, yeah, and it was HOT, HOT, HOT.

If you know me, I like it cold and I also sleep with 2-3 fans on to provide a background noise that allows me to sleep. Right before the storm hit, I had popped an Ambien so I could rest well for Sunday. It’s the only way I got any rest at all Sunday night.

When I came to, I realized that the power was still off in spite of the fact that Duke Power had promised to have it on by 4:00 a.m. I looked out my window to see my garden battered beyond recognition and my corn lying flat on the ground. I got dressed and went down to the church where the operations staff was running around trying to figure out what to do. The outage was basically limited to our campus and the trees that fell on the lines were near our operations center. Someone reported the smell of burning electrical parts to me — that’s NEVER a good sign.

People would be arriving for our 8:00 a.m. service and we had to make a decision. Our auditorium is huge and dark. There was no way to use it or get sufficient candlelight in there. The chapel which seats about 250 was an option, but has stained glass windows and was very dark, plus it was very hot and many of the folks who attend the 8:00 a.m. service are elderly. We decided on using one of the cafeterias that had windows and cross ventilation.

It turned into one of the sweetest services I can remember in a long time. A couple of hundred folks crowded into the room. No instruments, just great old Gospel songs being sung by memory accapella. My sermon was on my laptop with no way to retrieve it, so I pulled out one I’d preached about six years ago and freshened it up. It was just a nice time of fellowship and singing and preaching and it reminded me of some of the old country services of my childhood.

With no power coming on, we held our Sunday School/Bible Fellowships all over the campus. Some toughed it out in their rooms, others took chairs out under the magnolia trees, others met in the halls where ventilation was better. Now there were hundreds more people on campus. There was simply no space available to have our regular celebration service. Too many to put in a parking lot setting without a PA, too hot anyway, too much noise from I-85. So we just cancelled the second service.

I’ve never had to cancel a service like that. I hated to do it. Because I live on campus, we don’t even have to cancel for snow or ice. I can just slide down the hill and meet anyone who shows up. We’ll take a huge financial hit because we weren’t able to receive a regular offering….that may not sound like a big deal, but a ministry our size has a weekly offering budget of nearly $50,000. Right now, we have a pile (and I DO mean pile) of fried harddrives, cameras, servers, monitors and other electronics headed for the dumpster due to the surges and so-forth. We may be piecing things together for a couple of weeks, but that’s OK….we’ll manage just fine!

And don’t forget….God is Sovereign. This didn’t catch Him by surprise. He ALWAYS takes care of our needs. Even in adversity, we learn things about Him and us. It just wasn’t the way I planned on re-entering after 5 days with family.

Speaking of “5 days with family”…. my gang and my sister and her gang spent 5 days in Orlando. I’ve said often that I don’t miss Florida at all (I lived there for 17 years) and this week just reminded me of how much I really mean that. If I never go to a Disney park again it will be too soon. I did enjoy Sea World and Universal’s “Islands of Adventure” — both were family friendlier and better maintained in my opinion.

I was struck by the number of out (and I mean “OUT”) homosexuals that worked at the parks — particularly Disney. I know it’s the “American Way” but the prices for food and drinks in the park is just obscene. We carried water and snacks, but at some point, you have to get something more substantive and it is a royal rip-off. I’d think they’d sell much more and make a larger profit if they’d just reduce the prices a little more. I bought exactly ZERO $3.50 ice cream bars. Had they been $2.00, I’d probably have bought a half dozen. But now I’m just whining. Otherwise, we had a great time with my sister, brother-in-law and their three kids. I’m so thankful to have a family with whom I always enjoy spending time and I’m equally thankful that they are willing to spend time with me.

So, I’m back home and will be catching up this week. We start Vacation Bible School tonight. I’m excited about that. We are welcoming Frank Shimkis to our team as our new “Student Ministries Pastor”. Frank hails from PA where he graduated from Baptist Bible College in Clark Summit. He played semi-pro basketball in Germany until an injury ended his career. Most recently, he taught AP English in an inner-city school in St. Petersburg, FL. You are going to love him! Pastor Ben Rudolph is now our “Church Planting Pastor” as he gets Providence Church going in Denver, NC. I’ve got a TON of emails to answer and phone calls to return. Please be patient with me if you are expecting to hear from me.

And, oh yes, I’m aware that Northside was featured on the front page of “The Sword of the Lord” as some kind of screaming liberal, neo-evangelical, seeker-driven, rock-n-roll’n bastion of all that is wrong in Christianity today. All my friends(?) who still read the Sword having been sending me messages all week horse-laughing the absurdity of what was written. They think I’m the most conservative (some even say legalistic) guy they know. Our mention was part of a larger series of articles being written by self-described “fundamentalist journalist” “Dr.” (It’s not real, but no surprise there)Don Jasmin at the request of Sheldon Smith (Sword editor) on the recent International Baptist Network meeting that we hosted in April. It is so filled with exaggerations, mischaracterizations and outright lies, that it is mind-boggling.

But I’m really not surprised. That’s become par for the course of those who have lost sight of historic fundamentalism and are trying to redefine it into something it has never been. Sadly, it’s just this kind of badgering, manipulative, agenda-pushing garbage that is driving hundreds of our younger men toward stuff that is philosophically unsound and even Biblically questionable. What they claim they are trying to “save”, they are indeed destroying. One young guy wrote me privately last week to say, “The reason I left the Independent Baptists and became part of the SBC is exactly this kind of stuff.” I think he’s wrong — the SBC has just as much pettiness and as many problems as the IB guys do. But I understand what he’s saying.

I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll respond in this blog or not. At one level, I frankly could not care less what Jasmin or Smith think of me, the church or anything else for that matter. Jasmin is an extremist, KJVO nut who speaks in conferences with the likes of Pete Ruckman and Herb Noe. He publishes a little gossip sheet similar to David Cloud’s and thinks that makes him a “journalist.” (Oh, and he charges for the privilege of reading his rag. For people like he and Cloud, their willingness to feed virulent appetites for controversy provides a network for them to peddle their books and tapes and to line their pockets.) Smith has overseen the demise of one of Fundamentalism’s more credible newspapers running it into the ground as he has become more extreme with each issue due to trying to maintain some sort of constituency. He personally lied to me in front of witnesses right after he became the editor of the Sword about where he stood on issues within fundamentalism and how he would be using the pages of the Sword. The Sword has virtually no credibility these days with thinking fundamentalists and even less influence. It’s a sad chapter in a paper that at one time had a major influence in my life and which still sends me royalties for a pamphlet they picked up and published a decade or more ago.

So, “IF” I get around to it, I “MIGHT” set the record straight as to some of the more egregious misrepresentations. I would only do that because I love the people of my church. (Interestingly, to date — not one member of my church other than my assistant who got a call from one of my friends, has mentioned the article which says a lot about the readership of the Sword these days.)

I may also address what I consider to be a DANGEROUS and UNBIBLICAL practice of sending “reporters” undercover into local, Bible-Preaching churches to evaluate them and then disseminate the information. And for the record, Don Jasmin never asked me a question, requested an interview, wrote me a note or in any other way solicited information or background for me. Yeah, that’s real journalism, all right.

But anyway, indeed, most of those who cling to the extreme branch of fundamentalism exemplified by the Sword are not folks who we’re wanting to become part of our church family. We’re about reaching the unsaved, developing discerning thinkers through expositional preaching and teaching, engaging in personal discipleship, worshipping the Lord in “spirit” and in “Truth”, fellowship with the called-out assembly, ministering to those within and without the Body and being a place of prayer and grace. I do not apologize for what we believe and the implications of that throughout our church. So let Jasmin and Smith rail. We’re just going to keep doing what we are doing as humbly and Biblically as we possibly can. And they can keep dredging for gossip, scandal and negative tales while living out the shrewish and controlling strategies and agendas that motivate them.

Northsiders, I’ll now be starting my series on “A Few Good Men — Developing Biblical Manhood in the Home and Church” this coming Sunday due to the weather problems of last week-end. Don’t forget the kick-off of our Men’s Ministry on Monday, June 19th in the FAC. Load up your cars with non-Northside kids for VBS tonight and all week long! We’re going to have a great week!

Part 2: A Case for a No Spin Zone of News that Interests Fundamentalists

(Part 1 can be found HERE.)

Perhaps some consideration should be given to these thoughts, and certainly these thoughts can also be used for additional debate and discussion.

First, the Internet has obviously become a place where even Christians can find news of interest to them in a no-spin zone. Lets be honest. Fundamentalists have done a lousy job dealing with sins and failures in the movement over the years. From Billy Sundays kids, to J. Frank Norriss tyrannical leadership, to Jack Hyles’s egomaniacal self-promotion, to David Hyles’s gross and repeated immorality, to Bill Pennells dual life that led him to strip joints, and worse to Bob Grays arrest for child molestation, throughout the last century, weve covered and uncovered enough failures and outright wickedness in the ranks of self-proclaimed Fundamentalism to make the hierarchy of the Catholic church feel morally superior. And thats just the tip of the iceberg. Many lesser stars in the fundamentalist galaxy have destroyed their lives and damaged the reputation of Christs Church with sins that did not earn for them the scandal du jour at a fellowship meeting.

At the same time, Fundamentalism has systematically called out, ridiculed, stigmatized, and at times slandered Christian brothers in leadership who may not be on the same particular branch of the evangelical tree as where we live but who are fellow believers nonetheless. The ferocity of our exposure of them has been stunning at times. Some examples might include John MacArthur and the blood, Jerry Falwell and politics, Tim Lee and the SBC, Billy Graham and ecumenicism, and a litany of folks who enjoy praise and worship music or even CCM. (For the record, this author is not necessarily in agreement with the positions taken by some he has used as examples.) Seriously, within Fundamentalism, greater courtesy is given (in some circles) to those who commit adultery than to someone who preaches for a Southern Baptist church or who has drums on his platform.

In the broader world, beyond the ivory palaces of our pastoral office suites, many in the pews are just not buying this dichotomy of logic. While there are, without a doubt, issues that require public rebuke and practical separation, it can honestly be said that there is a double standard about what constitutes news that is fit to print within Fundamentalism.

Continuing, it might be suggested that some who have a problem with the free distribution of information that otherwise might have been swept under the proverbial rug are frustrated with the growing inability to cover, protect, or spin scandalous information or even regular news. This problem creates a loss of control on their parts, and–lets be honest–many in spiritual leadership in Fundamentalism are all about control. Todays upstart, younger generation is less respectful of things like heritage, tradition, and protocol that gives deference to the preceding generation(s). They are used to having instant access to information, getting all the facts so they can reach their own decisions, asking tough questions, and probing when they get half-baked answers. They like to think for themselves, and part of the process of reaching valid conclusions requires them to debate, pry, and probe out loud. To those of us who were reared in a different generation, weve been far more willing to wink at those who have idiosyncrasies (spelled s-i-n problems) out of respect for their position or accomplishments.

This author could type the name of an extremely well-known, nationally influential (retired) pastor who is legendary for swearing in private and in the pulpit. (Were not talking about saying gosh or darn but words that used to get peoples mouths washed out with soap.) BUT . . . hes been a major fundamentalist leader for nearly 80 years. So we just roll our eyes and mutter excuses. But if Franklin Graham or John Hagee or Bill Gaither were to use such language, the same eye-rollers would roundly and soundly condemn him as a foul-mouthed reprobate.

Well, lets just say that the young fundamentalists arent as likely to respect the intellectual dualism that older fundies have tolerated for years. These guys grew up watching Jimmy Swaggart quiver his lip and declare, I have sinned; and remember all too well the scene of Jim Bakker being dragged out of the court house, whimpering like a little girl. These scenes have, without a doubt, brought huge disrepute in the secular world, but they have also created a disgust toward and no small amount of cynicism in the world of conservative Christians as well. Richard Nixon forever removed the protective bubble of U.S. presidents. Jim Bakker did it for Christianity.

Another consideration is the growing sophistication of Fundamentalism. Apart from the commitment to the arts and academic excellence that the Bob Jones dynasty brought to Fundamentalism, much of this branch of Christianity through the last 120 years or so was largely a rural, southern, and less-educated constituency marked with a rowdy adherence to the rhetoric that many fundamentalist preachers turned into an art form. But in the last 30 to 40 years, Fundamentalism has become more mainstream, and many fundamentalist churches are filled with college-educated, affluent, and successful businessmen and businesswomen who are less inspired by the historical style of Fundamentalism and more interested in the doctrinal substance of genuine fundamentalist theology. These folks expect access to information, they demand that they are part of a decision-making process, and they are astute enough to notice when something is amiss. The pastor is no longer an icon but a leader. He may be a shepherd, but they dont qualify as dumb sheep. They are demanding and articulate. Just because the preacher says so doesnt cut it anymore.

Thus, they expect to be informed when there is a problem within the Church or within broader Christianity. They want to be assured that people notice and that steps to deal with failures are in place. They know their Bibles well enough that terms like church discipline and plurality of church elders are part of their lexicon. They want integrity and authenticity and accountability from their leadership. They can smell a phony, a crook, or someone who is over their head from a mile away. Simply put, they expect– even demand–the clear, accurate communication of information.

Perhaps it is wise to consider the motivation that some might have in wanting to keep bad news or scandals quiet. Some earnestly believe that the release of such news can be cause for discouragement to the church, that the reputation of Christ will be damaged in the world. They honestly want to protect what they view as the public perception of Christianity, fearing that public sins will lead to damnation or discouragement on the part of those who hear about it. These are not arguments without merit.

Certainly, one of the reasons we should deal with many issues that involve civil offenses internally (contract disputes, personal offenses, etc.) is because we dont want to give the world opportunity to scorn the Church of Christ. But this reasoning begs the question– what about issues that are not merely civil but criminal? What about the tendency among independent fundamentalist churches to watch other churches welcome, embrace, even elevate those who have left previous churches as members or leaders because of a sin issue or scandal? With no denominational oversight, many who are really not qualified to serve in spiritual leadership can just disappear from the context of their failure only to reappear somewhere else and take off right where they left off. Indeed, the man who commits adultery or embezzles without being confronted–repenting and restored–will not find it a far journey to lie to another board or church. And the news of the past may never reach the new location–particularly in small churches in rural areas across the country.

Lets refer to the Bob Gray scandal as a case in point. I wonder how many churches who had been faithfully sending him money so that he could live and allegedly minister in Germany for the last 15 years knew that he had been privately censored or disciplined by the church he had pastored. Indeed, he was a national speaker who, at the time of his arrest, was scheduled to speak at multiple missions conference and national meetings across the United States. His former church did not issue a warning. The media had not yet picked up on the accusations that had been made. There was not denominational oversight available since he was an independent Baptist.

Imagine, if you will, that a simple report that Bob Gray was disciplined by his church for sins that disqualified him from future ministry were posted on a website some 15 years ago. Perhaps an opportunity to the church and to Bob Gray could have been offered, allowing them to make a statement. How many churches would have enabled him to leave the country and to resume ministry on the dime of tithing believers all across the nation? Which scenario–the simple report or the enabling of a suspected pedophile– would have ultimately caused greater harm to the reputation of Christ and the Church?

The independence of most within Fundamentalism is a source of pride and identity for many. Even among Southern Baptists (the recognized largest non-Catholic denomination in the United States), their commitment to local church autonomy leaves them vulnerable to a lack of forthrightness and accountability in similar situations. Yet this independence may also be a great liability. Certainly, it allows those who possess the character to exploit it as they run from sin that should end their public ministries.

With those thoughts in mind, it is the opinion of this blogger and commentator that the responsible posting of news, transitions, failures, and faults is a good thing. It increases accountability. It reassures those who are cynical that the truth will come out. It has the potential to stop gossip and petty speculation. It warns the reader that there is a cost to the moral failure of public leadership beyond the small and often insulated circle in which they live. It invites serious discussions of the vulnerabilities of man, the danger of pride, the course of sin, the path for restoration, the need for grace, the consequences of tragic failures, the dependency we have on Christ, and the importance of keeping our eyes fixed on Christ.

Finally, it is a good time to discuss the need for personal responsibility in posting information. To be accurate, no one can stop people from publishing information on the Internet. The best we can hope for is the development of reliable and responsible site authors who will do their homework and present the information in a careful and biblical manner. Perhaps the following would provide a framework for additional conversation on what would help a spirit of self-government in this arena:

1. Let the facts speak for themselves. There is a difference between news and commentary. Both are valuable in their own way; but news isnt commentary, and commentary isnt news. There should be a clear line of demarcation between the two. That doesnt mean a news report cant have an opinion response in a blog. It doesnt mean that forums for discussion shouldnt be provided. The commentary and discussions permit those impacted by the news report to process it and to reach a right and biblical conclusion. A news report simply reports what is known. That should be the starting point.

2. We should remember that what is news to conservative Christians is not necessarily news to the rest of the world. The resignation of Dave Jaspers at Maranatha is of little interest outside of Watertown, Wisconsin; the Maranatha family; and a particular branch of Fundamentalism. But for those within those worlds, the natural response is going to be why?, and an official statement (that said very little) by the college is not going to suffice. Thus, while some may be scandalized that there might be more to the story, the news really cant be extrapolated as having the potential to drag the name of Christ through the mud. So some sort of conflict arose between the president and the board. The president decided to move on. He cited concern over his workload and his family. Thats really not huge news outside of a small piece of the world. People have conflicts, change jobs, resign, move on to other interests, and make decisions for the good of their family all of the time. Its the secrecy that sometimes invites more interest than it is due. Putting the facts out may shorten the gossip cycle considerably.

3. Separate the discussion from the dissemination. Lets admit this–discussion will occur when someone resigns, is arrested, or gets forced out of office. It is just going to happen. But again, keeping the commentary away from the news doesnt mean we should eliminate the commentary or the discussion. Instead, we should give consideration to making an editorial page or a comments section in a forum or apart from the news article itself. Depending on the policy and involvement of the site administration, information may be monitored for propriety. Lets face it, the anonymity of the Internet can turn otherwise nice people into ugly meanies. Some of it is because one cant communicate vocal inflections or wit or hyperbole easily in print (in spite of the extremely clichT and overused emoticons). A lot of the time, we simply get real brave when we can be anonymous. Perhaps that alone is reason enough to require serious participants to register with a real identity or at least a valid e-mail address.

4. We should practice self-regulation. Not everything that can be said should be said. When someone gets out of line, he should be called on it. If someone is a serial offender, we should ban him from the discussion. People should be able to ask painful and genuine questions without getting flamed as a critic or trouble-maker. At the same time, people shouldnt be allowed to set off a verbal bomb in the room through some wild accusation or flaming rhetorical flourish and then slip back into the shadows of anonymity without consequence.

5. We should realize that journalism and debate are inexact sciences. Corrections will have to be made. There is a learning curve. The Internet is evolving as it matures. The culture is changing, but truth doesnt change. There will always exist a tension between truth and expectations, trends and culture. Lets recognize that tension and allow it to keep us honest. Lets not misuse that tension and require that it render us silent.

This has been a lengthy essay. There will be much over which some may wish to take umbrage or to extend the debate. But let the debate continue. Its healthy, its valuable, and its important. But let the truth always be spoken in love. And let our news only be that which is fit to print.