What Does God Require? part 1

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good. - Deuteronomy 10:12-13

I have an iPhone app called "Fighter Verses." The app was put together as a way to help people memorize certain key verses from the Bible, these 52 "Fighter Verses." The app is really well done and I highly recommend it, but that's beside the point. This week's verse comes from Deuteronomy 10, and it really struck me as valuable. Maybe I liked this verse so much because it comes in the form of a numbered list, my favorite information delivery technique. I thought I would take a couple of blog posts and go through this verse with a fine tooth comb. The more I have meditated on these words, the more densely packed I see them to be. This post will only cover the first 12 words.

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you?

This verse records Moses speaking to the people of Israel after God gave Moses the second set of the 10 Commandments. In Deuteronomy 5, Moses gathers together all the people of Israel and launches into a lengthy speech to the people, instructing them in the ways that the Lord has set before them. Moses is asking this question as a way to teach the people of God, clearly and succinctly, how God desires us to be in relationship to Him.

Many people in today's culture live their lives in some form of deism. Deism is the general belief or understanding that there is a God who somehow made the world, but that God is very distant and uninvolved. In the deistic view, what God really wants and requires of us is to figure out life on our own. God started this whole universe project, but has now abandoned it and left us in charge of everything. Many enlightenment thinkers, including the majority of America's founding fathers, were deists; this is why our cultural awareness is steeped in do-it-yourself-ism. It's as thick as the air that we breath. This worldview certainly encourages hard work but certainly fails to take into account the God to whom we are actually responsible.

Right from the beginning of this verse, we are confronted with the idea that God requires something from us. This is not a particularly popular message to speak today, but it is truth. We were created by God and for God. Everything that was created was made by Him. Our next breath, our next heartbeat is dependent on God. When God speaks and lets us know what is required of us, we had better pay attention.

I find great comfort in knowing that God requires something from me. I find it comforting because it means that God is not distant and uninvolved. It means that God is a good God, a good Father who cares about us, our lives, our actions, and our treatment of other people. It means that God loves us enough to not leave us alone. The ultimate form of hate is indifference, and God is clearly not indifferent.

Rather than recoil in "American-do-it-myself-self-sufficient" horror at the thought of God's requirement, I encourage you to find comfort in these verses. God is treating you as His child. Embrace Him. Submit yourself to Him. He is good and He has your ultimate good in mind.

In the next post, we will explore what it means to "fear God."

Moving To Seattle - pt. 2

Since we announced that our family would be moving to Seattle, I have received a tremendous amount of love, support and encouragement. I thought I would take this opportunity to fill you in on a few specific details that have been nailed down over the past few weeks.

1. I have been accepted to an internship at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. This is a 25hr per week unpaid internship (more on this below). The start date is August 1st.
2. I will also (most likely) be doing the Resurgence Re:Train program at Mars Hill simultaneously. The program and the internship were designed to work together to equal a 40hr week. The start date for this is August 8th.
3. My family will take off on July 18th. July 17th will be my last Sunday at City Church. Erin Lynn and the girls will be flying and I will be driving the van filled with my guitar stuff and other odds and ends.

Many of you have also asked if there was anything you could do to help. As a matter of fact, yes! Here are some ways that you might be able to be a blessing and help our family.

1. Buy my stuff. We are selling pretty much everything and starting fresh in Seattle.
2. Help with a garage sale. I will be doing a sale on Saturday, May 14th and will need help that day as well as on Friday the 13th (!) for setup.
3. Painting, etc. We are going to rent out our home and she needs a fresh coat of paint plus a few other minor fixups. Once the garage sale is done and the house is more empty, this will be easier.

Finally, some of you may feel inclined to contribute financially. As you saw above, the internship and school are all unpaid. We would love to avoid racking up any student loan debt for this school period and we will be asking for sponsors. One-time donations are welcome, but we will also be asking for regular monthly donors for the 14 months of this internship. We will have some income from the rental of our house, plus I will be able to do some part time work, music teaching, etc., but we will need some sort of extra support for this season. I will have more specifics available in a few weeks, but for now just prayerfully consider supporting my family financially either with a one-time gift or regularly.

How Should We React To Osama's Death?

By now, the information is old news: Osama Bin Laden is dead. Information moves at the speed of light and only those who have their electronic devices turned off have not had the last several hours to deal with, to process the news that one of the most evil, hated, despised men in modern history has met his demise. Reading through all of the posts on Facebook and Twitter, it is clear to see that there is a wide range of reactions to this news. I would like to propose a framework that could be helpful for Christians as we react to this incredibly historical event. Perhaps the best word I can think of to use for our reaction would be "mixed."

1. Sorrow

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the LORD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? - Ezekiel 18:23

Like it or not, Osama Bin Laden was a human being, created in the image and likeness of God, albeit severely marred and disfigured by the effects of sin. The people of God, like God himself, should not be glad that an image-bearer of God has persisted in his wickedness until his death. No Christians should take delight in the thought that someone will spend eternity in torment, separated from the grace of God.

2. Joy

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. - Proverbs 11:10

We do not rejoice in the death of the man, but we do rejoice that he is no longer able to inflict evil and suffering upon others. The Bible, from top to bottom, is very concerned with the idea of justice. Most average people are also - at least in theory - concerned with the idea of justice. When a person has been dishing out violence upon violence for years, there is a fitting place for gladness that they have met justice.

3. Humility

[Jesus said], “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” - Luke 13:2-4

Jesus, in these verses, was responding to certain Jews who were elated with the idea that tragedy had struck "those bad people." It is all to easy to become overjoyed when God's justice is meted out again those who are wicked in our eyes. What is easy to overlook is our own wickedness. Jesus says "repent."

4. Submission to Government

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. - Romans 13:1-4

I am fully, personally, firsthand aware of the flaws in our legal system, but we should really pause for a moment and be thankful for the privileges, freedom and security that we have as Americans. I have freedom to post a blog like this with no fear of retribution other than one of you readers griping at me electronically. I'm thankful for the police and the soldiers and all the others who "bear the sword" to offer us humans a spitting chance at a modicum of freedom.

5. Urgency

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. - Acts 4:11-12

I am fully convinced that the only hope for the nations of the world is Jesus. Part of the reaction that we should have to Osama Bin Laden's death is a sense of urgency to proclaim the good news of salvation to all mankind. The nations rage, people plot, darkness grows darker, violence increases, but the Word of the Lord must be proclaimed to every corner of the earth.

One final note: I find joking and mockery at this point to be in bad taste. Psalm 2 speaks of Most High God looking at the schemes of wicked nations and mocking them, holding them in derision. My perspective on the matter is that mockery/derision is one of those things, like vengeance, that belong to God. There may be a time where God's people, like Elijah, are invited to mock false religion and superstitious belief, but death is not a time for gloating.

I also see the practical implications of this right now. Do you remember when certain people in Muslim nations celebrated and passed out candy on 9/11? Let's not stoop to that level. Let's not take the joy that we may have in this wicked man's death and descend into petty joking, even if the joke is about Trump or Obama or Palin or Chuck Norris or Where's Waldo or anything else. All the joking is ill-timed, in my humble opinion.

If You Love It, You Will Learn About It

I am a seminary student. The degree I am pursuing is called a Master of Divinity (insert joke from Jim Strutz about being a "divine master" here). One of the the most surprising things that happened to me when I announced that I would be pursing a theology degree was the push back that I got from well-meaning Christians. They were concerned that studying theology would ruin my walk with God, that my study would turn my relationship into a merely intellectual exercise. I was surprised, because it was an aspect of study that had never crossed my mind.

When I stopped to think about it, the concern was actually valid. I have actually experienced something like this firsthand before. When I was pursing my undergrad degree in music, I can remember many weekends where I expressed a sentiment similar to the following: "If I never see another piece of music again, it will be too soon." My intensive study, practicing, rehearsing, and playing almost ruined my love and appreciation for music. Many of the other students in my class are not working or earning a living in a music-related field; many of them are not even playing music at all!

However valid this concern in, I don't think it should scare us away from studying or learning about who God is, His nature, His character, and His attributes. I have heard people say "I don't want to know about God, I just want to know God," or "I don't want to just read the owner's manual, I want to drive the car!" This sentiment is understandable, but unfortunately shortsighted. I would propose this: if you love something, you will invariably study it out. Michael Patton from Credo House Ministries explains it well:

It’s popular today to think our learning about God will stifle our passion for God. I’ve even heard people say, “I’d rather be led instead of read.” This is simply not true from human experience. Anyone passionate in any subject will eventually seek to learn more and more about the subject. The person passionate about wine becomes a student of wine. They learn about the art of wine making, differing varieties in differing climates, soil nutrients, fermentation, barreling, pairing, and proper tasting techniques. They love the taste, but the taste is now greatly enhanced by their knowledge.

The person passionate about NASCAR becomes a student of NASCAR. They can tell you about the history of certain race tracks, they will tell you about some of the great drivers from the past, they’ll educate you about fuel conservation during a race, driver and fan safety, getting the most out of the tires, and driver G-forces.

If you’re reading this there’s a strong chance the King of all Kings has adopted you into His family. Your eternal destiny has been altered by a Savior who lived, died and rose in your place. He invites you to take your heavy burden in exchange for His light yoke. Your God is with you every day and is leading you safely to your eternal home. Yet so many people will go months, years or even a lifetime without taking the initiative to grow as a learner. We won’t follow the command of Jesus to make not just converts but disciples. Somehow we think if we know Him we won’t love Him. This is simply not true.

There are many other analogies that could be used - football and other sports, music, cinema, American history - but you see how this works. If you love something, you will learn about it. I appreciate the valid concern that too much study can turn something you love into a frustration, but I think that the vast majority of us are far from that problem. Most of us are in danger of running off the road on the other side, not knowing enough about the God that we worship. I encourage you: study, learn, grow in understanding. As Peter charges us in 2nd Peter 3, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." It's a both/and thing. We need to grow in our experience of God's grace while we grow in the knowledge of who God is. May we all increase in both.


Michael Patton and the Credo House Ministries blog can be visited here: http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/

Things We Don't See In English Bibles

For one of my classes, I am doing some extensive research on the Old Testament book of Micah. Micah is my favorite of the OT prophetic books. I stumbled across some research into the Hebrew language that only deepened my appreciation for the Scriptures in general and the book of Micah in particular.

In 1:10-1:16, Micah rattles of a list of cities that will be affected by the impending judgment of God. Before continuing further, take a minute and read through it here. This passage sounds like the typical judgment language that is used throughout the Old Testament prophetic books. These prophecies came at a very dark time in the history of Israel/Judah, and the language can be harsh-sounding to our modern ears. Most of these prophetic books were written for 3 main purposes: 1) to encourage God's people to stop continuing further in sin, 2) to explain why judgment and calamity has come upon them, and 3) to offer future hope and salvation. *side note: these #3 passages are often where we find the predictions about Jesus prior to his advent.

What we don't see in our English translations is how the words of judgment are related to the names of the cities themselves. Many commentators and Hebrew scholars have been astounded at the wordplay at work in these verses. Aside from the fact that this is divinely inspired scripture, the literary genius is truly remarkable:

City, Meaning of Name, Related Activity
1. Gath sounds like Hebrew for "tears" or "crying." The verse says to "weep not at all."
2. Beth-le-aphrah means "City of Dust." The verse says to "roll yourselves in the dust."
3. Shaphir sounds like Heb. for "beautiful." This city will be left "in nakedness and shame."
4. Zaanan sounds like Heb. for "moving around" or "coming out." The verse says that they won't come out.
5. Beth-ezel means "House of Taking Away." The song of weeping about this city will be so sad it will "take away" their ability even to stand.
6. Maroth sounds like Heb. for "bitter." This city is said to be waiting "anxiously for good" in the middle of this bitter disaster.
7. Lachish sounds like Heb. for "horses." The inhabitants of the city are encouraged to flee on horses and "chariots."
8. Moresheth-gath is related to the Heb. word me'orasah which means "one who is betrothed." The idea of "parting gifts" is related to the idea of a dowry that would go to a bride.
9. Achzib sound like Heb. for "deceptive." In turn, this city will be deceptive to the "rulers of Israel."
10. Mareshah sounds like Heb. for "conqueror." Now another "conqueror" will come to this city.
11. Adullam does not seem to have any apparent wordplay in place.

What an interesting literary device! This really brings home the emotion connection to these judgment verses. I'm trying to think of what this would look like if it was given to American cities:

...ships will flee from Anchorage.
...no angels will be found in Los Angeles.
...Fort Worth will be left utterly worthless.
...people in Nashville will grind their teeth.
...God will destroy the sorcerers in Wichita.

OK, so I'm obviously no Micah, but you get the idea. The main point is that when we read a little bit deeper into the texts of the scripture, it is amazing the layers that start to appear. I am left with little choice but to be amazed all over again at God's handiwork through these human authors that gave us the scriptures.

What Kind of Religion is This?

“In a sermon Dick Lucas once preached, he recounted an imaginary conversation between an early Christian and her neighbor in Rome.

“Ah,” the neighbor says. “I hear you are religious! Great! Religion is a good thing. Where is your temple or holy place?”

“We don’t have a temple,” replies the Christian. “Jesus is our temple.”

“No temple? But where do your priests work and do their ritual?”

“We don’t have priests to mediate the presence of God,” replies the Christian. “Jesus is our priest.”

“No priests? But where do you offer your sacrifices to acquire the favor of your God?”

“We don’t need a sacrifice,” replies the Christian. “Jesus is our sacrifice.”

“What kind of religion is this?” sputters the pagan neighbor.

And the answer is, it’s no kind of religion at all.”
—Tim Keller, King’s Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus, p. 48.

Moving To Seattle

I will try to keep this post as brief as possible, but I wanted to fill people in on what led my wife and I to decide to move to Seattle. Many of my family and closest friends have heard the full story unfold over the last few weeks and months, but to many others, this was definitely a bit of a surprise. Here is a numbered list (my signature information delivery method) outlining what I know for sure.

1. Difficult Decision
Please rest assured that this was not an easy decision for us to make. As of this last August, I have lived in Anchorage for 20 years; I feel a sense of ownership of this city. I have family and friends galore. I love City Church, the leadership and the people with all of my heart. There is certainly excitement in my heart about this new season, but it is not without a great deal of bittersweet emotion.

2. Sense of Call
In the last 20 years of living in Anchorage, I witnessed hundreds of people leave the state because they were "tired of the cold" or "sick of Alaska" or even "just needing a change." I have been the most anti-gotta-leave-Alaska person I know. We are not moving out of a sense of boredom. We are not moving out of reaction against something. We are not moving out of a sense of dissatisfaction with our lives. We ARE moving because of a sense of call from God that this is what the next season of our lives looks like (more on this call below).

3. Temporary Absence
As far as my wife and I can tell, this move is not meant to be permanent. She grew up in Washington state and has often longed to spend a longer time back home than we get in our family vacations. We will not be selling our house, we will be renting it out. This serves as a bit of an anchor for us to return in a few years (it also makes better financial sense, related to the rental market, interest rates, market instability, etc.). Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and God can always give new or clearer direction, but as far we can tell from what God has laid on our hearts, we will be back to Anchorage in a few short years.

4. Future Ministry
Part of the call that I am experiencing is that of a church planter. This is something that I have been wrestling with for approx. 2 years now, and have finally come to the conclusion that God has put that special type of craziness in my heart and my head. My pastors have been very supportive, encouraging and frank with me over the last 6 months or so as I have been reluctantly vocalizing what it is that I believe God is calling me to. I cannot even begin to express how appreciative I am for the leaders that God has placed over me at City Church.
*I have much more that I could say along these lines, but I won't now because much of it is speculation about the future. I will say that I am keenly aware of how my presence will be missed at City Church, and that I have full confidence in the leadership as they move forward.

5. Training/School
It's been no secret that I have been deeply impacted by the ministry of Mars Hill in Seattle (Mark Driscoll's church, not Rob Bell's. Different discussion for a different day...). I feel very compatible with them in terms of theology, ministry style, etc. They have a very high priority on church planting, and as such have a school of ministry through the Resurgence that I will be applying for. In addition, the Acts 29 church planting network is affiliated with MHC in Seattle. Also, I am currently working on a master's degree through Multnomah Seminary in Portland. Living in Seattle will enable me to be a little more directly focused on my degree for a while. The education/school/training component is probably the #1 reason that we decided to move to Seattle.

Again, there is a lot more that I could say about this decision and transition. I have been supported through and through by my family, friends, and fellow ministers as all this has come to light. I recognize that there may be some who will feel hurt, frustrated, or even abandoned by this decision. My hope and prayer is that you will know that I love you, and this decision was not something made flippantly or casually. I am hurting and grieving along with you, but I am excited by the call and direction that I have received from God. I ask that you would keep my family in your prayers. Thanks.