Boundaries That Promote Freedom

"But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does." James 1:25

A number of years ago I read a story about a school where the administrators determined that the fence around the playground was too limiting to the children. It was a hindrance to their freedom. They were confined and closed in.  So they had the fence removed. To their surprise, the children afterward voluntarily played in a much smaller area than what had originally been allowed by the fence. They suddenly had no boundary and weren't able to figure out how to limit themselves, so they stuck together in the center of the playground for the sake of safety. Also, the new arrangement no longer prevented the outside world, with its animals and strangers, from getting in.

The lesson here is that the fence, properly placed, actually promoted freedom for the children. They could play right up to the fence without facing danger. The playground was large enough for them to play in comfortably, and the fence kept them in and strangers out. This is how God's law works. He provides the proper boundaries for us to promote our maximum freedom. Another example of this would be the barrier on the observation deck of the Empire State Building or the railing at the rim of the Grand Canyon. People can go right to the edge and even lean against the boundary because the boundary was engineered and constructed to allow leaning against it. Now imagine these railings suddenly being removed. How many people would venture to the edge of the top floor and look down? Far fewer than with a boundary.

An opposite example would be Hal, the super computer in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hal arranged for Dave, the astronaut, to float out into space in order to take control of things himself. Dave was now free of any and every obligation to family, country, mother-in-law. He was even free from the law of gravity. But he was doomed to death because of his limitless freedom. God's law allows us freedom to live within his creation, but prevents us from killing ourselves.

Friday Night Potpourri

Actually Saturday morning:

• San Francisco Bay Area's natural air conditioning: fog.  We had a minor heat wave this week.  Temps went from 101 to 108 to 86 to 72, and this morning there's no sun due to overcast.
• Earlier this week we found a stuffed monkey on our roof.  Uhm, yeah.
• Back to school for the kids this last week.  We checked school schedules again because we moved this last year, and the cousins from another city have different Easter weeks off.  So much for vacation coordination.
• When a squeegee is used to try to break a 4x4 post, the squeegee usually breaks.  Someday kids will learn.
• A rock garden suddenly appeared in front of the garage door two days ago.  I wonder how that got there?
• This last Monday was the day I first felt autumn in the air.  I don't know what it is, but there's a feeling of fall.  The shadows get longer, the sun is a different color.  It's some kind of sensation and I've never been able to fully understand it.
• Like wow, man, an AM clock radio flashback.

Threatenings

Political tyrants command obedience by threatening to use the sword.  Religious legalists use the Lake of Fire.

The Psychology of the End

A Different Kind of Look at Eschatology

Here's a series I did a while back about the psychology of thinking you know when the world will end.  God doesn't tell us because it will radically affect our behavior...for the worst.

Psychology of the End (Part 1) - A Different Kind of Look at Eschatology

In sports, each team has a game plan. In football it might be to establish the run, then develop the pass, all the while controlling the line of scrimmage, field position and the clock. Following the game plan will result in victory. In baseball it might be to have the starting pitcher go six or seven innings, then turning it over to the bullpen to finish the game. In higher education, the student can have a game plan. Before the semester, he buys all his books. Then he studies hard, does all his homework and uses all of this to become familiar enough with the material to not only pass the midterm and final exams, but to get an "A." Living in a home with a yard might consist of mowing the lawn, painting and general maintenance. A game plan for these things consists of routine, repetition and consistency. But the game plan is best when it is a comprehensive one. One where all the situations are considered and can be addressed when faced. One that will not let small things grow into big problems.

But when the end of a thing is near, game plans and strategies change, sometimes radically. A team that is losing in the last minute of a football game will ditch all of its routine strategies and engage in acts of desperation, doing things it would never do at any other time of the game. With a runner on third early in a baseball game, the defensive team may concede the run to get an out. When it's the winning run in the 9th inning, both the infield and outfield are pulled in in a desperate attempt to get the out at home plate. A basketball team will purposely foul the other team in hopes that it misses the free throws in order to get the ball back. A hockey team will abandon its goalie for an extra offensive player to try to tie the game. A student will suddenly cram for finals. If a house is to be torn down to make way for a bigger project, the lawn won't get mowed. A graphics project with a deadline will result in long hours, plenty of coffee and scraps all over the floor at the last minute. Conversely, a team that is winning at the end of a game will be lazy and slow on purpose, substituting inferior players, etc.

The same things occur in real life with regards to eschatology. If somebody believes the end is really and suddenly near, life will be lived in a completely different manner, even if in desperation or laziness. In my next post, I will deal with this reality.

Psychology of the End (Part 2) - A Different Kind of Look at Eschatology

In my first post, I looked at how people change their behavior - sometimes even radically - when the end of a thing is approaching. Each of the examples I gave was for things where the timing of the end was generally known at the beginning. There are also things for which the end can come suddenly or unexpectedly. In life, we generally are born, go through childhood, become grownups with our own life, engage in a career, plan for retirement, retire, then eventually die. But a diagnosis of a terminal disease part way through life will change somebody's behavior radically. Some people quit their jobs to be with their families. In baseball, rain can threaten to bring the early end of a game. The team that is leading will hurry to get an official game in by completing the 5th inning, while the losing team will delay. Then, once the 5th inning is complete, the teams reverse their roles. Behavior changes with an unexpected facing of the end.

With regards to the end of the world and the return of Christ, Jesus tells us not only that we won't know the day or hour, but that we will not even know the times or seasons. I believe that God is wise enough to know human behavior, and if man knows the time of the end, he will most certainly change his behavior - radically. This is why God doesn't let us know. God has a plan of normal, routine behavior for us, and He wants us to stick to the plan that He laid out. If we know the end (really, if we think we know the end), we will change our behavior accordingly so that in anticipation of the end, we will change our focus from obeying God to obeying what we think about the end. We will have ceased to obey God. We will have changed from walking by faith to walking by sight. Next, I'll look at how this has fleshed its way out in history, including my personal history, and how different eschatological viewpoints affect our behavior.

Psychology of the End (Part 3) - A Different Kind of Look at Eschatology

Many "ends" have come in the history of man. Many groups have predicted the end of the world. Other ends have been postulated, such as Y2K. People's behavior has radically changed as a result. Although Y2K wasn't the "end of the world" per se, many people stockpiled arms in bunkers in Montana or Idaho in waiting for the collapse of the government following the global failure of computer chips. My church gained a few families from a church up the road because their pastor moved his family to a bunker in Montana in mid 1999 and closed down the church. In December, I bought several months of canned goods to protect myself "just in case." In the year 999, people feared the end of the world because it was a thousand years since Christ came to earth.

In 1994, my first church, led by Harold Camping, had quite a shaking up as a result of Camping's end of the world prediction. He first made his prediction public in 1992. Many people did strange things while facing the end. Some people quit jobs, some people cancelled bible studies, some people out of jobs delayed getting new ones, some people gave huge sums of money to Camping's ministry - even entire life savings - to "get the gospel out" at the last minute. Although I wasn't at that church until the week after the prediction date, I heard plenty of stories about odd things. Just two days earlier, their church picnic had people giving tearful goodbyes to one another. Church leaders were up late at night answering phone calls from terrified parishoners. Some people dropped out of life after the end didn't occur.

In the bible, Paul warns Timothy that men named Hymenaeus and Philetus were teaching that the resurrection already took place and that it was upsetting the faith of some believers. The end has a powerful affect on people, so it should come as no surprise that one's view of eschatology can greatly affect how people live in the here and now.

Friday Night Potpourri

If it's Friday, it must be potpourri:

• Last Friday was Friday the 13th, and I didn't realize it until seeing a Facebook post at 11:57pm.
• Spider in my globe, just waitin' to catch a fly.  The place we live in was built in the mid 70's, so that means the light fixture in the bath is a 10" diameter white sphere.  When the light's on, you can see a few small dead bugs in there.  Well this last week, a spider got in there and couldn't crawl up the slick sides.  So it eventually curled up and "died."  But several days later it was active again, then went motionless for a few more days.  Now, it's building a web inside and seems it is actually catching some small bugs for dinner.  I'm due to paint in a few weeks, so we'll see how that goes.
• I've been using a $10 bag of espresso for about six months now, brewed on my home espresso maker (Thanks, Mike, for the wedding present!), and it's about half gone.  The way I figure it, that's about $725 at Starbucks.
• A manual sprinkler system doesn't get more manual than a garden hose in your right hand.
• Ping pong balls weren't meant to be used in a foosball game set, but that's all the kids have.  Those and superballs.
• A few weeks ago I mentioned how I liked to destroy stuff.  Well, the funnest job I ever had was working at a wrecking yard in high school.  I got to operate the car smasher.  A car engine bolted to a steel frame attached to a 20 foot gallows with a pulley, pulling a 17 ton iron lid open with 1 1/2" steel cable.  The fork lift would put a mid-60's Cadillac or Lincoln tank in there.  I'd drop that lid and, POW!, that car would be about 12" thick.  Whoa!
• Back when music was a bit more innocent: The greatest song ever, in the greatest video ever, by the greatest band ever, in the greatest decade ever, linked to on the greatest blog ever!  Wow, what a set of greater than ever coincidences!  Or, something.

Your Church Is Too Small - and - Mere Churchianity

I've written about how I wanted to review John Armstrong's Your Church Is Too Small and the posthumous publishing of Michael (the Internet Monk) Spencer's Mere Churchianity when I completed them.  Well, I completed them a few weeks ago, and I think that I will do more of a commentary of them than a review, if that makes sense.  I'm sure reviews are available elsewhere, and I definitely wanted to add my own comments.  I'm not sure I'll start these commentaries within the next few weeks, but they should be coming at some point.  Stay tuned.

Baptism: Another View (Part 3)

Read Part 2.

Now for my explanation and personal history of my views of baptism. I've held to both the paedo-baptist and believer-baptist views, and have attended at least one church that held to each, and have been part of more than one theological circle that held to each. I have switched from each view to the other, and held to each view at least once. I admit much confusion over the issue throughout my first 10 plus years as a Christian. I've listened to fierce debaters on the subject from each side, always seemingly one-upping the other in terms of clever arguing, and have read numerous articles, as well as book chapters and systematic theologies on the topic. About five years ago I realized why the subject was so difficult for me, and once I realized why, I gained peace before God for the first time ever. I had a reason for "another view."

The reason is that for all the views I have ever heard or believed, doctrines of baptism have relied so heavily upon systematic views of the new covenant. These views vary wildly, and as a result, so do views on baptism. Baptismal distinctives that I've been exposed to, I believe, are based more on man's theology than on Scripture, with Scripture used to proof-text the view. But one thing is clear to me, believers in Jesus Christ should (at some time and in some way) be baptized in water.

Some views of baptism nullify or partially nullify other views. For example, many believer-baptist churches will require re-baptism of newly professing believers that were baptized as children and raised in Presbyterian or other Reformed churches, but who believe themselves as never having previously come to faith. Some paedo-baptist churches require the same thing. Some Baptists will accept the infant baptisms in paedo-baptist Protestant churches, but at the same time reject infant baptisms in Roman Catholic churches, as will some paedo-baptist Protestants. This last group of modern paedo-baptists, who decry "the error of the anabaptists" of centuries ago, do the same thing they reject.  Early reformers generally viewed baptism within the Roman church as valid.  Some protestant churches I've been familiar with have lists of churches, cults and movements whose baptisms won't be recognized when considering a believer new to their church. Some views not only hold other views in contempt, but reserve the harshest charges of sin in the practice of those views. I'll discuss this in future posts.

In trying to be consistent with my statement of "another view", I've decided that if a Christian (whether Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian Reformed, Pentecostal, etc) is individually satisfied with his own [reasonable] circumstances under which he was baptized, I will allow him that liberty and view his baptism as valid. I will have more to say about this in upcoming posts.

Read Part 4.
Read entire series in a single post.

Friday Night Potpourri

Weak kneed, or week knead?

• What are Raffia Cream, Gobi Desert and Western Acoustic?  They're paint colors, of course.  The kids get a tiny bathroom makeover this week.
• The best croutons I've ever had were made by Mrs. Scott this week at work.
• We drove into San Francisco across the Bay Bridge this week.  Many changes have occurred as a new bridge is being built.  I realized I hadn't done it in several years, as all my trips into the City have been on the train.  Six bucks for toll?  I used to pay 75c when I first started driving.
• Our eight year old went to camp this week, and had some field trips.  Yesterday he brought home a Venus fly trap.  I can't wait to see if it gets rid of some pests.
• Absolutely free?  If I have to remember to call you at the end of the free trial period to cancel and avoid being automatically charged full price, it's not absolutely free.
• A little known fact about me:  I was born with a tooth, and the young family dentist came down to the hospital and pulled my first tooth when I was one day old.  It was really loose and came out with his fingers.  I had the same dentist for the next forty years until he retired.
• In the game of baseball, some teams' closers have a special song played when they enter the game in the 9th inning.  Trevor Hoffman had "Hells Bells," Robb Nen had "Enter Sandman," and if I had to choose one for me, it might be the first minute or so from this.  Turn it up.

Will Jesus Dominate World History?

Let's take a look at world history.  The youngest of the young earth creation scenarios, if we take Bishop Ussher's calculations into account, places the creation of man at 4004 BC.  Christ came four thousand years later.  We live two thousand years after that.  Christ as messiah, with death, burial and resurrection is quite often placed as the focus of history.  Why was the time prior to his coming twice as long as the time after his coming, assuming he returns very soon?  If we take older earth creation time lines, Christ's place in history becomes an even smaller percentage of time.

It just seems a bit strange to me that if the application of Christ's atonement for sinners and the establishment of his kingdom are so important theologically, these things would apply to the minority of history (after the fact, of course).  Why wouldn't God make it the dominant theme of a vast majority of history?

Contemplating this, I wouldn't be surprised if Christ didn't return for thousands of years yet.  Or even tens of thousands of years.  Hundreds?  Every generation since the early church - and even the people at the time of Christ - has believed they lived in the last generation.  But if it hasn't happened in 2,000 years, why not the next 10,000 either?  Next week would be okay, too.

Either Doctrine OR Community?

In a recent post, I mentioned two problems we often face.  We're given a choice between two things, and we're given the idea that one of the choices must be right.  Also, in other cases, since we have two choices, we're given the idea that one must be wrong.

An example of the latter, and the point of this post, could be the false dichotomy that has been created in ecclesiology that tells us that church either has doctrine or community.  It's as if both can't be realities.  There has been much tension over the last few decades over the idea of community within a church body.  Many who have left the traditional/institutional church complain about a lack of community.  People go to church every Sunday, sit there, listen to a sermon preached by one person, and go home.  There is relatively little interaction between people concerning the New Testament one-anothers.  As a counter complaint, many within the institutional church claim these newer community groups meet to emote and have social interaction, but forsake doctrine and solid leadership.  Much may be true of each complaint, but why can't both be part of church?

Why can't there be solid doctrine and good teaching while at the same time strong community bonds between the members of the body?  I'm sure there can be.

Friday Night Potpourri

I wondered what happened this week:

• I like to destroy things.  It's fun, but only when things need to be destroyed, like Solomon says "a time to tear down" in Ecclesiastes.  Well, we had some stuff to donate to charities, and a separate dump trip.  Except the charities don't take much anymore, our truck full included.  We couldn't then fit both into the truck to take to the dump.  So I took my frustration out on the rejected furniture, "making it smaller" so as to fit into the truck.   Bwahahahah!
• One of my idiot lights on my car dash came on this week.  Much of the time, idiot lights mean that it's the idiot light that is malfunctioning.  The last couple of weeks my parking brake indicator light has come on while driving, and I know that wasn't true.
• Today Mrs. Scott found all of our younger kids' "back to school" clothes in the garage while cleaning.  They were packed away after our oldest outgrew them several years ago.  They were there for just such an occasion.  We forgot about them until now.
• When your doorbell rings twenty times in a row, it's likely the four year old next door.
• Some people prefer mustard on their corn dogs.  Some, like our five year old, prefer ketchup.  I like both at the same time.  So there! :-P
• Just before the neighbors moved, our kids were invited to pick some tomatoes from the back yard.  They picked some, but from the wrong plant.  They were hot peppers instead.  Yea for daddy!
• The first week of August is right in the middle of it.  My absolute favorite by her.

On Making Either/Or from Both or Neither

I've written a bit before on the deceitfulness of sin.  One of the ways I've noted how sin works is that it often sets itself up against itself and begs us to choose between them.  We are given two wrong choices and told to make a choice.  Not like being given a choice between the lesser of two evils as we often have to do in an election.  We know both are evil and our vote becomes damage control at best.  But it's when we're persuaded that because there are two choices, one of them needs to be right.  It's as if what's right is never mentioned, let alone as a choice.

A related dilemma that I haven't mentioned before is when two right things are put at odds with each other and we're told to make a choice.  It's when we're persuaded that because there are two choices, one of them needs to be wrong.  It's when we're told we can't have both.  In an upcoming post, I'll give a good example.

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Adding Commandments

With a slight twist of meaning I'm not really adding commandments, but to the contrary I'm adding Commandments of Men, the blog by Lewis Wells, to my blogroll.  In a completely unrelated event, I'm also adding 1974 Topps Set, my baseball card blog about my childhood collecting of the1974 Topps card set.

The Worst of Tyrannies?

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under live robber barons than under omnipotent moral busibodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good, will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” - CS Lewis

I've come across this quote by CS Lewis before several times.  This time, Lewis Wells uses it on his new site Commandments of Men.  I think this question should be applied well to every area of life, whether family, religion or politics.

Friday Night Potpourri

A wild week in weak:

• I had a term paper due and final this week in my American history class.  Whew, it's over.
• Plundering the movers: In the bible, the Hebrews plundered the Egyptians when they exited the land.  Well, we've scored a bit ourselves from others we've known who have moved.  Some friends moved out of state, and we picked up a few things.  A family member downsized so a few more things gained.  And a neighbor just moved overseas, some more.  Included are furniture, a few good prints, and even a pet frog for the kids.
• Our garden hose recently blew up.  It was from the previous people, and one of the bubbles in the outer skin finally gave out.  So we got new hoses.  Then the hose caddy we bought had mal manufactured threads on the reel, so the new hose can't be attached.  Time to go back to Home Deopt.
• In several places around the yard there are underground drain pipes with leave traps at the surface, so that water can be drained off.  Well, our three year old has decided to collect all the leave traps and fill the pipes with dirt and balls.
• That makes me wonder just how many whiffle balls are up in the rain gutter in the back yard?
• Our eight year old refused to believe that his brothers saw a turtle close to the nearby duck pond.  But they did.  Then just last week he saw two of them himself.  Now he's a believer.
• I realized tonight that I've been doing the FNP song for a year now.  Well, to celebrate, here's a clever little song just for FNP.

Baptism: Another View (Part 2)

Read Part 1

In Part 1 of this series, I gave a basic outline as to the two dominant views on water baptism in Protestantism as I have heard them. There are more views of baptism than these two, such as the Roman Catholic and certain cult views, with ideas of baptismal regeneration, but I'm addressing dominant protestantism here. Another view I propose here and I will follow with explanation as to why.

Water baptism isn't necessarily the sign and seal of the new covenant, Scripture isn't detailed in any prescription as to mode of water baptism (whether sprinkling, pouring or immersion), nor is it detailed in any prescription as to who are proper subjects of water baptism (adults only, professing believers of whatever age, children of covenant believers, etc.).  I will explain this further in future posts in this series.  Scripture isn't even absolute in describing proper timing of baptism in relation to either profession, conversion, discipleship or birth. Not only this, but Scripture isn't always clear as to which type of baptism it speaks about in a certain passage, whether water baptism, baptism of fire or baptism of the Holy Spirit. In conclusion, I have decided that a wide array of modes, subjects and times of water baptism upon people throughout Christian history are not contrary to scripture, and therefore scripturally valid, and I am determined not to hold most of these in contempt or nullification simply because any particular church, denomination or theological circle says so.  In short, I recognize various people's baptisms as they come from differing traditions.

I realize that what I just said could start excommunication proceedings in many churches and denominations, or it could prevent me from becoming a member in certain churches, and also potentially stands as fuel for intense cyber flaming (which I have experienced on this very topic in the past). So be it. But that is the sad part, in my view. Why is such a thing necessary?  In my next post, I will give my personal story as I have interacted with each of the two views I explained in Part 1.

Read Part 3.
Read entire series in a single post.

The Commandments of Men

Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: "These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:7-9 NKJV

I stumbled across a blog by a man named Lewis Wells titled, Commandments of Men. After a bizarre situation where a fundamentalist family removed their daughter from marrying this man just prior to their wedding date, Wells takes a painful look at hyper-fundamentalist groups and the strange teachings they hold and act upon. Especially examined are the Patriarchy, Quiverful and Courtship movements. Wells demonstrates the emotional and spiritual abuse common in these groups and links to other sources dealing with similar things.

In my own Christian life, I have been exposed to similar types of groups, and have been directly involved with legalistic groups who have mastered the art and science of promoting men's commandments with equal or greater emphasis than God's word. So, Wells' site strikes a chord with me, and I can to some degree emphasize with him, his experience, and the experience of so many others who are trapped inside destructive religious systems, whether the victims know it or not. If you have an interest in learning about the dark side of fundamentalism, I encourage you to give Wells a read.

Friday Night Potpourri

A week in the life:

• My eight year old, who is the virtual Crocodile Hunter of the insect world, held a tiny spider in his hand and it started making a web from his finger to the porch swing.
• I'm announcing a new blog for those who are interested in baseball cards. It's called "1974 Topps Set" and is about my collection from that year during my childhood. I post scanned pix of each card I have in the set and tell a little about each one, with some stories or info along the way.
• The dryer in our house has one of those buzzers that jolt you out of your chair at about 120dB. It looks to be a late 70's or early 80's model, and there's no setting to turn it off like on today's models. I'm guessing a Phillips screwdriver and wire cutters are in order.
• I've noticed a trend in the last ten years maybe. I don't know of any 24 hour grocery stores any more. They all used to be, except for the one closest to the large retirement community, which closed at 9pm for obvious reasons. Now I feel fortunate to find one open until midnight.
• Our doorbell goes "dong." For some reason the "ding" doesn't work. The little girl next door often rings it twice, so we hear "dong dong."
• Steve Scott stays well adjusted at Bachmeyer Family Chiropractic.
• Racked my brain trying to think of the lyrics these last several months. I knew the melody, but couldn't hear words concrete enough to Google, until Mrs. Scott guessed a few and found this on YouTube. They just don't make music like this anymore. Dig the brass.

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Book Review Update

It's a slow process for me to read a book, but I'm about 3/4 the way through both John Armstrong's Your Church Is Too Small and the late Michael Spencer's Mere Churchianity. Once done, I'll review each book on this blog.

Blog Plug: Islam and Christianity

What I originally found to be an interesting blog that shed some facts on Islam, has turned out to me to be a very fascinating slice of real life in the real world. Abu Daoud writes on his blog, Islam and Christianity, which is subtitiled, "This blog is written by a Christian living in the Middle East. My desire is to discuss Islam and Christianity in ways that will be helpful for people of the other religion."

Abu's blog isn't some warmed-over extension of the post-9/11 image of Islam that we have courtesy of the mainstream American media. He is an intelligent, articulate, educated, well blog-read, passionate Christian who actually lives in the Middle East, and gives a depth to his topics in a way that few Americans can even imagine, much less experience. He writes not only about Islam and Christianity, as separate religions, but about the entire history of their interaction. Also, he writes much about the Koran, Islamic theology, Sharia law, folk religion, Muslim influence in Europe, Africa and America, unreached people groups, and personal interaction with Muslims where he lives.

A must read for anybody interested in Islam or Middle Eastern culture.

Friday Night Potpourri

Another week, another dollar or less:

• I've noticed an eternal truth. A bag of regular potato chips lasts two weeks. A bag of BBQ potato chips lasts two minutes.
• A little Hollywood and TV secret I learned from my retired CHP dad. All California license plates used in a movie or TV show are not real numbers. The DMV has its own license plate rules for the placement of letters next to numerals. Letters that resemble numerals, like "Q," "O," and "I" cannot be used next to numerals. So, the plates used are ones that have those arrangements.
• It's surprising just how often the side gate has to be tweaked in order for it to close properly by itself.
• The National League won the All-Star game. So that means, let's see...I forget, but it has political ramifications in an election year.
• A neighbor's fig tree is dropping figs over the fence. I wouldn't have a clue how to eat figs.
• I was driving through Bakersfield just a couple of weeks ago. Don't know if I ran any red lights, but I'm surprised it took me so long to think of this for my FNP song.

Adding Links

I'm adding a few links to my sidebar that I read often. First, Arthur Sido's the voice of one crying out in suburbia. Arthur writes from a reformed Baptist position on many things, and always seems to check that idea out against scripture. Next, Bob Spencer at Wilderness Fandango. Bob has a slightly different way of looking at church. Finally, Bobby Grow at The Evangelical Calvinist. Bobby digs deep into Calvinist history to look at Scottish theology's different angle on Calvinism. Just for fun, he's occasionally seen stirring things up in the comment section of Pyromaniacs (insert favorite emoticon here).

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Baptism: Another View (Part 1)

Since I have been a Christian, there has been an ongoing debate about baptism, and it has gone on for centuries before me. There are two major views I have been exposed to, and the debate is about the meaning of, reason for, mode of, time of and recipients of baptism. The debate I have been exposed to has been in Protestant circles between those who believe in paedo-baptism and those who believe in believer's baptism.

Paedo-baptists believe that children of believing parents (including infants) are to be baptized because they are members of God's covenant people. Those who believe in believer's baptism (sometimes called "credo-baptists"), on the other hand, believe that only those who make a credible profession of Christ should be baptized. This is usually limited to adults, or minors who are old enough to know of their conversion and can express and show their repentance, and it is these who are included in the covenant.

I think that there is room for another view of baptism, different from the two popular views, and I will be writing more parts to this in the form of a blog series. It will be similar to my old "Baptism: A Third View" series, but with some revisions and other information. This new series will be titled "Baptism: Another View" and will appear in the blog series list in the margin. Any input from readers will be welcome.

Read Part 2.

Read entire series in a single post.
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Friday Night Potpourri

Sometimes weeks go fast. Other things do too:

• Our first signs of ripe fruit on the apricot tree. Another few days. But, the squirrels beat us to it, and devoured the entire tree's worth of almost ripe in just one day. All the damage was lined up on top of the back fence.
• Our youngest recently turned three. He suddenly plays in the street, talks about how he's bigger, and recently had his first unchaperoned date. The four year old girl next door came over and asked if he wanted to play.
• Watched fireworks on the 4th at the marina park in the last town we lived in. It was a tradition that started before we even moved there. One can see four different fireworks shows - ours, the town across the water, a town up the straights and one at a theme park. Being on the shores of San Francisco Bay and it's connected waterways means cooler and windier weather within a mile of the water.
• I've discovered a way to get my daily jogging in while I'm with my kids. Take them to the park, let them play in the play area, and jog around the perimeter or close enough to it to keep an eye on them.
• I hope the riot situation in Oakland doesn't last long as I'd like to go to an A's game sometime soon. Is this a national news story?
• We're scheduled for roasted chicken tomorrow. Mmmm, one of my favorites.
• Does this still apply in today's digital world? I'm not sure it does. Brings back memories, though.

Ongoing Blog Series

The ongoing blog series that have been such a staple to From the Pew - and the ones that can be found as links in the right margin - are undergoing change. Several of these series are being deleted, some are going to be re-worked in a different way, and some - well, I just don't know yet. Stay tuned for more...

Legalism And Liberty, Pyro Style

Last month, Phil Johnson of Pyromaniacs fame wrote a post on legalism and Christian liberty, and said he desired to write on this topic again in the weeks to come. He asked commenters to ask questions they would like answered. So, I chimed in with a couple of questions I would consider not the act of lobbing softballs:

I agree with what you've had to say about legalism and liberty in these two posts. An observation: I've never heard a legalist admit to being a legalist. Legalists always seem to claim their legalism comes directly from Scipture, even if it takes twenty successive logical fallacies within a greater slippery slope fallacy to make their claim. Do you see the same thing?

Also, could you give your view on "offending" the "weaker brother"? Do you think that somebody inducing indignation within their own heart over an activity they see another engaging in constitutes offense, or do you think it has to do with actually inducing somebody into an activity contrary to their conscience? In between?

Oh, and would you see somebody as "weak" because they abstain, or because their conscience hasn't been fully persuaded?

I look forward to hearing Phil's take on legalists, conscience and the weaker brother. If he gets around to this topic, I'll post more.

Friday Night Potpourri

Days, weeks, months, years...

• The older I get, the more difficult it is to know which day of the week it is and which date of the month.
• Weeks are easy and easier to track, partly thankful to Friday Night Potpourri.
• Months generally follow the calendar page on the fridge, but sometimes the rent check makes it to the landlord on a "oh, my goodness" trip over there. Whew.
• Years are so long, yet so short. Gee, just this time last year is easily remembered.
• Our youngest just turned three. Each of his birthdays is easily remembered as happening not too long ago, yet multiply just a few years by ten, or a hundred (which are small numbers) and I realize just how fast history happens.
• 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's. The decades pass as well, and our parents remember several more than we. What was 50's music really like outside of oldies stations on the radio in the 70's?
• Say what you want about quality, it's just this type of song is the type you remember the very first time you hear it.

Baptism: Another View (Entire Series In A Single Post)

Each title below is a link to the original post for that part.

Baptism: Another View (Part 1)

Since I have been a Christian, there has been an ongoing debate about baptism, and it has gone on for centuries before me. There are two major views I have been exposed to, and the debate is about the meaning of, reason for, mode of, time of and recipients of baptism. The debate I have been exposed to has been in Protestant circles between those who believe in paedo-baptism and those who believe in believer's baptism.

Paedo-baptists believe that children of believing parents (including infants) are to be baptized because they are members of God's covenant people. Those who believe in believer's baptism (sometimes called "credo-baptists"), on the other hand, believe that only those who make a credible profession of Christ should be baptized. This is usually limited to adults, or minors who are old enough to know of their conversion and can express and show their repentance, and it is these who are included in the covenant.

I think that there is room for another view of baptism, different from the two popular views, and I will be writing more parts to this in the form of a blog series. It will be similar to my old "Baptism: A Third View" series, but with some revisions and other information. This new series will be titled "Baptism: Another View" and will appear in the blog series list in the margin. Any input from readers will be welcome.

Baptism: Another View (Part 2)

In Part 1 of this series, I gave a basic outline as to the two dominant views on water baptism in Protestantism as I have heard them. There are more views of baptism than these two, such as the Roman Catholic and certain cult views, with ideas of baptismal regeneration, but I'm addressing dominant protestantism here. Another view I propose here and I will follow with explanation as to why.

Water baptism isn't necessarily the sign and seal of the new covenant, Scripture isn't detailed in any prescription as to mode of water baptism (whether sprinkling, pouring or immersion), nor is it detailed in any prescription as to who are proper subjects of water baptism (adults only, professing believers of whatever age, children of covenant believers, etc.). I will explain this further in future posts in this series. Scripture isn't even absolute in describing proper timing of baptism in relation to either profession, conversion, discipleship or birth. Not only this, but Scripture isn't always clear as to which type of baptism it speaks about in a certain passage, whether water baptism, baptism of fire or baptism of the Holy Spirit. In conclusion, I have decided that a wide array of modes, subjects and times of water baptism upon people throughout Christian history are not contrary to scripture, and therefore scripturally valid, and I am determined not to hold most of these in contempt or nullification simply because any particular church, denomination or theological circle says so. In short, I recognize various people's baptisms as they come from differing traditions.

I realize that what I just said could start excommunication proceedings in many churches and denominations, or it could prevent me from becoming a member in certain churches, and also potentially stands as fuel for intense cyber flaming (which I have experienced on this very topic in the past). So be it. But that is the sad part, in my view. Why is such a thing necessary? In my next post, I will give my personal story as I have interacted with each of the two views I explained in Part 1.

Baptism: Another View (Part 3)

Now for my explanation and personal history of my views of baptism. I've held to both the paedo-baptist and believer-baptist views, and have attended at least one church that held to each, and have been part of more than one theological circle that held to each. I have switched from each view to the other, and held to each view at least once. I admit much confusion over the issue throughout my first 10 plus years as a Christian. I've listened to fierce debaters on the subject from each side, always seemingly one-upping the other in terms of clever arguing, and have read numerous articles, as well as book chapters and systematic theologies on the topic. About five years ago I realized why the subject was so difficult for me, and once I realized why, I gained peace before God for the first time ever. I had a reason for "another view."

The reason is that for all the views I have ever heard or believed, doctrines of baptism have relied so heavily upon systematic views of the new covenant. These views vary wildly, and as a result, so do views on baptism. Baptismal distinctives that I've been exposed to, I believe, are based more on man's theology than on Scripture, with Scripture used to proof-text the view. But one thing is clear to me, believers in Jesus Christ should (at some time and in some way) be baptized in water.

Some views of baptism nullify or partially nullify other views. For example, many believer-baptist churches will require re-baptism of newly professing believers that were baptized as children and raised in Presbyterian or other Reformed churches, but who believe themselves as never having previously come to faith. Some paedo-baptist churches require the same thing. Some Baptists will accept the infant baptisms in paedo-baptist Protestant churches, but at the same time reject infant baptisms in Roman Catholic churches, as will some paedo-baptist Protestants. This last group of modern paedo-baptists, who decry "the error of the anabaptists" of centuries ago, do the same thing they reject. Early reformers generally viewed baptism within the Roman church as valid. Some protestant churches I've been familiar with have lists of churches, cults and movements whose baptisms won't be recognized when considering a believer new to their church. Some views not only hold other views in contempt, but reserve the harshest charges of sin in the practice of those views. I'll discuss this in future posts.

In trying to be consistent with my statement of "another view", I've decided that if a Christian (whether Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian Reformed, Pentecostal, etc) is individually satisfied with his own [reasonable] circumstances under which he was baptized, I will allow him that liberty and view his baptism as valid. I will have more to say about this in upcoming posts.

Baptism: Another View (Part 4)

Shortly after writing my first several posts on another view of baptism a few years ago in a different blog series, it dawned on me just how I should characterize the divergent sectarian views of baptism: as traditions.

These are traditions which don't have enough Scriptural warrant to pass as binding law, but there are many defenders of these traditions that seem to think the bible mandates their view. This has, I think, been my problem. I've been asking this question: "Which view does Scripture mandate?", when I should have been asking, "Does the bible mandate a view at all?" Defenders of each view have taken to proof-texting, polemics, and a vocation of anathematizing their opponents. Confusion is often the dominating industry in the baptism debate with plenty of minimum wage, entry level positions. The following is a mock argument, the type of which I'm all too familiar with: (P=paedo-baptist, B=believer baptist)

P: Baptism is the NT equivalent of OT circumcision, so infants should be baptized.

B: There's no evidence in the NT of children being baptized.

P: But the households of new converts were, so there must have been children in those households.

B: You're making assumptions. It could just have easily been believers old enough to know.

P: Well history is on our side, because there's archaeological evidence that infant baptism was practiced as early as the second century AD.

B: But no earlier, of course. It was a Roman Catholic doctrine introduced to soothe the fears of parents who wondered if their unbaptized children would go to heaven if they died. The Reformation was a good thing, but they didn't go far enough in dealing with Rome's doctrines.

P: Well, let's just see what the Westminster Confession has to say.

B: Huh? This is a Scriptural issue, so we should limit our conversation to the bible alone and not bring history into it.

P: "XXVIII, IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one, or both, believing parents, are to be baptized."

B: You're off course again.

P: "XXVIII, III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person."

B: Well, you and they both obviously missed the meaning of the Greek word, baptizo, which means literally "to immerse." The writers of the King James bible, through built-in fear of the dominant Catholic church, neglected to translate the word as "immerse," but instead transliterated the word as "baptize." The result is that the English speaking world is in confusion about even the biblical mode of baptism.

P: Say, you're bringing enough of your own history into this as well. You miss all the biblical references to sprinkling in the OT, and how Col. 2:11 ties baptism and circum...

On and on this goes. Jesus had a lot to say about traditions. He really didn't condemn those who held to traditions, but had a problem with those who held tradition equal or above the word of God. I'm afraid many throughout church history have done just this with their arguments about baptism. I know I did. Forgive me, Lord.

Baptism: Another View (Part 5)

In this post I'd like to offer my opinion of the effects (or lack thereof) of Christian parents or churches having baptism administered to their children. In other words, just how "effecatious" is infant baptism?

Each side in the Protestant baptism debate has its criticisms of the other with respect to the baptizing of children. Paedo-baptists often make the claim that Baptists' refusal to baptize their children has negative results. Because children are not baptized in Baptist churches, Baptists are sometimes accused of neglecting would-be elect children and are denied the very sign of the covenant itself. The failure to baptize children is then viewed as the worst thing that one could do to them. God's blessings come through obedience to the covenant, so Baptists are cutting blessings off from their children. Because Baptists sometimes view their children as unregenerate until a profession of faith is made, parents are tempted to be lax in their teaching and preaching to children because they're looked at as being not yet in the covenant; in other words the presumption of unregeneration until proven false through profession of the faith takes away from the church's duty to the children. Their churches, the argument goes, are then overrun with worldly people within a generation or two, and apostasy soon results. If this is the case, then it stands to reason that we should see a greater conversion rate of children in paedo-baptist churches.

Baptists, on the other hand, often criticize paedo-baptists for baptizing infants because these infants include all future false professors as church members from birth. Their churches, the argument goes, are then overrun by worldly people within a generation or two, and apostasy soon results. This supposedly explains to some degree the problems with theology in mainline denominations. The conclusion is sometimes that baptizing infants is the worst thing one could do to them. The baptizing of only professing adults (or children old enough), safeguards the church from these problems because the non-professing are never allowed heavy influence in church matters. Also, paedo-baptism can lead to a false assurance of salvation because of the "covenant promise." I've heard from Baptists who happen to have attended paedo-baptist churches (maybe because it's the only good church in the area) that a covenant smugness can take over and parents are tempted to be lax in their teaching and preaching to children because they're looked at as being already in the covenant; in other words the presumption of election until proven false through denying of the faith takes away from the church's duty to the children. If this is the case, then it stands to reason that we should see a greater conversion rate of children in Baptist churches.  The argument each side levels at the other is essentially the same.

But I've had enough experience with both types of churches to know that neither has the corner on their children growing up to be true Christians. Baptists are just as good at placing their children as recipients of the blessings of the covenant, i.e. teaching, bible memorization, church attendance, prayer, education, and the rest, as are paedo-baptists. Paul takes up the argument in Romans 2 that when Gentiles do the law, their uncircumcision is counted as circumcision. "If therefore the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?" Rom. 2:26. Both sides see that their children are to be discipled according to the Great Commission.  So, then, I don't think that whether children are baptized or not is the real issue, but whether the parents and churches raise their children in the fear and instruction of the Lord.

I've certainly heard of many wayward paedo-baptists who were not born again until adulthood, after straying from the faith, give testimony to God's remembering them because of the promise through baptism, because their parents had them baptized. Well, there are many wayward born-again-as-adult Baptists who make the same claim with respect to their parents raising them well in the faith as children. I believe it's about adherence to the New Covenant itself, and not a supposed sign, that God honors.  Not that baptism isn't important, as both sides agree that it is, it's just when children are to be baptized that is closer to the center of the argument.

Baptism: Another View (Part 6)

One problem I have with both Baptist and paedo-baptist theology regarding baptism is the lack of clear scriptural descriptions of their views. It seems to me that if baptism is supposed to be administered to only adult believers after conversion, then I think the bible would say so in no uncertain terms. If it is to be administered to infants, then the same should be true. It's that way with circumcision. It's that way with church discipline. It's that way with how to pray, how many times to forgive, who to visit in their distress that describes true religion. It's that way with all duties of man before God. Man's duties are spelled out relatively clearly so that most of us can either "get it" or have somebody easily explain it to us.

Take circumcision for example. In Genesis 17:11-12, a great deal of information is packed into less than two verses:

And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.

What, where, how, to whom and when are all answered. No guesswork. No thousand page systematic theology volume. No ecclesiastical traditions. It is named "circumcision", it is to be "in the flesh of your foreskin", it is called "the sign of the covenant", it is to be administered to "every male", "who is eight days old." Not seven days, not nine, not in the flesh of your knee, and it's not called "surfing." Church discipline is "if your brother sins" and is "in private", then with "one or two more", then "tell it to the church", then excommunication.

Okay, it's true that many points of theology are quite arduous in their developments and have been hammered out over millennia, and the wisdom necessary to live everyday life is constructed line upon line, precept upon precept and isn't even complete by the time we die. But the basics of our religion are simple, to the point and spelled out by God. Baptism, I think, is no different. The great commission commands that disciples are to be made of all the nations, and they are to be baptized. But...
 
All the information we need about baptism is spelled out. It is to be done with water, believers should be baptized, it should be done in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Liberty as to mode (sprinkling, pouring, immersion) and subject (infant/adult/professor, family/household member/church attendee) I think is allowed for the simple reason than none of these things are clearly spelled out. What is clearly spelled out with respect to children is instruction in the Lord - educating them in the Word, obedience to parents, not provoking them to wrath, etc.
 
It is interesting that claims of these baptismal things being spelled out are really nothing more than sectarian theological conclusions of non-baptismally specific passages applied to baptism. Theological presuppositions about other doctrines are brought to baptism. When Jesus said, "suffer the little children", he was not speaking about baptism specifically. Only a theological leap in logic does this. Also, nowhere in the New Testament is baptism spoken of as either the sign or seal of the New Covenant, even though circumcision is spoken of as a sign to Abraham (Rom 4). Colossians 2:11-12 doesn't equate circumcision and baptism either. Only the same theological leap does this.
 
A final word for this post. I'm not against baptism at all. We should be baptized with water. What I'm saying is that Baptists and paedo-baptists should learn not to condemn each other for their non-biblical (I'm careful to not say "un-biblical") traditions of baptism.

Martin Luther Plus Semper Reformanda Equals More Martin Luthers

Martin Luther was a hero of the Protestant faith. His beliefs that the church was engaged in theology and practice that was not biblical led to its reforming; hence the Protestant Reformation. One of the rallying cries of the Reformation was "Semper Reformanda," or "always reforming."

Today in "Reformed" circles, this slogan is not given near the weight that the five solas are. Sola Gratia (grace alone), Sola Fide (faith alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), Sola Scriptura (scripture alone) and Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone) are champions of the day. In my opinion there seems to be a line of thinking in Reformed circles that the Reformation was a one-time thing that solidified everything to be believed for all time. All reformation stopped at The Reformation.

Of course, reforming for the sake of reforming isn't in mind, as Michael Horton points out in this piece about the real meaning of the slogan. The original phrase was, “The church is reformed and always [in need of] being reformed according to the Word of God,” indicating that the reformation in view is passive; the Holy Spirit working in reforming the church. Horton also points out:

As Calvin argued in his treatise “The Necessity of Reforming the Church,” the Reformers were charged with innovation when in fact it was the medieval church’s
innovative distortions of Christian faith and worship that required a recovery of apostolic Christianity. Rome pretended to be “always the same,” but it had accumulated a host of doctrines and practices that were unknown to the ancient church, much less to the New Testament.

Now for some questions. Could the same thing be said, at least in some things, about the Reformed church? Did the Reformation deal with every single problem with Rome? And if Martin Luther led the way for the church to be reformed, couldn't we say that along with the slogan of Semper Reformanda there should arise even more Martin Luthers?

Calvinism That Tickles The Ears

...For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Okay, disclaimer up front. This post is not about whether Calvinism is true or not. I'll just assume for the sake of argument and all Calvinists out there that it is. Now, what if the above passage of Scripture could apply to the system known as Calvinism?

Notice something about the passage. It never says that the desires they satisfy are false desires. It never says that the myths they turn aside to are false beliefs. The myths could be false ideas about truth. The desires they have may just be the act of hearing the truth. Part of the truth.

What if the above passage were fleshed out like this: "We're getting tired of hearing about things like resurrection to newness of life, visiting the orphan and widow in their distress, etc. Instead, we want to hear all about the five points, every week, in church, in bible study, in our chatting on the church steps. Our sermon recordings, our books, our YouTube videos will be from all the best Calvinist pastors and speakers out there. Nothing else will matter except the best of the best. That's what will ensure our salvation."

I know from personal experience how easy it is to rely upon feeling good about what we hear, and how easy it is to rely upon our desires to have certain things preached to us. May we listen to all of the important things and not just the choice pieces (read: our choice pieces), over and over.

Friday Night Potpourri

A week of sun, cars, sand and finding sand everywhere:

• We started out our trip south last week with loading the car with the kids and stuff. When we got in, I turned the key and click, click, click. The battery was dead and the battery terminal was corroded to beyond use. We had a three hour delay getting on the road.
• Note to the Outback Steakhouse next to McDonald's off the interstate: You need a drive-thru.
• Last Saturday night we were at Petco Park in San Diego to watch the Padres lose to the Orioles, which helped out our Giants in their race with the Padres. For more info, and pictures, see my baseball blog here.
• A 500 mile drive back on Sunday with three kids in the car wasn't as bad as it might seem. Portable DVD players make the day, and week.
• Unpacking from a beach trip? Need I say more?
• Traffic out in the middle of nowhere on the interstate can be really challenging, especially with two different speed limits, one for autos at 70, the other for trucks and trailers at 55. With several times as many vehicles in the fast lane doing 75+, trucks driving 56 would pull out into the fast lane and slow everybody down for miles, taking minutes to pass other trucks doing 55, then pulling back into the right lane. Irritated drivers in the left lane would use the huge gaps between vehicles in the right lane to sling-shot past everybody, then cutting back in line when blocked by a truck, making things worse. There were many stretches for miles where driving at any speed was futility.
• It's totally unbelievable that the maximun speed limit used to be 55, even on highways out in the middle of nowhere. I wonder what people were thinking back then.

How Friends Slip Away

Julie Neidlinger has a way with putting words together so that they result in good writing. On her blog Lone Prairie, she often shows how life really works in the real world, really. It can be painful. She writes from the human side of theology. And when she writes one like her very recent How friends slip away, I advise you - if you're human and alive - to read it. Then, read this next.

Friday Night Potpourri in San Diego

From my laptop in the sand:

• San Diego is one of our favorite places on earth. Mrs. Scott and I each loved it so much separately before getting married that we didn't even discuss where to go on our honeymoon.
• We're on a budget few-days-away with the kids. Sand and boogie boards. Experts advise against mentioning vacations on social media sites, but when you've got somebody from a law enforcement family with numerous hours in at the shooting range house sitting for you, it makes it a bit easier.
• I'm not much of a basketball fan, and a Lakers-Celtics final is a yawner for me. As I was walking out last night to pick up something on the beach bum main drag, I noticed a dozen or so bars and restaurants that had game 7 on within a few blocks. I could tell which venues had cable or satellite setups with that dreadful 7 second delay. A big cheer behind me was echoed by a big cheer around the corner a bit too late. Live? Huh!
• Cheap, hole-in-the-wall Mexican joints have the best food, either side of any border.
• We were in the flight path of the San Diego airport. Scores of 737's went straight over head the last couple of days. A number of them ran their shadows right through us. It tailed off as the night got later.
• I've noticed the night life is over here at about 3am.
• Okay, so it just goes with the territory.

Problems With Asking Questions

Alan Knox at The Assembling of the Church asks good questions about asking questions, and wonders why some people who hear your questions create false dichotomies out of them. Quoting:

When I ask if the church should meet for worship or for edification, it’s sometimes assumed that I don’t think Christians should worship. Why is that?

When I question the validity of the modern day office of pastor, people often ask me why I don’t like leaders. Why?

When I ask why we put so much emphasis on the sermon (i.e., a unidirectional monologue), I’m occasionally asked why I don’t appreciate Scripture. Are they the same?

So, I think asking questions is very good. But, when you’re asking questions, sometimes your questions are misunderstood.

Sometimes much explanation doesn't do any good either. Now, why is that?

Mere Churchianity Shipped

I received notice that my new copy of "Mere Churchianity" by Michael Spencer, aka the Internet Monk, has been shipped. I can't wait to read this one, and I emailed Michael before his death that I would review it here on From the Pew. As soon as I read it, I will commence the review.

Friday Night Potpourri

A week of gittin' 'er done:

• Hanging most of our pictures up - a big honey do - makes the house feel much more like home.
• Why is it that plants look so much better when you water them? Especially in hot weather? I'll have to remember that.
• Took our eight year old to the open space again. We saw two king snakes within a couple minutes of each other. What a treat. Then with the other kids we saw a turtle crossing the road. I had to go slow to miss it. Kids just love nature and its critters.
• Our garden hose exploded so I needed a duct tape fix. Late at night it was good to find that the drug store (open til midnight) carried it. Of course, it happened while watering the plants.
• Our five year old made the pee-wee all-star team and plays a couple of games this week. All the other kids are older and bigger, but we'll see if that makes a difference.
• As I type this, I'm listening to an entire LP in original song order using eight Windows tabs, each linked to the YouTube clip for each song. Am I some kind of geek? Maybe I'll reveal which album another time.
• This song was played over the PA system at Oakland A's games back in the early 80's when the visiting manager took the pitcher out. No other reason than I remember it.

Beerean Spirit Still Here

Greg Qualls at thebeerean.com is posting again after a year and a half "pause." He has tens of Christian readers who like beer. Maybe if you are a Christian who likes beer, you can read him so that he has elevens of readers.

Adding Progress

I'm adding Eric Carpenter's A Pilgrim's Progress to my blogroll. Eric is the pastor of a small church and asks many good questions about the church and how we relate to it. Give him a read.

Rotated Subtitle

From the Pew:
Because "From the Row of Interlocking Chairs" wouldn't make any sense to anybody.

Solomon The People Watcher

For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice, and I saw among the naive, and discerned among the youths a young man lacking sense, passing through the street near her corner; and he takes the way to her house... Proverbs 7:6-8

One of the things I have taken great affection to over the years is the realization that Solomon was a people watcher. When the Lord asked him what he would receive, Solomon replied with wisdom as his choice over wealth and fame. Wisdom does not come without the ability to understand both other people and human nature. And understanding others does not come without watching them, taking note of how they live and act. Wisdom also does not come instantaneously, as can knowledge, but is the ability to apply knowledge to life. It is an acquired trait that takes much experience.

Wisdom is knowing the difference between answering a fool according to his folly and not answering a fool according to his folly (Prov. 26:4-5), because wisdom knows both what kind of fool is acting and with what kind of folly. Wisdom is the epitome of anti-one-size-fits-all. Without it, we should die.

Friday Night Potpourri

Uhhhh... yeah.

• I found a number of sites showing dimensions for an official baseball diamond. They were far from unanimous in all the dimensions, and most all sites contained at least one error. So much for standards, eh?
• I remember hearing a few years back that the internet was going to run out of the ability to handle all of its activity in the year 2010. Has that happened yet?
• June is here, and we're finally getting some pseudo summer weather.
• Have you checked out Freecycle on Yahoo Groups? It's like Craigslist, but everything is recycled and free. Er, um, Freecycle. Get it? Mrs. Scott picked up some pretty nice chairs, and we're thinking of putting some old kids' toys up.
• Some BP Logo redesigns over at Grain Edit. Actually, amidst its oily reputation, I'm hoping to go into the same industry. Oil, that is, not graphic design. I appreciate much of both.
• My folks are taking a bunch of 30+ foot Italian Cypress trees out of their back yard. I climbed up and hacked a number of the 17' branches down. Tim-ber! Well, all but one fell into the yard. The odd one out fell into the neighbor's yard in the opposite direction that I prophesied, but was caught by their redwood and lemon trees before doing any damage. Whew!
• Way groovy hair metal feedback version of a classic, man. Far out.

The Search For God and Guinness

Jason at Pilgrims Pub embeds a fascinating YouTube clip about author Stephen Mansfield's new book The Search For God and Guinness. I'm thinking this would be a good read, and the time to read it would be even better if that were possible. I'll keep an eye on being able to get a copy. While drinking a Guinness, of course.

Friday Night Potpourri On Monday

Musings and amusings for half a fortnight, belated:

• You know you're a redneck church if "Power" is a one-syllable word (pahr) and "Glory" is a three-syllable word (guh-LOH-wree)
• I'm still using the Norelco rotatract razor my dad gave me when I was 16. Of course, with me having blond facial hair I don't get a five o'clock shadow, so I don't have to shave every day.
• Our driveway edges - made of scalloped concrete brick on one side and bendable edge board on the other - seem to be targets for vehicles in maneuvering mode. Hmmm. What to do.
• Our kids catch crawdads in the creek behind us. I remember doing that as a kid at a local creek. Of course, they catch and release. We have a crayfish festival up the river in the delta that draws a big crowd every year. Need to go sometime.
• This morning I installed a pull cord for the side gate latch. Ingenious invention that I found at the hardware store. It's got a spring return and a large loop for the kiddies to grab. Now we can rest knowing our kids can get into the back yard from the front.
• It's almost June, and that means one thing. It won't be May anymore.
• This weekend is traditionally the first weekend of the summer season. So, there's nothing better than the summer sound to make it seem like summer. Love this stuff.
  

Friday Night Potpourri on Friday

Well, whaddya know, a potpourri back on Friday:

• Martin Luther and the Turks: hey, that would make a good name for a band.
• What ever happened to signal lights that were programmed to be successively green as long as traffic went the speed limit? I could sure use those kinds of lights in modern suburbia.
• I was surveying the trees over the back fence and in the neighborhood of our new place. It looks like there will be quite a few that will turn some great colors in fall.
• Our two year old has learned the auto manufacturer emblems for almost all the major manufacturers. "Hey, daddy, there's four circles together. It's an Audi!" "Hey, daddy, there's the Chevy dealer. There's the Honda dealer. There's the Nissan dealer." Really cool.
• Late May and it's cold and windy. What kind of summer will we have?
• It feels great to get back on Friday track for Potpourri.
• Been a long time since most of us have done this, fer sure. Oooh, baby, baby.
  

Rotating Subtitles?

I've thought about displaying rotating subtitles to this blog to capture a broader picture of what this blog is all about. So, starting today, I'm picking a new one, and will change it every week or two as they come to mind. The latest is "Because theology is everybody's task."

[Update: here's a running list as I add new subtitles]

Because for too long it has been coming mostly from the pulpits, seminaries and denominations.
Because theology is everybody's task.
Because "From the Row of Interlocking Chairs" wouldn't make any sense to anybody.
Because sometimes that's where it needs to come from.
Because it's my turn to talk.
A layman and his keyboard...it's a beautiful thing.

Weekend Potpourri

It's been a few weeks, and the Friday Night Potpourri hasn't been on Friday night for a while:

• Because Fridays have been real crazy?
• Because Fridays have been so tiring that I fall asleep too early?
• Because Fridays mean that Saturday comes too early?
• Because I forget it's Friday?
• Because when you kid's getting sick all night you gotta do the laundry over and over again?
• Another cold rain storm is on its way. It's been nice having so much rain this year, but without as much flooding as usually comes with lots of rain.
• So the closet doors fit in the rafters after all. Much easier to get to the clothes and shoes. I really don't like those sliding bi-pass closet doors. Much prefer the standard doors.
• The bank and the post office always seem to be on the same errand runs. The kids know it by heart.
• Okay, so next Friday I hope to be back on Friday.
• A good 80's pop number. Dig the crazy styles and the uniforms.

"Your Church Is Too Small" Is Here

Today I received my much anticipated copy of my friend John Armstrong's latest book, Your Church Is Too Small. I have been aware of his project in writing this book for some time now. My hope is to do a review of his book here on From the Pew in the near future. Stay tuned.

What's In A Potpourri?

A week blazing by at lightning speed:

• Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Okay, more than a week.
• It's funny, but not too long ago, a six megapixel digital camera was top of the line. Now it's a laugher.
• Two of my three kids have fallen in to the duck pond in the last couple of weeks. Not completely covered, but enough to get clothes wet above the knee. What kids won't do with a piece of bread.
• No song this week in an abbreviated Potpourri, but I hope to catch up next week.

Life And Life And Blog

"There comes a time in every man's life, and I've had plenty of them." - Casey Stengel

Things are pretty thick right now with life and job hunt and school and a number of other things. So, blogging is on the downside. I'm not sure when things will calm down enough to allow a back to normal blogging experience, but when that happens, I want to take advantage of it. In the mean time, I'll simply post when I'm able to do so. Keep checking back.

A Man Without A Movement

Andrew Sandlin writes a timely piece about movements and the pros and cons of being part of such. Christianity is not immune from such movements that create "inside circles" and "unenlightened outsiders." There are many within the church. Whether it's weight loss programs, homeschooling movements or theological movements, there are good and bad elements to each. Being on the outside has its pros and cons as well. As Sandlin states, though, "Being part of a movement may be comforting, but some of us are more interested in liberty than comfort." If it's liberty vs. expected conformity, which would you choose?

Late Weekend Potpourri

Little time to think to myself, so I went to the freezer:

• The kids found the box of Crayola chalk in the back of the car and proceeded to cover the entire back patio with drawing. Then it rained. Washed away chalk dust and wet chalk crayons.
• It finally happened. I took my oldest son to the open space and it wasn't going very well until a gopher popped out of his hole a half dozen times. Then the godsend... the ever elusive California king snake crawled backward out of a hole. He found it and showed me. It changed his week.
• After we left the open space, I went to the pizza place to pick up the order. I knew absolutely nothing about it except Mrs. Scott's name. I ate it, though. Yum.
• After moving, we've been unpacking. Found the espresso machine for that homemade brew. Sorry, Starbucks, I'll be a bit tardy until times come around again.
• The side gate scrapes the concrete sidewalk. Solution: slice the bottom 1/4" off with a jigsaw.
• Spring, spring, go away, come again another day. Today it was 85, the hottest day of the year so far with rain and cold coming tomorrow for a few days.
• A yellow tupperware container for a certain product needed a refill, so I put in my car as a reminder. Somehow it made it to the back seat, where our two year old threw it past the face of our five year old, out his window and across traffic. I saw this unidentified flying object in my rear view mirror. It caused a global crackup in the car as I swung a U-ee to go pick it up. The trick was to open the door and pick it up as it appeared under the door without running it over.
• Hat tip - no, hats off to Mr. Escalante for this gem.

Remembering The Resurrection

Somebody on my blogroll - I can't remember who, and I've searched a bit for it - posted something around Easter time about the resurrection. It went like this. We have one day per year dedicated to the resurrection: Easter. We hear a good sermon about Christ rising from the dead, which of course is important stuff. But, how often do we think about the resurrection the rest of the year?

Okay, I'll give my devalued 2 cents. Probably a lot less than necessary, yet probably a lot more than some people realize. I recently read an interesting observation. Muslims meet on Friday, Jews on Saturday and Christians on Sunday. And Christians meet on Sunday because of the resurrection. Two women went to some tomb somewhere looking for something that wasn't there and then went and told a bunch of people that they couldn't find it. And that is why we meet.

And just what is it about the resurrection that is so important? Well, starting with the crucifixion, Christ paid for sins. That's good by itself, but it leaves us with little hope beyond that. See, condemnation was averted, and I'm not downplaying that at all. But if being released from prison is great, it doesn't mean much more if it is at 5:30am in Northern Minnesota in January with nothing but the tank top and sandals you were arrested in way back in July. What is needed is that limo parked at the curb that takes us to the airport on our way to the beach in Hawaii. Crucifixion is death to sin; resurrection is newness of life.

Sometimes it's at times that life seems hopeless because of never ending personal failures. Having a body that will do things without stumbling is something to look forward to. A body that won't get old in a few decades. A body I know will be able to eat fish as opposed to floating around in some spirit form forever staring into some bright light. Sometimes I think about the resurrection on days where it seems like that's the only hope there is. And maybe that's true.

Friday Night Potpourri

Too much thinking to think:

• I've seen more ducks this last couple of weeks than I have in my entire life.
• Last week I got my year's worth of basketball fix. I was listening to the Opening Day baseball coverage on the radio when I heard that there was a minute left in the NCAA final game. I turned to the station covering it. A three point shot at the buzzer to win the national championship hit the rim. Must have been a good season.
• Then, with two minutes left, I tuned in to Don Nelson's record breaking win for all time winningest coach. I turned into the driveway, ran in and watched the last 3 seconds of the Warriors' win. Can't wait for next year.
• Our verbally advanced two year old explained to me after turning right at a red light (after coming to a complete stop) how I needed to wait for the light to turn green. At what age do kids start learning about exception to the rule?
• Such a short, yet intense, song.

Two Books Added To The List

There are two books out (or close to being out) that I am looking forward to reading and blogging about. The authors of these books have had a relatively large impact on my thinking and views of Christianity.

The two books are Your Church Is Too Small by John Armstrong (already out), and Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer, aka the Internet Monk (coming out in June).

Five Year Blogiversary

Today is the five year mark for this blog. Wow, five years blogging. In dog years, that's pretty long. Maybe blog years are even more lengthy than dog years. So, at five years, I'm kind of an old timer, middle aged at least.

Anyway, I hope for many more at From the Pew, and I hope to provide better writing, better thinking and better blogging in the future. Thank you to the readers for all your support.

Friday Night Potpourri - Where Are You?

A day late, that's where:

• I needed to get some jogging in, but had all my boys with me. The youngest fell asleep, so I parked at the park, let the two older ones play on the swings while I jogged within car's view. Perfect.
• Our new house is situated kitty-corner with relation to a major intersection I grew up near. All the left turn lanes and U-turns and ways to get to stores have been totally revised to include those that I've never used. I quite often drive past turns I need to make, etc, only to realize a lifetime of hard-to-break habit reinforcement.
• I think I like electric lawn mowers for small lawns. Just don't run over the cord.
• Julie Neidlinger gets a new computer.
• Nevermind the pit bull, Mr. mailman, we found a wasp's nest in our mailbox.
• Wii Baseball has a mercy rule. Which will come in handy when I play against my five year old.
• We're baaaaaaack. Oh, what a good week.

House Cleaning and Beating the Rug

You may have noticed something different about From the Pew lately. Well, numerous things are going on in the background with my blog. Let's just say there's some house cleaning and a bit of remodeling going on. The cat is gone, but the fleas laid eggs. Y'all know how that goes. Oh, and it's time to beat the rug over the back rail.

Michael Spencer, aka Internet Monk, 1956-2010

Michael Spencer, aka the Internet Monk, has passed away. I'm over a day late in hearing the news as yesterday was a busy day with no internet surfing. I never met Michael, though he's one for whom I would have made the attempt if I were travelling to or near Kentucky. Michael had one of the top read Christian sites on the internet. He was brutally honest about his ideas and feelings about many topics, and wasn't hesitant in the least about stirring the pot that contained the evangelical status quo. He was always an advocate for the marginalized within Christianity; the misunderstood, the neglected, the smoldering wick, the bruised reed.

My journey with him started several years ago as I stumbled across his blog. He was linked to by a few others that I read. At first, I only checked him out occasionally, and often didn't know how to think about him. Some things resonated with me, others were a turn off. Somehow, my connections to his blog from others' links increased, and I became a regular reader.

Not too long afterward, I started commenting on his blog. His comment sections were alive with a cross section of views and opinions. Much sparring and many threads started, Michael often being the one who stirred the comment pot. What I noticed about my comments is that they were rarely replied to by others, and almost never by Michael himself. I felt like a "comment failure" there.

But then one day about a year ago, completely out of the blue, I received an email from Michael. He said he had been reading my work for a while and was a fan of mine. He invited me to submit, if I wished, occasionally to his blog, and he would publish it. He wanted me to have a wider audience, thought I was a good writer, and thought we were on the same page about much of evangelicalism. I created an intro post which he published, but personal issues kept me from putting the finishing touches on a second one. A few months later, Michael was diagnosed with cancer. Then only a few [much too] short months later, he was gone.

Sympathies and prayers to his wife Denise, and his family. I'm hoping in the future to glean from his blog's archives, and I'm certainly planning on getting Michael's soon to be released book, Mere Churchianity. Getting his book would also include reading it and blogging about it. May God rest Michael's soul.

Friday Night Potpourri

Brain freeze this week:

• In school I learned that a Slurpee is a slurry. Any connection, marketing wise? Would the 7-Eleven crowd get it?
• Wood. 'Round my parts, there are many subdivisions built in the 60's and 70's where many/most of the street names end in "wood." Almost any thinkable word is placed in front of wood to create a street name. What's "Thornwood?" "Ironwood?" "Maplewood?" Isn't maplewood just maple? Maybe Gene has an idea.
• Hey, you got your Easter egg in my cream cheese! And you got cream cheese on my Easter egg.... Okay, I'll quit while I'm ahead. I was co-opping in pre-school today. Yum.
• Last week it was 80. A friend reports snow on the mountain yesterday. Only in spring here. And as I understand it, it can snow in Denver in the summer.
• Opening Day in baseball is on Monday. Well, I know there should be a game Sunday night on national television, but I haven't checked the listings. Play Ball!, I say.
• When you make four trips to the hardware store to buy variations of the same thing with the same crew on shift, you feel like an idiot. Not to mention broke.
• When music was a little more innocent than today. One of my faves from the decade of my birth. Note: this song at 3:00 was the long, unedited album version.

Is There Something Wrong With This Picture?

I have something I'm trying to get at with this post, and I'll reveal it later. Imagine a two bedroom apartment with two people living there, one in each bedroom. They have different jobs, working different schedules, have different friends, different hobbies and passions and likes. They come across each other's paths only occasionally, but they are friendly and cordial to one another.

Their differing schedules make it seem, for the most part, like each lives there alone, unbothered by the other's quirks and oddities. They are on good terms with each other, generally, and have no outstanding problems with each other. They have no problem sharing the fridge space, and common living areas are never a point of conflict. They can have their own friends over without bothering the other because their schedules are so different. They each pay their fair share of the rent.

Looking at this, it seems like a good roommate relationship. Each can live their own lives unhindered by the other. It seems almost living there alone most of the time. Their differences are actually beneficial to the other.

Now imagine if the situation I've described is not between two roommates, but two people who are married to each other. Suddenly red flags raise all over the place. I would think it not an ideal situation at all, but rather, even worse for some very good reasons. Such a relationship between married people could seem just as good as the roommate relationship, but for me, there would be great pain because of what a marriage should be like is missing. Many expectations of marriage are not being met. Since this situation is not like that, there is added grief and despair. More later. [Disclaimer: this is not about my own marriage, but something else I'm getting at. It's just an analogy]