August 29, 2010
God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck
Russell Moore provides an excellent corrective to the disturbing trend of Christians undiscerningly jumping on the bandwagon of Beck's recent God-and-country "revival." An excerpt:
Beck isn’t the problem. He’s an entrepreneur, he’s brilliant, and, hats off to him, he knows his market. Latter-day Saints have every right to speak, with full religious liberty, in the public square. I’m quite willing to work with Mormons on various issues, as citizens working for the common good. What concerns me here is not what this says about Beck or the “Tea Party” or any other entertainment or political figure. What concerns me is about what this says about the Christian churches in the United States.Do read the whole thing.It’s taken us a long time to get here, in this plummet from Francis Schaeffer to Glenn Beck. In order to be this gullible, American Christians have had to endure years of vacuous talk about undefined “revival” and “turning America back to God” that was less about anything uniquely Christian than about, at best, a generically theistic civil religion and, at worst, some partisan political movement.........Too often, and for too long, American “Christianity” has been a political agenda in search of a gospel useful enough to accommodate it. There is a liberation theology of the Left, and there is also a liberation theology of the Right, and both are at heart mammon worship. The liberation theology of the Left often wants a Barabbas, to fight off the oppressors as though our ultimate problem were the reign of Rome and not the reign of death. The liberation theology of the Right wants a golden calf, to represent religion and to remind us of all the economic security we had in Egypt. Both want a Caesar or a Pharaoh, not a Messiah.
Photo credit: The Atlantic
August 28, 2010
The Value of Brevity
Adriel Ifland, Executive Assistant to the President of Acts 29 (Scott Thomas), lists 6 common reasons for lack of brevity in communication (or correspondence), and one caveat. His point is well made.
August 20, 2010
Wallis Admits That Sojourners Has Received Soros Funding
Sarah Pulliam Bailey of Christianity Today has a good run-down on the Olasky-Wallis exchange over whether Sojourners has received funding from liberal billionaire George Soros' Open Society Institute. Here's a quick summary:
1. Last month, Marvin Olasky openly invited Jim Wallis to admit that his organization, Sojouners, had received financial support from the Open Society Institute (an organization that has financed groups promoting abortion, atheism, and same-sex marriage). Olasky attributed a more than tripling of Sojourners' revenues over the last decade to secular leftists learning "to use the religious left to elect Obama and others."
2. Wallis denied receiving funds from Soros and accused Olasky of lying.
3. Olasky responded, providing more evidence that Sojourners had received funding from Soros.
4. Wallis admitted that Sojourners has received Soros funding, but says that the "three grants received over 10 years from the Open Society Institute...made up the tiniest fraction of Sojourners' funding during that decade -- so small that I hadn't remembered them."
August 18, 2010
Ideological Indoctrination On College Campuses
With the next academic year about to kick-off, Dr. Mohler has a timely word on a pair of disturbing articles which make plain the ideological indoctrination that happens on many secular college and university campuses, particularly, as Dr. Mohler notes, "in elite institutions and within the liberal arts faculties."
Mohler writes:
Even as most professors see themselves as stewards of the teaching profession and fellow learners with their students, others see their role in very different terms — as agents of ideological indoctrination. All teaching involves ideology and intellectual commitments. There is no position of authentic objectivity. Every teacher, as well as every student, comes into the classroom with certain intellectual commitments. Some professors set as their aim the indoctrination of students into their own worldview, and many of these worldviews are both noxious and deeply troubling. A professor who acts as such an agent of indoctrination abuses the stewardship of teaching and the professorial calling, but this abuse is more widespread and dangerous than many students and their parents understand.Read the whole thing.For Christian parents and students, this should be a matter of deep concern and active awareness. The secularization of most educational institutions is an accomplished fact. Indeed, many college and university campuses are deeply antagonistic to Christian truth claims and the beliefs held by millions of students and their families. Furthermore, the leftist bent of most faculty is well-documented, especially in elite institutions and within the liberal arts faculties. On many campuses, a significant number of faculty members are representatives of what has been called the “adversary culture.” They see their role as political and ideological, and they define their teaching role in these terms. Their agenda is nothing less than to separate students from their Christian beliefs and their intellectual and moral commitments.
August 14, 2010
What one thing would you change about seminary?
Collin Hansen of The Gospel Coalition poses this question to Albert Mohler, D.A. Carson, Jeff Louie, and Richard Pratt.
August 09, 2010
Blog Vacation
No blogging this week as my family and I are visiting with extended family in the Chicago area.
August 06, 2010
State Debt and the 2008 Presidential Vote
CNN, together with Moody’s Investor Services, published a map of the U.S. showing per capita state debt. There's an interesting correlation: The 28 states that went for Obama in 2008 have more than twice the per capita state debt ($1,728) as the 22 states that voted for McCain ($749). The Obama states seem to possess not only a political preference for big government, but an inherent incentive for it. Or perhaps the two go hand-in-hand?
HT: Chuck DeVore, who has more details.
Declining Study Time Signals Falling Standards
I previously wrote a pair of posts about grade inflation and student performance. Yesterday, The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote:
The amount of time spent studying has fallen drastically among full-time students in all demographic groups, whether they work or not, at all types of four-year colleges, according to a report released on Thursday by the American Enterprise Institute. The report, "Leisure College, USA," cites data from various national surveys to show that the average student studied 24 hours a week in 1961 and 14 hours a week in 2003. Colleges' "standards for effort have plummeted" as they cater to students' preferences for leisure, the report says, a shift that may slow economic growth. But there's good news: "College is cheaper than most people think." Modern college students' time savings, the report says, more than compensate for increased tuition.The last couple of lines here are a bit misleading, in my view. I'm not sure it is "good news" that students today pay more in college tuition, but gain degrees that are essentially worth less (since academic standards are now lower). Should there be any comfort in the fact that it takes them less (overall) time to earn such degrees?
August 05, 2010
Why the Proposition 8 Decision Matters
Yesterday, Judge Vaughn R Walker struck down Proposition 8, which the CA voters had passed in 2008. In an article carried by Christianity Today, Dr. Albert Mohler gives some perspective as to why it's a big deal, even if this decision is later overturned, and even if this ruling was anticipated (which it was):
The importance of the decision handed down yesterday by U. S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker in California's Proposition 8 trial will be difficult to exaggerate. Proponents of same-sex marriage immediately declared a major victory—and for good reason. The editorial board of The New York Times declared the verdict "an instant landmark in American legal history," and so it is, even if later reversed upon appeal.Read the whole thing.Judge Walker's decision is sweeping and comprehensive, basically affirming every argument and claim put forth by those demanding that California's Proposition 8 be declared unconstitutional. That proposition, affirmed by a clear majority of California voters, amended the state's constitution to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. In one brazen act of judicial energy, California's voters were told that they had no right to define marriage, and thousands of years of human wisdom were discarded as irrational.
To Every Tribe Ministries - Interview with David Sitton - Part 4
David Sitton is the President of To Every Tribe, a ministry which has been planting churches among unreached people groups of Papua New Guinea and Mexico for many years now. The ministry is led by a distinguished board of directors and three executive officers. As it happens, they are seeking to hire a Director for their Center for Pioneer Church Planting.
To Every Tribe is hosting a conference this October 22-23 entitled Reckless Abandon: For Jesus and The Nations. In light of this conference, and as a means of spreading the word about To Every Tribe, I'll be posting a four part interview with David Sitton. Part 3 was posted last week, Part 2 the week before that, and Part 1 the previous week. Here's Part 4 (and the final installment):
There is a lot of buzz in the news lately about Mexico and the escalating drug lord violence? What’s going on in Mexico? Has Mexico gotten more dangerous in recent months in the areas where To Every Tribe is working?
David: I’m passing this question off to A.J. Gibson (To Every Tribe’s Mexico Field Director and Assistant Director of The Center for Pioneer Church Planting). A.J. has spent much of his life in Mexico as an MK and as a missionary himself.
AJ: Up until the last few months, most of the drug-related violence has kept to the west of where To Every Tribe works in the extreme north-eastern corner of Mexico. But a recent turf war between two major drug cartels has brought the war closer to home. The Gulf Cartel, based in Matamoros, Mexico, just a few miles from the To Every Tribe headquarters in south Texas, has controlled the drug trafficking routes along the Mexican gulf coast for over a decade. But in recent months, the Zetas, a mercenary army made up of former elite military commandos has begun to encroach upon the Gulf Cartel’s territory. As the war between the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas has escalated, the battle has drawn nearer to the Gulf Cartel’s home city of Matamoros—the city that we at To Every Tribe pass through every time we enter Mexico. Shootouts between the Mexican military and the cartels as well as between members of the two cartels have made this area increasingly dangerous and unstable. Road blockades, kidnappings, and execution-style murders have become increasingly common. In the last month there have been several major shootouts along the highway that we travel to access the villages where we’re church planting. Just two weeks ago an ambush was set up by the Zetas for the Gulf cartel at an intersection that we pass through on a regular basis. The result was a major gun and grenade battle just a few miles from a small fishing village where we do much of our work. When I passed through two days after the battle, I could see clear evidence of the fight—a pickup riddled with bullet holes.
At this point we haven’t decreased our activity in northern Mexico, primarily because the cartels haven’t primarily been targeting civilians. But things have certainly become much more dangerous and we’ve been forced to take more careful precautions as we travel and work south of the border. Unfortunately the violence in Mexico is not limited to the drug wars, nor is it limited to northern Mexico. Local and regional gangs and criminal organizations involved in all kinds of extortion-related crime have run rampant throughout all of Mexico for decades—even centuries. And it seems that the increased activity of the drug cartels has served to embolden these other smaller gangs and organizations. Kidnappings, assassinations, robbery, police corruption, and many other kinds of violent criminal activity is a normal part of life for almost the whole country. When my family and I lived in Monterrey, Mexico, we had several close friends and many friends-of-friends who were victims of kidnappings and robberies. This kind of violence will always be a threat for missionaries in Mexico. And it’s not limited to northern Mexico. A couple of months ago international news organizations reported an ambush and assault on a caravan of human rights observers on a major highway in the state of Oaxaca, just a few miles south of where To Every Tribe bases its southern Mexico church planting operations. The caravan of journalists and activists was headed to a nearby village that had been held hostage and terrorized by a local crime organization. That organization made sure the rescuers never reached the village.
So how do we react to all of this? Well, we certainly don’t stop our mission. We take precautions (like avoiding travel at night and keeping away from known centers of violence), but at the end of the day we continue to make disciples of Mexico’s unreached people groups while leaving our safety in the hands of God. Jesus promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” That’s our great comfort.
David: Exactly! We will never “not go” into a place for Christ simply because of the danger. Like the apostle Paul, I “consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).
Thanks again, for spending some time with us. It’s been fun talking to you again, Alex.
August 04, 2010
Redeeming the Realities of Marriage
In his penetrating book What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage, Paul Tripp writes:
Think of the sturdiness of your allegiance to your own kingdom purposes. Let me help you see what I mean. Think about how little of your anger over the last month had anything whatsoever to do with the kingdom of God. Your anger seldom comes out of a zeal for the plans, purposes, values and calling of the kingdom of God. When you are hurt, angry, or disappointed with your husband or wife, it is not because he or she has broken the laws of God's kingdom, and it really concerns you. No, you are most often angry because your spouse has broken the laws of your kingdom. Your spouse is in the way of what you want, and that makes you mad, and it mobilizes you to do or say something that will rein your spouse back into service of your wants, needs, and feelings.View additional sample material.But God's grace is intended to explode that. His grace purposes to expose and free you from your bondage to you. His grace is meant to bring you to the end of yourself so that you will finally begin to place your identity, your meaning and purpose, and your inner sense of well-being in him. So he places you in a comprehensive relationship with another flawed person, and he places that relationship right in the middle of a very broken world. To add to this, he designs circumstances for you that you would have never designed for yourself. All this is meant to bring you to the end of yourself, because that is where true righteousness begins. He wants you to give up. He wants you to abandon your dream. He wants you to face the futility of trying to manipulate the other person into your service. He knows there is no life to be found in these things.
Some Endorsements:
"What I've come to expect from Paul Tripp is consistently deep, transparent, biblical, wise, practical, gospel-driven counsel. Rather than muddying the water with self-focused strategies designed to meet our ever-multiplying needs, Paul, as the seasoned soul-physician he is, correctly diagnoses our problems and provides the cure—humble faith in Jesus Christ. I wasn't disappointed. You won't be either."
- Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, author, Because He Loves Me and Comforts from the Cross
"Paul Tripp issues a challenge for couples to roll up their sleeves, get to work, and do what it takes to build a God-honoring relationship. He presents six commitments for couples to make, and contained within each is insightful, practical, and effective advice on how to construct a loving, growing, grace-soaked marriage."
- Mary A. Kassian, Professor of Women's Studies, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild
July 31, 2010
Layoffs Hit Focus on the Family
Mark Barna of the Colorado Springs Gazette reports:
Layoffs hit Focus on the Family Friday, but no public announcement was made about how many employees are losing their jobs and from what departments.Read the whole thing.“Today is family time,” Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger said. “We’ll have more to say publicly about our reduction in force on Monday.”
Throughout the day, Focus held department meetings to inform those affected by the layoffs, which have been rumored for days.
Since 2002, Focus’ work force has been reduced from 1,400 to 860. Over the past two years, Focus cut 295 jobs. Friday’s layoffs are the first for the ministry since September 2009, when it laid off 75 workers.
Focus on the Family has been a tremendous blessing over the years to many people in many ways. These are tough times, and it's easy from some to criticize the various budgetary decisions of a large ministry, particularly at a time of transition in leadership. But it's a tendency we would do well to resist. Rather, let's pray both for the families affected and for the leadership that remains. God's vision for husbands, wives, children, and the family are under assault in our day as much as ever. May this important ministry remain strong for many years to come.
July 30, 2010
Anne Rice leaves "Christianity"
It is somewhat fashionable these days to claim to follow Jesus but not want to be associated with Christianity (in any organized sense). It's basically a "me and Jesus" thing. That seems to be the route that famous vampire novelist Anne Rice may be taking. This Wednesday she posted on Facebook:
Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.....I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of ...Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.But perhaps in an attempt to avoid misunderstanding, the next day she added:
My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.Her current status is far better than pessimistic atheism, but I'm not sure how "following Christ does not mean following His followers." Would that include not following the Apostles? While no Christian would claim the perfection of Christ, the New Testament records Paul's instruction that we should imitate him as he (imperfectly) imitates Christ (I Cor. 11:1), and that we should submit to elders in a local church, who themselves also have accountability (cf. Heb. 13:7). In salvation we are not only united to Christ but are adopted into His imperfect family of saints being refashioned into the image of God (cf. Eph. 4:1-16). I don't know much about her, but I hope that Ms. Rice is receiving biblical instruction and is part of some Christian faith community. Perhaps she could press through this phase into full-orbed, biblical Christianity, which embraces both Christ and His imperfect, but progressively sanctified bride.
July 29, 2010
Overpaid Professors?
Particularly for those in or considering a career in academia, here's a good article on the challenges and compensation associated with faculty positions.
July 28, 2010
To Every Tribe Ministries - Interview with David Sitton - Part 3
David Sitton is the President of To Every Tribe, a ministry which has been planting churches among unreached people groups of Papua New Guinea and Mexico for many years now. The ministry is led by a distinguished board of directors and three executive officers. As it happens, they are seeking to hire a Director for their Center for Pioneer Church Planting.
To Every Tribe is hosting a conference this October 22-23 entitled Reckless Abandon: For Jesus and The Nations. In light of this conference, and as a means of spreading the word about To Every Tribe, I'll be posting a three or four part interview with David Sitton. Part 2 was posted last week (and Part 1 the previous week). Here's Part 3:
Are there any new developments at To Every Tribe that you’d like to share with us?
The big thing for us is seeing the gospel advance into previously unreached areas. I like to talk about the “advance” of the gospel. Advance denotes movement, action, intentionality and progress; setting targets for the gospel and then going after them for Christ. To do that well requires teams of well trained church planting missionaries. And that’s what we’re attempting to produce, with God’s help, in our Center For Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP). Beginning in September, we are transitioning into a two-year training program, 40% of which is focused upon on-the-job training situations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Mexico. For example, we’ve discovered a whole new region in the Black Water swamp lands of PNG where the evangelical gospel is virtually unknown. Plans are being made to get the gospel established into that area as quickly as possible. We also have a reconnaissance research team, right now, in the remote parts of Oaxaca (Mexico) gathering data in order to determine the most strategic place to launch a church planting team. These are the things that excite me the most.
You’re hosting a Mission Conference with the title Reckless Abandon: For Jesus and the Nations. Why that title?
I got the Reckless Abandon title from Ed McCully, who was one of the Ecuador 5 that were martyred in Ecuador in 1956. Here's his quote:
"I have just one desire now; to live a life of reckless abandon for Christ and I’m putting all of my strength and energy into it. Maybe the Lord will send me some place where the name of Christ is unknown."
--Ed McCully (in a letter to Jim Elliot, September 22,1950)
It’s our conviction that most of the easy-to-reach places have already been harvested. The ones that remain unengaged are hard to get to, and oftentimes hostile. It requires a certain missionary mentality for a man to take his family into these dangerous places. It requires a reckless abandon that comes out of deep conviction that Jesus and the gospel are worth it. Whatever the hardship or suffering, Jesus is always worth it. If there is a line, over which, Jesus is no longer worth the sacrifice, that line points directly at the thing that we value more than Christ; whatever it is we value more than Christ is an idol in our lives.
I noticed that the speakers have worked in Romania and Ethiopia, whereas To Every tribe has historically focused on Papua New Guinea and Mexico. Tell us a little bit about why you chose Josef Tson and Getaneh Getaneh.
Josef Tson lept nearly to the top of my “greatly admired” list when I read about his response to a Romanian prison guard that gave him a choice to either deny Christ and be released, or be killed by firing squad. Josef said, “Sir, let me explain to you the situation. Your greatest weapon is killing; but my greatest weapon is dying. I see no good reason to renounce Christ now. If you kill me, I go to heaven and my sermons will spread around Romania all the faster because people will know that I died for my faith. If you release me, I will go on preaching. Do with me as you wish!” And they released him! I want Josef Tson at our Reckless Abandon conference!
Getaneh Getaneh is from Ethiopia and has been tortured more than I can imagine for his faith in Christ. Getaneh has an incredible testimony and is one of the strong voices within Voice of the Martyrs that speaks on behalf of the “suffering church” around the world. I look forward to hearing about his exploits for the gospel in the midst of severe suffering.
Are there any particular themes you’ve asked Josef and Getaneh to address?
Once they heard about the “Reckless Abandon” theme, Dr. Tson and Getaneh Getaneh both accepted our invitation immediately. I know they will speak powerfully to the subject. I will be sitting with everyone else in the conference eager to hear whatever these brothers want to challenge us with. In my sessions, I expect to develop what I believe is the biblical rationale for encouraging extreme risk for the gospel. The outline will be something like this: Risk is always determined by the value of the mission; the gospel is so valuable that no risk is unreasonable; life laid down for Jesus is eternal gain. If I live, I win. If I die, I win bigger (Phil. 1:22-24).
(To Be Continued......)
Finding Conservative Evangelical Leaders (Under 40)
A few weeks ago Marvin Olasky wrote that "many evangelicals of college age and slightly beyond...frequently cannot think of a single conservative evangelical whom they admire." Consequently, a new World magazine contest has been announced for:
Nominating a person. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: By July 31 send June McGraw a name and one-paragraph description of an articulate conservative evangelical under the age of 40 who already has a record of accomplishment and seems likely to accomplish more.Who to nominate?We're looking for people with attractive personalities who are committed to political decentralization, free markets, and Bible-based cultural norms. We'll research your nominees and interview some. The particular field is less important than the person. Since the proclamation of propositional truths does not engage some younger evangelicals, our goal is to offer narratives of exciting lives, profiling in words and film the most impressive. Please help us find them.
July 27, 2010
Andrew Peterson - Counting Stars
Dancing in the Minefields is a beautiful song from Andrew Peterson's new album (which releases today) called Counting Stars
And here's a short video about his most recent album:
HT: JT
Orlando Sentinel Story on Sproul's Influence on "New Calvinists"
Pretty good story by the Orlando Sentinel on R.C. Sproul's ministry and recent activities (new church facility, founding a Bible College) as they relate to the rising popularity of Calvinism among young evangelicals.
HT: Chris Larson
July 26, 2010
Interview - Jim Newheiser - You Never Stop Being a Parent
Last week I reviewed the latest book from Jim Newheiser & Elyse Fitzpatrick, You Never Stop Being a Parent: Thriving in Relationship With Your Adult Children. These two also co-authored When Good Kids Make Bad Choices.
I'm grateful that Pastor Jim was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about their most recent book.
Pastor Jim, thank you very much for being available. There's a lot of discussion in the secular media about "helicopter parents". Among Christians, is there a real trend to "over-parenting" in our day?
I want to preface my responses by stating our conviction that the Word of God is our sole authority which we believe to be fully sufficient to teach us how to live in a way that pleases God in all areas of life - including how to relate to our adult kids. These answers are brief. These topics are much more fully developed, with Scriptural exposition, in the book.
One of the most significant problems I have seen among Christian parents is the unwillingness to let go of their kids as they become adults. There is no more sure way to provoke a young adult to anger than to treat him as a child. In the book we seek to establish that the Bible teaches that a young person comes of age at which time he or she is primarily responsible for his or her own life decisions (even if the parents don't like the decisions being made). On the other hand, if the child is still living under the parents' roof or dependent upon parental finances, then the parents have the right to have reasonable expectations as a condition for the child continuing to receive support.
Many young adults want full adult privileges and freedoms, while still expecting their parents to provide for their material needs. Once a child is an adult the relationship is by mutual agreement. The child living at home can always choose to leave if he doesn't like his parents' rules. The parents likewise are free to force the child to move out if he or she refuses to live according to expectations. On the other hand, if the child who is living in the home is meeting basic expectations, the parent should offer encouragement and avoid micromanaging the child.
What are "reasonable goals" for a parent to seek for their kids?
Parents seek to prepare their children to live as responsible godly adults. Our greatest desire is to see them converted and serving the Lord. Beyond that we long to see them grow in wisdom in the various areas addressed by the book of Proverbs -- wisdom in friendship, in speech, in acquiring a skill and working hard, in financial matters, in moral purity, etc. When adult children are living at home they should be there with a clearly defined purpose, rather than aimlessly wasting their time (as many young adults are prone to do). Valid reasons for remaining home could include completing one's education, establishing a trade or a business, working and saving money for a future marriage or home, etc.
Parents may be forced to distinguish between their ideals for their kids and the minimum expectations they must meet if they are to remain in the home. Adult children living in the home should be working hard (as many hours a week as the parents have to work to provide the house) at either a job and/or their education.
When (by what age) should a parent aim to "launch" their kids into adulthood (to use the metaphor of arrows, Ps. 127:4)? 18? 22? Does it depend?
In Numbers 32:11 the Lord stated that none of the men twenty and above, who followed the unbelieving ten spies rather than Joshua and Caleb, would enter the promised land. This implies that by the age of twenty they were considered adults who were responsible for their own choices and that they should have chosen differently than their parents. So twenty seems like a good starting place. The legal age of adulthood in our culture is eighteen which is probably close enough. There may be cases in which a child is living as an independent adult at a younger age while others are not ready until later. Once a child is "of age" (a legal adult in our culture) the continuation of parental oversight is by mutual consent. The child can choose to leave, even if he is not ready. The parent also is free to send the child out of the home if he is not willing to live according to family rules and expectations.
Is a college student a child or an adult (assuming the typical age, 18-22)? Should a Christian student honor his parents' wishes in the selection of a major? And what if his parents are non-Christians with ungodly motivations?
I have seen parents who have been over-controlling in their childrens' education. Sometimes these parents are seeking to live out their frustrated ambitions through their kids. Some parents may place too much pressure on their children to choose a major which leads to worldly wealth, while the child may believe a different field of study would better equip him to serve the Lord. Because the child is going to live with the consequences of his educational decisions for the rest of his life, I think the decision should be primarily his. On the other hand, a wise child will seek and seriously consider the counsel of his parents. Also, the parents aren't obligated to finance a choice with which they strongly disagree. My advice to them, however, would be to respect their child's budding adulthood.
How should parents and children handle disagreements in the selection of spouse?
While I believe that the ideal courtship situation will include much wise input from parents on both sides, I am convinced that the final choice of whether to marry and whom to marry rests with the child. I Cor. 7:39 says that a widow may marry whom she will -- not whom her father or brother wills. A father may give his daughter a promise ring when she is twelve and have her commit to not ever date or court a young man without her father's permission, but when she is twenty one she may not believe that she is bound by that commitment. If parents have a wonderful and loving relationship with their young adult they will have a lot of influence on his or her choice of a spouse. If the relationship is bad, they will have little or no influence, no matter what amount of control they believe they should have. We have written an entire chapter on this subject in the book.
What's your view of parents leaving an inheritance for their kids? What are the dangers? The benefits? What kind of circumstantial factors should be considered? Should inheritance (if any) always be (on principle) equally divided among the children?
Proverbs commends giving an inheritance to our kids (Prov. 13:22), but also warns that inheritances can be squandered (Prov. 20:21). Often the best way we can help our adult kids is to give them some of their inheritance while we are still alive (and when they most need our help). For example, helping them with their education which will lead to a well paying job could be a great inheritance. Some parents help their kids buy their first home. I do not believe that money needs to be doled out with absolute equality. One child may be very well off financially, while another may be suffering from severe health problems or disabilities, and another may be working as a foreign missionary. Or one child may be a substance abusing gambler who would quickly squander any inheritance. We also warn that financial matters are dangerous. If you do choose to treat your children differently, it is important to explain what you are doing and why to the children who receive less.
Thanks again, Pastor Jim.
July 22, 2010
Busyness and Fruitfulness are different
A great series of posts by C.J. Mahaney on the fact that:
1. Busyness does not mean I am diligent.
2. Busyness does not mean I am faithful.
3. Busyness does not mean I am fruitful.
Part 1: Are You Busy?
Part 2: Confessions of a Busy Procrastinator
Part 3: The Procrastinator Within
Part 4: Just Do It
In posts 2 & 3, Mahaney unpacks an article by Walter Henegar from the Fall 2001 issue of the Journal of Biblical Counseling entitled "Putting Off Procrastination.”
In the 4th post, there's this fantastic quote:
No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.That just might go above my computer.-Alexander MacLaren (1826–1910), Scottish preacher
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Recent Posts
- God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck
- The Value of Brevity
- Wallis Admits That Sojourners Has Received Soros Funding
- Ideological Indoctrination On College Campuses
- What one thing would you change about seminary?
- Blog Vacation
- State Debt and the 2008 Presidential Vote
- Declining Study Time Signals Falling Standards
- Why the Proposition 8 Decision Matters
- To Every Tribe Ministries - Interview with David Sitton - Part 4