New Friends

I am multi-tasking.  Yep, I'm surprised as well.  While writing this blog I am chatting with a young man named Adam.  He lives in Hungary.  I met him last week while working in an English language/sports camp in his city.  I'm still a bit amazed at the technology that allows me to chat with someone several thousand miles away, yet it seems like he is in the next room.  Right now we are chatting about the whether in our respective cities, about what kind of truck I have, and about a comment on a Facebook picture.   It was in Hungarian and he was kind enough to translate it for me. It may seem trivial, but it is the kind of converstation that sustains and even builds friendship. 

Last week we spent several hours a day playing ultimate Frizbee, basketball, foosball, ping-pong and softball as we developed new friendships with more than thirty teens and young adults.  We also had one student who was 12 and one who was 59.  In the mornings we taught English and shared about God's amazing love demonstrated in His son, Jesus.  On Friday, three young ladies responded to God's love and became believers in Jesus.  Many others are considering making the same commitment of faith. 

It thrills me to know that the truth about Jesus transcends cultures, ethnic groups and geographic locations.  I'm reminded of the phrase in a great old hymn; Jesus saves, Jesus saved.

Foundations

They are seldom seen, rarely complimented and often ignored, but they are vital to the stability of a building.  I'm thinking about foundations.   The strength and stability of a building is directly related to the integrity of the foundation.  A weak foundation will lead to a weak and dangerous building.

Jesus told a simply story about foundations.  He told of one house built upon a foundation of sand and another built upon a foundation of rock.  All seemed well until the rains fell.  At that point the house built upon the sand came crumbling down.  The house built upon the foundation of rock stood strong, unaffected.  Was there a point?   When Jesus told a story there was always a point. 

These two houses represented two kinds of people.  Some build their lives upon a foundation that is like sand.  It may look good, but when difficulties come their lives crumble.  Others build their lives upon a foundation of rock.  When the difficulties come they are able to stand strong. 

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.  Psalm 18:2

A Strategic Partnership

 

This past week, Jerry and Armentia Adams and myself made a quick trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina to meet with a local pastor named Milton Claussen.  Milton is a bi-vocational pastor of a Baptist church in the heart of a city of 18 million people.  Within a three-mile radious of their church live over 300,000 people, most of whom do not have a personal relationship with Jesus.  This is the only evangelical church in that area.  Their average attendance is fifty.  Reminds me of the words of Jesus . . .

The harvest of plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers.

We are praying about a partnership with Pastor Milton and the Iglesia Christiana Batista  in Buenos Aires to work together in strengthening believers and planting a new church in the region.  HDBC will seek to send three teams (4 members each) per year for three years to work with and alongside this church.  The local church is the hope of the world.  God has called HDBC to take the good news around the world.  This partnership will be one way that we can do so.  I am excited to see how God will direct Pastor Milton and his church, HDBC, and missionaries Mark and Melissa Hobson who are overseeing this partnership. 

Milton and Grace Claussen and their daughter.

The Race

Kids are important to our church.  Earlier this month we hosted over seventy children in our annual sports and more camp.  The kids learned that the real power in life does not come from themselves, but from the one who created them.  They enjoyed sports & craft classes, swimming, music, worship, games, and much more.  It took dozens of volunteers to make it happen.

This week we will host over one hundred children for Vacation Bible School.  Once again, they will enjoy crafts, games, music, worship, Bible study, snacks and much more.  Once again, we have dozens of adults and teens who are volunteering their time to make it happen and to make it happen well.

We have made a significant investment of time, personnel and money in these two activities.  Quality events are costly, in all three areas.  Why do we do it?  Simply put . . .

It's a race to the heart of a child, and the first one there wins.  Our children face a multi-faceted and often confusing array of world views which are competing for their allegiance.  Secularism, humanism, hedonism, along with the major world religions all compete for the hearts of our children.  None can satisfy.  None can fulfill.  None can answer the basic questions of life which all people wrestle with.  Only in Jesus Christ, can a child (or adult) find the real meaning of life, real peace, and real assurance for the future.

That's why we do it!  Kids Matter!  It is, indeed, a race to the heart of a child.  At HDBC, we take that challenge seriously.

The Apocalypse?

I just viewed pictures from last night's tornadoes that ripped through Joplin, MO.  This picture caught my eye more than the others.  The simple word "apocalypse" came to mind.  The word itself refers to "an unveiling, or revealing" as in "The Revelation," referring to the last book of the Bible.  However, the word is often used and understood as referring to "the end of time" or to "some cataclysmic, end of the earth" scenario. 

During the last few weeks there has been quite a bit of talk about "end times," primarily stemming from Harold Campings foolish prediction that May 21 would be the day of the return of Christ.  Obviously, he was wrong.  But it has caused people to think about this important future event.  Others are discussing the unusual weather and proliferation of natural disasters (tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) and wonder if these are signs that the end is near.  Speculations are abundant.  But are they valid?  Consider a few things.

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus will come again and that no one knows the day.  Any predictions that Christ will return on a certain day indicate a failure to understand what the Bible says about this important event.  Likewise, those who declare that there will be no return of Christ are foolish and ignorant of what the Bible clearly teaches.

The Bible reveals that in the last days there will be major catastrophic weather-related events.  The New Testament speaks of an increase in earthquakes, of hail storms, lightning flashes, and more.  Do the recent natural events that have impacted the world indicate that we are in the last days?  Are they are fulfillment of prophecy?  I am not ready to suggest that these are a direct fulfillment of specific prophecies.  However I do want to make a few observations.

We are living the last days.  Jesus will come again, as surely as night follows day.  The important thing is to be prepared for his coming.  I'm ready . . . are you?

Natural disasters which kill, injure and destroy are reminders that we live in a fallen, sinful world that needs to be redeemed.  And it will one day be redeemed.  This world in which we live is not Heaven.

In spite of how it must appear to many, God really does love us.  Though His love is often questioned in the wake of devastating disasters, it can clearly be seen in the voluntary death of His son on a cross outside of Jerusalem two millenniums ago.  He died as a demonstration of His great loved for us.

The Apocalypse?  Not yet.  But one day . . . maybe sooner than we think.

Bird Watching

For the  third time in five years a momma Robin has built a nest in my carport.  Like the previous momma birds in previous years this one was not happy about our invading her space.  At least that is how she looks at it.  She has no clue who really owns that space. 

For weeks each time we opened the door to leave the house she would fly away in absolute disgust at having to leave those eggs.  I few minutes after we were out of sight she would make her way back to her spot.  The next time the door opened or a car pulled into the carport off she would fly.

Then a few days ago I began to see little beaks poking above the edge of the nest.  Those three little feathery friends have only one thing to do at this stage of their young lives; open their peaks and wait.  Mom is sure to bring them food.  And she does. 

Now, I admit that this is not the most exciting entertainment that I have experienced.  However, it is sort of fun to watch this little slice of nature working its magic.  How does that Robin know how to build that nest?  How does she know to sit on those eggs day after day until they hatch?  How does she know that they need to be fed?  How does she know what to feed them?  How does she know where to get the food?  How do they know to open their beaks and point them skyward?

Mother nature?  Instinct?  Luck?  Genetics? 

Not me.  When I watch this little, insignificant drama unfold day after day I see a tiny part of an amazing creation, the product of a Master Designer overseeing the smallest details of his world.     

Rob Bell and Love Wins

Rob Bell is a pastor of a megachurch in Michigan.  His book, "Love Wins," has caused a heated debate not only in Christian circles but also in the non-Christian community.  The recent Time Magazine story about his book and beliefs has further fueled the debate.  At the heart of the debate is the question of whether or not Hell exists and whether or not Jesus is truly the only way to get to Heaven.  These are not insignificant issues.  Therefore, I want to share a thought or two.  Let me acknowledge from the start that I have not read the book.  However, I have listened to a number of interviews with Rob Bell and read a number of reviews which include quotes from the book.  Based upon those, I am extremely concerned about his views and the impact they will have.

He questions the historic, Christian understanding of Hell.
He emphasizes the love of God, while minimizing the judgment of God.
He leaves open the possibility of the salvation of all people, regardless of their faith in Christ.
He denies a belief in universalism, while his words seem to indicate just the opposite.
He believes that God's love will eventually win out, seemingly leading all people to Heaven.
He claims that universalism has always been found in some parts of main-stream Christianity.

If I understand correctly what he is saying, I believe Rob Bell is not only wrong, but his beliefs are dangerous.  Universalism demeans the the sacrifice of Jesus, misunderstands the charater of God, makes evangelism irrelevant, and condemns the souls of people through a false sense of security. 

Now, a few things to consider:

A person can pastor a megachurch and be theologically wrong.
A person can write a book and be theologically wrong.
All books sold in Christian bookstores are not equal.  Some are downright dangerous.
All Scripture is inspired by God, not just isolated verses quoted to prove a desired belief.
Some theological tensions (God's love and His judgment) do not need to be solved. 
Teaching one aspect of God's character while ignoring another is dishonest and leads to confusion.

Finally, let me encourage you to be cautious of any teaching that questions historical, mainstream, evangelical Christianity.  This is especially important when it involves the core, fundamental, truths related to salvation, the nature of God, Heaven and Hell.