Negating Ideas
Is Neither Clarifying
Nor Helpful

Before I read this book, I’d never heard of David Gushee. I read it only because it was being used for a study group in a church I was familiar with. The church was progressive and the book was enticing.

The enticement was based on two facts. The number of people questioning and/or leaving evangelical churches particularly of the fundamentalist version and the title, “After Evangelicalism”, which seemed to imply an answer for why people were leaving and where they were going.

For the record, Pew Research reported that the number of US citizens claiming to be Christian dropped by 12% over the decade between 2011 and 2021. Most of the decline was among Protestants and fundamentalist Evangelicals had the largest share so the topic is certainly relevant.

People are leaving. The trend is visible. The book offers an answer to “Where should they go?”

Although I spent most of the last fifty plus years in fundamentalist circles, I too have concerns and have entertained them for quite some time. I still believe the Bible entirely and trust Jesus completely but I question the interpretations commonly taught in fundamentalist circles.

There was no single cataclysmic moment that dismantled everything I believed. It wasn’t an avalanche. My concerns developed slowly over time as situations arose.

The Jay E. Adams counseling books are an example. His teachings led us to believe any Christian is capable of unraveling the intricate and complex problems that plague the lives and disrupt the relationships of people. Influenced by Adams’ books, counseling became the craze for every person from the pulpit to the pew and since churches are often like echo chambers and public prayer is a great source of gossip, the result was pure chaos.

Since those days, I’ve come to believe that counseling is both a gift (some people have it, some don’t) and a qualification. It’s something you’re called to do and something you must learn to do but thanks to Mr. Adams, many won’t have it.

Another issue that created cracks in my fundamentalist advocacy was the hard fisted way churches handle divorce and remarriage. You expect that from Catholics but even protestant churches are taking up the Romish mindset.

That’s just two issues and they’ve been around for years but it only gets worse. In more recent times, it is the absolutist mindset about abortion and the heavy handed approach fundamentalists take to sexual orientation and identity issues.

For some of these issues, I’ve developed ideas I believe are helpful, clarifying. For others, I’m still thinking, but in every case I’m motivated by the hope that there is a better, more thoughtful response than the usual fundamentalist approach which is to sequester every uncomfortable topic behind closed doors.

Some might write me off as just another progressive but there is one very important way in which I differ. In every case, whatever the issue and whatever my conclusion, I take my cues from the Bible. The Word of God, which is what I believe the Bible to be, is still the source and foundation for every belief.

The sad part is progressives, the people we think could help, begin their arguments in most cases by attempting to dismantle the Bible. They don’t just excise a text here or there but the effort is more like evisceration. Once they’re finished, there’s not much Bible left to consider. [Read more…] about Book Review: After Evangelicalism by David Gushee

But It’s Human
To Be Curious

The Bible plainly states that God has foreknowledge. He knows what is going to happen before it actually happens and from a human perspective, we are fascinated by that.

We understand the concept but can’t possibly relate to that reality. We can fiddle with the idea philosophically but that’s it, and that’s kind of the point of this post. No human can know with certainty what is going to happen even in the next five minutes much less a year or more from now.

Other than conceptual awareness, foreknowing is completely beyond the sphere of human experience.

We might have an idea, even a good idea, how things will pan out but the difference between that kind of anticipation and knowing absolutely is light-years.

We can know the odds of winning but anyone promising a definite win is either lying or manipulating the circumstances.

When it comes to the future, humans are only capable of imprecise predictive knowledge. We are curious. God is neither imprecise nor predictive nor curious. He’s prophetic.

Our expectations are based on analysis, investigation, reasoning, and are largely influenced by hope. God is all-knowing. His rational capacities are never spent trying to figure out why things happen the way they do.

Humans anticipate multiple possibilities and plan for each one as best they can. We hope for desired outcomes but there’s always a degree of mystery. Nothing is guaranteed. That’s not a space God lives in.

What we don’t do, or at least shouldn’t do, is forget about the future and we shouldn’t just wait for it either.

The future is what helps us get over the past.

But what I’ve described so far is what humans experience. God does none of that.

God doesn’t make predictions because He already knows the outcome. He never spends time hoping for anything.

He knows what’s going to happen, to whom it will happen, how it will affect each person, and how we’ll respond. He knows all that. He knows exactly what our capabilities are and He knows what we’ll do to develop them and how effective we’ll be in using them.

He knows what the possibilities are and He knows how the possibilities will play out. It’s hard to get your head around that.

Involved VS Intervening

God is involved. He created the universe in which we live and the universe doesn’t operate hands-free.

Gravity, weather cycles, biochemical reactions are created and maintained by God. He maintains them continuously but He doesn’t micromanage our responses to these facts once we discover them.

I can know what foods I should eat but God doesn’t make me eat them. He doesn’t plan the menu, cook the meals, or make me sit at the table till my plate is clean.

God doesn’t force the issue.

I can choose not to breathe and God won’t intervene if I make that choice, but I can’t change the fact that I need oxygen. [Read more…] about Foreknowledge Is God’s Domain

Mother Is Never Perfect
But She’s Always A Beacon Of Hope
And A Shield Of Protection

My MOM was married at age 17. She raised seven children none of whom are rich and famous but all of whom grew up knowing they were loved and cared for.

Moms Share The Gospel

We did not attend church regularly until I was thirteen years old but I KNEW MY MOM Loved God and respected His Word. We attended a church occasionally that some of my Grandmother’s relatives went to, but it was not the church that taught me the most important lessons. It was my MOM that taught me to love God and be kind to all people.

When I was in the second grade, age 6, a friend at school talked about God and the Second Coming of Christ. I was intrigued! I hadn’t heard of these things before so I didn’t understand everything she said but it was only natural for me to ask my MOM about it. I don’t remember all my MOM said but I do remember her explaining to me that Jesus loved me and had died for all my sins. In fact, I knelt down by an old green footstool in our home and prayed and ask Jesus to forgive me and come into my heart and save me.

That was my first experience with the Gospel but my MOM was a constant example of all the things Jesus taught.

My MOM emphasized honesty, kindness, loyalty, hard work, finish what you start, faithfulness, respect, and even kindness to animals. I don’t remember her sitting me down and teaching me a lesson on any of those things. It’s what she was. Those values were reflected in her everyday life. She taught by example and her influence helped me understand that most of life’s lessons are taught more by example than by classroom instruction.

Moms Teach Manners

My husband’s MOM had many difficulties in her life. She and his Dad were divorced when he was in tenth grade. I unfortunately only saw her a few times but I am eternally grateful for the gentlemanly manners she taught her son.

She taught him how to treat a lady: how to walk on the street with a lady, how to open the car door for her, how to carry things for her, how to treat her with love and respect.

She took pride in her appearance and taught her son to do the same. She also taught her son the importance of reading and words. He says that she, more than any other person, believed in him. It wasn’t that she said, “I believe in you,” but the fact that she expected him to learn and grow. When a mother expects to do well and treats them like they can, they begin to believe it too.

I have two sons. I have tried to teach them to honor and respect their wives; to be a good example for their children. I have tried to teach them all the things my MOM taught me. Their wives tell me that I succeeded (with the help of their father of course). Following is a quote from a post my youngest son recently wrote:

My dad tells me that he used to become frustrated when I was younger because he felt that he couldn’t get me to express myself. He’d ask blunt questions about my day and my experiences and I’d give minimalist answers. “Yes.” “No.” “It was fun.” I’d rarely dive deep into my feelings. My feelings were a quagmire that I could barely negotiate. I wasn’t going to let anyone else in there.

Mom was better at it; her approach less direct. I used to hang out in the kitchen while she made supper or baked desserts for bible study. She’d make leading statements and I’d confirm the things she already suspected. Her superpower, besides having a sixth sense that I still don’t understand, was that she was able to probe my brain without me knowing she was doing it. To me, we were just chatting about everything and nothing. 

Moms Are Always Examples

Moms, we teach by example. Children observe and take in so many things that we are not even aware of. Whether we realize it or not, we are teaching our children every minute of every day by the way we act and react to every situation.

It’s not just your words. It’s your tone of voice, the smile on your face, and the hope you maintain. And it’s definitely something to think about.

Peter’s Heart Was In The Right Place
His Head Was In Another

In my last post, I made the point that Peter’s failure, the reason he denied Jesus, was ideological. He was invested in ideas that ran contrary to God’s plan.

Failure was guaranteed. The only plan that works is God’s plan. Changing the details is like rewriting the Bible.

People, Christian or not, don’t see it that way. A little modification here or there can’t be that bad. That’s what Peter thought but he might have something very different to say if he were here today.

Fortunately, Peter did recover. It wasn’t easy. He had to work through a bit of guilt and despondency but he got through it. The question is did Peter learn his lesson?

Yes, but it took a while.

What Jesus Planned

Jesus had a plan in eternity past, before the creation of the world. He knew exactly what would happen and what He would do and He did it.

He took on human form, He grew and developed in the way humans develop – except without sin, and died for the sins of the world.

That wasn’t what Peter wanted but it was the plan. Jesus made the plan clear to the disciples but there’s no evidence the penny dropped until after He rose from the grave.

Allusions To The Cross

Early in Jesus’ public ministry, Jesus began making allusions to His death, burial, and resurrection.

• After cleansing the Temple, Jesus said, destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19)

He was talking about His body and the resurrection but no one caught on till after he rose from the dead.

• He referred to being life up in the same way Moses lift of the serpant in the wilderness. (John 3:14)
• He used Jonah’s experience to represent His burial and resurrection. (Matthew 12:39-40)

Instead of getting it, they were confused. It went right over their heads. [Read more…] about How Peter Learned Obedience

Adjustability, Adjustability, Adjustability

I’ve supplemented my road cycling with spinning classes for years. It’s possible mostly because bike adjustability is never a problem with gym bikes and it offers a quick, decent workout when you can’t get out on the road.

The pandemic, however, put a kink in my exercise plan. Once the lockdown was in place, gyms were out along with the spinning class. There were, of course, drawbacks to gym classes. The people were great but I always felt a little contaminated after a sweaty workout in a large, mostly unventilated room (petri dish). After COVID, petri dish notwithstanding, that option was no longer available.

What was I to do? The situation created a problem but it also pushed me to do what I’d been considering for quite a while: buy a stationary bike. Once that decision was made, however, I was faced with another more difficult decision: choosing the right bike. [Read more…] about Myxfitness Adjustability Is The Best