PresbyterJon's very own blog

How God communicates with us / Christ as the image of God

In another of these essays I used the metaphor of a computer game to illustrate the point that, if God exists, we cannot infer, with certainty, anything about either the beginning of the universe or its end by observing current conditions. Just as the actual origins of a computer game cannot be inferred by a character within the game merely by observing the state of his environment, we cannot know how our universe began by extrapolating the laws of physics backward in time.

The problem with scientists – even Christian scientists – is that they treat the universe as if it were a closed system. I don’t suppose there are many scientists who would deny that the physical laws indicate that our universe came into being through some sort of ‘Big Bang’. But if a Creator exists all bets are off as to whether the Big Bang actually occurred. The act of creation itself is a disruptive event which physics can’t look behind. If Someone is out there with the capability to create a universe like ours, then He is capable of creating it in any particular state – just as the computer programmer determines the state of the game at the start of play.

A while after developing the metaphor of a computer game to illustrate my understanding of the origin question, it occurred to me that the metaphor can be extended to illustrate how God communicates with us.

Some thoughts sparked by the book by Ken Ham & Britt Beamer

Why do people, specifically the young, leave the church? More importantly, what can we do to stop the exodus? After reading Already Gone some of my fellow Elders have raised concerns about our congregation. Is the book accurate? Is it relevant to a problem we have? If so, what do we need to change to address the problem? For those of you who are asking similar questions, I offer the following in hopes it will help point you toward some answers.

On effectiveness in overcoming sin.

To be perfectly candid about it, I’ve never had any use for 12-step programs. There – I said it! A lot of you are probably ready to nail my hide to wall for saying it, but it’s the truth. Since honesty is one of the basic principles of the 12-step concept, you’re just going to have to deal with it.

The thing which really ‘sticks in my craw’ is this business about a “Power greater than ourselves.” To my way of thinking it reduces God to some impersonal force instead of the living Person who created us, loves us and is intensely concerned about our well-being. What I find particularly offensive, however, is references to God as we understand Him. To me this sounds very much like an attempt to make God conform to our preconceived notions rather than accepting God for who He really is. If God exists at all, He is who He is regardless of anybodies’ concept about Him. It is our responsibility to discover who He is rather than reduce Him to fit our criteria. I realize that the wording is an attempt to avoid sectarianism and to reach a wider public than would be possible through an accurate portrayal of who God is. But it still bothers me.

Developing a well-rounded congregation.

As I sat in the pew and observed the rest of the congregation I wondered, yet again, what the point of it all was. On the surface, the congregation was dynamic and vibrant. There was lots of enthusiasm and optimism. The music was contemporary and the services were upbeat and well conducted. There were lots of ministries. The congregation was enjoying numeric growth. But, if you took the average person in the pew and stood him next to a pagan randomly snagged off the street, how could you tell the difference? My cynical eye couldn’t detect much difference in dress or behavior. The speech and attitudes of both seemed about the same. Worst of all, their thought patterns and world-view seemed very similar.

To what extent should the church change in order to attract people?

One of my fellow Elders resigned a while back. True, one of the reasons was a long-term medical situation in his family which took a great deal of time and emotional energy. As a result he felt that he was unable to give enough attention to his responsibilities at church. But there was another reason as well. He was disappointed that the church has not been growing as fast as he thought it should.

Are Christians ever justified in taking up arms or using deadly force?

Something which comes with the territory for Elders and others who have leadership roles in the church is that you get asked some tough questions. I’m told that there are a number of folk in the congregation where I serve who are deeply troubled by some of the trends in our society. They are frightened by the rise of evil and the lawlessness they see. The topic apparently came up in one of the study groups and some wondered if we ought to purchase weapons to defend ourselves. A lady who was there emailed the Elders to get our take on the subject. The questions she asked boil down to this: “Under what circumstances, if any, should Christians use deadly force to defend themselves? Shouldn’t Christians depend on God to protect them?”

On the problem of speaking effectively.

Whatever charisma may be, I don’t seem to have much of it. No, I’m not talking about the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit such as the ability to perform miracles or speak in foreign languages without first studying them. (Though I don’t have that kind of charisma either!) I’m talking about whatever it is that some people have which automatically attracts others to them and makes them want to listen to what they have to say. The whole issue of what makes people want to listen has recently become important to me because I’ve been told (rather pointedly!) that there are some who don’t like my speaking style.

Poverty and the Christian response to it.

Going on a missions trip can be exciting, terrifying, joy-filled, disturbing, deeply satisfying, frustrating, faith-building, challenging, exhilarating, exhausting, motivating, enervating, boring, frantic, fulfilling, humbling, mind-blowing, numbing, meaningful, life-threatening, an exercise in patience and fun. The work can be incredibly hard and the hours long. It can challenge your faith and draw you incredibly close to the Lord. The positives usually far outweigh the negatives. It’s a time of spiritual growth and being stretched. You come back forever changed. But, there is one aspect of mission trips I dread and detest with a passion. Almost daily, sometimes several times a day, people request financial or material aid. And, most of the time, I have to turn them down.

Some thoughts on the preparation and selection of Elder candidates

As I write this, the U.S. is grinding its way through another election cycle. More than once I’ve found myself growling about the process. When you consider all the time and treasure which are expended it’s enough to make the blood boil. Even worse, from my point of view, is how candidates are selected. There are times when I’ve seriously wondered if the country wouldn’t be better served if candidates were chosen by random lot. On average would it be much worse than the slate of candidates we’re actually given? Perhaps all political parties should be abolished and the country’s leaders, themselves, selected by random draw.