A Great Lesson from Recent French History

You need to read "How to Win in Iraq" if you want to understand a successful strategy to defeat insurgents -- and how important the politics-at-home front is in this war.

Historian Arthur Herman explains the history of the French war against insurgents in Algeria in the 1950s -- it was one of their colonies, and they were fighting against the FLN. A commander named David Galula developed very effective tactics, and they pretty much won the war in Algeria. But political disaster back in France handed Algeria over to the FLN.

There is a parallel in Vietnam, too.

General Patreus is using tactics very similar to the ones developed in Algeria -- with the same kinds of successes. But political strife in the US could well yield the same result as what happened in France and Algeria -- disastrous for both, really -- fifty years ago.

I strongly recommend this article.

Great Quote to Ponder

"We are what we repeatedly do." -- Aristotle

Distinguishing Private Approaches and Government Policy

Dennis Prager gives an important insight here (italics mine):

"Compassion in social policy almost always produces unfair results. Compassion for murderers allows them to keep their lives after taking the life of another. Compassion for minorities leads to affirmative action, which means that individuals who are not members of a designated minority will be treated unfairly. Compassion for immigrant children led to bilingual education, which subsequently prevented most of those children from advancing in American society.
Compassion as the primary determinant of behavior is effective in personal life. In making public policy, it is a morally and socially destructive guideline. In fact, it is so bad that thinking people must conclude that its primary purpose is to enable policy makers who are guided by compassion to feel good about themselves."

There's a connecting theme of personal responsibility. In many ways US culture has shifted to saying that individuals are not personally responsible for their decisions (though businesses, military, and government leaders still are, and don't get the same benefit of the doubt).

When personal responsibility erodes you see two aspects come forward: (1) It's not my fault, it's _________ (my genes, my environment, my parents...) and (2) the government should take care of that, not me.

Neither of these builds strong healthy societies or strengthens families.

The ultimate extension of this thinking is "we need more education and money, and then all these problems will go away."

Far better to state the facts: there is sin, and it must be dealt with.

It is good for individuals to treat one another with compassion (and that means real love, holding them accountable, dealing with sin). It is appropriate for public policy to set standards and act in ways that are consistent with the law.

How Wives Can Kill Their Marriage

Doug Giles posts what he calls "surefire principles" for a wife to make her man miserable:

1. Nag your husband.
2. Disparage him in public.
3. Keep him on a short leash.
4. Be a drama queen.
5. Hate his friends.
6. Hate his hobbies.
7. Cut him off sexually.
8. Get your parents and/or siblings involved in your marriage.
9. Never apologize.
10. Look bugly (butt ugly).

Read the details (part 1) here.

What would be on your list for husbands to kill a marriage?

Will Fred Thompson Enter the Republican Primary?

One of the intriguing possibilities is that Fred Thompson might enter the presidential primary race. Mark Alexander fairly gushes about his conservative bonafides.

I was asked yesterday what I thought about the "family values" Republic candidates who have had (multiple) failed marriages. It was clearly meant as a jibe, but there is an important point here -- we need a man with very strong character in the Whitehouse. I don't have my thoughts clearly worked out on this.

[Side note: While I have not agreed with all of George Bush's decisions or actions, I am very impressed with his graciousness towards others, even those whom have treated him evilly. Perhaps this graciousness has backfired politically. Some may confuse it with weakness and unwillingness to defend himself.]

Christians and Pacificism, Considering Iraq

Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are calling for pacificism as the appropriate "Christian" response to islamofascist terrorists. Marvin Olasky gives us a thoughtful look at the issues.

Is "300" Accurate?

Victor David Hansen helps put the popular movie "300" in historical perspective. (No, I haven't seen it, but I have read the original account by Herodotus.)

Do not underestimate the power of movies in our culture. They powerfully shape people's ideas and perspectives on current and past events.

Gored!

There are plenty of Al Gore critics -- and I concur with a number of their points (see articles by John Fund and Iain Murray).

Part of the problem with Mr. Gore's approach is when he uses information incorrectly (e.g., showing charts of 20 foot sea level increases instead of 2 feet). It's dramatic, makes for 'compelling' story, but then when people find out you've been disingenuous, the message is shot.

So instead of promoting good dialogue, constructive conversation, and solution-finding, you get partisan bickering.

Hear God's Voice in Scripture

John Piper writes wonderfully about

Parent Prayer

Being a parent can drive you to prayer. I believe this part of God's design!

Here is a wonderful blog post by a mother, articulating how she is compelled by her love for her daughter to pray for her: A Mother's Greatest Weapon.

"I may be able to make her make up her bed, and keep her from bad movies. But I cannot make her be unselfish, loving, and considerate. I can--up to a point--take care of the outside. But I am wholly dependent upon the Lord to work in her heart to "will and do" His good pleasure. If only God will enable me to tend to the possible, depending on Him for the impossible." -- Ruth Bell Graham

Dads, this is for us, too.

Isn't This Kinda Late?

Let's take away Adolf's citizenship!

I think with the problems facing the German government, this would be really, really low on their list of priorities.

How Would Jesus Pastor?

Here's a wonderful article describing the pastoral ministry -- and community service -- of Charles Seldon, the author of "What Would Jesus Do." Recommended.

Concerns about Women in Our Military

I realize the issues surrounding women in our military have several dimensions. I've been called sexist on a few occasions about this, but in my heart I do not believe it is correct to have women in military roles. Data cited in this article do not encourage me.

Now I do believe women should be able to defend themselves against physical harm. But this is personal training issue, not a formal military role.

What Everyone Can Put On His Resume!

(HT: B. Roth)

What Women Want In A Man

Humor break!

Original List (age 22):
1. Handsome
2. Charming
3. Financially successful
4. A caring listener
5. Witty
6. In good shape
7. Dresses with style
8. Appreciates finer things
9. Full of thoughtful surprises
10. An imaginative, romantic lover

Revised List (age 32):
1. Nice looking (prefer hair on his head)
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3. Has enough money for a nice dinner
4. Listens as much as talks
5. Laughs at my jokes
6. Carries bags of groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal
9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries
10. Seeks romance at least once a week

Revised List (age 42):
1. Not too ugly (bald head OK)
2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car
3. Works steady - splurges on dinner out occasionally
4. Nods head when I'm talking
5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down
10. Shaves most weekends

Revised List (age 52):
1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed
2. Doesn't belch or scratch in public
3. Doesn't borrow money too often
4. Doesn't nod off to sleep when I'm venting
5. Doesn't re-tell the same joke too many times
6. Is in good enough shape to get off couch on weekends
7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear
8. Appreciates a good TV dinner
9. Remembers my name on occasion
10. Shaves some weekends

Revised List (age 62):
1. Doesn't scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep
4. Only snores lightly when asleep
5. Remembers why he's laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers that it's the weekend

Revised List (age 72):
1. Breathing
2. Doesn't miss the toilet

30 Pints of Blood

Chuck Colson tells the story of American soldiers lining up to donate blood for a captured enemy who desperately needed 30 pints of blood.

This is a great picture of love. Christ bled for us, that we might live.

Who are you and I bleeding for? How much blood will we give so that crusty neighbor, arrogant coworker, or unresponsive child will know Christ and live?

Teaching "Difficult" People

Every Bible teacher will have the opportunity to teach "tougher-to-love" people:

Talkers
Critics
Complainers
Skeptics
Know-it-alls
Lesson Hijackers

I've started a special blog, just on this topic, and encourage you to check it out.

Tougher To Love

Christians Riot Over Discovery Channel Documentary

"Christians rioted in Wheaton and Colorado Springs today in protest of the upcoming Discovery Channel documentary on the bones of Jesus, his wife Mary, and his son Judah. Two people were killed when police fired bullets into the crowd after they overturned cars and set fire to a TV station. James Dobson and Max Lucado issued a joint statement demanding the government arrest James Cameron, the movie sponsor, and behead him for blasphemy."

This didn't happen. It's not going to happen. Neither is a Discovery Channel movie highlighting what Mohamed did to the Jews at Medina.

Jesus Isn't Buried There -- Well, Not That Jesus

Kevin Nelstead has a good post on the absurdity of the Jesus Family Tomb "news" -- with links to detailed debunking information if you need it.

Amazing Grace movie -- Go See It

I went to see Amazing Grace last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Go see it. It will warm your heart and give you inspiration to stay the difficult course. Best line is John Newton's "I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior."

Foolish Thinking About Al Gore's House, Events

Al Gore gets plenty of criticism for being hypocritical -- he 'preaches' about reduced consumption and has lavish houses and flys in chartered jets, and the events he is planning will generate plenty of additional greenhouse warming.

Let me suggest that the trendline is clear -- more affluent cultures produce less pollution, have better health, and have the technological options to be better stewards of the environment. Poorer people have fewer choices, fewer options.

So an alternative line of thinking is this: "What can we do to raise the standards of living for everyone, and continue to find creative ways to leave a lighter footprint?"

The Accelerating Future

This "Shift Happens" video has a whole range of jolting facts, and helps illustrate our human tendency to extrapolate linearly into the future -- when in fact things are moving exponentially.

Check it out, consider how technology can amplify both evil and good, and pray!

Book Recommendation


This is a terrific new book for every ministry leader, not only youth pastors:




Check out my personal review and recommendation.

What the Colts Did After They Won the Superbowl

Note the Lombardi trophy in the picture.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 04: The Indianapolis Colts hold hands in prayer after winning the Super Bowl XLI 29-17 over the Chicago Bears on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)Getty Images

Hat tip: Brad Roth

But They're Just Unhappy About American Imperialism in the Middle East

Associated Press reports this:

"Al-Qaida posted a 56-second video Friday of rockets being fired at what it claimed was a US military base in Afghanistan. The pictures were accompanied by a song whose lyrics included the line:

'Burn the Christians, fight the devious Christians who worship crosses.' "

Source:

Universal Health Care -- Not a Solution

Universal health care is a campaign issue. I would encourage you to keep your compassion for those needing health care, but not look to comprehensive government action for solutions.

Nathan helps us think clearly about the cause and effect of this approach.

Another Stunt -- But Reveals the Hearts of Some

Therea are plenty of news stories these days about the James Cameron documentary that claims to have found the remains of Jesus Christ and his son.

This is ridiculous stuff. Very common names. Why would they be buried away from the hometown?

But I'm even more disturbed by the 'Christian' leaders who are saying, even if these were proven to be the bones of Messiah Jesus, it would not affect their faith.

A Good Friend Asks You If You're Having a Poopy Day

Saturday was not a shining day of Christian maturity for me. I was irritated, selfish, growly, grumpy, tired, and a poophead.

I knew it, and I knew it wasn't right, but I was sulking in it and unwilling to do what I should to get back into right relationship with God and with others.

A friend spotted me at a show choir event that day and noticed I wasn't my usual self.

Sunday Morning comes. Our gracious God makes things VERY CLEAR to me. So I repented, and pull forward to what's consistent with Christ-in-me.

Sunday at church this friend comes up and checks in this me. I tell him that yes, I was being a poophead, and it's cleaned up with God. Then I thanked him for checking in with me.

So now I have a new way to characterize a godly friend -- they're willing to engage you about having a poopy day.

Amazing Grace Movie

Nope, haven't seen it, but plan to.

I did want to point you to a useful editorial in the WSJ, "Hollywood's Amazing Glaze." Charlotte Allen points out that the movie script de-emphasizes the Christian motivation for William Wilberforce. She also gives some useful history about the social improvements driven by the evangelical community at the time, particularly the Methodists. (John Wesley's last letter was written to Wilberforce a few days before he died.)

So I am hopeful that people will see the movie and learn more about the events through other sources. Here is a good jumping-point to many sources.

Sea Level Changes, O My!

My friend Kevin Nelstead has an interesting post about historical sea level changes. This is a hot-button issue for the global warming discussion.

Kevin and I have talked about how complicated (many components, intricate connections) and complex (we don't understand how all the parts work together) this issue is for Christians. I'm delighted to call him my friend, and recommend you get the RSS feed to his blog, The Earth Is Not Flat.

The Parenting Challenges of Boys!

Amazing Grace

I think this movie has a lot of potential to change people's hearts. Can you imagine the conversations it can spark?

Catching Up on Reading

Several recommended columns and essays:

Harry Jackson advocates more Christian mission work -- helping the poor with practical economic, health, and environmental problems in the name of Jesus -- as a means of combating Islamic terrorism.

Ken Conner points out that we are still in a battle against atheism (and its horrible fallout). We have fought successfully against it in the past, and need to continue.

Dinesh D'Souza continues to hammer away ("facts are stubborn things") that there are two clashes of civilization -- one within the West, and one within the Muslim world.

Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity

From Mark Batterson's blog:

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point A Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want Fries with that.
4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It "In."
5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.
6. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy."
7. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.
8. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
9. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go."
10. Sing Along At The Opera.
11. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.
12. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.
13. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"

Self-Esteem Is a By-Product of Competence, Not a Precursor

“You can tell a lot about an educational system by its vocabulary. When Calvinistic terms like grace and works are replaced by educantisms like self-esteem, you know the system’s in trouble. Or is even to think on grace and works now considered a violation of the separation of church and state? The mere mention of a religious idea in public has been known to make some of our more advanced thinkers break out in hives and litigation. As for those of us inclined to sneak a biblical allusion into our prose now and then, we need not fear; our ‘educated’ classes may no longer recognize it. The theory behind the Cult of Self-Esteem is simple: First get the cart, then put it before the horse. Just feel good about yourself and achievement will follow automatically. It would be too much to call this approach instant gratification; it’s really more like pre-gratification... Want to build real self-esteem, the kind that is the fruit of self-respect and not just an inadequate substitute for it? Expect, even insist on, competence. Don’t pretend it’s there when it isn’t. If that sounds too hard, that’s the catch with self-respect—it has to be earned. Self-esteem, on the other hand, costs little or nothing. And it’s worth just what you pay for it.” —Paul Greenberg

Great Quote

“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.” —Benjamin Franklin

Expect Unbelieving People to ...

John Lehmberg give us good counsel in this MMI post:

"If I could teach Christian people one thing in life it would be this….

Expect unbelieving people to do unbelieving kinds of things.

The only reason for people to behave morally in our world, when it comes down to it, is because of Jesus inside them. Absent of Jesus, people will continue to sin.

It’s high time that we begin to expect these kinds of things from folks who don’t know Jesus and follow their sinful nature. They don’t know any better because Jesus is not in them. I would hope that seeing unbelieving people in this plight where they are living by their flesh would begin to well up in us compassion for those people, and love, instead of judgment and critique from us.

I think that if our world began to demonstrate compassion and love for those folks, they might actually want to return to Church, where they could find the love of Jesus…. "

Defining Work

Amy Scott shares this insightful observation:

"Things aren't work unless you'd rather be doing something else."

Physicists, of course, define work as moving mass, which is true no matter which mass you are moving or why. But Mrs. Scott's definition fits the human heart well, and reinforces what I believe about our coming experience in heaven -- there will be work for us to do, but we won't call it that.

Curing Souls

Eugene Peterson writes eloquently about recovering the pastoral work of curing souls, which has largely been swamped with our expectations that pastors run churches. This will warm your heart as you see the essential right-ness of it.

5 Big Questions About Health Care

Health care, and who/how it is paid for, is a complicated issue -- there are multiple questions to answer, the complexities of human behavior, and multiple stakeholders? Let's not be left to the sound-bite solutions of the political left or right, because those solutions as described do not address all the questions, nor

I really appreciated the approach Arnold Kling used in this article. He lists these five questions for health care reformers:

1. What will we do about the large projected deficit in Medicare?
2. What can we do to reduce government subsidies for extravagant use of medical procedures with high costs and low benefits?
3. What should we do about the health care needs of the very poor?
4. What should we do about the health care needs of the very sick?
5. What should we do about a scenario in which both income inequality and the share of average income devoted to health care rise sharply?

And then he works through some political, economic, and behavioral dimensions. He outlines things systematically, using good questions to guide his thinking along the way. (You don't have to agree with his conclusions, by the way, to learn a lot about how to think through a complicated problem.)

Read the whole article here. Recommended.

"Just Show Up"

John Stanford gives us good counsel in his recent AO post:

We heard a phrase recently that Win has been using: "Just show up". For example, one day I was to meet with someone over a difficult issue. I didn't know what I would say or how to handle the situation.

Win encouraged me by saying, "Just show up!" She pointed out that itwas God's business and that He would be working. I prayed for myselfand my friend, and then went in a relaxed mood, anticipating that the Holy Spirit would be in charge.

The results of encounters like this don't depend on my somehow saying the right words or acting in the right manner. It is the Holy Spirit, not me, helping the person and/or situation, working for good and giving wisdom.

Thank You, Lord, for this freeing thought, that serving and helping others depends on _Your_ presence, power, working as I "just show up".
John
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The Problem with Celebrity

The Grammy Awards were passed out last night, so there is lots of celebrity news coverage this morning -- Dixie Chics this, Justin Timberlake that, and so on. And if you look at news reports and blogs covering various gatherings of preachers and Christian writers, you see a pattern of men and women using celebrity as a platform to speak to the issues of the day.

There is a fundamental problem with confusing celebrity and moral authority. Celebrity can come from recognized skill, lucky circumstances, heroic deeds, eloquent speech, even sinful notoriety. Moral authority comes from connection with Christ, and long shaping of character, with full awareness of of our natural depravity. If you want a blunter comparison: moral authority only comes through confession and repentance, but you can be quite a celebrity just by admitting sin without repenting of it.

"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." (Isaiah 66:2)

Let's lead our families to understand whom is worth listening to.

How Do YOU Pray in the Morning?

Here's a wonderful story -- Eugene Peterson praying Luke 1:68-79 each morning. Don't miss the beauty of this example. Let's think, men, about how we can take our own prayer lives to the next stage.

Valentine's Day -- Special Message to Wives

Hey, I know there are several wives who read this blog periodically, so I have special message just for you. Help your man out with ideas for gifts! He can add a surprise gift in addition.

Valentine's Day Coming Up

Guys, don't put off planning for the big day next week!

And this top ten list (original source) feels a little too real for comfort.

Top 10 Ways to know your wife didn't like your Valentine's gift:

She accidentally backs over it with the car...twice.
The next time you see it is in your garage sale.
She goes upstairs to try it on and never comes back.
She calls her sister to talk about it...and you.
She opens it and says, "Seriously, where is my real gift."
The next morning you find it out by the curb with a big FREE sign next to it.
She opens it and says, "I wonder if this will sell on Ebay?"
For the next 25 years, she refers to the gift as the year you blew it.
She breaks into hives.
She says after opening it, "You're kidding, right?

Great Quote

"God uses tragedies teaches us to fear the right things."
Pastor Kent Wagner

Guide to Digital Outreach

Here's a nice starter guide if you are interested in ministry outreach via blogs, website, or podcasts.

I firmly believe that God leverages the content He creates through us for broad ministry potential over space and time. These technologies expand greatly on the written word for ministering at a distance, or over years.

Sorry for My Absence

Folk, sorry I haven't been posting recently. I traveled to my grandmother's funeral -- she's Home now after 91 spunky years in the Lord's service. Since then I've been battling the stomach flu. I'll get back to regular postings soon.

John Stott Interview

I recommend this intriguing interview with John Stott. He has some excellent insights into the evangelical church today, biblical preaching, and pride. Stott's book "Basic Christianity" was very helpful for me as a new adult believer.

Catching Up on Reading

Traveled yesterday by plane, which gave me a chance to catch up on some reading. Recommended information:

Chuck Colson reminds us that the 200th anniversary of British abolition of slavery is coming in March -- but an estimated 27 million people are still in slavery today.

Dennis Prager writes intelligently about judging religions. "I don't judge religions; I judge practitioners."

Nathan Smith points out that there is a political and operative difference between absolute poverty and relative poverty. Government efforts to help the truly poor and helpless (e.g., wipe out malaria) are altogether different than government program designed to reduce the relative gap between those who have more and those who have less (raise the minimum wage).

You Mean That's Not True?

Dinesh D'Souza points out that some commonly accepted "facts" aren't true:

We did not provide weapons to Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden.
The Sunni - Shia conflict is not about religious differences.

Read the whole article here.

Whose Side Are You On?

"The devil doesn't need an advocate. The brave need supporters, not critics." -- Seth Godin

Two Measuring Systems

I listened to the SOTU speech last night, and the Democratic response by James Webb. Webb acknowledged that by many measures the US economy is very strong. Then he simply stated that his party has other ways of measuring economic strength. (The first measure he listed was the ratio of CEO to worker pay.)

Many political divides can be characterized by different measuring systems.

If you think about Iraq as an war the US launched in one country four years ago, and measure success by absence of US-killing conflict inside that country, then it's unlikely that we will succeed soon.

If you consider the conflicts on the ground in Iraq as part of a much larger, much longer war that we did not begin, but was thrust upon us even before 9-11, an asymmetric war against ideologues whose passionate hatred of the Judeo-Christian values we hold (and the smutty culture we promulgate), then the war in Iraq looks different.

[I hold to the latter view. I think we should learn enough from history (ancient and recent) to know that it's only a question of where and when you want to fight this evil.]

Consider other political divides. Abortion. First Amendment issues. Taxation. Regulations. Responbilities of parents, and schools.

Different measuring systems are used. So the key to engaging in productive dialogue is to help one another understand those measuring systems.

There's another key -- realize that actions and inactions have consequences. Play chess, think more than one move ahead, and remember that we have many, many historical examples to consider.

Swedish Maxim

"There is no bad weather, just bad clothing." -- Hat tip to Seth Godin

It is amazing how with the right clothing, you can be comfortable in some challenging situations -- snow, rain, under water, outer space.

Now meditate on this:

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." -- Hat tip to Paul

Listen to the Navigators

A friend pointed me to the Discipleship Library, a nice audio resource from The Navigators -- you can listen to quite a few talks there from some excellent teachers and leaders.

Dealing with Sexual Failure

John Piper has an outstanding message you need to read today: "How to Deal with the Guilt of Sexual Failure for the Glory of Christ and His Global Cause"

"The great tragedy is not mainly masturbation or fornication or acting like a peeping Tom (or curious Cathy) on the internet. The tragedy is that Satan uses the guilt of these failures to strip you of every radical dream you ever had, or might have, and in its place give you a happy, safe, secure, American life of superficial pleasures until you die in your lakeside rocking chair, wrinkled and useless, leaving a big fat inheritance to your middle-aged children to confirm them in their worldliness.

"1) Theology can conquer biology. Or another way to say it more specifically: Justification can conquer fornication.
2) Trust Christ to the hilt with gutsy guilt."

Read it, and fight on.

Christian "Left" and "Right"

Kevin McCullough has some stern words for the leaders of the so-called Christian Left.

I think he has a good point with this statement: "There is a divide between liberals and conservatives over the relief of poverty, the easing of suffering, and setting the enslaved free. The divide is not the substance however, but rather the methods."

He also speaks to issues of homosexuality and abortion. There is a greater divide on those issues, because there are few "methods" questions to discuss.

I lean in the conservative direction (probably not a surprise to readers of this blog). Part of this is because of the track-record of government vs. private initiatives. The evidence, I believe, is overwhelmingly in favor of private initiatives, except for the constitutionally-mandated "common defense" government spending.

Is Your Church or Favorite Christian Group a Lobbyist That Needs Regulation?

This is alarming information about the proposed Lobbying Reform Bill. Anyone have confirmatory information?

It's Just a Question of WHERE the Fighting Will Occur

David Strom argues that there are two perspectives on the war in Iraq:

"One group looks at the war as being primarily about who rules Iraq. We went to war to evict Saddam Hussein, we stayed in Iraq primarily to replace Hussein with a friendly Democratic regime, and should stay or go largely based upon the probability of success and a judgment about how much we are or should be willing to pay in lives and treasure for that outcome.

"The other group looks at the war in Iraq as not being primarily about who rules Iraq, but instead as the primary battlefront in the so-called “war on terror,” or as I would prefer to call it the war on Islamic fascism. In this view, successfully replacing Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime with a Western-leaning Democracy would be a huge blow to Islamic fascist movement, but ultimately winning the “war” in Iraq should rightly be seen as an important step in winning the larger conflict, not as an end in itself."

And here's the best statement in the column: "...Americans do not really have the power to choose war or peace with Islamic fascism; the war has been declared and is going on as we speak. Choosing to leave Iraq will only change where the war is fought, not whether there will be fighting."

Read the whole thing here.

Is Your Intuition Trustworthy?

"How do the two tables compare in size and shape? If you're like most people, the table on the right appears to be more of a square than the one on the left, which looks longer and skinnier. Why bother taking out a ruler to measure the dimensions, since the difference is obvious?

If this is what you think, you're wrong. Your intuition has failed you, as it fails most people who look at this diagram. If you don't believe us, trace the top of either table on a piece of paper. Now line up your tracing over the other table. As you will see, the two surfaces are identical in size and shape!" (Source)

There are natural limits to the human visual interpretation system. We need this kind of humbling to remind us that we may not always be able to trust what we see, and often interpret events incorrectly the first time. And it should help us have grace and peace with one another, understanding that they, too, have limited capabilities to interpret accurately my words, actions, and intentions.

Thought Experiments

Here is a nice thought experiment about the modern nation of Israel. If you could miraculously transplant the people of Israel to New Mexico, what would be the conditions in 10 years. The author correctly extrapolates from recent history -- New Mexico would boom with economic and technical success, and have a low crime rate. The original territory of Israel, however, would likely descend into madness and decay.

It's a product of the mindsets of the people involved.

Understanding Islam, and the Enemy

The WSJ published an excellent article by Peter Wehner outlining the history of Shia and Sunni groups in Islam, and the terrorist groups spawned from them. It's helpful to see how little these groups are interested in national boundaries.

Honor One Another

Our pastor preached out of Romans 12 yesterday, and I wanted to pass along a useful idea.

Many men are competitive. The picture of the Christian life in Romans is that I don't have to compete with others. I can be content with the work Christ is doing in my life, and genuinely happy to be with others without comparing myself to them.

If we want to compete, let's compete on this command: "Honor one another above yourselves."
(Rom 12:10b)

Puzzle or Mystery?

Being a strong Christian leader means developing good thinking skills. (I firmly believe that Christians should be the best thinkers on the planet.)

So I recommend the "Open Secrets" article to you. Malcom Gladwell (of Blink and Tipping Point fame) looks at the Enron case and some WWII intelligence history to help us distinguish puzzles from mysteries.

Puzzles are solved when you get all the pieces. Puzzles -- like the location of Usama bin Laden -- are solvable when you get critical pieces of information and see how they fit together.

Mysteries -- like the Enron financial collapse -- are situations when all the facts are actually in plain sight (years of SEC filings, and company officials giving loads of interviews about what they were doing), but people fail to interpret the facts or make actionable information out of them.

Very readable, good points. Recommended.

Wrapping up 2006

Doug Phillips gives us three important things to do to wrap up 2006:

1. Outline and chronicle the many providences of God
2. Say ‘Thank You’ to Those Who Have Invested in Your Life
3. Forgive those who have wronged you

"Life moves fast. If we don’t take the time to chronicle the providences of God, we forget them. If we don’t take the time to say thank you to those who have invested in our lives, we actually cultivate a spirit of ingratitude in our own hearts. If we don’t stop and make sure that we have a spirit of forgiveness towards others we grow bitter, we lose the capacity to move victoriously into the future, and our prayers are hindered."

You can read the full column.

"We are Legion"

Mark Batterson writes one of the best "I'm going to really focus this year" columns I've ever seen. It's less than 1 page. He has a very helpful insight: "Busyness is laziness."

Read it.

Bible Teaching blog

For those of you who teach the Bible -- in any setting -- check out my other blog, Teach to Change Lives.

The Bible is at the Center of the Culture War

Dennis Prager nails it: the Bible is at the center the culture war. He has a useful insight as well -- we speak of Judeo-Christian values (not theology) because it is the values that are determined by conviction of the divine truth of the Pentateuch. Read the whole column here.

"Reaching the Disconnected Male"

Check out this good article about setting (or improving) your outreach efforts for men.

For several years now I have been asking God for 500 men within sight of our hilltop church building -- knowing their families will follow -- to come under the discipleship of Jesus.

Happy New Year!

Milestones and rhythms seem terribly important to us. You feel this tangibly as you move into situations where there aren't the patterns you expect. I suspect, but cannot prove, that this need for rhythm is part of our makeup.

Certainly we look forward to a new year, a fresh start, and blessed hope of bright futures. Let's keep on following Jesus, men!

Rejoice With Me!

20 years ago today, under a tree on the campus at Northwestern University, Cathy said "Yes!" when I asked her to marry me. I am a blessed man. God is so good!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'm going to be enjoying the Christmas week with my family, and not blogging. So we'll see you again in 2007.

Be bold, be gentle!

What Do We Worship?

Cal Thomas points out that for many people in America, politics has become religion.

Reading this, I'm reminded of the elevated state of politics in Rome (and other empires) before they collapsed. This is a correlated factor, not a causation, but we should see it as a key symptom of spiritual problems.

Sobering Statistic

1 in 32 people in America are monitored in the criminal justice system -- in prison, on parole, etc. See this Prison Fellowship article for more about sharing the Gospel with this huge group of people.

Comparing Perspectives

Francis Chan suggests a good thought experiment: Imagine that someone interviews your friends and relatives and coworkers and asks what they see in you. Then that same interviewer contacts God and asks what He sees in you.

What's the comparison?

This is a good way to assess how much we're hiding from people, and the congruence of our inner and public lives.

Christian Worldview and Pacifism

I occasionally get drawn into discussions about whether Christians should participate in or support military action. There's a lot of shallow thinking today about pacifism. If this topic interests you, check out this article. You don't have to agree with everything, but this is a good example of someone diligently working through facets of a big issue.

I am not a pacifist, just so you know. I do not think violence is a first solution, but there are times when protecting innocent lives requires it. Let's consider a personal level. If some man is beating on my daughter, and doesn't stop when I ask, then as a father I need to step in and remove him to protect my daughter. I will use whatever force is needed to stop his action.

On a national level, in this fallen world, sometimes war is the only means of stopping evil. I am not arguing that all wars are ok, or that wars begun for noble purposes always remain noble, or that individual actions in the midst of wars are excused.

What happens after the war is also critical. I sat next to an elderly Japanese man on a plane trip once. He had been a teenager during WWII, and expected to die defending against a US invasion of Japan. He told me that the forgiveness of the Americans after the war, and their willingness to help rebuild, shocked his family to the core. This was so unexpected of a "conqueror."

Post # 1005

I just noticed that I passed 1000 posts to this blog. This reminds me how much we underestimate what we can do over a period of time!

Looking for Good Men's Ministry Books?

The Man Church has a great compilation of books on masculine Christianity. Check it out.

Did Jesus Have Bad PR?

I recently gave a Christmas devotion for the seniors group at our church. I tried to help people think about the terrible public relations job around the birth of the Messiah. From a human perspective, this was a PR disaster! Listen to it here.

Leveraging into Prayer

For years I've struggled against rage, anger, and bitterness. Oh most people who know me would probably be suprised by that statement, but I assure you it's true.

Strong emotions like anger arise naturally when we experience a gap between what is and what we think/know should be. Or could be. I believe anger is a God-granted emotion designed to motivate us into action.

So things happen, or don't happen, especially in family life, that are just not in line with what I think should be. And since the friction of sin making life in community hard isn't going to evaporate this side of heavenly glory, I need a strategy to help me operate constructively and wisely when anger surges.

I've been training myself to jump from the first feelings of anger into prayer. I short-circuit the positive-feedback loop that leads me into sin by shifting a significant amount of energy into conversation with my Master, Teacher, Savior, Friend, and Lord.

I have a low success rate to date, but I am persisting.

Hey, I'm the Person of the Year!

According to Time Magazine, bloggers and others contributing to the content of the web are the Person of the Year for 2006. Wow! I'm honored :-)

Would You Like That in Mauve or Taupe?

Bible publishers are doing a booming business as they repackage the Bible into a astounding array of formats, covers, and colors. And sales are up! There is a tremendous consumer hunger for the Bible -- that's good news. We're so affluent that you can get a Bible that fits the image you want to project to others. (Reminds me of ladies shoes.)

Soon you'll be able to get a Bible for your ipod -- more good news for those who are ipod-centric.

One part of my brain is celebrating the proliferation of Bibles. Making it interesting and accessible to more people should be a good thing.

Another part of my brain is concerned that we pay more attention to format and show than to absorbing the content. Let us be careful to avoid feeling good about a Bible format, but denying its power. (See 2 Tim 3:1-5)


P.S. To consider for Christmas giving: support the Wycliffe Bible translation ministries. There are over 6000 languages in the world, and over 5000 do not have the complete Bible translated.

Focus!

I'm a guy with an easily fractured span of attention living in a culture that rewards short attention spans. We've got a gazillion distractions coming at us (as if we needed them -- most of our focus problem is OUR problem -- I'd have the same problem, really, if I were by myself in an empty quiet room.)

The solution is to train our minds to focus. To be truly present with an issue, a person, an experience. I have a lot of learn in this area.

Check out this short article for some helps getting started.

Seeing the Many Opportunities for Prayer

I love this story about a man who prays for lots of people, looking for opportunities all the time. What a model for us, men!

Good words from Psalm 139:23-24

Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I'm about;
See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.
(The Message Translation)

The Cambridge Declaration

My friend Kevin Nelstead points us to the Cambridge Declaration -- excellent work on the centrality of the Gospel, biblical inerrancy, and stewardship of the earth.

Clear thinking takes work. But it's worth it.

Thinking about Joseph's Righteousness

John Ortberg has a wonderful essay about Joseph's righteousness, and his decision to sacrifice his reputation to take Mary to be his wife. Recommended. We don't have a single recorded word of Joseph in the Bible, but he is a rich example for us to study.

Computers Enable People to Live Forever?

Ray Kurzweil is a very smart man, and has written extensively about his confidence that computers and medical technology (e.g., nanobots that will repair human tissue) will effectively allow humans to live forever. See this blog post for a good jumping off point on that theme.

A few thoughts on this idea:

1. This is a sad idea. Given the frustrations of life, and the grinding nature of sin in human relationships -- irrespective of the perfection of the human body and our thinking capacity -- I suspect such "eternal" life would be a Faustian bargain. There is no way these technologies address our fundamental problems of being.

2. This is an arrogant idea. There is a Creator, and He is sovereign over all our steps. One car accident, one tornado, one slippery kitchen floor... there are damages to the human body that cannot be overcome by technological repairs.

3. May our Lord save us from situations where we are tempted to sin because we have technological options that far outstrip our wisdom.

4. I can hear Thomas a Kempis speaking: "What good is it to live long if we do not live well?" (from The Imitation of the Christ)

5. We have not learned the lessons from the Tower of Babel. I'm certainly in favor of medical advances to help people. But we have a strong tendency to pursue these things because we want to become gods.

Hand-warmer

One of my delights is to be a greeter at our church. I stand outside one of the main doors, shaking hands with people, opening the doors, and escorting the older ladies who need an extra measure of honor and help. I pray for people as they come in. I pray for the people I don't see, too -- including those in the hundreds of homes that have been built around our church building in the past four years. I'm asking God for 500 men.

Yesterday we had a vistor from another church, a man who also greets and loves it. "I call myself a hand-warmer," he told me. "Everyone needs a warm hand in the morning."

I like the title. It fits. Hand-warmer.

Is Your View of God Big Enough?

Here's a fun joke sent to me by a friend:

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for
lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.The nun made a note,
and posted on the apple tray, "Take only one. God is watching."Moving further
along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of
chocolate chip cookies.A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is
watching the apples."

Made me wonder -- in what ways do I need to enlarge my view of God?

Be a Lion Chaser, Not a Scaredy-Cat

I highly recommend Mark Batterson's book, In the Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day. He begins with the story of Beneniah, who chased a lion into a pit and killed it, then later became the leader of King David's bodyguard. Meaty, readable, thought-provoking, funny -- get it, read it, grow.

What Are You Filling Your Life With?

Like many of you, I struggle to enjoy family relationships as much as I know I should. So I was humbled to read this short article from a home-schooling mom who is intentional about caring for souls in her home.

A few excerpts:

"Everyone fills their lives. The question is, what will we fill it with? When most people consider simplifying their lives for the better, the first thing they restrict are the children. Children make noise, cost money, and wake in the middle of the night. They are hard work if you are going to raise them right. Yet I can think of no sweeter means to enjoy the simple, good things in life than alongside God’s gift of children.

Children are not the obstacles that keep us from enjoying the good life, so long as your definition of good things is not material. It takes careful thought to live simply, to nurture good character that will stand against a consumer-driven culture. I want our children to look back on their childhoods and remember family reading times that lasted too late and bowls of cherries that sat on the kitchen countertop. As I think through the things that fill our lives, I aim to purge the clutter and embrace the things that matter, especially the eternal souls in my care. "

Disturbing Decision by the Church of England

The Church of England is now saying it's ok to allow "severely deformed" babies to die by withholding treatment.

There's a whole run of rational arguments they offer, but I don't see any Scriptural support.

Check out this article for the full story.

Prayer Guide

John Piper compiles a list of what to pray for -- using your wartime walkie-talkie. Great resource, highly recommended!

Mayflower Compact

On this day in 1620 our forebears signed one of the most important documents in American history.

"IN THE name of God, Amen.
We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.
In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the 11 of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domine 1620."

What Would Jesus Tax?

There's a good bit of controversy between Christians about economic issues -- often boiled down into overly simplistic viewpoints of

Jesus wants us to help the poor, not the rich, so we should tax the rich and give to the poor!

Or

Jesus loves capitalists because capitalism is freedom!

Guys, it just isn't this simple. If it was, I think we'd have more specific economic direction (I mean specific macroeconomic direction that the Treasury Department should use) in the Gospels.

I appreciated this article because the author tries to work through some of the complexity.

US Elections

Most of the candidates I voted for in Iowa did not get elected. And most of the candidates I would have supported across the country did not get elected.

This was not a surprise.

Pundits and pollsters will spend days and weeks gloating, bemoaning, and interpreting the results. We also do, driven by an almost compulsive need to understand complicated systems in simplistic, linear terms.

But while disappointed I am celebrating, too. I'm very grateful to live in a free country, where I have so many civic privileges, even if this world is not my home. And I have a new list of leaders to pray for.

Quote of the Week

Kevin Nelstead points us to this one:

"People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated."
D. A. Carson, For the Love of God

Ministry Burnout? Run with Jesus Instead

Hey, if you're feeling a lot of burdens in your ministry, check out what I wrote to teachers on my other blog, Teach to Change Lives. This truth applies for whatever ministry work God has called you to, men -- including our husband and father roles.

Two Good Articles on Climate Change

I really appreciate the detail and approach in Climate Non-Conformity and Stern Review. The Nicholas Stern report from the UK got a lot of media attention -- not surprising given it's conclusions -- and so it's helpful to get some additonal facts and analysis about Stern's analysis and methods.