The last post reported the death of diligence and here in Ashland. This post is a follow up, focusing in on the massive use of welfare & unwise distribution of charity.
One doesn't need to do a radically in-depth survey to understand the massive dependence upon government welfare programs here in this county. All you have to do is go to Wal-Mart on the first Saturday of the month. It is a stampede of welfare recipients who've just got their food stamp card recharged. But it is not just the government. Private charities seem to lack real wisdom when "helping" the "poor." I've written before about how one church in town has given out things like ipods and jewelry, rather than basic items that will cover needs (such as peanut butter and bread). However, this indulgent attitude towards the "poor" (I prefer to call them "dead beats") is not limited to this one church. All in all, this just goes to show that the private sector is just as guilty when it comes to feeding the lazy and self indulgent spirit that looms over the town. I'm also skeptical of our highly beloved Associated Charities, an organization that receives from many churches and the United Way. I do not know AC well, but I've witnessed them giving to people who have no intention of working. In sum, there seems to be little to no accountability to the people they serve. Instead it is simply a private sector welfare program with massive distributions of freebies. When United Way comes knocking or when the Associated Charities makes their pitch, it is always the same: "The need is greater now more than ever." Such a sales pitch should make you rethink your approach to what you are doing! If you are not fighting against the increases and causing it to drop, you are likely part of the problem. It should be self evident: why work when you can have your cake and eat it too, along with a ton of Pepsi, while listening to your ipod, playing your video game, and chain smoking your cigarettes. If you can live happily by mooching off of everyone else, then it is a no brainer. Government handouts and charity freebies are being pumped out non-stop and with virtually zero accountability. Thus we are only feeding the death of diligence. I might sound like a broken record by now, but we need to return to the Biblical principle of "If you don't work, you don't eat." Kill all freebies and do not give anymore hand outs, especially ones where you are giving toys and luxuries away. Stop with the sob stories of people going without for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving is a rendering of thanks for the prosperity God has granted. Christmas is about a Savior who was born to set us free from sin (including sloth). If you want to help someone, make him work. Make them sweep floors for a can of soup and clean gutters for some real wages. If they complain about not being able to find a job, help them start a business.
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My good friend and parishioner, Raylene Hlavaty, deserves recognition for her gospel work. It might not seem like much to many, but in her own way she is holding forth the banner of Christ. For the last several years Raylene has been involved chautauqua style acts. One of her characters is the great hymnist, Fanny Crosby. Raylene dresses in full costume and narrates Crosby's life story. She also integrates some of Crosby's hymns into the half hour presentation. Raylene has performed many times throughout the Mid-Ohio region. Each time she does she has opportunity to witness to Christ through the faith of Fanny Crosby. To find out more about Raylene's acts or to schedule a program, visit her website: Timeless Voices Ohio. Today the mayor of Ashland is to give his annual "State of the City" address. Prior to doing so he came to our county's monthly ministerial meeting to give a mini report....though I think that it was more of a lamentation. The mayor expressed concern over the increasing number of people in town who are not willing to work. He said businesses have jobs, but are not able to retain employees for lack of drive. The mayor gave an example of how one entrepreneur, who has begun a number of businesses in town, said he is not able to start any more companies because of how disinclined people are to work. He already has one business which has 34 openings he is not able to fill. On another occasion Dan Philip, who is head of the Transformation Network here in town, expressed similar sentiments. He has said that the TN has top of the line job openings in manufacturing that they cannot fill, despite the fact that people stand in line for food handouts in record proportions at Associated Charities. The mayor went on to express that the town does not have enough revenue to maintain its current levels of operation, despite their having trimmed 50 people city wide since 2007. As people have left or retired, these positions have been terminated or combined with other positions. Drugs and lack of drive were two motives that our mayor cited. The lamentation also mentioned the failure of people to show up or show up on time regularly for work. In other words, just plain sloth and love of pleasure. Ours is a hedonistic culture. People are living for themselves and have no theology of work. Work is considered a "necessary evil" and something to avoid at all costs. All in all, Ashland is becoming an economic ash heap because the will to work has died. The town's economy will continue on a downward spiral so long as people love pleasure and refuse to join the workforce. Ashland is an interesting name for a city. I understand that it came from the estate of a Kentucky congressman. However, it seems to sum up well the state of our city today: the land of Ashes. I'm going to be starting a series of posts dealing with how Ashland is deteriorating and quickly becoming an ash heap. This is not for the purpose of being a curmudgeon or complainer. Far from it. I love this city. I was born and raised here, and came back to it to minister within it. My intent is for the purpose of information and restoration. Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation." This implies that a nation is brought down by the lack of righteousness. The Scripture is replete with examples of how God causes lands to perish because those nations fail to fear and honor Him. This, in a nutshell, is the problem with Ashland. It is not prospering because this community is not living in the light of God's principles. It is my hope to express where we have fallen short so that we might repent and see times of refreshing in our land. Find the series under the tag Land of Ashes. I've had a great time speaking at the Fuse's "Wheel of Theology" series these last two weeks. The Fuse is a young adults' program at Grace Church here in Ashland and during the Spring they have their group submit theological or biblical questions for a panel to answer. I like this simply for the reason that it shows these young people are thinking seriously about Christianity and a comprehensive Christian worldview. I commend the guys leading this ministry (Rich, Ben, Randy) and all of the pastoral staff at Grace Church for their work.
Here are a few of the questions I was called upon to field
Marijuana Marijuana is starting to be legalized in the United States. How should a Christian respond? There are basically four things to remember Scripturally when thinking about this subject. Medicinal purposes: The Proverbs say, “Give strong drink to the perishing.” It allows the one who is dying to have some reprieve from the pain by means of drug induced stimuli. Marijuana has also, in ages past, been used as an anesthetic prior to surgery. These are legitimate purposes according to Scripture. Purposes of dominion: God calls us to take dominion of the world and advance society. The things He has created are the raw materials for our creative and productive work. This includes the marijuana plant. Through scientific inquiry we have discovered good uses for it (and perhaps there are many more usages waiting to be discovered). For instance, the marijuana plant can be used in forms of rope. Such a thing would be most useful and godly. Purposes of food: God gave us every seed bearing plant for food. Eating it might be a legitimate thing to do....But as Joe Carter has said: let’s get real, no one is adding hash to their brownies because it makes them taste better. Recreational purposes: The key to remember is this: Any drug should be carefully examined as to its affects upon our minds and our bodies. Obviously, we do not want to bring physical harm upon ourselves. We might use as a good guide what Solomon said regarding his use of alcohol: He drank enough to where he still had the capacities of his mind. In other words, he was not drunk or given over to senselessness. God requires us to have self control and our powers of rationality are key to that. Studies indicate that it only takes approximately 4 tokes to affect your psychological state. I've also heard that just one puff can put you over the top. This makes the use of marijuana unwise for the Christian. It should also make us question the terminology of "recreational use of marijuana," as it makes it sound fun and exciting. Secular Bands There are two basic things to consider regarding participation in a secular band, the company you keep and the content of your songs. I'll start with the later. If you are singing songs that are overtly immoral (i.e. rape your mother, premarital sex, hedonistic lifestyle), then you are most definitely out of God's will. Even if you are only playing the guitar and not directly singing them, this is being an accomplice in the act. However, if you are singing songs that are not directly against God's law, you might be able to do it. Love songs are not expressly evil in and of themselves (Just check out the Song of Solomon). There are many songs that what we might call adiaphora, i.e. "things indifferent." The other item to consider is the company you keep. Scripture says that bad company corrupts good character. If you are in a band, it may be likely that these guys you are playing with are your closest confidants. They are people with whom you hang and have a good deal of interaction. This might not be healthy and you need to use discernment. Overall, if this is a question someone truly is considering, he has to gauge whether or not it is healthy for his walk with Christ. It might just be love of pleasure or pride that motivates his wanting to participate. Or, it may be a good means of using his God given gift in order to make a jump to a more overtly Christian purpose. Images of Jesus Some people deem it okay because Jesus was a man. They can depict his human nature, just as long as they are not worshipping the image. Teaching purposes, they say, are ok. I differ from the main stream. I think that the second commandment applies to the person of Jesus too. That’s because Christ wishes to be known through his word and the sacraments. The Bible says that "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God." What's more, to depict Christ is to teach something about Christ (liberal, feminine, surfer dude who cannot ever be made.) It is my belief that teaching is a form of worship. Even if that isn't true, learning about Christ should lead you to worship. So if you are learning by means of images, you are worshiping God by means of images. So, the use of pictures of Jesus does, in my opinion, violate the second commandment's prohibition to not worship or bow down to images. See the Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 96-98 If you want images, the Bible does provide you with some. They are baptism and the Lord's Supper. Developing a right understanding of these tactile means of grace would be a very good thing to do. Disabilities There are many people in the Bible with disabilities. Mephibosheth had crippled legs, Ahaziah fell through the upper latice. The Apostle Paul likely would have had some degree of diability after being stoned, recieving the 40 lashes minus one (5 times!), beaten with rods (3x!), and shipwrecked at sea. Then, of course, there are all the people who got healed, a significant cast for sure. Here are some things to note: Symbolic: People with deformities were not allowed into certain places in the temple. The purpose for this is symbolic: the closer one comes to God the more “holy,” i.e. perfect, he had to be. This is not to say that these people were rejected by God. The Lord was simply using a picture lesson to teach our deformity of sin and need for Christ's redemption. Purpose: Sometimes people are given a disability because of a direct curse from God. For instance, Miriam was inflicted with leprosy temporarily. However, sometimes people receive this condition as a result of God’s purpose and plan for their lives ("who sinned, this man or his parents?" Jn 6). Others have disabilities as part of the effects of sin through aging or war. Personal responsibility: Most disabilities are not debilitating. You might be prevented from engaging in certain forms of activity or certain amounts of activity. But normally, you are not prevented from taking dominion in some capacity and engaging in meaningful work. I say this because our culture today sends the message: disability means useless, or gives the excuse to not work. Think of Paul. Despite him likely having a bad back with all that he went through, he still vigorously sought to fulfill his calling. Due Honor & respect: At the same time, those who are infirm ought to be respected and honored by those who are physically well. Leviticus 19:14 says, "Do not put a stumbling block before those who are blind." Negatively this is saying that God hates it when we take advantage of those who are disabled. Positively this is saying we should respect them and do everything in our power to promote their welbeing. The Scripture also is high on restitution. So, if an employee is hurt on the job and it is the company’s fault, they ought to provide fair and just compensation. If their disability is debilitating, then they should be recipients of charity and encouraged to work in the capacity that they can, if it only be a life of prayer. At the same time, those who are disabled should not become a special class of people. By that I imply the state and federal regulations that mandate ramps and parking & such for people with disabilities. This is an infringement on the private sector. One of the churches that I highly recommend in the Ashland area is the Grace Brethren Churches (not to be confused with the other Brethren denominations). In particular, I highlight their current Wednesday night study at the Main Street GBC. Throughout the month of April Dick Riley will be teaching through the five points of Calvinism at 7:00. In other news, my friend, Rich Policz, who leads a Thursday night study called the Fuse at GBC invited me to be part of their annual spring "Wheel of Theology" series. I'll be part of a panel of guys who will be fielding questions about Scripture, theology, and practical, godly living. Some of the questions that will be floated include what is the Christian view of legalized marijuana? Should Christians be in a secular band? What happens to babies when they die? What does the Bible say about people with disabilities? Are films or paintings with portrayals of Jesus graven images? And more... I've got a number of code names for churches in Ashland. They give the real identity to the institutions. For instance, there is the Reprobation Army. They are leading men and women away from Christ, and have no right to the title Salvation. There is also Five (Dumb as) Stones. Why they would name themselves 5 Stones in the first place is beyond me. But adding the parenthetical statement provides that extra accuracy that is needed.
Case in point for the later of these: 5DaStones is hosting "Freebay," a time when the underprivileged in Ashland can come and get Christmas presents for free. Sounds good on the surface, but let's think about it. This charade is trying to promote an form of godliness. But in reality, it is denying the power thereof and lacking any sort of Biblical underpinning. The way you help underprivileged is not by giving them electronics and jewelry (real items that they are offering). Those who are truly underprivileged need bread, milk, and peanut butter. What's more, they need to work. The Bible doesn't believe in freebies unless it is an absolute necessity. If a person is on the brink of starvation, you supply their needs. Destitution requires immediate attention. People who are underprivileged are not at that level that they need freebies. They need to work. They certainly don't need gadgets that will provide them with hours of entertainment. Their time needs to be redeemed and spent being productive. They don't need jewelry either. Jewelry is for those who are successful and have achieved a level of economic prosperity. Paul said, "If you don't work, you don't eat." To put it another way, "If you don't work, you don't get an iPod." Or, this little tidbit is good to live by, "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." "But isn't that what 5Stones is doing?" You've got the wrong definition of need. (see difference of destitution and underprivileged above). My guess is that those who will come to Freebay are those who are on some sort of government program. Here's a tip: Instead of giving them a new TV, make them start washing cars or help them start up a business. If they are willing to work, you can give them assistance in getting it off the ground so that they are not continuing to leach off the system (and churches who are dumb enough to give out fee jewelry). Of if it is a widow and orphan, then make a pact with them that you will provide for them so that this mother can home school her child and raise him/her in the fear of God. You will supply their needs, so long as they commit to serious discipleship (attending church, meeting with the elders for discipleship, and hey, let's be crazy and make them do some work--clean the church, set up chairs and sound system on Sunday morning, etc.) Let's admit it, buying some "poor" people another stuffed toy isn't going to solve anything. It is silliness that is brought on by a failure to think through the issues of our day seriously. Every culture has its temples. The are places of worship and learning. They are places where the gods of the age are enshrined and promoted. Above all, they are places where the priests and prophets promise a future and a glorious golden age of prosperity. Today's temples are the government schools. They worship the god of self and espouse the doctrines of Darwin, Rousseau, Marx, and Sartre. They posit that their tolerance, materialism, and existentialism will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, many Christians have believed the lie and been duped into thinking that these sacred places really are the key to the future. Instead of recognizing the importance of fearing God and building a world and life view on the basis of Scripture, they rally to the synagogues of agnosticism and atheism. But without the fear of God, they are temples of doom. Those who hate Him (as they demonstrate in their epistemology & metaphysics) love death. How can the hopelessness of existentialism produce a future? It posits that there is no future for which we live! Darwin himself saw the end of his worldview and slid into a despairing mental state! Without Christ at the center, there is no future. This afternoon I have opportunity to talk about one of my favorite subjects: My kiddos! My friend Mark Hamilton is allowing me to speak to his medical ethics class at Ashland University. The topic will be that of adoption and my experiences as an adoptive father. This class comes as a fitting end to their section on abortion. Mark is to be commended for his work with the students on this issue. He has done an excellent job setting forth a Biblical understanding of conception and the nature of human life. He has also shown the 180 Movie and another documentary detailing the nature of horror of abortion. An outline of my lecture is provided here: Issues & Experiences in Adoption One of my favorite quotes comes from Johannus Oecolampadius who says, "The world would be better off with fewer ministers." While we want harvesters to be thrust out into the harvest, we have to recognize that we need the Lord to first prune the ranks. For many men who go into the ministry ought to have heeded James' words, "Not many of you should become teachers." Men who enter the ministry ought not to do it just because they think that they are called or because they want to serve the Lord. It takes more than a desire to "share" with people about God. Men who enter the ministry must be thoroughly trained and understand Scriptural doctrine. They must be able to spot wolves and then fend them off if they prowl around within your neighborhood. Unfortunately, we have many who are barely Christians standing in our pulpits. They cannot fight unbelief because to do so would be an act of friendly fire. They may well be evangelicals, but they are so wildly ignorant of Biblical teaching or lacking in holy zealous fire that they do a greater injustice to the kingdom than a legion of demons. It would be better for them to demit the office and seek another profession. |
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