Tempted to give up on church?

by Christine on January 20, 2009

Lots of talk about new churches, different ways of doing church, even online church. The new and the different sound appealing. It’s nice to think that if things don’t work out we can just change churches or go offline. Here is some encouragement to look again at the church through Jesus’ eyes.

“Do you love the church of which Christ has called you to be a member? For all its flaws and frictions, do you have hope that you and your brothers and sisters will one day shine brightly in the beauty of holiness? When your congregation or denomination seems to suffer one spiritual setback after another–’by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distress’–are you tempted to give up on the organizational church and go it on your own? Do the so-called saints you rub elbows with on Sunday seem to be obstacles rather than aids to your friendship with Christ and your growth in his grace? Then look again at the church through Jesus’ eyes, and in the bright light of her final destination. Jesus’ eyes see all the churches’ blemishes and bruises, yet our defects do not diminish his love for us or dim his eager expectation for the day when he will present the church to himself ‘in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkel or any such thing’ but rather being ‘holy and blameless’ (Eph. 5:27). When we glimpse the bride through the eyes of her Groom, it lifts our head in hope and calms our frustrated hearts for persevering love for one another.”

Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation, p. 343.

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Blog Relaunch coming soon!

by Christine on January 18, 2009

I’ve upgraded Mine & Thine to a WordPress blog. Thanks to John Saddington I’ll have lots of new tools to create a great blog stop. The blog is still in transition – so check back soon to see how things are progressing.

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Facebook and Twitter for the Glory of God

by Christine on January 3, 2009

The New Scientist publishes an interesting survey on heavy users of Twitter, Digg and Facebook. The researcher Amichai-Hamburger points to previous research by Scott Caplan of the University of Delaware where he suspects:

that heavy users of sites such as Digg and Twitter may have similar characteristics. “People who prefer online social behaviour tend to have higher levels of social anxiety and lower social skills,” he says.

When looking at Facebook users he suspects that his research may show that:

users of social network Facebook… sites based solely on friendly social interaction, attract a different, more agreeable, type of person.

This research raises an interesting question for Christians. Do we Twitter, Facebook and Digg because we feel more comfortable in an online world? Is our social interaction on Facebook just a grasp at Rodney King, “People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along.” Can Christians Twitter and Facebook in a way that chiefly gives glory to God and helps us enjoy Him forever?

Here are my thoughts – I’m interested in yours:

  • Twitter is self-selecting. I find the people I Twitter with most are sharp theological thinkers, committed Christians with a tendency towards Reformed theology, yet are very different from me – and therefore challenge my assumptions, broaden my understanding and bring humor and joy to Christian life. A little bit of heaven here on earth.
  • Twitter broadens my social world. I twitter with Christians who are Baptists, Emergent, Presbyterian/Reformed, young, old, single, married, scattered across the globe. I find out about missions and missional living. I’m learning good things about Emergents, pro-life Catholics, reformed Baptists and southern Presbyterians. I’m finding common ground. To God be the glory for leading his invisible and visible church with Christ at the head.
  • Twitter brings us down to day-to-day living as Christians. I hear that Al Mohler, Ed Stetzer, R.C. Sproul – like eggnog. I find out that people whose books I read and theological contributions I value get tired, sick, like movies and play with their kids. In other words they don’t just read theology or dialog with the great books and great minds 24/7. This I find encouraging. The Incarnate Christ in his humanity and divinity is modeled in his saints.
  • Facebook – allows me to care and pray for those I do not see regularly. I hear from missionaries about trips to the aquarium (WHAT! they are not praying and serving all day and night???). I know when friends are down, sick, happy, nervous, excited. I pray more fervently.
  • Facebook allows me to care and love those I do see regularly. The coffee half-hour at church is good for a quick, “Hello“ – but how does that deepen a friendship or encourage one another in Christ? Facebook allows me to go deeper as well as carry-on light hearted conversation or have far reaching theological debates. I can see pictures of grandkids and vacations. Learn about music they love – and find out I love it too. As we care, love and encourage our friends and neighbors on Facebook we are glorifying God.

Maybe I’m just socially anxious, have low social skills and a friend who wants to get along with everybody. But maybe there is a way to Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Digg and Friendfeed to God’s glory.

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Reading through the Bible 2009 edition

by Christine on January 1, 2009

Each new year I put less emphasis on New Year’s resolutions. This year I didn’t make any resolutions. But I did write down some general goals. Goals I hope lead me to know more of Christ.

One goal I have each year is to read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. In past years I’ve used different translations, various study Bibles and alternate reading plans with more or less ambitious specifics. In 2008 I switched my reading plan half-way through because of the release of the ESV Study Bible. I couldn’t wait to work through the ESV Study Bible’s notes, maps, and charts.

Here is what I’ve used in the recent past:

This year I’m making a severe and unorthodox departure (gasp!!!). I’m going to read through The New Living Translation. Why would a Calvinist, confessionally-reformed woman like me choose anything other than the ESV or the RSV????

Two reasons: TECHNOLOGY and TIME. First reason is technology, you see I have a Kindle Reader. I really love the Kindle – it’s easy and light, I can make the print size large, mark passages with disappearing ink (I hate marking Bibles), make quick notes, email myself a clipping, and take the Kindle everywhere without carrying heavy books. Plus it never loses my place, and there is a great One Year Bible available through Tyndale for the Kindle. It is the New Living Translation and unlike my ESV on the Kindle I do not have to page back and forth using search functions. Paging to specific passages on the Kindle stinks! I’ve tried it, and it is a frustrating time-waster.

The second reason is time: I really want to spend more serious time in some book studies (I’m thinking Ephesians, using Boice). I also have a goal this year to read through Calvin’s Institutes. In addition – I’m trying to read more Goldsworthy and other books that help me read the Bible in context. To have all these goals – I need to keep on task and the Kindle helps me do that. There are no study notes, pages turn forward (no temptation to flip around or read ahead or behind), and there is a compelling force to read to the end of the section because of the unique formatting of the Kindle. Lastly, it’s easy to find where you left off. When you turn the Kindle back on – it automatically goes to the exact page you were last on. Bottom-line, the Kindle saves lots of time.

So it’s the New Living Translation for me this year – an unorthodox but I pray – wise choice. What are you reading this year?

Bonus: Here is a link to a number of different online plans including a very handy check-off chart to keep track of your reading.

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Don’t put Christ back into Christmas

by Christine on December 8, 2008

Don’t put Christ back into Christmas! “It is simply not necessary. Christ has never left Christmas.” says R.C. Sproul

Sounds like a strange declaration. But if you haven’t noticed it has become fashionable for “serious” Christians to denigrate Christmas in all it’s commercialism, pagan origins, Santa Claus-filled trivialness. The drum-beat has become “let’s put Christ back in Christmas”.

I’ve had a few conversations the last several years with friends where they declare, “this year we are not exchanging gifts, Christmas has become one big commercial holiday”, “this year we are not going to have a Christmas tree – it has pagan origins in celebrating the winter solstice”, and then this….

But first a story. One day I picked my son up from the wonderful Christian school he attended, he was 6 years old and in 2nd grade. That day the 2nd grade had a substitute teacher who felt “called” to disabuse the children of certain fanciful notions , “There is NO Santa Claus” she declared. “Believing in Santa Claus is a sin. Your parents are lying to you, and they are sinning even worse then you because of their deliberate deception. Christian children do not believe in Santa Claus.” The 2nd grade sat silently, most of them stunned. My son, being a young man, held back his fears and tears until I came to pick him up.

Getting into the car, we hardly made it a block when I pulled over to comfort a crying little boy. Later when his tears had dried he felt angry at us, his parents, for the lies. Even later – he was deeply sad, and Christmas was not the same that year.

Many years have passed. I now have an older teen who still brings up that story every year. Did this sad incident focus his young heart on Christ? Did he learn that Christmas is not only celebrating the birth of Jesus, but is a foretaste of the lights, food, gifts, music, celebrations, praises, happiness and joy we will have when we are with Jesus? Did he learn that myths and stories often point to a reality too glorious to express? I could go on…. but don’t desire to get into the Santa wars.

I think R.C. Sproul says it so well as he reminds us not to be a scrooges on Christmas, not to be Santa Claus haters, and may I add – this especially applies to Christians.

Sure, Christmas is a time of commerce. The department stores are decorated to the hilt, the ad pages of the newspapers swell in size, and we tick off the number of shopping days left until Christmas. Buy why all the commerce? The high degree of commerce at Christmas is driven by one thing: the buying of gifts for others. To present our friends and families with gifts is not an ugly, ignoble vice. It incarnates the amorphous “spirit of Christmas.” The tradition rests ultimately on the supreme gift God has given the world. God so loved the world, the Bible says, that He gave His only begotten Son. The giving of gifts is a marvelous response to the receiving of such a gift. For one day a year at least, we taste the sweetness inherent in the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive. [From Marley's Message to Scrooge]

Be sure to read whole article where Dr. Sproul masterfully touches on the sacredness of Christmas and whether it is tarnished by living in this present world.

Additional Resources:

  • Santa Claus link worth reading
  • Highly recommended children’s book (great for adults too!)

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Future racing forward

by Christine on December 3, 2008

Are we frightened by the pace of technology or trusting in God’s promises? As Christians in missions and ministry, as parents and teachers, as mentors and leaders we cannot stick our heads in the sand and hope technology goes away. Let’s point to God’s promises, as the future races forward.

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.

Genesis 22: 15-18


Our hope and our future for those who call upon the name of the Lord.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw a the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:1-4

HT: Rhett Smith

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Legalism Revisited again and again and again…

by Christine on December 3, 2008

Killer of my joy in Christ, a macro lens on myself – that is legalism, Tony Reinke provides yet another reminder of the quicksand of legalism.

At its most dangerous level, legalism is a soteriological problem. That is, legalism is a false gospel and a false hope. Legalism is the lie that says God’s pleasure and joy in me is dependent upon my performance rather than the finished work of Christ.

It is legalism that causes the Pharisee to look proudly into the sky in the presence of a tax collector. It is legalism that causes a poor missionary in Africa to think God is more pleased with him than an American Christian businessman driving a Mercedes. It is legalism that causes the preacher behind the pulpit to think God is more pleased with him than the tatooed Christian teenager sitting in the back row.

Legalism is the lie that God will find more pleasure in me because my obedience is greater than others or that God looks at me with disgust because I am not living up to His expectations. It is the failure to remember that God’s pleasure in us comes outside of us (in the finished work of Christ). Legalism causes the heart to forget that God sings over us because of the work He has done, not because of what we have done (Zeph. 3:15-17).

Believers equally bring pleasure to God because the pleasure He receives in us is the purchased pleasure of the substitution of Jesus Christ. Any imagined superiority to other Christians (not rules or a lack of rules) is the sure sign of the legalist.

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Flu or Cold?

by Christine on December 2, 2008

I always have trouble deciding whether I have the flu or just a bad cold. I took one of those online tests that determine whether you have a cold or something more serious. Here are my results:

Mayo Clinic Test

Of course, I had my doubts about this diagnosis. It seems early for the flu, and I haven’t heard of anyone else having the flu. I thought I’d check Google’s new Flu Trend Tracker and see if I’m suffering alone or possibly a hypochondriac. Here’s what Google says:

Flu Track  

Do I have a cold or the flu? I’m not sure – but then again I’ve always been a trendsetter. sleep12.gif

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Apostles Creed – Is Barack a Christian?

by Christine on November 17, 2008

We are studying the Apostles Creed in Sunday School. The question was asked – can you be a Christian and not affirm the Apostles Creed? Also – can you minimally affirm the Apostles Creed and be a called a Christian or do you also have to affirm a fuller set of doctrines (i.e. justification by grace alone, through faith or the Westminster Standards)?

A post by Rod Dreher and Joe Carter explore these issues.

I don’t think the difficulty lies in defining orthodoxy, but the question is basic orthodox belief sufficient? Is Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God enough to be called a follower of Christ?

On both these tests, Barack Obama fails – but that’s not my real question.

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The Incarnation

by Christine on November 16, 2008

This December our Women’s Bible Study is gong to do a 2 week study on “The Word became Flesh“, and I’m collecting quotes:

“Biblical holiness begins with the Holy. But the holy, by its very nature, can be approached only when we come as sinners. He is never accessible to us as consumers. We come in sackcloth and ashes, not as buyers. Indeed, we cannot approach the Holy at all on our own terms. We must see that the Holy has first approached us in Christ and, through him, reconciled us to himself.

The revelation of the Holy would be unbearable were we to see it in any other way than from within Christ. In Christ, what we are seeing is God’s holiness in its action on our sin. Without Christ we would have to bear that judgment in ourselves What we see instead is holiness coming down in grace and, in Christ, going forth against our sin in triumph.”

- David F. Wells, The Courage to be Protestant (Grand Rapids, Mi.: Eerdmans, 2008), 240.

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