I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. (Psalms 119:7 NASB)
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
When Are We Going to Grow Up? The Juvenilization of American Christianity | Christianity Today
When Are We Going to Grow Up? The Juvenilization of American Christianity | Christianity Today
The attached link is a must read for young pastors, missionaries, and youth leaders. We may want to rethink the way we do ministry and why we doing what we are doing. The key point is that youth ministers and ministries should be to the whole body and not just to the sub-culture we have created.
Steven Swaim
President and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
The attached link is a must read for young pastors, missionaries, and youth leaders. We may want to rethink the way we do ministry and why we doing what we are doing. The key point is that youth ministers and ministries should be to the whole body and not just to the sub-culture we have created.
Steven Swaim
President and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
Friday, August 31, 2012
Sex, lies & television | WORLD
From World Magazine Online
Issue: "Syria's pain", Aug. 30, 2012
Sex, lies & television
Media | Lawsuits involving the world's largest Christian broadcasting network may hang by a flash drive
"It just didn't make sense."
That's what Jonathan Rovetto thought when he heard his employer, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), fired Brittany Koper last fall, alleging embezzlement and fraud. After all, Koper is the granddaughter of TBN founders Paul and Jan Crouch. Brittany and her husband Michael, also a TBN employee, made more than $200,000 a year and did not live extravagantly. Brittany was a rising star on track, some people thought, to take over the network one day. Why would she embezzle?
Rovetto had done work for the Trinity Broadcasting Network for nine years, seven as a freelancer and two years full-time as an assistant engineer, so he knew Koper. She had helped orient him when he came on full-time. Soon she became director of finance and saw for the first time, she says, "the unlawful distribution of the TBN Companies' charitable assets to Trinity Broadcasting's directors," including Paul and Jan Crouch and other Crouch family members.
This language comes from a lawsuit Koper filed in February that describes-in sensational detail-claims of financial mismanagement, fraud, physical intimidation, and sexual harassment. Koper's lawsuit says the "unlawful financial transactions" exceed $50 million. Trinity has since filed at least five lawsuits of its own. Even though TBN spokesman Colby May says Koper is attempting to create a "media circus" to distract from the real issues, May has also taken an aggressive stand in the media.
That's why Rovetto was confused: "My employer was telling me one thing, and I wanted to believe them." But he says he trusted Brittany and had seen newspaper accounts of spending by the Crouches on mansions, private jets, and luxury hotels. He knew that lawsuits against TBN or its employees and affiliates seemed to crop up regularly. Then, on June 18, Brittany's sister Carra Crouch, now 19 years old, filed a suit saying a 30-year-old TBN employee had raped her when she was 13. Carra's lawsuit says TBN "deliberately covered up the incident to protect Trinity Broadcasting from negative publicity."
For Rovetto, this was the last straw. So he began to support Koper on his Facebook profile: "All I wanted to do was to help my friend." On June 28, TBN fired him. Rovetto told me that when he was a kid he stood up to a bully who was harassing a smaller girl on a playground. The bully backed off and the little girl gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It was my first kiss," Rovetto said.
Koper faces a phalanx of lawyers, including TBN's in-house counsel and at least two outside law firms. In addition, TBN's Colby May is affiliated with the American Center for Law and Justice, which has a major presence on TBN's airwaves. In contrast, Koper has been without an attorney ever since the one who filed her lawsuits quit. Koper recently hired Tulsa-based attorney Gary Richardson, a former U.S. Attorney best known in religious circles for representing clients in lawsuits against televangelist Robert Tilton in the 1990s.
Complicating the matter: Koper does not deny she and her husband Michael took money from TBN, but they say it was a loan, fully documented and approved by the board of TBN. They allege that other family members just took money from the ministry, often by charging personal items to ministry credit cards or by having the ministry pay for homes, cars, and other big-ticket items.
The technical term for using ministry money for private purposes is "private inurement." A copy of a 2011 letter that Koper gave to WORLD, if authentic, supports at least a part of Koper's allegations. The letter, an "IRS compliance review" by Dallas-based accounting firm Guinn, Smith & Co. and signed by Donald Guinn, warned TBN that its record-keeping and procedures were at best sloppy and at worst could be construed by the IRS as "noncompliance" with tax law.
The letter identified "areas with the greatest exposure" for TBN as "unreasonable compensation, personal use of the organization's assets, use of the church's credit card for personal expenses, and excessive spending." To make the case, the letter identified one three-month period in 2009 when "one of the American Express cardholders charged items for over $60,000 and no receipts for these 57 items were included in the documentation." Guinn's letter noted a $15,328 credit card purchase at Harley Davidson Orlando for which there was "no business purpose indicated." The Harley Davidson purchase is on a list Guinn called a "small sample representative of expenditures that might be considered extravagant."
Guinn concluded, "Obviously, TBN accepts as true that these items had ... ministry purpose since the charges were not disputed, but the IRS would treat them as inurring [sic] to the benefit of the purchaser." In other words, without proper documentation, tax law treats the $60,000 as income on which taxes should be paid. Koper says this list is just the tip of the iceberg. Her February lawsuit says that over many years the Crouch family and close associates siphoned as much as $50 million out of the ministry for personal purposes.
That's what Jonathan Rovetto thought when he heard his employer, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), fired Brittany Koper last fall, alleging embezzlement and fraud. After all, Koper is the granddaughter of TBN founders Paul and Jan Crouch. Brittany and her husband Michael, also a TBN employee, made more than $200,000 a year and did not live extravagantly. Brittany was a rising star on track, some people thought, to take over the network one day. Why would she embezzle?
Rovetto had done work for the Trinity Broadcasting Network for nine years, seven as a freelancer and two years full-time as an assistant engineer, so he knew Koper. She had helped orient him when he came on full-time. Soon she became director of finance and saw for the first time, she says, "the unlawful distribution of the TBN Companies' charitable assets to Trinity Broadcasting's directors," including Paul and Jan Crouch and other Crouch family members.
This language comes from a lawsuit Koper filed in February that describes-in sensational detail-claims of financial mismanagement, fraud, physical intimidation, and sexual harassment. Koper's lawsuit says the "unlawful financial transactions" exceed $50 million. Trinity has since filed at least five lawsuits of its own. Even though TBN spokesman Colby May says Koper is attempting to create a "media circus" to distract from the real issues, May has also taken an aggressive stand in the media.
That's why Rovetto was confused: "My employer was telling me one thing, and I wanted to believe them." But he says he trusted Brittany and had seen newspaper accounts of spending by the Crouches on mansions, private jets, and luxury hotels. He knew that lawsuits against TBN or its employees and affiliates seemed to crop up regularly. Then, on June 18, Brittany's sister Carra Crouch, now 19 years old, filed a suit saying a 30-year-old TBN employee had raped her when she was 13. Carra's lawsuit says TBN "deliberately covered up the incident to protect Trinity Broadcasting from negative publicity."
For Rovetto, this was the last straw. So he began to support Koper on his Facebook profile: "All I wanted to do was to help my friend." On June 28, TBN fired him. Rovetto told me that when he was a kid he stood up to a bully who was harassing a smaller girl on a playground. The bully backed off and the little girl gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It was my first kiss," Rovetto said.
Koper faces a phalanx of lawyers, including TBN's in-house counsel and at least two outside law firms. In addition, TBN's Colby May is affiliated with the American Center for Law and Justice, which has a major presence on TBN's airwaves. In contrast, Koper has been without an attorney ever since the one who filed her lawsuits quit. Koper recently hired Tulsa-based attorney Gary Richardson, a former U.S. Attorney best known in religious circles for representing clients in lawsuits against televangelist Robert Tilton in the 1990s.
Complicating the matter: Koper does not deny she and her husband Michael took money from TBN, but they say it was a loan, fully documented and approved by the board of TBN. They allege that other family members just took money from the ministry, often by charging personal items to ministry credit cards or by having the ministry pay for homes, cars, and other big-ticket items.
The technical term for using ministry money for private purposes is "private inurement." A copy of a 2011 letter that Koper gave to WORLD, if authentic, supports at least a part of Koper's allegations. The letter, an "IRS compliance review" by Dallas-based accounting firm Guinn, Smith & Co. and signed by Donald Guinn, warned TBN that its record-keeping and procedures were at best sloppy and at worst could be construed by the IRS as "noncompliance" with tax law.
The letter identified "areas with the greatest exposure" for TBN as "unreasonable compensation, personal use of the organization's assets, use of the church's credit card for personal expenses, and excessive spending." To make the case, the letter identified one three-month period in 2009 when "one of the American Express cardholders charged items for over $60,000 and no receipts for these 57 items were included in the documentation." Guinn's letter noted a $15,328 credit card purchase at Harley Davidson Orlando for which there was "no business purpose indicated." The Harley Davidson purchase is on a list Guinn called a "small sample representative of expenditures that might be considered extravagant."
Guinn concluded, "Obviously, TBN accepts as true that these items had ... ministry purpose since the charges were not disputed, but the IRS would treat them as inurring [sic] to the benefit of the purchaser." In other words, without proper documentation, tax law treats the $60,000 as income on which taxes should be paid. Koper says this list is just the tip of the iceberg. Her February lawsuit says that over many years the Crouch family and close associates siphoned as much as $50 million out of the ministry for personal purposes.
TBN spokesman May vigorously denies Koper's allegations. May says Koper and her husband took money from TBN and International Christian Broadcasting (one of more than a dozen organizations related to TBN and its parent organization, Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, Inc.) to purchase a home and for other personal purposes.
But if Brittany Koper is guilty of embezzlement and fraud, why is she not facing criminal charges? May said TBN turned over documents supporting its claims of criminal wrong-doing to the Tustin (Calif.) Police Department. A spokesman for the department confirmed that, but told WORLD it was up to the Orange County District Attorney to bring charges. Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, said so far there have been no charges. She would not say when the investigation would be complete, and she would not comment specifically on the Koper case except to add that "embezzlement investigations are complicated and often take months."
The case could well hang on the authenticity of documents Brittany Koper says she has in her possession. Koper has stopped talking to the press and has named as spokesman Ole Anthony, founder of the Trinity Foundation. (Despite the confusing similarity of their names, the Trinity Foundation and Trinity Broadcasting Network are completely unrelated, and the Trinity Foundation has for years been an outspoken critic of TBN and many of the televangelists on the network.) Anthony said Brittany Koper had scanned hundreds of pages of documents and put them on a flash drive.
Colby May rejected Anthony's assertions: "If they have documents, they're altered documents or fakes."
Anthony fired back: "If Brittany's documents are fakes, let them prove that in court."
Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, TBN's parent, has not only filed five lawsuits against Brittany or Michael Koper since October 2011, but has specifically asked the court to prevent Brittany Koper from using the documents on her flash drive that May claims are "fakes."
One judge didn't buy TBN's arguments. David O. Carter, a judge in the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, on July 25 issued several rulings-some related to the documents-that mostly favored the Kopers. Judge Carter concluded: "Trinity's several lawsuits, incessant demands for injunctive relief, and insistence on expedited rulings suggest that Plaintiff Trinity's strategy is to overwhelm the courts as well as Michael and Brittany so as to avoid a rational decision on the merits. Thus, Plaintiff Trinity's litigation strategy only lends credence to Michael and Brittany's contention that these lawsuits are retaliation for whistleblowing about Plaintiff Trinity's extensive fraud."
Judge Carter then gave TBN's lawyers until July 30 to explain why "Plaintiff Trinity" should not be "designated a vexatious litigant" and be "enjoined from filing future lawsuits against Michael and Brittany." Lawyers for "Plaintiff Trinity" met this deadline, saying it is "not a vexatious litigant and has violated no laws in accessing the Courts." They further claim that the "Kopers have feigned their whistle blowing claims ... to divert attention from their substantial criminal and civil wrongs." At press time, Judge Carter has not made a final determination in this matter.
So will this case ever get to court? Will we ever know the truth? As to the first question, both Ole Anthony, speaking for the Kopers, and Colby May, speaking for TBN, say it will and they both welcome that opportunity, though both agree that the case could go on for months if not years. It will likely consume hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Jonathan Rovetto, who lost his job for sticking up for Brittany Koper on Facebook, has made up his mind: He said Koper "had nothing to gain and everything to lose." Others are waiting to see what the courts decide, mindful of what both the Bible and Charles Dickens teach: Most parties tend to lose money, reputation, or both during protracted legal battles.
But if Brittany Koper is guilty of embezzlement and fraud, why is she not facing criminal charges? May said TBN turned over documents supporting its claims of criminal wrong-doing to the Tustin (Calif.) Police Department. A spokesman for the department confirmed that, but told WORLD it was up to the Orange County District Attorney to bring charges. Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, said so far there have been no charges. She would not say when the investigation would be complete, and she would not comment specifically on the Koper case except to add that "embezzlement investigations are complicated and often take months."
The case could well hang on the authenticity of documents Brittany Koper says she has in her possession. Koper has stopped talking to the press and has named as spokesman Ole Anthony, founder of the Trinity Foundation. (Despite the confusing similarity of their names, the Trinity Foundation and Trinity Broadcasting Network are completely unrelated, and the Trinity Foundation has for years been an outspoken critic of TBN and many of the televangelists on the network.) Anthony said Brittany Koper had scanned hundreds of pages of documents and put them on a flash drive.
Colby May rejected Anthony's assertions: "If they have documents, they're altered documents or fakes."
Anthony fired back: "If Brittany's documents are fakes, let them prove that in court."
Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, TBN's parent, has not only filed five lawsuits against Brittany or Michael Koper since October 2011, but has specifically asked the court to prevent Brittany Koper from using the documents on her flash drive that May claims are "fakes."
One judge didn't buy TBN's arguments. David O. Carter, a judge in the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, on July 25 issued several rulings-some related to the documents-that mostly favored the Kopers. Judge Carter concluded: "Trinity's several lawsuits, incessant demands for injunctive relief, and insistence on expedited rulings suggest that Plaintiff Trinity's strategy is to overwhelm the courts as well as Michael and Brittany so as to avoid a rational decision on the merits. Thus, Plaintiff Trinity's litigation strategy only lends credence to Michael and Brittany's contention that these lawsuits are retaliation for whistleblowing about Plaintiff Trinity's extensive fraud."
Judge Carter then gave TBN's lawyers until July 30 to explain why "Plaintiff Trinity" should not be "designated a vexatious litigant" and be "enjoined from filing future lawsuits against Michael and Brittany." Lawyers for "Plaintiff Trinity" met this deadline, saying it is "not a vexatious litigant and has violated no laws in accessing the Courts." They further claim that the "Kopers have feigned their whistle blowing claims ... to divert attention from their substantial criminal and civil wrongs." At press time, Judge Carter has not made a final determination in this matter.
So will this case ever get to court? Will we ever know the truth? As to the first question, both Ole Anthony, speaking for the Kopers, and Colby May, speaking for TBN, say it will and they both welcome that opportunity, though both agree that the case could go on for months if not years. It will likely consume hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Jonathan Rovetto, who lost his job for sticking up for Brittany Koper on Facebook, has made up his mind: He said Koper "had nothing to gain and everything to lose." Others are waiting to see what the courts decide, mindful of what both the Bible and Charles Dickens teach: Most parties tend to lose money, reputation, or both during protracted legal battles.
Unequally yoked?
By Warren Cole Smith
TBN took in more than $78 million in donations in 2010 and made $60 million more by selling airtime to other ministries. Ministries on TBN at least weekly include those of Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Kirk Cameron/Ray Comfort, Pat Robertson/The 700 Club, David Jeremiah, Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Ron Luce/Acquire The Fire, Charles Stanley/In Touch Ministries, Adrian Rogers/Love Worth Finding, Jack Graham, and Michael Youssef.
The Trinity Foundation's Ole Anthony argues, "The majority of TBN's programming is from 'prosperity theology' preachers," and advocates of that view "use reputable ministries such as Billy Graham and Charles Stanley to give the 'seal of approval' to their theology and practices." He says theologically sound ministries have no business on TBN: "They claim that TBN is just a delivery mechanism for them, and that they don't alter their message for them. But they're being used."
The Trinity Foundation's Ole Anthony argues, "The majority of TBN's programming is from 'prosperity theology' preachers," and advocates of that view "use reputable ministries such as Billy Graham and Charles Stanley to give the 'seal of approval' to their theology and practices." He says theologically sound ministries have no business on TBN: "They claim that TBN is just a delivery mechanism for them, and that they don't alter their message for them. But they're being used."
A history of growth and controversy
1973 TBN founded in Santa Ana, Calif.
1974 Purchases first television station: KLXA, now KTBN, in Santa Ana.
1991 TBN leaves the National Religious Broadcasters following a year-long ethics investigation.
1994-1996 TBN spends $13.7 million to acquire Nashville's Twitty City, changing its name to Trinity Music City USA, a Christian entertainment park with TV studios, a church, a concert hall, and a movie theater.
1998 Former TBN employee Enoch Lonnie Ford receives $425,000 to keep quiet about his claims of a homosexual tryst with televangelist Paul Crouch.
2000 Sylvia Fleener sues TBN for $40 million, claiming TBN plagiarized her book for its movie The Omega Code. The movie earned $13 million at the box office and sold more than 1 million DVDs and videos. TBN settles for an undisclosed sum.
2006 A multimillion-dollar hospital construction project in Haiti halts when Archbishop Joel Jeune of Haiti's Charismatic Church accuses a TBN missionary of making homosexual advances toward Haitian boys hired at the construction site.
2007 TBN buys Orlando-based Holy Land Experience, a religion-based theme park.
2009 Nashville-based TBN minister Stephen Eugene Galiher, on a business trip to TBN's California headquarters, strikes a vehicle carrying David Rhodes and his wife. Rhodes dies Nov. 3 of pneumonia as a result of his injuries. Galiher pleads guilty to felony charges of driving under the influence and causing injury. Sentenced in April 2010 to five years probation, 120 days jail time, fines, and restitution. Rhodes' family files a civil lawsuit saying TBN "turned a blind eye" to Galiher's drinking problem and continued to employ him and provide him with a car.
2011 TBN fires Director of Finance Brittany Koper, the granddaughter of Paul and Jan Crouch. TBN claims she embezzled money from the organization.
2012 In February Brittany Koper files lawsuit claiming TBN has diverted at least $50 million in ministry funds to personal purposes. In June, Carra Crouch, Koper's sister, files lawsuit against TBN alleging she was raped by a TBN employee and TBN covered up the incident to avoid negative publicity.
Sources: Court records, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register
1974 Purchases first television station: KLXA, now KTBN, in Santa Ana.
1991 TBN leaves the National Religious Broadcasters following a year-long ethics investigation.
1994-1996 TBN spends $13.7 million to acquire Nashville's Twitty City, changing its name to Trinity Music City USA, a Christian entertainment park with TV studios, a church, a concert hall, and a movie theater.
1998 Former TBN employee Enoch Lonnie Ford receives $425,000 to keep quiet about his claims of a homosexual tryst with televangelist Paul Crouch.
2000 Sylvia Fleener sues TBN for $40 million, claiming TBN plagiarized her book for its movie The Omega Code. The movie earned $13 million at the box office and sold more than 1 million DVDs and videos. TBN settles for an undisclosed sum.
2006 A multimillion-dollar hospital construction project in Haiti halts when Archbishop Joel Jeune of Haiti's Charismatic Church accuses a TBN missionary of making homosexual advances toward Haitian boys hired at the construction site.
2007 TBN buys Orlando-based Holy Land Experience, a religion-based theme park.
2009 Nashville-based TBN minister Stephen Eugene Galiher, on a business trip to TBN's California headquarters, strikes a vehicle carrying David Rhodes and his wife. Rhodes dies Nov. 3 of pneumonia as a result of his injuries. Galiher pleads guilty to felony charges of driving under the influence and causing injury. Sentenced in April 2010 to five years probation, 120 days jail time, fines, and restitution. Rhodes' family files a civil lawsuit saying TBN "turned a blind eye" to Galiher's drinking problem and continued to employ him and provide him with a car.
2011 TBN fires Director of Finance Brittany Koper, the granddaughter of Paul and Jan Crouch. TBN claims she embezzled money from the organization.
2012 In February Brittany Koper files lawsuit claiming TBN has diverted at least $50 million in ministry funds to personal purposes. In June, Carra Crouch, Koper's sister, files lawsuit against TBN alleging she was raped by a TBN employee and TBN covered up the incident to avoid negative publicity.
Sources: Court records, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register
Sex, lies & television | WORLD
Friday, July 13, 2012
How Grateful Are You?
Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said,
The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. "The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father's God, and I will extol Him. "The LORD is a warrior;
The LORD is His name. "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. (Exodus 15:1-4 NASB)
Moses said, " This will happen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the LORD hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD." (Exodus 16:8 NASB)
Romans 1:18-32 is often a passage used to preach against homosexuality. However if you do a more in-depth study you find something more. It is the history of the world in rebellion against God in a nutshell. In fact verse 21 is at the core thought were Paul writes, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculation, and their foolish heart was darkened.” They did two things: Refused to recognize God for whom He is; and they refused to give thanks to Him based on who He is. It is a society and the individual heart that lives without thankfulness toward God which causes there to be greater problems. We sink into darkness when we refuse to be a people of gratitude. A thankful heart toward God is also a respectful heart. A thankless heart is one that finds itself steeped in rebellion and angry about what it experiences.
Steven Swaim
President and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
All Bible passages which are quoted come from the NASB (New American Standard Version)
The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. "The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father's God, and I will extol Him. "The LORD is a warrior;
The LORD is His name. "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. (Exodus 15:1-4 NASB)
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out
into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and
found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of
Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. So the people
grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" (Exodus 15:22-24
NASB)
Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the
sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai,
on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of
Egypt. The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and
Aaron in the wilderness. The sons of Israel said to them, "Would that we
had died by the LORD'S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of
meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this
wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Then the LORD said to
Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people
shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them,
whether or not they will walk in My instruction. (Exodus 16:1-4 NASB)Moses said, " This will happen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the LORD hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD." (Exodus 16:8 NASB)
Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by
stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and
camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore
the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water that we may
drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do
you test the LORD?" But the people thirsted there for water; and they
grumbled against Moses and said, "Why, now, have you brought us up from
Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So
Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do to this people? A
little more and they will stone me." Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel;
and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall
strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may
drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named
the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and
because they tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us, or not?"
(Exodus 17:1-7 NASB)
Background
In Exodus 15 Israel had just finished defeating the greatest
kingdom on Earth during their time, Egypt.
All this was done without lifting a sword or a finger. For 400+ years they had been the slaves in
Egypt. During that time they had been forced to build great cities, monuments
to the Egyptian gods, and forts for their great armies.[1] They had
been mistreated and were even ordered to murder their own male children.[2] God knew of their situation and sent Moses.[3] After
a series of judgment, ending with the death of the first born Egyptians, the
children of Israel are released. After
this was done Egypt mounted one more attempt to regain control over this
enslaved nation, which led to the disastrous result of losing most of the army
in the Red Sea. God had taken His people through the wilderness by the Red Sea
only to be trapped between it and Pharaoh's army. God then opened the Red Sea where the people
walked through on dry land. In the
process the Egyptian army followed them into the Red Sea only to have the sea
close in on them and drown them.
This is where we pick up our story starting in Exodus 15.
The children of Israel are on the other side witnessing this huge victory. As a
result they praise God for the victory He has given. This would be great if the
story ended here, but the Bible shows its divine inspiration by dealing with
the story after the victory. The Bible does not always end with a happy forever
after and here is no exception. Why?
Because it is telling the story of redemption and the only way to tell
that beautiful story is to tell all the ugly details of the human experience. So, as Paul Harvey use to say, here is the
rest of the story.
Verse 22 picks up and tells about how they are now on the
march toward the promise land with a slight detour toward Mt. Sinai to receive
the commandments from God. On their way there they find themselves without
water and start to complain. Then they find an oasis where the water is bitter.
Rather than thanking God for His loving watch care over them then asking for
His help they falsely accuse Moses, Aaron and God of misleading them in order
to murder them in the wilderness. In
fact if patience would have prevailed verse 27 states that they were only a day
away from finding something better.
Chapter 16 picks up on a new grumble that occurs right after
they leave the oasis, food! They
complained about the fact that there was no food. God provides in order to test the people to
see if they will follow His commands that are given about the food, when it
should be gathered, how much was to be gathered and how long it should be kept
without being eaten. Afterwards chapter
17 has a new issue of the people complaining about not having any water. Here God supplies water from a rock.
The point that I am attempting to make is this, isn’t funny
how the children of Israel praised God after a spectacle victory, but couldn’t
give Him glory in the everyday difficulties that they faced. How is it that they could praise God at one
point, basically at the moment of their salvation but not trust Him to provide
the most basic needs of food and water?
For the children of Israel this would become the trend. It would be a trend that will cost one
generation the opportunity to take the land[4] and in
time another generation a great kingdom.
Are We Better Than They?
As I have meditated on these passages for the last several
days I have concluded that we are no different than the children of Israel
wondering through the wilderness. For
those who know Jesus as Savior; who have come to understand that we are all
sinners,[5] and are
dead spiritually before God[6]; who
have turned from our sins to God believing that Jesus Christ is the only way to
forgiveness of sin and the needed salvation from eternal destruction which
waits for us[7];
the challenge is simple, do we praise God on Sunday for this great miracle of
grace, then on Monday we relax by grumbling about our situation? Have we become a thankless people?Romans 1:18-32 is often a passage used to preach against homosexuality. However if you do a more in-depth study you find something more. It is the history of the world in rebellion against God in a nutshell. In fact verse 21 is at the core thought were Paul writes, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculation, and their foolish heart was darkened.” They did two things: Refused to recognize God for whom He is; and they refused to give thanks to Him based on who He is. It is a society and the individual heart that lives without thankfulness toward God which causes there to be greater problems. We sink into darkness when we refuse to be a people of gratitude. A thankful heart toward God is also a respectful heart. A thankless heart is one that finds itself steeped in rebellion and angry about what it experiences.
The important factor here is what we give thanks for and
when we give thanks. Most of us who know
Jesus as Savior have a very bad habit.
On Sunday and Wednesday nights we give God thanks for His great
salvation, but when Monday arrives we get up with the doldrums complaining
about the job we have. Rarely do we get
up giving Him praise for His great salvation and for the life He has
given. No thanks for the job we have; no
thanks for the breath of life He has given; no thanks for the health we may
have; no thanks for those who help us with our health needs; no thanks for our
spouses (and we wonder why the divorce rate is as high as it is among
Christians); no thanks for the church we attend; no thanks for the house we
have or car we drive or the liberties we enjoy (at least for this moment in
time). We live thankless, ungrateful lives
that look more like pagans than obedient believers.
My challenge to you today, and the rest of the week is to
show thankfulness throughout the week.
Start on Sunday, but keep it going.
There may be times when we have to look hard to find it, but it can be
done. And when we do it, God will be
lifted up. When God is lifted up, then
people will be drawn to Him and opportunities to share the gospel become even
greater.
Let me know what you think.
His Servant Together With Him,Steven Swaim
President and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
All Bible passages which are quoted come from the NASB (New American Standard Version)
[1]
Exodus 1:11
[2]
Exodus 1:15-22
[3]
Exodus 3:7-10
[4]
Numbers 12-15
[5]
Romans 3:23-“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
[6]
Ephesians 2:1-2-“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you
formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, of the pirit tht is now working in the sons of disobedience.”
[7]
Mark 1:15-(Jesus speaking) “and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom
of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”
Sunday, June 17, 2012
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A REAL MAN?
(A Father’s Day
Message)
11 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 The
younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate
that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 And not
many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a
journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose
living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine
occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 So he
went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent
him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would have gladly
filled his stomach with the pods
that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17
But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired
men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I
will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned
against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be
called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he got up
and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw
him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed
him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against
heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22
But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and
put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and
bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for
this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been
found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when
he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And
he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things
could be. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your
father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and
sound.’ 28 But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his
father came out and began pleading with him. 29 But he
answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving
you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have
never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30
but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with
prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 And he said
to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead
and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”
Luke 15:11-32
I am blessed to be a
father. James is my joy and often
inspiration. Mary and I are presently
praying for another hoping to get someone who has the same loving spirit as he
does, but we know better. Being a dad is
a great thing which has difficult but has rewarding responsibilities.
The other day is an
example of that responsibility and reward.
I was getting ready to go out and get a movie then swing by to pick up a
pizza Mary had ordered. We had just returned
from a very long but enjoyable trip to Houston.
James was running around in his diaper being mister happy go lucky. When he heard I was leaving he wanted to
go. Since he wasn’t ready Mary tried to
get his attention with toys and books. This
didn’t work. Immediately after I
carefully closed the door, James started to the door, crying out my name
wanting to go. My heart broke and I
quickly turned around to reenter the house.
I told Mary that I just couldn’t do it; I wanted him to come with
me. We dressed him and all of us went to
get the movie and pizza. It was a
fifteen minute outing that meant the world to my little boy.
Today fatherhood is
something that is ignored, made fun of, or even idolized to the point of
unrealistic expectations. What we forget
or choose to discount is the importance of the father’s role in the life of
children. In the urban communities where
welfare has a tendency to be dominant, some federal regulations don’t even
allow for a husband/father to be living under the same roof as the women and
children.[1] NOW (the National Organization of Women)
considers the father to be obsolete or even a hateful aristocrat that is
abusive and should not be allowed in the home.[2] However we are finding out something that the
Atlantic Journal figured out back in 1993, Dan Quayle was right,
fathers are very important to the full development of the child.[3]
This article I am writing is a great segue into our thoughts on the
upcoming series on same sex issues which I have been working on. The real question I wish to explore has
little to do with fatherhood, though it will deal with it, but more on what it
means to be a man. Today our society
will tell us all kinds of things such as being a real man (husband/father) is
being tough, or being able to be sensitive, or is even determined on how long
you can last in bed. As embarrassing as
it can be, the world’s ideas and God’s design is very different. Being a good father/husband/man doesn’t mean
that we order our women around like a group of prostitutes, enslaved to meet
out every desire. It also doesn’t
include being passive and allowing whatever to go on in our homes, under our
roofs. Nor does manhood have anything to
do with our sexual lives.
In the passage above we read the story of what is commonly known as the “Prodigal
Son.” As my pastor, Bob Whitten has
pointed out for years and as Dr. John MacArthur has titled one of his books, it
is more about the loving father than the wayward son. There are several things to note about the
son. First, he falls into the world’s
way of thinking about manhood by believing that money (v. 12), popularity, and
sex (v. 13) is the way of true manhood.
The way he speaks to his father in verse 12 gives the idea that he wants
independence from the family, another misnomer that can be made dealing with
manhood. The idea of squandering his
estate in verse 13 shows signs of financial immaturity and “loose living” lends
itself to the idea of moral improprieties which may have occurred. He is caught up in the racket of
misidentification.
There is an older son who falls into worldly thinking on masculinity as
well. He believes that faithfulness
should be rewarded and that disloyalty should be punished (v. 28). He is also shortsighted, believing that the
here and now is what matters not what is to come (vv. 29-32). The brother is just as faulted in his
thinking as the errant younger.
However, true manliness is found in the father. First, he evidently is full of patience by
allowing his son to do what he does. There
is no indication of protest in verse 12, though there may have been and just
not recorded. Second, he is a person of
great inward strength, he waits daily for his son, not trying to rescue the son
from his situation but allowing the son to return to him (v. 20). Third, verse 20 also brings out that he is a
person of great love (“compassion”). He
is overjoyed to see his son’s return. It
notes that the father “embraced him and kissed him.” Fourth he is a person of forgiveness. He allows his son to return as his son, not
as a lowered helping hand on the family estate (vv. 21-32). Last he is a person of solid sound advice
(25-32).
When the true nature of this parable is unraveled, the father represents
God. The wayward younger son is the Gentile
nations. And the older faithful brother
is Israel who has had the commandments of God from the beginning finding themselves
jealous of the Gentiles who are grafted into the Kingdom through Christ.[4] The idea is the gospel; God will receive all
who come to Him in total repentance through Jesus Christ His son. Not by works which they have performed.[5]
So what is real manhood? Well,
first it is found in being a born again believer is Jesus Christ. Real men do humble themselves to make things
right and the first place to start is with God.
Paul writes we are enemies against God until peace comes by believing in
Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection as the atonement for our sins.[6] Second, real manliness can only be
demonstrated with patience. People make
mistakes, they falter, and they fail.
However, while we should be concerned, sometimes the best thing is to
let mistakes and godless decisions be made in hopes that lessons will be
learned. This doesn’t mean we should
never intervene, but like the loving father we should be willing to wait for
the right moment to surface. We should
be men of strength and perseverance, always waiting with a watchful eye. And when the time allows be a people with
sound, solid, Biblical advice. We need
to know what to say and when to say it.
That leads us back to the first thing we talked about, having a personal
relationship with God through Christ.
Let me know what you think.
His Servant Together With You,
Steven Swaim
President and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
(All Scriptural Quotations are from the NASB)
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
This is an answer to the 4 part series which asked, “Why
is it that people are more comfortable inviting people to church or just
doing a good work than in sharing their faith in Christ with others?
So from here where do we go? What should we do now? Evangelism can be as easy as ABC and yet it can be a complicated thing as well. Evangelism is a multifaceted issue. There is no one in their right mind who can truly say, “This is evangelism. This is sharing the faith. This is witnessing.” Whatever you wish to call it, nobody can say this is what it looks like. However, there are some identification markers that you and I can see that lets us know what it is not.
Jerusalem , and in all Judea and Samaria
Kingdom of God
Asia stated, “The battle against
hunger and poverty is really a spiritual battle, not a physical or social one
as secularists would have us believe.
The only weapon that will ever effectively win the war against disease,
hunger, injustice and poverty in Asia is the
Gospel of Jesus Christ...Fighting this powerful enemy with physical weapons is
like fighting an armored tank with stones.”[13] Dr. Yahannan looks at poverty and the issue
of poverty as a work of Satan not circumstances. It can be the results of giving into sin and
spiritual darkness, therefore the idea is that the light of the Gospel is
needed.
Wittenberg , Germany
church
of Jesus Christ
President and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
and
an
accompanying thought on the to the original posting that initiated the
question, “When Did We Start Confusing Community Service With Evangelism?”
“13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you
will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand
firm. 14 Stand firm therefore,… 15 and having shod your
feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”
(Ephesians 6:13, 14a-15)
I have spent five postings now discussing the issues of
evangelism. The original article called,
“When Did We Start Confusing Community Service With Evangelism?” is still
getting quite a few hits.[1] In fact it is the most hit and discussed of
any of the writings. It also spurned the
follow up question which I originally meant to be one posting, but turned into four
separate articles asking, “Why is it that people are more comfortable inviting
people to church or just doing a good work than in sharing their faith in
Christ with others?” The conclusion on
the first question was that community service projects do not automatically
translate into evangelism, but then again neither does a trip to the grocery
store. At the same time our summation of
the issue of doing good works over really sharing our faith had four thoughts
to them: There is public pressure not to
share;[2] There is
the fear of others reactions when we do;[3] There
are those who are lazy and disobedient;[4] and
There are those who are lost within our church walls and have nothing to share.[5] Evangelism is a struggle, it is a war, and it
takes everything we have to make sure that we are in that constant mind frame
that we are all called to be evangelists while we are not all gifted to be
evangelists.So from here where do we go? What should we do now? Evangelism can be as easy as ABC and yet it can be a complicated thing as well. Evangelism is a multifaceted issue. There is no one in their right mind who can truly say, “This is evangelism. This is sharing the faith. This is witnessing.” Whatever you wish to call it, nobody can say this is what it looks like. However, there are some identification markers that you and I can see that lets us know what it is not.
Identification Marker (IDM) 1: It is personal
We cannot get away from this marker and it is possibly the
most important one. We can also call it
being a witness. In Acts 1:8 Jesus
speaking with the apostles before His ascension noted, “but you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses
both in
Second, the ideas of the locations (Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, and the remotest part of the earth) have nothing to do with the
applications which are commonly given to it.
Many times we are told that Jerusalem is
our home city, Judea is our state, Samaria
Identification Marker (IDM) 2: It is intentional
This IDM shows that the desire for personal evangelism is
something that the person places at the forefront of their minds. In other words this is a conscientious act as
a result of realizing who they are. Paul
asks something in Romans that has been quoted a couple of times throughout this
series, “How then will they call on Him in whom they
have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they
have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”[9] The context of this passage has Paul talking
about Israel being the
chosen people but many were not “true Israel Israel Israel
What was true for Paul should be true for us. We should be intentional about our
lives. What we say, how we live, where
we go, what we see, how we respond, ect.
It is all based on who we are and to Whom we belong. We cannot escape the fact that evangelism
starts with the individual with an intentional mindset.
Identification Marker (IDM) 3: It is a community effort
We cannot escape this either. More strong churches grow as a result of a
deep commitment from individuals who share the gospel with friends, family, and
neighbors, but churches still need a corporate plan for reaching the community
as a whole. Billboards and events where
people are practically walking billboards do not cut the cake. Neither do websites, publication materials,
newspaper advertisements, mission bake sales/fund raisers, or anything else
that may be used to promote the local church.
Why? Because what we do is never
about the organization or local church we are affiliated with. Evangelism is about the
Churches have to be mindful of their community around them. What can a church do to reach out to those
living around them? This is a struggle
that churches have been involved in since the beginning.[12] I would warn churches and church leaders not
to confuse what is going on in Acts 2:37-Acts 6 as community service. It is not!
What is happening is an internal matter.
They are taking care of their own.
Jesus stated in John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In other words taking care of those who are in need within our churches
can have an evangelical effect. It will
be felt; however community service is not an expected outcome of what is being
demonstrated by the Jerusalem
Dr. K.P. Yahannan the founder and international director of
Gospel for
Allow me to use The Refuge, Friendship Baptist Church
Mesquite’s mission in Terrell, Texas as an positive example. The two young missionaries, Darren Lemons
and Todd Cox, who are heading this up, have done a very well rounded job at the
work they do. Remember that in the
second article I noted that I was at a community event working with The
Refuge. I noted that I felt more like a
walking billboard than anything. However,
behind the scene a lot of work had been put into the efforts by Darren and
Todd. On that day of the community event
Darren and Todd received several leads and are working on following up on those
leads. Also, they have two apartment
ministries going on right now where they are leading Bible studies once a
week. And that does not include the home
based Bible studies they are leading.
Couple all of that with the contacts they have made with the Chamber of
Commerce and other various organizations in order to help people with any needs
that may come their way. These young men
and their families are also in the process of training those involved in their
work to establish The Refuge as a church so that they learn to have the same
kind of mindset. The purpose is to build
the Kingdom. They are doing a great job
and it is a work well worth the support.
If you are looking for something to help, this ministry is worth every
penny and effort. Go to their website http://gototherefuge.com/ for more
insight.
On my side let me share with you a failure that I have made
on this scale. At Halloween Friendship
Baptist Church Mesquite always puts on an “In Stead Of Party.” Of course I do not celebrate Halloween,
rather I celebrate Reformation Day, the day in 1517 when Martin Luther hung the
95 Thesis on the door of the Catholic Church in
The point I want to make is that no one is perfect, but the
intent has to be there. You can’t just
go to an event or put an event on and hope that people will see why you are
doing it. Evangelism, the sharing of the
good news of Jesus Christ verbally and in literature, must be the one thing you
and I are attempting to do. Sharing the
Gospel must be at the very center of what is going on, not the event itself.
One thing to remember about reaching the community is that
it cannot be just one thing or another.
It needs to be a consistent effort.
Also, you cannot just do “community service projects” there needs to be
soccer/basketball camps, youth outreach events, vacation Bible schools,
backyard Bible clubs, ect.
Identification Marker (IDM) 4:
It needs to be at the center of every message from the pulpit
No
In 1st Timothy 4:13 Paul writes to Timothy, “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of
Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.” Later in 2nd Timothy 1:8-9 Paul
continues to encourage Timothy by stating, “8 Therefore
do not be ashamed of the testimony of
our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for
the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and
grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” (Bold
highlights mine) The point on both
passages is that the Scriptures are to be publicly taught and proclaimed, which
means the Gospel is to be proclaimed at the same time.
Identification Marker (IDM) 5:
There is a concern for the lost worldwide (Missions)
This last marker shows the extent of concern for the
lost. Working both in the Southern
Baptist Convention and the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas (BMAT) as
well as the Baptist Missionary Association of American (BMAA) I hear a lot about
we need so many church plants and missions started a year in order for the
denomination(s) to survive. Or I hear we
are losing our Christian influence in America
We as churches should be involved in mission evangelism
because we want people to come to Christ and then to teach them the way of the
cross as a way of life. It should not be
for those who have been hurt by established churches, or for a particular class
of people (poor or rich), or for an age group.
These people will be swept up in the net of evangelism as we move
forward in reaching the lost. The
priority of missions is to reach the lost in an area where the Gospel is not available
or where a people group is established, but a church that speaks their language
is not.
Final Thought
These may not be the only identification markers but I think
they are the bigger ones. My question to
you is how concerned for the lost are you?
Are you personally willing make an effort to share the good news with
them? Pastors do you and the church that
you under-shepherd have several things in motion to reach the lost on a
personal and mass bases? Is the Gospel
being proclaimed in every message? Are
you as a church member or pastor burdened for the lost worldwide?
Allow me to share one last story that sums it all up. Back in 2008, I was the Minister of Education
at Ferguson Road Baptist Church in east Dallas where Dr. Wayne Wible is the
pastor. We had been meeting with the
Southern Baptist Convention of Texas (SBTC) for several months regarding kick
starting church growth through evangelism.
We were the first to take part in what is called the Ezekiel Project
which was meant to help churches in decline.
When we came to the end of the sessions the leader of the Ezekiel
Project asked Dr. Wible a series of questions.
The questions were designed to lead to a point. The leader reached into his brief case and
pulled out a demographics report. We had
already received one from Dallas Baptist Association (DBA) and before that I
had created one just on simple research.
All three reports matched in detail and numbers. Ferguson
Road
Let me know your thoughts,
His Servant Together With Him,
Steven SwaimPresident and Founder, Be Devoted Ministries
(All Bible quotations are from the NASB)
[6]
Acts 2:1-4, 14-36; 4:5-12, 31; 13:52
[7]
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/abounding-grace/read/articles/reaching-our-world-13474.html
This teacher is an example of this mislead thought.
[8]
I. Howard Marshall. The Tyndal New
Testament Comentaries-Acts. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids
[9]
Romans 10:14
[10]
Romans 9:6
[11]
Romans 11:17-24
[12]
John Fuder, General Editor. A Heart For
The City. Moody Press, Chicago, IL.
1999. Pgs. 55-56 (On a personal note, if you are looking at a ministry in an
urban community I would advise this book as needed reading.)
[13]
K. P. Yahannan. Revolution In World
Missions: One Man’s Journey to Change a Generation. Gospel for Asia, Carrollton TX
[14]
Ephesians 1:22-23
[15]
Ephesians 5:18
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