1 Chron 12:32 Report, 1: Of signs, times and discernment

In a recent sermon here in Montserrat, I had occasion to address a telling contrast between the men of Issachar of David's day, and the pharisees of Jesus' day:

. . . always, the challenge is to be like the men of Issachar in 1 Chron 12:32 . . .

. . . men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do . . .

NOT that of the leaders of Israel in Jesus' day, who he had to rebuke:

“ . . . You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." [Mt 16:3 – 4]

That is an ever more pressing concern, as we see an emerging tripolar global age: the West caught between dechristianisation, moral disintegration and and demographic decline, the rising Islamist challenge from the Middle East, and the impact of the now century-old Southern Christian Reformation.

For instance, there is the issue that the West is in an internal cultural clash between the remaining legacy from the last reformation [and let us note that the Catholic church was renewed itself in reaction to that, so the reformation also impacted that church] with the secularising and apostate and even pagan forces. The balance in Europe is much farther along in dechristinisation than in the US, which seems to be roughly 50-50 now so that relatively small shifts in public sentiment driven by the rhetoric of rage and fear dramatically tip elections. [NB: Notice how the US Mainstream Media did not say much about "negative campaigning" now that it was Democrats who were mostly doing it! No prizes for guessing why.]

Through the West's domination of the mass media and the academy, surges from this struggle have surged forth all over the world. Here in the Caribbean, this has added force to the currents of moral disintegration from within that have long characterised our culture, as a legacy of slavery. So we desperately need to very carefully reflect on what would otherwise be dry academic matters, issues such as evolutionary materialism, the engine of the secularisation of the West:

[which] argues that the cosmos is the product of chance interactions of matter and energy, within the constraint of the laws of nature. Therefore, all phenomena in the universe, without residue, are determined by the working of purposeless laws acting on material objects, under the direct or indirect control of chance.

But human thought, clearly a phenomenon in the universe, must now fit into this picture. Thus, what we subjectively experience as "thoughts" and "conclusions" can only be understood materialistically as unintended by-products of the natural forces which cause and control the electro-chemical events going on in neural networks in our brains. (These forces are viewed as ultimately physical, but are taken to be partly mediated through a complex pattern of genetic inheritance and psycho-social conditioning, within the framework of human culture.)

Therefore, if materialism is true, the "thoughts" we have and the "conclusions" we reach, without residue, are produced and controlled by forces that are irrelevant to purpose, truth, or validity . . . . In the end, materialism is based on self-defeating logic, and only survives because people often fail (or, sometimes, refuse) to think through just what their beliefs really mean.

As a further consequence, materialism can have no basis, other than arbitrary or whimsical choice and balances of power in the community, for determining what is to be accepted as True or False, Good or Evil. So, Morality, Truth, Meaning, and, at length, Man, are dead. . . . In Law, Government, and Public Policy, the same bitter seed has shot up the idea that "Right" and "Wrong" are simply arbitrary social conventions. This has often led to the adoption of hypocritical, inconsistent, futile and self-destructive public policies.

"Truth is dead," so Education has become a power struggle; the victors have the right to propagandise the next generation as they please. Media power games simply extend this cynical manipulation from the school and the campus to the street, the office, the factory, the church and the home.

Further, since family structures and rules of sexual morality are "simply accidents of history," one is free to force society to redefine family values and principles of sexual morality to suit one's preferences.

Finally, life itself is meaningless and valueless, so the weak, sick, defenceless and undesirable — for whatever reason — can simply be slaughtered, whether in the womb, in the hospital, or in the death camp.

Over the past generation, too, there has been a second tidal wave, of islamism, which -- as our headlines often reveal -- has become a major force in the course of world events. Indeed, ever since 1982, the Muslim Brotherhood has put forth a plan and programme for subjugation of the world in the next 100 years. As an example, let us briefly look at what Mark Steyn notes on the impacts of this wave in Europe:

Sept. 11, 2001, was not "the day everything changed," but the day that revealed how much had already changed . . . on that Tuesday morning the top of the iceberg bobbed up and toppled the Twin Towers . . . .

Likewise, the salient feature of Europe, Canada, Japan and Russia is that they're running out of babies . . . Greece has a fertility rate hovering just below 1.3 births per couple, which is what demographers call the point of "lowest-low" fertility from which no human society has ever recovered . . . Italy has a fertility rate of 1.2, Spain 1.1 . . . . this isn't a projection: it's happening now. There's no need to extrapolate, and if you do it gets a little freaky, but, just for fun, here goes: by 2050, 60 per cent of Italians will have no brothers, no sisters, no cousins, no aunts, no uncles . . . .

You might formulate it like this:

Age + Welfare = Disaster for you;

Youth + Will = Disaster for whoever gets in your way.

By "will," I mean the metaphorical spine of a culture . . . . Islam has youth and will, Europe has age and welfare . . . .

There were two forces at play in the late 20th century: in the Eastern bloc, the collapse of Communism; in the West, the collapse of confidence. One of the most obvious refutations of Francis Fukuyama's famous thesis The End Of History -- written at the victory of liberal pluralist democracy over Soviet Communism -- is that the victors didn't see it as such. Americans -- or at least non-Democrat-voting Americans -- may talk about "winning" the Cold War but the French and the Belgians and Germans and Canadians don't. Very few British do . . . And, with the end of the Soviet existential threat, the enervation of the West only accelerated.

But -- though Steyn does not see it -- the truly decisive demographic and spiritual geo-strategic issue is the ongoing Southern Christian Reformation, which as we saw the other day, has led the Chinese church to reinvigorate a decades-old vision, Back to Jerusalem. And, more than just the Chinese church:

Although Christianity as a whole has barely kept pace with world population growth over the last century, evangelicalism is far and away the fastest growing major religious movement in the world today, says Jason Mandryk, co-author of the mission prayer guide Operation World. At the Lausanne Young Leaders Gathering, held last month in Malaysia, he presented his 'State of the Gospel'.

Evangelicalism is growing at twice the pace of Islam, and three times as fast as the overall world population. Most significant growth is happening in the global South. Countries such as Brazil, China, Bangladesh, and Nigeria have exploding Christian populations . . . . many of the burgeoning churches in the global South are now eagerly sending out their own missionaries, often as tentmakers. Christians from China to Nigeria increasingly have their sights on spreading the gospel all the way "back to Jerusalem," effectively closing the gaps of the 10/40 Window. [Joel News International. Issue 569. October 17th 2006. HT: LC]

In short, the dynamism of the church of the south is the critical dynamic that will through God's grace, decisively shape the next generation.

So, let us now reflect on the challenge Mordecai made to Esther in Esther 4:14: have we come to the kingdom for such a time as this? What, then should we do, how, and:

If not us, who? If not here, where? If not now, when? END

On "Theocracy,"13: The limitations of Democracy in a fallen world

There is often the feeling in today's relativistic moral climate, that one implication of democratic governance is that the voice of the people is the voice of God -- or, at least the nearest to such that we will get.

This of course fails to reckon with the issue that in a fallen world full of deceptive rhetoric, selective hyperskepticism and manipulative media spin, "the people" can be misled by powerful men with clever rhetoric that appeals to our wishes instead of frankly facing the truth and the duty of prudence in the face of hazards, possibly including loss of not only property and livelihood but life.

Too often, as Acts 27 aptly illustrates [cf. below], disaster follows.

I therefore find it particularly interesting to note how in this passage, the Apostle spoke up for prudence, appealing as a point in common, to the deposit of reason and morality put in our hearts by God:

Indeed, when Gentiles . . . do by nature things required by the law, . . . they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. [Rom 2:14 - 15]

Of course, were he to do a similar thing in a similar governance/community decision-making situation today, we would doubtless hear no end of cries of anti-liberty, potentially violent fundamentalist theocracy and imposition of religious agendas.

But in fact, Paul was simply participating in the democratic decision-making process from an informed, reasonable, prudent, concerned, common-sense morality-based, Bible-rooted perspective. [BTW, that is also not without relevance to American Christians considering on the implications of the recent election there. In turn, as the saying that if America sneezes, the Caribbean catches flu aptly highlights, that is of direct relevance to us. Have a look here, here, and here. UPDATE: Just for fun, look here too, next time you think: "Somewhere in Texas, a Village is missing its Idiot."]

Accordingly, there are several lessons we could draw from what he had to say. I trust that we will enjoy the following recent radio commentary [which was previously posted along with many other such commentaries, here in this blog.

_____________

Acts 27 and democratic decision-making in a community of fallible, fallen people

In May 2005, on the Let's Talk Radio talkshow, in Montserrat, I had occasion to present the following commentary based on Acts 27, as that island faced approaching elections and issues tied totrying to rebuild a viable community in the face of the lingering challenges posed by a long-term volcanic eruption. The below therefore highlights, based on Paul's ecperience at Fair Havens, Crete, some of the challenges we often face when communities need to make wise diecisions in the face of uncertainties and risks that may prove costly.

LT # 33: a Kairos Focus Commentary:

Right makes . . . Right
GEM 05:05:25a

It has often been said that “the voice of the people is the voice of God.” However, this is just as misleading as the equally common idea that might – or, for that matter; power, or wealth – makes right. In fact, it is right that makes right. So, as we consider our rebuilding/ re-development challenges and an upcoming election cycle (thus the need for us to collectively make a wise decision on our national leadership over the next several years), let us reflect on a key incident in the career of the Apostle Paul, while he was on his way to Rome as an Appeals prisoner:

[Our ship] made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, "Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also." But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. . . . . When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along . . . When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. [Ac 27:7 – 22, as excerpted.]

The incident exposes the down side to collective decision-making:

• The uncontrollable but partly predictable environment precipitated a crisis: buffetted by heavy head-winds, the ship was delayed until it was necessary to winter in a safe harbour, but the first harbour, Fair Havens, was not fully suitable. So, the majority wanted to move on to a hopefully better prospect, Phoenix.
  

• Paul warned of the risk involved, but the owner and the kubernete [more of less, pilot] spoke with the voice of wealth and technical know-how respectively: they were more than willing to go along with the crowd, and advised the Centurion in charge to run a dangerous risk in the hope of a quick and desirable advantage.
  

• As a result, the lone voice of safety and caution was easily overwhelmed by the majority, backed up by wealth and technical expertise; so the decision was to go ahead if opportunity should present itself.
  

• Soon, a gentle south wind seemed to offer every advantage, and it was eagerly seized. But, before long, sudden disaster struck in the form of an early winter storm, and at once the ship was reduced to sinking condition, forcing the sailors to try to see if they could keep off the sandbars off the Libyan coast, and so they were only able to drift across the stormy seas while hope of a safe landfall faded.
  

• Then, at the end, it was the very same Paul whose advice and leadership had been dismissed when things were looking good, who had to stand up and give hope and counsel. Then, he had to intervene a third time, to save lives by exposing the sailors’ plot to abandon the passengers as the ship ran aground on the north coast of Malta. So, through his second intervention, the company were all saved, even though the ship and its cargo were lost.

Plainly, this incident exposes the downside of democracy, of technical advice, and of looking to the wealthy and powerful for wise counsel: for, in a world of self-interested sinners the majority, the wealthy, the technically expert and the powerful are often tempted to act in their own perceived interests, rather than on what is wise and right. Sometimes, they get away with it, but that simply makes them less willing to listen to sensible advice the next time around. Sooner or later, such self-interested, reckless action leads to disaster. For, it is what is right that is right, regardless of who proposes or supports or opposes it. As David counselled: “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it . . .” [Ps 127:1a.]

So, now, let’s reflect on our own circumstances as we work to rebuild Montserrat; then let’s talk, let’s pray and let’s act. END

Matt 24 Watch, 7: In the days of those kings . . .

Today is Election day in the USA, and at stake are many Matt 24-relevant issues that came up in my recent reconnaissance at Evangelical Outpost Blog, which turned into a major worldviews engagement. During that period, I was able to see at close hand the underlying patterns of thought behind the progressivist secularist agenda that now seems to dominate the North, and to see the major gaps in its thought in action.

At the same time, I have been thinking about Daniel on Government under God, and have been re-reading Alistair Horne's magisterial reflections on the Fall of France in 1940, which was driven more by "what is false within" -- divided councils, selfish agendas, confusion, refusal to face the evident truth about Hitler's intentions, and self-deception --than by any superiority of German weapons or numbers. (Indeed, a measure of this was to see that AFTER the breakthrough at Sedan and decisive drive to the Channel, the French army belatedly released over 4,000 of its famous WW I era 75 mm field guns for use as antitank weapons. 500 of these -- resolutely manned and used as the main tank killers [similar to how the Germans used their famous 88 mm antiaircraft gun, indeed in the same 1940 campaign, that is how they were able to defeat the French Char B and the British Matilda [II] Infantry tank] -- would have made all the difference at Sedan, especially given that [1] the significantly inferior German 77 mm field gun had been used successfully as an antitank weapon in WW I, and [2] the very same guns were captured by the Germans, remounted and used as antitank weapons against T34s and KVs in Russia in 1942.)

I therefore think it appropriate to observe on the rise of the secularist-progressivist worldview and cultural agenda, and note on my findings as follows:

1] The worldview engine of the now dominant -- at least among the so-called educated elites -- secularist-progressivist agenda is evolutionary materialism, which is claimed to be the only viable "scientific" view of the world. However, this worldview is in fact fatally flawed because it is inescapably logically incoherent. As I long since noted, reflecting C S Lewis' "dangerous idea," it has to try to account for mind and morals on a-logical, a-rational grounds, and so decisively undercuts its own credibility. It is self-refuting, in short - strictly speaking, a non-starter. [This shows the power of spin tactics, rhetorical games and institutional dominance to win and hold undeserved credibility in this media-dominated age.]

2] Further to this, it fails to credibly account for the functionally specific, complex information [FSCI] at the heart of the molecules of life. Thus, it is also unable to account for the origin of life through so-called chemical evolution.

3] Similarly, it is at a loss to explain the Macro-level diversity of life, for the same reason. In short, as Loennig notes in the just linked, the Neo-Darwinian Theory fails to explain Macro-evolution, as it cannot account for the ORIGIN of the required level of complexity of genetic information required to support the creation of complex new body plans that are expressed early in embryological development. [It does not help matters that in educational, museum and mass media contexts, several infamous misleading icons of the theory are often presented as if they were conclusive evidence.]

4] It is also forced to recognise that the universe as we observe it has a beginning, which cries out for a "begin-ner." To get away from the obvious best explanation of such a beginning at a finite distance in time, of a universe that also shows FSCI - a powerful, highly intelligent purposeful -- thus, personal Agent, it has had to assert an effectively infinite chaos as a whole, in which our observed universe is just a bubble of apparent order, arrived at by an unknown chance process. Of course, this is immediately a resort to the unobservable [infinity!] and the speculatively metaphysical, but it is often presented to an unwary public as "science." We would be wise to insist instead, that it be subjected to comparative difficulties analysis, as one philosophical system among many.

5] Advocates of evolutionary materialism typically brush aside concerns about their imposition [often by judicial fiat] of a quasi-religious agenda as a de facto establishment, especially objections by Bible-believing Christians, as the objections of mindless fundamentalists. However, to do so, they are usually guilty of selective hyperskepticism, as well as prejudice based on the use of smear words. The associated attempts to disenfranchise and exclude Bible-believing Christians from high office or even simply exerting democratic influence on the course of public policy, are, together, a major warning sign.

6] I find it especially significant to note how the easily available and objectively strong evidence for the credibility of the New Testament, and the Morison Challenge on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, are hastily -- and often, irritably -- brushed aside.

7] Similarly, there is a questionable and common tendency to try to push Bible-believing Christians into the same boat as Islamist terrorists, as enemies of freedom. This of course rests on ignorance and/or rejection of the major contribution to modern liberty that grows out of Biblical soil, and the confusion of liberty with licence and libertinism, as well as even amorality.

8] In that light, the rising agenda to undermine marriage, by in effect "redefining" it away from the course of God's obvious creation order, and in the teeth of abundant evidence and plain common sense, stands starkly revealed as an illustration of what Paul spoke against in Eph 4:17 - 19: . . . I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

9] Similarly, the now blatantly obvious, patent refusal to face facts on Islam and its links to islamist aggression, has been aptly remarked on by even former terrorists and islamists. For instance, Dr. Tawfik Hamid was just reported in the Canadian National Post, as observing, about: "The deliberate and determined expansion of militant Islam and its attempt to triumph not only in the Islamic world but in Europe and North America. Pure ideology. Muslim terrorists kill and slaughter not because of what they experience but because of what they believe." He continues:

Muslim fundamentalists believe, he insists, that Saudi Arabia's petroleum-based wealth is a divine gift, and that Saudi influence is sanctioned by Allah. Thus the extreme brand of Sunni Islam that spread from the Kingdom to the rest of the Islamic world is regarded not merely as one interpretation of the religion but the only genuine interpretation. The expansion of violent and regressive Islam, he continues, began in the late 1970s, and can be traced precisely to the growing financial clout of Saudi Arabia.

"We're not talking about a fringe cult here," he tells me. "Salafist [fundamentalist] Islam is the dominant version of the religion and is taught in almost every Islamic university in the world. It is puritanical, extreme and does, yes, mean that women can be beaten, apostates killed and Jews called pigs and monkeys." . . . . "Stop asking what you have done wrong. Stop it! They're slaughtering you like sheep and you still look within. You criticize your history, your institutions, your churches. Why can't you realize that it has nothing to do with what you have done but with what they want."

Plainly, as France was in 1940, the West as a whole is today, and that is reflected in the falt-lines that are ever so visible in the issues headlined in today's election. So, I think the time has come for a serious reflection on the prophet Daniel's prophetic warning:

Dan 2:40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron--for iron breaks and smashes everything--and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

DA 2:44 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands--a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

Where, then, do we put our trust: in the ultimately futile kingdoms of man, or in the Eternal Kingdom of God? END

On Irony, "[P]re-sponses" and spiritual geo-strategic tidal waves

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines:

irony¹ noun (pl. -ies) [mass noun] the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect,

. . . and that almost captures my feelings on learning, over this past weekend, that last Sunday, the Jamaica Gleaner had published an unfortunately rather poorly excerpted version of my original, dashed-off comments of Sept 19th, as a "contribution" responding to (as opposed to the fact: anticipating!) Mr Boyne's attempted rebuttal of October 15, in which last he characterised me as a fundamentalist ignoramus and zealot.

I find it particularly illuminating to contrast the beginnings of my original note and the newspaper article:

ORIGINAL, Sept 19: My attention was just today drawn to an article by Mr Boyne of Jamaica in the Gleaner this Sunday past. The article is so outrageous, that I have corrected it in the Caribbean Kairos eGroup, where it was drawn to my attention . . . . I found that in his commentary, Mr Boyne has stated much that is of deepest concern . . .

EXCERPTED/EDITED, Oct 29: My attention was drawn to an article by Mr. Boyne in The Gleaner several Sundays past. I found that in his commentary, Mr. Boyne has stated much that is of deepest concern . . .

Amusingly and instructively ironic, in a quirky sort of way!

However, the "almost" is also important: I am saddened to note that the "[p]response" -- though obviously not as specifically responsive as my Oct 18th Gleaner submission, and though so badly edited that it is jerky and gappy [notice how references to links are suppressed and a "might" seems to have no antecedent in the excerpted citation from Mr Boyne] -- is in fact substantially able to point out major problems in the fact and logic claims he made.

Amusement aside, that, regrettably, is sadly telling indeed on the level of commentary that was used by a well-known "columnist and veteran interviewer" in dismissing Bible-believing Christians in our region as being "prone to bigotry, intolerance and the desire to impose their will on others just as the Islamic militants." [This is of course his "oops"-moment in his failed Oct 15 attempt to deny that he has tried to assert immoral equivalency between Bible-believing Christians and Islamist terrorists and oppressors.]

But in fact, as explored in details here, Bible-believing Christians, especially over the past 500 years, have made a major contribution to the rise of modern liberty, such that:

the difference between Bible-believing Evangelical Christians (the sort of people who are often tagged as "fundies" in a Christian context) and Al Qaeda's plane-hijacking suicide bombers is obvious and vast . . . . [T]o help us correct . . . potentially dangerous misunderstandings, we need to first go back to the reformation era and trace the pattern of liberation struggles that flowed out of putting the Bible in the hands of the ordinary man, [thus decisively helping end the dark ages] at the cost of martyrs' blood -- e.g. Tyndale was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English, as late as 1536. So, let us now turn to the first major Reformation work on liberation struggles, the 1579 anonymous book, Vindiciae Contra Tyrannos, by Junius Brutus [i.e. Phillipe Duplessis-Mornay, a Huguenot French soldier and Diplomat, et al], the subsequent and derivative 1581 Dutch Declaration of Independence, and the stream of further thought and state documents that flowed from that well-spring, including most notably Samuel Rutherford's Lex Rex, John Locke's 2nd Treatise of Civil Government, and the US founding documents, especially the 1776 American Declaration of Independence

Consequently, we should be cautious indeed before pushing such believers into the same boat as the Taliban or al Qaeda. For, as the above linked briefing note on Government Under God went on to demonstrate through a survey of key figures, documents and events:

. . . it is well warranted to conclude that biblically based, Creation-anchored Christian thinkers and statesmen have plainly played a crucial -- though often now unacknowledged or even censored out -- role in the liberation of peoples all across the world. Consequently, it is improper (and sometimes, frankly, bigoted) to assume, imply or assert that Bible-believing Christians [however labelled] are -- generally speaking -- potentially violent and/or oppressive enemies of liberty. Nor, should we confuse principled, reform-minded civil opposition to abuses, licence, libertinism and amorality this last, often announced as "tolerance" and "diversity"] with enmity to liberty.

However, all of this interplay reflects an underlying geo-strategic process, in which surges from three spiritual tidal waves are affecting our region with increasing force as the third Christian Millennium dawns:

1] From the North, There is a massive wave of dechristianisation, as many "post-moderns" now eagerly seek to dismiss and forget the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus of Nazareth, resenting him as an oppressor instead of remembering and thanking him for being our loving Father who has so richly blessed us.

2] From the Middle East, and partly in response to the dechristianisation and secularisation of the West, there is a wave of islamisation that seeks to bring our region into the house of Islam, and some have even gone so far as to revisionise our history to make it seem to many that this would be a reverting to the religion of our african ancestors. [Cf. this July 2003 appreciation and call for action by Caribbean Christians in response.]

3] But also, building on the rich godly heritage of Bible-believing Christians such as George Liele, recently hailed in the Ghana-based Journal of African Christian Thought as a "black prophet and father of the church in the Americas and Africa," there is a wave of reformation and awakening to our Missionary potential, as we re-vision and pursue the enduring mission of the church in and from the Caribbean.

So, as we see increasing indicators of the three major forces at work in our region, we have some decisions to make. By God's grace, let us be like the men of Issachar in David's day, who had understanding of their times to know what Israel should do. END

Heads Up: On the Haggard story

Over the past several days, I have been busy offline with some fairly serious email exchanges on issues tied to the rise of modern liberty.

I had intended to focus on a Mark Steyn article on the demographics of the West vs Islam, which is rich in insights especially when crossed with Daniel Pipes' 2002 remarks on the comparative rise of Islam and the Southern Reformation:

Which of the world's largest faiths, Christianity or Islam, is experiencing the greater ideological reassertion and demographic surge?

"Islam" is surely nearly everyone's answer. As American Christians experiment with ever-milder versions of their faith, Muslims display a fervor for extreme interpretations of Islam. As Europe suffers the lowest population growth rates ever recorded, Muslim countries have some of the highest.

But, argues Philip Jenkins recently in the Atlantic Monthly, Islam is the wrong answer. He shows how Christianity is the religion currently undergoing the most basic rethinking and the largest increase in adherents. He makes a good case for its militancy most affecting the next century.

But, this will have to wait for a little while, as we see over the past few days yet another case in point of the politics of personal destruction in America on the eve of an election; here, targetting the leader of their 30 million member National Association of Evangelicals [NAE]. (Note, too, how the AP report I use below distances itself from this quite credible number. This is a typical, subtle reflection of the attitudes and biases in the mainstream secularist progressivist media.)

More broadly, the intent on the part of the accusers and spreaders of this accusation is of course to cloud the issues on several morally tinged concerns through casting a pall of scandal over the election due Tuesday next. And in a world with 24/7 news and views coverage, that has direct implications for the evangelical faith here in the Caribbean as well.

Before we go further, we should therefore first of all pause to note that the current [Sat Nov 4, AM] AP report on the case, observes:

Jones took a lie-detector test Friday, and his answers to questions about whether he had sexual contact with Haggard "indicated deception," said John Kresnick, who administered the test free at the request of a Denver radio station.

Jones told reporters afterward: "I am confused why I failed that, other than the fact that I'm totally exhausted."

Now, while a so-called lie detector test is not conclusive, it is often sufficiently reliable that we should view it as an indicator that we should bear in mind when we see and hear news and commentary on the matter over the next few days and weeks. More, of course, may well emerge, especially on some alleged voice mail messages. But, at this point, we should recognise a credibility gap on the part of the principal accuser, compounded with the context and evident political agenda at work on the eve of a major election.

In short, even if all that the accuser says proves true, the underlying moral issues raised by Romans 1 regarding homosexuality, and the associated lack of wisdom in the current attempts to deem it "normal" to the point of playing legal games with the definition of marriage, would remain unanswered -- and unanswerable in fact, in the light of the underlying resurrection-anchored credibility of the gospel:

RO 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

RO 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened . . . .

RO 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

RO 1:26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

In that context too, we may wish to take more seriously Mr Haggard's admission of partial guilt -- purchasing [but not using] drugs from his accuser, but not going on to trysts with him:

On Friday, Haggard said that he received a massage from Jones after being referred to him by a Denver hotel, and that he bought meth for himself from the man.

But Haggard said he never had sex with Jones. And as for the drugs, "I was tempted, but I never used it . . . "

This may well shed some needed light and balance on the situation.

However, on a related note, we need to understand and respond to the major media better than we are wont to. For, the statement by Mr Ross Parsley, the interim pastor, in a world in which accusations are given lurid and instant global coverage, is plainly seriously defective for want of specificity:

“There has been some admission of indiscretion, not admission to all of the material that has been discussed. But there is an admission of some guilt . . .”

If we did not know the existence of statements on specifics above, from Mr Haggard's own statements, and the lie detector test results, we would not realise that -- so far, on the evidence and reports we have access to -- the admission of guilt is apparently limited to the purchasing [but not use] of drugs. [Cf Nov 6 Update below.]

While bad in itself, and deserving of censure and discipline as well as counselling and recovery treatment, that is a long way from the accusations being made, and a much longer way from substantiating the underlying political agenda of the accusation: that those who object to the same sex marriage etc. agenda are hypocritical opponents of liberty, and are often closet homosexuals themselves.

Some wider remarks are therefore in order, as we continue to watch for developments and to evaluate for fairness, balance and accuracy.

For instance, political posturing aside, the moral challenge issue is serious, and reflects the fact of moral struggle that we all face as human beings, Christians or otherwise. So, we must tread the path of repentance, renewal, revival and reformation.

Dr James Dobson strikes a very helpful, balanced note, as well:

James Dobson, founder and chairman of the evangelical ministry Focus on the Family, said he is "heartsick" after learning today Rev. Ted Haggard acknowledged some "indiscretions" regarding accusations made by a male prostitute . . . . "We will await the outcome of this story, but the possibility that an illicit relationship has occurred is alarming to us and to millions of others" . . .

[Haggard] "has been my close friend and colleague for many years. He has been used mightily to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Colorado Springs and around the world."

"He will continue to be my friend, even if the worst allegations prove accurate," Dobson said. "Nevertheless, sexual sin, whether homosexual or heterosexual, has serious consequences, and we are extremely concerned for Ted, his family and his church."

Dobson asked Christians to pray for Haggard and his family, but said even if the allegations are false or not as reported, "the situation has grave implications for the cause of Christ, and we ask for the Lord's guidance and blessings in the days ahead."

. . . . Yesterday, before Haggard made any admissions, Dobson issued a statement saying, "It is unconscionable that the legitimate news media would report a rumor like this based on nothing but one man's accusation." . . . .

"Ted Haggard is a friend of mine and it appears someone is trying to damage his reputation as a way of influencing the outcome of Tuesday's election – especially the vote on Colorado's marriage-protection amendment – which Ted strongly supports . . . "

The underlying biblical principle we should bear in mind in times where scandal and slander often substitute for serious engagement of morally tinged issues, comes from the Pastoral Epistles, on the qualifications, responsibilities and privileges of eldership:

Titus 1:6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

1 Tim 5:19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.

Plainly, if one is only to be appointed a church leader on abundant and incontestable evidence of proven character, one should not be subjected to discredit on the basis of what may be no more than uncorroborated slander. However, should the accusation meet the threshold of adequate proof, then strong correction is appropriate; for even church leaders of the highest character and track record can fall into grave sin.

The NAE's remarks [currently, and understandably, on the opening page of their web site, and on several other pages too] are therefore also very much on target:

. . . National Association of Evangelicals President Ted Haggard submitted his resignation from NAE leadership when serious allegations were made on a Denver radio talk show. In response to Rev. Haggard’s admission yesterday to church leaders in Colorado that there were some indiscretions, the eleven-member Executive Committee met today via teleconference and unanimously accepted his resignation with regret.

Rev. Haggard has rendered invaluable services to the New Life Church of Colorado Springs, to the National Association of Evangelicals, to the Evangelical Christian movement, and to the Church universal. We appreciate his many years of effective leadership.

Knowing Rev. Haggard, we found the initial reports of misconduct to be shocking and difficult to believe. As evangelicals we recognize, however, the stark reality of the power of sin in all our lives, and acknowledge that we are all capable of grievous moral failures. Moreover, we believe that the Bible holds Christian leaders to higher levels of accountability. Therefore, it is especially serious when a pastor and prominent Christian leader deliberately violates God’s standards of conduct.

The NAE is a para-church organization, not a church. Rev. Haggard has rightfully submitted himself to the pastoral oversight and ecclesiastical discipline of the independent New Life Church board of overseers. We commend him to their wisdom, as they are involved in the accountability process and have a more detailed knowledge of the situation through their extended meetings with him.

We are thankful for the grace and mercy of Christ who is able to forgive all sorts of sin. Yet, due to the seriousness of Rev. Haggard’s misconduct while in the leadership roles he held, we anticipate that an extended period of recovery will be appropriate. We pray that the overseers’ ministry to him will lead to his eventual moral healing, restoration in Christ, and service in the Church.

We pray for and stand with Rev. Haggard, his wife Gayle, and their children, and the New Life Church congregation at this difficult time. We also pray for the man who has accused Rev. Haggard.

Let us learn from this case, and let us pray for the people caught up in yet another scandal-tinged American media storm on the eve of a major election. END

UPDATE, Nov 5: Overnight, The New Life Church -- according to a press release dated Nov 4 at 2:50 pm -- has removed Mr Haggard from the pastorate, announcing that "[o]ur investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct." The repeated lack of specificity [as opposed to giving out salacious details] is, IMHCO, an error of judgement. However, it does note in the cited press release, that "A letter of explanation and apology by Pastor Haggard as well as a word of encouragement from Gayle Haggard will be read in the 9:00 and 11:00 service of New Life Church." Perhaps, that will give enough to clarify and resolve the situation. I have also slightly edited the above.

FURTHER UPDATE, Nov 6: Mr Haggard has released a statement here, and his wife a letter, here. In the former, Mr Haggad states, in part, that:

. . . I asked that this note be read to you this morning so I could clarify my heart's condition to you. The last four days have been so difficult for me, my family and all of you, and I have further confused the situation with some of the things I've said during interviews with reporters who would catch me coming or going from my home. But I alone am responsible for the confusion caused by my inconsistent statements. The fact is, I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem . . . .

The public person I was wasn’t a lie; it was just incomplete. When I stopped
communicating about my problems, the darkness increased and finally dominated me. As a result, I did things that were contrary to everything I believe. The accusations that have been leveled against me are not all true, but enough of them are true that I have been appropriately and lovingly removed from ministry. Our church's overseers have required me to submit to the oversight of Dr. James Dobson, Pastor Jack Hayford, and Pastor Tommy Barnett. Those men will perform a thorough analysis of my mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical life. They will guide me through a program with the goal of healing and restoration for my life, my marriage, and my family. I created this entire situation. The things that I did opened the door for additional allegations. But I am responsible; I alone need to be disciplined and corrected. An example must be set. [Emphases added.]

The situation is plain enough: the accusations are in part false, but sufficient of them are true that there is merit in Mr Haggard's stepping down. Deeply saddening, and a warning on the implications of the sins of leaders in the church -- one that should be plain all the way back to David and Bathsheba.

We should note, too, that "sexual immorality" is of course a far broader term than the accusations made. That is, there is still force to the evidence by the Polygraph analyst that the statements by Mr Jones regarding "sexual contact" may indeed be in material part deceptive and/or misleading.

However, be that as it may, the underlying fact is that Mr Haggard confesses to sexual immorality, in the context of a long-term struggle and deception of those around him.

He needs prayer, but that neither removes the force of the underlying issue that Christian leaders MUST be people of high and proved integrity, nor the point that the issues that this scandal were meant to deflect attetntion from and undermine, remain true -- indeed, they are glorified common sense:

Marriage and family under God's Creation Order are the bedrock of sound civilisation, and we trifle with it at our peril.

I strongly recommend that we listen to Dr James Dobson's broadcast this week, on When the Church Hurts. An audio file is accessible online here, and it should be on many Christian and general purpose radio stations over the next several days. A list of stations is here.

Matt 24 Watch, 6: the Back to Jerusalem Chinese House Church Missionary Movement

The persecuted Chinese house church movement has courageously formed a visionary missionary movement, on the theme of Back to Jerusalem: i.e. following the classical Silk Road trade route through the 10/40 Window countries and anti-gospel strongholds, back to Jerusalem, witnessing to the gospel and planting churches all the way:

The Back to Jerusalem vision is something that thousands of Chinese Christians are willing to die for. Why? . . . .

Back to Jerusalem is not some kind of end times theory . . . BTJ refers to a call from God for the Chinese Church to preach the Gospel and establish fellowships of believers in all the countries, cities, towns, and ethnic groups between China and Jerusalem. This vision is no small task, for within those nations lay the three largest spiritual strongholds in the world today that have yet to be conquered by the Gospel: the giants of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

More than 90% of the unreached people groups in the world today are located within the 10/40 window – more than 5,100 tribes and ethno-linguistic groups with little or no Gospel witness.

Of the world’s 50 least-Christian and least-evangelized countries, all 50 are located within this region! . . . .

Right now there are already hundreds of Chinese missionaries working outside China in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. Thousands more are in training, learning languages such as Arabic and English that will be put to use on the mission field.

A team of thirty-six Chinese missionaries departed China in March 2000 for a neighboring Buddhist country. They were the first contemporary team of Back to Jerusalem missionaries, the first-fruits of a great flood to come. Few people around the world knew of this event, but their going was the result of years of prayer and planning. On that day China once again became an active participant in worldwide mission . . . .

Despite tremendous opposition, all 36 of these house church missionaries had faithfully preached the Gospel throughout China for years, establishing churches and seeing more of God’s power manifested through their ministries each month than most Christians see during their lifetimes.

As the Back to Jerusalem vision unfolds, you may start to hear reports of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists coming to Christ in places where the Gospel has long struggled to make an impact. When this happens, don’t be amazed at the Chinese Christians, we are just sinners saved by grace and undeserving of any attention. Rather, be amazed at the wisdom and manifest beauty of God’s plan. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 1 Corinthians 1:25

We hope you will be encouraged and challenged by the Back to Jerusalem vision, and moved to prayer and involvement in the fulfillment of the Great Commission in these last days, until “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:15.

What a challenge to us, as the oh-so-at-ease-in-Zion Christians of the Caribbean!

But, here is the shocker, for as Christianity Today reports:

The Back to Jerusalem movement began in the 1920s, went underground for decades, and now hopes to send 100,000 missionaries to 51 nations. Critics who perceive missionary efforts as rooted in Western imperialism will find their assumptions defied by this movement of Chinese Christians who want to reclaim Christianity's ancient missionary roots . . . .

When the Chinese say "Back to Jerusalem," they're talking first of all about a geographical advance of the gospel throughout history. The gospel started in Jerusalem and then spread in a generally westward direction into North Africa and Europe. Throughout history it has continued to spread westward around the globe, with China as its farthest advance. With a Chinese mindset, they see that to fulfill the Great Commission is to encircle the whole globe with the gospel, until it goes back even to where it began. Their aim is not Jerusalem or Israel, but all the countries and unreached people groups between China and Jerusalem. Along the old Silk Road, which once brought trade from the Middle East to China, you find approximately 5,200 unreached people groups and tribes . . . .

[T]he kind of Christianity that God has instilled in Chinese believers allows them to impact the Islamic and Hindu and Buddhist worlds in a way that most other Christians cannot.

I'm sure all your readers are aware of the persecution that has affected Chinese churches. There are hundreds of pastors in prison today. Yet they don't see it only as a satanic attack when they are tortured and put into prison. They see it as God's training ground, and God's furnace of affliction to purify them so they can be effective witnesses. The Chinese are in the position to send workers who have been though the furnace for so long that they're willing literally to die for the gospel . . .

In short, this vision has long been in place, and is by God's grace now blossoming after -- and indeed even through -- the decades of chaos and persecution triggered by the Communist Revolution in China. To illustrate, one topic of training is "how to witness for the Lord under any circumstance, and that means even if you're handcuffed and being led to the execution ground."

From the above, we can also see how powerful South-South [and South-North] Missionary initiatives are; as they pull the steam out of the often very polarising rhetoric that Missionary initiatives are part of Western Imperialism.

That raises the challenge of the George Liele Caribbean vision.

For in 1783, this Black American former slave came to the Caribbean as a refugee fleeing re-enslavement and planted the first successful black churches in Jamaica, out of which grew the powerful and nation-shaping Baptist movement. Not coincidentally, fifty-one years later, in material part because Christian slaves stood up for liberty, slavery was dead in the British Empire. And, five years after full-free in 1838, one hundred Jamaican Baptists went to West Africa with the gospel, helping plant the powerful belt of churches there that are a shining monument to their sacrifice. Indeed, for generations, missionaries from the Caribbean have served in Africa and elsewhere, so that in a recent Missiology article in Ghana, Isaac Kamta hailed Liele as "black prophet and father of the church in Africa and the Americas." [Journal of African Christian Thought, Vol. 5, # 2, Dec 2002. Akropong-Akuapem, Ghana: Akrofi-Christaller Memorial Centre for Mission Research and Applied Theology. Pp. 33 – 36.]

Now, in the Caribbean, we are by and large descended from the peoples of the 10/40 window, who came to the Caribbean, often in a context of the most wicked exploitation. But, in large part through the liberating, empowering, reconciling and healing force of the Gospel, we have become a free, cosmopolitan region with many vibrant Christians and powerfully established, richly endowed churches whose members are descended from the peoples all across the 10/40 window: from West Africans, to Jews and Arabs, to Indians, Chinese and Javanese, to even Japanese. As a region, our voice in world affairs far outweighs our numbers, and we have many well-received sports and cultural ambassadors, as well as two entire music genres that are welcomed around the world: reggae and its descendants, and calypso and its descendants.

Thus, we have plainly come to our estate for such a time as this. [Cf. Esther 4:14.]

Accordingly, I invite us to explore together:

1] The re-visioning of the Caribbean Church's Mandate

2] The creation of a mutually supportive, collaborative regional network of grassroots-level, community initiated Missionary Vision and Action Teams [MVATs]

3] Through these MVATs, tackling of innovative local and regional evangelism, discipleship and community reformation projects under the enduring mission of the church in the Caribbean

4] Preparation for sustained initiatives under the mission of the church from the Caribbean, in collaboration with the church across the world, and targetting especially the 10/40 Window but also the lands of the North that have now so sadly largely walked away from their rich gospel heritage

5] Under this, the formation and development of a network based initiative and Institute -- the George Liele Institute [for the obvious reason] is the best name I can come up with -- as an umbrella organisation for developing and carrying forward the vision. This should have a capacity-building focus, and thus a financial and technical project support arm, but also an emphasis on action-oriented research and the intellectual and practical engaging of critical issues, including apologetics and ethics. For instance, we must tackle the wave of apostasy and moral disintegration bearing down on the region from the North, and the Islamist agenda from the East too. [I note that once we successfully engage this pattern here, it equips us to face the same pattern overseas too!] Eventually it should be integrated with the emerging regional Christian University system.

6] I think that the widespread regional emergence of low-cost broadband Internet capacity, web site creation, blogging and podcasting technologies plus affordable teleconferencing technologies allows us to network a cluster of local micro-campus cybercentres that with local mentoring and community support can become nodes in the GLI system. Imagine a network of community centres hosted in churches, schools, cyber cafes etc, with clusters of say 8 - 15 or 20 PCs and able to host classes with local mentorship and courses delivered by leading Christians from across the region and beyond. Imagine online textbooks, like this in introductory philosophy, this in basic apologetics and this in discipleship and reformation, or this in first-stage follow-up for new converts or even this and this in evangelism [personal and meetings respectively], or this in small/cell group leadership [PDF!], or this in basic counselling, or this in Bible Study, or this in prayer; multiplied a thousandfold and available as well in print or thought CDs distributed at low cost.]

7] Over the next decade, through these and related developments, setting the target that we will not only carry out a steady, sustainable stream of initiatives in our region but will use them as a launch-pad and seed-plot for cooperative, sustained global initiatives under the church's Great Commission of evangelism discipleship and reformation.

Again, have we come to our estate for such a time as this? END