Be the People: A Review

I really enjoyed Dr. Carol Swain's book, Be the People. Dr. Swain has written a thoughtful manifesto of conservatism that is fair to all people groups in America and is also a Biblical assessment of the situation. I often support Barack Obama's decisions, and I also believe that he is representing the American People to the best of his abilities. I believe that he is the elected President, and I personally think that he is one of the most intelligent and enigmatic presidents we have seen in a long time. However, Carol Swain outlines why Obama is not for what my own personal views are. You see, although I support Obama and hope for his reelection, I don't agree with probably 45-60% of his policies.

Swain outlines some of these beliefs in a powerful way: 1. I believe in the sanctity of life. 2. I believe that marraige should be a monogamous relationship between a man and a woman. 3. I believe that people have taken a dive off the deep end and lost much of the ability to have nonobjective moral reasoning based on eternal principals and truth. 4. I believe that people clamor way to much for personal rights, when they have done things to others that are lazy or reprehensible.

Swain seems to be advocating that the religious right could do something about any of the above, where Obama is just adding fuel to the fire. I seem to think that if the religious right couldn't do much during George W.s terms, then there must be a substantial part of the U.S. population that have generally turned against conservative values and as such need to be heard and advocated for in a democratic society. I am essentially saying that while I think Christians should behave one way, I don't think Christians can force the rest of the world to act that same way too through government means.

Carol and I agree on one major point: The world is going to Hell in a hand basket. We disagree on what to do about it. I say, "Its a democracy; we must be creatively winsome and instructive to our families, while at the same time advocating for the rights of all mankind, whether Christian or non Christian." Carol says, "Yes and we must elect somebody other than Barack Obama to the presidency." O.k. Carol, well you run for president and then I may think about it.

Fasting

Mega Churches abound in my neck of the woods. I am a member of one actually! But one in our area really gets under my skin. Having a large gathering of people, they have a focus on Fasting at the beginning of the year, and attached to the fast is the idea of a very public unified prayer for a move from God, based on some slapped together scriptures that are taken out of context. Then, as if this weren't enough, the leader has declared himself to be America's expert on fasting and has a flock of books for his following.

Not so fast, I want to declare! Have you read the scriptures in a real way? Before I get to riled up, I have to say that a much smarter and more seasoned view of fasting is very much available. Scott McKnight's book on fasting is fantastic. It goes back to the roots of the ancient practice, in sound exegesis of the scripture. Fasting is quiet a profound and personally touching spiritual discipline that is more about a private relationship to God in scriptures, rather than a public announcement of faith or political statement. In Fasting, McKnight lays all of this out in a real way that is simply an explanation of the various ways that fasting can be personally powerful and even the very practical discussion of the physical repercussions of the fast.

In a world where fasting has become hyped up, McKnight offers a very thoughtful analysis of this ancient practice.

Andy Stanley's new book, The Grace of God, gives an outstanding summation of God's Grand Narrative. When we look at the Bible as one big story, we find a lot of themes, but one theme is definitive. That is grace, but grace is one of those things that people argue about and extremely conservative Christians emphasize that Grace should not be cheap while more progressive believers accentuate the freedom that is found in Christ. The beautiful thing about the narrative of the Bible is that it isn't conservative or liberal, but all about transfoming people's lives with the message that they are worth a lot and part of a bigger story that isn't all about them or even just one group of people.

Andy's emphasis on this narrative incredibly brings out the best of many of his sermons. In fact, it is a book with a ghost writer because he dictated some of his best expositions of scripture into a recording and then the writer wrote the book. As a member of one of churches that is in the North Point Ministries cluster, I have heard a lot of what Andy says in this book from Andy. But the thing about it is, it is really just the best of everything I studied in two phenomonal courses that I took at Columbia International University.

At Columbia, I took The Progress of Redemption, and Bible for Teachers. In both, the Biblical Narrative with the stories of the Bible standing on their own two feet was central. And grace poured from those stories. What Andy said, made complete sense, and it was enlightening as well as exciting to see that the story we read in the Bible has us as characters in it. We are recipients of God's grace, and we have the ability to be released by God to love and serve others in amazing ways.

Beyond Opinion Book Review

Ravi Zacharias and his band of apologists hit it out of the park with this one! It is a synopsis of the world views and individual analysis of many of the arguments raised by those who disagree with orthodox Christianity found in the Apostle’s Creed. It also gives an intellectual as well as diligent rhetorical analysis that can be used to refute scholars in debates as well as the common lay person.

Beyond giving argumentation for a Christian Worldview, it also gives support for the personhood of Christ and Divine Revelation over the importance of just arguing a point. This is very important in any apologetic because at the end of every argument is a decision to either follow a specific person or to follow specific ideas. It is in the following the person of Jesus Christ that then leads to a right perspective of apologetics. This of course seems like a circular logic, but in turn it is really the fundamental argument of trying to find what is and what isn’t reality. Choices have to be made and arguments have to be settled after a thorough analysis of facts.

Topics analyzed include: Evolution, Science, the different World Religions, and the trinity.

Facilities for Branches

Here are some artist renderings of the facility we want to build for Branches:

Architectural Renderings for Branches

Just kidding!

When I was little, I would sit on the playground and draw. One project was a church. The daycare workers asked, "What are you drawing?" I said, "I am drawing a church that I am going to build one day." They walked away amazed, but I was nine and terribly bored.

I've come a long ways since then :) :). Branches has a commitment that is uncommon in what I am used to in Church Planting world. It has a commitment to stay a non facility church. I have found that every classic church plant I have been involved in went way wrong when they tried to build a building. If they were huge like New Spring, well thats a different story. Or if they were gathering large momentum like Barefoot in Myrtle Beach, that too is a horse of a different color. I am talking about small church of less than 200 trying to build buildings.

I like rapidly multiplying house church, and the idea of these is no building! Rent out spaces, maybe even an amphitheater, community center, movie theater, or college, but don't jump into a building program until you break a thousand--I would like to split the gatherings way before then!

I do wish I had a cool tree house though!

Church Planting Movements

Branches is all about reaching those that haven't heard. In travelling and studying different church models, as well as participating in church plants, I have been able to go literally all over the planet. The coolest thing by far that I have found are what we call Church Planting Movements. This is where we go in and start a house church that intentionally starts another house church that intentionally starts another house church ad infinum. I have seen this with my work in Russia, and with my best friend Volodya who is over in China helping do this very thing as he works bivocationally as an engineer.

The unique thing about Branches is that it won't just have a big church service with small groups. It will have a big church service built around the needs of seekers, but it will also have a House Church Network in the place of small groups. The whole thing is to help inform people about Church Planting Movements and to get people involved in a House Work Movement instead of just splintered off house churches that aren't networked effectively.

If you are a part of our core, you don't necessarily have to buy into house church, thats why we want to have the regular service with children's programming as well.

As I have spoken with people interested in being a part of a launch team, I know the fear that it is too much work to commit to. Believe me, I hear ya. I have been here before, but this is the first time I have been here while doing another job that I don't want to quit (aka teaching!). It won't be any more work though than volunteering to help with youth or children in a bigger church.

The vision right now is for us to get the core group built around the ideas above, and then launch the big service when the core is established. Paper work, logos, all that jazz is to be handled by Aaron (who has yet to find a teaching position so hey, why not make her a job?)

We need you to come on board with the core if you live in or near our target area (Oakwood or Flowery Branch), and if you don't we need your prayers! We would love to have some sponsoring churches. But we aren't set up just yet for that. We are in the process of applying for that with the SBC North American Mission Board. I would love to hear from you!

Branches Church

Why would we need another church in Hall County, Georgia? Answer: We don't. We have a lot of choices available for anyone that wants to go to church, but in Flowery Branch and Oakwood, we don'thave a church for people who don't want to go to church. That is why I want to help start one.

Drum roll please...this is why I am working with a group of people to start what for this new stage is called Branches Church. It is an environment in the spirit of North Point Ministries where you can invite your friends, thinking and non to a gathering of people and have them introduced to a growing relationship with Christ.

Now, we just need a launch team. A launch team is a group of people from area churches that are willing to come help launch the church for a decided period of time. Positions are: 1. People to just come, be friendly, tithe for a season, and have fun. 2. People to help with the Children's Ministry (affectionately called The Treehouse) 3. We don't have any thing to set up as of yet, but we will need a set up team. 4. A worship team because I personally can't sing or play any instruments!

So, pray about it, think on these things, and come on, it will be fun :).