Friday, May 09, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
A Multi-Ethnic Body
by Lee Shelton IV
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton politicize race. Jeremiah Wright offers up a race-based theology. Creflo Dollar and T.D. Jakes promote a prosperity gospel. It is sad to see African-American Christians stereotyped by these so-called "leaders" in the black community. What's even sadder is that believers end up divided along ethnic lines.
Thankfully, there are ministries that are reaching out and bringing healing to the body of Christ:
Thankfully, there are ministries that are reaching out and bringing healing to the body of Christ:
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Our Innate Understanding of Human Nature
by Lee Shelton IV
When we first decided to adopt from Haiti, we were told that many people there had a fear that rich foreigners might be adopting in order to use Haitian children as organ donors. We found this hard to believe. How could anyone think such a thing? Sure, we have heard of couples getting pregnant for the sole purpose of using their new baby as an organ or tissue donor, but adoption is a long, expensive ordeal. Even if someone was willing to spend the money, it didn't make sense that someone in need of a transplant would bother going through a process that requires a huge amount of paperwork, a thorough background check, a psychological evaluation, and a full medical screening, not to mention a one-and-a-half to two-year wait before the adoption is finalized. Silly, right?
Well, that's what I thought until I ran across MedicalAdoptions.com. Take a look at it for a moment. You can easily see how something like that could get wild rumors started in an impoverished, superstitious Third World country.
Admit it. You were appalled at first. But if you bothered to poke around the site for a bit, you quickly discovered that it is a hoax -- a crude one, yes, but a hoax nonetheless. It does, however, draw attention to the fact that children all over the world are objectified and treated as disposable commodities all the time. (Ever hear of embryonic stem cell research?)
Actually, it really shouldn't surprise us at all that some people would see a site like MedicalAdoptions.com and think it's legitimate. Ryan W. McMaken, blogging at LewRockwell.com, made an excellent observation: "Some people see right through the hoaxes immediately, but many are outraged and quite credulous. In the end, the fact that people are willing to believe, even momentarily, that the proposal in question is being seriously put forward, is an excellent commentary on humanity's opinion of itself."
We have known the difference between right and wrong ever since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It's not that we are oblivious to God, it's that we actively rebel against God. The Bible merely confirms the fact that "the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 8:21).
The truth is, most of us have an innate understanding of human nature. We know exactly how depraved we can be. Those who say that people are essentially good at heart are only lying to themselves. They know better.
Well, that's what I thought until I ran across MedicalAdoptions.com. Take a look at it for a moment. You can easily see how something like that could get wild rumors started in an impoverished, superstitious Third World country.
Admit it. You were appalled at first. But if you bothered to poke around the site for a bit, you quickly discovered that it is a hoax -- a crude one, yes, but a hoax nonetheless. It does, however, draw attention to the fact that children all over the world are objectified and treated as disposable commodities all the time. (Ever hear of embryonic stem cell research?)
Actually, it really shouldn't surprise us at all that some people would see a site like MedicalAdoptions.com and think it's legitimate. Ryan W. McMaken, blogging at LewRockwell.com, made an excellent observation: "Some people see right through the hoaxes immediately, but many are outraged and quite credulous. In the end, the fact that people are willing to believe, even momentarily, that the proposal in question is being seriously put forward, is an excellent commentary on humanity's opinion of itself."We have known the difference between right and wrong ever since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It's not that we are oblivious to God, it's that we actively rebel against God. The Bible merely confirms the fact that "the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 8:21).
The truth is, most of us have an innate understanding of human nature. We know exactly how depraved we can be. Those who say that people are essentially good at heart are only lying to themselves. They know better.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Truly Together for the Gospel
by Lee Shelton IV
"The basis for human identity," said Rev. Thabiti Anyabwile at the Together for the Gospel conference a few weeks ago, "is our unity in Adam as his biological descendants and God's image-bearers." Here is a brief clip from that session:
There are a couple of reasons why I think it is so important and timely. One is that it comes in the wake of the Jeremiah Wright fiasco. (By the way, Thabiti Anyabwile has some excellent things to say about that on his blog.) It's clear there are still a lot of misconceptions about race, and in spite all of the advances we are supposed to have made, race is still used as a weapon to divide people and stir up hatred.
Another reason I think it's important is that my wife and I have been called to grow our family through international adoption. We are currently in the process of adopting a little girl from China and a brother and sister from Haiti. As you can imagine, we anticipate certain challenges to arise.
But, praise God, we are blessed to be part of a much larger and diverse family, one that is founded on divine adoption and encompasses every nation, tribe, and tongue. No matter what our skin color, we all bear the image of God, and to allow discrimination and division to creep in would be an insult to the gospel.
There are a couple of reasons why I think it is so important and timely. One is that it comes in the wake of the Jeremiah Wright fiasco. (By the way, Thabiti Anyabwile has some excellent things to say about that on his blog.) It's clear there are still a lot of misconceptions about race, and in spite all of the advances we are supposed to have made, race is still used as a weapon to divide people and stir up hatred.
Another reason I think it's important is that my wife and I have been called to grow our family through international adoption. We are currently in the process of adopting a little girl from China and a brother and sister from Haiti. As you can imagine, we anticipate certain challenges to arise.
But, praise God, we are blessed to be part of a much larger and diverse family, one that is founded on divine adoption and encompasses every nation, tribe, and tongue. No matter what our skin color, we all bear the image of God, and to allow discrimination and division to creep in would be an insult to the gospel.
This Week in Calvinism - May 2, 2008
by Lee Shelton IVThursday, May 01, 2008
Scripture for Busy Guys Who Don't Have Time to Read
by Lee Shelton IV
This is real. It is not a spoof:
Listen. I'm as open to new ideas as the next guy, but I just don't see how this is of any real use to believers. Are we guys really so thick-headed that scripture has to be dumbed down this much?

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Listen. I'm as open to new ideas as the next guy, but I just don't see how this is of any real use to believers. Are we guys really so thick-headed that scripture has to be dumbed down this much?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Children: Blessing or Curse?
by Lee Shelton IV
When ministers ignore their duty to preach the gospel, they are inevitably swayed by the latest social trends, and the relevancy of their message caters to the lowest common denominator. Consider the following inane rant from Oliver "Buzz" Thomas:
Sorry, Rev. Thomas, but I cannot subscribe to your implication that children are a curse. (And yes, that is exactly what you are implying.) The world needs more children brought up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4), not less.
- In the interest of preserving our planet and our species, shouldn't religious organizations be encouraging smaller families? Do our spiritual leaders need additional divine revelation to realize that our current doctrines -- which threaten to take the entire world down with us -- have become ethically and theologically questionable?
Population growth hits hardest in the poorest nations, and as poverty increases, public health declines. I am quite certain that God is not the author of human misery, but by preaching against birth control at the same time we are preaching against abortion, it seems that we're making God out as cruel, a buffoon, or both.
I recognize that religious organizations tend to be conservative institutions. Their continued resistance to equal rights for women and gays is a good example. A woman may be president of Harvard or speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, but in the largest religious organization on the planet, women still can't get ordained as parish priests. It's even worse for gays and lesbians.
All this is to say that religion often comes late to the party -- sometimes kicking and screaming, as did most Southern churches on slavery and civil rights. Only this time, we can't afford it. Not when the fate of the planet might hang in the balance.
How should people of faith respond to this gathering environmental storm?
First, we must stop having so many children. Clergy should consider voicing the difficult truth that having more than two children during such a time is selfish. Dare we say sinful? The average American might not listen to his elected representatives, but he darn sure listens to his pastor. Every week. This will be a hard message for pastors to preach and parishioners to hear, but without it we court disaster.
Sorry, Rev. Thomas, but I cannot subscribe to your implication that children are a curse. (And yes, that is exactly what you are implying.) The world needs more children brought up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4), not less.
This Week in Calvinistm - April 25, 2008
by Lee Shelton IVWednesday, April 23, 2008
T4G 2008 Downloads
by Lee Shelton IV
You can download the lectures and panel discussions from the 2008 Together for the Gospel Conference here.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
In Celebration of Earth Day
by Lee Shelton IV
Genesis 1:1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Deuteronomy 32:1
"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth."
1st Chronicles 16:31
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"
Psalm 24:1-2
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Romans 8:19-22
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
1st Corinthians 10:25-26
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."
Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Friday, April 18, 2008
This Week in Calvinistm - April 18, 2008
by Lee Shelton IVWednesday, April 16, 2008
Christian Statism: Killing for the Gospel?
by Lee Shelton IV
"The War Prayer" is a short story that was written during the aftermath of the Philippine-American War by Mark Twain and published after his death. In 2007, Markos Kounalakis, the president of The Washington Monthly, adapted the text for this animated short film.
Consider how many churches display the American flag prominently in their pulpits. Is it any wonder why we seem to have such a hard time drawing a distinction between loyalty to Christ and loyalty to country?
A couple of months ago, I heard a comment that saddened me deeply. In the context of discussing how the brutality of bin Laden and other Muslim thugs may be turning people away from Islam, someone mentioned that it's good for Christianity to have the U.S. military involved in the Middle East, and that having Christian GIs in Iraq will help spread the gospel.
Oh. Is that why we invaded Iraq and killed hundreds of thousands of people? It was all part of furthering God's kingdom?
What we did was commit a naked act of aggression against a sovereign nation that neither attacked nor threatened us. Our "liberation" of Iraq has since given rise to terrorist groups that weren't there before and has resulted in a great amount of bloodshed. It has also displaced thousands of Christians who now face violent persecution from militant Muslims. Do American Christians now feel we must justify the actions of our government on the basis that it will help spread the gospel?
My friend Dave Black asks, "How is that we have allowed the Christian Right to be defined by delusional idealism and religious zeal? How is it that American evangelicals not only approved but actually glamorized the war as a form of Christian 'mission'?"
As a Christian and a Calvinist, I understand that God controls all things and does ordain evil for good (Genesis 50:20). But we as Christians should never equate the spreading of the gospel with the use of military force. We are fighting a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12-13) and our weapon of choice is the "sword of the spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). We should be prepared to give our own lives for the sake of the gospel (Matthew 16:25, John 12:24-25), not to take the lives of others.
Consider how many churches display the American flag prominently in their pulpits. Is it any wonder why we seem to have such a hard time drawing a distinction between loyalty to Christ and loyalty to country?A couple of months ago, I heard a comment that saddened me deeply. In the context of discussing how the brutality of bin Laden and other Muslim thugs may be turning people away from Islam, someone mentioned that it's good for Christianity to have the U.S. military involved in the Middle East, and that having Christian GIs in Iraq will help spread the gospel.
Oh. Is that why we invaded Iraq and killed hundreds of thousands of people? It was all part of furthering God's kingdom?
What we did was commit a naked act of aggression against a sovereign nation that neither attacked nor threatened us. Our "liberation" of Iraq has since given rise to terrorist groups that weren't there before and has resulted in a great amount of bloodshed. It has also displaced thousands of Christians who now face violent persecution from militant Muslims. Do American Christians now feel we must justify the actions of our government on the basis that it will help spread the gospel?
My friend Dave Black asks, "How is that we have allowed the Christian Right to be defined by delusional idealism and religious zeal? How is it that American evangelicals not only approved but actually glamorized the war as a form of Christian 'mission'?"
As a Christian and a Calvinist, I understand that God controls all things and does ordain evil for good (Genesis 50:20). But we as Christians should never equate the spreading of the gospel with the use of military force. We are fighting a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12-13) and our weapon of choice is the "sword of the spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). We should be prepared to give our own lives for the sake of the gospel (Matthew 16:25, John 12:24-25), not to take the lives of others.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Idol Worship
by Lee Shelton IV
Viewers who tuned in last week to American Idol Gives Back saw something you just don't see on TV -- I mean ever:
Right?
Well, there are a couple of things to consider. Bob Kauflin explains:
Right?
Well, there are a couple of things to consider. Bob Kauflin explains:
- In the positive column, someone watching "Shout to the Lord" on American Idol might be led by God's Spirit to download the song, or even to start going to church again. They might hear the Gospel and be gloriously converted, all due to hearing "Shout to the Lord" in one of the most unlikely places. For that potential, I praise and thank God. ...
... But there’s a dark side. There's something paradoxical about worship songs being sung on prime time TV by people who don't know why Jesus came. Does the world see any difference between what’s taking place on American Idol and what we do on Sunday mornings? Has worship become part of the entertainment culture? It's unsettling when Christian songs or worship leaders are acclaimed by the masses. Jesus said in Luke 6:26, "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets." He also said, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (Matt. 15:8). Both verses temper my unbridled enthusiasm.
American Idol, for all the good the show is seeking to do, will never be a platform for worshiping a crucified Messiah. The Gospel has to be gutted of a bloody cross to find a place on prime time TV.
How Not to Preach on Pain and Suffering
by Lee Shelton IV
If you would like to know how not to preach a sermon on pain and suffering, just follow these simple guidelines:
- Make your sermon topical rather than expositional. People already know about pain and suffering. They want something applicable with lots of anecdotes and illustrations. They don't need to hear all the details of what God's Word has to say on the subject, but do feel free to throw in some random verses here and there.
- When dealing with such a serious topic, it's always good to break the ice with a joke. Say something like this: "When we ask questions like Why does God allow pain in my life? it really has a lot of similar questions that kind of butt up against it. Questions like Why is there suffering in the world? Questions like Why does God allow evil? Why do they sell hot dogs in packs of eight, but rolls in packs of 10? You know, really big questions that really get at the heart of what we're struggling with." Be sure to pause long enough for laughter.
- Maintain a man-centered perspective. (The congregation is made up of mere mortals, after all.) Stress the importance of free will. We aren't robots, so don't let your congregation think for even one second that things like evil and suffering may have been ordained by God. Sure, scripture teaches that our salvation was secured in Christ before the foundation of the world, but that doesn't mean God had everything planned ahead of time. Let's just try to stick to the subject at hand, shall we?
- Remember, you're coming at this from a man-centered perspective, so stick to three practical implications. God allows pain in our lives: 1) to grow our faith, 2) to focus our hope, and 3) to propel our love.
- Whatever you do, do not -- I repeat, do not -- bring up God's sovereignty or his glory. Once you do that, your sermon ceases to be man-centered, and people will tune out because you are no longer making it about them.
- Humor is especially effective at driving your points home. A joke about shooting your neighbor because his dog poops on your lawn, and then going to jail for it, can be a very effective way to convey the point that suffering can sometimes be the result of bad choices that we make. (You know, that whole free will thing.)
- This is a sermon, so will want to mention Christ in there somewhere. Tell the people that Christ suffered and died on the cross to overcome the two biggest problems in our lives: sin and death. If you're delivering this sermon around Easter time, make it relevant by saying something like "That's what Easter is all about." Congregations like that kind of thing.









