The Sanctity of Marriage

     One of the “hot button” issues in American politics today is the issue of gay marriage. It is, for supporters of the homosexual agenda, a major step in normalizing homosexuality in our culture. Supporters of gay marriage put forth the idea that marriage is a fundamental right that all Americans should be afforded and that limiting marriage to heterosexual couples is simply discrimination. They see it as a secular agreement that signifies mutual commitment and affords partners legal rights and protections. 

     Evangelical Christians have long held that marriage is far more. It is an institution created and
defined by God. It is, as we state in our Baptist Faith and Message, “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.” It provides the “framework for intimate companionship” and “the means for procreation of the human race.” Clearly we see marriage as being far more than just a secular agreement between two consenting adults. It is the foundational union on which the family is built.

     Given our lofty proclamations, it is more than a little concerning that Christian marriages don’t seem to be any different than any other marriages. One of the most embarrassing realities is that Born-Again Christians get divorced at the same rate as those who claim no faith at all. While we are not perfect, and we know divorces will occur within even the most devout body of believers, one would expect there to be some difference between divorce rates in the church and in the lost world. One study even showed that the divorce rate in Baptist churches was a little higher than the secular world

     I believe the problem is that while we say we believe that marriage is a holy union, in reality we don’t treat it as such. Beyond the gender limitations, we allow that anyone has the right to get married. After all, no one wants to deny a young girl her opportunity to don an elegant wedding gown and to walk down the center aisle of the church as her friends and family celebrate her moment. It often seems that more time, attention and preparation is given to the wedding than the marriage. Unfortunately, this is even the case in Christian marriages.

     Several years ago Tom Elliff while serving as Pastor at First Southern Baptist Church – Del City, found himself terribly burdened by the number of failed marriages he was seeing in his community. Believing that only Biblical, Christ centered marriages would stand a chance of success he made the decision not to marry couples without making sure that they were believers and that they intended to live their lives according to the principles of God's Word. He said, “I had to decide if I was going to marry everybody that came down the road or follow God's Word.” Elliff instituted five prerequisites that all couples must fulfill before he would consider performing the ceremony – 1) both must have a growing relationship with Christ, 2) they must be Scripturally free to marry, 3) they must have parental approval, 3) they must be debt free and, 5) it must be the right time. 

     Imagine if every pastor were to adopt such a standard. What would happen if we, as Christians were to teach our children God’s requirements for marriage and would lovingly decline to support ceremonies that were contrary to God’s commandments? The Bible does clearly limit marriage to heterosexual couples, but gender differentiation is not God’s only requirement. If we really believe that marriage is a sacred institution, we should begin to treat it as such.

In His Service,

Fast Food Worship

     As it is said that confession is good for the soul, I must now make a confession. A few years ago I….bought a “New Orleans style” shrimp po’boy from a fast-food franchise. There, I said it, it’s now out in the open. It was a poor decision and I have regretted it ever since. I hope you won’t think any less of me.

     I’m sure some are reading this and saying to yourself, “Huh?” Anyone who has ever had a real, genuine po’boy in New Orleans knows exactly why getting a po’boy anywhere else is such a
travesty. It’s like getting a Philly cheesesteak in Arkansas or New England clam chowder in Montana. It’s not that there is anything inherently wrong with these things, it’s just when you’ve been to the source and had the best – anything else is just “settling.” But then again, “settling” is a big part of our lives. Our society is based on settling and making compromises. We are w

illing to settle for less in one area to gain more in another. We are willing to sacrifice quality for convenience, speed and price. This truly is a Wal-Mart and McDonald’s world. But don’t blame them, they are just giving us what we want – convenience, speed and price.

     This trend has also affected the church. Multitudes are willing to sacrifice genuine worship and a genuine relationship with Christ for what is quick, convenient and requires little effort. What is truly unfortunate is that for many it’s all they know. They’ve never been to the foot of the cross or come face to face with Christ. They’ve never experienced genuine worship in the presence of the creator, so they settle for “good enough” because they have never tasted extraordinary. It’s a shame that so many people believe that corporate worship is nothing more than three hymns and a sermon. No wonder they are thinking about the buffet line half way through the invitation.

     When we gather for corporate worship we should be seeking a genuine worship experience in the presence of our God and Creator. We should be seeking His Spirit and longing for a life changing moment. I’m not referring to manufactured emotions or gimmicks, (that’s like trying to cover up a bad sandwich with a lot of condiments.) What I’m referring to is worshiping the Father in Spirit and in Truth. That’s what He desires and it’s what we should desire as well. We should leave worship closer to God than when we entered. We should leave loving Him more, with a greater desire to serve and please Him.

     So, why don’t we? Why has corporate worship become just “something we do on Sundays?” Well, the problem is certainly not with God, it’s with us. Remember, what we’re looking for is speed, convenience, and price. We want it fast; we want it when we want it and we don’t want to make a big investment. If we truly want to experience genuine worship, if we want to be changed then we must accept that it will be done on His terms, not ours. We must be willing to slow down; we must be willing to wait for Him and we must be willing to invest ourselves. Remember, while we may be willing to settle for less, God isn’t and He doesn’t. He doesn’t have to settle for quick, cheap and easy.

     Once we’ve experienced genuine worship with God, we won’t want to settle for anything less. We will ache for those moments in His presence. We won’t be willing to settle for fast food worship when we’ve tasted the real thing.

In His Service,

The Urban Challenge

     While no one can pinpoint the exact date, experts agree that 2008 was a pivotal moment in human history. It was in 2008 that the urban population of the world crossed the 50% mark. For the first time in history there are more people living in urban areas than in rural areas. In addition to this, the United Nations projects that by 2050 over 69% of the world’s population will reside in urban areas. This urban migration has produced mega-cities with populations that eclipse many countries in the world. In fact the 20 largest cities in the world are larger than 85% of the states in America. The population of Tokyo rivals the entire state of California, the largest state in the U.S.

     Urbanization is more than just the relocation of people. The urban environment presents challenges and opportunities that are far different than its rural counterpart. In dimension, cities are simply bigger, faster and louder – they are just more. While many can legitimately debate whether bigger really is better, there are some real advantages that come with economies of scale. It is highly unusual to find a first class medical center in a small town. Cities offer a wider variety of job and educational opportunities as well. Of course the downside is that cities also suffer from higher crime rates and increased levels of the moral decay that is so prevalent in the world today.

     Cities are not only bigger, they are also denser. People live much closer together. Where in rural areas it is not uncommon to have families separated by acres, in urban environments thousands often live in a few blocks. For example, the population density of Tokyo is 22,938 per square mile and New York, America’s largest city, is almost 17,000 people per square mile. Even with people living in such close proximity, urbanites often find themselves isolated – even in a crowd.

     Urban living also forces diverse populations together. While rural populations tend to be more homogenous and segregated, urban populations often find a wide variety of people groups living very close to one another. With varied backgrounds, ethnicities and even languages, personal biases lead to increased tensions.

     So, what does this mean for Christian missions? It means that we are going to have to rethink our model. For generations we have been captivated by the idea of taking the Gospel to the jungles and savannahs of the world. We romanticize the missionary who leaves the comforts of home to tell the primitive natives about Jesus and neglect urban masses. Even in America, the influence of Christianity is much greater in rural areas than in the inner cities. As a result, we are losing the cities of the world.

     The cities of the world have become places where too many Christians are hesitant to minister; much less live. There is too much crime, it is too dangerous, there is not enough space and the schools are not making the grade; there are plenty of reasons for Christians to stay away from the cities. However, we must remember that the fireman runs into the fire, not away from it.

     We live in an urban world and over the next 30 years it will become more so. If we, as Christians, are to fulfill Christ’s commission to make disciples of all nations, we must accept personal responsibility for the cities and urban centers of the world. How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?

In HIs Service,