From The Sacred Sandwich

The Sacred Sandwich is a parody website, somewhat like the Onion, only lampooning trends in the “Christian” culture. We recently talked about how Christians have a tendency to ghettoize themselves by creating their own subculture. I saw this posted at the Sacred Sandwich, and thought I’d share it with you. The sad thing is, it’s not very far fetched.

Rejected TV Show Ideas for Christians

Posted on 17 November 2008

Let’s face it. When walking through the grazing land of television programming to search for decent entertainment, you gotta tiptoe around a whole lot of cowpies. And if the TV shows themselves don’t assault you with provocative images and unbiblical messages, then the commercials will. I mean, do we really need Victoria to show us all her secrets? That’s why many Christians today have opted to turn exclusively to Christian networks or just turn off their TVs.

Recently, however, the major television networks have been trying to woo back the substantial Christian market with more faith-friendly content. Unfortunately, because of a complete lack of originality and a rampant misunderstanding of their target audience, not many of the networks’ ideas for Christian programming have made it to the small screen as of yet.

After a thorough investigation by your wayfaring correspondent, I have uncovered a short list of some of the TV pilots for the Christian market that were recently rejected by ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX. Here are the top 15 titles in no particular order that did not make it onto the networks’ Fall lineups this year:

The Amazing Grace

CSI: Willow Creek

Extreme Makeover: Church Edition

SpongeBob SquareJones

Found

Desperate Deacon’s Wives

How I Met Your Mother Superior

Home School Musical

America’s Funniest Nooma Videos

The O’Reilly Rector

Law & Order: Covenantal Intent

Potluck Nightmares with Gordon Ramsey

Arminian Idol

Warren & Osteen’s Laugh-In

Dancing with the Baptists

Let’s just hope that next year the television industry can gain the invaluable assistance of prominent Hollywood Christians to help them create a new frontier in Christian programming before TBN corners the whole flippin’ market.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

Answering Your Questions: God’s Sovereignty

Alright, recently we opened up discussion on what you the readers would like addressed on this blog. During the open period we received three suggestions. And we’re going to tackle them one at a time. Before we get going, by the way, I should say that the purpose of these posts is to foster discussion. So, let’s make the most of that comment feature, huh?

The first suggestion we got, came from Marc, who wondered about God’s sovereignty in all things and how it relates to human responsibility. When we talk about God’s sovereignty, we are talking about his freedom to do as he pleases. It also relates to his activity of ruling over his creation (also called Providence).

To begin, the Bible clearly teaches that God is in sovereign control of all things. Romans 8.28 speaks of him working all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. And Ephesians 1.11 refers to him as working all things after the counsel of his will. These verses are universal in scope. There are no things that are excluded. God controls everything that happens in his creation, including the actions of his creatures.

But wait, you may be thinking, don’t we make choices? How can we really make a decision if God is in control? The answer to this comes in such places as Genesis 50.20, where Joseph tells his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” That verse clearly teaches that the brothers made a choice, and they had a purpose for that choice. But it also teaches that God was in control and had his own purpose for their choice. This is commonly called “compatiblism,” which means that God’s sovereignty is compatible with genuine human choices. We don’t know exactly how this works, but the Bible tells us that it does work. The clearest example of this is seen in Acts 4, where we read about how the religious leaders and Pilate killed Jesus with wicked hands, according to God’s predetermined purpose. They genuinely, and evilly, decided to kill Jesus. But this was all a part of God’s good plan. He rules over history, including our choices. And he does this in such a way as to 1) allow us to genuinely choose what we choose (hence we are responsible for our decisions), and 2) not himself ever do anything wrong. Though God is sovereign over our sinful choices, he is not the Author of Evil.

How this could happen is a mystery, but it is also a great comfort. This means that no matter how random life seems to be, even when it seems like you are screwing everything up and the world is coming down around your ears, God is in control, and has a good purpose for you. This means that when disasters take place (wars, Tsunamis, earth quakes, wildfires, rape, etc.), that God is in control, and that they are happening for a good reason. We may not know his reasons. But we can know his heart.

That heart was revealed in the most despicable act ever committed by humanity (which was also the most gracious act ever committed by God), the death of Jesus. Here we see a God who loves his people so intensely that he will let nothing stand in the way of taking care of them, even his own death. Here we see a God who will go to the cross: to hell, as it were, so that we would not have to. When we realize that this is the God ruling over history, we can trust and worship him, knowing that nothing comes to us that hasn’t come through him. And that he won’t let anything come through to us that isn’t ultimately for our good and his glory.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

Engage Culture | TheResurgence

TheResurgence is a movement that resources multiple generations to live for Jesus so that they can effectively reach their cities with the gospel by staying culturally accessible and Biblically faithful.  In light of the most recent text that Gene preached on sunday about christians and culture, I wanted to direct our readers attention to TheResurgence.  This week they have posted six ways to engage culture, below is a carbon copy of the post.  Enjoy and remember we are called to make culture. 

 

 

1. Engage culture prayerfully. I’m not suggesting that we should actually bow our heads and recite a prayer before reading a newspaper or book, watching TV or a movie, or going shopping, though that certainly wouldn’t hurt. Instead, we are to live life and engage culture in a spirit of dependence upon God; we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). We should approach culture just as we should approach all things: prayerfully.What should we pray? We should thank God for the gift of culture, confessing that all cultures contain truth, beauty, and virtue, asking Him to help us recognize and rejoice in these good gifts, which come down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). Alternatively, all cultures also disdain truth, beauty, and virtue. Thus, we are dependent upon God to enable us to recognize and reject those things that are harmfully false, ugly, and immoral. By asking God to give us the perspective of His Spirit, “the Spirit who searches out all things, even the depths of God” (1 Cor. 2:10), we can begin to discern between the things which are true, beautiful, and good and the things that are false, ugly, and evil.

 

2. Engage culture carefully. When approaching any given issue, from parenting to politics, we all have our biases. In order to engage culture well, we must strive to avoid the paths of both the sectarian and the secularist, of both blind rejection and uncritical acceptance. This will require careful investigation into the issues we face, taking the opposing view seriously and weighing its merits. Make a habit of hearing both sides of an issue before you baptize your opinions. Be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19).

 

3. Engage culture biblically-theologically. Why hyphenate biblical and theological? Why not just say “think biblically”? Well, the plain fact is that the Bible does not explicitly address most cultural issues. It does not tell you who to vote for, which school to go to, what movies to watch, whether or not you should date, whether or not to abort your baby, or how to respond to cloning. Instead, the Bible offers theological principles which we can appropriate in order to form opinions and convictions about cultural issues. For instance, there is no verse in the Bible that reads: “Thou shalt not have an abortion.” However, the Bible does inform us that God is the author of life and that to take human life is murder, which is prohibited by God. The circumstances surrounding abortion can be complex. A mother’s life may be threatened if the life of the baby is not taken. The Bible does not say, “Preserve the mother’s life.” However, there are principles and practices in Scripture that can help us make wise decisions about cultural and ethical dilemmas.The problem, however, is that we often start with culturalassumptions about what is right, beautiful, and good and go to the Bible to prove them. Instead, we need to bring cultural questionsabout what is true, good, and beautiful to the Bible, reflect on them theologically and then prayerfully, and carefully form our opinions. Don’t begin with cultural convictions and end with biblical proof-texts; end with cultural wisdom by beginning with biblical-theological reflection. Start with the biblical text and reflect theologically on cultural issues. Move from Text to Theology to Culture, not the other way around.

 

4. Engage culture redemptively. Strive to connect your theological reflections regarding culture to redemption. We can redemptively engage culture in two ways: practically and positionally. To practically redeem, identify what is broken, what is in need of redemption, and take restorative action. Ask yourself questions like “How can I bring the gospel to bear on this issue?” or “How can I restore, forgive, or reconcile in this situation?” For example, if you come to the conviction that abortion is ugly and immoral, think about how you can help those who are suffering from the devastating affects of abortion. Don’t just debate others. Volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center. Learn how to counsel mothers. Don’t become self-righteous and inactive; practice your cultural convictions. Live them out redemptively.Our practice should flow from our position in Christ. Our actions ought to reveal our redeemed identity, not form our identity. Consider the danger of mistaking your newly-formed habits for who you are. For instance, do you think of yourself now as an environmentalist or as a citizen of Zion with an environmental conscience? Do you draw significance from being a “pro-lifer” or from being new creation in Christ Jesus? Ask yourself, “Am I confusing my practice with my position?” or “Am I finding my significance in what I do instead of who I am in Christ?” Guard yourself from subtly allowing cultural convictions to take the place of your identity in Christ. Ground your identity in the gospel and your practice will be more redemptive and more honoring to the Lord.

 

5. Engage culture humbly. Recognize that you have much to learn from a given culture. Read, converse, and reflect on cultural issues with a teachable heart. Ask God to shape your convictions through whomever or whatever He wills. Avoid proud dogmatism and cultivate humble conviction. Don’t put others down who believe differently from you. Consider others more important than yourself without surrendering your convictions. Yet, be willing to revise your opinions through a process of Text-Theology-Culture.

 

6. Engage culture selectively. Realize and embrace the limitations of your own time, experience, and interests. Spend your time wisely. Don’t sacrifice time with God, church, or family in order to become more culturally savvy. Everyone has been created differently, to live a unique life. Make the most of your experience by redemptively engaging culture, but try to avoid making the experience of others your own. There are too many issues in the world for you to become an overnight expert on Christ and culture. Be selective about what you engage.

For more information on this subject you can visit theresurgence.com

post by: pastor stephen

What Would Jesus Recycle

This Sunday I preached about how mankind is called upon by God to exercise dominion over the earth: to steward the earth’s resources and develop its full potential. This is an essential part of our being human.

These days the environment is a hot potato issue. All around you see signs urging you to “go green” or “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” During the droughts in the Triad over the last couple years, we were urged to conserve water. And of course, in the political world there’s a lot of talk about alternative engergies and global warming.

In light of our mandate to have dominon, Christians should be at the very forefront of the environmental movement. It should be an exciting prospect for us to be trying to take better care of the earth. But for whatever reason, there are many evangelical Christians who eschew environmentalism, and insofar as they address the issue of global warming, it is to deny that it is an issue. For whatever reason, these Christians seem to have the notion that caring for the environment, or admitting that global warming is a reality are incompatible with Christianity. I have my theories about why this is, but let me just state clearly: they are not incompatible.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you have to hold to a particular view about global warming. The Bible doesn’t specify one, so we have to allow for legitimate differences of opinion. It’s not the church’s job (as the institutional church) to set environmental policy. Instead, we preach the gospel. But, we are still responsible to God for our stewardship of the environment. So whatever you think the deal is with global warming, you ought to be concerned that we take good care of God’s good creation.

We see the same thing when we look at the life of Jesus. In John 6, we read about how he multiplied the fish and loaves to feed 5,000 people. After they’ve eaten, he tells his disciples to gather up the left over fragments so that nothing will be wasted (v. 12). Think about it, Jesus doesn’t need to worry about running out of bread, he just fed 5,000 people with five loaves! He can make more. But he still shows a concern that resources be used responsibly.

Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have the promise that our world will be renewed and made whole again (Romans 8.19-24; Colossians 1.20). And one day, this renewed and perfected earth will be our eternal home (Revelation 21-22). Doesn’t it make sense to take good care of it now, for Jesus’ sake?

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

The Shape of Things to Come

 

I just wanted to take some time and let you know what’s coming up over the next few weeks and months. As we get ready to close out 2008 and begin 2009, we want to be sure that everyone knows what to expect and that we’re all on the same page. 

 

Our Genesis series has two more weeks left. This Sunday (November 16), we will learn about our created purpose. This message will answer the question, “How should Christians relate to our world and our culture (or should they at all)?” And in two weeks (November 23), we will look at God’s design and definition for marriage and companionship. Whether you are married or not, this will be an important message to hear. You don’t want to miss either! And be thinking about which of your friends would benefit from these messages so that you can invite them. The church isn’t here just for you, it’s here for your friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

 

As we mentioned this Sunday, we will be serving the Downtown Middle School by painting their common area. We’ll get started at about nine o’clock am, and will go until about noon. Come with painting clothes, and be ready to work! If you have any questions, contact Loren.

At 1.21 we serve because Christ has first served us. We don’t serve to feel better about ourselves or make us more acceptable to God. Jesus has done all of that already. Instead we serve out of grateful recognition of what he has done for us. We serve to bring glory to the one who has saved us, and to show love to the world which he came to save, and to whom he has sent us as ambassadors.

 

Also, remember that we will be collecting coats for those who can’t afford them. We need children’s coats (give them to Shannon), and men’s coats (give them to Jeremy). This is a great opportunity to help people in a tangible way, like Jesus would have.

 

I hope you have a great week worshiping Jesus at your job, in you house, and with your rest.

 

posted by: Stephen Wagoner

 

Why should the Devil get all the Good Music?: Or, why 1.21 Church will NEVER have a Senior Adult Choir

Folks, if you want to avoid us resorting to this, then audition for the worship band!

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

Differences of Opinion, and a Unique Opportunity

It’s a fact that Christians have a variety of opinions about different issues. What is or is not acceptable behavior for Christians? What should be our relationship to the surrounding culture? How should Christians vote? There are some who believe that all Christians should always come to the same answers about all these things. I would disagree though. I believe that Christianity allows for genuine differences of opinion. So how should we handle those things?

The following guidelines are developed from Romans 14.

First, we must be biblical. When the Scripture tells us that a certain behavior is off limits, then we should avoid it. An example of this would be sex outside of marriage. This isn’t up for grabs. We should be on the same page about this one.

That being said, though, most issues that Christians differ over, aren’t clearly addressed in the Bible (or we’d probably agree on them). Therefore, secondly, we must follow our conscience. When the Bible does not specifically address something, we are at liberty to either do it or not do it. But even when we have this liberty, sometimes we have a sense that it is wrong. This might be due to our culture or our upbringing. But, in those cases, we should follow our conscience. If we do something that we think is wrong, then when we do it, we are acting in disobedience.

If we follow these first two steps, then it is likely that we will end up with some disagreements. When that happens, then third, we must respect one another’s convictions. Paul tells us that if we partake of something, we should not despise those who abstain, and that if we abstain, we should not judge those who partake. I think that this is the part where Christians get it wrong most of the time. We’re fine trying to be biblical, and then following our consciences. But then the idea that someone else might come to a different conclusion seems impossible to us. How could anyone possibly disagree with me!? We have to remember that we are not the standard of truth: Jesus is (John 14.6).

So, for example, if you believe that it is wrong to drink alcohol (alcohol is a great test case for this because the Bible does not forbid its use and because some Christians have serious moral reservations about using it), you should not do so. This is fine and commendable. But the moment you expect every other Christian to conform to that standard, you have crossed the line into legalism. Likewise, if you believe that Christians may drink alcohol in moderation you are free to do so. But if you expect all other Christians to follow you and enjoy a drink, you have crossed the line into another sort of legalism. This principle can be expanded to include a variety of behavioral, financial, and even political decisions. It’s fine to have a viewpoint that isn’t explicitly set forth in Scripture. But Scripture forbids you to impose it on others.

On another note, our post-election post generated a lot of attention, and began a somewhat lengthy conversation in the blog comments. This is exactly the sort of thing we want to see. At the end of the conversation, one of the participants asked what we would be talking about next. In order for us to have conversations we need to be interested in the topic. That’s why I’m going to let you decide what’s next. Leave your topic request in the comment section, and (within reason) we will write a blog post dealing with it. But act soon, the offer only lasts until Tuesday at 5 pm.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

Thoughts on the Election

Yesterday, in a historic election, Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States. Some have reacted to this event with exuberant joy, enthusiasm, and hope. Others have displayed anger, and fear. Still others aren’t quite sure what to make of things.

For the past few election cycles, there’s been a lot of talk about the “evangelical vote.” And this year was no exception. In conversation with Christian friends, the election and politics have weighed prominently in the discussion. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But I think it’s important for Christians to realize that our hope does not lie in politics, elected officials, or legislation. Our hope lies in Jesus. He is the change we need (I almost said “Change we can believe in,” but that’s too hokey).

Philippians 3.20 tells us that our citizenship is in heaven, from which we await a Savior. I think that Christians need to remember this, and to locate their primary citizenship in heaven, rather than the United States.

The election is over. Our country has chosen a President. But remember, this is not our home. We just happen to live here. This election is not our hope, it’s just the way certain decisions get made in our country. Our hope is Jesus. Our message is his gospel. It’s time to get busy once again. Let’s let our leaders do their job. And let’s be sure we do our job.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

Rated R for Violence, Language, Nudity, and Sexual Content

This Sunday Pastor Stephen preached about God as the Greatest Artist, who displays his beauty through the created order. He spoke of his love for movies, and the fact that any piece of art (such as film) tells us something about the artist.

In many Christian circles, there’s a strong opinion that Christians ought to avoid art with sinful elements in it. This is especially the case with movies, and even more especially the case with movies that earn an R rating. The three big no-nos are cussing, killing, and coitus (I know, it’s cheesy, but I really wanted to get the alliteration in). Ironically, most Christian parents would rather have their children exposed to the reality of violence (which God did not intend) than the reality of sex (which God did intend within certain channels). But by and large, the consensus is that art (and especially movies) with these things in it ought to be avoided as sinful.

The first problem with this, though, is (as Brian Godowa points out) that if the Bible were ever faithfully adapted into a movie, it would be lucky to receive an R rating, and NC17 would be much more likely. The Bible accurately depicts human life in a fallen world, with all the messiness and sin that this entails. There’s always a problem if you are trying to be holier than the Bible.

The fact is, we live in a fallen, sinful world: things are broken, from violence to human language to sex. If art is going to be honest about the facts of our existence it needs to deal with these things. We can bury our head in the sand all we want, but these things are still true. This doesn’t mean that we should glorify human sinfulness. But it does mean that we cannot simply ignore it. It is a valid expression of art to deal with these things. I am not recommending that you start watching R rated movies. Everyone has certain limits that they shouldn’t go beyond. But I am saying that we can learn a lot about our fallen world through art.

And art that shows the brokenness of our world also shows the need for our redemption. Jesus entered into our broken world, and he made it whole. He did not shelter himself from “bad influences.” He recognized the problems of human life and he dealt with them, by taking them to the cross. So the next time you see something that reminds you of the ugliness of the world. The next time you see a violent movie, or one in which sex is misused, let it remind you of how desperately our world needs redemption: redemption that comes to us in Jesus.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger

Why we need Christianity: The Trinity

This Sunday I mentioned that the God of Christianity is the God who has eternally existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three Persons, One God. This truth distinguishes Christianity from every other religion in the world. Many people believe in “God,” but we want to promote belief in the Trinitarian God, and no other. Not only does this teaching distinguish Christianity from other faiths, it also shows, in part, why the world needs Christianity.

We live in a violent world (this includes both physical and cultural violence), where those who are different are feared, distrusted, maligned, etc. This is just a natural part of how we live, and most systems of thought believe that this is an inescapable and fundamental part of the universe. The doctrine of the Trinity, however, teaches us that God, the Ultimate Reality behind the Universe, exists in peaceful, harmonious community. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all distinct Personalities (and, therefore, different than each other). And yet, they love, enjoy, and share with one another. The Trinity shows us the possibility of valuing, loving, and serving those who are different. Not only that, but because the Trinity is the Fundamental Reality, we see that such love is the way things are supposed to be.

Not only that, but the God who is Triune has taken it upon himself to include us in this loving community. God the Son became human and lived a life of perfect peace and community with his Father. And then he died the death that we deserve. In that moment, he was separated from his Father so that we could be included in their relationship. Now, by resting in him by faith, we are able to enjoy peaceful relations with the Triune God. And by having this peace with God, we are both shown the necessity of, and enabled to persue peaceful relations with our fellow man. The only place that this can truly happen is in Christ, because only in Christ is access granted to God.

So, this week, pursue peace and community with others. This is both your responsibility, and a priviledge purchased for you by Jesus himself. In our community groups, we are able to come around those who are different and to share life with one another. When we do this, we are displaying before a watching world the way things ought to be. We are demonstrating what kind of God we worship.

Posted by: Gene Schlesinger