tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199924562024-03-07T18:54:20.134-06:00sojournMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-15653433802251157132011-03-28T23:36:00.000-06:002011-03-28T23:36:23.901-06:00Meditations on the journeyIt's been a while since I have come back to Sojourn. I really enjoy writing for this blog, but don't always have the mental energy to put in what I'd like to get out. <br />
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As many of you know, this year has been full of...well, fullness. I put on a trumpet recital. My best friend got married. My other best friend moved to North Carolina. I met a girl. I started planning a wedding. I finish school in four weeks.<br />
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So what does this have to do with Sojourn, blogging, or really anything other than an exposition of my personal life? <br />
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This year has been a giant realization for me that life exists outside of myself. Let me unpack that statement for you. That sentence has two meanings which are equally true. The first one is that there are other people exist who are not me. I have begun to realize this year the selfish tendencies that I had, the inward focus where "I" was the most important person in the world, and have slowly started to make the other people in the world more important than I. It's not easy. This process is greatly helped by having a fiancee, I have to say. I envy the people who are able to value others more than themselves easily (Tyler Stynsberg, I'm looking at you). The process isn't easy, but at least I'm aware of it now.<br />
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The second meaning is that if I want to truly experience life, I must look outside of myself. Life does not just exist in the narrow arena that I exist in - there are things to see and ideas to think that I cannot even begin to comprehend unless I explore. That is just the beginning of it, though - I have started to realize that He who gives life transcends that which is "me". And if I want to live life, I must learn to experience my Creator.<br />
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-Matt<br />
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p.s. if any of you who find yourself reading this are interested, you are more than welcome to come to my wedding ceremony! I am marrying Elise Dyck on Saturday, June 18th at 1 PM at Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg. There will be cake and punch afterwards!Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-52747602747375525902010-02-20T10:30:00.000-06:002010-02-20T10:30:26.173-06:00Found on BoundlessReading an article titled "<a href="http://www.boundlessline.org/2010/02/changing-norms-offer-opportunities.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boundlessline%2Fblog+%28Boundless+Line%29">Changing Norms Offer Opportunities</a>" on Boundless, I came across this comment. The article talks about how there seem to be fewer quality men out there, so women must adjust their strategies to attract men. The article is mostly irrelevant, but in the comment section, there was a gem of insight that I thought I'd post. This is for all people who are married or desire to become married.<br />
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Posted by Kari (#10) <br />
Marriage was never intended to make us happy, but holy... I've been married for 6 months, and yes, it is hard! I can say it would be easier to not be married. But better? I would respectfully submit that it is far better to learn vulnerability and trust, and have the rough spots and sinfulness in my own heart gradually buffed out, rather than isolating myself to pursue activities that protect me from annoyances.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-61470204667068408652010-02-02T18:30:00.000-06:002010-02-02T18:30:49.459-06:00SillinessSeen on the internet today in a comment on stuffchristianslike.net:<br />
It is silly to turn to theology on certain issues when common sense gives a clear solution.<br />
Discuss.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-18580214613352791242010-01-04T01:39:00.004-06:002010-01-04T16:40:12.735-06:00An important lesson"My greatest disappointments in life have been when I ask anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ to be my saviour."<br />
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I came across this line a few months ago. I wrote it down on a piece of paper by my desk, as I was powerfully affected by this statement. At first glance, it seems that this statement is stating the obvious. Of <i>course</i> Jesus is my saviour. Of course nothing will redeem me other than the blood of Christ. But if one stops thinking there, then the point of the statement has been completely missed.<br />
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I know that in my own life, I can easily fall into the trap of "if only". I say to myself, "Yes, my life is complete in Jesus Christ, but if only I had enough money, I would have everything I need. My life is complete in Christ, but if only that one girl would fall in love with me, I wouldn't be lonely. My life is fulfilled through my relationship with Jesus, but if only I was done school, I would be in the right place to see my life come together".<br />
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I still believe in the redeeming power of Christ, but I need to remember that nothing will save me or make me complete apart from Christ. No power, money, relationships, or possessions can fulfill me. Every time I put my faith in something other than Christ, I will be disappointed eventually.<br />
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I don't claim to know exactly how Christ saves me, or what being saved by Jesus looks like, but I do know that the more I trust Him to complete my life, the more satisfied I become. And when I ask Jesus to save me from disappointment or failure or loneliness, I am asking the only person who is capable of doing these things.<br />
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"My greatest disappointments in life have been when I ask anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ to be my saviour". And conversely, my sweetest victories have been through Jesus Christ, who has redeemed me. As a new decade begins, my hope is that I would continually ask Jesus Christ to be the only thing that I look to for redemption.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-64044387434577610192009-10-17T23:33:00.000-06:002009-10-17T23:34:13.102-06:00something newI'm getting baptized today.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-84079492331153837822009-10-11T22:43:00.003-06:002009-10-11T22:57:02.498-06:00Some things I've learnedAfter a long hiatus, Sojourn is back...for now. <br /><br />Something I've been thinking about lately is the nature of conversing with God. How do we do it? Does God talk back to us? How do we hear Him? What should we say?<br /><br />To be completely honest, I'm not 100% sure of any of the answers to these questions. I have a few ideas - namely, the point is more that we are trying to establish a relationship with our Creator as opposed to asking for things, but I still wrestle with the fact that it's a little awkward to "shoot the breeze" with someone who knows everything, and isn't physically present or speaks audibly. How do we "spend time with God"?<br /><br />I am certain of a few things, though. Number one - God does still speak. There have been a few times where I am absolutely certain that I heard God speaking. Very, very, very few, but they exist. Number two - the Lord's Prayer is always valid. It's things for us to pray when our words or thoughts fail us. Number three - it is important to keep praying, even when we feel like our prayers fall into the void. In Revelation 8, it speaks of an angel offering incense, with the prayers of the saints, as an offering to God. This suggests a few things - number one, that our prayers are a pleasing offering to God, and two, that they are not wasted, that they have a purpose.<br /><br />In conclusion, I don't know a lot about prayer. I don't know how it works, or why it works, or why God even wants us to pray. But I do know this - prayer is more important than we can fathom, and is a spiritual discipline that is critical for Christians to practise.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-74484915490853825192009-05-02T11:46:00.003-06:002009-05-02T12:01:09.580-06:00GivingI spent the last two days student teaching at a high school in Winnipeg. I'm still not sure how I am going to fit in, but I know that this is going to be an extremely stretching experience for me - in a good way. My collaborating teacher and I haven't talked much about specifics of teaching our subject, but we have started to talk at length about the qualities of being a good teacher, and of being a good person.<br /><br />I had the opportunity to listen to my CT speak to his grade 9 class about responsibility and giving yesterday. He asked the class if they could remember when the last time they did something selfless was, and then asked them when they did something selfish. He asked them when they told their families "I love you". The class was so quiet, so still. It seemed like they were actually absorbing what they were hearing.<br /><br />My CT asked me my first day, "What is the most important thing about teaching?" I responded, "Besides the students?". He then asked me, "Why would you say that?" I'm starting to understand that maybe that there isn't anything besides the students - and, therefore, there isn't anything besides people. Life comes down to people, not things or ideas or activities or philosophies - people. Relationships. What can we possibly do to fulfill our lives that doesn't involve giving ourselves to other people? I know and everyone else knows deep down that having toys doesn't fulfill you. Neither does getting good grades, being popular, being the best at sports or music, or having a great job. We are only fulfilled by giving ourselves fully to other people. Odd, that - the way to fill yourself is to give yourself away to others. Freely, too - with no strings attached - even altruistic ones. <br /><br />I pray that as I learn to live, I learn to love through giving myself wholly to others.<br /><br />Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Where charity and love are, there God is.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-10511409200828954412009-03-09T18:13:00.001-06:002009-03-09T18:14:24.227-06:00To see if people are still reading this:Christian people are often uninteresting. Discuss.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-4636195497634099822008-12-31T14:52:00.001-06:002008-12-31T14:53:57.823-06:00Finally, a post!I found this on Boundless (don't judge me, please!).<br /><br />I think it sums up very well many things I want to say to a lot of people I've never met.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001931.cfm">Ignorant Christians</a><br />by Gary Thomas<br /><br />Ignorance is one charge I'd like to see the church vigorously refute by example. We need a generation of first-rate thinkers, but we also need a generation in which every Christian sees himself or herself as a scholar.<br /><br />Not, mind you, as an academic, but as one who takes seriously Paul's charge to "watch your life and doctrine carefully; persevere in them because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Tim. 3:16).<br /><br />J.P. Moreland argues that "The spiritually mature person is a wise person."1 According to Scripture, the mind of Christ and God's wisdom are something given to us, but also something that we're told to cultivate (1 Cor. 2:16, Prov. 4:1-13). A mature Christian mind that can teach other believers, defend the faith, and lead others to understanding comes about from a life of intentional study.<br /><br />If you're not the "student" type, you still owe it to yourself, your God, and this world to develop a mature, wise mind.<br /><br />The consequences of ignorance are many and severe: Our witness suffers greatly from Christians who speak up without having really thought through what they're saying. Without a developed mind, we are easily led astray by foolish beliefs that the church dismissed as heresy centuries ago.<br /><br />Ignorance also has moral implications; John Piper has said that behind most wrong living is wrong thinking. This wrong thinking has a "snowball" effect. As my therapist friend, Dr. Mitch Whitman, puts it, we become "increasingly stupid." When we shut God off in any area of our lives, but especially our minds, we become vulnerable to any foolish whim; our emotions and passions will rule us and degrade us.<br /><br />Worse, we even lose the spiritual perception that otherwise might warn us about what is happening.<br /><br />Paul warned about this when he wrote to the Ephesians:<br /><br /> So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (Eph. 4:17-19)<br /><br />Christianity exalts the role of the mind as a necessary part of right living, but our faith is unique in stressing how our behavior and our minds influence and act upon each other. When our thinking goes, our behavior doesn't lag far behind. And when our behavior slips, our minds begin to slip as well.<br /><br />Cultivating the mind of Christ gives believers great potential to showcase penetrating insight and compelling truth. Unfortunately, cultivating such a mind can require considerable effort and persistent study. How sad it is when people called to the ministry try to take a shortcut and instead of calling people to a higher truth, they try to mask their lack of understanding with cleverness or lighthearted entertainment.<br /><br />Today's faithful have a lot to live up to. The Christian church has thrived for more than 2,000 years because it has largely out-thought its opponents. When we fail to cultivate the mind and wisdom of Christ, we are forced into adopting shallow substitutes — movie clips, clever PowerPoint productions, funny jokes — to mask the emptiness of our thinking.<br /><br />I'm not suggesting there is no place for movie clips, or that PowerPoint can never be an effective aid, or that humor has no place — I incorporate all three at various times in my own ministry. But I am suggesting that our presentations should be carried first and foremost by persuasive truth and heart-rending insight. Teachers must give their minds to God, so that God can give His thoughts to the congregation.<br /><br />True Worship<br /><br />If developing your mind has been little more than an after-thought, it's time to make a change. Paul suggests that a Christ-molded mind is the foundation of transformation. Consider this familiar passage:<br /><br /> Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)<br /><br />These verses confirm that while God is the agent of change, we have a responsibility to surrender ourselves to God's change. As C.E.B. Cranfield puts it,<br /><br /> The use of the imperative [be transformed] is consonant with the truth that, while this transformation is not the Christians' own doing but the work of the Holy Spirit, they nevertheless have a real responsibility in the matter — to let themselves be transformed, to respond to the leading and pressure of God's Spirit.2<br /><br />So how do we allow God to transform our minds? What are our points of cooperation?<br /><br />Become a diligent student<br /><br />Every month I eagerly read through Runner's World magazine. It's not an "obligation" for me to do this. Because I love running, I want to read about the latest training techniques and running gear. I revel in the inspiring personal stories; I check my calendar against upcoming races; I want to know about the latest shoes; I even pore over the ads.<br /><br />The Bible could well be called God's World. If we truly love God's world, Bible study will become a joy. We'll eagerly embrace filling our minds with His inspired words; and we'll also want to read the insights of others as they interact with God's Word, which is why being a diligent student also usually means reading other books.<br /><br />Is it possible to be a faithful disciple and not be a diligent student? No. How we study will differ according to our gifts, personality, and temperament. Whether we study should not. Contemplative prayer, social activism, fellowship, and enthusiastic worship all have their place; but if Paul says transformation includes the renewal of our minds, I don't believe it is possible for us to be serious disciples of Christ if we do not also become serious students of His truth.<br /><br />We mustn't allow our own or someone else's laziness or lack of fondness for reading, discipline and study to imprison them in spiritual immaturity. Someone may prefer not to exercise, but if they are 50 pounds overweight, fighting off diabetes, high blood pressure, and clogged arteries, then they had better get over it. They will never get healthy until they find a way to exercise.<br /><br />In the same way, if someone is ignorant of God's Word, then they will reflect that ignorance in their beliefs, their speech, their purpose in life, their motivations and in all sorts of spiritual illnesses. They need to get over their distaste of disciplined study. We have many ways to "study" these days, so we have less excuse to remain ignorant than ever before in the history of the church. That's not hyperbole; it's simple fact.<br /><br />Christianity is not like some eastern religions that try to circumvent the mind with meditations designed to put the mind in a state of paralysis (such as meditations on the sound of "one hand clapping"). Christianity showcases a reasonable and rational explanation of the universe and our relationship with the God who created us. Ignorance isn't just sin, it leads to ever-increasing sin, and it has no place in a maturing believer's life.<br /><br />Sit at the feet of proven teachers<br /><br />All of us are products of our own prejudices, personal blinders and lack of experience. Fortunately, God has gifted many women and men with insights that can take us to new heights. What an opportunity we have to sit at the feet of trusted and recognized thinkers and teachers.<br /><br />My writing career launched with the publication of Seeking the Face of God — an exploration of the most common themes of Christian spirituality according to the great Christian classics. C.S. Lewis explains that any new book is "on trial," needing to be tested. But many books have come down through the ages to help us understand the ways of God. The spiritual classics allow us to step out of our century, and even out of our traditions, so that our minds can be stretched and expanded beyond their current limitations.<br /><br />R. Somerset Ward puts it so well:<br /><br /> Herein lies the great justification of the practice of devotional reading. It is, in fact, the use of, and cooperation with, the great process of inspiration which is forever going on in the world: a process whereby the power and wisdom of God is continually flowing out into the world to aid the growth and development of man's soul.3<br /><br />Ward goes on to explain how devotional classics "act, like the starting handle of a motor, by drawing in some of the living power of God to enliven our lack of life."4 If you're not particularly challenged or inspired by people in your own community, or even your own century, you are invited to mine the passion, conviction and deep insight of brothers and sisters who lived in earlier times and in different places.<br /><br />In addition to the spiritual classics, make room on at least a yearly basis to read a good work of what is called "systematic theology." Respected teachers like Wayne Grudem, R. C. Sproul, J.I. Packer and many others that your pastor might recommend can help you educate yourself with essential truths.<br /><br />Pivot<br /><br />The biblical instruction is clear: We need to take charge of our minds. On their own, our minds can be instruments of anxiety, doubt, worry, fear and romantic fallacies. Paul urges us to exert ourselves more strongly in the arena of our minds than in any other area of the spiritual life:<br /><br /> Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. (Phil. 4:8)<br /><br />He's even more forceful when writing to the Corinthians:<br /><br /> Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. (1 Cor. 14:20)<br /><br />We need to mature to the point where we take charge of our minds, Paul insists, because God holds us accountable to do so. Jesus challenged some teachers of the law for their faulty reasoning when He said, "Why are you thinking these things?" (Mark 2:8).<br /><br />Some Christians act as if they are helpless victims to their thinking, as if they can't stop certain fantasies, infatuations, negative thinking, ruminating on fears or hateful prejudice. This simply doesn't square with a biblical worldview that tells us to "pivot" toward pure thought. We are taught to stop thinking about evil and to start thinking about what is pure or admirable or excellent.<br /><br />For understandable reasons, we give our brains a little more power than they deserve, but ultimately, the Bible tells us we mustn't allow any organ to rule over us — not our stomachs, not our genitalia, and not our brains. We must take dominion over each aspect of our humanity, surrender it to God, and allow it to be transformed by God.<br /><br />Give your mind to God; let Him develop it, shape it, fill it and use it. Let's make "ignorant Christians" a thing of the past.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />NOTES<br /><br /> 1. J.P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul. (Navpress: Colorado, 1997), p. 39<br /> 2. C.E.B. Cranfield, "The Epistle to the Romans" (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1979), p. 607.<br /> 3. R. Somerset Ward, "To Jerusalem," (1931; reprint, Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse, 1994), p. 162.<br /> 4. Ibid.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-26784784204678245522008-09-22T17:47:00.001-06:002008-09-22T17:49:11.558-06:00The Universe, in a few minutes.I was linked to <a href="http://www.rootsrain.com/?p=136">this</a> while reading <a href="http://www.boundlessline.org/2008/09/i-had-no-idea.html">Boundless</a> today.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.rootsrain.com/?p=136">Follow this link, read the article, and watch the video. Then comment.</a><br /><br />Wow.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-59167386612945374892008-06-30T14:14:00.002-06:002008-06-30T14:19:47.485-06:00An interesting ideaAfter a short hiatus, Sojourn is back.<br /><br />So, after reading <a href="http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n20/eagl01_.html">a critique on Dawkins' <span style="font-style: italic;">The God Delusion</span> by Terry Eagleton, </a>I hit upon this question(This question has nothing to do with the article, but it's an interesting article nonetheless)<br /><br />As a Christian, I understand that the death of Jesus was sacrificial in purpose. Jesus assumed the role of a sacrificial lamb, and took all of the sins of humanity upon himself. We as Christians believe that Jesus died on a cross at Golgotha, and that his death acts as justification in the eyes of God for those who accept it. However, was it necessary for Jesus to die on the cross? Would a death of natural causes have been sufficient to fulfill God's plan and act as the proper atonement for all mankind?Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-42185312089299794632008-05-20T16:10:00.003-06:002008-05-20T16:14:06.741-06:00On HiatusHello, dear readers.<br />This blog has been temporarily suspended while I concentrate my creative energies elsewhere. It will come back someday, I promise.<br />Until then, please turn your attention to <a href="http://www.straightaheadjazz.blogspot.com">Straight Ahead Jazz</a> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> - my regular blog.<br />-MattMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-7148481907995081962008-01-02T11:39:00.000-06:002008-01-02T11:41:57.187-06:00Fads and Fixtures of the Evangelical ChurchI found this <a href="http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/archives/003638.html#more">here</a>. I saw this a while ago and it really made me think about this stuff. I rediscovered it earlier today, and thought that it might be a good idea to post. Also, to bring back Sojourn. Anyways, happy new year!<br />/Matt<br /><br /><br />#1 Making Converts -- I've always felt uneasy about the idea that Christians should be seeking to make converts. Am I wrong in thinking that the making of converts is a task associated with Islam, rather than Christianity? Perhaps I have a flawed understanding of the Gospel, but I always thought the purpose of evangelism is not to make converts but to make, as Christ commanded, disciples. Indeed, my primary complaint against each of the other nine methods on this list is that they are usually ineffective in instigating true conversion much less helping make true disciples.<br /><br />#2 The Sinner's Prayer -- The gates of hell have a special entrance reserved for people who thought that they had a ticket into heaven because someone told them all they needed to do was recite the "sinner's prayer." I've searched through the entire New Testament and can't find an example of anyone who was "saved" after reciting such a prayer. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that such prayer is worthless or that it can't be used by the Holy Spirit. But salvation is not obtained by reciting a magical incantation as many, many, "Christians" will discover after it's far, far, too late.<br /><br />#3 "Do you know Jesus as…" -- In the fall of 1987 I began my freshman year of college. I was far from home, overwhelmed and lonely on a campus of 20,000 students. While sitting alone in the cafeteria one afternoon, an older student walked up, smiled and asked if he could join me. I was starved for conversation and thrilled to have the company. He sat his tray down in front of mine and took a seat as I prepared to engage him in a heady discussion of his choosing. Politics, philosophy, science. I was mentally preparing for anything he threw at me.<br /><br />Glancing up from his plate of spaghetti, he asked, "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?"<br /><br />For a few seconds I was stunned, completely at a loss for a response. "I'm, yeah, actually I have." I finally managed in reply.<br /><br />"Oh," he said, visibly disappointed. "Okay, that's good." He wore a look of minor defeat. He had chosen the wrong table; no soul would be won for Christ over this lunch. We chatted politely while I finished my burger. He ate quickly and excused himself. After that lunch, I never saw him again.<br /><br />This is one question that needs never be asked for it shows (a) you do not know the person well enough, (b) the answer is yes and the person is a lousy Christian, or (c) the answer is no in which case you just activated their Fundie-alert system and caused them to switch their brains into ignore mode. Instead of asking about a "personal savior" you might want to simply try to get to know the person.<br /><br />#4 Tribulationism -- Ask a non-believer to give a rudimentary explanation of "the Rapture" and chances are they can provide a fairly accurate description of that concept. Ask the same person to give a basic explanation of the Gospel message, though, and they are likely to be stumped. The reason for this curious state of affairs is that evangelicals have promoted what I refer to as "Tribulationism" -- an overemphasis on eschatology that overshadows the Gospel. I'm sure that somewhere in the three dozen novels that comprise the Left Behind series the Gospel message is presented. But there is something horribly wrong when the greatest story ever told is buried beneath a third-rate tale of the apocalypse.<br /><br />#5 Testimonies -- Several years ago, during a job interview for a Christian organization, my prospective employer asked me to tell him my "testimony." The fact that I was a Christian apparently wasn't enough. I had to have a good conversion story to go along with my faith. Now you may have a great story about how the hound of Heaven" chased you down and gnawed on your leg until you surrendered. No doubt your story would make for a gripping movie of the week on Lifetime and lead to the making of numerous converts (see #1). But the harsh truth is that your story doesn't much matter. You are only a bit player in the narrative thread; the main part goes to the Divine Protagonist. In fact, He already has a pretty good story so why not just tell that one instead?<br /><br />#6 The Altar Call - In the 1820's evangelist Charles Finney introduced the "anxious seat," a front pew left vacant where at the end of the meeting "the anxious may come and be addressed particularly--and sometimes be conversed with individually." At the end of his sermon, he would say, "There is the anxious seat; come out, and avow determination to be on the Lord's side." The problem with this approach, as theologian J.I. Packer, explains is that,<br /><br /> The gospel of God requires an immediate response from all; but it does not require the same response from all. The immediate duty of the unprepared sinner is not to try and believe on Christ, which he is not able to do, but to read, enquire, pray, use the means of grace and learn what he needs to be saved from. It is not in his power to accept Christ at any moment, as Finney supposed; and it is God's prerogative, not the evangelist's, to fix the time when men shall first savingly believe. For the latter to try and do so, by appealing to sinners to begin believing here and now, is for man to take to himself the sovereign right of the Holy Ghost. It is an act of presumption, however creditable the evangelists motive's may be. Hereby he goes beyond his commission as God's messenger; and hereby he risks doing incalculable damage to the souls of men. If he tells men they are under obligation to receive Christ on the spot, and demands in God's name that they decide at once, some who are spiritually unprepared will try to do so; they will come forward and accept directions and "go through the motions" and go away thinking they have received Christ, when all the time they have not done so because they were not yet able to do so. So a crop of false conversions will result from making such appeals, in the nature of the case. Bullying for "decisions" thus in fact impedes and thwarts the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Man takes it on himself to try to bring that work to a precipitate conclusion, to pick the fruit before it is ripe; and the result is "false conversions," hypocrisy and hardening. "For the appeal for immediate decision presupposes that men are free to "decide for Christ" at any time; and this presupposition is the disastrous issue of a false, un-Scriptural view of sin.<br /><br />My friend Jared Bridges has pointed out another reason for me, as a Baptist, to despise the term "altar call": We don't believe in transubstantiation and we don’t burn offerings, so we have no need for an "altar."<br /><br />#7 Witnessing -- Evangelism ain't Amway. It is not a form of Multi-Level Marketing in which you get extra credit for the number of people in your network and you don’t get a great commission for the Great Commission. If you want to sell something door-to-door make it Amway products not the Good News.<br /><br />If you want to be a more effective "witness for Christ" then start by doing what Christ did and love other people. Start by loving the "unlovable" -- the smelly, unbathed men down at the mission, the annoying kids at church, the bonehead who cuts you off in traffic. Yes, you need to tell people about the Gospel. But that is evangelism, not "witnessing." In the context of the Christian life, "witness" should be a noun more often than a verb.<br /><br />#8 Protestant Prayers -- Last week one of my fellow coworkers, a young Catholic man, was asked to open our meeting with a prayer. Without hesitation he began reciting the "Lord's prayer." Afterward I joked that, having come up with such a fine prayer, he might want to write it down for future use. What I didn't say what how his recitation of the prayer made me uncomfortable.<br /><br />First, I'm not used to hearing prayers that don't contain the word "just" (as in "We just want to thank you Lord…") so it had an odd ring to it. Second, it seemed to violate the accepted standards for public prayer. I had always assumed that praying in public required being able to interlace some just-want-to's in with some Lord-thank-you-for's and be- with-us-as-we's in a coherent fashion before toppping it all with an Amen. Third, I thought that prayers are supposed to be spontaneous--from the heart, off the top of the head--emanations, rather than prepackaged recitations. If it ain't original, it ain't prayer, right? Can I get an amen?<br /><br />But where did this idea come from? We have entire books to teach us how to pray yet Jesus managed to wrap up the lesson in less than forty words. Why isn't that prayer good enough for evangelicals to use? Why do our prayers sound nothing like His example? (And if you are wondering what prayer is doing on a list of evangelistic fixtures then we are really in trouble.)<br /><br />#9 The Church Growth Movement -- Sadly, this has moved from fad to fixture. Think I'm wrong? Ask the next person you see to define that phrase. In fact, ask the next 100 people you see. Let me know if you find anyone that tells you they think the church growth movement is a movement in the church to grow disciples. (If you do find someone who says that then smack 'em upside their head with a Scofield for they're a Purpose-Driven Liar.)<br /><br />#10 Chick Tracts -- Chick Tracts are a tool of the devil. That fact--and yes it is a fact--is not changed just because you know a guy who knows a guy who heard testimony about a guy who said the Sinner' Prayer after finding "The Long Trip" on the floor of a truck stop restroom.<br /><br />The term evangelism derives from the Greek word evangel--"good news." So it's rather odd how so much evangelism appears to be about "selling" Jesus and hoping that you can convince the unsaved heathen to buy into salvation. This was the way I had been taught during Vacation Bible School classes at the First Baptist Church of Fire and Brimstone. Pass out Chick tracts, recite the canned "how to get saved" speech, get them to say the sinner's prayer. Above all, close the deal. They may die at any time and their souls would be lost to eternal damnation if I didn't "make the sell." By the age of eight I was a cross between Billy Graham and Willy Loman.<br /><br />Whenever I began to seriously read the Gospels, though, I noticed something strange. People constantly flocked to Jesus despite the fact that he never passed out a single tract. He would walk up to people and say "Follow me" and the next thing you know they're giving up their lives to follow him around the countryside.<br /><br />The people responded to Jesus the way they did because he is God. He is what our hearts have always been seeking. When we come face to face with him we may accept or reject him. But we can't not know him. Calvin claimed that there is an awareness or sense of God (sensus divinitatis) implanted in all people by nature. The context of this universally distributed belief being rather minimal: there is a God, He is the Creator, and that He ought to be worshiped. The Gospel, though, fills in the essential details.<br /><br />We evangelicals don't need tools of evangelism. We don't need fads and fixtures. We don't need anything more than the Gospel. For that is one fixture of our faith that will never go out of style.<br /><br />(Note: The last time I posted this article, I ended up caving into peer pressure and admitting that maybe this stuff ain't all that bad. Two years later I find that I conceded too much. I've modified my stance a bit and clarified a few points of contention. But I really do believe that these "fixtures" have become detrimental to the making of disciples. Am I wrong? I'm open to hearing counter-claims.)Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-34577472096454305762007-09-03T09:20:00.000-06:002007-09-03T10:01:42.859-06:00What's in a name?Everyone has a name. This name may be ordinary and commonplace, such as Andrew, Matthew, Amy, or Megan, or it may be completely different and obscure, such as Drusilla or Oddmund. <br />If a name is not recently invented, it probably has a meaning to it. For example, according to behindthename.com, Jacob was the most popular boys' name in 2006, and it means "holder of the heel", or "supplanter". The most popular name for girls was Emily, which means "rival". My own name, Matthew, means "Gift of God". <br />I have wondered for a long time whether the the meanings of our names actually hold any value. My name means "Gift of God", so am I a gift of God? I would like to think so.<br />However, the meaning of the name itself is the second most important thing. The most important thing about having a name is that it bestows value upon the named. A name is a sign of value and worth because it separates the named from other things similar to it. In nature, we name the biggest and neatest rocks, but we refer to the smaller, ordinary ones by their familial name (e.g. a piece of shale). We name our pets, but not every dog or cat has been given a proper name. However, every human being has a name. This means that every person is unique and has worth.<br />I read a sci-fi book as a child where there was a species of intelligent beings who had a very interesting take on names. Translated into human names and ideas, it looks like this: When I was born, I was called Human. When I became an adult, I earned the right to be called Neufeld. By distinguishing myself among my peers, I earned the right to be called Matthew. And when I do something that affects the whole world for the greater good, I will earn the right to refer to myself as "I".<br />This is an interesting system, although I cannot see it working for humans, but the idea that we would start as all the same, and gradually "make a name for ourself" by doing bigger and better things. In this example, a name is directly linked to self-worth and accomplishment.<br />Do we need names? I do not know whether humans actually need names, or whether names are strongly desired, but I know that humans are not hive-mind drones - we think and work for ourself. This makes us different from each other, so maybe a name is necessary to reinforce our individuality.<br />Now, back to meanings in names. Does the meaning of our name speak to the core of who we really are? Does the meaning of our name matter? Can a parent define what their child is going to be like simply by naming their child?<br />One thing that I remember from my teen emo/existentialist times is how the meaning of my name was always a beacon of hope. In the times where I was feeling down and like I did not matter, I was sometimes reminded of the meaning of my name - "Gift of God". I took this as a reminder that I was valuable, and that I was loved, because I knew that a gift from God was a very precious thing indeed. I know that this is only my example, but the meaning of my name seems to me to be an indicator of what I can be. I am worth something, so I should make a name for myself. I am loved, so I should love in return. <br />I could go on, but I won't for sake of time. I will, however, leave with this verse. Revelation 2:17 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.<br />Our name now represents who we are. This white stone represents who we can be. Let us overcome, so that we may be worthy of our true name.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-77725300519598402332007-07-28T23:44:00.000-06:002007-07-28T23:45:52.498-06:00A key ideaIf someone is born with the tendency to get extremely angry, that does not mean that it is acceptable for that person to be angry, nor is it acceptable for that person to act based on their "natural" anger.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-19568565685921169422007-04-26T18:09:00.000-06:002007-04-26T18:12:55.683-06:00<div class="comment-content"><p>I commented earlier today on <a href="http://www.boundlessline.org/2007/04/christian_music.html">this blog post</a>. This post is about how Chris Rice (of Christian music fame) is crossing over to the secular world. This is my response, but basically is a critique of modern Christian music. I recommend the book "Body Piercing Saved My Life", by Andrew Beaujon to those of you who are interested in learning more about the Christian music industry - it is a very neat book. You can borrow it from me if you want (just ask!)</p><br /><p style="font-family: arial;"> A few commenters have hit on the point that Christian music is the only genre of music which is defined by its content rather than how it sounds. The message within Christian music is what relegates these CDs to a dusty corner in the back of the music store in the "Religious/Other" section. If you take away the words, though, for the most part you will get an "adult contemporary" sound. (I am referring to the Nashville-based CCM Christian artists, not to other youth-targeting labels). The problem with this is that when non-Christians hear this, it sounds like everything else they will hear on the radio, except it isn't as good. The music that we use to praise our God sounds (ironically) uninspired. There is a definite stigma surrounding Christian music that says that Christian music is a sub-par imitation of three years ago's popular music. Some of you may be saying "That's not true", but whether or not it is true is irrelevant - this is how Christian music is perceived. When an artist "breaks out" of the Christian music scene, it gives him or her a chance to be recognized as a legitimate artist.<br />To respond to C., the Church actually has been (in the past) the creator of brilliant, time-honoured music, rather than just following secular trends. For example, J.S. Bach was a church musician by trade. Some of his greatest pieces, for example, his Mass in B Minor, were created for church use. Bach wrote for the glory of God, and his music has stood the test of time.<br />So why is Church music considered sub-par today? Firstly, we have the imitation of popular styles with disregard to creativity. Secondly, we accept mediocrity within our church musicians. I have the advantage of attending a large church where we have professional musicians for our worship teams. However, I have been in several situations where the person leading worship had bought his or her first guitar several weeks ago, and was asked to lead worship because a: "They have such a heart for worship" or b: "We need someone to lead a few songs next week". Sadly, these situations happen all the time. To add to the problem, some Christian musicians do not want to practice because they feel that either God will provide them with the necessary skill to worship Him if they have enough faith, or that practicing worship songs detracts from the worship aspect. This leads to a lack of basic musical skills in church musicians such as reading music, being able to transpose, or sometimes even being to hold a steady beat!<br />How, then, do we bring the Church back to its former place in music? Here are some ideas:<br />Cultivate an atmosphere of musical excellence. This means practicing, taking lessons, and striving for musicality at all times.<br />Listen! Take the time to listen to other things besides contemporary Christian music. Excellent things to listen to are classical music and jazz, but don't limit yourself.<br />Try new things. This can mean anything from having the audience listen as someone plays a classical piece,to changing the chords to add life to a much-used song to incorporating new musical styles and instruments into your music.<br />Don't be afraid to use your talents. God has given each of us a unique set of abilities, and we are glorifying God if we actually use our talents!<br />If we can change the way we as the Church think about music, then the day will come where people like Chris Rice do not have to leave a Christian label in order to be recognized.</p> </div>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-83756507724309063342007-04-06T23:38:00.000-06:002007-04-06T23:43:33.480-06:00Coming SoonA new home for Sojourn!<br />And some new musings to boot.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1170481514780571452007-02-02T23:42:00.000-06:002007-02-02T23:45:14.790-06:00JoyJoy is a mysterious thing. It comes when we least expect it, or when it has been invited right in. It doesn't always take the shape we expect, or come in neat packages. But the best part about joy? You can't control it.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1167097556553667962006-12-25T19:12:00.000-06:002006-12-25T19:45:56.583-06:00Jealousy and DisappointmentIs there such a thing as holy jealousy, or even any good form of jealousy? I know we've all felt jealous or envious of someone in the past. Normally, this feeling is frowned upon. In fact, it's almost always frowned upon. "Don't be greedy," we're scolded. "All in due time," the sages tell us. We want something, and someone else has it. I know this is something four-year-olds experience all the time, but adults definitely experience jealousy, but over completely different things. A four-year-old will want his playmate's toy truck, and will usually either steal it outright or beg his parents until they give in. Adults, on the other hand, experience jealousy in a much more raw, dark way. This jealousy can take the form of lusting for another person's significant other, or coveting a friend's excessive wealth. <br />The feeling of jealousy/envy usually means that one sees someone else and their possessions or lifestyle, and want that for themself. In the above examples, it is fairly clearly wrong. We as Christians, and society in general view the consequences of jealousy (i.e. adultery and theft) as wrong. But let me pose a scenario for you to think about:<br />*Note: this scenario is entirely fictional and is being made up right now.*<br />Alan is a middle-aged man who works a blue-collar job in a factory, trying to make ends meet to support his wife and three kids. Alan runs into his high school friend Barry, and learns that Barry is working as a manager at a moderately successful local company. Barry tells Alan about how he is taking time off of work to take his kids jet-skiing at his cabin, and how he was able to buy his son a car for his sixteenth birthday. As Alan and Barry part, Alan realizes that he is very jealous of Barry - but not in the form of wanting to take the things that Barry has. Alan realizes that he is jealous of Barry's financial independence and ability to have free time, as well as afford nicer things for his family. Alan wants to be able to have all these things, but he does not want to take them from Barry - he wants to achieve them for himself.<br />Is this type of jealousy bad? I don't think so. <br />I think that one thing that may mix in here is disappointment. Alan's jealousy stems from his disappointment over not being able to do these things for his family, for not being able to rise out of debt and living paycheck-to-paycheck. Alan may not have been able to overcome his obstacles for various reasons - perhaps he is working on kicking an addiction to gambling and is paying off old gambling debts. But for the sake of the example, let's say that Alan is a model citizen, that he saves his money and doesn't spend it on exceedingly frivolous things. Instead, he has hit a series of misfortunes - for example, he was fired from his job by mistake, and was injured in an accident not too long after - exactly what happened doesn't matter, but the point is that he is doing everything in his power to get ahead, and circumstances are not cooperating. He truly feels like everything in the universe is arrayed against him, and even though he is doing all the right things, his life is not coming together as he wanted. He worked hard, only to see his opportunities slip out of his grasp.<br />The disappointment that comes from working hard to achieve something and then failing to achieve is almost insurmountable. This can cause extreme bitterness and jealousy, and can lead to anger or depression. <br />So why does this happen to people? We all know someone who worked very hard to achieve something. Usually they succeed, and that's how we expect the world to work, right? If you put a genuine effort into something and it fails, how do you take that? That's not "how it's supposed to be."<br />Any thoughts, experiences, ideas? Have you seen this in your or someone else's life?Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1166675283514571382006-12-20T22:26:00.000-06:002006-12-20T22:28:03.523-06:00It's Time To PostHi all,<br />I'm still here, waiting for inspiration to post again. In the meantime, to continue our (never-ending) talk about truth and beauty, here's a link I found from my friend <a href="http://fromdecemberssnow.blogspot.com/">Lee Siemens</a>' blog.<br /><a href="http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.ca/film_fullscreen_evo.html">Check this out.</a><br />More to come soon!Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1162162575891591812006-10-29T16:38:00.000-06:002006-10-29T16:56:15.906-06:00Remembrance DayBeing at CMU has been an interesting experience. I have met many new people who have differing opinions on just about everything. The opinion and attitude that has stuck out at me the most over the past few months is their opinion on war and peace.<br />As a Mennonite school, CMU believes in nonviolence and conflict resolution. They do not believe that war is ever necessary or justified. This idea has its merits, but I disagree. However, this post is not about why I am not a pacifist. This has to do with something that came up this week.<br />I was talking to some staff and students about music (what else?), and the topic came up of my first paid gig as a trumpet player. I was asked to play Last Post and the Rouse at a junior high school for their Remembrance Day assembly. The staff member asked me "Is this going to be a problem for you?" I was a little confused, but I understood when she asked me what my church background was. We started talking about how Remembrance Day is something that is almost "swept under the rug" by Mennonites. These Mennonites do not want anything to do with war, even a reminder. I thought about it for a second, and then I replied with this:<br />Even if you believe that war is completely wrong, and that you are totally opposed to ever participating in a war, ignoring Remembrance Day is a slap in the face of all the veterans and peacekeepers who have gone before. Even if you don't agree with war and fighting, the fact of the matter is that these people DID fight and some of them DID die so that we could enjoy our freedoms today. Those freedoms include the freedom to oppose war, and the freedom to think whatever we want. One can disagree with war, but ignoring those who have given their lives in war flies completely in the face of disagreeing with warfare in the first place. If you forget those who have fought to preserve our country and freedoms, you give up any part of those freedoms which they preserved for you.<br />I am going to make sure I have a poppy this Remembrance Day, not to annoy the Mennonites, but to remind myself that my freedoms have been bought with a price. <br /><em>We must remember. If we do not, the sacrifice of those one hundred thousand Canadian lives will be meaningless. They died for us, for their homes and families and friends, for a collection of traditions they cherished and a future they believed in; they died for Canada. The meaning of their sacrifice rests with our collective national consciousness; our future is their monument. Heather Robertson, A Terrible Beauty, The Art of Canada at War. Toronto, Lorimer, 1977. </em>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1153852214293924202006-07-25T12:07:00.000-06:002006-07-25T12:30:14.330-06:00War and Space.I was reading about the troubles happening in Beirut, and this thought struck me:<br />We have grown up in a place where, although we hear of it often, war has never touched us. We may have heard of people having to flee their homes, leaving everything behind in order to save their own lives, but we have never had to leave the safety of our living rooms. None of us homegrown North Americans have seen war on our home soil. We have never experienced the terror of hiding in your bomb shelter, listening to planes and sirens and explosions, and wondering who's not coming to school the next day. We've never sheltered in our basements while soldiers exchanged fire outside. We've never dealt with lawlessness that comes out of uprising. How lucky we are! <br />Do you ever wonder what life would be like if Canada and America were war zones? Would we have professional football, or endless hours of Friends reruns? Would we be able to buy a Pepsi whenever we wanted to, or a Big Mac? Would we be able to attend church every Sunday at 11:00? Would there still be an obesity crisis? Do you think that we'd still have church splits over worship styles, or lawsuits over spilled coffee? Would we say the same things to our loved ones when they go off to work for the day with the knowledge that they might not come back? Would we still take God for granted?<br />How lucky we are, and yet we are still to be pitied, for we have lost sight of what is truly important.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1152111672770756322006-07-05T08:58:00.000-06:002006-07-05T09:01:12.783-06:00Same sex marriage vs. children's rights<a href="http://www.andcuriouser.com">Aaron</a> posted a link to <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/culture/people/article.jsp?content=20060701_130175_130175">this</a> - it's an interview between Maclean's magazine and Margaret Somerville - an ethicist who just received her honorary doctorate from Ryerson University amidst a storm of controversy. I thought it was interesting and somewhat thought-provoking. The basis of the controversy is this: Margaret Somerville believes that same-sex marriage interferes with children's rights. Your thoughts?Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1150220283284353732006-06-13T11:15:00.000-06:002006-06-13T11:38:03.310-06:00Personal responsibilityLooking back to when you were a child, do you remember this phrase: "The devil made me do it?" I definitely do.<br />The idea of "the devil made me do it" shines light on a great fault of North American culture, and even one of the greater Western culture. I'm not sure about saying "world culture", because I don't know much outside of Western culture. The fault is this - irresponsibility. If I do something wrong, and when confronted with my mistake, I say "the devil made me do it", I am absolving myself of any personal responsibility for my actions. I am in fact saying "I did not do anything wrong. Instead, I was used by some outside force to commit its evil deeds". Does that seem right to you?<br />If I had to pick one thing that annoys me most, it would be irresponsibility. When people make commitments and break them, or neglect their duties and responsibilities, it really bothers me. Now, this probably stems from me being a "take-charge" person, a "do-it-yourself" kind of guy. If something goes wrong, it's my fault, and I am wrong to blame others. This doesn't mesh with the concept of "the devil made me do it". I believe that everyone is ultimately responsible for their own actions, both good and bad. Let's take a look at this a bit further.<br />Let's say that every act of sin in the world is actually caused by demons and devils forcing people to do their evil deeds. Where does that leave us? That leaves us completely blameless for our actions. If we are completely blameless for our actions, we are pure in the eyes of God. We have no need of redemption or Christ's sacrifice. However, that also makes us "robots" - if we cannot act of our own free will, we are robots. If we cannot sin except for some outside influence, then we are not truly free. <br />The solution to the problem of this lies here: Satan is known as "the great accuser". He accuses us of our faults before God. His place is not to cause us to sin, but to accuse us of our sin. If it was actually him committing the offenses, he would be accusing himself. So then it follows that we are actually responsible for what we do. <br />Also, sin is a willful act of rebellion against God. There are three key words here - willful, act, and rebellion. One could say "willful" isn't necessary, but it is, because act involves will. Working backwards, "rebellion" means doing what is contrary to God. "Act" means actually doing something. And, the most important for our discussion, "willful" means that it was a conscious decision, with full knowledge of the wrongness of the action.<br />Here is how I think that the whole "demonic intervention" thing works - the demons can influence us, sometimes to the point where resistance seems impossible, but ultimate responsibility for sin lies in our hands - NOT Satan's.<br />So, the old excuse "the devil made me do it" is just that - an excuse. A better excuse would be "the devil tried really hard to convince me to do it, and I went along with him". We are ultimately responsible for what we do. The good thing about that is that it means we are capable of doing right as well as wrong. We have a choice.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19992456.post-1147897903608109812006-05-17T13:54:00.000-06:002006-05-17T14:31:43.643-06:00Saved!So it's been a while since I posted on sojourn - life has been too busy for me to think about big questions and all. However, there is one question that has nagged me all my life - what does it mean to be a Christian, especially in a "Christian environment"?<br />I'm not going to be able to answer this question here, but I watched a movie over choir tour that sort of deals with this question - Saved!, starring Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, and Macaulay Culkin. <br /><br />This review contains spoilers and plot information, so please watch the movie first!<br /><br />Saved! is set in a Christian high school, in which Mary (Malone) attempts to save her boyfriend from becoming gay, but gets pregnant in the process. Her friends, including the oh-so-pious Hilary Faye (Moore) do not understand, and ostracize her, forcing her to make friends with the outsiders at the school. The film does a superb job of portraying life in a Christian high school, including what values seem to be most important, and accurately describing what some people would describe the "perfect Christian" as.<br />There are two characters I would like to take a look at: Mary and Hilary Faye. Mary, the protagonist of the film, is a normal girl who makes a mistake in the film. Hilary Faye is the loud, popular, attractive girl who uses the word "Jesus" in every other sentence (in a non-blasphemous way). Mary is utterly normal, while Hilary Faye is the "perfect Christian girl", who leads worship, does student council, and holds prayer meetings at her house. Oddly enough, in this film, Hilary Faye is the antagonist, causing Mary to become a social outcast, and generally ruining lives, while Mary is the one who really "gets it". <br />Is this film anti-Christian? While many people would say it is, I would wholeheartedly disagree with them. I have spent 16 years in Christian schools, and I have to say that the portrayal of Christians is fairly accurate. Even though the "perfect Christian" Hilary Faye is the antagonist, which would seem anti-Christian, I would agree that she should be the antagonist, and that in fact, Mary is the "perfect Christian". Mary is the one who (albeit under duress) befriends the outcasts at the school, who does not cause grief for everyone around her, and who is completely genuine. Hilary Faye, in her zeal for Christ, seems to be blind to what is actually important.<br />Looking at Hilary Faye again, it is important to know why she is being so "Christian" to the point of terrorizing other people - she is completely human as well. In my experience, especially at my Christian high school, the following equation is true:<br />Spirituality = popularity. <br />The more "spirituality" one has, the more Christian they seem, and the more popular they become. I have never seen anything as extreme as Hilary Faye is portrayed to be, but I cannot deny that the temptation is there. There are many people who raise their hands during worship, lead Bible studies and prayer times, organize outreaches, or sing in chapel that do so because (probably unconsciously) they believe that it will make them more popular, and especially more accepted. As I began to realize this in high school, I made a choice to have my own inward spirituality, because anything outward could easily be an effort to become popular or accepted, and it would not be real. <br />Just so you know, I am not saying that everyone who raises their hands in chapel is trying to gain attention. There are many honest, committed Christians who raise their hands. However, in a high school environment, where the biggest thing on everyone's minds is fitting in, external spirituality can be a way to fit in. And I have seen people whose lives inside chapel were completely opposite to the way they acted on the streets.<br />I could go on for a while, but I think this is enough to chew on for now. I would like to hear your opinions, for those of you who have seen the movie. <br />Final thoughts: Saved! is an excellent "reality check" for Christians - to help us realize what it actually means to live a Christian life. A Christian life is not necessarily perfect, but our mission is to befriend those who need us the most. I do not agree with all the conclusions the film comes to, but I will say this: I think that Saved! is more important for Christians to watch than Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ is. Watch and sober up.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02218359441369595638noreply@blogger.com4