Anne Rice Quits Christianity, Part Two

Last night I wrote about Anne Rice's announcement that, though she was continuing to follow Christ, she was quitting Christianity. Part of my post admitted that many often feel frustrated with the hypocrisy of Christians, the negative stances that many Christians take, and the failures of the Church over the years. That seems to be a growing sentiment in our nation and books like unChristian document how many outside of Christianity view us as being "anti" everything. I am frustrated by that, as well, and feel that far too often the Church hinders its own cause by narrow-mindedness and a desire to pontificate rather than listen.

But the more I thought about Anne Rice's position, the more frustrated I became. She has fallen in to the trap that so many have - letting the failures of Christianity blind her to the positive things that have been done and continue to be done by the Church in our world. Schools, hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters, meal programs, HIV/AIDS programs, micro-financing agencies, agricultural programs, clean water wells, disaster relief projects, and the list goes on. Christianity and the Church give time, money, resources, etc. throughout the world to people who are and aren't Christians.

So, before you write off Christianity, look past the failures to the contributions that the Church has made. No other group of religious or non-religious people has given as much to so many. And I will continue to be a part of Christianity and the Church, in spite of its shortcomings, because it is the Body of Christ in this world and God's chosen avenue for accomplishing his purpose in our world.

Anne Rice Quits Christianity

Anne Rice is best known as the author of books such as Interview with a Vampire and other vampire books. About ten years ago, she converted from her professed atheism to Christianity. Today, however, she announced via Facebook that she was quitting Christianity. In her words:

"For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.... I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen....My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become."

There are many things in this episode that hurt my heart and, I'm sure, the heart of God.

"In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life."

Her words reflect the perception that many have about Christians - that we are "anti" everything and everyone but ourselves. This is also reflected in the research behind Gabe Lyons' book, Unchristian. Much of Christianity is known more for what we oppose than for what we support. We're not known as being for the poor or the hurting or the afflicted or the disenfranchised. The sad part is that those are the ones with whom Jesus most closely identified.

"It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group."

After ten years of following Christ, this is her description of Christians. How sad that this is her experience. But I know that it is the experience of many.

It is not hard to identify with Anne Rice's frustrations. I often feel the same things regarding Christians or those who pursue agendas that seem far from Christ, his purpose, and his character. But she also misses the point.

It is OK to denounce the shortcomings of Christians. It is even alright to admit that the Church has not always been all that God intended it to be. But you cannot take Christ without his Body - the Church. Yes, we are an imperfect lot. Yes, we often show more of the works of the flesh than the fruit of the Spirit. But the Church is Christ's body in our world. It is established by him and loved by him. And we need to take our part in it and work with God to accomplish his purpose through it.

What are your thoughts as you read Anne Rice's comments?

Misc. Thoughts: Track, Olympics, & iPhone Worship

I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday. Here are some things that I have been holding on to share with you. They may not be "deep" but they are fun to think about. I hope you enjoy ...

The Ten Worst Track and Field Fails of all time.

Twelve Olympic Sports That Have Gone Extinct.

Worship on the iPhone. This may change how churches set their worship budget ... or not.

Leadership Thoughts: Dealing with Criticism

Regardless of what level of leadership in which you serve - from the Chairman of the Board to a parent - you are going to have to deal with criticism. It come with the territory. You are not going to be able to avoid it (unless you choose not to lead), so you are going to have to deal with criticism constructively.

Of course, that is easier said than done! My natural tendency when I receive criticism is to get defensive - even when it is constructive criticism from friends. That response never helps. When I get defensive, I quit listening for what truth or helpful information there might be in the criticism and start justifying myself (at least mentally).

For example: Last week, I served as the head high jump official at the US Track and Field Championships in Des Moines. Our crew of six officials was responsible for each of the eight high jump competitions that took place during the Championships. In this size of meet, there are all kinds of people who are looking over your shoulder and evaluating the event: Meet Directors, Referees, National Technical Officials, officials working other events, media personnel, etc. And there were several who had suggestions for me about how our event should be run.

As mentioned earlier, my first response was defensiveness. My ego kicked in: "This is my event and my crew. We will do things my way." But when I was able to step away from that response and really listen to the suggestions being offered, I found that some were valuable. I listened to some of the criticism and it helped us run a better event. Other suggestions I listened to and chose not to follow. But all the suggestions were considered and evaluated.

If you are going to be effective as a leader, you are going to have to learn to do the same thing - to listen, evaluate, and choose what to keep and what to disregard. This is especially true when you are surrounded by people who are as committed to the "cause" as you are. They need to know that they are heard and their input is valuable, even if it doesn't always result in change. Ultimately, as the leader, you have to decide which suggestions to heed and which to disregard.

This is also true for those of us who are parents as our children grow into their teen years. They need to know that their concerns matter and that we will listen to them. We might not take the course of action that they would prefer, but they need to know that their voice is heard.

So when criticism comes:

* Let go of defensiveness and ego.
* Listen and learn.
* Ask yourself, "Does this criticism have validity? Does this suggestion help us to better accomplish our purpose?"
* Determine what actions, if any, you need to take and move forward.

"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray." Proverbs 10:17

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 12:1

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted ..." Proverbs 27:6

Leadership Thoughts: Changing the Way Ministries Think

It's a pattern that I have often seen in our ministry:

The longer one is a Christian, the more their life gets wrapped up in Christian activities and the more their circle of friends becomes exclusively Christian.

This is the typical pattern in most churches and Christian ministries. At first glance, it seems like a positive thing. Christian activities - worship services, Bible studies, prayer groups, accountability groups, etc. - provide valuable input. Christian friends are essential for spiritual growth.

The problem is that it doesn't take long for our focus (individually and corporately) to get turned inward rather than outward. The Christian life becomes about our spiritual "needs", our preferences, our comfort, our convenience. Relationships with those who don't share our spiritual convictions are sometimes left behind. We get so busy being religious with other religious people at our religious building that we forget that God never called us to that.

I'm always intrigued (and convicted) by the fact that the people most attracted to Jesus were the least religious while the Bible scholars of the day were the one's most opposed to him. Jesus didn't fit the way they thought a godly person should live - even though he was God in the flesh!

God has called us to live and minister as Jesus did - living out the Kingdom of God wherever he has placed us. Our call isn't just to invite people to our religious activities, but to follow Jesus' example of "incarnational" ministry - living out the reality of God's Kingdom in the world in which we live and demonstrating Christ's love and values to those around us.

Our Christian culture often works against this. We want our members to come to one more meeting, take part in one more Bible study, play on our ministry softball team, and patronize our Christian businessmen. We are so busy directing people to another Christian activity that soon there is hardly time for family, let alone time to know and care for those who aren't already in the group.

Our students are starting to get the idea. We don't want them to think about having another Bible study for their Christian friends, but to think in terms of missional and incarnational communities - groups of students who are living out the Kingdom of God where they are. They are seeking ways to serve and care and model Christ's values and life in their residence halls, labs, jobs, fraternities/sororities, etc.

Here is a short video by Jeff Maguire that does a good job of communicating the concept.

Leadership Thoughts: The Importance of the First Follower

One of the areas that I enjoy studying and writing about is leadership. Ideas about leadership often show up in this blog. This video by Derek Sivers presents some ideas on leadership and the way that movements happen that stretched the way I think about these issues.

Take three minutes and watch Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy.

Here are some of the key points that he makes:

The leader must be easy to follow and clearly show a path. He must welcome those who follow and include them as important parts of the movement. It's not about the leader. It's about them and what they are doing together. Therefore leaders need to nurture those who follow, making sure the focus is on the movement and not on the leader.

The key to what happens isn't the leader. It's the first follower. He shows the way and clears the path for others. As Sivers says, "The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower is the spark that makes the fire."

"A movement must be public. Make sure outsiders see more than just the leader. Everyone needs to see the followers because new followers emulate followers."

Sivers closes the video with these remarks:

"Leadership is over-glorified. Yes, it started with the shirtless guy, and he'll get all the credit, but you saw what really happened:

It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader. There is no movement without the first follower. We're told that we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective. The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow."

A Collection of Interesting Stuff

Happy Memorial day to all. As so many already have today, I want to start by saying "thank you" to all who have served to protect our nation and the things we love. Like you, I have friends and relatives who have sacrificed greatly for the freedoms that we enjoy. So "thanks" to all who served.

Below are a few interesting websites that I have seen over the past few weeks. I thought you might enjoy at least some of them.

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Preaching has presented their list of the 25 Most Influential Pastors of the Past 25 Years. Do you disagree with any of the selections? Who would you add that isn't listed?

Along the same line, Time Magazine has listed their 100 Most Influential People. Again - do you agree, disagree? Who did they miss?

For those who like to travel, here is a list of Eight of the Weirdest Hotels on Earth. I think the one in Chile is the one I would most like to stay in. How about you?

I have always enjoyed the movie Mystery Men. Here is a story of some folks who have moved the movie to reality.

And, finally, a story for The Chronicle of Higher Education that I find personally affirming - The Trustworthiness of Beards.

Leader as Designer

A couple of weeks ago, Collide Magazine posted a very thought-provoking piece on the role of a leader. It talks of author Peter Senge, who often asks groups of leaders to imagine themselves as head of an ocean liner and their role within that organization is the leader. He then asks them to pinpoint their role within that organization. The most common answer is the captain, but others will name navigator, engineers, helmsmen, etc.

Senge argues, however, that the most important role of leadership is never mentioned - that of the ship's designer. The ship's design will influence much of what the other positions can do: How fast they can move, what direction they can turn, how quickly they can turn, etc.

The article has really got me thinking about the leadership roles that I fill and how I can help the "design" process to make the organizations better able to respond to conditions and better able to stay on course and move toward their purpose more effectively. Often, we as leaders don't think broadly enough. We try to manage the status quo rather than thinking about organizational systems that may be hindering our effectiveness. Leadership isn't always just doing the same thing we have always done. Sometimes what we have always done needs to be re-evaluated or even re-designed to better accomplish the purpose of the organization.

One could even say that one of Jesus' role as a leader was to re-design the spiritual structures of his day and bring about a better way (the only way) for people to know God and be reconciled to him. He received opposition from those who were vested in the structures and status quo of the day, but Jesus' goal was to give all people access to God through his death and resurrection and our faith in him. It wasn't a tweak of the "organization" - it was a brand new (but long promised by God) "re-design."

I currently serve in some kind of leadership capacity for about eight different organizations. (That is probably more than I need to be involved in, but that discussion is for another post.) Some are Christian organizations and some aren't. They range from local groups to national ones. One of my roles for each of these organizations is to help evaluate the design to make sure that each part works together to accomplish the purpose of the group.

As a leader, are you thinking big picture? Is the structure of your organization helping or frustrating your effectiveness? And if the design is in the way of the purpose, which is more important to you?

The Spiritual Life of Young Adults

The last worship time of the year is almost always one of the best. Our tradition at Christ on Campus is to give students who are graduating the opportunity to share what God has done in their lives during their time at the University of Arkansas. It is probably my favorite week of the year as we get to hear stories of changed hearts, changed lives, and changed visions.

This year was no exception. Several students shared during the service. They came from Illinois to Mississippi to California to Georgia, as well as from Peru and South Korea and England. Some had grown up going to church all of their lives. Others had never stepped into a church until they arrived at the UofA. Some shared about the darkness and hopelessness they had felt in life until they came to know Christ and the joy and life he brings. Some talked about the disappointment they had felt with churches or Christians and their renewed commitment to and excitement about their relationship with God. Others talked about how God had changed their vision for their lives and how excited they were to serve him and make a difference where they were with the gifts that he has given them.

It is the kind of day that reminds me of why I love campus ministry and why I have done this for 28 years - and will continue to do this until God tells me to quit. Changed lives and changed hearts. A vision of being used by God to touch the world - not just in a distant land but wherever God puts them in their career.

Some recent articles have come out that don't shed a positive light on the spiritual life of young adults. A recent article in USA Today starts off:

"Most young adults today don't pray, don't worship and don't read the Bible a major survey by a Christian research firm shows. If the trend continues, 'the Millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships.'"

However, another article that recently appeared the Leadership Journal starts off this way:

"If you want to rile up church leaders, drag out dubious statistics about how many Christians fall away from the faith after high school. We fear for our youth, that they'll rebel against what their parents and churches taught when they leave home and the youth group. But what if we're wrong? What if our particular fears about 'emerging adulthood,' the period between the ages of 18 and 29, are unfounded?"

There are difficult times for Christians on university campuses. But that's not the whole story. God is still changing lives on college campuses. And God is still raising up leaders for his Kingdom who will make a difference in the generation to come.

Some Holy Discomfort

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of getting together with nineteen of the finest Christian men in our country. The things that brought us together were the fact that we each have been in ministry on college and university campuses for at least 20 years (in fact, the total combined experienced was over 500 years) and a love for the Kingdom of God and a desire to see it grow - especially on college and university campuses.

Though we spent some time talking about transitions and the next steps for us and the ministries we work with, what I mostly experienced was a continued enthusiasm for ministry to college students. We spent more time talking about how to channel our strengths and opportunities and overcome our weaknesses and challenges than we did about what comes next for us as individuals. That is one of the reasons why I have such great respect for the men I was with (and others, who weren't able to be there). They have been through the battles on campuses and with Christians who don't grasp the vision of campus ministry. They have spent decades teaching students, training staff, raising millions of dollars of support, and traveling all over the world in a ministry setting that has few of the "perks" of many church settings. But rather than counting down the days until they can transition out, their minds were on what's next for the Kingdom and the ministries that we believe in and care about so deeply. After spending a couple of days together, I left as enthused about campus ministry as I have ever been.

But I also left challenged. Late one night, after our day's meetings were completed, a small group of us were sitting around and chatting. One of the group asked, "What in your life or ministry is making you rely upon God right now?" One by one, friends shared about the things taking place in their lives or ministries that were keeping them on the "edge" of their faith - things that were pushing the envelope of their abilities and resources and forcing them to rely upon God. As I listened, I came to realize that, even though I wasn't just going through the motions of ministry and that we have seen God do some amazing things in the lives of students over the past few months, I have been operating pretty much in my comfort zone. The ministry is going well. My family is doing well. Our ministry's financial situation has been pretty stable. It has been a pretty comfortable place to be.

But I don't think God calls us to just be comfortable. And I don't want to just be comfortable. I want to walk in faith. I want to trust God. I don't want to be content with visions and dreams that are small enough that I can accomplish them. I want to be moved by God's visions and dreams - things that are only accomplished when God is providing the power and wisdom and resources. I don't know what any of that means right now. But I am praying for some holy discomfort.

The KC Royals, me, and God

Below is a "re-post" from almost five years ago. Sometimes I need to be reminded of this. Maybe you do, too.

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I'm a Kansas City Royals fan. There. I admitted it. I have been since they played their first game in 1969. There really isn't much reason to be a Royals fan now-a-days. Especially in Arkansas. This is Cardinal country. It's easy to be a Cardinal fan. They spend a lot of money. Have a lot of good players. They win. They are easy to love.

But it's not easy to be a Royals fan. They haven't won anything since about 1985. They have lost 8 of their last 10 games. (They didn't lose tonight! But then, they had the night off.) They have more losses than any other major league team. I probably couldn't name five players on their roster. The Royals aren't an easy team to love.

But I'm a Royals fan. This summer I'll probably head to Kansas City and watch them play (and probably lose) a couple of games.

Sometimes I'm sure God thinks of me like the Royals. I'm not always easy to love. I can put on a good show sometimes. But you don't have to watch too long before my failures begin to show. I am often self-centered. I'm impatient. I'm not loving. Not pious. Not zealous. Distracted. The list could go on. I'm not an easy person to love. But God is a Mike Armstrong fan. He loves me in spite of my inconsistencies and failures and sin.

And he loves you, too. Sometimes it is easy to forget that. Sometimes we get distracted by our failures and forget that we are loved. Regardless of our test scores. Regardless of our "relationship status." Regardless of how we rate on the financial scale or the looks scale or whatever other scale people measure each other by.

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

I John 4:9-10

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39

Back in 1982, a Christian singer named Bob Bennett released "A Song About Baseball." The song never mentions the name of Jesus. Never mentions the name of God. But it is all about his love for us "no matter how we play." It's a great song. I bought the CD just for this one song. Stop by my office sometime and I'll play it for you.

Road Trippin' - Campus Ministry Thoughts

Christ on Campus staff and students have been hitting the road for Spring Break to help out around the country (and Mexico) for over twenty-five years now. Our first trip, in 1985, was to work with a church in Juarez, Mexico. Over the years we have taken hundreds of students to:

Mexico (about 20 times to build houses, a children's home, and such)

Atlanta (to do inner-city ministry)

North Carolina (hurricane relief)

Louisiana (hurricane relief)

Mississippi (hurricane relief)

Kansas (tornado relief)

Florida (evangelism)

Arizona (projects at an Apache Reservation)

Though these trips require a lot of time, money, and effort we are firmly convinced of their value. And, though we hope that the groups we work with benefit from our labor, we believe that their greatest value is in what our students gain from the experience.

* They gain a broadened view of the world. They begin to see beyond just their experience and see how others live, how others think, and how others serve God. They begin to experience other cultures, worship in new ways, see need up close and personal. Their eyes and hearts are opened.

* They gain a greater appreciation of their ability to serve and meet needs. They contribute to the lives of others in ways that pull them out of their comfort zones and stretch their faith. Our prayer is that they carry the experience with them as they leave the UofA and that they will continue to find ways to serve and meet needs wherever God leads them during the rest of their lives.

* They experience God in deep and fresh ways. For those who are already Christians, they often return revived and closer to God. For those who aren't Christians (and there are often those with us who aren't), they get a chance to see the lives of Christ-followers up close and personal - both those they are traveling with and those they are serving. It is not unusual for these to later give their lives to Christ because of the seeds planted during a trip.

* Many begin to sense God's call on their lives on Spring Break trips. As I think of those who have left here and are now in ministry in the US and internationally, at least 90% of them took part in at least one Spring Break mission trip. I am sure that each would speak of the impact that experience had on their life.

I often tell our staff and students that there isn't anything that we do that can't be changed - but I can't see us ever not having a mission trip over Spring Break. The benefits are just too great for our students and for the places they will serve through the rest of their lives.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?"

This is the first of what I plan to be a regular Wednesday series on here - answering "Ask Mike" questions. Feel free to submit questions either on here or via email. I won't promise that I will get to all of them on here, but I will try to respond to each in one form or another.

One note on these blog posts - they won't be as complete an answer as some would want. It is my goal to keep the response fairly short and readable. There is much more that could be said about any of these questions. I'll just be hitting some of the "big ideas."

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My first reaction to this question is why shouldn't bad things happen to good people? Why should we expect that good people should only experience good things? Our belief in this comes from several sources - poor theology that results in inaccurate preaching and teaching, our own sense of "justice"or "fairness", the concept of Karma, etc.

But the fact is that the Bible never promises that this would be the case:

Apostle Paul - "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him." Philippians 1:29

Apostle Peter - "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." I Peter 4:12

Jesus - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble." John 16:33

People suffer bad things for many reasons. We suffer because of our own bad choices. Some of the consequences are fairly minor. You get a speeding ticket or slide off of a slick road because you drive too fast. You pay an overdraft fee to the bank because you spent more money than you had in your account. Others are more severe - broken marriages, financial failure, job loss, jail time. But much of what we suffer comes by our own choices.

But we also suffer because of a fact of history that many choose to ignore: We live in a fallen world. The world that God created as perfect - environmentally, relationally, and spiritually - has been marred by mankind's rebellion against God and desire to assert self. You cannot grasp what you read in the newspaper without understanding this fact. We live in a fallen world with broken people on a broken planet.

So sometimes we suffer because of the bad choices of others. Innocent people suffer because of others' greed and cruelty and hard-hearts. Sometimes we suffer because we live on a planet that has marred by the Fall and damaged by mankind's lack of stewardship to care for that which God interested to us.

And sometimes we suffer because we have an enemy whose goal is to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).

We are not going to avoid bad things in this life. What we can do is take heart that Jesus is with us and he has overcome the evil one.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

We can also choose to let God use bad circumstances in our life to build maturity.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Grandma Armstrong

On Tuesday, I spoke at the funeral service of my grandmother - Juanita Armstrong. She was my father's mother and was 91 when she died - sixteen years to the day after my dad. She spent her life in southeast Kansas and was a farmer's wife, at least until 1969 when she and Grandpa moved into town. I have so many memories of singing with the family around the organ in their living room (with Grandpa playing along on his harmonica), of playing on their farm or in the lot north of their house in Girard, and of holidays in their home. Grandma was an avid reader and her Christmas list (even through this last one) was always full of books. I probably caught that bug from her. I remember being at her house over the summers and reading the books she had there. Over the years, she passed many of those on to me, including a set of books written by Harold Bell Wright, a Kansas writer and minister from the first part of the 1900's. Some of those books - first editions - are now over 100 years old, including one of my favorite novels: The Shepherd of the Hills. But probably the greatest trait of her life was her love for and generosity to her family. She loved her family - her sons and daughters-in-law, grand kids, great-grand kids, and great-great-granddaughter. I am so thankful that she got to see and visit with all of them during Christmas this year.


With Grandma's death, all of my grandparents are now gone and the dynamics of the family will change just as they did for the Huber side. The ones who held the aunts and uncles and cousins together are no longer there. My hope is that we will find ways to stay connected, but I know that is difficult and will take effort. Our lives and our society make those extended family connections difficult. We tend to get too scattered and too busy. But without them, we lose some of who we are and miss out on the stability and sense of belonging that we all need and for which so many are looking.

Traits of Effective Leaders

One of my goals is be more organized and active on this site. Hopefully, that will make it more useful for those who are interested in its contents and easier for me to prepare posts. My intention is have a different topic for each day of the week. I won't promise that they this will happen every week. Much of it will be based on schedule, travel, and if I have anything I feel is valuable to say. But, as of now, here is how I picture the schedule:

Monday - Leadership Thoughts

Tuesday - Misc. Thoughts

Wednesday - "Ask Mike" Thoughts

Thursday - Campus Ministry Thoughts

Friday - Spiritual Formation Thoughts

Weekend - Track and Field Thoughts

I will also add this disclaimer: I don't intend to re-invent the wheel. If others have written or posted information that I feel can express and idea better than I can, I will point you to them. Hence, today's post.


Michael Hyatt is CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing. He is an active blogger and tweeter (@MichaelHyatt) and shares a lot of valuable information on productivity and leadership. He recently posted an article on "Five Marks of Authentic Leadership" that was very good. Those marks:

Insight

Initiative

Influence

Impact

Integrity

Which of these marks do you feel is the most valuable? The most needed today? Where have you seen one or more of these marks demonstrated by a leader you respect?

Ask Mike Night, Part II

Last night was the second part of our annual "Ask Mike Night". Below are some more of the questions asked. I share them with you just to give you an idea of some of the things that students are wondering about. I am posting the questions just as they were asked. How would you answer them?

* What is your favorite food and why?

* What event/person/question has presented you with the greatest challenge to your faith and how have you overcome it or reconciled yourself with it?

* How do you make fasting beneficial to your spiritual life?

* In the process of writing the Bible, would the writers throw in their own interpretations of what God told them instead of writing exactly what God said?

* People seem to be either obsessed with Revelation and Bible prophecy or ignore it completely. What do you think? How important is it to spend time on Bible prophecy?

* How do you reconcile the well-evidenced support for evolution with the supposed "specialness" assigned to man? What makes us special enough spiritually to seek God if we are merely descendants of "lower" animals?

* How old is the earth? Does it matter?

* David Crowder wrote a song and book called "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, but Nobody Wants to Die." This is often how I feel. I want to be with Jesus in Heaven, but I don't want my life to end yet. Is this selfish?

* How do I know whether I get to go to heaven?

* Can you lose your salvation?

* We are taught to respect our parents, but how do you stay respectful when they are truly not being fair?

Beyond a Form of Religion

The SEC Track & Field Championships (both indoor and outdoor) always finish on a Sunday. Because of that, there has traditionally been a chapel service offered on the Sunday of the meet. Over the years, I have attended services at Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Arkansas.

The highlights of yesterday's service were the testimonies shared by a couple of athletes: Jager Livingston of Auburn and Dylan Roberts of Arkansas. Jager spoke of God's purpose in our lives even when things don't turn out the way we had them planned. Dylan shared with us about the changes in his life since he chose to start following Christ during his freshman year. Both of them demonstrated that their faith was more than just a religious habit, but something that affects how they live and what they value.

Today, my cousin sent me a link to this article from yesterday's Kansas City Star about former KU basketball star Wayne Simien. (Considering my cousin and his family are K State people, it is especially meaningful!)

The common thread? That faith in Christ is a life-changing decision that affects how you live and how you see the world. Unfortunately, there are many who profess a faith in Jesus whose lives give no evidence of it. Nothing has changed in their lifestyle or language, in their relationships or their values. Because of that, many look skeptically on them, the faith they profess, and the God they claim to follow.

This isn't a new problem. Here are words written by the Apostle Paul almost 2,000 years ago:

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, ... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power." II Timothy 3:1-5



"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him." Titus 1:16

It is always encouraging to see lives that go beyond a form of religion and are living out the faith they profess. But the question is: Do you have a faith that is influencing the way that you live and the things you value or do you just have form of godliness with no power? One is transforming and life-giving. The other is just deceiving and dangerous.

Ask Mike Night, Part I

Tonight was our annual "Ask Mike Night" at Christ on Campus. I don't know when we began doing this, but it had to be at least fifteen years ago. The basic format is pretty simple:

1. Students can anonymously submit any questions on any topic.
2. I randomly draw the questions, written on paper or note cards, out of a basket.
3. I have three minutes to complete my answer to the question.

It is always a fun and interesting night. A couple of things I have learned over the years:

* Every question has a context. Somebody is asking that question for a reason. So I need to be sensitive to the contexts that the question may represent.

* I will always think of something I wish I would have said when I finish. The combination of not knowing exactly what questions will be asked and having a short time limit doesn't always allow me to give the "perfect" answer.

But the questions get me thinking and get conversations going. Plus, they give us a chance to deal with the questions and issues in the lives of our students in a way that is safe and fun for them. Here are some of the questions asked tonight:

* How can I not get in a relationship?

* What happened to people who died a long time ago without knowing God? Did they go to hell? Isn't that unfair?

* What person's words or writings have shaped you, as a Christian and as a human being?

* What was your most difficult moment as a pastor?

* Is killing in war murder? God used battles to punish civilizations in the Bible many times. Also, God destroyed entire cities and the world once. Is it murder for God?

* When I make choices, how do I know where that's what God wants me to do?

* Why is sex before marriage wrong?

* Sex?

* What is the best way to relieve stress?

* Why do bad things happen to good people?

* What are your thoughts on the Westboro Baptist Church? Do you think their method of "spreading the truth" is really effective in representing God and drawing others to him?

* One student clipped a question from an actual ethics exam and taped it to a note card!

As you can see, it was an interesting night. Of course, we didn't get through all of the questions tonight. So next week will be Ask Mike Night, Part II.

Spiritual Spontaneity

From Mark Batterson's book Wild Goose Chase:

"They were so busy loving God that they didn't have time to love their neighbor. And that is when our routines become counterproductive. Let's be honest. We can get so busy doing 'ministry' that we don't have time for ministry.... In fact, as I read the gospels, it seems to me that most of Jesus' ministry was unplanned.... Spontaneity is an underappreciated dimension of spirituality. In fact, spiritual maturity has less to do with long-range visions than it does with moment-by-moment sensitivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And it is our moment-by-moment sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that turns life into an everyday adventure." pp. 57-58

It's Snowing on the Outside ...

Snowy days of worship, like we have today in NW Arkansas, always bring to mind a song I heard for the first (and only) time in January of 1983. It's amazing that after 27 years I can still remember the lyrics. That's a tribute to the one who wrote it - Doug Eltzroth.

That January, he was leading worship at a retreat in Como, CO - high in the Rocky Mountains. When we reconnected via Facebook a couple of years ago and I mentioned the song to him, he didn't remember it. He probably wrote it on the spot during that snowy retreat. But I have never forgotten it and still sing it to myself on days like this ...

It is snowing on the outside
Of the building where believers
Have assembled all together
To escape the world once more.


And they're rejoicing
For they realize that this
Group of blood-washed sinners
Is much whited than whatever
Is outside of the door.