With Father's Day approaching, I've been doing some thinking about my own father. The article below is scheduled to appear in our church bulletin for Father's Day. It will have the title above.
-- Jim
It’s almost impossible for me to believe that it has almost been a decade since my father passed away, but that will be true this coming December. That means that this is my ninth Father’s Day without a father to call, visit, or even send a card to.
I sure would like to turn the clock back to a time before December of 1999. If I had that power, there are some things I wish I could ask my dad. As I grow older and the years keep slipping by, I am coming to the realization that there’s a lot about him I never knew (and now will never know). Among other things, I’d like to ask my dad ---
Ø Exactly where and when did you and mom meet for the first time?
Ø What attracted you to her?
Ø What was it like to live through the Great Depression?
Ø What did you do in the year between your junior and senior years in high school (when you had to set out because you could not afford to go)?
Ø How hard was it to begin your service in the armed forces when you were well into your thirties?
Ø Who instilled that sense of duty into you that caused you to enter the armed forces during World War II even when one of your relatives offered you a legitimate way to not have to serve?
Ø Tell me about the loss of your mother when you were a very small boy. How did you recover from that (or do you think that you ever fully recovered)?
Ø Where did you get those remarkable qualities of honesty, integrity, and industry that people still talk about almost a decade after your death?
Ø Am I making you proud that I wear your name?
OK; I know this is way too personal, but there is a point to all of this. You see, I made some mistakes for the fifty-one years that I had my dad. I am hoping that what I write here will prevent those who read this from making the same mistakes.
First, I guess I thought I’d have my dad forever. I never really “factored in” the possibility that there would be day when I couldn’t get in touch with him.
Second, I always was too busy. Depending on the stage of my life, I had “important” things to do; things like school, sports, dating, marriage, my own job(s), time spent with my own wife and children, time with friends, errands, hobbies, etc. Far too late I’ve learned that I often confused what was urgent with what was important.
I guess I also believed in some sort of “mental osmosis.” I guess I figured I would learn the things about which I was curious without ever really taking the time to sit down and have long talks with my dad. All that information would just “rub off” somehow. It didn’t happen. I’m still curious and there is nowhere to go for the answers.
If, on this Father’s Day, you still have your father, let me suggest that you do two things that you will never regret. First, thank your heavenly Father for that great blessing. There may be those who read these words who never even knew their father. There are others like me who no longer have their fathers. Talk to somebody in one of those two situations and get their (our) perspective concerning how blessed you are.
Second, clear your schedule and do whatever else is necessary to spend a little (or a lot of) quality time with your dad. Try forgetting small talk, discussions about sports or politics, or just “stuff.” Find out who the man really is whose name you wear.
Take it from somebody who knows. If you’ll respond positively to those two suggestions, you’ll not spend the rest of your life wondering what might have been.
-- Jim Faughn
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
IS THERE A LORD FROM THE WORD?
Not long ago I was doing what a lot of preachers rarely have the opportunity to do; I was listening to another preacher. He had an informative and helpful lesson taken from our Lord’s parable about the man who sowed seed on four different types of soil. His text was Matthew 13:3-9.
Along with the information about the parable itself and some practical applications, his lesson was also helpful to me in another way. I was reminded that I am not the only preacher who sometimes gets words turned around and/or may not express myself as I would desire to do. In his lesson, he raised a question and then said, “Is there a Lord from the Word about that?” He quickly corrected himself and said, “Is there a word from the Lord about that?”
I’ve been thinking a lot about the statement before the correction. It might, in fact, be appropriate to ask, “Is there a Lord from the Word?”
It is true that “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1, NKJV). It is also true that the apostle Paul made the case in Romans 1:18-20 that God’s creation provides abundant evidence for His existence.
At the same time, that same apostle did not rely solely on God’s creation when he preached to the people of Athens. When he wanted them to know about “The God who made the world and everything in it…” (v. 24, ESV), he proclaimed or declared Him to them (v. 23).
With regard to our Lord Jesus Christ, it needs to be acknowledged that the only reliable information about Him comes from the Word of God. Where else would we find authoritative and accurate information about the prophecies concerning Him (and their fulfillment), His preexistence, His earthly ministry and teachings, His miracles, His relationship to the Father, His promise to return for His own, and a great many other things? It may not be too far-fetched to say that there is a Lord from the Word.
However, saying that there is a Lord from the Word is not the same thing as saying that those who wrote the Word concocted or “made up” a Lord for us to serve. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Lord is not the product of the imagination of those who penned the words we read in the Bible.
Writers of fiction “produce” characters from their imagination. They can give them whatever qualities they may want them to have and have them perform whatever functions they choose.
Those who ignore or minimize what the Bible teaches about Jesus do the same thing. Since their “lord” comes from their imaginations he answers to them.
Those who truly honor and serve Jesus learn about Him and submit to Him because of what they read in the Word. They realize that the most accurate statement to make is that our Lord is the Word! (cf. John 1:1, 14)
There is definitely a word from the Lord about that!
-- Jim Faughn
Along with the information about the parable itself and some practical applications, his lesson was also helpful to me in another way. I was reminded that I am not the only preacher who sometimes gets words turned around and/or may not express myself as I would desire to do. In his lesson, he raised a question and then said, “Is there a Lord from the Word about that?” He quickly corrected himself and said, “Is there a word from the Lord about that?”
I’ve been thinking a lot about the statement before the correction. It might, in fact, be appropriate to ask, “Is there a Lord from the Word?”
It is true that “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1, NKJV). It is also true that the apostle Paul made the case in Romans 1:18-20 that God’s creation provides abundant evidence for His existence.
At the same time, that same apostle did not rely solely on God’s creation when he preached to the people of Athens. When he wanted them to know about “The God who made the world and everything in it…” (v. 24, ESV), he proclaimed or declared Him to them (v. 23).
With regard to our Lord Jesus Christ, it needs to be acknowledged that the only reliable information about Him comes from the Word of God. Where else would we find authoritative and accurate information about the prophecies concerning Him (and their fulfillment), His preexistence, His earthly ministry and teachings, His miracles, His relationship to the Father, His promise to return for His own, and a great many other things? It may not be too far-fetched to say that there is a Lord from the Word.
However, saying that there is a Lord from the Word is not the same thing as saying that those who wrote the Word concocted or “made up” a Lord for us to serve. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Lord is not the product of the imagination of those who penned the words we read in the Bible.
Writers of fiction “produce” characters from their imagination. They can give them whatever qualities they may want them to have and have them perform whatever functions they choose.
Those who ignore or minimize what the Bible teaches about Jesus do the same thing. Since their “lord” comes from their imaginations he answers to them.
Those who truly honor and serve Jesus learn about Him and submit to Him because of what they read in the Word. They realize that the most accurate statement to make is that our Lord is the Word! (cf. John 1:1, 14)
There is definitely a word from the Lord about that!
-- Jim Faughn
Monday, May 18, 2009
IT MAY BE OLD FASHIONED, BUT IT SEEMS TO WORK
When we were out of town recently I picked up a copy of the local paper in the motel in which we were staying. It contained an editorial by Betsy Hart, a syndicated columnist affiliated with Scripps Howard News Service.
The bulk of the article contained information about a study concerning how often people “…shift religious traditions in their lifetimes.” While those findings were interesting, my attention was drawn to the information concerning how children develop a commitment to their “religious tradition.”
I am reproducing that portion of the article below. I hope that some special attention will be given to the second paragraph. The material contained in it was not written by an old fogy “church of Christer,” but by somebody who has done some research into all sorts of religious groups:
…(A)s a parent I was intrigued but not surprised at the finding that those adults who continue to be most religiously committed to their childhood faith today are most likely to have had a strong religious tradition as a child, meaning they attended services regularly, had a strong faith commitment and so on.
As a side note, you know all those entertaining children’s church programs that separate young people from their parents during worship? It seems that we might do well to reconsider them. James White shows in his book, 'Intergenerational Religious Education,' that children and youth who consistently worship in church with their parents are more likely to regularly worship as adults than kids who instead routinely attend ‘children’s church’ and similar programs during the regular worship service.
As the husband of a preacher’s wife, the father of a preacher’s wife, and the father-in-law of a preacher’s wife, I have watched three women I love struggle with squirmy children while dad was not able to sit with them. I’ve watched other mothers with the same task who seem to be having just as difficult a time even when their husbands are sitting with them and are trying to help.
These weary parents all have a similar question. It usually goes something like this: “Will there ever be a time when I can actually get to worship without all of the distractions caused by my children?”
The evidence seems to indicate that the answer to that question is, “Yes, that time will come and, as an added bonus, you probably will have the satisfaction of knowing that those children now sitting with their own families are worshiping God in the same way you worship Him.”
A family unit, seeking not to be entertained, but worshiping God together is sort of an old-fashioned idea, isn’t it? At the same time, it sure seems to work, doesn’t it?
--- Jim Faughn
The bulk of the article contained information about a study concerning how often people “…shift religious traditions in their lifetimes.” While those findings were interesting, my attention was drawn to the information concerning how children develop a commitment to their “religious tradition.”
I am reproducing that portion of the article below. I hope that some special attention will be given to the second paragraph. The material contained in it was not written by an old fogy “church of Christer,” but by somebody who has done some research into all sorts of religious groups:
…(A)s a parent I was intrigued but not surprised at the finding that those adults who continue to be most religiously committed to their childhood faith today are most likely to have had a strong religious tradition as a child, meaning they attended services regularly, had a strong faith commitment and so on.
As a side note, you know all those entertaining children’s church programs that separate young people from their parents during worship? It seems that we might do well to reconsider them. James White shows in his book, 'Intergenerational Religious Education,' that children and youth who consistently worship in church with their parents are more likely to regularly worship as adults than kids who instead routinely attend ‘children’s church’ and similar programs during the regular worship service.
As the husband of a preacher’s wife, the father of a preacher’s wife, and the father-in-law of a preacher’s wife, I have watched three women I love struggle with squirmy children while dad was not able to sit with them. I’ve watched other mothers with the same task who seem to be having just as difficult a time even when their husbands are sitting with them and are trying to help.
These weary parents all have a similar question. It usually goes something like this: “Will there ever be a time when I can actually get to worship without all of the distractions caused by my children?”
The evidence seems to indicate that the answer to that question is, “Yes, that time will come and, as an added bonus, you probably will have the satisfaction of knowing that those children now sitting with their own families are worshiping God in the same way you worship Him.”
A family unit, seeking not to be entertained, but worshiping God together is sort of an old-fashioned idea, isn’t it? At the same time, it sure seems to work, doesn’t it?
--- Jim Faughn
Monday, March 30, 2009
WHAT ARE YOU LOSING WHILE TRYING TO FIND YOURSELF?
A lot of trends seem to have begun with my generation. Sadly, not all of them are positive.
Many in my generation made fun of our parents and grandparents who basically accepted life as it was; had a job that might not have been “fulfilling,” but which put food on the table; took seriously their marriage vows; and raised their children to be productive members of society. We were taught by many in the fields of entertainment and education that life had to be more than that. While all of us did not “tune in; turn on; and drop out,” we were definitely encouraged to ”find ourselves.”
That quest that gained momentum during the sixties has produced a philosophy about life that increasingly looks inward instead of outward (and definitely not upward). It seems to me that each succeeding generation has become more and more narcissistic. Now we have people all the way from retirement age down to the earliest age at which toddlers begin to reason with a similar view of life. They believe that life is all about them. Their major concerns are how they can please themselves; how they can be happy; how they can feel fulfilled; etc. In short, more and more people are on a lifelong quest to “find themselves.”
It is my observation that many of my friends, some of my family members, and even some brothers and sisters in Christ have lost something of great value in this quest to “find themselves.” Sometimes, that which has been lost can never be regained.
That last paragraph could also be written in the present tense. I fear that many whom I know and whom I love are presently losing something of great value as they pursue a career, pleasure, education, sports, and a host of other things in an attempt to “find themselves.”
If you are, or even think you could be, one who is trying to find yourself, may I please ask you to consider what you are in danger of losing in that pursuit? While the list below may not be complete, it is my prayer that it will serve as a “wake-up call.”
Your spouse. He/she still loves you and really doesn’t know what to do to keep you from destroying a relationship that could be a lot more fulfilling for both of you than it presently is. Do you remember when all you wanted to do was spend time together? Have you “sold” that so that you can find yourself? Is it really worth it?
Your children. They did not ask to be brought into this world. They do not need the things that you can buy them, nor do they need all the places you can take them or activities you encourage them to participate in. These can either be attempts to “buy them off” as you find yourself or they may be attempts to help them find themselves. Regardless of which they are, your children do not need them as much as they need you.
Your friends. I mean your real friends: those who used to be (and many still are) with you through the bad times as well as the good; those who would be there for you all through life if you would let them; those who may love you enough to try to tell you some things that you may not want to hear if you would slow down long enough to listen. If you could hear their prayers, you might realize what you are in danger of sacrificing.
Your reputation. There are those who remember the “old” you and liked him or her a lot better. He or she had time for others, was fun to be around, and cared about the really important things. Some who are trying to find themselves have ruined their reputation by getting involved in an illegal and/or immoral lifestyle. Others have not gone that far, but their reputation is surely not what it used to be.
Your health. Whether it is from overwork, ingesting dangerous substances, sexually transmitted diseases, or any number of other things, far too many have “found themselves” trying in vain to recover the good health they once enjoyed. In many cases, their life is much shorter than it could have been.
Your soul. Regardless of what philosophy of life may be adopted by a particular generation, the Bible will always teach that God, not self, must come first. There is not enough room on the throne of one’s heart for two people. The occupant of that throne cannot be God and anybody or anything else. It must be only God. Our lives will have been a total and complete failure if they are spent in any other pursuit than the pursuit of a personal and obedient relationship with Him.
In the tenth chapter of Luke, we read about a man whose stated concern was about eternal life (v. 25). It may be due to the fact that the man’s real concern was to test Jesus (v. 25) that Jesus turned the tables on him and asked him how he read what was in the law (v. 26). It is of interest to observe that, according to Jesus (v. 28), the man had the answer exactly right: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself (v. 27).” As the rest of that passage informs us, the difficulty and the challenge was not in knowing, but in doing.
How many of us know what really is important concerning our relationship with God and our hope of heaven, but are doing things that indicate that our real interests are elsewhere? What are you losing while trying to find yourself?
-- Jim Faughn
Many in my generation made fun of our parents and grandparents who basically accepted life as it was; had a job that might not have been “fulfilling,” but which put food on the table; took seriously their marriage vows; and raised their children to be productive members of society. We were taught by many in the fields of entertainment and education that life had to be more than that. While all of us did not “tune in; turn on; and drop out,” we were definitely encouraged to ”find ourselves.”
That quest that gained momentum during the sixties has produced a philosophy about life that increasingly looks inward instead of outward (and definitely not upward). It seems to me that each succeeding generation has become more and more narcissistic. Now we have people all the way from retirement age down to the earliest age at which toddlers begin to reason with a similar view of life. They believe that life is all about them. Their major concerns are how they can please themselves; how they can be happy; how they can feel fulfilled; etc. In short, more and more people are on a lifelong quest to “find themselves.”
It is my observation that many of my friends, some of my family members, and even some brothers and sisters in Christ have lost something of great value in this quest to “find themselves.” Sometimes, that which has been lost can never be regained.
That last paragraph could also be written in the present tense. I fear that many whom I know and whom I love are presently losing something of great value as they pursue a career, pleasure, education, sports, and a host of other things in an attempt to “find themselves.”
If you are, or even think you could be, one who is trying to find yourself, may I please ask you to consider what you are in danger of losing in that pursuit? While the list below may not be complete, it is my prayer that it will serve as a “wake-up call.”
Your spouse. He/she still loves you and really doesn’t know what to do to keep you from destroying a relationship that could be a lot more fulfilling for both of you than it presently is. Do you remember when all you wanted to do was spend time together? Have you “sold” that so that you can find yourself? Is it really worth it?
Your children. They did not ask to be brought into this world. They do not need the things that you can buy them, nor do they need all the places you can take them or activities you encourage them to participate in. These can either be attempts to “buy them off” as you find yourself or they may be attempts to help them find themselves. Regardless of which they are, your children do not need them as much as they need you.
Your friends. I mean your real friends: those who used to be (and many still are) with you through the bad times as well as the good; those who would be there for you all through life if you would let them; those who may love you enough to try to tell you some things that you may not want to hear if you would slow down long enough to listen. If you could hear their prayers, you might realize what you are in danger of sacrificing.
Your reputation. There are those who remember the “old” you and liked him or her a lot better. He or she had time for others, was fun to be around, and cared about the really important things. Some who are trying to find themselves have ruined their reputation by getting involved in an illegal and/or immoral lifestyle. Others have not gone that far, but their reputation is surely not what it used to be.
Your health. Whether it is from overwork, ingesting dangerous substances, sexually transmitted diseases, or any number of other things, far too many have “found themselves” trying in vain to recover the good health they once enjoyed. In many cases, their life is much shorter than it could have been.
Your soul. Regardless of what philosophy of life may be adopted by a particular generation, the Bible will always teach that God, not self, must come first. There is not enough room on the throne of one’s heart for two people. The occupant of that throne cannot be God and anybody or anything else. It must be only God. Our lives will have been a total and complete failure if they are spent in any other pursuit than the pursuit of a personal and obedient relationship with Him.
In the tenth chapter of Luke, we read about a man whose stated concern was about eternal life (v. 25). It may be due to the fact that the man’s real concern was to test Jesus (v. 25) that Jesus turned the tables on him and asked him how he read what was in the law (v. 26). It is of interest to observe that, according to Jesus (v. 28), the man had the answer exactly right: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself (v. 27).” As the rest of that passage informs us, the difficulty and the challenge was not in knowing, but in doing.
How many of us know what really is important concerning our relationship with God and our hope of heaven, but are doing things that indicate that our real interests are elsewhere? What are you losing while trying to find yourself?
-- Jim Faughn
Thursday, March 12, 2009
COMPLETELY OFF OF ITS FOUNDATION
Thus far, 2009 has been an interesting year with regard to the weather. The “once in a lifetime” (we hope) ice storm, dramatic swings in the temperature from day to day, and high winds have all been a part of what we have experienced in our part of the world.
It was during one of the times when some very high winds were felt that one of the televised news stories provided some information about a church building that was actually moved from its original position. I found the way the reporter worded her comments as pictures of the building were shown to be very interesting. While the structure was being shown, the reporter said, “As you can see, the church was blown completely off of its foundation.”
Sure enough; there it stood. It looked much like it had looked before the winds blew. It was all seemingly intact except for one “minor" detail. It was no longer sitting on its foundation. Since it was no longer on its foundation, it would have been dangerous to try to use the building for its intended purpose.
While most who read this understand that there is a difference between churches and church buildings, there is one way in which they are similar. Each can be “blown completely off of its foundation.”
Interestingly enough, one of the self-proclaimed “change agents” among us wrote a book a few years ago entitled Navigating the Winds of Change (emphasis mine, J.F.). It is my belief that, if a congregation were to follow his teaching (and the teaching of others who are of the same persuasion), the effect would be that that congregation would be blown completely off of its foundation. It may, in some respects, look the same as in previous days, but it would no longer be suited for its intended purpose and would no longer be true to the name which it may still have on its building.
In the twenty-first century, as in the first century, it is important to remember two passages from the epistle that Paul wrote to the Ephesians. First, he told those who “…are saints…and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1) that they were “…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (2:20-22).
A little later in the same epistle, the same penman wrote something that should challenge our thinking. He expressed concern about being “…tossed to and fro by the waves and by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (4:14, emphasis mine, J.F.).
A church building that is “scooted” off of its foundation may be novel enough to be of passing interest on the local news. A church that has the same thing happen to it will affect countless souls for eternity.
-- Jim Faughn
It was during one of the times when some very high winds were felt that one of the televised news stories provided some information about a church building that was actually moved from its original position. I found the way the reporter worded her comments as pictures of the building were shown to be very interesting. While the structure was being shown, the reporter said, “As you can see, the church was blown completely off of its foundation.”
Sure enough; there it stood. It looked much like it had looked before the winds blew. It was all seemingly intact except for one “minor" detail. It was no longer sitting on its foundation. Since it was no longer on its foundation, it would have been dangerous to try to use the building for its intended purpose.
While most who read this understand that there is a difference between churches and church buildings, there is one way in which they are similar. Each can be “blown completely off of its foundation.”
Interestingly enough, one of the self-proclaimed “change agents” among us wrote a book a few years ago entitled Navigating the Winds of Change (emphasis mine, J.F.). It is my belief that, if a congregation were to follow his teaching (and the teaching of others who are of the same persuasion), the effect would be that that congregation would be blown completely off of its foundation. It may, in some respects, look the same as in previous days, but it would no longer be suited for its intended purpose and would no longer be true to the name which it may still have on its building.
In the twenty-first century, as in the first century, it is important to remember two passages from the epistle that Paul wrote to the Ephesians. First, he told those who “…are saints…and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1) that they were “…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (2:20-22).
A little later in the same epistle, the same penman wrote something that should challenge our thinking. He expressed concern about being “…tossed to and fro by the waves and by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (4:14, emphasis mine, J.F.).
A church building that is “scooted” off of its foundation may be novel enough to be of passing interest on the local news. A church that has the same thing happen to it will affect countless souls for eternity.
-- Jim Faughn
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
VERITAS CHRISTO ET ECCLESIAE
The English translation of the Latin phrase above is “Truth for Christ and the Church.” It is the motto adopted by a small college (nine students) when it was founded in 1636. It was originally called “New College” or “the College at New Towne.” After a young minister left his library of four hundred books to the school, it was named for him and is today identified around the world by his last name, Harvard. Although it may be the most (or among the most) famous institutions of higher learning in the world, many would probably be very surprised to learn the following about Harvard: “The College's original purpose was to train Puritan ministers.” (Wikipedia)
According to a number of websites I’ve looked at, the following are two of the original “Rules and Precepts” of Harvard. (The original spellings, punctuation, etc. have been kept.):
2. Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the maine end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore to lay Christ in the bottome, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and Learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisedome, Let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret To seeke it of him (Prov. 2:3)
3. Every one shall so exercise himselfe in reading the Scriptures twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein, both in Theoreticall observations of Language and Logick, and in practical and spiritual truths, as his Tutor shall require, according to his ability; seeing the entrance of the word giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130).
While Harvard is known for many things today, it is not one of the first institutions that would come to mind when thinking of a place to send a person of any age (especially a young person) to help him or her build or strengthen faith in the Lord and/or His Word. In far to many ways to enumerate here, Harvard today could not be any further removed from the intentions of those who originally wanted to train young men to preach.
To be sure, there is still a religious component of this institution; The Harvard Divinity School. As one reads the following portion of the “Dean’s Welcome” on their website and compares it with the original purpose and rules for Harvard, it is not difficult to detect more than just a slight change in emphasis:
I hope that as you explore these electronic pages, you will quickly detect our commitment to produce scholars and leaders, across the academic fields and the professions, who are rigorously educated with a particular eye to the broad range of the world's religions. (emphasis mine, J.F.)
I looked at the calendar of special events for the week during which I am writing this article and found that there were opportunities to learn about Buddhism and Confucianism. I found, too, that there is an ongoing event every Tuesday and Thursday at noon when classes are in session called “Sitting Meditation.” I found nothing about our Lord or His Word. I found nothing about “Truth for Christ and the Church.”
“Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae” seems to be nothing more than an ancient relic. It apparently has gone the way of the horse and buggy. It is no longer the guiding principle for an institution that prides itself on being on the cutting edge of every facet of the twenty-first century world.
So, what’s the point? What is the big deal about the fact that most of the people presently associated with Harvard would laugh at the intentions and beliefs of the founders and original donors?
The point is that there are some of us who are very concerned about some of the institutions supported by some of our brethren. We are, likewise, concerned about some of the congregations who at least give lip service to being a “church of Christ.”
Those of us who have these concerns may be viewed by some as a bunch of old fogies who refuse to be dragged into the twenty-first century (even kicking and screaming). It may appear to some that there is opposition to change of any kind. To that characterization, I, for one, would plead, “Not guilty.”
I appreciate more than I can express some of the advances in medicine, technology, travel, communications, etc. with which we are blessed. At the same time, I appreciate more than I can adequately express “…the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, ESV).
George Santayana was a philosopher, poet, essayist, and novelist who died in 1952. He described himself as an “aesthetic Catholic” His writings would indicate that his concerns, if any, about the history of Harvard or present discussions among churches of Christ would not at all be the same as mine.
However, among his writings, one will find the following quote. It would serve all of us well to at least keep it in mind.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
-- Jim Faughn
According to a number of websites I’ve looked at, the following are two of the original “Rules and Precepts” of Harvard. (The original spellings, punctuation, etc. have been kept.):
2. Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the maine end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore to lay Christ in the bottome, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and Learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisedome, Let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret To seeke it of him (Prov. 2:3)
3. Every one shall so exercise himselfe in reading the Scriptures twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein, both in Theoreticall observations of Language and Logick, and in practical and spiritual truths, as his Tutor shall require, according to his ability; seeing the entrance of the word giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130).
While Harvard is known for many things today, it is not one of the first institutions that would come to mind when thinking of a place to send a person of any age (especially a young person) to help him or her build or strengthen faith in the Lord and/or His Word. In far to many ways to enumerate here, Harvard today could not be any further removed from the intentions of those who originally wanted to train young men to preach.
To be sure, there is still a religious component of this institution; The Harvard Divinity School. As one reads the following portion of the “Dean’s Welcome” on their website and compares it with the original purpose and rules for Harvard, it is not difficult to detect more than just a slight change in emphasis:
I hope that as you explore these electronic pages, you will quickly detect our commitment to produce scholars and leaders, across the academic fields and the professions, who are rigorously educated with a particular eye to the broad range of the world's religions. (emphasis mine, J.F.)
I looked at the calendar of special events for the week during which I am writing this article and found that there were opportunities to learn about Buddhism and Confucianism. I found, too, that there is an ongoing event every Tuesday and Thursday at noon when classes are in session called “Sitting Meditation.” I found nothing about our Lord or His Word. I found nothing about “Truth for Christ and the Church.”
“Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae” seems to be nothing more than an ancient relic. It apparently has gone the way of the horse and buggy. It is no longer the guiding principle for an institution that prides itself on being on the cutting edge of every facet of the twenty-first century world.
So, what’s the point? What is the big deal about the fact that most of the people presently associated with Harvard would laugh at the intentions and beliefs of the founders and original donors?
The point is that there are some of us who are very concerned about some of the institutions supported by some of our brethren. We are, likewise, concerned about some of the congregations who at least give lip service to being a “church of Christ.”
Those of us who have these concerns may be viewed by some as a bunch of old fogies who refuse to be dragged into the twenty-first century (even kicking and screaming). It may appear to some that there is opposition to change of any kind. To that characterization, I, for one, would plead, “Not guilty.”
I appreciate more than I can express some of the advances in medicine, technology, travel, communications, etc. with which we are blessed. At the same time, I appreciate more than I can adequately express “…the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, ESV).
George Santayana was a philosopher, poet, essayist, and novelist who died in 1952. He described himself as an “aesthetic Catholic” His writings would indicate that his concerns, if any, about the history of Harvard or present discussions among churches of Christ would not at all be the same as mine.
However, among his writings, one will find the following quote. It would serve all of us well to at least keep it in mind.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
-- Jim Faughn
Monday, February 23, 2009
STAY IN THE BOAT --- AND TRUST
One of our Bible class teachers was telling me (and I’ve been telling a lot of other people) about an incident that occurred during her class when our family was here for the funeral for my wife's mother. The teacher was telling her class about the time when Jesus calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Matt. 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25). She had not yet reached that point in her telling of the account.
She was telling how the disciples feared for their lives because of the violent winds and the waves. She must have done an outstanding job of describing how the boat was being tossed about in the waves and how fearful the disciples were, because it was at this point in the lesson that she asked the students a question and received an unexpected response.
The question she asked was, “What would you do?” Our oldest granddaughter, who was in the class, replied immediately, “I’d get out of that boat!”
I’ve chuckled a lot and others have chuckled with me about her answer. (I’m sure that they were just being nice to another guy telling another grandchild story). After doing some thinking about this, though, it occurs to me that there may be an important lesson here.
If the disciples had left the boat, would they have been better off? Would they not still have been in the violent storm without any protection at all and without the Lord?
Sometimes (maybe many times), our solutions to the storms in our own lives make just about as much sense as a three-year-old’s “solution” to the disciples’ dilemma. What seems to be an easy way out just makes matters worse.
When the waves are crashing and the wind is howling, we would be well advised to stay in the boat with the Lord and to trust Him. He will get us safely to the other side.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path (Prov. 3:5-6, ESV).
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you (Psalm 56:3, ESV)
-- Jim Faughn
She was telling how the disciples feared for their lives because of the violent winds and the waves. She must have done an outstanding job of describing how the boat was being tossed about in the waves and how fearful the disciples were, because it was at this point in the lesson that she asked the students a question and received an unexpected response.
The question she asked was, “What would you do?” Our oldest granddaughter, who was in the class, replied immediately, “I’d get out of that boat!”
I’ve chuckled a lot and others have chuckled with me about her answer. (I’m sure that they were just being nice to another guy telling another grandchild story). After doing some thinking about this, though, it occurs to me that there may be an important lesson here.
If the disciples had left the boat, would they have been better off? Would they not still have been in the violent storm without any protection at all and without the Lord?
Sometimes (maybe many times), our solutions to the storms in our own lives make just about as much sense as a three-year-old’s “solution” to the disciples’ dilemma. What seems to be an easy way out just makes matters worse.
When the waves are crashing and the wind is howling, we would be well advised to stay in the boat with the Lord and to trust Him. He will get us safely to the other side.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path (Prov. 3:5-6, ESV).
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you (Psalm 56:3, ESV)
-- Jim Faughn
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