Watch My Back

It was like Christmas all over again when I decided to reorganize my clothes closet. I found a warm jacket I’d forgotten about, and it’s been comfortable in these frigid days. And I found a suit I’d not worn in some time—a three button suit that looked nice. I wore it to church on Christmas Eve and felt good about myself. A nice lady asked if I was wearing a new suit. I told her no, it was “recycled.” Then she said, “But, there’s a hole in the back of your jacket.” Slipping it off, I saw there was. Somehow in dressing that morning I’d not noticed a tear in the jacket, especially since the suit is dark. This just proves once again that choir members have a vantage point in church that others don’t have. Not only do they get to see the bald spot on the pastor’s head, but they get to see any tears in the back of his jacket!

I told this story in church the next Sunday and we all had a good laugh.

My wife and I had a pastor when we were teen-agers who used to lament from the pulpit that his wife couldn’t afford a new dress. I thought about him, wondering if some church member would take pity on me having to wear “holy” suits to church. So far, no benevolence!

The poet Robert Burns didn’t see a tear in the minister’s suit, but he did see a louse on a lady’s bonnet in church, prompting his famous line: “Oh would some Power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”

One responsibility we have in the body of Christ is to help one another see ourselves as we really are. We all have blind spots we can’t deal with if we don’t know they exist. Some might call this confrontation, but this is a strong word. Confrontation implies a stern reprimand with a view to repentance. Sometimes we do need a strong word to shake us out of our lethargy, or out of our callousness. But at other times we need a gentle word about improving some area of our character.

Several years ago, I heard Southern Baptist leader Jimmy Allen teach the book of Ephesians to a group of pastors. He dealt with the well-known image of the Christian soldier in chapter six—the sword of the Spirit and the breastplate of righteousness and the like--but insisted the soldier was vulnerable. We were a bit puzzled, until he told us the soldier was vulnerable to an attack from the rear. Then he said, “The Christian army protects one another. We watch one another’s back.”

The What Ifs Of Life

We often hear about the new president's "first 100 days." Writer Thurston Clarke published a history in 2013 not of the president’s first 100 days, but of his last 100 days. The president is John Kennedy and the book documents what JFK was doing day-by-day before the tragedy of Dallas. Clarke pulled together narratives from many sources and many cities. The reader feels a sense of dread as the days tick by and Nov. 22 approaches.

An intriguing aspect of this book is the initiatives Kennedy began that he wasn’t able to complete.

He ordered the removal of 1000 American advisors from Vietnam by December, making clear he saw the war as unwinnable and planning to remove all U.S. troops before the war escalated. He also made secret overtures to Fidel Castro in Cuba, promising better relations if Castro would cease exporting soldiers to other Latin American nations. JFK intended to seek an opening to China as well, many years before President Nixon’s historic trip. Kennedy pushed a tax cut bill that he believed would promote greater prosperity in the nation. He also took new interest in the plight of Soviet Jews and promised to do what he could to help them gain greater freedom.

And on a more personal note, the death of their newborn son, Patrick, brought the Kennedys to a new closeness in their marriage.

We can only imagine the “what ifs” had the assassination not taken place in November.

I’m convinced many of us are tormented with “what ifs” in our lives. “What if I’d gone to the doctor sooner?” or “What if I’d not driven that route that day?” or “What if I’d been morally stronger?”

Alas, the “what ifs” plague us, but there’s nothing we can do to alter the course of the past. No one of us, no matter how strong, is strong enough to pull back the hands of a clock.

This is why St. Paul’s word in Philippians 3 has always been one of my favorite texts in the season of New Year. “Forgetting those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the high calling of Christ,” he wrote (Phil. 3: 13-14).

We do learn from the past, to be sure, but Paul’s word is to forget the failings that discourage us, and to infuse our lives with a new and greater purpose.

The message of the Christian gospel is that there need not be any “has-beens” in God’s kingdom. He is the Lord of mercy who specializes in restoring his wayward people from their failures and dashed hopes. And he promises to be our partner in building a meaningful life of service to himself and others.

Time For Resolutions

It was a moment of levity on an altogether sad day.

We buried a wonderful Christian man several months ago. His death was premature in our judgment and we were heartbroken to lose him. The family elected to return to our church for a meal after we left the cemetery, and the nice ladies in the church had everything ready for us.

While we were eating, the area directors for Weight Watchers came early to set up for their inaugural meeting that evening. We'd recently agreed to the organization's request to make our church their Shelby County site. We feasted in the fellowship hall (since eating is the only sin Baptists can enjoy!) and then walked past the two weigh-in stations in the hallway just outside. I thought, you can't make this stuff up!

It reminded me of a study done by the University of Scranton that found weight loss the number one resolution Americans make each year, followed by exercise and smoking cessation.

The study determined that those who make resolutions are ten times more likely to see positive change in their lives than those who don't. Even though we often joke about breaking resolutions, there is evidence they work. And now’s the time we traditionally think about resolutions.

Luke 2:52 covers 18 years in Jesus's life. The gospel writer says Jesus grew mentally, physically, socially and spiritually. These are good categories for modern believers to consider as we formulate resolutions.

For example, we can grow mentally by reading and taking classes. We can grow physically by beginning an exercise regime or taking up a fun sport offering exercise as a fringe-benefit. We can grow socially by joining a civic club or a hobby group or by repairing broken relationships with others. And we can grow spiritually by making a new commitment to support our church, and a quest to discover and use our spiritual gifts in ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Positive change is necessary in our lives because the Bible urges us to "redeem the time" (Ephesians 5:16). Death comes to us all and ends opportunities to invest in worthwhile things.

The Social Security Administration has an actuarial table on their website. The user puts in their age and the table shows a projected age. I put in my age and found my statistical life expectancy is 17.12 years. Of course, this is only a guess. My dad lived to be 92 after a 30-year retirement.

The point is we're all terminal. Death is coming whether welcomed or not, and we must use the time God gives us to honor him and serve others.

With this in mind, what are your resolutions for 2018?

The Christmas Villain

One of the villains of Christmas is the innkeeper. It’s no wonder the little boy assigned that role in his church’s Christmas pageant did so unwillingly. On the big night the boy stepped forward to speak his part, “I’m sorry. There is no room in the inn.” Then he added, “But please come in for a cup of coffee.”

The innkeeper seems to get more animosity than Herod, the real villain of Bethlehem. Having been an innkeeper, I must admit, has colored my understanding. Potential guests sometimes argued with me about rooms, but if there’s no room, there’s no room. Joseph is the one at fault. He should’ve phoned ahead for a reservation and guaranteed it with his credit card!

The innkeeper really isn’t a villain, but an exemplary person of compassion. He did what he was trained to do—help people. He gave what he had to Jesus. The barn at least offered shelter. It was better than having the expectant Mary camp outside.

We, too, can give what we have to the Christ of Christmas.

We can give our money. Some may argue that they don’t have much, but that’s not the issue. And it’s true that God doesn’t need our money since he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. But giving is a God-given way to keep our hearts warm.

There is a natural illustration in Israel. The Sea of Galilee is teeming with life, and pours this life south through the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is dead because nothing flows out—it constantly receives.

We’re either Sea of Galilee people or Dead Sea people.

We can give our words. If Christ is lord of our lives he must be lord of our tongues, too.

Dr. John Howell told of a counselee who grew up feeling worthless because her father’s most oft-spoken words to her as a child were, “You are stupid.” It’s hard to imagine a father saying this, but it’s hard to imagine in our saner moments that we speak cruel words to others—words that can sting and scar.

One lady had it right when she said she “tasted” every word before speaking.

We can give service. All of us have gifts we can use in the service of Christ. We may not preach like Peter or pray like Paul. We may not sing like Elvis or play like Liberace. But there’s some ministry we can do for the glory of God.

Methodist evangelist Sam Jones used to say that if he could have religion in any part of his body, he wanted it in his right arm so that he could do something definite for Christ.

When Santa Came to Church

Former Democratic National Committee interim chair, Donna Brazile, in her recent book wrote about Donald Duck who followed the Trump campaign around the country in 2016. The character’s presence was intended to suggest Trump “ducked” hard questions. Brazile received a complaint from ABC/Disney about copyright infringement and moved to shut down the duck. She found the Washington DNC wasn’t responsible for the duck, but rather what she referred to as “Brooklyn”—the Clinton campaign headquarters in New York, and the candidate herself.

This story reminded me about Santa following me to church.

I served an Indiana Baptist church while a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. I learned that a Christmas tradition was for Santa to come to the sanctuary after a worship service and give gifts to the boys and girls. I was shocked. “This is the place reserved for worshipping God,” I said. “I don’t think it’s right for Santa to be here, especially since we have a fellowship hall if this has to be done.”

The church had an adequate fellowship hall, though some seniors complained about the steps required to get there. But for the next two years the church acquiesced to the pastor’s opinion that Santa didn’t need to be in the room where we worshipped God.

I’ve often wondered if the congregation didn’t revert to the traditional Santa visits after I graduated and moved to a full-time ministry!

The Christian church has debated the propriety of many things in public worship in recent years.

I suppose the first to go was “dressing up” for church. Since many unchurched make not having “Sunday” clothes an excuse, some churches determined to “dress down” and make this one less impediment. Now we even have unshaven pastors wearing grungy jeans and tee-shirts in the pulpit, if they have a pulpit!

And then our hymnals became an endangered species. My generation revered the hymnal since it taught us music and theology. But now many churches project words on a screen for singing. One of my acquaintances insisted this is better since “we look up to God” when we sing. Another friend reminded him “God is in China, too” when we look down and sing!

And another jettisoned item is artwork. Churches through the ages installed stained glass and portraiture to teach spiritual truth and to instill an appreciation for beautiful art. Now churches build simpler buildings, often with black walls for better stage lighting.

As we continue to discuss what is appropriate in the worship place, we do so with thoughtfulness and prayer. The paramount principle is that God is the object of our worship, and we must approach him with reverent and contrite hearts (Psalm 51:17).

Advocate and Redeemer

We’ve certainly seen some unusual things in America this past year, and the list grew a few weeks ago when three UCLA students were arrested in China for shoplifting. They faced the specter of five to ten years in a Chinese prison, but fortunately the U.S. president was in China last month. President Trump convinced Chinese President Xi Jinping to drop the charges and send the young men home.

Now our president has a habit of tweeting multiple times on issues, and he did after this event when he reminded the students to thank him. I believe one request was probably enough, but the president didn’t ask my opinion. Nevertheless, the students held a press conference and did thank both presidents, their coach and their school, as they should have.

It occurred to me that this incident has a biblical parallel.

President Trump spoke up on the men’s behalf, so he was their advocate.

The scripture declares that advocacy is one ministry of Jesus Christ. The apostle John wrote, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1).

John said that Christ comes before the judge of the universe, the one who demands obedience to his laws and precepts, and pleads for mercy for us unworthy sinners. He is our advocate.

But the Bible further teaches Christ to be our redeemer. The same apostle John also wrote, “And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed people for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

In this analogy, President Trump would have been a redeemer had he offered to go to prison for the UCLA students, to take their rightful punishment so that they might be free. Of course, this is a bit ludicrous to imagine, and it didn’t take place.

But think of our savior who not only pleads our case before the heavenly father, but also was obedient “even unto death” as the apostle Paul wrote. Jesus went to the cross as an innocent victim bearing the sins of the world. The unblemished lamb of God took your sins and mine on himself so that we might know forgiveness and acceptance from God.

When we think of Christ as both advocate and redeemer, we marvel at God’s love. And we learn afresh the earnest desire of God that everyone come to him for forgiveness and salvation. He’s demonstrated this love by paving the way to heaven for us all.

Christmas Grace

Joe (not his real name) called me one day about a dozen years ago when he read in a collectors' newsletter about a planned convention in Plains, Ga., and a banquet with former president Carter. He told me about his collecting interests and the famous politicians he'd met. We met in Plains, shared a meal and became friends. We'd talk every few months and looked forward to our annual meeting.

I was shocked to get notice a few Christmases ago that Joe died at age 57. He'd had a number of health problems after a recent hospitalization. I drove to the funeral and was surprised to see a former church member officiating.

Darryl (not his real name) was a member of a church I served in the 80s. He was a coach and a fine Christian layman. He did lay preaching over the years and told me he was now a part-time pastor. Joe had some anxiety issues and someone recommended he contact Darryl. The men shared friendship and prayer and Joe made a commitment to Christ before he died

God used Darryl to help a man who was about to be called home.

An interesting thing about Darryl is that he and the wife I knew divorced several years ago. I thought of how divorce used to be a cardinal sin in some places, leading to congregational disagreement about who was qualified to serve in various offices. Whereas the church must uphold the biblical standard of marriage, it's true that all of us fall short in some areas.

I was grateful that in his capacity as a Christian minister Darryl invested his life in Joe's and made a difference.

En route to the funeral I passed a familiar house. I remembered going there years ago with two deacon officers to visit a man rumored to be guilty of heinous sin. He received us graciously, tendered his resignation as a deacon without our having to ask, and pleaded with us to pray for him. We did and continued to pray for him. He didn't drop out of church, but found other ways to serve God.

It was years later after we'd moved that I read in the church newsletter about his being elected a deacon once again. I wrote a note congratulating him and telling him how proud I was that he'd proven faithful.

I've been thinking lately of how God worked through caring congregations to love two men and bless them in God's work.

Because Joe loved Christmas, a soloist sang "Silent Night" at the grave site—my first time to see this.

One message of Christmas is that God loves us and offers grace in our failures.

Empty Chairs At The Table

Thanksgiving is, indeed, a wonderful time for families and friends to get together and enjoy themselves around a table of good food!

I’ve been thinking lately about other memories from the holidays. I remember my boyhood pastor saying once that Christmas always had a tinge of sadness since it was the time his father died.  Little did I realize for Donna and me the same kind of memories would materialize.

It was Thanksgiving, 1992, and we sat at the table with my in-laws in Birmingham. My father-in-law, Robert Bell, always a good-humored man, joked that afternoon about his getting older. He’d been forgetting things and laughed that a few days before he’d missed his cup while trying to pour coffee. A few weeks later the medical tests came back and revealed a brain tumor.  He died that summer. 

The next Thanksgiving, my mother talked about her medical ailments. She’d not felt well for some time. Still not feeling well at Christmas, she had to go lie down in the middle of our dinner. Family members insisted on taking her to the emergency room. The doctor found a spot in her lungs, and suggested she go to a hospital as soon as possible. The good doctors at St. Vincent’s in Birmingham found that her cancer had started in her right kidney, had traveled to her lungs, and possibly to her brain. She died in only seven weeks.

The older I get the more convinced I am that what my boyhood pastor said is often true. Part of the mix could be that Thanksgiving and Christmas are easily-remembered benchmarks for family losses. I’m not sure. But I do know that for many of us there are feelings of loss tucked away in the pleasant holiday memories.

But, maybe these aren’t entirely unpleasant memories. Despite their premature deaths, in our estimation, my family can look back with gratitude to the years we had with our parents. Mr. Bell was the gentlest and most generous man I’ve ever known. He worked hard for what he had, but was always willing to give of himself to help others. And what can I say about my mother other than she was a sweet and loving woman who was always my advocate, no matter what. The older I get the more I see her as a role model of what a mother ought to be.

Many of us think about those who won’t be with us on Thanksgiving. But we’re grateful that God loaned us some special people and enriched our lives through them. As Paul wrote to his Philippian friends, “I thank God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3).

The Power of Words

It was an interesting comment from a lady in the church after I’d been pastor for a few months.

“I’m glad we have a pastor who writes notes,” she said.

I’d not thought much of it before, but I suppose it’s unusual these days for anyone to write notes to others. E-mail is almost passé now and texting is all the rage. So, to get a hand-written letter or note from someone is unique.

One reason she was a gracious lady is that the late Princess Diana would write beautiful notes of appreciation to her dinner hosts. She would write them in the evening before going to bed so that they could be “posted” the next morning, as they say in Great Britain. I saw one of these notes on auction with a starting bid of $5000, so if you have one, you have a valuable item! But though most of us don’t have a personal note from a princess, we do have her influence to guide us.

The letter to Philemon in the New Testament is very short. Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll has likened it to a postcard, rather than a letter. The letter has been called a “bread and butter note” which is what we used to call those customary notes we sent to people who hosted us for a meal or gave us a gift. And the note is packed with theological truth.

Onesimus was a run-away slave. In the providence of God, he met the apostle Paul who brought him to Christ. Then Paul did the unthinkable—he sent the slave home—earning Paul the wrath of many modern readers of scripture. Paul’s tact was just the opposite of the “underground railroad” that helped slaves escape servitude in the days prior to our Civil War. The railroad was supported by many churches in the North.

It’s been estimated that one-third of the Roman population was comprised on slaves, so it was a common and customary thing. Had Paul begun a crusade to abolish slavery, the Roman empire would’ve crushed him like a gnat. Rather, his mission was to plant churches throughout the Mediterranean world, and he was single-minded in this task.

But Paul planted a seed for abolition when he asked Philemon, Onesimus’s owner, not to treat him like a slave, but as a brother in Christ (Philemon 16). Paul further said if the slave had caused loss to his owner, then Philemon could put the loss on Paul’s account and he would be responsible.

How interesting that God would preserve this simple note as inspired scripture for the edification of the church. Written words have power, especially when energized by the Spirit of God.

Thank A Vet

Veterans Day is a time to honor men and women who spent time in the armed forces and who remain with us, unlike Memorial Day which is a time to remember those who aren’t with us. Our veterans should be honored. They want to share their stories with us, and we should listen.

War is always a troubling time for people of faith. We know that God desires peace, and our savior is known as the prince of peace. But we also know that conflict is a reality in our fallen world. Thomas Aquinas, Augustine and others taught the “just war” theory, and this teaching has shaped our understanding as the church. We believe we must find a greater good above the carnage of war, such as preventing totalitarianism and slavery.

Our American founding fathers believed that God himself is the author of liberty and they unabashedly asked for his blessings as they fought for independence from Britain.

And historians tell us very convincing stories about the intervention of God. Young George Washington served under British Gen. Edward Braddock in 1755 during the French and Indian War. In a battle on July 9 in what is now the state of Pennsylvania, Washington had two horses shot from beneath him and sustained four separate bullet holes in his jacket. He, however, was unharmed, and went on to be the victorious general of the American Revolution and our first president.

Nevertheless, what should our response to war be?

First, we should work and pray for peace. Jesus said the peacemakers are the children of God.

Second, we pray for our family and friends in the military. Most of our churches developed a prayer list of active duty military during the Gulf Wars and prayed for these regularly.

Third, we honor our veterans in every way possible, lifting them up as genuine heroes.

A friend recommended the Ken Burns’ series, “The Vietnam War,” that recently aired on PBS, so I invested the 10+ hours to view it. The series reminded me of this pivotal event of my generation. Several U.S. presidents wrestled with how to conduct this war, and how to conclude it. The anti-war movement was strong, and our country was divided. The series highlighted also how we failed to step up and honor these brave soldiers when they returned home. We should’ve done better.

Memorial Day is a time of sadness. We remember men like my mother’s three brothers who served in World War II who are with us no longer. Veteran’s Day is a time of affirmation. We say “thank you” to the men and women who laid aside their life goals to serve and protect the rest of us.

Which Bible Should We Use?

It wasn’t the “are you still beating your wife?” question, but it was, nonetheless, risky. A student in the Christian school currently meeting at our church said, “My dad wanted to know what Bible you use when you preach?”

I can remember when the King James Version was the accepted Bible for pulpit use. A deacon told me a story when I came as pastor to his church about some ladies slamming their Bibles shut with a loud “thud” if they couldn’t follow the pastor when he read his text. I soon learned that their story was his story, too—he wanted me to use King James only!

Many of us “cut our teeth” on the King James. It was really all we had in those days. One positive result was that scripture memorization was standardized since we all memorized the same version.

To underscore its pedigree, some add another modifier and call it “the authorized” KJV. However, it was authorized form the throne room of King James in 1611, not from the throne room of the Lord. The Pilgrims who came to America didn’t accept the new King James Bible since it was used by the Church of England, but instead brought the Geneva Bible with them on the Mayflower.

Of course, language has changed dramatically since 1611. I remember as a boy the chapel where our kindergarten had daily prayer. A verse on the wall read, “Suffer the little children to come unto me.” I puzzled over this. “Suffer” in 1611 meant “allow,” not “to cause pain.”  And Paul insisted those who were living at the return of Christ wouldn’t “prevent” those who died. “Prevent” in that day meant “precede,” so the dead in Christ will be raised first, he said.

The Today’s English Version New Testament was published when I was in high school. It was designed for those for whom English was second language, and the vocabulary was under 200 words. It met with instant acceptance, and later became The Good News Bible. Then The Living Bible paraphrase found acceptance, and then The New International Version and others. The trend continues with many translations available to help us understand God’s truth.

I suppose a purist would choose to bring either the Hebrew Bible or the Greek New Testament to the pulpit to be authentic. But a survey I once saw postulated that only 10 percent of seminarians maintain their skills in the biblical languages.

So, what do we do? We show reverence to the familiar King James Version, but we also find increased understanding by using newer translations. Increased understanding is a good thing. After all, the Bible was given to be read, understood and obeyed.

Date Like A Christian

It was a phrase I’d not heard before when co-eds at the college talked about “missionary dating.” When I heard it, I thought this is good: young ladies dating missionaries. But then they told me I misunderstood the concept. Missionary dating occurs when a young woman of faith dates a male ruffian in order to influence him to Christ.

I mentioned this in a sermon once, and Sarah stopped me after the service.

“That’s not what we call it,” she said. “We call it ‘flirt to convert!'” she said with a laugh.

Whatever it’s called, I don’t believe it’s the best course. Dating is auditioning for marriage, and people of faith are cautioned throughout scripture only to marry a partner who shares their faith. As long ago as the Old Testament Moses first, and then his successor Joshua warned the Hebrews not to marry Canaanites. These were the tribes who populated Israel when the Hebrews lived in Egypt. “They will corrupt your faith, and you will begin to worship false gods,” Moses warned.

Sadly, many Hebrews did intermarry, and the consequences were devastating. Three notable examples are Solomon, Ahab and Samson whose spiritual lives were wrecked by pagan women.

This continued to be a problem in the New Testament. Since Christianity was first-generation, many committed to follow Christ without the cooperation of their spouses. The apostle Paul dealt with this in 1 Corinthians. He urged the believing spouse, nevertheless, to maintain the marriage if possible in order to influence the unbelieving spouse. The apostle Peter similarly encouraged believing spouses to live lives of holiness and influence their partners without having to say anything. In other words, Peter argued that you can’t nag someone into heaven (1 Peter 3:1)!

I remember a lady who tried. She was married to a scoundrel. She said to me one day, “I really got him told last night! I told him how low-down he was and how he ought to be ashamed of himself.”

Certainly, I understood her frustration. I knew her spouse and shared her opinion! A better tactic, Peter insisted, is to live an exemplary Christian life at home.

I’ve talked with countless young people over the years who’ve sidestepped the clear teaching of scripture. “He promised when we get married, he’ll change, and he’ll follow Christ with me,” they say. I’m bolder in my old age now and respond by suggesting if he were that serious, he’d make a spiritual commitment before the wedding date, and simply continue this spiritual lifestyle in the marriage.

Christians are supposed to love everyone and share our faith at each opportunity, but dating and marriage is a unique friendship that must be handled with greater caution.

The Power Of One

I’ve had two theories about the fall of the Confederate government. One was failure to take action after the first Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. The federal troops were overconfident and ill-prepared. It was a route. Gen. Thomas Jackson, who earned his nickname, “Stonewall,” in that battle, urged President Jefferson Davis to press forward and force the evacuation of Washington, thus ending the war early. But Davis preferred his own counsel. He wanted a defensive war, not an offensive one.

My second theory is Gettysburg in July 1863. Visitors to the national park today stand at what is called the “copse” of trees overseeing the site of Pickett’s Charge. Gen. Lee tried to take the hill with a left flanking maneuver one day, and a right flanking maneuver the second day, then he inexplicably decided on a full-frontal assault. Thousands of confederates appeared from the forest a mile away, lined up should-to-shoulder and began their charge over the open ground. It was a turkey shoot. Hundreds of rebels died from cannon fire and musket. The few who got to the copse of trees were easily taken prisoner. This site is called the “high water mark” of the Confederacy since it’s the northern-most penetration of the army.

I carried on a good-natured argument with a Selma friend about this battle. He insists Lee ordered the attack at dawn, and Gen. Longstreet dallied until 2 in the afternoon. But I counter that the charge was ill-conceived no matter the time of day.

After Gettysburg, it was apparent the South was doomed.

Bill O’Reilly in his book, “Legends and Lies—the Civil War,” gave me new insight in his chapter on Jackson. Gen. Jackson was shot in May 1863 and died eight days later. Thus Gen. Lee was deprived of his “strong right arm” as he called Jackson. O’Reilly wrote, “Replacing Jackson was impossible. And on that fact the war turned.”

His point is that Jackson wasn’t at Gettysburg and his tactical expertise could have conceivably turned the battle.

I was struck by this idea. We might call it “the power of one.” Yes, there is strength and encouragement in numbers, but many great movements begin with one person of conviction and skill. The church remembers this month the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s protest that brought about the Protestant Reformation—a movement brought about primarily through the convictions of a single man.

A physically-handicapped student came forward during the invitation period in his church. “Can God use half a man like me?” he plaintively asked the minister. The minister replied, “Oh, yes! God has been waiting to do great things with a man like you!”

Should A Christian Celebrate Halloween?

Bob Harrington, the former "Chaplain of Bourbon Street," preached one night and advertised his sermon title in the local newspaper: "Three Places Where There's No Problem with Racism." This was in the civil rights era and our nation was fixated on this problem.

Hundreds came that night to hear Harrington. He touched on his announced theme only in the first paragraph of his sermon: "The three places where there's no problem with racism are heaven, hell and the heart of a Christian." Then Harrington preached a gun barrel-straight message about repentance!

"Should A Christian Celebrate Halloween?" is, likewise, poised to draw a crowd, but there’s no easy answer.

Some say Halloween is the "devil's night" and refuse to participate or let their children participate. Others say it's a harmless night of fun and see no problem with it.

I remember a boyhood Sunday School teacher who used to rail against race car driving. "It's just like the Roman coliseum," he often told us. "People go there to see drivers crash and die!"

A little harsh, to be sure, but race car driving is as popular as ever. We even have a block of conservatives called "NASCAR voters." And at Talladega and other racetracks, Christians set up booths, give away bottles of water and serve as chaplains.

There was a local pastor when I was in high school who came back from a Bible conference with new enthusiasm, telling his congregation that he'd thrown his TV out the back door and that they had to do this, too, if they really loved Jesus. A few weeks later they threw him out the door!

TV is still here. There are vile things on it, to be sure, but there are also Christian programs sponsored by Billy Graham and local churches and entire Christian networks, too.

If we can’t stop racing or TV, we probably aren't going to stop Halloween. So, how can we respond effectively?

Some churches have used the so-called "Judgment House" drama which tries to communicate the truth about death and eternity. Other churches provide on-site festivals or distribute printed gospel summaries or worship invitations that homeowners can give away with their Halloween treats. I've known some Christians who've designed nice Halloween gift packages and included a simple "God loves you" note. For some trick-or-treaters, this might be the only time they hear such a positive message.

Rather than turning our lights off or scowling at eager boys and girls that we don't celebrate Halloween, why not give a little treat--the equivalent of a cup of cold water in Jesus' name (Matthew 10:42)--and simply say, "God bless you"?

There Is A Balm In Gilead

A few years ago, good news-bad news jokes were popular. One had to do with the pilot announcing over the intercom: “My co-pilot is drunk, an engine it out and we have no more fuel. We’re hundreds of miles from our destination, but the good news is we have plenty of peanuts.”

The ancient prophet Jeremiah likewise had good news and bad news for the nation of Judah. The bad news was that the enemy was “at the gates.” Babylon rose as the great power intent on world conquest. A cruel ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, came to the throne in 604 B.C., and he took pleasure when he saw captives, naked and chained, being lead into the capital city.

Jeremiah wrote, “The whole land trembles at the approach of the terrible army, for the enemy is coming, and is devouring the land and everything in it” (Jeremiah 8:16).

Our nation has known this kind of dread a few times. The young nation was again threatened by Great Britain in 1812. The British burned the nation’s capital and then moved to Baltimore to attack Ft. McHenry. An American lawyer was detained on a British warship and had a front-row seat to the attack. The next morning Frances Scott Key saw the “star-spangled banner” yet waving “over the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

And the present generation shared collective dread on 9/11. No one had ever thought about evil men using airplanes as missiles, but that day 3,000 Americans died.

The Jews thought they were safe because the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem was understood to be the throne of God. They even sang a little chorus: “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these” (Jeremiah 7:4). Dr. Dale Moody used to say this was the first praise chorus in the Bible! The point was that the people treated the temple like a good luck charm, thinking they could live wayward lives and be protected by the Lord.

But Jeremiah had some good news. He said there was a balm in Gilead and physicians there (Jeremiah 8:22). Gilead was famous for a healing ointment and a medical community, much as we’d refer to the Mayo Clinic today. Times were tough, but healing was available for the sin-sick nation of Judah.

In his memoirs, “Decision Points,” former President George W. Bush wrote about an encounter with Billy Graham who encouraged him to ask God’s help in overcoming his drinking. Bush came to Christ and said now he feels a special connection to the testimony of John Newton: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”

On Revenge

I’d not really planned on reading it, but the bookstore I was in last weekend had a special price on the new Hillary Clinton book, “What Happened?” I’ve found it hard to put down. Clinton admits to numbers of mistakes during her presidential campaign, but she doesn’t stop there! She proceeds to settle scores with many people she considers impediments, including Vladimir Putin, Franklin Graham, Bernie Sanders, Fox News, Jim Comey and the Republican Party.

In contrast, I remember failed candidate Mitt Romney talking with Jay Leno on television. The only negative thing he said about the Obama administration was “I’m not a fan.”

But Mrs. Clinton uses her book to speak, and write, the last word!

Of course, hers isn’t the first memoir to settle scores. My generation remembers Don Regan who served as treasury secretary and White House chief of staff in the Reagan White House. He allegedly angered Nancy Reagan who urged her husband to dismiss him. In his memoirs, Regan wrote on page one about Nancy Reagan consulting an astrologer who controlled the president’s schedule! Later the astrologer, Joan Quigley, wrote her own book and tried to explain how she gave some assurance to Mrs. Reagan after the attempted assassination.

Most of us can’t write books to settle scores. Thus, we find other ways.

One way we seek revenge is to tell others about our injustices in order to garner support. If I can convince you my enemy is evil, then it makes me feel better to have reinforcements. Of course, we’re good at telling our own version of the particular offense, and in such a way as to make us seem virtuous.

Another way we seek revenge is to bide our time to say a negative word at an opportune time in someone’s life. I’ve known a few people who’ve taken job reference calls, for example, and used these to hurt someone’s opportunity for advancement because of some earlier slight against them or someone they love.

The phrase, “revenge is sweet,” goes back to Homer. But God’s word has a different exhortation: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12).

Gen. Robert E. Lee had it right. It was known that Gen. Joe Johnston disliked Lee. His officers were surprised when Lee said nice things about Johnston.

"General Lee," an officer said, "I guess you don’t know what he’s been saying about you."

"I know," answered Lee. "But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me."

Senior Saints

King Solomon as an older man gave a stern warning: "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

Solomon was despondent. His body was weary and he carried the burden of a failed mission. He made poor decisions as a younger man that ruined his testimony later on. It seemed smart to marry into the families of other kings, thus ensuring peace, but the he allowed his perspective to change when he began to worship the pagan gods his wives brought along.

Gail Sheehy in "Passages" wrote about predictable crises, and getting older is one of them. The average lifespan in America is 79. According to the Social Security Administration, a man 65 today can expect to reach 84, and a women 65 today can expect to live to be 86.

The scripture insists old age is one of God's gifts. Solomon wrote in another place, "The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old."

Every day is a gift from God, and the accumulation of days, months and years is the cumulative gift of God. Therefore we should live as people of gratitude. The alternative is to become grumpy old men or fussy old women!

Victor Frankl spent time in several Nazi concentration camps where his wife, mother and brother died. He survived and wrote about his experiences in "Man's Search for Meaning." Frankl argued that everyone has freedom to choose their attitudes, and these attitudes determine our survivability and the caliber of our lives. "When we are no longer able to change a situation," he wrote, "we are challenged to change ourselves."

Seniors can determine to stay active and serve the Lord and his church. Some seniors hide behind the excuse, "I've served my time," thus denying themselves the fulfillment of helping in the Lord's work. Throughout my ministry I've been helped especially by a number of senior men whose counsel I sought regularly. The mistakes I made came in large measure when I didn't seek their advice.

John D. Rockefeller was a billionaire by age 53 when he succumbed to a mysterious disease. His body shriveled and his doctor said he had a year to live. Rockefeller met Christ and joined a Baptist Church where he served as trustee, clerk, Sunday School teacher and sometimes custodian! He then determined to give away his fortune and gave more than one-half billion dollars before his death at age 97.

Christ made a difference in his life, and seniors today can know this, too.

A Word Fitly Spoken

King Solomon wrote, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). I think of many fitting words I’ve heard over the years.

Ken gave me a Thompson Chain Reference Bible while I was a Samford student. In the day, it was the premier study Bible and I wanted one, and still use it. I demurred, telling him it was an expensive gift. He said, “Throughout your ministry people will want to give you things, so you need to learn to be gracious.”

I was making a brilliant economic point in my sermon, I’m sure, but LaFayette good-naturedly accosted me afterwards, “Don’t ever use welfare and Social Security in the same sentence again!”

Rhonda was our summer youth intern and was headed back to Tuscaloosa for school. On her last Sunday, I made some joke about Alabama (I’m an Auburn grad). Elton came by the next day. “I’ve seen people really get mad in church over this. You’re the leader of our church and you should know that what we do on Sunday is more important than football.” He was correct, and I’ve been more judicious.

At one of our final seminars in Louisville for my doctoral program, Dr. Frank Tupper said, “Men, after you get your degree, let your churches call you ‘doctor’ one time, then get over it!”

More encouraging that any of these is a word spoken by Paul in Romans, the greatest theological document ever written: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). This is a word to empower us when we face evil, and a word to encourage us when we get down.

The early church faced many obstacles including continuing persecution. But they clung tenaciously to their mission and refused to be deterred. They knew God was with them and they wanted to please him. “We ought to obey God rather than men,” Peter said (Acts 5:29).

About 100 years after Peter and Paul were martyred, Polycarp served as pastor of the Christian church in Smyrna in the Roman province of Asia Minor—the modern nation of Turkey. City officials arrested him on the charge of atheism, since he denied the existence of the pantheon of gods the people worshipped. “If you curse the name of Christ, we’ll set you free,” they promised.

Polycarp spoke a fitting word. “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he hath done me no wrong,” he said. “How then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?”

Polycarp was burned at the stake in Smyrna. But he went into the presence of Christ with confidence. If God be for us, who can be against us?

When A Plan Comes Together

I couldn’t find an item I needed recently at what is now called a “big box” store. The item was for outdoor use, but wasn’t in the outdoor section, so I asked the cashier for help. After retrieving it, I brought it back to her and she said, “I love it when a plan comes together!”

I said, “You watched ‘The A-Team’!”

So, we reminisced a bit about some of the 80s TV we used to watch.

For the uninitiated, “The A-Team” was an improbable story of some misfits unjustly convicted in military court. They escaped and began a weekly series of escapades to help people threatened by bullies. Amazingly, they fired a lot of bullets and used a lot of dynamite, but no one seemed to get seriously hurt. And they managed to stay one step ahead of the military police.

Mr. T played B.A. Baracus, and America fell in love with this quaint character. George Peppard was Hannibal Smith, the team leader, and the aforementioned motto was what he always said at the end of the show.

The Lord of the church gave us a plan to follow as his people. Luke 15 has been called “the gospel within the gospel” because it clearly shows God’s concern for all peoples. Jesus told of a shepherd who lost a sheep. He left the 99 who were safe in the wilderness and went off in search of the lost sheep. When he found it, he brought it back rejoicing.

Jesus modeled this mission for his followers. He said, “I am the good shepherd who gives my life for the sheep” (John 10: 11, 14). I’ve heard pastors say all my life that if one of us were the only one, Christ would’ve gone to the cross for us. I don’t think the Bible says that specifically, but I do believe it. Our good shepherd deemed every one of us important enough to find and bring home. Now the church is exhorted to do the same thing. And we can’t let unworthy attitudes prevent our caring.

In Southern Baptist life, we promote Sunday School enrollment. But I’ve known many classes over the years who ask to drop names from the roll since wayward members haven’t come. “They’re hurting or percentage,” they say. I’ve gingerly tried to explain that we’re not in the percentage business, but the people business. At one point a class accepted responsibility for each person and when does that responsibility end? That class may be the only group on earth praying for the lost sheep and urging them to come home.

Jesus’ plan is that his church rescues the lost sheep who’ve wandered away.

A Monument to Failure

Monuments have been in the news lately, and much of our history is preserved in stone. Our nation’s capital is filled with tributes to Washington, Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, U.S. Grant, Martin Luther King and others. Of course, these men had flaws along with their great deeds, not unlike the rest of us.

I understand West Virginia is filled with tributes to the late Sen. Robert Byrd, who readily admits he spent time as a Kleagle and Exalted Cyclops in the KKK. But he went on to be a respected member of the Senate. A neighborhood in Decatur has streets named for the fallen Challenger astronauts. These streets commemorate their bravery, but also remind us of human error.

Monuments remind us of heroism, and sometimes they remind us of flaws. Both are part of history and both are tools for learning. We learn from good examples and we learn from bad examples.

I met Keith at Southern Seminary in Louisville when we participated in a weekend preaching mission to Ohio. He became a Christian as an adult, and was filled with holy zeal. I came to admire him and had him speak in several churches I served over the years.

Keith told me once about a framed picture he had in his office. It was a picture of the neighborhood church of his boyhood.

“This church must mean a lot to you,” I said.

“Actually, no,” he replied. “I grew up in a poor family without a father. We lived two doors from this church and no one at any time ever came to us to invite us to church or shared the gospel with us. They didn’t care about us. This picture reminds me our church has to do better.”

Oh, my. We might call this picture a monument to mission failure. What a terrible indictment for a church called by the name of Christ, the friend of sinners.

I thought of this story last year and got a bit convicted about the neighborhood closest to our church. I enlisted a lay member to help me, and we walked the neighborhood one evening, went to every house and invited residents to worship with us. Then I thought of my own residential neighborhood. I spent two evenings knocking on every door and inviting neighbors to worship with us if they didn’t have a regular church home. Keith inspired me to do something positive because of a negative experience.

Many things vie for our attention as Christian congregations, but we fail utterly and miserably is we don’t tell our neighborhoods of God’s love for us all. As the apostle Paul wrote, we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).