Month: September 2009

What Roman Polanski teaches us about Depravity

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

Recently Swiss authorities arrested Director Roman Polanski on an outstanding warrant. Years ago, Mr. Polanski raped a 13 year old girl, pled guilty than fled the US before his sentencing. He has been living in Europe trying to avoid the consequences of his despicable act. Now, it would seem, he may finally pay the piper.

Yet, throughout America celebrities seem up in arms. Whoopi Goldberg excused him because it wasn’t ‘rape-rape,’ whatever that means. Diplomats and stars alike are shocked, not at Polanski’s crime, but at the authorities from having the audacity to arrest him. As shocking as that sounds, should we really be shocked? No, I don’t think so.

You see, darkness HATES light. Polanski’s crime, and cowardice clearly fall into the category of darkness. He has spent a large portion of his life avoiding the light of justice. His amoral Hollywood and political compatriots may not like what he did, but they have an equally visceral hatred for light. They don’t want to face up to the evil of his act because it might mean their lifestyles are also less than good.

From serial womanizing, to drug and alcohol problems, Hollywood (and, perhaps, Washington) is filled with folks who are convinced that right and wrong are mere constructs. They want to believe that good and evil don’t actually exist. This allows them to live however they please, and act self-righteous toward anyone who might question their choices. Thus, to allow one of their own to be exposed as evil gives rise to the reality that their own lives are similarly fallen—that they aren’t the nice people, good citizens they pretend to be.

If nothing else, Roman Polanski teaches us that we are so depraved we’d rather run than face our wickedness. He reminds us how we each choose to hide, rationalize or ignore our own sin—much easier to act as the victim than to face consequences. He shows us just how important the Light of Christ is. Only that light can reveal my wickedness, convict my heart and cause repentance.

May the light of Christ shine upon Mr. Polanski, and each one of us, that we might turn to Christ and be healed.

Flying With the Boys

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

Took my two sons, 8 & 6, for their first small airplane ride today. As providence would have it, I happen to be a Certified Flight Instructor, so their first flight could also be a first lesson.
We arrived at the aerodrome a bit early, hard to keep any of us away from airplanes. After pre-flighting the Warrior (and emptying tiny bladders), we mounted up. 6 took the pilot’s seat, with me next to him. 8 agreed to ride the bench for the first half.
God blessed us with a nice day. Light winds, straight down the runway, greater than 10 miles of visibility and no clouds below 12000 ft. So, we pointed our nose to the wind and put the coals to it.
As we neared rotation speed, I told 6 to ease back on the yoke. With a little assist he raised the nose and away we went. Before to long we were above the pattern, and he banked us left toward the Big Lake.
As we motored northward, 6 was mesmerized by the vast array of gauges before him, occasionally peering out the window. We’ll have to work on that. A few minutes of straight-and-level had us at the beach, where I talked him through a few level turns–while pointing out some of the sights he might recognize.
Back over dry land, his time was up. He happily moved to the rear while 8 took his place behind the wheel. Then it was off to Nana’s house.
After a few minutes of trying to recall exactly which road Nana lives on, I pointed 8 in the general direction and he pointed teh Warrior. Soon enough we were abeam the house and I helped 8 through a steep turn, so that he and 6 could peer down from 2500 ft upon the 7 acres of heaven they love to run around through.
Before you know it, it was time to head back to teh barn. So, I pointed to where we were going and 8 took us there.
Now, once we were in the pattern, I knew I needed to be the one flying. 8 can see over the instrument panel, but just barely. And those feet? They can’t really move the rudder a whole lot. So, with him assisting me, I showed them both what’s involved in returning this wee Warrior to the ground from which we came.
Or, at least I thought I showed them both. After 3 touch-and-goes we taxied back to the ramp, only to find 6 sound asleep in the rear. I guess if you aren’t doing the flying its no different than driving.
So, all in all both boys had a blast and did a great job! Now Dad has to get ’em both logbooks to commemorate their first flight. Lord willing there will be many more in their future.

Evangelism & Affluenza

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

Living in a solidly middle class suburb of a major American city, I see folks everyday who live better than probably 90% of the world. There are no shortages of toys around here. Boats, RVs, ATVs, Motorcycles and extra cars abound throughout our village. Yet, we still hear regular stories of people who can’t make ends meet, who can’t pay the bills, etc. And this didn’t just start last year when the economy fell. It’s been happening for my seven years here. Let me give you an example.
A mother comes in looking for help, and she does have an acute need. Thanks to losing a job, she isn’t presently able to make ends meet. But, as you continue talking a few interesting points come out. First, she is a smoker. Second, she (and her teenage kids) have cell phones. Third, they have cable. Fourth, they have broadband internet. And the list goes on.
Now, none of those things mean the person doesn’t need help. But, I begin to wonder when real help is holding people accountable for getting rid of unnecessary extras. At what point is the church failing to love people because we are simply enabling their overspending/unaffordable lifestyle? When does evangelism go from meeting ‘felt needs’ to prophetically calling people to stop living that way?
The problem, I think, is that we’ve come to expect a lifestyle that we cannot truly afford. We’ve convinced ourselves we need cable, we need internet, we need cell phones. While those may be nice to have, and even helpful and convenient, when the money runs short shouldn’t some of those luxuries be sacrificed before going and asking for benevolence?

On Poverty

~ brandon ~ 1 Comment

On the Census Bureau’s website, I came across a spreadsheet showing the number of families below the poverty line from 1959 to 2008. As I quickly looked through the sheet (since I’m supposed to be doing other things), I noticed that the rate of families below the poverty line has hovered around 10 percent, plus or minus, since the late 1960s. Now, throughout my life I’ve heard about the war on poverty, and how we must increase welfare to try and raise people out of poverty. So, the fact the overall rate of families living below the poverty line got me thinking: are we wasting our money? If we continue to spend more, with little or no significant impact, is there a better way? I think there is.
Being a Pastor, I tend to look at Scripture for answers to life questions. I do so for two reasons. First, I do so because I believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God. Thus, its principles are timeless and still useful for guiding decisions. Second because Western Civilization is largely based upon the Bible. For over 1500 years the history of the West has been the history of Christianity—good and bad, alike. Our founding fathers, while all may not have been Christians, were profoundly impacted by lessons found in Scripture. So, if it served so well as a foundational document for so long, I figure, “Why reinvent the wheel?” That said, let me share a principle that I believe is at the core of our welfare failure. You can find it in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”
Paul recognized some in Thessalonica were taking advantage of the charity of others. Capable of working, these folks choose not to work—instead eating the food provided through the work of others. This was unacceptable. While feeding those unable to work is at the core of loving thy neighbor, feeding those who will not work runs counter to the entirety of Scripture.
Perhaps, then, we might consider a welfare system that only feeds those who are truly unable to eat. Those who are able, it is assumed, choose not to for one reason or another. They, therefore, receive nothing. Not only might this provide some motivation toward work, but it also might help instill a work ethic seriously lacking in our society.

Ask the Pastor

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

Q—Do you have advice on looking for a church?

A—My advice is to find a healthy congregation where you can use the gifts God’s given you to serve Him. Begin by listing the congregations close enough for you to become involved. As Christians, we are called to serve others. So, if I drive an hour to church, I likely won’t have time to serve in the ministries of that church.
Having made a list, pray over the list. Then plan to visit each congregation on your list. During your visits, avail yourself of any information you can concerning the congregation. Ultimately we are looking for a healthy church. Such a church is centered on God’s Word (1 Timothy 3:16, 17); God centered in worship (Psalm 100); driven by the mission of the Church (Matthew 28:19, 20); intentional in disciplemaking (Matthew 29:19, 20); and marked by loving community (John 13:35). Through prayer and careful consideration of the congregations you visit, the Spirit will lead you to the place where you can worship, serve and grow as you follow Christ side-by-side with brothers and sisters.

Ask the Pastor

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been writing a column in the local newspaper for about seven years now. It’s called, “Ask the Pastor,” and attempts to answer all manner of questions from a Conservative, Biblical worldview. The questions come from friends, family, enemies and strangers. Feel free to pass along any questions you’d like to ask.