How Much Conviction? (Part 2)

I was hoping for a few more responses in part 1, but that’s the nature of blogging, I suppose. Sometimes you get action on a post, sometimes you don’t.

I think I could develop a more thorough post on an idea here – but I’m going to just cut to the chase.

Like Curtis, I would like for all people (not just homosexuals) to "acknowledge [our sinful lifestyles] and have a 100% desire to change." Personally, I’m just not sure I can require that for membership. And I’m not sure how high of a number I can give.

Here’s why: No matter what number I come up with for this hypothetical dilemma, I know that there are sins in my life for which I experience an even lower level of conviction. I tend to take other people’s sins more seriously than I take my own.

Stupid plank.

How Much Conviction? (Part 1)

We had an interesting discussion in Human Sexuality recently. After taking a previous class period to review the complex interactions of biological, psychological, social/cultural, and spiritual factors that cause homosexuality, we then turned our attention in yesterday’s class to how we (as Christians) ought to respond to the issue.

At one point and in an attempt to be practical, I offered this question: How much conviction should a homosexual person experience or demonstrate before we accept him/her in church?

Suppose a person came to you and explained that although he struggles significantly with homosexual thoughts and feelings, he does not want to engage in homosexual behavior. He sees homosexuality as a sin, he wants to be true to Scripture, follow Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in his life. He doesn’t yet know if he should just commit to a life of abstinence or if he should work toward changing his orientation. But he wants to be a part of your church. For the sake of our discussion, let’s describe this person as experiencing/demonstrating 100% conviction. This person you would very likely welcome into your church. You would want to minister to him and walk his journey with him.

Suppose another person came to you and explained that he has been active in a homosexual lifestyle for many years. He described himself as a dedicated Christian and he loves attending church, but be does not believe homosexuality sinful. In fact, he openly advocates for Christians to accept homosexuality as a normal and natural part of God’s plan for some people. He has no plans to change his behaviors or lifestyle, but he wants to be a part of your church. For the sake of our discussion, let’s describe this person as experience/demonstrating 0% conviction. This person you would likely not welcome into your church. You would (hopefully) maintain a good personal relationship with him, but membership in your local community of believers is probably not acceptable.

At least that was the consensus among my students at a conservative Christian college.

But most people (including ourselves) don’t live at 100% or 0% conviction. People live somewhere in between. We have a great ambivalence about most of our issues. There is a part of us that wants to change – there is a part of us that does not. And this is likely true of many people struggling with homosexuality. So I offered this more specific question to my students: What percentage of conviction should a person experience/demonstrate before we accept him into membership at our church?

Granted, these are unfair questions and some students rightfully objected to them. We are not in a place to judge someone else’s conviction, right? But we do judge – all the time – and in order to exaggerate and examine our response to homosexuals, I forced each student to give me a number. What percentage of conviction should a homosexual have before we bring them into our community of faith?

It was a lively discussion with answers that ranged from 1% to 100%.

What is your percentage and why?

Too Busy

This time of the semester is a killer for me. I am in the middle of student advising for next semester, grading end-of-the-semester projects and papers, and getting ready to give final exams. On top of all that - we could have a baby any day now.

So I apologize for the lack of posts.

Here's a great story over at another blog. I encourage you to check it out.

AN

Putting My Sons to Work

For reasons yet unknown, Shanda and I have settled on names for our boys that reflect occupations. Parker = a park keeper. Tanner = a leather worker. Cooper = a barrel maker. Dads always have dreams for their sons and what they will actually become someday. I’m no exception. However, while their namesake occupations are valuable, I have something else in mind.

I really want my sons to be soldiers, athletes, or farmers.

Someone may need to drive by my house to pick my wife up off the floor. (She reads, but never comments.) Let me explain….

Soldiers are fighters. Their focus is on completing their missions. They are motivated by a desire to please their commanding officer and to protect what is precious. Soldiers hate being passive. I want my boys to be like that.

Athletes are competitors. Their focus is on knowing and following the rules of the game. They are motivated by a desire to win a prize and they hate quitting. I want my boys to be like that, too.

Farmers are hard workers. Their focus is on planting seeds. They do the best they can and then leave the rest to God. They are motivated by a desire to reap a harvest someday. Farmers hate (and cannot afford) laziness. And I want my boys to be like that, too.

You may have already detected the spiritual applications of these occupations – some of them are rather obvious. Paul has this fatherly advice for Timothy.

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” – 2 Timothy 2:1-7

I hope I give my sons similar advice as they grow up.

HT: Dr. Dale Wicker

Arrivals and Departures

Shanda and I have been very busy getting ready for our new baby (hence the lack of posts lately). Even Parker and Tanner have been getting excited to welcome their new little brother to the world. Our preparations and anticipation for little Cooper has made me appreciate this passage a little more:

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. –John 14:2-3.

I know God experiences various emotions, but I’ve not thought much about God preparing and waiting in anticipation for me to come home someday. What a wonderful, humbling thought!

Simple Pleasures

As I type this post right now, my sister and I are with my grandmother in her hospital room -- the three of us eating pizza and watching KU and UNC play basketball. Right now, life is good.

Last Lecture

I’m feeling a bit melancholy today. My grandmother had a heart attack this week and the news our family received yesterday about her treatment and prognosis wasn’t as positive as we had hoped. She has been in very good health, so these sudden developments have unsettled us. Perhaps the least unsettled, however, is my grandmother.

As my sister tearfully updated me last night over the phone, I asked her how our dad was doing. She said that it has been tough for him at times, but that grandma seemed to be doing better than anyone else. In fact, she seemed more concerned with us than she was with her own health. “I’m not afraid” she told my sister and dad last night.

We honestly don’t know when we will have to say goodbye to her. But we have been given a painful reminder that we will have to do so someday. While we may have a long time with her yet, today we are reeling as we consider how temporary life really is.

And then there is this video clip a friend of mine sent this week. I hesitate to post it because I don’t think much of Oprah, honestly. But Professor Randy Pausch gave his “last lecture” at Carnegie Mellon some time ago, and he reprised it on Oprah’s show. You can watch the entire last lecture here, though it is over an hour long and I have yet to watch all of it myself. This reprise is powerful and inspirational. And I am moved as I listen to him explain his motivation for giving the lecture (at the very end of the clip).

Yet, I have mixed emotions about it. While it is about as good as it gets – it is still missing Jesus. And what an awful, sad, glaring omission. Life is not worth living, nor can we face death with integrity, without Jesus.

May we all remember how short and precious life is and draw nearer to Jesus along the way.

Knockoffs, part 3

Nobody cares about some old, strange Egyptian dude?? That’s OK. I’m accustomed to hearing crickets in the background of my life.

Knockoffs, part 1 – Sometimes it is a really bad idea for Christians to borrow and use stuff from the secular world around us.

Knockoffs, part 2 – Sometimes it is appropriate. Even God saw fit to include borrowed secular stuff in His word.

So how do we know when we should or should not borrow and use secular words, ideas, and products? Here are a few thoughts. But hang with me – my train of thought is getting ready to take a detour.

Howard Gardner is a brilliant scholar at Harvard and is most well known for his work in the area of “multiple intelligences.” He has many important things to say about how we should measure and develop intelligence as well as how we ought to be educating our children. Regarding curriculum, Gardner says specific topics make little difference. Rather, as a rule, we ought to focus teaching our children about issues of truth, beauty, and goodness. This isn’t the focus of Gardner’s work, but I remember hanging on those words as I read them years ago.

The true, the beautiful and the good.

I think that could serve as a pretty good standard to use in judging which secular material to borrow and which to leave alone. As we attempt to connect with and communicate the gospel to an unbelieving world – let’s borrow the stuff that is true, beautiful, and good.

Let’s find, understand, and apply truth wherever it is found. In my own field of psychology and counseling, there are too many findings supported by scientific data for me to just ignore. Even when non-Christians stumble across truth, we should recognize and make use of it.

Let’s appreciate and incorporate beauty wherever it is found. Artists and musicians may not give credit their Creator, but that’s doesn’t mean we don’t have to.

And let’s recognize, support, and participate in goodness wherever it is found. There are many worthwhile activities and organizations that we should value despite their non-Christian origins or lack of explicitly Christian messages.

I wonder if this strikes a chord with anyone or seems useful to anyone else but me. But it seems to be helpful in judging the appropriateness of some Christian knockoffs.

Like Christian breath mints. Are they true, beautiful, or good? I think not. But is it OK for me to appreciate Eric Clapton? Probably.

Rather than making my own list of secular things that are either true, beautiful, or good, I’d like you to offer your own suggestions. I’m nervous to make that kind of request – I wonder if I can hear the crickets warming up again. But I’m asking anyway… Can you think of secular things that are worth appreciating, borrowing, using, and participating in because they are true, beautiful, and/or good? (Extra credit will be given if you can give an example of each.)