Because I actually wrote about the filmThe Jesus Revolution prior to it hitting the theaters, I was surprised when a blog reader asked me if I was going to write a response to actually seeing it.
A response? My response was emotional. Even though the film was the story of evangelist and Pastor Greg Laurie, and even though the film was the story of Pastor Chuck Smith, and even though the film was the story of hippie evangelist Lonnie Frisbee … it was my story they were telling on the big screen.
I’m where I am today and do what I do because of what happened in those years in Orange County, California. I even got to meet several of the people portrayed in the movie in real life in many visits to the area, and at one point was interviewed for the job of Assistant Editor of Contemporary Christian Music magazine. To say I was immersed in all this would be serious understatement.
I’ve only experienced sensory overload a few times in my life. (For comparison purposes, one was at the New Year’s Eve fireworks at Epcot in Disney World.) But in the only thing that held me back on Saturday was an abundance of respect for the other patrons at the cinema. Otherwise, I wanted to wail. Those events shaped my life. Dang! It hit me hard!
And, I am not alone. I’m hearing this deep, gut response — or hints of it, since we’re guys, right? — from other people. Powerful. Impactful.
My wife is on staff at a local church, and lately I’ve been trying to be supportive at another nearby church in our community. I went back to the former church on Sunday for a special service they were having, and the pastor spontaneously decided to open the service with a song by the group LoveSong which is titled Two Hands, which he’d heard the day before at the theater.
It’s not the first time he’s played guitar in church. Probably closer to the thousandth if you count all the churches he has ministered in. But as I reminded him after lunch, the very fact that he was able to stand in church holding a guitar — a few Catholic folk masses notwithstanding — traces back to the revolution described in the film.
In other words, it wasn’t just the time the hippies came to church, but it was the time the guitars came to church. And it wasn’t just that, but it was also the time casual dress came to church.
And it was the time revival came to church. People turned to Christ. Which is the point, after all. The Jesus Revolution — the actual events, not the film — is considered the last great outpouring in modern church history. How could I watch that play out onscreen and not be overcome by the emotion of it all.
What would I say in more of a review sense?
They captured the times well. The addition of the reporter for TIME Magazine as a tertiary character was brilliant. The people were believable. The other components that make a film more than just ‘good’ were there in the right places. I would watch the whole thing again.
Driving back, my wife pointed out that though both the Christian and mainstream music of the day was represented, Chuck Smith’s pre-revolution church wasn’t shown as having any music at all. I’m sure there was old church piano or organ hiding somewhere, but we didn’t see or hear it. (It’s like there wasn’t any music at all in those years!)
And that is also, I believe, just the point. While people underwent spiritual transformation and became Christ followers, a pivotal part of the revolution was expressed in music, just as music was a central component earlier this month at Asbury University.
That music revolution reverberates in the capital “C” Church today in the forms of Contemporary Christian Music, and in Modern Worship.
As someone who participates regularly in both, how can I not be overwhelmed with thanks to those who led the way?
Special heartfelt thanks to the people behind faithfilms.ca for arranging for us to see the movie. Faith Films provides marketing and publicity support for Christian productions screening in Canada and is part of Graf-Martin Communications.
The original name for blogs was ‘weblog’ and if we’re honest, many of our posts to social media represent a log or diary of our thoughts and activities. I can’t imagine that whole archive simply not existing anymore if any part of the web were to go down, but that’s what people are saying today about Twitter.
A few days ago, Amanda Held Opelt, the sister of Rachel Held Evans said as much, and then some. Rachel’s gracious interactions with both her friends and her theological enemies were such a significant part of her life, that it’s hard to imagine a world where those can’t be sought out and referenced.
As I write this, we don’t know where Twitter is heading on Monday morning — toward a crash or a rebirth — but I went back and grabbed text-only of things from the past 3+ months.
Remember, this is really, really random.
I am convinced that some people I know suffer from a “naive theology.” I’ve never heard or seen this term before, but it certainly seems to fit.
My wife and I are considering attending a church on Sunday where the women (including guests) are expected to wear head coverings. She’s trying to decide between a top hat and a Viking helmet.
I don’t wish to try to psychoanalyze peoples’ motives, but I believe that in some cases, people are passionate about evangelism because of “the one that got away;” significant, critical past attempts that are stuck in their memory that caused them to redouble their efforts.
If data gathering organizations like Barna are going to start defining “regular Church attendance” in terms of two weeks per month, or even one week in four, there is a feature of church life which is going to disappear: Being missed when you are not there.
…it occurred to me that in a post-Covid world, a smaller church [like my wife’s] with a half-time pastor and a quarter-time assistant pastor may not be so weird; rather, it might be a model for churches in the future. All the advantages of multi-staff but less than one full time salary position.
I have said it before and I will say it again, none of this technology is serving us. We are serving it. Everything that happens to ‘improve our user experience,’ is actually done to advance their agenda, their plans, their purposes. Not ours.
My neighbors gave their dog a name that totally rhymes with their daughter’s name. Not sure what they were thinking. The poor puppy is going to be so confused.
Retweeting Jacob Coyne @jacoblcoyne
Jesus fed the 5,000 but only 500 followed him after lunch. He had 12 disciples but only 3 prayed with him in the garden before his arrest. Then, only 1 stood with him at the cross. The closer you get to the cross, the smaller the crowd becomes
Next week on As The Church Turns:
Worship team backup singer Wendy Alto rats out Central Church’s Director of Music Marvin Flatsharp for failing to post the Christian Copyright Licensing numbers on the worship slides.
Retweeting Paul J. Pastor @pauljpastor
Oh, the number of books that could be a chapter; the number of chapters that could be an essay; the number of essays that could be a paragraph; the number of paragraphs that could be a sentence; the number of sentences that could be one single word.
Fabric softener dryer sheets are to doing laundry what Keurig pods are to drinking coffee. Completely unnecessary products. Environmental catastrophes.
Retweeting Sarah Stankorb @sarahstankorb
Well, I cut 7k words from the manuscript, but marked a bunch of little holes I wanted to fill. I’m back up to 28k words over what it should be… with a week to go. đ¶ Please, tell me your secrets for cutting copy! I have darlings to save. I mean kill.
to which I replied:
It’s too bad that authors don’t have the option afforded to music artists, namely to release a radio edit version of their book, and an extended play edition. Betting that a lot of good stuff ends up on the cutting room floor.
Author and Speaker R.T. Kendall @DrRTKendall challenged Graham Kendrick @MakeWayMusic to write a song about forgiveness and forgiving others. The result was ‘Merciful’.
Misinformation in the funny pages:
In the Aug. 14th comic Baby Blues by Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott, the authors have a father saying to his son, “Some units here in the states are metric like our money.” However, US currency isn’t part of the metric system, the word you’re looking for is “decimal.”
Reading the end-notes of Christian books, I’ve noticed that many of my favorite authors frequently quote Ibid, and I’m wondering if some of you can recommend particular titles by him (or her)?
Stacety @Stacety Replying to @bethallisonbarr
…I feel this. My son went to Australia for YWAM; almost all of the photos he took/ sent to anyone were on Snapchat. What is the point of that?? My daughters would say, âdid you see the photo Noah took of that huge spider?â Iâd say âcool, no, show me.â Oh, itâs goneâŠ.
to which I replied
The transitory nature of digital media. This is why I keep encouraging members of our family to select some photos and actually pay to get them printed.
âTo those who believe no explanation is necessary, to those who refuse to believe no explanation suffices.â
-Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel
For my Canadian friends looking for more Wordle-type adventures, there’s Canuckle, which allows place names and some French words, too. The thematic constraint makes it somewhat more difficult than Wordle or Lingle.
With regard to deconstruction:
Could it be that in some cases,
The elephant in the room
is unanswered prayer?
In the present state of our technology immersion, there is no greater idiot than the person who believes that information showing on Google is reliable and trustworthy.
I’m currently reading an advance copy of Parenting: Getting it Right by Andy and Sandra Stanley. It goes on sale January 17th. I wish it went on sale earlier. By that I don’t mean November. I mean like, 25 years ago.
Shoe box sized giving will produce shoe box sized results.
Retweeting quote posted by Duke Kwon @dukekwondc
If you had asked Paul to define what a Christian is, he would not have said, âA Christian is a person who believes X and Y doctrines about Christ,â but âA Christian is a person who walks in the Spirit, who knows Christ.â
â Gordon Fee, 1934â2022
Yes, the pop song was based on words of scripture, but that’s got me wondering if anyone ever tried to look up Turn Turn Turn in a concordance by using the word “turn.”
I wonder if more people would take out full membership in their Church, if membership came with a discount program at stores and restaurants, and maybe a dental plan.
Our son who is 28 moved back with us last year. He’s a true millennial. He has no relationship whatsoever with newspapers and never reads them. Today I sent him to a store to pick up one for me. He did. He accidentally shoplifted it. He seriously had no idea they charge for them. [In his defence, he mentioned seeing me regularly picking up free newspapers of another kind.]
I really do miss the Jesus Music days. Whatever it is Nashville is sending out these days is just not the same. I long for the days of a movement that can produce beautiful things like this:
“…And He said to them, âWhy did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about my Fatherâs branding?â”
– Luke 2:49 (not)
I’m looking at Acts 18:24-28 in the NET version, and it has 19 footnotes which are embedded links in Bible Gateway. If I want to copy it quickly into an email and send it, that’s 19 links, which will certainly render the email as spam. I can deactivate them, but it looks a mess! [But I really like the NET Bible overall!]
From an article on compulsory voting in Australia, SBS News
“The United States and Britain are individual-rights cultures, so the idea that you should be forced to do something for the greater good of the majority would not be something thatâs inherent in the political culture.”
What #church preaching will look like in 2023:
You begin by saying that you have four sermon points.
You present three of them.
Then you announce the fourth point is only for Patreon supporters, and is available on the church’s Patreon page.
My first rule for publishers using social media is that every quotation or author pic must contain an image of the book in question. My second rule is that any thumbnail book images must be visible on a phone. I realize sometimes these objectives may seem mutually exclusive.
We have a digital clock that is so confusing to reset, my wife wants to buy a second one and just keep one on Standard Time and one on Daylight Time and just switch them out as needed.
Worth Watching:
Religion isn’t usually the theme on this YouTube channel, but this one covers the subject well. There are differences in prayer, church attendance, and tithing; and let’s not forget the German church TAX.
[23 minutes]
That brings us up to today. Not sure how long we have this platform. In hindsight, I wish I had been a bit more diligent about keeping Thinking Out Loud updated. The wisdom of the time was that people were moving from WordPress to the concision and instant (stream of consciousness) posting on Twitter.
Review of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes DuMez (Liveright Publishing, 2020)
This is a very American story. As I type this, I’m reminded that over three-quarters of my Thinking Out Loud readers are in the U.S., and almost from the beginning, I’ve written to an American audience using American spellings and vocabulary. But I also write this sitting one country removed, north of the 49th, where Evangelicalism wears a different face.
Nonetheless, to say “Evangelical” is similar to saying “Hollywood.” Both are two significant U.S. exports. While Americans didn’t invent The Great Commission, they certainly defined it in unique terms.
While visiting Nuremberg in Germany a few years back, my wife and I had an impromptu meeting with some Evangelical leaders there who, while they used the adjective themselves, mostly rolled their eyes as U.S.-style evangelists and ministries were rolling over Europe staking their identity on social issues, rather than theological constructs.
I would argue that after reading Jesus and John Wayne, it’s necessary to pick up a copy of something like Evangelicals Around the World: A Global Handbook for the 21st Century by Brian Stiller, Todd M. Johnson, et al to remember that the shape and form of those who take the name Evangelical in other parts of the world is quite different, and far less politically-affiliated than what the term has come to mean in the 50 states.
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation is the work of a historian. Kristin Kobes DuMez teaches History and Gender Studies at Calvin University and since the book’s release both it and she have gained significant attention. If you wanted to catch up on the last 20 years of American Christian blogs, tweets, podcasts and magazine articles, this is the place to do so, with some previous decades thrown in for good measure. It’s a “who’s who” and “what’s what” of the major writers, influential pastors, and high profile organizations, and high profile politicians who have shaped U.S. Christianity or been shaped by it.
This is not a theological book.
While DeMez knows the value of a well-placed adjective, time and space do not allow for much beyond the rapid unraveling of the basic timeline, and while I haven’t counted, the stage version would involve a cast of hundreds and hundreds, often with a great many occupying the stage at the same time. So it is also that time and space do not allow for her to inject commentary or opinion or theological reflection on the events in Christian America. This treatment might be seen by some as rather sterile, but a glimmer of the writer’s personal perspective does get through in the way the material, much of which is direct quotations, is arranged and presented.
Christianity in America, so it seems, is unable to operate without either intentional or unintentional political ramifications. Yes, the body of frequently-attending Evangelical churchgoers influences the course of elections, but it would appear that just as often, the U.S. church is influenced by the political process itself which hangs over the U.S. church like a low-hanging thundercloud touching the church steeple. American Christians — Evangelical ones at least — have lost the plot on having an apolitical Christianity. (It might have been worth mentioning that Jesus never once directly addressed the Roman occupation, though ‘if someone asks you to go one mile…’ and the coin illustration certainly hinted at it.)
I am often reminded of 2 Timothy 2:4 “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.” If Christ is our commander, our desire ought to be to build his Kingdom, right? But I’m also aware of vivid personal memories of Pat Robertson encouraging television viewers on the importance of having Christians “in the public square” and being willing to engage in that context. For Americans, a House of Representatives or Senate Chambers (or Supreme Court or even White House) devoid of a Christian presence is seemingly unimaginable, but if the expression of Christianity is light years removed from the everyday application of the teachings of Jesus, is it worth calling it a Christian presence at all?
So where does John Wayne fit in to all this? Surprisingly, he’s more than just a motif, but turns up all through the book as an example of the rugged masculinity of the wild, wild west, from California actor-turned-President Ronald Regan, even to the point of President Trump standing next to a wax figure of the celebrated actor. (The book is peppered with relevant news file photos.) Given the choice between someone who shares Evangelicalism’s values and someone who is simply a strong leader, American churchgoers seem to prefer leadership qualities over faith pedigree. If anything, that was my top takeaway from reading the book in full.
Those things, in a nutshell, are my two primary takeaways from reading Jesus and John Wayne. American Evangelicals have conflated Christianity with various types of hyper-masculine imagery and role models; and that sadly, given the choice, American Evangelicals have often chosen power over principles.
Professor DuMez, much like the anchors on the network newscasts, does not inject much in the way of commentary or personal opinion. Toward the end, she does allow one bias to emerge, a longing for a significant course correction. It seems overly idealistic however, and perhaps she and the rest of us may have to wait for a day when churches in other parts of the world take the lead roles in Evangelicalism.
Thanks to Martin Smith at Parasource Distribution in Canada for an opportunity to finally get my hands on a copy of J&JW. Much appreciated.
The seven-letter phrase was standard in Evangelical preaching in the mid-20th Century: “The world, the flesh, and the devil.” It was the stuff of spiritual warfare seminars, revival meetings and Pentecostal preaching. And then, like some other words and phrases, it became outmoded.
That is, until Live No Lies: Recognize and Resist the Three Enemies That Sabotage Your Peace by John Mark Comer (Waterbrook, 2021), though this time around, the order is reversed and Comer considers “the devil, the flesh and the world,” and in ways the seminar leader, revival leader and Pentecostal preacher of days gone by might not recognize.
Like his previous work, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer is all about awakening people to recognize the ways in which they have become conformed to popular culture. Or trapped by it. Or enslaved to it. As much as I wanted to review that book when it released, as a regular listener to online sermons at Bridgetown Church in Portland where, until recently, Comer was lead pastor, I’ve heard much of the sermon material which gave birth to both books and the link between them is so strong, I can’t help think there’s got to a third book to complete the trilogy.
But Comer’s methodology is always somewhat subversive. What if you, while taking a firm stand against popular culture and the hold it has on people, were to quote the culture’s own poets, authors, playwrights, and spokespeople? It’s not a new idea, Jesus and Paul walked that road before, and unless you’re extremely conversant on things written by academics, trend-spotters and cultural analysts, you’re going to indirectly hear from voices which are new to you.
But what if you don’t believe in the devil?
Comer is very charitable toward readers who are in a different space. He’s created a book that you could hand to that non-church-attending neighbour or coworker or relative and say, ‘Check this out and tell me what you think.’ The use of the aforementioned ‘secular’ pundits and experts helps facilitate that type of book-giving. The Bible is also generously applied to the discussion, but the book’s primary text is devoid of chapter and verse scripture references which can only be found in the endnotes. There are also quotations from Christian writers ranging from the Desert Fathers to Comer’s mentors and contemporaries.
In calling us to resist the pressures of the dominant culture, Comer seems to include both an individual and corporate response. In other words, a mixture of ‘What can I do?’ and ‘What can my Christian community do?’ in observing and reacting to the world in which we live.
For the ADHD readers among us, each of the three sections contains a two-page recap with key points on how we fight and overcome the devil, the flesh and the world in this cultural moment.
Live No Lies is not however a spiritual warfare manual in the sense of other books you’ve read before. It’s more of a manifesto, seeking to challenge and inspire readers to build a different type of kingdom.
Thanks to Martin Smith at Parasource (distributor of Waterbrook Press titles to the Canadian Christian bookstore market) for an opportunity to finally get my hands on a book I was dying to read!
Ole Anthony has died. The head of the Trinity Foundation single-handedly exposed televangelist Robert Tilton and is beloved by many for purchasing The Wittenberg Door, a Christian satire magazine. (Yes, well he always thought your first name was strange also.)
The UK’s popular Spring Harvest music and teaching festival is launching EC-GO, a Christian streaming service. It goes live May 3rd. I don’t have a final price, but for ÂŁ77 you can have unlimited access to all the sessions from this year’s festival, and get the first year free.
Hendrickson Publishing of greater Boston, which four years ago purchased Rose Publishing of southern California (someone earned a lot of frequent flyer miles negotiating that one) has now itself been purchased by Tyndale House Publishing. Each company will maintain its own location and autonomy. Hendrickson was owned by members of the same family that owns ChristianBook.com.
The funeral for Prince Phillip, at his request contained, “no homily, no sermon, no preaching.” Yet there was a strong spiritual tone through the music and the readings which the Prince chose himself. It was midnight in Melbourne Australia when this writer observed, “The television presenters spoke of Prince Philipâs âfaithâ. For a moment, one commemorator referred to Duke of Edinburghâs âChristian faithâ, but quickly corrected his social faux pas by returning to the vague universal category of âfaithâ.”
With artists like Carrie Underwood and Harry Connick, Jr releasing faith-focused albums, it’s easy to ask if it’s real or if it’s a marketing stunt. And then there was Justin Bieber‘s surprise EP that dropped on Easter. And what if the message is solid but the language is a little too crude? …
…And the writer of the GQ cover story on Justin Bieber says sitting down to interview him was more like being in a confessional booth with him. Key quote, “Being famous breaks something in your brain.”
No surprise: That jailed pastor in Alberta, Canada who refused to shut down his church services, got a letter of commendation from John MacArthur. But then, he’s a graduate of MacArthur’s seminary. (Plus, I don’t think this qualifies as what the Bible calls persecution “for the sake of the gospel.”)
The debate on homosexuality continues in the Catholic Church, with some voices saying it’s time to change the catechism.
From last week, ICYMI, Hillsong has shut down its Dallas campus. And as Julie Roys reports, there are stories implicating founders Brian Houston and wife Bobbi have misused funds and were involved in a $1.4M real estate deal.
Which is it? “Liberal Christian?” Or “Progressive Christian?” Roger Olsen wants to write a book about the former, but his publisher wants to call it the latter. He thinks the latter just means pro-LGBTQ and pro-egalitarian.
Having emancipated herself from LifeWay, author and speaker Beth Moore‘s first curriculum project is Now That Faith Has Come, a study of the book of Galatians.
Is this statement a tautology? “Joe Carter of [The Gospel Coalition] and Johnathan Leeman of 9Marks appear to have the cure for this decline in church membership⊠formal church membership!“…
Newsworthy: “After nearly four decades of work led by Deaf Missions and collaborations between American Bible Society, Wycliffe Bible Translators USA, Deaf Harbor, DOOR International, Seed Company, Pioneer Bible Translators and the Deaf Bible Society, the Bible was completely translated from original sources into American Sign Language last September.
Remember that story from April 7th where a man and his wife and two of their grandchildren were shot and killed? The man was Dr. Robert Lesslie, a doctor and Christian author who wrote medical-themed collections of real life miracles such as Angels in the ER.
Admittedly I don’t do these roundups very often anymore, but you can always check out my Twitter which is updated a few times a day.
I realize not all my blog subscribers do Twitter, so here’s a few things I’ve been tracking there, since things have been rather quiet here.
In addition to being one of the world’s coolest Christian music stations (mixing Christian and mainstream song) Brisbane, Australia’s “96five” is also a news outlet, so as part of their retaliation against a government decision, Facebook shut down their Facebook page. All their history was lost, it now says “No Posts Yet.” The station reported, “The new laws will require social media companies, such as Google and Facebook, to pay media outlets for using or posting their news… Facebook, however, has argued it should not have to pay anyone.”
@justinsytsma: Stop putting the word Grace in your church if you’re planning to be a people devoid of it.
The power grid in Texas is completely independent of the rest of the US which allowed them to bypass federal standards which include “cold weather safeguards.” Forgive my Canadian smugness but where I live federal standards are federal standards. That’s what those words mean.
@joshcarlosjosh: Maybe the Billy Graham rule should actually be to never be alone with power, not women.
A Statement from the Board of RZIM Canada: âIt is with heaviness of heart and after much prayerful consideration that we are compelled to begin winding down the operations of RZIM Canada.â Click this link for statement.
meanwhile:
The board of the U.K. branch of Ravi Zachariasâs ministry has declared its intention to separate from the organization. âThe response of the RZIM US Board does not go nearly far enough in terms of actions relating to leadership and governance.â Click this link for statement.
When churches want out: Someone put a lot of work into researching this video. 12 ecclesiastically-packed minutes. Click here to watch: Congregations Leaving Denominations: How Hard Can It Be?
Women (especially) and everyone else: Looking for a good podcast, but don’t have time invest in researching what you might hear? Check out The Godly Pod Podcast by Doreen Eager. She does the work for you!Â
âą The top news story in the Evangelical world this month is the findings of a report concerning the moral life of a celebrated man who is no longer living.
âą The top news story in the broader news cycle this month is the result of an impeachment hearing involving a man who is no longer President.
Finally: Listening over the past year to people like @MattWhitmanTMBH
and @SkyeJethani talking about the future of the term “Evangelical” reminded me of this brief comedy routine:
“Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, strength.” I don’t usually get excited by stained glass windows; but this one, from the Salvation Army in St. John’s, Newfoundland is special. Photo: Sheldon Bungay
The last formal Wednesday Connect was on March 11th and then it seemed like there was just one story dominating our thoughts and mind. I still intend to get to #100, but columns 94-100 will have to wait for another day. But there were a few items I wanted to note here…
The blog Internet Monk, founded by the late Michael Spencer will shut down at the end of the month, though the site will remain archived. I tried to find a specific link to a formal announcement, but for now you’ll have to settle for a general link to the blog itself. Although I weighed in rather infrequently, for me Internet Monk was a type of blog community rarely seen these days. They explored a variety of topics related to two topics: Theology and Culture. I know the blog, not to mention the ritual of reading the Saturday Morning Brunch, will be greatly missed.
HarperCollins Christian Publishing seems to think there is some life yet still for the Thompson Chain Reference Bible. That surprises me. I never did get into the concept of having to flip pages back and forth to follow the word study chain of references. Study Bibles, with their notes on the bottom of the page, had already spoiled me for how I got thematic information. Not to mention the online world of hyperlinks and drop-down menus; You Version, Blue Letter Bible, Bible Gateway, etc.
Then there’s the tension in some churches over whether teaching and study should be thematic in nature, drawing from a variety of selected texts, or expository (verse-by-verse) examination of a single text. Expository preaching has its advantages, but in the extreme, it can draw away from word study.
Harper bought the product line from Kirkbride and plan to release new versions in 2021, adding their Comfort PrintÂź editions in 2022. The official announcement is here. There are currently editions available in five popular translations.
Here’s a cheery book title: “‘Why Your Children Won’t Get To Heaven’ tackles the widespread fear among today’s Catholics that our children and grandchildren may not be on a clear path to heaven…”
I can’t imagine not knowing your eternal destiny for certain. My wife just finished writing a graduate-studies paper on Islam, and the situation is not dissimilar to that of Roman Catholics. So how can Evangelicals be so sure? It’s all about trusting in the already-demonstrated faithfulness of our God to his promises. We have that assurance.
Another blog shutting down at year end is the humor and satire blog, The Salty Cee. They were founded at time when The Babylon Bee was changing its tone and losing some of its original plot. I don’t think I’ve clicked on Bee articles in more than a year. However, through reading The Cee’s formal announcement, I discovered The Damascus Dropbear which originates in Australia. Christian satire, when done well and lovingly, can really help us focus on key issues. I remember one Christian musician telling me a long, long time ago, “The Wittenburg Door is my conscience.”
While his popularity is ten times greater in the UK, over the years I’ve often given space to highlight the Christian-themed songs of music icon Cliff Richard. Though this one has no direct reference to Jesus, it’s amazing to see Sir Cliff producing music of this caliber at age 80!
Over the years, Thinking Out Loud has covered some of the “lowlights” of Christian authors’ and pastors’ ministry careers. This year seems to have been especially eventful in that respect. Last night on Twitter I challenged five Christian journalists to an exercise which may seem a rather dark or futile pursuit, but I think it’s important to see the actual names assembled in one place. Here’s how I framed it:
This is the time of year for highlights, and top book lists, but I would very seriously like to see a scorecard listing the many whose brand suffered in 2020 whether due to financial, marital or political missteps.
As someone who works in and around Christian publishing it’s important to me to have a list of authors who could come back to bite us as the general public is aware of certain events; or books which, displayed prominently simply serve as a distraction at this point in time. For example, Bill Hybels’ books still contain much truth, but for a Christian retailer to aggressively display them right now still seems like poor timing.
Also, with the election this year, the list of authors with question marks next to their names simply grew longer.
Annual Christmas photo with Santa: One of my favorite authors, Michael Frost in Sydney, Australia posted this on Twitter. “Lynnie and Noel Wraight win my 2020 award for best family Christmas photo.”
O, Christmas Tree, O, Christmas Tree This one is also from Twitter, from John Spencer at “Not the Bible” in the UK, caption: “That’s my Christmas tree done.”
“Will I ever get my job back?” asked the Wednesday List Lynx.
Most of my attention during the pandemic has been on our companion blog, Christianity 201. But I haven’t forgotten readers here. No this isn’t a Wednesday Link List or a Wednesday Connect, just a few things I’ve posted on Twitter over the last 30 days. But we’ll get there…
Dennis Hanabarger posted this yesterday. The sign above these books doesn’t say Christianity. It says Christian Living. In other words this ain’t no Barnes & Noble. This pic was taken in a Christian bookstore. These were the titles they were featuring on a top shelf. This was the best they had to offer. I find this extremely worrisome. For readers outside the U.S., this is Christianity in America. I’m sure there are some good thoughts in these books. But there are so many other things this store could be recommending.
The death of Texas pastor John Powell is heartbreaking enough, but made more so when you look at online pictures of his wife and four very young children. (I opted not to include those here.) He stopped on I-75 to help a motorist having a car fire and was hit by a transport truck. He was a former student of Russell Moore. More details at Religion News Service. A GoFundMe page is just 4K short of its 350K goal, but of course that won’t bring him back, and while I might have said that better, it’s just reflective of the sadness I feel.
Ross Brotman is a songwriter and musician based in Phoenix, AZ. He writes, “I have been working professionally as a drummer for 25 years and have been writing songs in many different genres all along. I have been very active in music ministry over the entire course of my playing career in large mega churches and small cafeteria start up churches alike.” Check out this song.
The EFC (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada) is Canada’s equivalent to the NAE. Yesterday at 3:30 they reported their financial management service provider had a data breach (ransomware virus) including names, addresses, emails and contribution records of donors, but thankfully not credit card information. The breach actually happened back in May and donors found out yesterday. Details here.
Also in Canada, probably the biggest faith-based news story last week concerned a Toronto Baptist pastor who was male when hired six years ago, and then in June came out as a transgender woman. She was immediately fired by the church.
Tish Harrison Warren became the unlikely victim of a book counterfeiting scam last year involving her title, Liturgy of the Ordinary. We reported on that almost exactly a year ago. 2021 is looking better. She writes “We have a cover! Prayer in the Night deals with darkness, suffering, vulnerability, theodicy and doubt. It’s framed around one nighttime prayer. ‘Keep watch, dear Lord, w/those who work or watch or weep this night, & give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; & all for your love’s sake. Amen.‘ Releases late January.”
I’ll bet you don’t have this topic covered in your library. Often Christian/Religious publishers are tripping over themselves offering similar product. So I gotta say, Acts Against God: A Short History of Blasphemy got my attention. Chapters look at: Ancient Worlds, Medieval Christendom, Reformation, Enlightenment, 19th Century, 20th Century, Contemporary World.
This multi-faceted artist is both writer and musician. She has a book releasing this month with Harvest House Publishers with the provocative title, Getting Naked Later: Making Sense of the Unexpected Single Life. This music video is much different; an excerpt from a live worship album.
Finally, a cure! And Jim Bakker has it. Call while supplies last. But first, see story âź below.
Seemed to be no shortage of people under the microscope this week. I’ve included some, ignored others. Donât forget that you can always play the home version of Wednesday Connect, just follow @PaulW1lk1nson on Twitter.Â
Also don’t miss our 404 pages in the graphics below.
â Where did all the Christians go? Alarming new stats from Barna Research shows nearly half as many Americans consider themselves “practicing Christians” as in 2000. Of those who aren’t, about half are non-practicing, and the other half would now be considered non-Christian. However there is hope: People are still reading their Bibles and praying at the same rate they were.
â When Jesus told his disciples he was leaving, is it better to say he was “changing location” instead of “changing form?” I ask because Steven Furtick says both in this short clip, but people are jumping all over him for the latter but ignoring the truth of the former. I think people are just predisposed to condemn him. (Pastors: What if your every sentence was widely posted online? Are your messages really that word-perfect? Could you stand up to the criticism?)
â David Jeremiah was inducted into the National Religious Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame, but historically, that would not have been possible as he’s not in membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability over a claim he gamed the New York Times Bestseller lists, in a scheme similar to the one which brought down Mark Driscoll.Â
Get ready for a string of COVID-19 stories…
â âź Breaking: The Attorney General for Missouri is the latest to come after televangelist Jim Bakker for peddling a cure for coronavirus. He’ll have to stand in line behind The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, The Federal Trade Commission, The New York Attorney General and others. It remains that “there are no known vaccinations or over-the-counter products approved to treat or cure the virus.” …
â In Europe, “Cases of coronavirus infections have multiplied since Thursday, March 5, 2020 throughout France, especially among the faithful who participated in a large Evangelical gathering of the ‘Christian Open Door’ in Mulhouse from February 17 to 24…” Furthermore, “Participation in this Lenten Week, organized for 25 years, did not require prior registration, which complicates the identification of potential patients.” (Story is in French-language media.) …
A school in North Carolina was criticized for a survey which was seeking to ask 11-year olds about their gender identity. One parent said, âI have no trust in my childâs schooling anymore.” Meanwhile some children in England were given a similar survey with 25 options, including âtri-genderâ and âdemi-boyâ.
â How Christian books come to be: Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn have a new book about finances, but guess what? It’s not about money. (And this is from a couple that freely shares that they disagree about some aspects of financial planning, which gives the rest of us hope!) (Actually, she gets top billing on the book’s cover.)
â Redeeming the Arts: In a world where a banana taped to a wall sells for $120,000, a short look at the God-intended role of artists, crafters, woodworkers, metalworkers, designers, engravers, stone-cutters, weavers, embroiderers; and anyone else engaged in what the author calls Presence-Centered Art.
â Labels: “We need to take care who we label false teachers. Itâs okay to name namesâbut we should do so only when weâre certain. And when we do wrongly label one another false teachers, we need humility to confess and repent.” Check the list of 9 marks of a false teacher.
â Parenting Place: Concerned that Google is taking your children where you don’t want them to be? Try Kiddle.co for safe-search results, bigger fonts, larger images, and (to repeat) safe-search results.
â đšđŠ Canada has begun the process of making conversion therapy against the law in every province. “The legislation would also authorize courts to order the seizure of conversion therapy advertisements or to order those who placed the advertisements to remove them.”
â The Book of Alternative Services: The Sound Bath Evensong.
During sound bath Evensong, ethereal voices sing sacred texts as a musician pumps a Shruti box, creating a low, steady hum. A single pitch from a singing bowl dissolves into sonorous overtones from a large gong. It penetrates to the core. The sounds are primal and soothing. For those who sit in quiet contemplation in the pews, the unique acoustic experience offers a chance to clear the mind.
Get Religion looks at what this Associated Press report included about the service, and what is left out. Is this even about God?
â Finally, don’t forget I Still Believe — the Jeremy Camp story — opens in select theaters on Thursday; others on Friday.
The website Church Pop thinks the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has the best 404 page, given that St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost things. Sourced at churchpop.com
Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous: Whose house is this house? See story * below.
We’re back with our weekly look at faith-related stories, as they appear to us living one international border removed from much of the action. I told my wife that the U.S. network TV shows weren’t on last night because it was Super Tuesday. She asked, in all seriousness, “That’s football, right?”
â Coronavirus and the Shincheonji Church in South Korea: “In the largest outbreak outside of China, the majority of the country’s more than 4,335 confirmed cases are members of the secretive group, labeled a cult in South Korea and by the Christian community, according to a spokesman for the church. ‘You would be 5 centimeters away from the person who sits next to you, and have to say âAmenâ after every sentence the pastor speaks â itâs the best environment for the virus to spread,’ An So-young, a 27-year-old who left the group, told Reuters.” …
â …And the virus means some SBC missionaries may need to be redeployed to other countries. International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood said, “For missionaries who are at the epicenter of the virus, in places where the risk is high and also where interaction with other human beings has almost been totally shut down, what we have said to them is, âIf you have small children or health issues, we want you somewhere else quickly.'” …
â …and in Italy, in the all-important season of Lent leading up to Passion Week, the Roman Catholic Church has congregations scrambling for alternative ways to say the Mass, including streaming live on the internet.
â Nagmeh Panahi, former wife of Saeed Abedini, shares her story with Pastor Neil McClendon and the congregation of Grand Parkway Baptist Church in Richmond Texas (58 minutes). (Interesting quote: “The first time I saw a commercial airplane it was really scary; I couldn’t understand that there could be airplanes that weren’t meant to drop bombs.”)
â Tornado hits Nashville: Joel and Luke Smallbone of for King and Country report, “Many of us were up through the night listening to sirens, searching for information on what was taking place around us, and checking in with loved ones around Nashville. By God’s grace, we’re all unharmed, but the same cannot be said for our city- which has taken quite a hit.”
â N. T. Wright on what the Bible says about women preachers. “Wright said the same question would elicit a yawn in the U.K. ‘We settled this one years ago,'”
â Parenting Problems: Why it’s increasingly difficult for Christians to work within the constraints of publicly funded fostering programs. This is a devotional article, but you want to at least read the anecdote.
â Polyamory: In 2020 this is a definite “no” for Evangelicals. But 2030? Look what happened with homosexuality. To consider this:
â Know anyone in this category? “There is a tendency for the parachurch to become a quasi-church. In other words, the tendency is for the parachurch to become the functioning church of its participants. It becomes the hub around which the Christian lives of its participants revolve.” The writer says such organizations are not a proper substitute for the local church.Â
â If you see someone on Twitter or Facebook asking for prayer, pray for them. And then let them know you’re praying. Prayer request of the week is for Olivia, daughter of @BibleBacon. (See Feb. 21, 22, 25, 26.)
â Honored: On May 5th a Christian publisher’s association will award Stormie Omartian for “the outstanding contribution of The Power of a PrayingÂź series, both to the industry and to society at large.” “The seriesâ collection of 20 books, published by Harvest House Publishers, has achieved more than 31 million in sales worldwide.” (Note to self: Don’t forget the Âź.)
â New Music â« This item got omitted last week, but apparently some people must thing the new Hillsong Young and Free song isn’t Jesus-y enough for worship use. At least, something sparked this short article. (Video embedded.)Â Â
â New Music â« Back on October 2nd, this Bethel Worship musician’s picture topped our Wednesday Connect column with the announcement of his run for Congress. Check out his new song, Raise Our Voice.
â Finally, last week’s burning theological question: Was Jesus buff?
Someone wasn’t taught to close their eyes for prayer. Photo: Reuters News
â Tweet of the Month for February:
I would just like to take this opportunity to apologize. I used to be in the Christian bookstore business and I used to sell this painting. I am getting old now, death seems very near and just want to clear the decks of unrepented sins. pic.twitter.com/f6l7V0URrE
Thinking Out Loud 