My father sent me this picture yesterday and I just couldn’t resist.  Go Colts!

Yesterday while I ran on the treadmill, I listened to Dr. Moore preach a very convicting sermon on finances.  Your relationship with money and stuff says everything about your relationship with Christ and his kingdom.

Take a few minutes to read the text and listen to the sermon below.

Your Christ-Haunted Credit Card Statement: Why Your Finances Test Your Readiness for the Kingdom (Deut 8:1-20) from Russell Moore on Vimeo.

Deuteronomy (ESV)

8:1 “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word [1] that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

John 4 (ESV)

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

As I mentioned in my last post, First Baptist is involved in planting a church in Cordova, Peru.  Cordova is located in the Huancavelica region, which according to The Guardian, is in danger of extinction.

The few hundred people who live here are hardened to poverty and months of sub-zero temperatures during the long winter. But, for the fourth year running, the cold came early. First their animals and now their children are dying and in such escalating numbers that many fear that life in the village may be rapidly approaching an end.

In a world growing ever hotter, Huancavelica is an anomaly. These communities, living at the edge of what is possible, face extinction because of increasingly cold conditions in their own microclimate, which may have been altered by the rapid melting of the glaciers.

A consequence is that Quechua-speaking farmers and their families, who have managed to subsist for centuries at high altitude, believe they may not make it through the next southern winter.

There have been warnings from meteorologists in Peru that this month will see the Huancavelica region hit by the worst weather conditions in years with plunging temperatures, floods and high winds. The weather is already claiming lives; last month seven people died and scores were treated in hospital after torrential rain caused flash flooding in Ayacucho, the capital of the neighbouring region.

This makes our mission even more urgent.  May the Lord cultivate a desperate hunger among us for the same food Jesus ate!

If you are interested in being a part of Mission.Peru, please let me know.  Even if you can’t go, you can contribute through prayer and financial aid.

Recently, my good friend Robbie Sagers posted a statement about the Great Commission on Twitter.  He said, “To my Southern Baptist friends: we NEED a Great Commission Resurgence. The GC in ALL its fullness. One from the Spirit of Christ

I couldn’t agree more.

Yes, the GCR Task Force (see my previous blog) will recommend needed institutional changes for NAMB, the Executive Committee, etc (which will be presented to the Executive Board this week).  But more than anything, the main goal of the GCR is to produce a renewed commitment to the proclamation of the Gospel.

Here are a few ways the Great Commission will be emphasized at FBCW this year.

1.  Our theme for 2010 is Sent.

2.  Every sermon in January is based on the Great Commission.  You can access the sermons here.

3.  Exit Strategy.  We are offering classes that teach the evangelistic approach of  Two Way’s To Live.  We are also providing regular opportunities to be sent out to specific locations in our community in order to share the Gospel.

4.  10 in 10.  Every member is encouraged to make a list of 10 friends or family members to pray for and share Christ with in 2010.

5.   Peru.  By partnering with Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, we will be sending 3 to 4 teams to the village of Cordova to continue our efforts to plant a church through the ministry of Reap South.

6.  We raised our CP giving from 8% to 11%.

7.  Adoption Conference June 4-6 with Dr. Russell Moore and Andrew Peterson.

There has been an ongoing debate within the Southern Baptist Convention for about a year now.  I decided to take a few minutes and briefly explain the issue.

At the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention, delegates voted yes on only one proposed motion. That motion, made by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, called for Johnny Hunt, President of the SBC, to appoint a Great Commission Task Force designed to study how Southern Baptists might work together more faithfully for the cause of the gospel.  The motion passed with a 95% vote.

How did this motion come about?

Prior to the convention, “On April 16, 2009, in a chapel service at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Danny Akin delivered a message entitled ‘Axioms of a Great Commission Resurgence.’”

Following this sermon, a document, entitled, “The GCR Declaration,” which calls for renewed focus on the Great Commission, was drafted by Dr. Akin and Johnny Hunt. In the words of the authors, “We are thankful for the Conservative Resurgence and believe that God has also called Southern Baptists to Great Commission Resurgence as the next step in the fulfillment of our mandate in missions and evangelism.”

The document consists of 10 points.

I.  A Commitment to Christ’s Lordship.
II. A Commitment to Gospel-Centeredness.
III. A Commitment to the Great Commandments.
IV. A Commitment to Biblical Inerrancy and Sufficiency.
V. A Commitment to a Healthy Confessional Center.
VI. A Commitment to Biblically Healthy Churches.
VII. A Commitment to Sound Biblical Preaching.
VIII. A Commitment to a Methodological Diversity that is Biblically Informed.
IX. A Commitment to a More Effective Convention Structure.
X. A Commitment to Distinctively Christian Families.

There has been a wide range of responses to the GCR and the Task Force.  Some are against it; others are for it; and some have signed it with caveats.   The only controversial point in the declaration is article IX.  The reason for the controversy is quite simple—talking about the structure of the convention means talking about change, and change, as we all know, is difficult.  Here is what article IX calls for:

We call upon all Southern Baptists, through our valued partnerships of SBC agencies, state conventions/institutions, and Baptist associations to evaluate our Convention structures and priorities so that we can maximize our energy and resources for the health of our local churches and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This commitment recognizes the great strength of our partnership, which has been enabled by the Cooperative Program and enhanced by a belief that we can do more together than we can separately.

The guys over at B21 recently posted a two part blog about the problem as they see it.  In their words, “The most critical and sensitive areas under examination has to do with the way our Cooperative Program dollars are split up.”  In particular, “One of the key questions that many are asking is whether or not 70 cents out of every CP dollar should stay in state.”

The main issue comes down to  missions.  Millions around the world are starving both physically and spiritually.  Millions are without the gospel.  Unreached people groups have never even heard the name Jesus.  Hundreds of thousands of children are victims of sex trafficking and slavery.  Thousands are dying everyday of AIDS.  The list goes on an on.

I agree with my friend Jed Coppenger, we need to be honest about all the facts.  We should be clear about what we want the GCR Task Force to accomplish (or what we don’t want them to accomplish).

To be sure, there are several changes that would be good for the convention, but I, for one, am praying the Task Force will result in a convention-wide commitment to raising the percentage of Cooperative Program dollars flowing out of the state conventions.  Right now, most states keep 70 cents of every dollar given to the Cooperative Program.

FBCW is currently partnered with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT).  Sadly, 79% of what our church gives to the Cooperative Program stays right here in the state.  Yes, its a big state, but its a bigger world full of unreached people!

In a few weeks, Dr. Jim Richards will be with us to explain the advantages of changing our partnership to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC).  One of the most exciting advantages is how the SBTC distributes CP dollars.  Amazingly, the SBTC only keeps 45%.

One last thing I would like to point out about all of this is that we are not debating whether or not we should spread the message of the gospel.  While the GCR has stirred up controversy within the SBC over secondary matters of methodology and strategy, there is no controversy as to the reality of the church’s mission.  Absolute solidarity exists concerning the clear mandate given to the church to take the gospel to the nations.  That point is not in dispute.

When I returned to my hotel a few minutes ago (I am in Louisville for a doctorate seminar), I turned on my laptop.  As I clicked on Firefox to bring up the internet, I glanced at the trending topics on Twitter.  I immediately noticed Pat Robertson’s name.  My first thought–he must have died.  My second thought, I better Google his name.

The first link that popped up was a story from The Huffington Post.  To my dismay, I quickly learned that Robertson had gone and done it again.  He has given yet another black eye to Christianity.  While the rest of the evangelical world is driven to their knees, he pronounces judgment.

In the words of Michael Rowe,

Last night, as I was updating my Facebook status, I briefly considered a post wondering how long it would take before Pat Robertson made some monstrous insinuation about the earthquake in Haiti being God’s will. I remember thinking, No, even Pat Robertson wouldn’t exploit a tragedy of this magnitude–a tragedy that, as of this writing, has claimed over 100,000 lives.

As it happens, I should have taken bets on “when” instead.

On the 700 Club today, Robertson did what he does best: he perverted a tragedy to suit his religious agenda. In his best creepy Evangelical wizard voice, he intoned that the people of Haiti had brought this catastrophe on themselves by compacting with the Devil.

Rowe then quotes Robertson:

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about. They were under the heel of the French, you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.’ True story. And so the devil said, ‘Ok it’s a deal.’ And they kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got something themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after another.”

Jesus approached natural disasters radically different.  I think I like his approach better.

Luke 13:1-5

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?   No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

In the words of Dr. Moore, “Pat Robertson’s reported comments on Haiti are embarrassing, unhelpful, and counter-gospel. Jesus loves Haiti.”

According to the Washington Post,

The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the impoverished island nation Tuesday, leveling a hospital in the capital, severely damaging the U.N. headquarters and other buildings, and sending panicked residents into the streets.

In Port-au-Prince, Zelenka, the relief agency director, said that the walls of the CRS headquarters had collapsed but that the building was “only twisted” and that employees were able to get out safely. He said he hoped a contingent of more than 8,000 U.N. troops stationed in the country would be able to help by daybreak.

“Haiti is not used to earthquakes,” he said. “There is no earth-moving equipment available.”

Kristie van de Wetering, a former Oxfam employee still based in Port-au-Prince, described the situation as “very chaotic, with houses in rubble everywhere.”

“There is a blanket of dust rising from the valley south of the capital,” van de Wetering said. “We can hear people calling for help from every corner. The aftershocks are ongoing and making people very nervous.”

The quake hit about the time that children would be coming home from school, and it was not immediately known whether students had made it home by then or how their houses had fared in the long and powerful temblor.

In an interview with CNN from Port-au-Prince, eyewitness Michael Bazile described panic in a severely damaged city.

“Everybody is on the street. The traffic is jammed,” he said. “Everybody is yelling. They are praying. They are crying. Many houses are down. We really don’t know what’s going on. And every 30 minutes, we feel it again. We pray it’s over, but we don’t know.”

According to this live blog from Haiti,

Thousands of people are currently trapped. To guess at a number would be like guessing at raindrops in the ocean. Precious lives hang in the balance. When pulled from the rubble there is no place to take them for care Haiti has an almost non existent medical care system for her people.

When the quake hit it took many seconds to even process what was happening. The house was rocking back and forth in a way that I cannot even begin to describe.  It felt fake. It felt like a movie. Things were crashing all over the house. It felt like the world was ending. I do not know why my house stands and my children all lie sleeping in their beds right now. It defies logic and my babies were spared while thousands of others were not.

The horror has only just begun and I beg you to get on your knees – I truly mean ON YOUR KNEES and pray for the people of this country. The news might forget in a few days – but people will still be trapped alive and suffering. Pray. Pray. Pray. After that – PLEASE PRAY.

I thought I would pass along a few more thoughts/links/stories related to the Brit Hume issue.

First, in case you didn’t know, Hume stepped down from his full time job at Fox News a couple of years ago.  In a short interview (you can access the full interview here), he explained several reasons for his decision.  One reason was the gospel.  Hume stated,

I certainly want to pursue my faith more ardently than I have done. I’m not claiming it’s impossible to do when you work in this business. I was kind of a nominal Christian for the longest time. When my son died (by suicide in 1998), I came to Christ in a way that was very meaningful to me. If a person is a Christian and tries to face up to the implications of what you say you believe, it’s a pretty big thing. If you do it part time, you’re not really living it.

Second, the outcry in the media, although not at all surprising, is telling.

For instance, Tom Shales, writing for The Washington Post, lashed out at Hume in an article on Tuesday, entitled,
“Brit Hume’s off message: Have faith, Tiger Woods, as long as it’s Christianity.”  According to Shales,

In a way that many others had spoken of this particular faith, Hume seemed so bolstered by Christianity that he just had to go tell it on the mountain. And the golf course. And Fox news-talk shows.

Whatever his motivations, and however his statement regarding Woods reflected Hume’s own emotional turmoil, the remark will probably rank, even only a few days into January, as one of the most ridiculous of the year. It tends at the least to banish any wayward hopes that the looniness of the Bawdy Aughties is over; we’re not out of the woods, or the Woods, yet. Oh no, the madness will go on and on and on, at least until some sanctimonious busybody takes it upon himself to go even roguer than Hume.

If Hume’s remark is going to turn out to be a mere starting point, where in the name of all that’s holy (really holy, genuinely holy) is the finishing line going to find us? Or leave us?

Hume has a message for Woods; lots of people will have a message for Hume. First off, apologize. You gotta. Just say you are a man who is comfortable with his faith, so comfortable that sometimes he gets a wee bit carried away with it. If Hume wants to do the satellite-age equivalent of going door-to-door and spreading what he considers the gospel, he should do it on his own time, not try to cross-pollinate religion and journalism and use Fox facilities to do it.

Peter Wehner, over at National Review Online, replied to Shale’s article.  His response, Hume’s Gentle Witness, nails the problem on the head.

The intensity of offense taken at what Hume said is itself revealing. Perhaps it can partly be chalked up to shock; maybe Shales and Hume’s other critics are genuinely surprised to learn that those who hold the Christian faith do so because they believe the claims of Christ are true, that His story is real. But of course if Christians didn’t believe their faith were true, there would be no reason to embrace it, as the Apostle Paul himself understood.

Some people obviously disagree with Hume; that is certainly their right. They can offer a different remedy to Woods if they so desire. They may think that a commitment to materialism, or atheism, or pantheism, or something quite different, is what Woods needs. Or they may think what Woods did was not problematic, and that he should be free to indulge his appetites and passions. If so, let them make their case. But Hume, in the context of the discussion he was having, should be free to make his case. And one cannot help but think that if Hume had recommended that Woods embrace Transcendental Meditation, the philosophy of Deepak Chopra, or the New Age movement, instead of Christianity, Shales would not have been so offended.

I should add that when Christopher Hitchens, whom I like and whose company I enjoy, appeared on television shows promoting his book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, he was far more critical of Christianity than Hume was of Buddhism. Yet I don’t recall the Left saying that those criticisms were inappropriate for public debate. In fact, they weren’t — and neither are Hume’s words. Furthermore, those who are unnerved by Hume’s “sectarianism” were untroubled by the aggressive atheism of Hitchens.

Third, Christianity Today interviewed Hume.  You can read the entire interview here.

In this discussion about Tiger Woods, it seems as though some are offended that you would say something about Christianity specifically.

Instead of urging that Tiger Woods turn to Christianity, if I had said what he needed to do was to strengthen his Buddhist commitment or turn to Hinduism, I don’t think anybody would have said a word. It’s Christ and Christianity that get people stirred up.

Fourth, Dr. Albert Mohler did an entire radio show on this issue.  You can listen here.

Fifth, Michael Gerson’s article today in The Washington Post, “Brit Hume’s Tiger Woods remarks shine light on true intolerance,” is right on target.

I don’t know about you, but I am finding this Brit Hume story quite amazing.   If only we could all have this same vision for sharing the gospel!

Yesterday on WTOP New Radio, Hume made the following comment.

“Christianity is uniquely and especially about redemption and forgiveness. That is what the cornerstone of what the faith is about. Now other faiths aren’t hostile to the idea, but think of what the message of Christ and Christianity is. It is that the God of the universe sent His only begotten Son, who died a hideous death on the cross, to atone for all of our sins. And we are thereby offered through that act a new covenant in which we are offered forgiveness and redemption on a continuing basis in return for our faith in God and our continuing efforts to live the Christian life. That is a unique doctrine.”

Listen to it here.