Unity

I am reflecting on the topic of unity in the body of Christ during this Thanksgiving holiday. I have been reading through Wayne Grudem's excellent book Systematic Theology. It is a large book- over 1000 pages. But it takes the important topics in the Christian faith and explains them in a concise, easy to read format.

I would encourage anyone who wants to understand what the Bible teaches to study this book. I have been studying it with a friend. You could complete the book in a year if you read 100 pages per month and then meet with the friend to discuss what you have read.

I have good friends who are devoted to Christ among many races and denominations within Christianity. One of the most effective tools that our Enemy uses is to deceive our minds and hearts into concentrating on the areas that divide rather than unite us. I am becoming more ecumenical (promoting Christian unity throughout the world) in my belief system as I age.

Unity starts with the Trinity. There has been perfect unity among the three Persons of God for eternity. God is unified as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Christian affirms the following about the Trinity- represented visually by the diagram of the Trinitarian Shield above:

1. God is three persons.
2. Each person is fully God.
3. There is one God.

Ephesians 4:1-6 instructs us:

"I therefore- a prisoner for the Lord- urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call- one Lord; one faith; one baptism; one God and Father of all- who is over all, through all and in all."

I need to ask myself every time I seek to exercise pride over another believer in regards to a spiritual disagreement: am I seeking unity? Am I acting in humility, gentleness and patience? One of the beautiful things about the Church is that it brings together people who have nothing in common outside of Christ. It can be a powerful witness to the world that God is at work because it makes no sense for those who have nothing else in common to be acting in love towards each other as brothers and sisters.

When I speak of unity, I am not referring to accepting all beliefs as being equal in importance. Although I respect the Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu and atheist, I reject their conclusions. I have them as clients, friends and neighbors. But my goal is to persuade them through words and actions that biblical Christianity is true.

I cannot be unified with a liberal Christian who rejects the Bible as authoritative. Nor can I be unified with those who reject the Trinity (as defined above)- like Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons. It is also difficult to be unified with anyone who accepts orthodox Christian beliefs but then lives as none of them were true. I will leave it to a just and fair God as to the state of their souls.

But any Christian who accepts the major beliefs of evangelicalism, I seek unity. That which unites us is much greater than what divides us. JC Ryle gave 5 distinctives of evangelicals in Knots Untied:

1. Belief in the absolute supremacy of Holy Scripture- 66 books from Genesis to Revelation- that make up the Protestant Bible. The Old Testament Apocrypha used in the Catholic or Orthodox traditions is useful but not inspired according to evangelical creeds.

2. Belief in the depth and prominence of human sinfulness and corruption- all of creation is fallen and in need of redemption.

3. Paramount importance to the work and office of Jesus Christ- redemption for all of fallen creation is found only in the work of Christ.

4. High place which it assigns to the inward work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people- no one comes to God unless the Holy Spirit calls, convicts and changes them.

5. Belief that the Holy Spirit's work to change a person inwardly will be displayed outwardly through good works and an increasing commitment to holiness- those who belong to God strive for holiness without which no one will see the Lord- Hebrews 12:14.

At the heart of stewardship is unity. God has called Christians to walk with Him in faith. He has commanded us to love Him with all of our heart, mind, strength and soul. And to love our neighbor as ourselves. He has instructed us to use money, ability, time and health to glorify Him. Christians should seek to be as broad as the Bible. We should learn and grow in our understanding of Scripture. This will cause disagreements. But disagreements on secondary issues should never divide us.

We have an opportunity to show the world that Christ is real and His power to redeem and change is total. Unity is a beautiful thing. We need to get back to our roots where Christ is everything and love for others motivates everything we do.

I remember reading about a dream of John Wesley- founder of the Methodist church. Wesley was in Heaven and asking an angel what Christians were present. Wesley asked in succession: Are there Catholics here? Presbyterians? Baptists? Episcopalians? Greek Orthodox? Pentecostals? The angel replied, "No." Wesley confused said, "Only Methodists?" The angel replied, "No, only Christians."

For the Unity of God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Ashley Hodge

Stewardship Plan- Health

Most people know what choices they should be making to live a healthier life. But few people have the discipline to consistently live in a healthy way- myself included.

The Bible is clear that not only our souls are sacred to God but our bodies as well. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

The context of these verses have to do with Paul's warnings against sexual immorality. But the principle that our bodies are sacred to God and how we treat them applies to every aspect of our health.

I speak from experience when I say that making changes in your health habits will radically change your life for the better. At age 24, I weighed 250 lbs on a 6'3" frame with 20% body fat. My cholesterol level was over 200. My blood pressure and pulse rates were high. I changed my eating and exercise habits. I started measuring everything and setting goals. I now am 37 and weigh 195 lbs with 12% body fat. My cholesterol, blood pressure and pulse rates are in the excellent range. I say this not from a source of pride, but to encourage you that changes can be made no matter where your starting point is. In my study and experimentation of what constitutes good health, I have discovered four keys:

1. Reduce Stress.

Stress is an often neglected part of the health picture. People can exercise, eat well, get proper rest and still be on unhealthy if they do not manage stress well. Exercise, diet and sleep are all integral parts of reducing stress. But there are other areas that are important for us to focus on- four areas come to mind:

Meditation- prayer and reflection on the Bible should be the starting point of every believer's day. David tells us that everyone who is godly should offer prayers to God at a time when He may be found. He is our hiding place to preserve us from trouble- Psalm 32:6-7.

Plan- Thoreau said, "Most people live lives of quiet desperation, but I have chosen to live deliberately." Many good things happen to us despite our plans. But planning is a God-given skill that helps us reduce stress. The disorganized life leads to stress. We should constantly ask ourselves: what do I need to purge from my possessions and schedule to make my life simpler and less stressful?

Forgiveness- How many people do you know that add constant stress to their lives by harboring bitterness and a lack of forgiveness? A lack of forgiveness is stressful. Grace is the peaceful, pleasant way. Jesus says, "If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you."- Matthew 6:14-15. We must daily forgive. We are much worse than we could ever imagine and God is far more graceful than we would ever give Him credit for. The truth of this must compel us towards forgiveness.

Quiet- Life is too noisy and stressful. We should make intentional efforts to reduce the noise. Kierkegaard and others have labeled noise- the tyranny of the urgent. The piece of mail/email we have to read to be better informed; the compelling news story; the important sporting event on television. All of these areas ask for our time and focus, but do they add value to our lives? My family is attempting to turn off all technology from 6pm- 5am. This is a work in progress. I have been recording sporting events that I want to watch. And a funny thing happens... after I check the score in the morning, I don't want to watch most of the games I record. We need to cultivate quiet in our lives.

2. Rest

About 25% of the US population have reported problems with insomnia. Eclessiastes 5:12, "Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep." Solomon was telling us something profound here. We should hold on loosely to all of life's cares and travel light. More stuff equals more worry. If you are having trouble sleeping, you should make changes to your routine. Meditation on some key passages of Scripture about anxiety- Matthew 6:25-34; Psalm 23- or reading Dale Carnegie's How to Stop Worrying and Start Living may be helpful.

The National Sleep Foundation advises the following if you are not getting adequate rest:

• Consume less alcohol and caffeine; avoid nicotine.
• Avoid heavy meals and drinking lots of fluids before going to sleep.
• Exercise regularly, but do so in the daytime.
• Try a relaxing routine- soaking in hot water or turning off all technology after 6pm.
• Establish a regular bedtime and time to get up each morning.

3. Diet

I struggle most in this area. I have a hard time doing anything in moderation. I have the type of personality that will purchase a food that is not good for me- cookies or ice cream. Next, I proceed to eat that item sooner rather than later to purge that food from my home. And when I crave it again, I buy more and repeat the cycle. I know in theory how important moderation is, I just have a hard time practicing it. I pray that God will empower me to make improvements in this area.

Luigi Cornaro wrote an excellent short book on this topic. Luigi was told by a doctor that he would die within weeks; Luigi was in his 30s. Luigi pleaded with God to spare his life and made changes in diet. His strategy was to avoid gluttony and seek moderation. God not only spared his life but Luigi lived to be over 100 years old- quite a feat considering he lived in the 15th century when the average life expectancy was below 50 years old.

Luigi's book Discourses on the Sober Life can be downloaded here: http://www.stewardshipmandate.com/Health_HowtoLive100Years-Cornaro.pdf

I also am coming to understand more and more how important it is to rid our bodies of chemicals that affect our moods, bodies and thinking. We have been sold a bill of goods that prescription drugs are the answer to what ails us. Drugs may be necessary in some cases, but they are too quickly prescribed and too often relied upon.

I recently quit drinking diet sodas through the urging of a friend who had researched the effects of natural sweeteners on the brain. This was hard for me- I had a psychological and physical addiction to them. I have concluded in the two weeks that I have had no diet sodas that my thinking is clearer. I grind my teeth at night and have noticed that this has declined substantially after quitting diet sodas. I ran across a website that has a lot of helpful diet related information that is free of trying to push certain health products on you. It is a wee bit radical but interesting: http://newstarget.com.

4. Exercise

Every muscle in our body needs to be exercised regularly including the brain. Obesity costs this nation $100- $240 billion per year depending on what study you prefer. Diet is partially to blame but we also live inactive lives. Texas is one of the worse states for obesity. Houston, Dallas and San Antonio routinely make the list of 10 fattest cities. Walking is discouraged in these cities and reliance on cars is encouraged.

One of the most important commitments for our weeks should be to schedule exercise time. For me- I attempt to go to the gym 3 or 4 times per week for 2 hours each time. When I am there, I lift weights, read while riding the stationary bike and play basketball. The hour of basketball allows me to overcome some of my dietary excesses.

Exercise should be: regular and intense. Too many people don't exercise often enough. Others don't expel much effort when exercising. Something is better than nothing but if you want to see benefits, you must do it consistently and intensely.

Good health is a process. We should strive for the philosophy of Ashley Montagu in regards to exercise. Ashley said, "Die young as old as possible." One day all of those who trust in Christ will have a resurrected, perfected body. But until that day, we must strive to be the best stewards of this temporary, decaying body that the Lord has entrusted to us.

For His Glory,

Ashley Hodge

Os Guinness speech

I attended a speech last night delivered by Os Guinness in Dallas. Guinness is a leading authority on Christian apologetics. He gave a talk on Serving God's Purposes in Our Generation. It was an outstanding speech and I wanted to recap and comment on some of his main points.

He introduced three great questions for our time that will shape the world in which we live:
1. Will Islam modernize peacefully?
2. Which faith will win out in China?
3. Will the West sever its roots with Christianity?

The Christian faith has been eroding in the West according to Guinness. He sees two disturbing trends:

1. A move from community to individualism

This idea resonates with me. I believe the New Testament calls believers to form smaller, deeper, intimate communities of faith. I applaud what is taking place in the home church movement for that reason. Some churches successfully accomplish this through an emphasis on small cell groups. This is where the lifeblood of the church is and has always been. There is too much emphasis in America on "superstar" Christian teachers. Life transformation will come when Christians walk in covenant love with each other. We are called to do life together and help those in need.

2. A move from belief in the authoritative Word of God to personal preference

JC Ryle is a hero of mine. He said, "We need to be loud where the Bible is loud and quiet where the Bible is quiet." So many divisions in churches are over personal preferences and not Scriptural authority. There are many areas that people enjoy to argue over: co-existence of the sovereignty of God and free will; infant versus adult baptism; theories for how Christ will return; what type of music should a church perform; forms of church government, etc...

I am not claiming that these areas are unimportant. But the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. The Christian life should be a pursuit of Christ and growth in grace and holiness. It should be about communicating the story of the Bible: Creation, Fall, Redemption.

As a result of a lack of focus on the essentials of the Christian faith, Christians have been sucked into the lie of postmodernism: there is no standard of truth. What is true for me is true and what is true for you is true. No, no, no. Truth is truth whether I or anyone else believe it. Truth can only be determined by a Being who knows all things. We must choose to submit to that truth or rebel against it.

Guinness discussed the temptations that global elites- Americans and Europeans- face. One, a loss of reflection. We know too much and are moving too fast. But we are choking out time to think. We must make time to think. One of the reasons I do this blog weekly is to force myself to think. If we don't think, we become empty suits, robots, sucked in by the influences of talk radio and the media. We become unable to have an original thought.

The second temptation is a loss of responsibility. As we interact in a global world, we need to avoid the callousness of Cain. Cain in Genesis 4:9 responds to the Lord's question of where his brother Abel was after murdering him, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" The business executive is worried about what the next quarter's earnings are going to be. He loses sight of the supplier, customer and whether what he/she is doing is good for humanity. The politician cares about obtaining power and makes decisions towards that end; not serving the people. The lawyer starts viewing the world in terms of illegal and legal and not right and wrong.

The answer for Christians is to understand and practice stewardship. At the heart of this is Jonathan Edward's motto: "My goal is to do the maximum good to the maximum amount of people." Or as Christ simply put: "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself"- Mark 12:30-31.

Guinness concluded his talk with some requirements for evangelical integrity and personal integrity.

Evangelical integrity:
1. Re-affirmation of identity

The word evangelical has taken on some negative connotations. This is mostly due to association with the Religious Right. Evangelicals are not called to be Republicans or Democrats. We are called to be proclaimers of the Good News of Christ. William Wilberforce said, "I vote principle, not party." We should follow Wilberforce's example. Christians should be in the public square but avoid politization of faith.

2. Reformation of behavior

Guinness shared a disturbing story. At the National Prayer Breakfast, a hotel manager where most of the attendees stayed said that the spike in pornography ordered in hotel rooms was huge the week of the prayer breakfast. If this is true, it displays how problematic the disconnect between holiness and "Christianity" is for many people. Sin is not some cute little faux pas. It is treason against a Holy God. Fortunately, there is an answer for our predicament: the atonement of Christ. But to claim to be a Christian with no striving for holiness is to make a mockery and joke of the faith. Hebrews 12:14, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord."

Guiness concluded with requirements for personal integrity: calling, character and covenant. We are called by God to use the unique gifts and talents that He has entrusted to us to do specific good works that He has prepared in advance for us to do- Ephesians 2:10.

We are told to develop our character by making every effort to supplement our faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love. For if we possess these qualities in increasing measure, we will be effective and productive- 2 Peter 1:5-8.

We are called into covenant with Christ. The God who called the nation of Israel into a covenant relationship with Him- Jeremiah 31:33-34- is calling us to know Him through the death, life and resurrection of Christ- 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Guinness says a time of testing is coming. We will have to choose our allegiance in a more definitive way. We might not see persecution in America like Christians in Islamic states experience. But who knows what the future holds. We would hope that our allegiance would be to Christ. As Thomas More who was beheaded by Henry VIII for refusing to sign an oath of allegiance to the king over God said, "I die the king's good servant. But God's first."

For God's Glory,

Ashley Hodge

More Money Doesn't Solve All Problems

I listened to a talk on the importance of giving yesterday. The speaker- a top leader in evangelical Christian circles- was imploring his audience to be generous with financial giving. This is a good thing- I am thinking to myself. But then he made a statement that I have problems with. He said something to the effect that God only blesses the money that we give and not the money we save or spend on ourselves.

I hope the speaker said that without thinking through the implications of what he was saying. Biblical stewardship is all encompassing. God cares about and will bless equally money that is saved, spent or given if it is done for His glory. Money is not to be hoarded. But God is most concerned with transforming our hearts not making us better givers. Generous giving is a result of heart transformation, but it is just one aspect of stewardship.

The comment by the speaker is indicative of a mindset that separates the sacred from the secular. Instead, Christians should view all of life as sacred. Paul tells us, "whatever you do, do all for the glory of God"- 1 Corinthians 10:32. The key is to reform what is ugly, wasteful and unproductive and make it beautiful, useful and productive.

Unfortunately, I believe this is a common mindset in churches and society in general. The mindset is that problems will be solved by more money. There are plenty of examples of how this is not true in our world.

Exhibit #1: Homelessness in San Francisco.

No city is more "compassionate" towards the homeless than San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle estimated that $24,000 per year is spent per homeless person. Cash is handed out no questions asked. What has been the result of this? More homelessness. More crime. The homeless that are out of work but motivated to work usually get back on their feet for less than $3000. The percentage that are mentally ill pose a problem that requires longer-term strategy and solutions. But the vast majority of homeless according to the San Francisco Chronicle are drug and alcohol addicts. More money for them has not helped them or the homeless problem in San Francisco. More money in the hands of poor stewards leads to more problems.

Exhibit #2: Education in America.

John Stossel has done some excellent pieces on 20/20 exposing the problems in the US public school system due to a lack of healthy competition. Money per student has doubled since 1971 and the quality of education is declining. Ben Chavis used to be a public school principal and now runs a charter school in Oakland, California. This charter school has gone from one of the worst to the best in the city in test scores, student discipline and other measurable methods. This has been done despite spending thousands less per student than the public schools. Chavis laughs when the public schools complain about funding. "That is the biggest lie in America. They waste money," he says. Chavis has his students do the janitorial work to save money so that money can be spent on hiring good teachers. Money in the hands of good stewards can stretch a long ways. More money in the hands of poor stewards leads to more problems.

Exhibit #3: Health care.

A Boston University 2005 research report estimates that 50% of the money spent on health care in America is wasted- through bureaucratic administrative costs, unnecessary spending, theft and fraud. Around $2 trillion is spent on health care in America annually. About 70% of this is spent on chronic care mostly related to cancers and heart problems. Some cancers and heart problems are unavoidable. But many are the result of preventable behaviors- drug, alcohol and tobacco use; poor dietary habits and a lack of exercise. More money in the hands of poor stewards of these health care issues leads to more problems.

The church is no different. Leaders often plead for more money. I don't mean to imply that all this money is wasted. But a lot of it is. Stewardship and reform is what is truly needed in society including the church.

All Christians should have a plan for giving. Giving should be prayerful and increasingly generous. But it should also be thoughtful and productive. We should strive to get the maximum amount of resources in the hands of the best stewards. If you are giving to large organizations, there is a useful resource at http://ministrywatch.com.

If you are concentrating giving on smaller organizations or local churches, wise discernment is needed. At a minimum, the organization should be transparent with the use of funds. Where there is a lack of transparency, there is corruption nearly every time.

But keep in mind decisions to pay off debt, save, spend on lifestyle and give are all spiritual decisions. All of these decisions should be approached with prayer. And a mindset of seeking to become more frugal towards self and generous towards others so that God can be most glorified.

I remember reading a comment by a missionary in E.M. Bound's Complete Works of Prayer. The missionary said that what was needed first was workers. Second, committed daily prayer for the work of the gospel across the world. Third, money. We often confuse the priorities and place our faith in finances versus the Spirit of God to work.

For the Glory of Christ,

Ashley Hodge