God or Luck?

As a follow up to my recent blog (Anti-God campaign) on the campaign of atheists in London to purchase ads on buses that declare that God "probably" doesn't exist, I did a little research on one of the proponents of the campaign. One of the prominent supporters of the campaign is Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion . I thought you might be curious as to what Dawkins proposes as a replacement to God when it comes to the origin of life and consciousness. So I did a little research for you. According to Dawkins, such origins were triggered by an "initial stroke of luck". Excuse me? Is the a scientific explanation for something as signficant as the origin of life and consciousness? Now, I grant you that Dawkins has much more to say about the subject than that. But, it life has to begin somewhere, somehow and this is what he offers. I'm not making this up. My response to Dr. Dawkins would make a great ad campaign for the buses in London: "There probably wasn't an initial stroke of luck...I believe in God".

Getting Ready for the Election

November 4th is election day. Although there are a host of elections within the election, most of our attention has been garnered by the presidential election. As I prepare to vote there is an election fact that blows me away. I can't help but consider that fact that nearly $1 billion has raised by the candidates for campaigning. What an investment. The sources of funds vary, but any way you slice it, that's a lot of money. Let me turn that investment around and look at investment through a different lens. Don't forget to invest in prayer. Before you vote, pray. Pray for God's direction in how you vote. Pray for the candidates. Pray for our country. The election is a great opportunity to seek God and be led by God in an important decision.

Anti-God Campaign

Recently in London, England some organizers put together an ad campaign asserting that there "probably is no God". The ads are being placed on the sides of buses in London. Specifically, the ads read "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." Supporter, Richard Dawkins, who is a biologist and author of "The God Delusion". says "This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think — and thinking is anathema to religion." Is that so Richard? Wow, the statement "There probably is no God" is a real thinker! Also, if Richard advocates "stop worrying and enjoy your life" while reading a sign on the side of a bus, I question whether he has ever driven in London. Let me get serious for a moment. I happen to agree that thinking is a good thing. Also, I agree that it is true that too many Christians fall prey to an unthinking faith. Faith is not opposed to examination and exploration. In fact, I believe that God designed us such that heart, soul, mind and body have an integrated relationship with Him. When I engage my intellect I am amazed even more by the existence of God. Am I threatened by the ad campaign? I don't know, let me think about it.

Humility

Is humility a non-negotable virture? Sunday I will examine the lessons of "humility" that God provides in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2). Humility cuts against so many things we find comfortable in life. We like to control our own destiny - Humility relinquishes control. We like to lead -Humility requires us to follow. We like to find our own strength - Humility teaches us to discover strength in weakness.

Honest Feedback

Last night Nick had a tough football game. His team was previously undefeated and they faced the other undefeated team. The result was a 20-0 loss for Nick's team. He had a great time and learned a lot - I'm very proud of him. This morning Nick's coach called me to tell of something that happened on the sideline. Nick's coach was giving them a great fired-up talk after the first series. At the end of his talk, his eyes caught Nick's and he asked Nick what he was seeing out there on the field. Nick's response was "I just went in coach, I'm not seeing much yet". Despite the intensity of the moment the coach shared with me that it struck him as humorous. This week I am enjoying the opportunity to teach doctoral course at our seminary. There are several countries represented in the class. I love the opportunity to gain such rich perspective from places like South Korea, Canada, Brazil and Kenya. I find myself taking time to take it all in. I feel a little like Nick. It will take me a few days to process what I'm seeing and hearing. I just got in the game!

Great Visit

I enjoyed a special blessing this week. Tom and Helen Malande were with us at Heritage last night. They are visiting from Kenya. They were joined by another missionary couple, Larry and Lisa Brown. We had a great evening listening to stories about what God is doing in Kenya through their ministry. This morning I was able to have an extended conversation with Tom and Helen about the HIV/Aids crisis in Kenya. Helen is doing research regarding the psychological and social impact of the disease. The impact on family structure is devastating as the number of orphans continues to grow. But, in the midst of the devastation, they are sharing God's love and allowing the light of His grace to shine.

Style Points

It's October in Tennessee and I haven't blogged much about Volunteer football. There's a reason. Nobody wants to read about the obvious. It's been a rough year. This past Saturday the mighty Vols racked up a big win against the Northern Illinois Huskies. What, you haven't heard of the Huskies? It was what they call in football an "ugly" win. They won a game they were supposed to win. Not many points scored. Not many big plays. I heard a comment this morning that the Vols didn't pick up many "style points". That's a great way to express the game. It wasn't flashy. It wasn't really all that interesting. It was a game that trudged along until it was over. Lately, I've been studying how Moses assessed the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness. You don't always pick up many style points during a wilderness journey. But that doesn't mean the wilderness is devoid of lessons. If you're in the wilderness now, forget about style points and pay attention to what God is teaching you. Remember, you are supposed to emerge victorious.

Bailout

My blog is not dedicated to politics and today is not a day that I will change that. But, the prominence of political issues in the media today provides a good opportunity to share some of my views about my role as a pastor. There are many different views about what role a pastor should play as it relates to political issues. I choose not to spend much time talking about what others are doing. Yet, I do want to be aware of our surroundings and redirect our attention to our Creator. What should be my role as pastor? I trust the Lord's wisdom in using the metaphorical designation of "shepherd" to describe the type of leadership that I am invited to provide. A shepherd must be aware of the environment and sensitive to threats and opportunities. For example, the current economic crisis reveals some serious threats that should be exposed. If we continue to be a culture that dresses up "greed" and calls it "ambition" then we will reap more and more destruction. It also provides some opportunities. I happen to like a term that is often applied to the stock market. The word is "correction". Imagine that! The stock market "corrects" and most of the time we do not. Our opportunity is for "corrected" thinking. Just as "greed" has become fashionable in the world, "contentment" has been lost in the church. Do we "hunger and thirst" for righteousness - because if we do, God has promised to fill us. Thus, our contentment would rest in God's provision. Contentment remains out of reach as long as it is dependent upon our own achievements and pursuits. I fear we have developed a "hunger and thirst" for things other than God. Whether or not the "bailout" plan passes today or not, challenging times lie ahead. Whether McCain or Obama is elected, our faith will be tested severely. Every crisis is an opportunity for God to bring about transformation. We must examine our thoughts and allow God to renew our minds.