Can I Get An Amen?!

I'm not one who generally likes hearing pastors get really worked up and loud while they're preaching, but after listening to the latest online sermon by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, I've got to say- I love the passion that this man exhibits in the pulpit! In preaching on 1 Peter 1, Mr. Driscoll gives hope to those who are enduring trials in their lives, pointing us not to health nor wealth, nor does he encourage us to "try harder", but rather to look to Jesus- the author and perfector of our faith. Words of caution: Just because your life doesn't seem to be collapsing doesn't mean you're not in the middle of a trial.

The Need for Christian Charity in the Midst of Economic Crisis

The latest issue of World Magazine has a short little article on Christian Charity (or lack thereof) and its witness to an unbelieving world. In the midst of the problems on Wall Street and Main Street, my prayer is that the body of Christ will give even more to the those who are truly in need and thus not only show mercy and compassion, but that it may also open the door for evangelism. One of our favorite charities is Blood: Water Mission. They can also be found on myspace. For local ministries, we are greatly encouraged by the work of Lifeline Pregnancy Crisis Center. May God richly bless the work of these two groups, and the countless others who are sharing the gospel of Christ in word and deed.

Salary Arbitration

Nowhere but in professional sports can someone's performance be so atrocious, yet still receive (on average for a first time eligible player) a salary increase that is five-fold. Case in point: In 2008, my beloved Atlanta Braves' right fielder, Jeff Francoeur, posted career-lows in batting average (.239), home-runs (11), and slugging percentage (.359), and in doing so collected a salary of $460,000. Granted, he is a good right fielder, who has won a gold glove and has led the majors in outfield assists since his major league debut. But, he has a tendency to be a rally killer who can not (or will not) take a walk. It got so bad last summer, that the Braves sent him to the minors to try to make the necessary adjustments at plate that needed to take place. Three days later, Francoeur was recalled, only to continue in the mire. And so despite his wretched performance in 2008, Mr. Francoeur is arbitration eligible, which means he will receive at least some kind of (very large) salary increase. The Braves have appearantly offered "Frenchy" $2.8million, while he is asking for $3.95million. I'm sure Mr. Francoeur is a classy guy, and I sincerely hopes he can find his way at the plate again, but I must say that I can only hope that my employer would be so generous to me should my work performance go into the tank...

Servants or Slaves?

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled "In Hard Times, Houses of God Turn to Chapter 11 in Book of Bankruptcy", in which the author points out the alarming trend of churches that, having taken on huge amounts of debt in order to purchase buildings, now find themselves filing for bankruptcy and, in some cases, facing foreclosure. What I find particularly troubling is not only the fact that this is happening, but that the body of Christ has put themselves in the position where they are carrying large debt. Sadly, the best defense I've read or heard is that the Bible does not prohibit borrowing and lending. True, Scripture does not condemn these actions as sinful. I would argue, however, that these principles are speaking to the individual or family- not to the corporeal body of Christ. We see that the Lord has put a higher standard on the leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3; James 3:1), and so any argument that the church should be able to borrow (as is permissible for the individual) does not hold water. The church of Christ has been called to proclaim the freedom that Christ brings from sin and bondage. As a matter of fact, one of the promises of God to His people was that in their obedience they would not have to borrow (Deut. 28:12). On the flip side, one of the covenant curses would be slavery to their debtor (Deut. 28:44). Please also see Deuteronomy 15:6.
Perhaps the greatest example we have in Scripture for the building of houses of worship comes in 1 Chronicles 29, where we see the covenant people of God being exhorted by King David to support his son in the building of the house of Yahweh. The chronicler reports that the people "rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD." (1 Chron. 29:9 ESV; see also Exodus 25 and Exodus 36:1-7). Likewise, we see this same joy in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Many in the church at Macedonia were enduring a "severe test of affliction", yet they helped in the relief of the saints by giving out of the one thing they did have-joy (coming from the grace of God)- despite the extreme poverty they were experiencing. In Acts 4, once again the work of God is being done out of the giving of His people-not through a third party. Not to sound redundant, but I think it is the biblical norm for the work of God to be done through the generous gifts of His people.
Two other comments on the church and large debt. First of all, the work of the church. As I noted above, the primary purpose of the body of Christ is to proclaim the liberty Christ offers. However, we are also called to care for the widow, orphan, and the needy. In normal (economical) times, the church has a hard enough time doing so- just take a look at the intrusion of the state and federal government in this area! In this economical meltdown, many assemblies are having a hard enough time paying their mortgage, let alone funding mercy ministries. I think that the restrictions placed upon the work of the church by building debt is a huge factor that, sadly, determines much of what she does. Unfortunately, I think this is often overlooked.
Second, in regards to the ECCU. My question in regard to this is this: IF a church has a loan through this organization and they end up being forclosed on, what kind of witness is this to the world?! Will the ECCU file a judicial forclosure? This is clearly forbidden by Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:1-11). Another problem with the ECCU lending to church bodies: interest. Yahweh makes it clear in passages such as Deuteronomy 23:19 and Exodus 22:25 that His covenant people were not to charge interest to their brothers. While the New Testament does not directly address this issue, I think it is safe to assume that the theme of giving out of love renders the idea of charging believers (or the church, as an "institution") interest unbiblical.
Forgoing the temptation to borrow a large amount of money for acquiring property will undoubtedly put the church in a difficult position. How will it handle growth as the Gospel prospers? Is she just "throwing away" money by renting? I believe that by being obedient unto her Lord, we can be a strong witness to the world, as evident in our uncompromising position on biblical mandates: unity (which can be exhibited by renting from other churches of a different stripe), love (provisions for widow, orphan, needy), and freedom from slavery. Perhaps we might even learn to give sacrificially, trusting in the God who purchased us with the blood of His only Son.