There is an actual historical explanation for the optimism and unprecedented joy Americans feel at Christmas time. And it's not simply because we sing wonderful old songs and eat rich (i.e. fattening) foods in large quanitities. It's a fact that the things we talk about and sing about in December are rooted in wonderful truths of history.
No, Saint Nicholas does not really wear a red suit and leap down chimneys, but he is based on a real figure. Nicholas of Myra lived about 1000 years after Christ. Born into wealth, he lost both of his parents as a young man. But as he became an adult, he took the Christian truths he'd been taught by his parents seriously. He literally gave away his inherited fortune to needy people and desperate souls throughout the land where he lived. (It would correspond to the nation of Turkey today.) Nicholas became so beloved due to his sacrificial generosity that he was ultimately appointed as Bishop of Myra. Eventually he was persecuted for his faith, locked away in prison, beaten and finally released. He died of complications shortly after leaving prison.
Saint Nicholas is not a legend. Neither is Good King Wenceslas. Remember that old carol that you never understood as a child? When he went out one snowy night during the Feast of Stephen, he was celebrating the second day of Christmas just about 900 years after Christ. Wenceslas was the Duke of Bohemia in a region which today corresponds to Czechoslavakia. Like Nicholas, his faith in Christ had given him a heart for the poor. He literally became one of the most beloved royal figures in history due to his generous heart and his ongoing concern for the needy people of his land.
The old carol actually narrates the story of a bitterly cold evening when Wenceslas and a helper went out into the streets to care for a desperate old man. The night was so cold and the snow was so deep that the young aid was unable to continue. But when he placed his feet in the footsteps Wenceslas had left in the snow, the footprints literally warmed him and enabled him to keep walking.
The particular incident is probably just a legend. But there's a reason young Wenceslas became so beloved that legends could be fabricated: because he did amazing things for people who could never repay him.
These amazing figures of history were not just nice guys: they were followers of Christ. And in their desire to love God with all their hearts, they always recalled Christ's observation: "When you do deeds of kindness for the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me."
May we all love Christ with that sort of intensity this Christmas.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
A Sense of Timing
John Maxwell says being a leader requires more than the ability to motivate people. Effective leaders must lead other people to the right plan at the right time. Maxwell explains it this way:
- The wrong plan at the wrong time creates problems.
- The right plan at the wrong time is premature.
- The wrong plan at the right time is polarizing.
- The right plan at the right time results in progress.
The priority of the right plan at the right moment reminds me of those familiar words from Galatians 4:4. "But when the fulness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law." The power of the incarnation of Christ was about the birth of a child to a virgin, and yet it was about so much more.
The eternal inventor of biology could have planted an embryo in a virgin at any moment during all the thousands of years when the world was awaiting a savior. It was a miracle for us, not for him. Instead, God waited until the time was full:
- The Greeks has spread the Greek language across the known world so that, at the right moment, everyone would be able to read or understand the Gospel in Greek.
- The Romans had united much of the world under one emblem so that borders were easily crossed by evangelists.
- Roman roads made travel easier for preachers and teachers, and Roman soldiers dispersed around the known world made it safer.
- And at the first moment all the advantages were in place, God planted the seed and lighted the match.
And so Jesus was the right idea at the most opportune moment in history. God planned it all and brought it about when time was full.
You and I sometimes confuse the right timing with "my timing." And its' true, a little energy and a bit of ingenuity can make interesting things happen. But when our plans are bathed in prayer and alligned the the eternal purposes of God's heart, they always accomplish more and bring about eternal benefits. The trick is being discerning enough, and patient enough, to seek God's timing for our "big ideas."
David wrote in Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord!" Those lyrics are as powerful today as it was when the warrior king first sang them. It's an idea that would make us all more prayerful, more patient, and...yes, more powerful. Wait upon the Lord and look for the moments when the time is full.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
We Look Funny, Too
One of our Bible teachers asked me to help with a question that arisen in class the week before. The topic of voodoo rituals had come up in the discussion, and there had been quite a been of laughter about such superstition. But afterwards, a member of the class wondered if Christians don't look just as strange. If our Bible refers to witches and dragons and other such antiquated novelites, how can we suppose that we are in any way superior to those misguided and ridiculous people?
The question makes an intelligent point: if other religions are to be rejected and mocked whenever they look backwards to the spirit of our age, then Christians deserve to be mocked and rejected as well. That is, the Church has commonly seemed foolish/out of step with the times/superstitious to people in every generation since Jesus came. We have been labeled atheists, arsonists, practioners of incest, and kooks, and have often seemed to support end times predictions which proved to be demonstrably wrong. Perhaps that's why Paul boasted that we must be willing to be fools for Christ.
Granted, the Holy Spirit has convinced you and me that Christ is true and anything outside of Christ is error. However, for people who are trying to discover the truth about religion, it would seem there are some valid, rational tests which can be applied to any religious tradition. Those tests would include:
1. AUTHORITY: Is this based on folk tales and mysterious secrets that can't be tested? Or is it based on objective truth which is presented in some concrete form that can be considered and evaluated? The Christian Faith has stood the test of time because it is based on an ancient text which has accurately recorded history, made correct predictions centuries in advance, and has demonstrated scientific prescience (writers expressing scientific concepts that were not known to their generation.)
2. UNIVERSALITY: Does this religion only appeal to one particular cultural or geographical group, or does it transcend borders and barriers to impact all kinds of men and women in every age? Islam, for example, appeals largely to people of Middle Eastern descent and is growing today primarily on the basis of global immigration, political duress, and heavy birth rates. Christianity is transmitted largely through conversation and has transcended every age, every national boundary, every demographic division.
3. IMPACT: Does this religion positively transform communities and lift people out of despair and hopelessness, or does it promulgate poverty, ignorance and hopelessness? Voodoo and witchcraft around the world and throughout history have encouraged practioners to remain in dark, intolerant, violent, barbaric conditions. Islam literally transports 7th century cruelty, sexism, and bigotry into the 21st Century. In sharp contrast, Christianity has historically fostered education, built schools, and encouraged people to become educated. The Church has led the way in bringing equality to women and racial minorities.
I actually enjoy apologetics and could continue this discussion for several pages, but this is probably sufficient. One should not discount a religion solely because their practices look foolish and superstitious to our 21st Century American perspective, which is a very small window in time. Rather, one should evaluate a religion on the basis of authority, global universality and historical impact. On the basis of objective, rational measures, Christianity shines like a brilliant star in a pitch black sky.
The question makes an intelligent point: if other religions are to be rejected and mocked whenever they look backwards to the spirit of our age, then Christians deserve to be mocked and rejected as well. That is, the Church has commonly seemed foolish/out of step with the times/superstitious to people in every generation since Jesus came. We have been labeled atheists, arsonists, practioners of incest, and kooks, and have often seemed to support end times predictions which proved to be demonstrably wrong. Perhaps that's why Paul boasted that we must be willing to be fools for Christ.
Granted, the Holy Spirit has convinced you and me that Christ is true and anything outside of Christ is error. However, for people who are trying to discover the truth about religion, it would seem there are some valid, rational tests which can be applied to any religious tradition. Those tests would include:
1. AUTHORITY: Is this based on folk tales and mysterious secrets that can't be tested? Or is it based on objective truth which is presented in some concrete form that can be considered and evaluated? The Christian Faith has stood the test of time because it is based on an ancient text which has accurately recorded history, made correct predictions centuries in advance, and has demonstrated scientific prescience (writers expressing scientific concepts that were not known to their generation.)
2. UNIVERSALITY: Does this religion only appeal to one particular cultural or geographical group, or does it transcend borders and barriers to impact all kinds of men and women in every age? Islam, for example, appeals largely to people of Middle Eastern descent and is growing today primarily on the basis of global immigration, political duress, and heavy birth rates. Christianity is transmitted largely through conversation and has transcended every age, every national boundary, every demographic division.
3. IMPACT: Does this religion positively transform communities and lift people out of despair and hopelessness, or does it promulgate poverty, ignorance and hopelessness? Voodoo and witchcraft around the world and throughout history have encouraged practioners to remain in dark, intolerant, violent, barbaric conditions. Islam literally transports 7th century cruelty, sexism, and bigotry into the 21st Century. In sharp contrast, Christianity has historically fostered education, built schools, and encouraged people to become educated. The Church has led the way in bringing equality to women and racial minorities.
I actually enjoy apologetics and could continue this discussion for several pages, but this is probably sufficient. One should not discount a religion solely because their practices look foolish and superstitious to our 21st Century American perspective, which is a very small window in time. Rather, one should evaluate a religion on the basis of authority, global universality and historical impact. On the basis of objective, rational measures, Christianity shines like a brilliant star in a pitch black sky.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Last Christian Holiday
Most US churches will devote the entire month of December to Christmas festivities. It's what we all do in hopes of recapturing the true meaning of Christmas. But I just gotta say this: if we have not been able to rekindle that flickering flame in three centuries of trying, it's probably not going to catch fire in 2009 either! We tend to forget that most congregations in the American colonies banned Christmas more than 300 years ago because it had nothing to do with Jesus and everything to do with drunkenness and irreverence.
We will always have the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the fact that the Word became flesh, but we've probably lost 'Winter Holidays' forever. The same is true of Easter. Americans have come to associate that Spring festival with the change of seasons, new Spring fashions, pagan eggs and bunnies, or a week of vacation. People who don't show up for worship on Easter Sunday have no clue they were supposed to be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ all along.
The only truly Christian holiday that's left for us is Thanksgiving. It's a national day of gratitude to the God of the Bible. It was He who went to such great lengths to guide Christopher Columbus to these shores when he was trying to find India! It was the Almighty God who enabled the poor, unlearned Pilgrims to survive their first brutal winter after they relocated from England to these hostile shores. The Indians who would have massacred them had died suddenly. The ones who dropped by to visit actually felt sorry for them and taught them to plant corn and trap beavers. Their survival and eventual success led to the original creation of this day of Giving Thanks.
A couple of years ago, I asked some school children what they thought Thanksgiving was all about. Their schools had taught them it was about being thankful to the Indians for helping the Pilgrims grow corn. That's wrong! It's not quite as wrong as the idea that Thanksgiving is about turkey and football, but it's still misguided.
The first Thanksgiving Feast was about giving thanks to the Heavenly Father who had provided for his people in mysterious ways during arduous times. There will be a lot of handwringing this year about where America is headed, and justiably so. But don't forget where America came from. Perhaps if we were more intentional in giving thanks and more deliberate in retelling the true story of Thanksgiving, we might eventually recapture the right stuff that has always made us great: faith in Jesus Christ and character forged by fire.
Don't miss the wonder of Thanksgiving. Start practicing today and you might just be ready when the big day arrives.
We will always have the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the fact that the Word became flesh, but we've probably lost 'Winter Holidays' forever. The same is true of Easter. Americans have come to associate that Spring festival with the change of seasons, new Spring fashions, pagan eggs and bunnies, or a week of vacation. People who don't show up for worship on Easter Sunday have no clue they were supposed to be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ all along.
The only truly Christian holiday that's left for us is Thanksgiving. It's a national day of gratitude to the God of the Bible. It was He who went to such great lengths to guide Christopher Columbus to these shores when he was trying to find India! It was the Almighty God who enabled the poor, unlearned Pilgrims to survive their first brutal winter after they relocated from England to these hostile shores. The Indians who would have massacred them had died suddenly. The ones who dropped by to visit actually felt sorry for them and taught them to plant corn and trap beavers. Their survival and eventual success led to the original creation of this day of Giving Thanks.
A couple of years ago, I asked some school children what they thought Thanksgiving was all about. Their schools had taught them it was about being thankful to the Indians for helping the Pilgrims grow corn. That's wrong! It's not quite as wrong as the idea that Thanksgiving is about turkey and football, but it's still misguided.
The first Thanksgiving Feast was about giving thanks to the Heavenly Father who had provided for his people in mysterious ways during arduous times. There will be a lot of handwringing this year about where America is headed, and justiably so. But don't forget where America came from. Perhaps if we were more intentional in giving thanks and more deliberate in retelling the true story of Thanksgiving, we might eventually recapture the right stuff that has always made us great: faith in Jesus Christ and character forged by fire.
Don't miss the wonder of Thanksgiving. Start practicing today and you might just be ready when the big day arrives.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Compassionate Atheism?
Speaking at a Memorial service following the murders at Fort Hood last week, President Obama explained that no religious faith approves of such atrocities. Then he reminded us all that the killer will face justice in this life and the next. It struck me as remarkable to hear a political leader confirm the idea of judgment waiting in Eternity.
The man who murdered 13 Americans and injured many more may not actually get justice here. Sometimes our system works, but on other occasions it fails us miserably. Public trials for terrorists sometimes do more harm than good by providing a platform for bizarre and dangerous behavior. But whatever happens here, most of us believe that God will certainly hold this calculating killer responsible in the world to come.
This idea is timely because atheist groups in this country are continuing to press for respect and legitimacy for their un-religion. For almost a decade, they've been attacking Christianity as evil, bigoted, and superstitious. Now they've adopted a new idea: "You don't have to be religious to be moral. Atheists are moral too."
The newest propaganda explains that unreligious people can treat each other fairly because it's a good thing, even if they don't believe in God. Unreligious people can share their wealth with others because they would want the same treatment in a crisis. Unreligious people can refuse to abuse and exploit other people because they don't want to be abused or exploited. Unreligious people can choose a socialistic form of government in which the income is spread around equally.
In theory, all this is true. But in reality, there are compelling reasons why atheistic attempts at morality never last for long. Quite simply, sinful human beings always discover a way to bend the rules and gain an extra share of the treasure. Someone always discovers that it's possible to work less and still benefit from the kindness of others, even while doing selfish or even dangerous things on the side. And whenever one selfish person takes advantage of the glitch in the software, many others follow. The government can never catch all the offenders, so there's a good chance you may be one of those who gets away.
But you'll never escape the justice of God. That's the concept that separates religious people from atheists who face temptation. Why are there so many unbelievers in American prisons and so very few Christians? The atheist has no one to warn him, "This is absolutely wrong, and you'll never get away with it." Sure, we can cook up intellectual models that suggest atheists are no different than other people. But in fact, they are very different for many reasons. And one of those reasons is that they believe they are not accountable.
Then there's that other nagging reality which confirms that compassionate atheism is more about PR than practice. The next time you see a news story about some catastrophic disaster and the rescue and clean up that follows it, watch the relief trucks arriving. You'll see the Red Cross, the Southern Baptists, Samaritan's Purse, the Salvation Army, and various local church vehicles. Don't wait for the American Atheists relief truck to arrive on the scene. Atheists have manged to produce attack books and publicity campaigns, but they have never dispatched a single relief truck or rescue team to a national crisis. So while there's a great deal of evidence for the existence of God, we'll have to take the compelling compassion of atheism on sheer faith.
The man who murdered 13 Americans and injured many more may not actually get justice here. Sometimes our system works, but on other occasions it fails us miserably. Public trials for terrorists sometimes do more harm than good by providing a platform for bizarre and dangerous behavior. But whatever happens here, most of us believe that God will certainly hold this calculating killer responsible in the world to come.
This idea is timely because atheist groups in this country are continuing to press for respect and legitimacy for their un-religion. For almost a decade, they've been attacking Christianity as evil, bigoted, and superstitious. Now they've adopted a new idea: "You don't have to be religious to be moral. Atheists are moral too."
The newest propaganda explains that unreligious people can treat each other fairly because it's a good thing, even if they don't believe in God. Unreligious people can share their wealth with others because they would want the same treatment in a crisis. Unreligious people can refuse to abuse and exploit other people because they don't want to be abused or exploited. Unreligious people can choose a socialistic form of government in which the income is spread around equally.
In theory, all this is true. But in reality, there are compelling reasons why atheistic attempts at morality never last for long. Quite simply, sinful human beings always discover a way to bend the rules and gain an extra share of the treasure. Someone always discovers that it's possible to work less and still benefit from the kindness of others, even while doing selfish or even dangerous things on the side. And whenever one selfish person takes advantage of the glitch in the software, many others follow. The government can never catch all the offenders, so there's a good chance you may be one of those who gets away.
But you'll never escape the justice of God. That's the concept that separates religious people from atheists who face temptation. Why are there so many unbelievers in American prisons and so very few Christians? The atheist has no one to warn him, "This is absolutely wrong, and you'll never get away with it." Sure, we can cook up intellectual models that suggest atheists are no different than other people. But in fact, they are very different for many reasons. And one of those reasons is that they believe they are not accountable.
Then there's that other nagging reality which confirms that compassionate atheism is more about PR than practice. The next time you see a news story about some catastrophic disaster and the rescue and clean up that follows it, watch the relief trucks arriving. You'll see the Red Cross, the Southern Baptists, Samaritan's Purse, the Salvation Army, and various local church vehicles. Don't wait for the American Atheists relief truck to arrive on the scene. Atheists have manged to produce attack books and publicity campaigns, but they have never dispatched a single relief truck or rescue team to a national crisis. So while there's a great deal of evidence for the existence of God, we'll have to take the compelling compassion of atheism on sheer faith.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Quite by accident last week, I came across a paperback book which had been misplaced in one of the dark corners of a closet. In the process of returning it to my office, I glanced once again at the closing chapter. In To Own a Dragon, Donald Miller describes what it's like to grow up without a father.
He recalls thinking, "It's so hard to believe God did not abandon us." He describes feeling ambivalent- as though God is a really nice guy, on one hand. But on the other hand, it feels like he's busy with other kids and doesn't have time for us. Having been abandoned by his own dad who had other projects that mattered more, Miller remembers that he could never accept the idea that he was really not a burden to this distant, distracted God.
I revisited that chapter last week. This week it was an article in the Wall Street Journal that reached out and grabbed me. The headline explained, "THIS IS YOUR BRAIN WITHOUT DAD." According to the article, scientists in Germany have found that "growing up without a father actually changes the way your brain develops." The research involved a variety of small rodents in which both male and female parents remain together to raise their offspring. What they found was that the absence of a male parent actually hardwires the brains of the offspring differently. Compared to typical two parent animals, the rodents raised by a single parent are consistently more aggressive and more impulsive. The scientists found that the neurons of one parent rodents were noticeably different from those of two parent animals after only 21 days! It wasn't just a matter of environment leading to attitudes. Their brains had literally developed differently!
Of course, it doesn't require rocket science- or animal science- to observe that fatherlessness creates hazards for boys and girls. Fatherless kids in the inner city are more likely to wind up in violent gangs. Fatherless kids in wealthy suburbs are more likely to engage in dangerous activity involving sex and drugs. Some fathers have physically abandoned their kids. Others have simply departed mentally. Without a doubt, many have been shoved away by self-centered moms who aren't willing to pay the price for family.
The saddest thing of all is that Americans have been seduced by the notion that this is okay. Shouldn't everyone be free to choose? The more choices we have, the more opportunities we can seize- theoretically! But in reality, even animal research shows that some kids don't get as many choices. Children who don't have fathers can never choose certain benefits and assets because their brains have developed quite differently- out of sight and behind the scenes.
In American culture, fatherhood is treated like an option that costs too much in terms of time, energy, and self fulfillment. How blessed is the boy or girl who enjoys the essential benefit of a godly dad. To steal a phrase from a card company, fatherhood is what happens when you care enough to give your child the very best.
He recalls thinking, "It's so hard to believe God did not abandon us." He describes feeling ambivalent- as though God is a really nice guy, on one hand. But on the other hand, it feels like he's busy with other kids and doesn't have time for us. Having been abandoned by his own dad who had other projects that mattered more, Miller remembers that he could never accept the idea that he was really not a burden to this distant, distracted God.
I revisited that chapter last week. This week it was an article in the Wall Street Journal that reached out and grabbed me. The headline explained, "THIS IS YOUR BRAIN WITHOUT DAD." According to the article, scientists in Germany have found that "growing up without a father actually changes the way your brain develops." The research involved a variety of small rodents in which both male and female parents remain together to raise their offspring. What they found was that the absence of a male parent actually hardwires the brains of the offspring differently. Compared to typical two parent animals, the rodents raised by a single parent are consistently more aggressive and more impulsive. The scientists found that the neurons of one parent rodents were noticeably different from those of two parent animals after only 21 days! It wasn't just a matter of environment leading to attitudes. Their brains had literally developed differently!
Of course, it doesn't require rocket science- or animal science- to observe that fatherlessness creates hazards for boys and girls. Fatherless kids in the inner city are more likely to wind up in violent gangs. Fatherless kids in wealthy suburbs are more likely to engage in dangerous activity involving sex and drugs. Some fathers have physically abandoned their kids. Others have simply departed mentally. Without a doubt, many have been shoved away by self-centered moms who aren't willing to pay the price for family.
The saddest thing of all is that Americans have been seduced by the notion that this is okay. Shouldn't everyone be free to choose? The more choices we have, the more opportunities we can seize- theoretically! But in reality, even animal research shows that some kids don't get as many choices. Children who don't have fathers can never choose certain benefits and assets because their brains have developed quite differently- out of sight and behind the scenes.
In American culture, fatherhood is treated like an option that costs too much in terms of time, energy, and self fulfillment. How blessed is the boy or girl who enjoys the essential benefit of a godly dad. To steal a phrase from a card company, fatherhood is what happens when you care enough to give your child the very best.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Mystery of the Missing Spirit
What a difference the Holy Spirit makes! On Sunday morning, our church family and I were exploring the difference between the Natural Life (Self+Flesh+Conscience) and the Spiritual Life (Self+Flesh+Holy Spirit.) Our text in 1 Corinthians 3 had brought us to that old question: "What is a carnal Christian?" I actually employed diagrams to define the differences. This seemed like a very basic concept, and I wanted to make it clear to the most unschooled disciple in the room.
Wow! What a concept! I got so many questions afterward. There were questions from unbelievers who are seeking Christ among us. There were questions from long time Christians whom I respect and admire. My immediate conclusion was obvious: Though I frequently mention the Holy Spirit, I clearly haven't taught my church all the things they need to know. In the future, I am resolved to be more deliberate in presenting the practical truths of spiritual living.
One of my favorite texts is Galatians 5:16 "So I say, walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." The Spirit is not some abstract metaphor for enthusiasm. He is a person, a part of the Godhead, a force that guides and empowers believers.
More than two decades ago, Protestant churches looked at the upsurge among Charismatic churches and we asked what they could teach us. We finally concluded that our non-Charismatic worship was not enthusiastic enough, so we've been tweaking and editing our worship styles for a whole generation. Now worship style has been transformed in most Protestant churches, but Charismatic Christianity continues to change the landscape all around the world.
Maybe we learned the wrong lesson. Could it be we failed to recognize that "pentecostal" style churches were worshipping differently because their people were more willing to be influenced by the wind of God's Spirit? Maybe it wasn't our hymns that were out of sync, but our hearts!
This is not to say that Charismatic worship got everything right! In their exuberance, our "spirit-filled" friends have often become distracted and even divided by bizarre gimmicks like laughing revivals, being slain in the spirit, generational demons, etc. etc. But you have to wonder if they didn't get one thing spot on: we must instruct the Church in what it means to live in the Spirit. Walking with Christ = walking in the Spirit. So how is that done?
I love to reflect on all the wonderful truths the Holy Spirit has taught me from Scripture and helped me apply to life. I can fondly recall all the amazing adventures I've enjoyed under His direct leadership. I can recount so many miracles I have experienced as a result of His working. And I look at myself and ask: why didn't you talk about this more often? Why didn't all of us?
Wow! What a concept! I got so many questions afterward. There were questions from unbelievers who are seeking Christ among us. There were questions from long time Christians whom I respect and admire. My immediate conclusion was obvious: Though I frequently mention the Holy Spirit, I clearly haven't taught my church all the things they need to know. In the future, I am resolved to be more deliberate in presenting the practical truths of spiritual living.
One of my favorite texts is Galatians 5:16 "So I say, walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." The Spirit is not some abstract metaphor for enthusiasm. He is a person, a part of the Godhead, a force that guides and empowers believers.
More than two decades ago, Protestant churches looked at the upsurge among Charismatic churches and we asked what they could teach us. We finally concluded that our non-Charismatic worship was not enthusiastic enough, so we've been tweaking and editing our worship styles for a whole generation. Now worship style has been transformed in most Protestant churches, but Charismatic Christianity continues to change the landscape all around the world.
Maybe we learned the wrong lesson. Could it be we failed to recognize that "pentecostal" style churches were worshipping differently because their people were more willing to be influenced by the wind of God's Spirit? Maybe it wasn't our hymns that were out of sync, but our hearts!
This is not to say that Charismatic worship got everything right! In their exuberance, our "spirit-filled" friends have often become distracted and even divided by bizarre gimmicks like laughing revivals, being slain in the spirit, generational demons, etc. etc. But you have to wonder if they didn't get one thing spot on: we must instruct the Church in what it means to live in the Spirit. Walking with Christ = walking in the Spirit. So how is that done?
I love to reflect on all the wonderful truths the Holy Spirit has taught me from Scripture and helped me apply to life. I can fondly recall all the amazing adventures I've enjoyed under His direct leadership. I can recount so many miracles I have experienced as a result of His working. And I look at myself and ask: why didn't you talk about this more often? Why didn't all of us?
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