Limping along between Two Wings: A Sure Defeat

1 Kings 18:17-40: Limping along between Two Wings: A Sure Defeat

            We stand here on this Memorial Day weekend, a weekend when we remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for liberty in our nation. It is not national barbeque day as some would consider it; tomorrow rather is a day of reflection and remembrance, and it comes at such a crucial time. We live in a day when the culture dishonors God to such an extreme degree that I see no possible way we will not be judged. We are in the midst of an election. Of course, I suppose we’re always in the midst of an election. It amazes me how many believers put so much on this upcoming presidential election and Christianize or dechristianize politicians. We are not electing a Lord and Savior. An election does not determine the course of a country; that has already been determined. In fact, an election is the result of the direction of a country. We will elect the person that most accurately reflect where we are as a society, and that could be God justice and his judgment on us. In scripture, God’s judgment was not a small thing. When God judged his people, it lasted sometimes for hundreds of years. We, as a generation, have not only disobeyed God but have blatantly run from his ways as far as possible. We can blame it on those who are not Christians all we want, but the truth is that the church has grown complacent. We have lived lavish lives with no regard for honoring God; we have been OK with allowing evil to creep into our personal lives; and we have not stood for what is right.

In 1 Kings 18:17-40, we find a familiar story, a story of the prophet, Elijah, and his triumph over the prophets of Baal. Like our society, Israel had abandoned the commandments of God and followed after their own selfish hearts and desires. In many ways, they claimed to honor the one true God, but they continued to worship other gods. Don’t we do the same though? Don’t we claim to follow Christ but then grow complacent and OK with simply coming to our worship gatherings, sitting in our pews, talking about the good old days, and then leave as the exact same people? At least Israel was more deliberate about it. We try to hide our complacency under the mask of doing church instead of being the church. We go through the motions and profess a savior that saves and try to live by a particular code of conduct but then disallow any change to come from the Holy Spirit. This is not the life God has called us to. We either give everything or nothing at all. Elijah poses the question in this passage, “How long will you go limping between two wings,” or “opinions” in some translations. Let us examine this scripture and ask ourselves the question, “How long will we go limping between two wings?” I am taking a different perspective here. Rather than speaking of a sure victory, I would like to share with you, from this text, how to assure a defeat, something that we must never desire, yet we contribute to our lives on a consistent basis in so many ways whether we realize it or not. You will see from this text that Elijah was assured a victory for his faith in God, but Israel, because of their actions and decisions, gained a sure defeat, particularly the prophets of Baal.

1 Kings 18:17-40 (ESV)

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” ¹⁸ And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. ¹⁹ Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”

The Prophets of Baal Defeated

²⁰ So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. ²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. ²² Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. ²³ Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. ²⁴ And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” ²⁵ Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” ²⁶ And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. ²⁷ And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” ²⁸ And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. ²⁹ And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. ³¹ Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” ³² and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs^[a] of seed. ³³ And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” ³⁴ And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. ³⁵ And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

³⁶ And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. ³⁷ Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” ³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” ⁴⁰ And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

A sure defeat…there are four imperatives I would like to submit to you that if you contribute to, you will be assured a defeat.

Blame Your Problems on Someone or Something Else (vv. 17-18)

            Elijah is simply doing the task God set out for him. It is certainly a difficult task to tell a people that their ways are wrong, but this is what God called him to do so he obeyed. It is interesting that we are assured victory in difficult obedience yet assured defeat in difficult disobedience. My prayer is that I would always be OK with obeying God in doing something that does not make sense than to disobey him in doing something that does. Elijah is simply proclaiming the message of God, and King Ahab calls him the “troubler of Israel.”[1] He was blaming Elijah for something that was, in many ways, his own fault. It was easier to do than to admit his wrong. Blame is so easy to do. We think it takes the responsibility off of us, but it really does not. It is still there; we are simply avoiding it. We make feeble attempts at giving excuses for our sin and disobedience so as to make it appear that we are not responsible. A repentant heart does not do that though. Part of repentance is seeing ourselves for who we really are, namely wretched sinners. This causes us to confess that we are weak and wrong. That is contrary to culture though. Don’t ever apologize; don’t ever admit your mistakes because it reveals weakness. Blame goes back to the Garden though. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Our natural desire is to avoid any responsibility by blaming problems on others. When we blame our problems on others, we lose site of the fact that God is working in and through our circumstances to change us. Yes, we have made mistakes, but how do you allow God to use those mistakes in your life? We can spend a lot of time blaming others, or we can get back on track and live in the grace and mercy of Christ.

Commit Halfheartedly (vv. 19-29)

            Another way to ensure defeat is to commit halfheartedly. The prophet poses the question, “How long will you go limping between two opinions” (wings in some translations)? This meant that Israel was fickle and halfhearted in their commitment to the Lord. They had not totally rejected the Lord, but they sought to combine his worship with the worship of Baal. We do that too but perhaps in a more insidious way. We do this by conforming our lives to a code of conduct rather than the gospel. In other words, we think that checking off a list is good enough. The reality is that most people who profess to be Christians are simply moralistic deists. It is professing Christ, abiding in a “good enough” manner by a particular moral code, yet not being conformed by Christ form the inside out. Sadly, this is where most Christians are. It is not the gospel, but it is, in fact, contrary to it. It is not about perfection, but it is about sanctification. The question that Elijah asks here should be a striking question to our generation, and I am not speaking primarily of those who are not Christians but of the church. How long will you go on limping between two wings, professing Christ but then living a life contrary to the gospel or even worse, having a mediocre faith? How long will you grieve the Holy Spirit by claiming his change in your life but denying his power? In Revelation 3:16, God indicts the church and says, “Because you were lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” We can conclude that God absolutely despises a halfhearted commitment.

            If we’re honest, living a godly life is difficult. It is easy to live a halfhearted life because that is what everyone else does. The danger in that though is that we allow our own code of conduct to overtake the authority of the gospel. We begin conforming to our own ideas of what righteousness is rather than God’s. Israel thought it was perfectly acceptable to worship multiple gods. Halfhearted commitment to God is no commitment. I firmly believe there will be many who will be surprised when we stand before the Lord to give an account of what we made of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Ironically one of the most misused verses in all of the Bible is found at the beginning of that chapter. Matthew 7:1 reads, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” That verse is not an excuse to live however you wish, as many might think. In fact, the fierce judgment of God is far worse than the judgment of any human. There are many people in our churches who truly believe they are Christians because they compare themselves to other Christians who compare themselves to other Christians. The Christian life is not about how someone else lives except how Christ lives in and through us. Many people believe they are Christians because they are doing OK and simply live like other people in the church. This is the wrong approach. We should not merely compare our lives to others, but rather our live should be continuously changed by Christ in us.

            Elijah was so confident that the one true God would bring victory that he began to mock the prophets of Baal. When there was no response in their crying out, Elijah said, “Perhaps he is relieving himself.” This is comical, but it surely is the kind of assurance we can have when we trust God for our provisions and our victories. No victory happens apart from Christ, and no one committed to Christ serves halfheartedly. We are called to commit wholeheartedly. Elijah did; Israel did not at this time. If you commit halfheartedly, you will assure yourself a defeat.

            Committing means not wavering no matter the cost. Forget about the concept of a town hall meeting to decide public policy. How about this instead? In Ancient Greece, to prevent idiotic statesmen from passing idiotic laws upon the people, lawmakers--legend has it--were asked to introduce all new laws while standing on a platform with a rope around their neck. If the law passed, the rope was removed. If it failed, the platform was removed.

Sit on the Side (vv. 30-38)

            We will also be assured defeat if we sit on the side, if we are not in the game. No athlete wants to sit on the side; they want to be in the game because that is where the action is and where the good things happen. Elijah might have seemed to be the only righteous person in all of Israel, and in fact, in the next chapter, he thinks he is. He was not though. Nevertheless, there were many people simply sitting on the side. They were watching God’s power right before their very eyes but were not a part of it. It is wrong for us to sit in our pews each week and leave not having been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. We sit on the side in many ways. One common way is through complacency. We are so concerned with our comfort that we miss the point of the gospel. How many of us could give up all comfort to serve and honor God? It would be very difficult for many. I wonder sometimes if the comforts we have in the American church have hindered us. What would happen if churches lost their tax exempt status? What would happen if preaching the truth that homosexuality is a sin becomes a hate crime? Perhaps our comforts have caused us to simply sit on the side rather than play in the game. Elijah took twelve stones, which signified the twelve tribes of Israel since this “contest” actually had significance for both Judah and Israel, and he built an altar. Perhaps to first step to getting off the bench and getting in the game is to spend time in fervent prayer. The strength of the church is not found in buildings, money, the education of the staff, or the size of the children’s ministry. The strength of the church is found in the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. We must be careful that we are not content with simply attending church, but we must continuously pray for God to constantly change us. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” says James 5:16. It is time we get off the side and get into the game.

            A young man called his mother and excitedly announced that he had just met the woman of his dreams. His mother asked, “Why don’t you send her flowers and invite her to your apartment for a home-cooked meal?” So he did just that. The day after the big date, his mother called to see how things had gone. “Mom, the evening was a complete disaster,” he replied. “It was horrible!” “Why, didn’t she come over?” his mother asked. “Yes, she came over, but she refused to cook!” He had the wrong idea of what it meant to be in the game. He was content with sitting on the side rather than putting in the effort required. We should not be OK with sitting on the side; God desires to use us for his glory.

There Is Hope: Repentance Wins (vv. 39-40)

            Ultimately Israel repented. They listened to the message of God’s prophet, repented, and changed their ways. No one is too far gone for God’s forgiveness. He loves to forgive. It seemed to be an impossibility that the offering would burn, especially with fire all around it, but the fire even consumed the water in the trenches. Perhaps you feel at the bottom of a trench as if it is hopeless. God’s grace and mercy reaches even there. It is not hopeless. The only way to stop limping between two wings and to stop committing halfheartedly is to allow the Holy Spirit to change you. We must be changed from the inside out, not the outside in. Pay attention the following quote:

I will tell you the secret: God has had all that there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, even with greater opportunities, but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart and caught a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with me and them, on that day I made up my mind that God should have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army, it is because God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life. – William Booth –

To honor God and to truly worship him with our very lives, we must be fully committed, wholly his. God can do more in a few days with a life wholly committed to him than he can with the smartest and strongest person in the world halfheartedly committed. Let us not be people who limp between two wings; let us be people wholly committed to the glory of the Father, through Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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[1] 18:17.

Jesus Is Our Only Hope: We Say It, Yet Our Lives Say Otherwise

Jesus Is Our Only Hope: We Say It, Yet Our Lives Say Otherwise

            Last week I saw the third movie of the Divergent series titled Allegiant. It has struck me before that many of these anti-government and utopian society movies strike a chord and resonate with people because they are relevant and perhaps becoming more and more relevant. Little by little people are waking up to the fact that the United States’ government at large is growing massively. When nearly half of the people in our country are employed by some form of government, we know there is a larger issue of control. Chances are that people will not vote themselves out of a job, and as long as that is our attitude, we will be controlled by government. Don’t hear what I am not saying. Government is good and ordained by God. However, an oppressive government is clearly wrong, even according to the words of scripture. Oppression, however, can be disguised as something that is good. Oppression is any control of government that reaches far beyond the limits of individual liberty. When that is compromised, you have government corruption. Certainly some governments are more corrupt than others, but to deny that we, in the United States, have any form of government corruption is to continue to willingly live in blindness. It is not an issue of Republican or Democrat. In fact, both parties equally contribute to corrupting our government, and to think that we are not just as corrupt as any other government in our world or at least have the overwhelming potential to soon be is a lie. How do we, as Christians, handle the Son of God in our society? We are called to know him and to make him known. Is it to be forced though? Should we make attempts at legislation that honors God? As Christians, it is common to say that Jesus is our only hope because surely he is. Our hope is not found in who is elected President or who is in the legislature or on the Supreme Court. It is only in Christ. Therefore, I would like to refer to two ways we, at large, do not honor when we proclaim that Jesus is our only hope.

We Say Otherwise as a Society

There is at least an entertaining election cycle happening before our eyes, which is, in fact, a reflection of our society. Many will say that who we elect makes a difference in the direction of our country, but I would argue that who we elect is a reflection of the trajectory of our country. This is not to say that the direction can’t be changed. It is a reality though and one that we must come to grips with. While the United States is not a theocracy, our founders were mostly Christians and based their beliefs of government on biblical principles. Principles, however, do not imply moral law, for it is impossible to legislate morality. Still many in our country will profess Jesus Christ, although their lives and decisions will point to something else. In other words, it is mere lip-service. A large number of people in our country profess Jesus Christ in word only. This is also true in the subculture of the church. People say one thing yet live out another. Our society is wrapped up in so many things other than Jesus Christ, and this is true particularly in the church. We are wrapped up in things that are important but are not enough such as social justice, health, good leaders, education, and defense. These things, although crucial to the well-being of a nation, are not enough. Only Jesus is enough. Jesus plus nothing equals everything. Then we are also wrapped up in things that aren’t even important such as money, power, and fame. In one of the most prosperous nations to ever exist, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that nothing can satisfy but Jesus and he is better than all else. As a society and especially as the church, we may say that Jesus is our hope, but our decisions and actions point to something else.

We Say Otherwise as Individuals

            We also do this as individuals. The most obvious way we do this is by worrying. We worry about jobs, money, retirement, education, who will be elected, etc. If Jesus is truly our only hope, why do we worry about such things? We say that our hope is not in who we elect, yet we worry about the direction of our country if a particular person or party is elected. This should not be. This speaks volumes to where our actual hope is or where we at least think it is. Again who we elect is a reflection of where we already are. We can only do so much, and our job is not to legislate morality but to pray for and live it. This will actually have a far greater effect on our society. People should see individual believers whose lives reveal an unwavering hope in Jesus Christ and not in anything other than that.

Conclusion

            Everything but Jesus Christ will fail us. For that reason, we must not only say that our only hope is in him, but we must also live it. Our actions, our security, and our decisions must reflect this truth, for he truly is our only hope.

Incorporating Liturgy in a Modern Context

Here is an article I recently had published on Experiencing Worship about incorporating liturgy in a modern context.

Ministerial Training: To Learn or Not to Learn?

Ministerial Training: To Learn or Not to Learn?

To learn or not to learn? That is the question. Or is it? Perhaps the question should be quite different. By “learning,” most people mean formal training. The question then should be, “To go to school or not go to school?” This might not be as black and white as it seems though. There are many instances where God clearly leads one serving in the gospel ministry to pursue formal training. This is not always the case though. Each person is different, and so is each calling. I would like to explore this question and, in answering it, I want to provide some thoughts.

Christians Should Strive to Always Learn

            As believers, we should always be learning. This is true for all humans. If we are not moving forward, we are moving backward. There is no maintaining. Part of loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength and doing all to the glory of God is continuously learning. Look for all opportunities to learn. The trouble with learning is that often is requires work and many times hard work. This is why most people do not want to learn. We should take every available opportunity to learn though, particularly those of us who are leaders in the local church.

Formal Education Is Not Always Necessary

            Learning does not constitute formal education though. While some churches may have a standard of some type of formal training, it is not absolutely necessary for the broad spectrum of serving God. The truth is that we should do what God leads us to do and learn in the ways he sets in front of us, but to pursue formal training when he is perhaps leading us in another direction is nothing other than sin.

Sometimes Formal Education Is Necessary

            Having said that formal education is not always necessary, there are times when it is. There are particular fields that require a certain type and level of education. Christians should determine what the Lord is leading them to do and pursue the educational requirements of that field. Even in more specific circumstances such as ministry positions in a particular church, sometimes specific training is required. There are churches, for example, that require their pastor to hold a Master of Divinity or their worship pastor to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in music or worship. This does not necessarily mean that these churches are wrong (although it could if the Lord desires someone without those particular credentials to serve there); it does mean, however, that the person(s) God desires to serve there should seek that kind of training.

There Is Not a “Cookie Cutter” Ministerial Training

            We often have an idea that there is a single path all ministers take and then end up in varying roles. This is ludicrous and illogical though. To think that all pastors should possess a Master of Divinity or any type of degree at all with the same training as other pastors is to say that God has not uniquely called individuals to a particular place and time. Just as all people are different, all churches and ministries are different and should embrace those differences might I add. Therefore, training for ministry should not look the same. Not only that, but we should consider experiences as training from God himself. We learn better through experiences than we do through formal education. God has uniquely qualified his called people for a specific time and place.

Walk by the Spirit

            In all of our worldly pursuits and strivings to give undeserved credit to humankind, we must be careful that we never lose sight of the fact that we are people who are to walk by the faith and not by sight; we are to walk by the Spirit. Just as God’s Spirit might lead someone to pursue a seminary master’s or doctorate, he might also lead someone specifically to not do so. He also might lead someone else to pursue a law degree yet become a pastor. I once heard someone say that God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies the called. When we are led by the Spirit, we cannot go wrong because God is with us at all times. Trust him.

Conclusion

            The conclusion of the matter is this: trust God and lean not on your own understanding. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? There is a reason Proverbs 3:5 tells us to do this. When we rely on our own understanding, we will fail. It is always a guarantee. But with God, we will never fail. Even when it seems that we are failing, we are not, and it is, in fact, during those times that we must continue to trust him. Whatever training God has in store for his chosen ones, we must all trust his leadership and follow him.

Stop Using Scripture and Christian Morality to Justify Your Unbiblical Point of View

Stop Using Scripture and Christian Morality to Justify Your Unbiblical Point of View

            With various social issues in our culture, we seem to be confused. We often say that there are two sides to each coin, but in our culture, we seem to have more than that at times. This is why it is very difficult for Christians to rebuke sin. We are certainly called to do so, but not only do our rebukes often contradict cultural norms, they often contradict the teachings of other Christians. This should not be the case. Believers should be unified in their approach and in their biblical world view. I do not dismiss the fact that there can be differences in interpretations of secondary issues, but in primary issues, we must be unified. One of those primary issues is the fact that sin is sin when clearly spelled out in scripture. We cannot justify sin period. I could point to many sin issues in our culture to give examples, but it is likely very easy to think of some on the spot yourself. What makes these issues so complicated to some is that often scripture and Christian morality is used to justify unbiblical points of view. On social media, we see many who may even profess to be Christians (but in no way live like that) using scripture to justify their sin or their points of view. Why would one use a book they don’t even follow to justify their stance? Perhaps even they, deep down, realize that morality is based on the word of God. Whatever the case, it needs to stop.

            Christians are often caught up in this trap as well but almost in another way. Many professing Christians use the Bible to justify the corrupt or sinful behavior of others in the name of loving them. The truth, however, is that if we do not rebuke sin, we are not loving them. I, for one, know of sin’s stronghold and how easy it is to justify sin on our own merits without it holding up under God’s holiness. Sin is sin period and should be seen as hated by God no matter how much we desire it, and let’s be honest; we all are not only tempted by sin but we often love it. In fact, when we sin, we are saying that we love it more than God, and we need God to work in our hearts and lives, convict us, and bring us to a point of repentance where we do not make excuses but seek to live in holiness.

            Often people using the Bible and Christian morality to justify sin are not even Christians themselves. Whether the issue is homosexuality, abortion, racism, or anything else, the Bible is clear that sin is sin and dishonors God no matter how we feel about it. If we are going to live by the word of God, we cannot justify sin, and when we make mistakes (which will happen), we should immediately repent and turn from it. The point is this. Stop using the Bible to justify actions and behaviors that are already against the Bible. It is not only a contradiction, but it is a lie. We can say Jesus calls us to love everyone including sinners, which is true, but it is only a half truth, for Jesus also said to go and sin no more. Loving people does not mean neglecting sin. It does not work. So to people who seem to blame Christians for all the world’s trouble, stop; to people who are not Christians but seem to be OK with using the Bible to justify your position, stop; to people who are Christians but neglect sin in your life and in the lives of others, stop; and to people who absolutely do not care about anything going on in our culture, stop. God is still at work, and he is still in control. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. I just hope and pray that those who bow and confess do so before that day as well. Be holy, for he is holy. Amen.

Mission Romania

Mission Romania

            November 22-30 of 2015 I traveled to Sighisoara, Romania on a mission trip with the primary purpose being to lead worship, preach, and train local worship leaders in the area. I began the trip leaving from Lubbock, TX on Sunday afternoon, November 22 and then flew to Houston. After a very short layover, my flight then took me to Frankfurt, Germany, and again after another short layover and walking through the airport for nearly an hour and a half to get to the correct corridor, I flew to Bucharest, Romania. I took a day to see that city and saw some amazing sights. The beauty of the architecture and culture was incredible. However, the effects of communism were made very apparent as well.

            After a day of seeing the city, on Tuesday Pastor Sabin Boruga drove me about 4 ½ hours to Sighisoara, the birthplace of Prince Vlad Dracula. While Bucharest is a city of nearly 5-million people, Sighisoara is much smaller at only 35-thousand. Romania is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Sighisoara is in the north-central part of the country in a geographic region called Transylvania. It is a beautiful city exhibiting the characteristics of a classic little European town that many people would picture. Many cities have a Citadel or a fortress atop a hill, which would have been common in Medieval times. Sighisoara is no different, although it has obviously expanded outside those walls. In general, Europe is technologically advanced. Internet speeds, for example, are much faster yet much less expensive than in the United States. In Eastern European countries like Romania, it is common for younger people to speak English. However, older people usually do not, mainly because they lived for the majority of their lives during a time when they could only speak Romanian. Pastor Sabin speaks five languages himself. Being just a little older than me, he was very young during the Revolution and barely remembers the fall of communism. This is all made evident in Sighisoara.

            Pastor Sabin Boruga is Romanian by birth but speaks excellent English. His wife is of German descent and also speaks English. I met Sabin while he was a youth pastor at a local church in my father’s Baptist association while he was attending seminary, and we have kept in touch since then and long spoken of doing a trip like this. Well, it finally happened. Sabin and his brother have planted six churches since the early 2000s in Sighisoara, and his brother just planted a Romanian speaking church in Germany. Sabin pastors one congregation but is the overseer of all six and uses lay-members and other church leaders to fulfill the role of pastoring the smaller churches in the villages. Many of the buildings he built with the help of others from the ground up. These churches are in villages outside the city of Sighisoara, and many of the people Sabin pastors are Gypsies.

            I spent Wednesday morning visiting with some families in Pastor Sabin’s churches. It was a wonderful experience getting to meet several people and pray with them. Most of them are very poor. Gypsy people used to live in the area but moved away, and after the Revolution and the fall of a Romanian dictator in 1989, they began moving back. The community Sabin lives in is a Gypsy community. They are people that have traditionally been known as thieves and outcasts with no place to go. They know him here as the pastor to the Gypsy people. These are people that no one else will love, but Sabin feels called to them and they welcome him with open arms. I then took Wednesday night to tour Dracula’s castle since it is so close. Vlad Dracula was a prince who was captured and tortured by the Turks in the 15^th-century, but later when he took power again, he used what he learned in their torture methods against them. The legend of him being a vampire comes from a 19^th-century novel. When Vlad died, his body was never found so Bram Stoker wrote a novel based on his character about what happened to him, namely becoming a vampire. His real name is Vlad, and he is known as Vlad the Impaler for how he eventually killed the Turks. Dracula means “son of the Devil.” Seeing this castle where he spent much of time was a great experience. On the way back, we stopped in Brasov, which has a bid to be the European Capital of Culture in 2021.

            Romania has only in the past few years become part of the European Union, which requires certain things to be in place eventually, one of which is being on the Euro. Right now Romania uses their own currency called the Lei. They hope to be on the Euro by 2018. Another requirement is that their official business language has to be English, which should not be a problem for them. Countries in Europe tend to be more like states in the United States. There are largely open borders once you are on the continent, and you can travel freely between those borders. They will still give you the gift of a passport stamp, but the European Union is quickly becoming one large government in and of itself.

            Thursday I spent the day visiting the village churches. Every church had a hand-built brick oven they used to bake bread for the poor people of the village. Sabin’s parents owned a bakery when he was growing up so he was very good at it. Some of the churches also contained a soup kitchen where they fed Gypsy children during the day. The work of the church being the hands and feet of Christ was obvious in these ministries. The entire purpose of these ministries though is to present the gospel message of Christ, for any good work that does not point to the gospel exercise futility. All that is done must be done to preach the gospel. That afternoon Sabin asked if I could go to his mother-in-law’s house and play and sing for her. She is dying of cancer so I told him absolutely. I had never met the woman till that moment, but seeing her sing and lift her hands while lying on her bed was very moving to me. I then led worship at Sabin’s main church Thursday night. With a congregation of about 30 people, we sang and worshiped. I gave a very short message, but most of the night was spent singing praises. I did mostly hymns since they were the most familiar, and it was great to hear them singing these hymns in their heart language of Romanian. They were very appreciative of me being there.

            Friday I went to the city of Sibiu with Sabin to visit a man from his congregation who is in the hospital with broken legs from an accident. He again appreciated me seeing him and praying with him. I then took about an hour to see some of the sights of the city including some incredible cathedrals. The primary religion in Romania is Greek Orthodox, simply called Romanian Orthodox because of the country it is established in. It is a state religion, and the priests are paid by the government. This means that they adhere to what the government wants. Most people in Romania claim to be Orthodox, but very few of them actually practice. Other denominations that exist are Catholic, Lutheran (referred to simply as Evangelical), and Baptist. Sabin’s churches are Baptist.

            Friday night I led worship for a group of college students. They spoke English so I did newer songs in English and then preached but with Sabin translating, and they very much enjoyed it.

            Saturday I woke up early to see the Citadel in Sighisoara. It was wonderful seeing the Medieval walls of the city. I walked up to the Citadel, the highest point in the city and saw some incredible churches and was even able to spend some time in the city clock tower, one of the highest points in the city. The view was unmatched. I then spent the rest of the day Saturday training local worship leaders. There was a mix of old and young, people who liked contemporary music and people who only liked hymns, and people who read music and people who played by ear, and they all spoke English so I did not need a translator. Bridging the gap and training such a vast group is often a challenge, but that is why I came. I first gave some spiritual training and talk about Christian worship being Christocentric. Then I gave some helpful tips for worship leaders such as how to introduce new songs and how to use the planning process as spiritual formation. Then I gave some practical training musically. My hope and prayer is that these leaders not only become better worship leaders through this training but that they also become better worshipers.

            Sunday I led worship and preached in three different churches, the last one being Sabin’s main church in Sighisoara. I spoke of Christ as High Priest in all three services and how that should transform the way we worship. It was wonderful to see Romanian people worshiping and eagerly listening to what the Lord was saying to them. These are the local Christians, the light in a dark place for Sighisoara. I was honored to have the opportunity to work with and minister to them. In fact, I think they ministered to me just as much if not more. Throughout the week the Lord was speaking to me about not only Christocentric worship but since worship is Christocentric, living a more Christocentric life. In other words, every action and decision in our lives should have Christ at the center. I was also reminded to always trust the Holy Spirit. In a culture where everything is much more laidback and relaxed than I am used to, it was difficult to not be prepared at times. I was prepared, but I personally like being ready for things much in advance. There were times, however, when I had to scrap my plans and simply rely on the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Honestly that is a good place to be. God is in control anyway so his way goes. We should always trust the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is essential to right worship.

            To my First Baptist Church of Slaton family, I thank you for the opportunity of ministering in Romania. I hope more opportunities like this arise but not only for me, for you as well. I encourage you to pray about how the Lord desires to use you on a global scale. Seek him, and let his will be done. Pastor Sabin’s biggest need right now is prayer, but second to that is financial support. Pray about how the Lord desires to use you in his kingdom work around the world, perhaps in Romania. Again I thank you. The ministry in Romania was fruitful, and God is at work in Sighisoara. Here is a summary video with pictures and recordings.

Thoughts on Materialism

Thoughts on Materialism

            We are quickly approaching Black Friday, a day many look forward to with eagerness and yet a day many dread. The commotion of this particular day and the rush to begin it earlier and earlier each year to the point or now opening stores on Thanksgiving Day, a day really meant for family, speaks volumes to where our culture is. In one word, we are materialistic. Our society is perhaps the most materialistic to ever exist. We are consumers to our very core. How then should Christians respond to this norm? I have a few thoughts on the very subject of materialism.

1.      Material possessions in and of themselves are not wrong. Scripture does not ever say that material possessions or financial gains in and of themselves are wrong. We are told that it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but this does not mean money absolutely prevents the rich man from doing so. It simply means it is more difficult. There are two approaches here. 1) Many will take one extreme and argue that money is not wrong at all even to the point of writing off Jesus’ words. 2) Others will say that money is absolutely wrong and the cause of sin. Neither is true though. Does money make it difficult to honor God? Yes. Absolutely. No doubt at all, and to deny so is to deny the words of Christ. However, is money wrong in and of itself? No. Absolutely not, and to deny so is also to deny the words of Christ. The happy medium is to learn to honor God with what we have and be content in what he has given us. Don’t seek anything more and don’t make it a priority or point of focus. He takes care of his children. Material possessions and financial gains in and of themselves are not wrong.

2.      Materialism is sinful; it is idolatry. Materialism is a large focus and desire for money and/or material possessions. This is absolutely wrong. It is, in fact, idolatry, for in focusing on material possessions, we put manmade objects before God himself. Many write this off and make feeble attempts at lying to themselves, forcing themselves to believe that their materialism does not hinder their relationship with God. Sometimes we even pass it off on God. “Well, God has just blessed me.” The truth is that most of us passed blessed a long time ago, and we’re now spoiled, and with our lying tongue, we profess that these are just material possessions and mean nothing to us because God is priority in our lives while deep in our hearts, we know it isn’t true. Materialism is absolutely sin.

3.      Pride is at the root of materialism. Like any other sin, pride is at the root of materialism. It is us thinking we have the right to those things. We’ve worked hard for it right? I have a degree that demands a lot of money so I deserve it. This is pride whether we admit it or not, and God is not honored in it. We even do this in the church. We look for the brightest and best stars from our seminaries to “lead us in the way of truth.” Who has a PhD, and who is the most well-trained? This should be irrelevant. Training is good, but when we seek worldly things and credentials above the will of God, it is wrong. Pride is at the very root of materialism. The truth is that we deserve nothing no matter what education we have, how much money we have, how much money our family has, our lifestyle growing up, and our standing in our communities. If we do not cut pride out of our lives, materialism will only grow.

4.      Materialism is not wise. Even apart from the biblical principles here, materialism is just not wise. How often do we see materialism succeed? It is rare, and the truth is that even when it seems materialism succeeds, there is an ugly underbrush we likely do not see. This is why CEOs of fortune 500 companies commit suicide, rich people go into large amounts of debt, and businesses get into legal trouble for unethical violations. Materialism will cause our character to greatly diminish. It is just not wise.

While material possessions are not wrong in and of themselves, materialism certainly is, and we as Christians should be very cautious of the pride in our lives that could easily lead to a materialistic lifestyle and attitude. We are called to honor God and to serve him alone no matter what the cost. As a minister of the gospel, I constantly remind myself that ministry is done with no thought of return. While we are not perfect, God is, and when he cuts pride out of our lives, his perfection can be revealed in a magnificent way. Let’s strive for humility, not materialism.