Attention Word Slingers readers: Beginning December 11, 2019, all posts will be available at BaptistMessenger.com. Thank you for reading Word Slingers!
Young evangelicals are bombarded with the questions and controversies surrounding the relationship between faith and politics. Twitter feeds are filled with stories and comments, endorsements and condemnations. It seems wise to disengage altogether and avoid conversations about God and politics, the two subjects you never bring up at a party.
But washing our hands of it all might only serve to raise the question, “Am I complicit in my silence?” What guidance do we find in the Bible? Solid arguments are made on many sides.
The consensus of Scripture is that God works through governments, and they serve an important purpose. Throughout the Old Testament, the people of God are found serving God by influencing governmental leaders, such as Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, and numerous prophets speaking truth to powerful kings—some who were godly and many who were not.
The Apostle Paul consistently taught the early church to respect governing authorities and calls them servants of God. In 1 Tim. 2:1-4, Paul writes that Christians should pray with thanksgiving, making intercession for those who are in authority.
Disengaging doesn’t seem to be the advice found in the Bible. We should care about what the government does and who is leading us. How can a Christian engage in politics without falling into the division, debate and vitriol filling our Twitter feeds? Here are three things to remember.
We are People of Prayer. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for God’s glory and Kingdom to expand on earth as it is in heaven. Perhaps the most prevalent need among Christians is a deeper understanding of the power of prayer.
By teaching Christians to pray for those in authority, Paul reminds us that we have access to the most extraordinary power and spiritual resource available on earth. Prayer quiets the soul and allows anger to subside. Prayer draws us closer to God and how He sees the people and policies in question. God hears us when we pray, and He answers.
Begin with prayer when engaging in the politics. Rom. 13:4 refers to governmental leaders as servants of God. Let our concern over a policy come after sincere prayer for a person’s heart for God. Pray that a politician’s time in office is marked less by legislative accomplishments or political wins and more by an encounter with the divine God of the universe. Pray for them to have a deeper reverence for the things that are on the heart of God; such as peace and joy, justice and mercy, ministry to the marginalized, and the dignity of all people.
We are the Church. Christians know that government was instituted by God and public policy matters. We also know that God is in control and working through all sorts of institutions, but let’s not blur the line between them.
Scripture gives moral guidance that is true in every arena of life but also specific directions to Christians in the local church, and we need to recognize the difference. The desired outcome of the prayer for governmental leaders in 1 Tim. 2:1-4 is the freedom to “live a life of quiet godliness so that all people can come to the knowledge of the truth.” Government has a role to play, but God’s redemptive plan is most fully manifested in the life and work of local churches.
We are Peacemakers. So much of modern American politics is intent on conquering political opponents, and this isn’t always consistent with a Christian witness (and disastrous to our democracy).
Christians do understand that some ideas are truly bad, and historically, God used His people to challenge those ideas. That is still true at times today, but not as often as the internet would have us believe.
Let us remember that Jesus taught in Matt. 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.” The characteristic that most consistently identifies you as a child of God is being a peacemaker. Politics gives tools for compromise and consensus, but the Gospel gives the tools for lasting peace and reconciliation.
Christians have access to both politics and the Gospel. As Christians, let’s be peacemakers as we engage in politics today.
A new documentary shines the light on the perilous and even dangerous world of Instagram.
Not that long ago, I was young and hip. I knew about the latest trends, the latest songs, the latest gadgets. It was my life.
But the process of growing older and having children changed that. My interests also evolved.
Thus, when my 10-year-old and 7-year-old sons came home a year ago and began doing “Fortnite” dances, I asked what any middle-aged man would ask: What’s Fortnite? Google took care of that.
I had a similar reaction recently when I watched a new documentary, Social Animals. It follows three real-world young people as they post nearly everything about their lives on Instagram. Yes, I knew about Instagram. Yes, I even have a (mostly ignored) Instagram account. But I didn’t fully grasp the negative impact it is having on young people.
The 87-minute film—which is streaming on all major platforms—is an eye-opener for parents raising children in a selfie-obsessed culture.
Launched in 2010, Instagram is the preferred social media platform for today’s teens. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, which are text-heavy, Instagram is image-driven. The user takes a picture and posts it. A written message is optional. The goal is to get the most “likes.”
Social Animals tells the story of Kaylyn, a high schooler who is hyper-obsessed with her looks and has half a million followers; Emma, a teenager who had to change high schools because she was bullied on Instagram; and Humza, a New York City photographer who illegally scales tall buildings and bridges to capture the perfect Instagram image.
Their stories are told without narration or commentary, but that’s not needed. By the time the credits roll, you’re convinced that Instagram—without strict boundaries—is bad for a young person’s mental and social health.
Girls primp and pose for the picture-perfect, model-like shot.
“I look awful!” one says to the other while deleting the “bad” pictures.
In between the stories of Kaylyn, Emma and Humza, we hear from other teens who use Instagram.
“I took a shower, I blow dried my hair, I curled my hair, I did my makeup, and it took about an hour and a half just to get ready for a selfie,” one girl says.
Another girl uses a special app to erase acne in her pictures.
It’s a world where inner beauty means nothing and looks are everything. It’s a world where “likes” and “followers” determine one’s meaning in life.
Scripture tells us that “charm is deceptive,” “beauty does not last” and each person is “wonderfully made” (Proverbs 31:30, Psalm 139:14). But you wouldn’t know that by scrolling Instagram.
It was directed by Jonathan Ignatius Green, who said some parents watch it with their teens.
“I think our biggest goal is to stir a rich conversation,” Green told me. “(Social media) is powerful. It impacts our entire world—not just teenagers, but adults, too. Hopefully the takeaway is, ‘Hey, I need to take a look at this and maybe reflect on my own behaviors on social media and my own motivations for doing some of these things.’”
Social Animals includes some rough content. It’s not for everybody.
But its core message—and its implicit warnings—should be heard by today’s families.
Content warning: Social Animals is unrated; treat it like a PG-13-type film. It includes no nudity but does show girls in swimsuits. It also includes some coarse language, including some strong language.
Kutter Callaway, assistant professor of culture and theology at Fuller Seminary, wrote a discussion guide. Download it here.
For more information, Visit SocialAnimalsFilm.com
Entertainment rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
I’m here to discuss a topic that has me #triggered. If you aren’t familiar with the term, being “triggered” is basically a word that younger generations are using to describe something that offends them. So this is what triggers me in the church: toxic tithing.
First, let me tell you, if you aren’t currently tithing at least 10 percent of your income, now is a great time to take that step of obedience. If you are younger and still establishing your career or don’t have a steady paycheck, it’s hard, I understand.
But no one said following the Lord and being obedient to Him would ever be easy. Tithing is of the utmost importance. As a Christ follower, you are to give your tithe offering faithfully and with no strings attached. End of story.
Now that that is taken care of, for those of you who do tithe… do you truly give with no strings attached? I am sad to say that I have heard people in the church say things like “Well, we tithe to the church, so we should have a say in what happens there.” What a sad, sad day for the Church when the body of Christ gives with that kind of heart.
Rainer says first, this kind of attitude “makes giving more like paying country club dues than biblical stewardship.” This sense of entitlement is dangerous, and poison to a church. All churches are under the rule of one person and one person only, God. No other person should manipulate a church by opening their wallets.
That was Rainer’s second point, that conditional giving is manipulative. Rainer said, in a sense, this is like holding a church hostage. Does that sound like something Jesus would do if He were attending a church today?
Third, Rainer pointed out that this kind of giving is a way of circumventing, or finding a way around, the budget. For example, someone thinks they would do a better job of deciding where the church spends their money. That isn’t how the Church works. Again, this kind of giving is sinful and prideful.
The fourth reason, and I think the most problematic reason, is this kind of giving “creates a different class of members in the church.” The church was not meant to operate how the outside world operates. No one person is loved more by God or loved less by God because of the money in their bank account.
In Matt. 11:38, it says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” What it doesn’t say is, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and have X amount of dollars in your bank account.”
Finally, the last and most important reason to not give in to toxic tithing is because “it is contrary to the servant spirit of Christ.” Here I will directly quote Rainer who says, “Jesus was crystal clear on His mission. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). Some church members utter the toxic statement, “We pay the bills at this church” to get their own way. Jesus made the sacrificial statement that He would put others before Himself, so much so that He would die for others.”
I beg you, don’t give with strings attached. Search your heart and ask forgiveness from the One who gave the ultimate gift without strings attached, His Son.
I guess some consider this the first full week of the new year. It did feel like the Christmas and New Year holiday season was over, at least in my world this week.
Thanks for reading my DHD. Here’s some brief thoughts on some timely topics.
Bright Future for Oklahoma Baptists
As I’m in the beginning of my sixth year working for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO), I got to experience the annual event that happens at the Baptist Building at the beginning of each year known as “At Home Week.” All those who work for the BGCO gather for three days to go over what could be expected for the year and what our state leader, Hance Dilbeck, has planned and envisioned.
This is Dilbeck’s first full year to serve as BGCO executive director-treasurer, and it’s the first time for him to lead At Home Week. After this week’s meetings, I could not be more encouraged about the direction the BGCO is heading.
I’ve known Bro. Hance for more than 15 years. He has been a great spiritual influence in my life, as he was my pastor. And as my pastor, I witnessed great growth and spiritual nurturing at my church. It wasn’t just a major renovation of our church building, which the “before” and “after” settings comparing the church in 2003 and in 2018 reveal a whole different landscape, but there has been so much progress and great experiences at my church during this time frame. Dilbeck’s leadership was a major factor.
The reason I bring this up is I can see his leadership impacting churches across our state, and attending this week’s meeting is what gives me this confidence.
Stay tuned, Oklahoma Baptists! I believe good days are ahead.
Mohler part 1
Al Mohler is back addressing the nation on his podcast The Briefing. The president of Southern Seminary hit a lot of hot topics this week, including Planned Parenthood’s new president being contradictory of the organizations abortion emphasis, threats of religious liberty in government appointments and Christian leaders facing criminal prosecution on the Netherlands.
In today’s session, Mohler discusses how the LGBTQ movement is influencing many Christian denominations, including the United Methodist Church and its affiliated colleges and universities. He begins by saying how many moral revolutions of the past took nearly centuries to implement moral change. However, the current LGBTQ revolution took no more than seven years.
As far as its effect on the church, this sexual revolution, Mohler said, is causing a drastic shift.
“The LGBTQ revolution,” he said, “if truly normalized within any church, is going to require a different understanding of sin, a different understanding of salvation, a different understanding of the atonement, a different understanding of the Christian life, a different understanding of the relationship between law and gospel, a different understanding of Christian holiness. All that is going to be required and that’s not even an absolutely comprehensive list.”
Mohler part 2
Mohler also addressed the current government shutdown in his Monday edition of The Briefing. He basically concluded the shutdown is a big political game of chicken.
He didn’t side either way but just said the battle between President Trump and Congressional Democrats, which is behind the shutdown, are hoping for political leverage.
“Both sides in this political conflict, this manufactured crisis, believe that the American people will see them as the good guys rather than the bad guys,” Mohler said. “We’ll see the situation as being brought about more by the intransigence of the political opposition than themselves. President Trump is betting that the American people, or at least a sufficient number of the American people, will see the Democrats as the problem and will believe that he is right to demand $5 billion in funding in order to build the wall, which means to extend the border wall between the United States and Mexico. The Democrats are betting the exact opposite, that the American people will eventually blame the President, and that his support for the wall will decline, and they see themselves as having the upper hand because, in the view of the democratic leadership in the House, the President has already shot his bullets. His gun is now empty.”
More on the government shutdown
Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford gave an excellent address on the government shutdown, specifically on border security. Watch the 15 min speech here:
Some things that stood out from Lankford’s talk is there was a time when border security was a bi-partisan issue.
“It was just a decade ago,” Lankford said, “that this body voted to add 650 miles of additional fencing along the border between Mexico and the United States because at that time a decade ago, this body said it is a serious issue with border security. We should add fencing to the border. And outspoken liberals like Senator Clinton and Senator Obama voted to add fencing to the border in 2006 and said, ‘That is the right thing to do.’ But suddenly now, a decade and a couple of years later, it is a partisan issue, and we can’t allow President Trump to have additional fencing. It seems very odd to me.”
Lankford also proposes to keep Congress working in continuous session until resolved and cutting budgets in the Senate, House and the White House by five percent each week until resolved.
“This is a completely avoidable problem,” he said.
Oklahoma pro-life ranking
Three years ago, Oklahoma was considered the most protected state on pro-life issues, according to Americans United for Life (AUL). Now, Oklahoma dropped to fourth on AUL’s rankings, with Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana ranked higher.
Fourth appears to be a good ranking, and I am glad other states are doing the right things, passing laws that support Sanctity of Life. However, Oklahoma has increased its number on abortions recently. This needs to be made known to many Evangelical Christians in our state, and we need to be involved in making the shift change back to supporting and being involved in pro-life causes.
One great opportunity happens the first Wednesday in February. Rose Day at the Capitol is a very important and effective event that has been instrumental in putting Oklahoma on the right path on the issue of life. With new members in state congress, this year’s Rose Day could be one of the most important in recent history.
I hope you will be involved this year and come to the Capitol on Feb. 6. Deliver red roses to the Governor, Lt. Governor and your state senator and house representative.
David Whitlock announced he is retiring as president of Oklahoma Baptist University at the end of the spring semester. This will conclude his 10th year as OBU president.
I have been very impressed with Whitlock’s leadership and consider him one of the most influential OBU presidents.
The PG film “A Dog’s Way Home” is mostly family-friendly, although it has a few elements that will trouble parents.
Lucas is a caring, 20-something man who will do anything to save animals in harm’s way—perhaps even risking jail.
So one day when he spots several endangered animals across the street inside a fenced-off condemned area, he and his girlfriend, Olivia, break the law by sneaking through the fence to save them.
The lot owner tells them to beat it, but not before Lucas and Olivia free the cats and escape with a dog that will be a gift to his mom, a war veteran. Dogs, Lucas says, can help veterans suffering from depression.
His mom loves the dog (they name her “Bella”) but doesn’t realize the breed is illegal under city code. That’s because Bella is classified as a pit bull—even though she doesn’t look like one.
Soon, the lot owner reports Bella to animal control, and soon after that, she is in the pound. Lucas pays a fee to get her back, even though he knows she can’t stay with him and his mom. So he takes her to Olivia’s out-of-state parents, where Bella will live until Lucas moves to a location where he can legally keep the dog.
It sounds like a good plan. That is, until Bella escapes and runs through the forest and down the highway—with the goal of traveling the 400 miles back to Lucas.
Will Bella make it?
The PG film A Dog’s Way Home opens this weekend, starring Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women, 2017) as Lucas; Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse) as Olivia; Ashley Judd as Lucas’ mom, Terri; and Bryce Dallas Howard (Pete’s Dragon) as the voice of Bella.
The live action-film is told from the perspective of Bella, who is raised by cats before being saved by Lucas—or as she calls him, her “person.” It is the latest in a recent series of pet-centric movies: Dogs Days (2018), Show Dogs (2018), A Dog’s Purpose (2017) and The Secret Life of Pets (2016), among them.
It is a cute, mostly family-friendly film (details below) that dog lovers especially will appreciate. The movie has two larger purposes: 1) highlight the positive role pets can play in companionship with veterans, and, 2) support the Humane Society’s “all dogs are equal” initiative, which opposes breed-specific bans and policies. City officials are attempting to impound Bella, even though she is friendly and looks nothing like a pit bull. Her kind demeanor is further underscored when she takes care of a cougar cub.
Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!
(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)
Violence/Disturbing
Minimal/moderate. We see animal control workers catching stray pets and taking them to the pound. We hear a cougar shot and killed and then see its body; its cub is orphaned. Wolves chase Bella and a baby cougar. A man is buried under an avalanche; he survives. Wolves fight a dog. A dog is hit by a car. A homeless man dies near a river; we see his body.
Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity
None. We hear a woman jokingly say a man is not “hot.” Additionally, parents may want to know about a couple of related issues. (See “Other Stuff You Might Want to Know”—below.)
Coarse Language
Minimal. A couple of coarse words: h-ll (1), OMG (1). One instance of “oh my gosh.” A dog is nicknamed “shaggy butt.”
Other Positive Elements
Children will enjoy watching Bella take care of a cougar cub and helping it find water and food. Perhaps that doesn’t happen in real life, but there are lessons to be learned on kindness.
Other Stuff You Might Want To Know
Two men enter the story midway through the film, and it is implied they are a gay couple. They don’t kiss, hug or even hold hands, but they ski together and live in a nice home together (Older children might ask questions; younger ones likely will not).
In the film’s final scene, Lucas and Olivia are living together. Maybe they’re married by now, but it doesn’t appear that way; he’s not wearing a ring (Most kids won’t notice, though).
Life Lessons
The primary message of A Dog’s Way Home is this: Pets need us, and we need pets (See Worldview, below). But it also provides lessons on kindness (Bella, Lucas, others), companionship (Bella, Lucas, a homeless man, veterans) and taking care of those who can’t care of themselves (Lucas, Olivia and Bella).
Worldview
A proper view of pets requires a proper view of animals: Humans are more important than animals (Genesis 1-3), and God gave mankind dominion over them (He told us to eat them, and He even crafted clothing out of animal skin).
If mankind didn’t have dominion over the animals, then there would be no such thing as pets. Pets, after all, are animals that were domesticated by humans.
But do pets need us, and do we need them? The former is certainly true. I even suspect God expects us to take care of pets. That’s because we have trained them to rely on us. It’s our responsibility to help them. In A Dog’s Way Home, Bella likely would die if Lucas didn’t help her (God takes care of animals, too: “He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call”—Psalm 104:21).
Do we need pets? For some people, the answer may be “yes.” Pets provide companionship. They provide entertainment. They provide unconditional love. They even can provide protection. Of course, they also teach responsibility.
Pets are one of God’s many blessings—as most children already know.
What Works
The relationship between Bella and her cougar friend. I could watch a movie just on that.
The scenery (The film’s setting is Colorado).
What Doesn’t
A Dog’s Way Home is a very simple movie with a thin plot. Some will find that enjoyable. Others will be bored.
Discussion Questions
Does the Bible support the modern-day animal rights movement?
What is our responsibility with animals? With pets?
Why do some people need/want a pet more than others?
Are there people who shouldn’t be given a pet?
Entertainment rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Rated PG for thematic elements, some peril and language.
What if every decision we made as Christians was prefaced with the perforating reality of the grace of God? Imagine that: What time am I leaving for work? Who do I need to meet with? What will I have for lunch? Should I rest or go out tonight? What will I wear? Iced or hot coffee?
Imagine every one of these activities beginning with “wow, God, I don’t deserve Your grace but thank You for loving me so much to send Your Son to take my punishment”? It almost sounds silly, doesn’t it?
What do any of those decisions have to do with eternal righteousness in Christ? How can any of those decisions relate to the all-powerful Creator of time, matter, and the universe? I must admit that I am guilty of this skepticism.
Everything in my world fits into nice, equally-sized boxes. Work, family, time, friends, finances, career, success and home—they all have their place that I put them.
I have expectations and familiarity with each box. Some contain fun. Some require discipline. But all have one thing in common: I know their dimensions. I can close my eyes, run my hands along the corners and tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, if it’s mine. I can press my fingertips against their imperfections—their bumped or bruised, weathered usage. Their size and contents contribute to their value.
If, for example, I took my family box down from the shelf and opened it, I would find comfort, encouragement and love. The family box possesses each character and uniqueness of every family member. I know it by heart, and I know what it stirs up within me.
So, if I took any of those boxes and said to myself “each time I take each of you off the shelf, I can’t help but be overjoyed in God” it would sound silly…wouldn’t it?
I recently went on a mission trip to Central Asia. I had lived my teenage years in this country, so I had a pretty good picture of what to expect when going back—the food, the culture, the people, all of it. In my mind, this is a good thing. It gave me something to look forward to. I knew this box even if I had to brush off some of its dust that had gathered over time.
After spending some time in the country, I realized that my box was still very accurate, minus one thing. There was nothing more valuable to the local Christians’ lives than the overwhelming joy of being a child of God. Everything only had value because of what Christ had done on the cross. Time, people, lunch, activities, rest, clothes and tea—all were good because they were common grace from God.
I was confused. Were they not familiar with the box system? Things have value because of where they are in our minds. The box’s size, location, familiarity, bumps and bruises, and the people inside them! I was crushed. I couldn’t believe that my daily life had gotten so overly saturated that I had missed this joy.
When the local pastor spoke about his brothers and sisters in Christ, those spread out across the city and the country, it was with overwhelming joy of salvation. When he spoke of their gifts and talents, their prayer requests, their worship, and even their poverty it was with outflowing purity of righteousness. Christ had come, the Son of God had come and created clean hearts! Therefore, let each word and expression and encounter be fueled with natural glory to God.
How have we missed this as Christians living in America? Why hasn’t the piercing justification completely shaken our religious culture to the core? Is it the distractions? Is it the comfort? Is it the need to make our mark or live a quiet life? What box is so important that we don’t fit the reality of the grace of God in?
I think it’s all of them. We create cultural boundaries, hierarchy of acceptance and systematic reductions upon truth—the truth that is greater than any dimension or metaphysical structure we may create.
The truth is, because The Creator loves us so much. He offered His Son as the sacrifice for our sinful rebellion, so that we may be reunited with Him in glory.
Brothers and sisters, when we reduce this reality, we reduce the magnitude of His glory. We take the mystery and wonder of the depth and majesty of God and put walls around it for our selfish comprehension and comfort. When we do this, we say “I appreciate you this much, but no further for now.”
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph. 1:3-10).
As we enter 2019, I want to encourage you, reader. Before you eat breakfast, get dressed, plan your day, or get into your car, understand one of the most important realities ever: You were bought with a price, and there is nothing more valuable than that. Let that sink in. Let it glorify God. Heaven inches just a little closer when we see through the lens of grace.
