Rebirth (Friday Devotional)

“Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

John 3:3-6

In just a few days, the baton will be passed from 2017 to 2018 and, arbitrarily but indisputably, people around the globe will seek rebirth. Whether with formal resolutions or not, most everyone enters the New Year reflecting upon the past year and hoping for something better in the days to come. We set new goals, we make promises to ourselves and others, we begin new programs—for many, January 1^st marks the beginning of “a whole new me.”

The New Year is a hopeful holiday for so many because we all fundamentally understand that we need rebirth, that transformation is necessary for us to become the best we can be. Whether physically, intellectually, vocationally, or relationally, each of us has gaps in our lives that need to be filled and weaknesses that need to be shored up. The New Year is the starting point for addressing those flaws by throwing all our efforts and plans and energy into the task of rebirth.

But Scripture reminds us that spiritual rebirth is not something we can accomplish ourselves. It is only by the grace of God in Jesus Christ that we can be “born from above,” only by “water and Spirit” that we can know God. Becoming a new, redeemed creation is something neither our words nor our works, neither our plans nor our programs can bring about. Only Jesus bring the hope, peace, joy, and love that our hearts cry out for.

If spiritual rebirth is something you long for in 2018, personally or corporately, you must first remember who bring it about. Individual rebirth doesn’t come from a reading plan or a prayer program. Church rebirth doesn’t come from a staff change or an infusion of new programs. National rebirth doesn’t come from elections or legislation. Ultimately, spiritual rebirth at every level comes not by your efforts, but by God’s grace. So in 2018, don’t pursue spiritual rebirth—rather, pursue the God who offers it.

Have To vs. Want To (Friday Devotional)

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

- Isaiah 9:6-7

There’s a big difference in how I approach cleaning the toilet versus cleaning my car. When I approach the toilet bowl, brush in one hand and Clorox in the other, I do so with a wrinkled nose and a question guiding the process: how quickly can I do this and it still be considered acceptable? Finishing the job brings no satisfaction or pride, only relief. If I never had to clean the toilet again, I’d be a happy man.

But when I clean my car, the process is much more deliberate—and much more fun. I take the time to organize my glove box and console, I vacuum out every nook and cranny, and I even wipe off any smudges on the hubcaps. When the job is done, I can’t help but admire how shiny and new the car looks. For that moment of satisfaction alone, I’d wash my car once a week if time and money allowed it.

Though ultimately the two tasks boil down to the same principle—cleaning something dirty—my attitude is distinctly different depending on whether I’m cleaning my toilet or my car. The reason is simple: one is something I have to do and the other is something I want to do.

During Advent, we celebrate a different kind of cleanup job, the redemptive sending of Christ into our fallen world to establish God’s kingdom. Isaiah 9 offers us a prophetic vision of that kingdom, a reign in which there will be “endless peace,” upheld with justice and righteousness forever by the one who is called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

It is a vision full of hope, but perhaps the most encouraging note of all comes at the end of verse 7: “the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” This tells us that God sent His Son not out of a begrudging sense of obligation, nor because someone twisted His arm to do so. God sent us salvation because He wanted to see us rescued, because He wanted us to know Him and love Him. When the Word became flesh and lived among us, it was not because He had to, but because He wanted to.

As you seek to live in obedience to the God of your salvation, it is worth considering how zealous your discipleship is. Forgiving those who wrong you, caring for those in need, giving of yourself for the benefit of others—are these things you do because you think you have to, or because you want to? Are you truly loving God and loving people, or just going through the spiritual motions? This season is full of opportunities to give, serve, and rejoice—may you do so in the spirit of the Savior, loving not because you have to, but because you want to. 

Cleaning Up Messes (Friday Devotional)

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

- Matthew 5:9

I never have to wonder when my one-year-old son is finished eating. We’re working on teaching him sign language for “all done,” but in the mean time he’s come up with his own sign: he starts throwing his food on the ground. There’s no malice to it, but I’ll admit that it never ceases to annoy me—after all, once he’s gotten his message across that he’s finished, he gets to crawl around and play. As the responsible adult, I’m left to pick up his crumbs and scrub the floor. And the sticky mess that took him just a few seconds to create usually takes me several minutes to wipe away.

No doubt about it, it’s faster, more immediately gratifying, and more entertaining to make a mess than to clean one up, a truth that applies to far more than throwing food. As much as we claim to desire peace in our lives, conflict just comes more naturally. There’s an instant enjoyment that comes from lobbing bombs at your opposition and putting them in their place. Given the choice between stoking conflict or seeking reconciliation, between waging war and pursuing peace, there’s no question which is easier.

But easier isn’t always better. Shouting down an opponent may shut them up, but it also eliminates any chance at constructive dialogue. Punches and counterpunches win fights, but never friends. Even when retaliation is just, it’s never healing. So Jesus commends those who pursue the harder road of forgiveness and reconciliation, saying that peacemakers will be blessed as “children of God.”

In this Advent season, we are reminded that Jesus came not only preaching peace, but embodying it, from Bethlehem to Calvary. Every time that violence or vengeance seemed to provide a clear path to an earthly kingdom, Jesus insisted on the narrow path to God’s kingdom. Even when it cost him his life, Jesus refused to hate and hurt the lost—because his mission was to seek and to save them.

So as you rejoice with the angel chorus, praising God and praying for “peace on earth and goodwill toward men,” may you do your part to make such peace a reality, even when doing so is difficult. It takes far more strength to bear a cross than to bear arms—but those who dare to find that strength are truly children of God.

The Perfect Christmas (Friday Devotional)

“As it is written: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one.””

- Romans 3:10

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

- Romans 3:23

My Advent wreath, as you can see, isn’t perfect.

That’s not for lack of effort, you understand. Since our son was born ten days before Christmas last year, this month marks the first opportunity for Lindsey and me to celebrate Advent with him, to introduce the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love that accompany the birth of Christ. And we want to do it right, so we decided we needed an Advent wreath so that we could light the candles at home just like we do on Sunday mornings with our church family.

After making the rounds at Mardel, Hobby Lobby, and Michael’s, I learned that Advent wreaths apparently aren’t something you buy ready-made (at least not in Waco). So we resolved to make our own. Easy enough, I assumed—you get a wreath, some candles, and voila…instant Advent wreath.

I ran into my first snag when, after returning to the aforementioned stores, I learned that purple candles (the ones used for the first, second, and fourth weeks Sundays of Advent) are apparently pretty rare. Had I wanted pink, green, blue, white, brown, or even black candles, I’d have had no problem, but purple candles eluded my grasp. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself not to be legalistic about this tradition and settled for red candles.

But when I got home, wreath and candles in tow, Lindsey asked what my plan was for mounting those candles. “We’ll just stick them in the wreath, right?” I asked. Her raised eyebrow told me all I need to know about that plan’s viability.

So Monday night (already almost two days into the Advent season by now), I came home from Hobby Lobby with four glass candle holders and triumphantly plunged one of the red candles into its holder…only to discover that it didn’t fit, at least not perfectly. The candle was in no danger of falling over, but neither would it stand straight up. It just sort of lazily leaned against the holder like a worker on a smoke break.

But with Advent already in full swing (and with me refusing to walk through Hobby Lobby’s doors for a fourth time), we decided our slapdash wreath would have to work. And so it rests on our bookshelf, each candle doing its best impression of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Our wobbly, discolored wreath is far from perfect—but it occurs to me that its flaws may actually help tell the story of why God sent His Son in the first place.

After all, Jesus did not come to save perfect people. Jesus came to bind up the wounded, to restore the broken, and to forgive the sinners—as he once put it, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. None of us, on our own merits, is worthy to even stand in the presence of Almighty God.

Yet at this time of year, perfection seems to be the goal in so many areas. We want to get the perfect gifts for our family members, friends, and coworkers. We want to have perfectly decorated homes. We want to host perfect holiday parties. We want, in general, the perfect Christmas. But take a lesson from my Advent wreath: Christmas is not about your perfection, it’s about His.

November Reading Log

Not as much reading this month due to some busy weekends and more responsibilities at church, but I still managed to get through a couple of big books, a couple of smaller ones, and some interesting articles. Take a look!

4 Articles I Like This Month

Roger Goodell Has a Jerry Jones Problem and Nobody Knows How It Will End by Don Van Natta, Jr. and Seth Wickersham, ESPN the Magazine. 23 minutes.

An investigative piece about the conflict (still brewing) between two of my least favorite people in professional sports. For any NFL fan wondering what drove one of the most powerful owners in pro sports to take on the commish, here are your answers.

I Want to Persuade You to Care About Other People by Danielle Tcholakian, Longreads. 23 minutes.

A thoughtful response to a Huffington Post thinkpiece, "I Don't Know How To Explain To You That You Should Care About Other People," that went viral after the 2016 presidential election. In a nation frighteningly divided along partisan lines, is there room for listening, honest debate, and persuasion? The author of this article makes her case for trying, even when so many refuse to. Written from the perspective of a liberal, but absolutely applicable for readers on either side of the aisle.

Pearls Before Breakfast: Can One of the Nation's Greatest Musicians Cut Through the Fog of a D.C. Rush Hour? Let's Find Out. by Gene Weingarten, The Washington Post Magazine. 30 minutes.

A fascinating article I ran across from 2007 in which the Post conducted an experiment: they took a world-class violinist playing world-class music on a world-class violin, put him in a crowded Metro station, and waited to see who would stop to pay attention. The results, analyzed from every angle imaginable, may surprise you, and will definitely make you ask this question: in your busy life, are you willing to let beauty stop you in your tracks?

Hall of Fame articles by Jay Jaffe, Si.com. Average 15 minutes

Ok, I cheated on this one; this is a series of articles, not just one. Every year, baseball writers across the country spill plenty of ink (whether real or digital) over the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, debating which candidates deserve induction. For my money, no one does it better than Sports Illustrated's Jay Jaffe, inventor of the JAWS system which statistically compares candidates to current Hall of Famers in an effort to determine whether a given candidate would raise or lower the Hall's standard. Jaffe writes a detailed article about every single player on the ballot, from the shoo-ins (Chipper Jones) to the guys who will fall off the ballot without receiving a vote (Kevin Millwood). Can't recommend his analysis enough for those, like me, who get irrationally worked up about the Hall of Fame.

ANYWAY ANYTIME ANYWHERE: THIRTY YEARS OF TEXAS BAPTIST MEN MINISTRY by Ken Camp and Orville Scott

When a tornado devastated Moore, Oklahoma in 2013, NBC was one of the numerous media organizations that sent its journalists to chronicle the destruction. During a broadcast of NBC Nightly News, reporter Harry Smith made a remarkable observation to anchor Brian Williams: "As you and I have seen in so many different places in this country, if you’re waiting for the government, you’re going to be in for an awful long wait. The Baptist men, they’re going to get it done tomorrow."

Anyway Anytime Anywhere celebrates and describes the first 30 years of ministry by those Baptist men, specifically the Texas Baptist Men, a nonprofit organization most famous for its disaster relief ministries. Whether prompted by earthquakes in Mexico, hurricanes in Florida, or famine in North Korea--yes, North Korea--Texas Baptist Men has gone all over the globe since 1968 to purify water, cook meals, clear rubble, build homes and churches, and share the gospel. And both the world and the kingdom of God are richer for their efforts.

Anyway Anytime Anywhere shows how much the organization grew in its first 30 years and how many different areas of ministry Texas Baptist Men was and is involved in. While most notable for its disaster relief efforts, I learned from the book that TBM is also involved in water ministry, church renewal, prison ministry, and many other areas. Where other nonprofit organizations and denominational entities have bogged down in politics (institutional or national), financial quagmires, and all sorts of other troubles, TBM has been a shining light in the Baptist world, beloved by virtually everyone for their commitment to being the hands and feet of Christ.

As for the book itself, well, you should definitely buy a copy and read it. Why? 1) Proceeds go to support the ministries of TBM. 2) It's interesting to track the progression of TBM from a small, well-meaning group of retirees to the well-oiled task force it is now. 3) The author's a pretty great guy. Like, really, really great.

I'm making an effort to learn more about Texas Baptists this year, and reading Anyway Anytime Anywhere was an excellent part of that education. I'd recommend it to fellow pastors and laypeople who respect and are interested in TBM.

RADICAL: TAKING BACK YOUR FAITH FROM THE AMERICAN DREAM by David Platt

One of the more influential evangelical books of the last decade, Radical makes the case that the American Dream has watered down, distorted, and choked out the gospel in the hearts of many Christians, and that the American church must change if it is going to make an impact on the world. While flawed, it's a book worth checking out for any Bible Belt Christian.

First, the good. David Platt, a megachurch pastor and now the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, writes with prophetic zeal about America's culture of consumerism and how it is slowly killing the church. Echoing the arguments of people like Shane Claiborne and Brennan Manning, Platt argues that a Christian who drives a fancy car, attends a fancy megachurch like his, and has a healthy retirement fund, yet devotes no time, attention, or money to the poor and the lost is not being obedient to the call of the gospel. Evangelical culture makes faith all about you even though Jesus brought a gospel all about others, and Platt is not afraid to call out this hypocrisy. In reading his critique of American culture, especially American evangelical culture, I found myself nodding along with virtually everything he said.

His solution, however, needs work. Essentially, he wants to see every Christian become an international missionary. I'm oversimplifying, but not by a lot. Platt wants to see every Christian foster children, sell their possessions, go overseas annually, etc.—and while these are admirable things to which every Christian should give serious consideration, he doesn't have much grace for the legitimate reasons some people cannot do these things. His assumption, essentially, is that every Christian reading his book is the Rich Young Ruler— and while many probably are (more than would admit it), his solutions only apply to this group.

Overall, Radical paints with a broad brush, something that works when he's hammering the problem but becomes problematic when he's crafting a solution. This book is a good rallying cry to those in a spiritual stupor, but it's not a universal prescription to snap them out of that haze. I recommend it, but as always when reading or hearing someone's interpretation of the Bible, pray for the Holy Spirit to help you discern what's truth and what's opinion.

THE BULLY PULPIT: THEODORE ROOSEVELT, WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF JOURNALISM by Doris Kearns Goodwin

The Progressive Era that began the 20th century was an important period in American history, a time in which the federal government adapted itself to the needs of a suddenly industrial nation by busting trusts which had become monopolies, regulating industries in the name of public safety, and codifying workers' rights into law. This era had many catalysts, but Doris Kearns Goodwin pinpoints three in particular: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the "muckraking" journalists at McClure's magazine. The result is an interesting, if occasionally disconnected, look at the rise and fall of a movement.

Goodwin's treatment of the relationship between Roosevelt and Taft is its most fascinating narrative. Unbeknownst to me, the two shared a close friendship before Roosevelt was ever thrust into the White House, one that ultimately culminated in Taft becoming his Secretary of War and then handpicked successor to the presidency. The relationship ultimately soured during Taft's presidency, however, as Roosevelt grew disappointed by what he regarded as Taft's failure to carry on the Progressive legacy. In the end, Roosevelt ran against his former friend in the 1912 election, first in the Republican primary and then the general election, thereby essentially handing the presidency to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt and Taft's relationship is almost Shakespearean in its highs and lows, and Goodwin writes about it compellingly.

Similarly, her account of the "muckraking" journalists of the era is an interesting and underrated story. Giving attention almost exclusively to the cadre of journalists at McClure's magazine, she explains their importance and tells their personal stories in a way that makes you, the reader, feel like you knew them personally. Especially interesting is Sam McClure, the magazine publisher with a genius eye for talent and the eccentricities to match. By the time you finish the book, you have no doubt of their importance to the Progressive Era.

The book's only failure is in connecting all the dots. Is it a book about the history of the Progressive Era? About Roosevelt and Taft's relationship? About groundbreaking writers in a "golden age of journalism?" Yes to all three, and as you might imagine, connecting all those dots is a herculean task. Sometimes Goodwin succeeds, but not quite often enough. Nevertheless, if you regard it as three different stories with loose ties to one another (instead of demanding it be one narrative), those stories are well told. This isn't her best book, but you can't really go wrong with the Notorious D.K.G.

ESSENTIAL MARVEL HORROR VOL. 1 by Various

Sometimes I wonder who at Marvel was responsible for determining what stories were "essential" when they starting putting these compilations out. The earliest adventures of Spider-Man? Yeah. The X-Men stories of the late-1970s and early 1980s? Of course. Even some of the weaker Silver Age stories, like the early adventures of Ant-Man, Iron Man, and the Human Torch, deserved to be preserved simply because of the importance of those characters and the need to preserve some of their earliest appearances. But somebody really missed the boat when they decided we needed Essential Marvel Horror Vol. 1.

This large, black-and-white volume contains all of the Bronze Age stories of two sibling characters, Daimon Hellstrom and Satana, both children of Satan himself. In the case of Daimon, the Son of Satan, his patronage makes him a Dr. Jekyll-like figure, an exorcist struggling with the demonic side of himself, which fills him with both great power and great rage. Satana, on the other hand, is a succubus, a mostly evil devil-human hybrid who consumes people's souls like a vampire does blood.

If my descriptions make those characters sound terrifying or compelling, don't worry—they're neither. Daimon's adventures follow the Dr. Strange model; he's basically a superhero whose powers come from the supernatural realm instead of the scientific. Unlike Dr. Strange, however, he is not a very interesting character—he's cold, his supporting cast is boring, and other than his famous dad, his villains aren't particularly interesting. Satana yields better results (partly because her stories came in a Marvel adults-only horror magazine instead of a traditional comic book), but was equally doomed by weak characterization, bad writing, and boring villains.

In the end, both of these characters are pretty clear efforts by Marvel to capitalize on the 1970s occult fad, and as usual when companies start with an eye on the money instead of the idea, the characters never go anywhere particularly interesting. My dad never would have allowed me to buy this book as a child, and while I would have whined about it then, now I would thank him for it—not because the stories are offensive (they couldn't be more banal), but because they're bad. Far from Essential reading.

Truth That Abides (Friday Devotional)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

- Mark 13:31

Just over two months ago, ground broke on Globe Life Field, the roofed, air-conditioned, publicly funded baseball palace that will serve as the home of the Texas Rangers beginning in 2020. The groundbreaking was celebrated by many, from players to front office staff to, especially, fans, all of whom excitedly anticipated the day when Globe Life Park, the Rangers’ home for the past 23 years, would be replaced with a shinier new model.

I was not and am not one of those excited fans. For one thing, I don’t think Globe Life Park has reached its expiration date yet—it may not measure up to some of the newest ballparks in the majors, but it’s still in fine condition, nowhere near the decrepitude of Tampa Bay or Oakland’s pitiful stadiums. Secondly, count me out of the group celebrating the roof and air conditioning. Baseball is the one professional sport still played outside by the majority of teams, and, while it may make me old-fashioned, I like it that way. Playing indoors is certainly more comfortable, but it’s also more sterile and commercial, and for me that takes away from the pastoral magic of America’s oldest game. (Note: I’m fully aware that I’ll probably change my mind on this point the first time I go to a July game in the new ballpark.) Finally, while I know the Houston Astros are the toast of the state right now, this Rangers fan can’t help but be annoyed by how similar our new stadium will look to the home our cross-state rivals.

But the truth is that none of these reasons are really why I’m disappointed about the new ballpark. The real reason is nostalgia. I grew up going to games at the current ballpark, with its red brick exterior, bad parking, gigantic escalators, and right field Jumbotron. It’s where I learned the rules of the sport, where I saw my favorite players make their mark, and, yes, where I sweated profusely in the Texas sun, summer after summer. I always assumed my kids would grow up watching games in the same place. I knew “The Ballpark” (as I’ve called it since childhood) wouldn’t last forever…but I always sort of hoped it would.

There are certain fundamental things we take for granted in this world, things we assume will always be there, from the air we breathe to the ground we walk on to, sure, the ballparks we frequent every summer. We rely upon these things for some sort of continuity from day to day; we depend on them to anchor us in a world rife with unreliability and inconsistency. But the truth is that everything, from buildings to institutions to people, passes away eventually; nothing is forever. Nothing, that is, except the Word of God. “Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus said (a point echoed in the final chapters of Revelation), “but my words will not pass away.”

Every day, consciously or unconsciously, you choose what foundations you will build your life upon. Are you building on the shifting sands of career, or family, or health? Or is your life governed by the only thing that will remain when everything else fades away? In a world that changes daily, a world where the one thing that is truly dependable is undependability, only the words of Christ—his commands, his warnings and his encouragements—abide eternally. Don’t rely upon the unreliable or depend on the temporary—place your faith in that which endures forever.