A New Year... A Resolution Worth Keeping

The King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me." Then the righteous will answer Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?" The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me." Then He will say to those on his left, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me." They also will answer, "Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?" He will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me." Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life (Matthew 25:34-46).

Just one of the least of these. Have you ever thought about sponsoring a child through an organization like Compassion International? My family - because we have four children - sponsors four children, two from Honduras, one from Ethiopia, and one from India. And I could tell you how exciting it is to exchange letters - and prayers - with these children. But I'd rather tell you about sponsorship. See, Proverbs 31:8-9 says, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." I haven't been speaking up. In my own sponsorship efforts, I'm playing a part, filling a gap, helping out, or whatever you want to call it. Sometimes I would even say that I fulfill that role in a sacrificial way; after all, at $38 per month per child, it's a commitment of $1824 per year, not counting additional birthday, Christmas, and family gifts throughout the year. But I'm not saying this to boast; if anything, I'm ashamed, because I haven't been speaking up.

And that's my resolution - to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves, to encourage others - maybe you - to show care for just one of the least of these. And I want to explain why you should do that through the ministry of Compassion International.

It's simple. Compassion has a 4-C focus: It is Christ-centered. Compassion doesn't work where the gospel isn't shared. You can be sure that Jesus' name is spoken often where Compassion children are spoken. WIthout coercion, the life-changing gospel is taught to every child in a culturally-relevant way. It is Child-focused. Compassion directly engages children as complete persons. It is Church-based. Compassion partners with locals church, allowing relationships to form and grow naturally, as the local church partners with parents and the local communities. Finally, it is Committed to Integrity. Compasion is not among the highest-rated fiscally responsible ministries out there, but it also focuses on excellence in providing whatever support is to sponsored children through the local church.

Compassion has a wholistic approach to caring for children; in other words, with your sponsorship dollars, your child is given physical care, educational care, social care, and most importantly (but it doesn't work if the others aren't also present), spiritual care.

There are a lot of places you could put your hard-earned money. There are a lot of places you could spend your surely limited time. And with a new year, we often charge ahead, aiming high, thinking big, and gathering resources for the needs we perceive in our own lives. But make a resolution: aim lower - at the least of these; think smaller - children across the world need compassion and the gospel; and give up - test God in this; see if you can outgive Him. Would you sponsor a child through Compassion International? Click the link below to learn more.

Sponsor a child through Compassion International

Church Leadership

A primary Greek word used in the Bible to talk about church leaders is "episkope." Broken down, epi-scope, has the root, "scope," as in telescope, microscope, stethoscope, etc... You think of an instrument designed for getting a good look at something. And the prefix, "epi," means "on, upon, at, by, near, over, on top of, toward, against, and among." You might think of the word, "epicenter," which describes not only the center of a focal point, or the crux of an issue, but actually being there to gain first person, experiential knowledge of the same.

Combining the prefix and the root, the Greek word "episkope," which is where we get our English word, "Episcopal," and which is often translated as "bishop," "elder," "overseer," or even "visitation," describes an investigator and his task, one who visits closely in order to look deeply into something or someone, which is exactly what a church leader should spend his time doing - looking deeply into the people and circumstances of his flock. In fact, when the word is used of an authority figure, even of God Himself, it means, "that act of looking into and searching out the ways, deeds character, of men, in order to judge them and their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad."

How are your church leaders doing at this primary task of theirs? Are they loaded with other chores and tasks that prevent them from engaging in their primary role? How do you think they should best perform this task? By preaching the word of God, of course, which is "living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates, even to dividing sould and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). If you are a church leader, then "watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16).

The Tillman Story

I watched this documentary / movie last night, because I appreciated Pat Tillman's successful football career and subsequent surprising departure from the NFL in order to enlist with the military following the events of September 11, 2001. I really did not know what to expect out of the film, but what I saw and heard was certainly unexpected. I'm still trying to process the motive for the production.


The movie primarily served to accuse the military and US government of a massive cover-up, attempting to honor Tillman and prevent the public from learning of his death by friendly fire. And I think most people are unsuprised if/when that sort of thing happens. How many films have been made about such activity? I think of Courage Under Fire and The General's Daughter, and the lines, "You can't handle the truth!" without much consideration. It's certainly not "right" to conspire or cover-up the truth, especially when it pertains to representing facts to the family and loved ones of a slain soldier. And it's all the more wrong to engage in such activity in an effort to promote military action in foreign lands when the purpose is questionable to begin with. And so for the efforts to make such activity public, I suppose I appreciate the film.


However, there were plenty of additional motives for this film, more subtly portrayed. First, there was a sort of subjective political message in addition to what is depicted objectively, and I can't quite put my finger on it. But I was skeptical, and saddened by the efforts to state that claim. Second, or of more interest to me, was the religious message implied in the film. Messages of hope from well-wishers were squashed by family members with an undoubtedly atheistic worldview. Tillman's younger brother spoke at his memorial service, cursing and declaring that Pat is not with God, because he was not religious. He is simply dead. The anger that was continually present from his family is understandable given their humanity, but illogical, given their atheism. Pat's mother continually replied to the military's and government's immoral behavior, but she had no basis for her views of morality to begin with.


In one clip, a radio conversation between military personnel is played, and the gist is that the family can't get over it because of their atheistic thinking. I think it was meant to glorify atheism in some sense, to honor their perseverance, as if to say that theists are weak and give up easily at the will of the system, while atheists are strong and never yield to the system. In another series of clips, one of Tillman's group members, a "religious" mormon, was shown to be (1) small and puny and weak (in comparison to Tillman), (2) in the best care under Tillman's "practical" leadership, rather than in the hands of his impractical "god" - Tillman even encouraged him not to pray in the midst of gunfire, and this was shown to be a good move for the soldier - and (3) better off when he let go of his wimpiness, his "faith," and instead toughened up and "acted like a man." I can't believe that this subtlty was included unintentionally. I just wonder why.


In the end, Tillman was shown to be much more intellectual and open-minded than you might have expected him to be as a jock. He was portrayed as a risk-taker who lived life to the full, a faithful husband to his high-school sweetheart, and a family-loving son and brother. He was called a hero, and anyone who voluntarily gives up their game-playing multi-million dollar career to fight for their country's freedom, risking their life in foreign lands for minimal (if any) pay, I suppose ought to be given such a title - at least on earth. But I am afraid Pat Tillman has received his reward, if only honor and joy in this life. For the atheist, as his brother clearly stated, is dead. He understands death to be merely the end of this life. He has no concept, as his dead brother now does, of the second death, eternal separation from God. The Tillman Story protrays that family to be ever-in-pain, hardened by the loss of Pat, and in hostility toward God. Only God can take away that pain, and He has to do it by softening their hearts of stone, and reconciling them to Himself. I pray that He would, for their good, and for His glory.

Leading a multi-round tournament, but still a few days to go...