Barnabas File

My hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been receiving national recognition in the news recently, but the increased visibility has nothing to do with down home music, home cooked food, or Southern hospitality. The news deals with a proposed Islamic center on the outskirts of our community and the opposition voiced by some local residents. The fact that we are in an election season has not helped the problem. I admire those candidates who have stood up for religious freedom and espoused a welcoming attitude for people of all faiths rather than appealing to the fears of the electorate. Things turned ugly over the weekend when vandals poured gasoline over construction vehicles doing site preparation for the Islamic center and set one vehicle on fire. Although there had been some vandalism earlier involving a sign on the site, this violation crosses the line. In an interview on WPLN Radio today, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen called for tolerance and “a step back.” He asked c...

Our community is not large, but we now have several coffee shops. As I stopped by one this morning, I started thinking about the differences among the several that I frequent. There is, of course, the major national (international?) chain. They have at least three locations locally. Last year, the corporate offices closed the one that I liked best, but they are still my primary supplier since they have two drive-through windows. Although the interiors vary, the product is standardized. I know what I will get when I order a particular combination. I would tag this supplier as consistent and comfortable. You know what you will get when you go there. Another shop on our side of town recently changed owners. After my visit last week, I probably will not go back. The product is good, but the atmosphere is confrontational—from the sign on the door about not accepting credit cards to the unengaged person behind the counter. There is a certain “take it or leave it” attitude communicated....

Perhaps it is a remnant of my years as a campus minister, but August and September always bring a feeling of change, challenge and opportunity. Of course, we all have experienced this in our own elementary and secondary school days and during college. We see it now with our children and grandchildren. A new grade, new friends, new beginnings—to a large extent these are forced on us. We are dropped down with a new group of people and must deal with unfamiliar surroundings and ideas. Educational institutions are fortunate that they have this continuing infusion of new people. There are always commonalities among any group of students, but each group has unique characteristics and special challenges. This not only allows but demands a certain receptivity to change and new ways of looking at things. In A New Kind of Christianity , Brian McLaren discusses this idea of bringing in a new day with new people. He includes this quote from scientific philosopher Thomas Kuhn: “Almost always th...

I am settling into a new Sunday school class (actually a class that I helped start several years ago and have returned to after doing some other things on Sunday morning). The class emphasizes freewheeling discussion and has studied an eclectic assortment of books on a number of topics. Our substitute teacher decided to review some of the books and topics that the class has covered over the past year or so and began by referring to this passage: This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NIV) As he began his review, he asked the question, “Has any of this helped you to grow closer to Christ?” Although I have not been in the class for awhile, I...

In a recent issue of The Christian Century , columnist M. Craig Barnes recounted the story of a Presbyterian minister who had left a well-paying job as an accountant and relocated her family to Pittsburgh so that she could complete her degree in preparation for ordained minster. Now a year out of seminary, she has yet to find a place of ministry and is questioning her calling. Barnes uses this story to discuss the call to ministry and the process of discerning God’s will. I believe that he is misusing this woman’s story. Her experience is not about calling but about preparation for ministry. She has been asked to “jump through hoops” in order to fulfillment the church’s requirements to serve as an ordained minister. This has nothing to do with discernment or calling. This gifted woman—a talented lay person, committed wife, and loving mother—was probably already serving a vital role in her church when she perceived the call to ministry. When she expressed a desire to serve, she wa...

One of the more unusual speaker choices for the Global Leadership Summit last week was Peter Zhao Xiao, a Chinese economist. In keeping the Willow Creek Association’s philosophy of highlighting the convergence of global business and the Christian faith, Zhao was chosen because he has espoused the view that China’s economy would benefit from the spread of the Christian faith and the application of Christian principles. Although he is a Communist, Zhao is also a professed Christian. From his research, he has concluded that Christianity is the key to America’s economic success. In addition to teaching, Zhao is the chairman of the Cypress Leadership Institute, an organization which seeks to help transform the business culture in China through the application of Christian principles. This can be as simple as embracing honesty by only having one set of financial books for an organization or as complex as expressing love by providing humane working conditions. Dr. Zhao presented an int...

At the Global Leadership Summit last week, pastor Bill Hybels set up a hypothetical situation and provided several possible responses. He suggested that the leaders present imagine that they were sitting there and received a text message that a staff member had just resigned. He suggested several possible responses. First, the leader might say, “Whew! That’s a relief.” Second, the leader’s reaction might be, “Ugh! That’s a real loss for us.” Third, the response might be, “Oh, no! This is an irreplaceable person. What are we going to do now?” Let me suggest a fourth response. When receiving such a message, the leader might respond, “Well, this will be a loss, but it may be an opportunity for us to rethink some things.” In most churches and church-related organizations, we are reluctant to make staff changes. When tough economic times come, we struggle with budgets and will “lay off” staff members only as a last resort. In normal circumstances if a person is doing an adequate but no...

The 15th edition of the Willow Creek Association’s Leadership Summit (now the GLOBAL Leadership Summit) is now history. The two days were filled with a number of excellent speakers, some good preachers, and upbeat music. Although the language at the Summit is not gender inclusive, WCA’s advocacy for women in leadership roles receives more exposure among evangelical leaders in these two days than many of them experience in a year in their home churches. The meeting is consciously ethnically inclusive as well. All that to say, this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but the Summit continues to bring together an interesting collection of leaders and leadership scholars each year and is worth attending. Our printed programs suggested that we select our key insights from each session, so here are mine: Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church—“Teams are catalysts for change.” Jim Collins, author and business guru—“Never give up!” Christine Caine, pastor ...

Anyone who has been to seminary has heard of The Didache, the ancient Christian guide for believers, but very few of us have read it. Tony Jones has. In fact, he has done a translation of the document which he includes along with some commentary in The Teaching of the Twelve: Believing and Practicing the Primitive Christianity of the Ancient Didache Community. Jones’ presentation is informative and would be an attractive study for those interested in an orthodox but fresh approach to practicing the faith. The Didache (teaching) is probably a combination of tracts written about the same time as the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) but earlier than the Gospel of John. Although some of Paul’s letters may have been written by this time, this community seems to be unfamiliar with the theology and writings of Paul. The influences present are similar to those that produced Matthew’s Gospel and may well have been directed to a small, rural Christian community on the Syria-Palestin...

Churches in decline are often in denial as well. When members are willing to face reality, they can make wise choices that will assure that the work of the Kingdom will go on. This is not an easy process; therefore, we have few success stories from which to learn. This week I had the opportunity catch a glimpse of two churches that took stock of their situations and pursued a viable alternative. Several years ago, Northwoods Baptist Church and Northeast Baptist Church in DeKalb County (northeastern Atlanta) faced the fact that each was declining in membership, attendance, and resources. McAfee School of Theology professor Graham Walker and his wife, Mimi (former missionaries) were serving as interim pastors of Northwoods. Brian Wright, a recent McAfee graduate, was pastor of Northeast. The churches began to engage in a process of discernment which led to a merger with the two congregations joining in the Northeast facility. Brian became the pastor of the merged congregation and the...