Which Bible - Paper or Electronic?

I have noticed in traveling and in my local church more use of electronic Bibles during small groups and corporate times. From phones to iPads I am seeing more people reaching for their chosen gadget during preaching and teaching times. It has got me to thinking. As we move forward in the arena of electronics and we grow in using them, how will this play out in the church?

First, is the increase of electronic Bibles seen by you in your church? Do you use technology in your teaching and preaching? Is there a limit? Why?

Second, is something lost when students in a small group make use of their electronic gizmos instead of a paper Bible? Why?

Now before we jump to answers I think it is important for those answering to also share their own use of electronic Bibles in their personal and study life. I for one use both electronic and paper. I have noticed that with the iPhone and iPad, I am using more electronic than I ever dreamed or thought I would. I love it in studying and being able to keep my place with all open sources. I use Logos. I use power points etc. in services.

But the whole scenario has got me to thinking.

I preach and teach out of a paper Bible. This is my preferred form. I have used my iPhone on occasion for chapel type services. I used a Palm several years ago - it was NOT as easy as my iPhone. I plan on doing some teaching from my iPad in the near future and actually will use it when conducting a "stump the preacher" time of questions - it will help me!

Lately though I have been pondering the positives and the negatives to the increased use of electronic Bibles as the norm in church. In my small group of couples under the age of 40 (for the most part) I have noticed this increase lately. Nothing occurred that highlighted it. It is just the way my mind works and has really got me to thinking.

So, I thought I would ask here and see what others are thinking or if they even have thought about this use of the Bible. Are you seeing the same thing? What are your thoughts?

Fire away! I will share my own conclusions later in the week.

It takes the right vision - Church and Big Decisions

In what today seems like years ago I learned a lesson that I have never forgotten. Vision is easy. But the right vision is never easy! In leading a church this may be the most difficult lesson of all to apply. And I am still learning this lesson with every day that passes. Vision in itself is exciting and prioritizing. But Vision can also be the downfall of one's ministry; personally and corporately.

Getting the right vision and seeing the vision realized requires many smaller visions to complete. Beginning with implementation one's vision can can either shine or go bust. This has become one the BIG stumbling blocks in our day. When a leader and team begin to understand the vision that God gives, excitement often leads to a premature roll out and careless neglect of time for growth among the people. We force when we ought to grow. We forget that it took time for God to get His vision in our hearts and thus time for others to grasp from the Lord is equally required.

Odd to me is the growing and promoted idea that I often hear from Pastors that church members need to follow the vision of the leadership. Little emphasis is given to the sharing of the vision and the depth needed in the sharing process. A leader must lead. Forcing and pushing is NOT leadership. In our recent events, we actually were forced to go slow due to negotiations and availability of land. Yet when the time came, much effort was placed and time was further extended to allow for the sharing and grasping of the vision by the people. No one on our staff but me had ever been involved in this type of presentation and I will be the first to admit that I humanly struggled with the idea of taking more time. I was eager. My staff was eager. Three years of hunting and working had passed. The lay leaders where chomping at the bit. Two votes by the church had already occurred to allow the search and to spend the funds for due diligence. It was easy to jump to the conclusion that there had been enough time and enough talk. Just get it done was often the thought running through my head! But that approach could have (would have) killed what God desired.

I listened a few weeks ago to Dr. Ronnie Floyd share the story of how the name change occurred in Springdale to Cross Church. In his presentation to the church he stated the fact that he himself was the one to slow the change down. That was refreshing. Timing and roll out must never be over looked. Lay leaders may be on board (as ours were - all 54) but still the whole of the congregation needs time. The vision must be refined and often the laity are Gods tool for refinement.

Transparency and understanding require work and patience. I wonder why we in leadership so easily skip over the multiple verses in the Bible that explain these traits. Even Galatians makes it clear that long suffering is one quadrant of the Fruit of the Spirit. I learned during this latest process that patience just might be one of the biggest issues we Pastors face. The battle within me waged daily over moving quickly. Discussions with leaders and all laity were almost redundant to me. The pull of Satan to trip me up at this point was for me a major struggle. It helped to refresh my spirit in the area of spiritual warfare and it reminded me that as a leader, it really does rise and fall at the top.

We took the time to make sure all were included and had ample opportunity to hear, experience, pray and seek the Will of God. We knew we could accomplish what was needed. But more important to us as a staff and key lay leaders was the understanding that a church is all about God and His work in the lives of people. We had no choice but to give Him time to work. The result was an incredible move of God that no man could produce. Is that not what it is suppose to be like?

Our smaller visions in presentations, time to absorb, question and answer sessions, and most of all prayer times bore a peaceful, spiritual atmosphere that resulted in the big vision being overwhelming approved with little negative. No one has left the church mad. No one has been cut out. No one has been told to "trust us". God is working and as a result we are seeing people saved and joining His church during a time that many hide out in fear waiting for the implosion.

Remember, this church had built nothing, done upkeep on little, and had little hope of survival for over 57 years. There was history of "bad" meetings over smaller things. This church is what many young Pastors speak of in ultra negative tones and descriptions. I was even told NOT to take the position. Yet in the last 4 years it has now begun a new contemporary service, leased and shared the old facilities with another church of another denomination, over hauled the Children's Ministry and now voted to relocate - none of which were on the radar at all 4 1/2 years ago. Only God could do what has occurred here. And for that I more than thankful!

Next post: God's Vision is People!

Transparency, Church, and Big Decisions

For over 20 years I have ministered in great churches with great people. From being a Pastor to serving as an adviser, I have witnessed many situations and many challenges in churches attempting to do major things in the kingdom. I have watched as some of these situations have been peaceful and some have been NOT so peaceful. I have read all I could find on "how to" and what to do". Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that what I am about to share would occur.

Recently, our church finished a 6 year journey (that began before my arrival) dealing with a building issue. The church has not done anything building wise etc. for more than 57 years. Very few of the church family have ever been through a building program - much less a Capital Campaign. The whole idea was scary for most if not all. The possibilities of Satan creating a huge mess were very real and easy to see. At risk was the very fact that though buildings etc. had not occurred (nor much upkeep due to expense), missions and ministry had flowed freely and generously for years. Multiple nations have been touched by the church family with money and actual people on the ground. Nine have surrendered to ministry within the past 15 months. Indeed much was at stake with this journey. The reality that time was running out and no examples of similar situations succeeding made this journey an adventure.

The study and conclusions that were reached over the 6 years called for the purchase of property and relocation of the ministry. The task was not easy and the project is long from completion. But the first few steps have been one to write about. Over the course of the next few posts I plan to share some insight into common thought applied to this particular situation. Remember, for over 57 years this church has not built anything in regard to buildings. Important to note is that this church is currently in the inner city. Also revealing is that less than 10 couples can be found in the age bracket range of 40 to 60. This church should not be doing what it is indeed doing. This church should be closing down shop. It is not a church that many young Pastors would consider worthy of their interest. But what this church has accomplished to date and how it accomplished it speaks loud and clear in a day of perception oriented reality that is often very off base.

While many are writing these churches off, I believe this church is actually a pace setter for what can and should be occurring all over America with the right spirit, approach and patience. Maybe the greatest reality of this situation is that others will be inspired by it. Many of our churches today are identical to this one. Many of our churches today lack encouragement to do what this church found the courage to do even while others said "NO WAY!"

I pray this story will be an encouragement!

Next Post: It takes the right vision!

How far can we run away or ...

The more I read and the more I listen to some of today's top promoted speakers and preachers the more I hear the issues being promoted or addressed from a very strange position. It appears that people are desiring to see just how far they can go and still be "holy". This is a strange thing to me. Are we not taught that each of us is to pursue maturity in our spiritual life?

In fact the words of Romans 12: 1 keep coming back to me;

"present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God..."

Why are we leaving this command out of our teaching and pursuits spiritually? Is it an accident or is it more? From discussions of alcohol to anything else people love to claim their freedoms. There is no doubt that we are free in Christ. We must not forget the following words of our Lord;

John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed .

The problem is that this freedom does not grant nor allow for sinful practices. I think Paul made it clear when he wrote to the Romans;

Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"

In my last post I mentioned some questions that we should ask each day relating to our decisions and choices. I post them again:

1. What would Jesus do?
2. Is my life clean before the Lord?
3. Do I base right and wrong on my opinions and preferences or ...?
4. Do I base right and wrong solely on the Word of God?
5. Do my actions cause people to stumble?
6. Is Christ being lived out in all I think, say and do?
7. Am I being honest with God?

If only more of today's promoted speakers and preachers would remember these when writing and teaching. If only our Seminary Professors would teach from this foundation instead of the thought of seeing how far I can go and not get into trouble. Maybe I am not in touch with modern thought. Come to think of it, I would pray that I care more about being in tune with the Holy God above all else including modern thought. I pray a couple of our seminaries and their personnel will find this same heart in their writings and topics used in their speaking.

How far will run before someone says "let's get back to the Word of God and living it?

The Danger of Organized Religion

For the past couple of weeks I have heard the phrase "organized religion" used in a derogatory way more than 20 times at the least. The use of the term is always in a negative sense. The more I have thought about this phrase and the negative use of it, the more I have come to realize just how misleading and misunderstanding the use is.

Misleading:

There is no such thing as organized religion. The Biblical definition of religion is found in the simple phrase "visit the widows and orphans in their time of need..."- James 1: 27 Why this phrase ignores this may explain much about the person using it and the intent to discredit the authority of Churches in their lives than it serves as an indictment of churches. The use also implies that some organization has done something to the person or at a minimum left a bad taste in their mouth.

Misunderstanding:

Since we know that the phrase is NOT an accurate description of biblical churches, we must look at the lack of understanding that many have concerning the role of churches and the people that are actually a church.

Clarification:

People make up the church. It is people who either do the will of God or go against the will of God. Sometimes those people do go against the Word of God and the Will of God as an organized body. But it still comes down to people.

Need:

What is needed now more than ever is for people who claim Jesus as Lord of their life to actually lived surrendered to His Will. The following questions may assist us in living out the greatest need of our day:

1. What would Jesus do?
2. Is my life clean before the Lord?
3. Do I base right and wrong on my opinions and preferences or ...?
4. Do I base right and wrong solely on the Word of God?
5. Do my actions cause people to stumble?
6. Is Christ being lived out in all I think, say and do?
7. Am I being honest with God?

The above will help all of us to put an end to the confusion of those who do not understand and lead us to reach the lost in our world! Can we try it together?

More thoughts later!

Dr. Akin on Alcohol

The following was written by Dr. Akin of SEBTS. It is a wonderful read on the subject of Christians and alcohol use. I encourage it's reading and sharing. The growing number of Christians being trapped with the use of alcohol is costing much more than the freedom to partake is worth. Wisdom is applied here with sound Biblical support. The heart of one who loves people is felt in the words of this post.

Enjoy!

Written by Dr. Akin

I readily confess to a personal bias when it comes to the issue of alcohol. My wife Charlotte grew up in the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home because her parents were alcoholics. Her father died a lost alcoholic. Her mother, by God’s grace, was saved on her death bed. Her body had been ravaged by the twin killers of alcohol and tobacco. Today her sister and brother are lost alcoholics as is most of the rest of her family. My sister Joy and her husband Kevin King adopted a daughter born with fetal alcohol syndrome. She began life with two strikes against her through no fault of her own.

Today there are more than 40 million problem drinkers in America. Alcohol is the number one drug problem among teenagers. One in three American families suspects that one or more family members have a drinking problem. Misuse of alcohol costs our nation $100 billion a year in quantifiable cost. Because of these experiences and many more, I have often said that even if I were not a Christian I would have nothing to do with alcohol. There is simply too much sorrow and heartache connected to it. Avoiding this devastating drug is simply the wise thing to do.

This year at our Convention we again passed a resolution calling for abstinence from alcohol. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, but it did generate significant debate both during and after the Convention. Some have accused those supporting the resolution of being pharisaical and legalistic, traditionalist and anti-biblical. It is said that we fail to understand Christian liberty and freedom, and that we even stand against Jesus. These are strong accusations from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. However, are they correct? Are those like myself who believe abstinence to be the best lifestyle choice really guilty of these charges? Let me respond as graciously and kindly as I possibly can, explaining why I hold the position I do. I share my heart with no malice or ill will toward anyone, but from a desire to honor the Lord Jesus, and to protect others from the evils alcohol has visited on so many.

We should remember from a Baptist perspective that there are historical precedents for affirming abstinence. In 1886 Southern Baptists issued their first resolution on alcohol. Since then there have been almost 60 resolutions that in a united voice have addressed the risk of alcohol and the wisdom of abstinence. For 120 years Southern Baptists have made clear their stand on this issue. Individual Baptists no doubt continue to take a drink as they had before 1886, but the Southern Baptist Convention as a whole has been crystal clear on where it stands for a long time. I am confident that our forefathers understood the issue of Christian liberty as they passed these resolutions. I am grateful for this tradition. I believe we should continue it.

There are moral reasons for affirming abstinence. John Piper teaches the wisdom of abstinence because alcohol can be a mind-altering drug, and it can be addictive. It does not help one in doing the will of God and can genuinely be a hindrance. Further, he notes “the carnage of alcohol abuse” and therefore chooses to boycott such a product. He then adds, “is it really so prudish, or narrow to renounce a highway killer, a home destroyer, and a business wrecker.” Some questions are in order and deserve an answer. Does alcohol make me a better person? Does alcohol draw me closer to God? Does alcohol help me run the race faithfully to the end (Heb. 12:1-2)?

Some respond by saying the issue is not abstinence but moderation. They draw an analogy to both eating and sex. There is however a significant difference. We must eat to live. We must engage in sex to procreate. Alcohol is not a necessity for life or good living.

I am in total agreement with my spiritual hero Adrian Rogers who said, “Moderation is not the cure for the liquor problem. Moderation is the cause of the liquor problem. Becoming an alcoholic does not begin with the last drink, it always begins with the first. Just leave it alone.” My friend James Merritt wisely says, “It is impossible to be bitten by a snake that you never play with.” Alcoholism cannot strike unless it is given the opportunity. That potential becomes real with the first drink that one takes.

There are biblical reasons for practicing abstinence. Let me quickly note several. 1) It is consistent with the principle of edification (1 Cor. 6:12). Alcohol does not build you up or make you better for Jesus. Avoiding it ensures you will not harm yourself with it. 2) It is consistent with the principle of refusing that which enslaves (1 Cor. 6:12). Alcohol is a drug that can impair the senses and has a potential addictive element. Like addictive pornography, it should be avoided at all cost. 3) It is consistent with the ethic of love for believers and unbelievers alike (1 Cor. 8:13; 9:19-22; 10:32-33).

Because I am an example to others, I will make certain no one ever walks the road of sorrow called alcoholism because they saw me take a drink and assumed, “if it is alright for Danny Akin, it is alright for me.” No, I will choose to set an uncompromising example of abstinence because I love them. 4) I will seek my joy and filling in the Spirit not in alcohol. I love the Phillips translation of Ephesians 5:18 which reads, “Don’t get your stimulus from wine (for there is always the danger of excessive drinking), but let the Spirit stimulate your souls.” Psalm 4:7-8 adds, “You [O Lord] have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” 5) It is true Jesus drank wine, and I am sure I would have had I lived in the first century. However, there is no evidence that he ever partook of “strong drink.”

As Bob Stein has carefully documented, “The term “wine” or oinos in the ancient world, then, did not mean wine as we understand it today but wine mixed with water… To consume the amount of alcohol that is in two martinis by drinking wine containing three parts water to one part wine [a fairly common ancient ratio], one would have to drink over twenty-two glasses. In other words, it is possible to become intoxicated from wine mixed with three parts water, but one’s drinking would probably affect the bladder long before it affected the mind.” It should also be noted that children would have drank this diluted mixture of water and wine. It seems clear that there is no one-to-one correspondence with first century wine and twenty first century distilled liquor. Concerning the latter I believe the Lord Jesus would have no part.

Let me conclude with some practical considerations. Should those who practice abstinence look down on those who do not? The answer is an unqualified no. That is pride and therefore is sin. It is true that alcohol has contributed to many going to hell, but pride, no doubt, has done so in even greater numbers. A smug, prideful abstainer without Jesus is just as lost as the poor drunkard who is always in search of another drink. Those who believe in abstinence should be gracious and humble, kind and caring, loving and patient.

As a pastor or church leader, would I demand abstinence for church membership? No, I would not. Would I demand it for leadership? Absolutely! The principle of Proverbs 31:4-5 is appropriately applied here, “It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.”

I agree with John MacArthur. Can I say it is always a sin to take a drink? No. Can I say it is almost always unwise? Yes, because it violates the biblical principles of wisdom and witness. One of America’s leading pastors is Andy Stanley. He wrote a book entitled The Best Question Ever. That question is this, “What is the wise thing for me to do?” I challenge anyone to show me the superior wisdom of drinking “in moderation,” as opposed to not drinking at all. This is not legalism but love. This is not being anti-biblical but pro-brother and sister. This is not working for evil but for good. Given the world in which we live I believe such a lifestyle honors the Lord Jesus. I believe it pleases Him. Without question it is the wise thing to do.

Calling Out the Discord Sowers

I have been preaching through the book of Nehemiah. This is my fourth time in 22 years. I never grow tired of the lessons contained in this great book. In fact, I am learning more this time than ever before as we walk through each verse and each chapter.

The story of Nehemiah is awesome. How God used this little man to do God size things is so encouraging. This current series has brought home how easy it is for God to work and how purely apathetic we American Christians have become. When I think of the task Nehemiah accomplished and then look at what little we do today - it is pathetic for us. And yet Nehemiah had challenges.

The past two weeks we have been hanging out in chapter 4. What a chapter it is. It dawned on me tonight as I prepare to close out chapter 4 and move in to chapter 5 next weekend that Nehemiah faced discourage rs like so many of us do every day. It also hit me that the leaders of the discourage rs were the "religious" leaders. How ironic.

I think it is time for us today to call out the people of our day who discourage and wreak havoc on the work of God. I understand that things in life and ministry need the critique of others - it can be helpful if done correctly. But what is NEVER helpful is when people attack and attack some more just to take cheap shots at some person or group. And there is much of this taking place today.

Our families are plagued with the sin of discord. Our churches are becoming crippled by discord. Conventions and Denominations have more than their fare share. Discord is growing without an end in sight. Just read the blogs! I wonder when if ever on earth, we will finally realize that this type of petty human focused griping NEVER accomplishes anything spiritual at all. It spreads the sin of discord more rapid than a forest fire and it exalts self more than it exalts the one true God.

So here is my challenge: Call out the sowers of discord in your life. Label them and stay away from them. Spend your time encouraging and exhorting those who God places in your life's path. Build up the people you encounter each day in person and electronically.

Proverbs 6 reminds us that God hates the sowers of discord among the brethren. In fact, he calls those people an ABOMINATION! I do not want to end up in that group!

Do you?