Joe McKeever

LEADERSHIP LESSON NO. 40 -- "Pray, pray, pray. I apologize for making it number 40."

I stood in the Christian bookstore thumbing through a volume on a subject I'd been researching. This looked like exactly what I wanted. "How to Help Your Child to Faith" contained 35 chapters, each directed toward parents on counseling and preparing their child for understanding the Christian faith and making his own commitment. What got me, however, was chapter 35.

The topic for that chapter was "Finally, all you can do is pray." I laid the book down in disgust and walked away.

"Finally" implies that prayer is the last thing to do. "All you can do is pray" clearly says that prayer is the least thing you can do. The last, the least. What's wrong with this picture?

What kind of philosophy of prayer is that? Think of it! As though to call on the Lord of Heaven and Earth to become involved in a situation involving a child you love dearly is some small thing to be lightly regarded.

If you need evidence of the fallen nature and sinful heart of man--even the best among us--consider the low regard we hold for prayer.

Confession time. I consider myself a person of prayer. Prayer is never far from my mind throughout the day, and after reading several chapters in the Bible each morning, I try to spend a good deal of time in prayer. And yet, I did the same thing I was criticizing that book's author for doing.

I forgot to emphasize the pre-eminence of prayer. Over the past six months, as I have added the occasional "leadership lesson" to this collection, only this week did it occur to me that prayer should have been featured more prominently and much sooner.

I deeply apologize. Since my son has taught me how to edit these blogs, I know how to go into the website and insert this article earlier, giving it a much higher number. The problem is that no one would see it way down there, since those were written and dispatched into cyberspace months ago. So, number 40 it will have to remain, at least for the time being.

A leader is a decision-maker and a people-influencer. A leader sets the direction, then stands out front and blazes the trail. His mantra is "follow me."

Four Questions Raised from Saturday's News

1) Why do any Saints fans attend ball games in Chicago?

The last several times the Saints and Bears have played in Chicago in the dead of winter, the Saints fans have been harassed and cursed, snowballed and even abused. Furthermore, many who attended those games have indicated the stadium security people were unresponsive when they complained.

We're not saying all Saints fans are "saints." And competitive spirit is even fun. But there is such a thing as carrying it too far, and from all we hear, the Bears fans have exceeded that line.

The best seat in the house is the couch in your own living room. The temperature in New Orleans is in the 50s this weekend, and my fireplace will be getting a nice workout.

2) Why do African-American churches celebrate Kwanzaa in their services?

This question was raised on the religion page of Saturday's Times-Picayune. The writer for the Religion News Service told how many black churches in America wrestle with that issue. I don't want to push my own opinion too hard here, because I'm mixed race myself--mostly Irish, I expect, but mainly "Heinz 57"--and have no clue what it's like being a minority in this country. That said, I do know something about the Christian faith and I know a good deal about churches.

My opinion is this: if African-American churches want to celebrate Kwanzaa and do not mind alienating non-blacks in their congregation, have at it. More and more, particularly in the part of the world where I live, ethnic churches are drawing people from mixed backgrounds. The Chinese Baptist church here, for instance, is thinking of putting an associate pastor on staff who would be Anglo, in order to minister to their members who do not speak Chinese. In the Vietnamese Baptist church, you'll see bi-racial families in the congregation, indicating that the son or daughter of first-generation American-Vietnamese has married an Anglo. To a lesser extent, the same thing is happening in African-American congregations. More likely, it's non-black families or singles who have been attracted to the congregation because of their music, preaching, or ministries.

Celebrate your cultural and racial heritage if you want to, but recognize the effect may be to build a barrier between people.

3) Why would a spokesmen for Baptists run down Baptists?

Getting a Handle on Romans

Think of the Epistle to the Romans as a long conversation Paul is having with believers in Rome. (Bloggers know the feeling of having conversations with unseen-but-hope-for readers.)

Paul is apparently in Corinth on the last of his three missionary journeys and soon to head to Jerusalem where he will be arrested. He will end up in Rome for trial before Caesar. In this letter, he keeps talking about wanting to come to Rome. If he only knew!

The first 17 verses of chapter one are introductory. Paul has never been to Rome and never met most of the people who will be reading this letter. He's heard plenty about them, however, all good. Nevertheless, he is well aware of the challenge facing them living in the citadel of corruption and depravity. Some are Jewish and facing issues Paul knew from personal experience, namely, what role the promises of God now plays in their destiny and that of their people.

Whether Gentile or Jew, they all need grounding in the faith and a proper understanding of the gospel. Thus he writes this letter.

Pau speaks of
--the gospel of God (the source of this good news) 1:1. See John 3:16.
--the gospel of His Son (the subject of this good news) 1:9. See I Cor. 15:1ff.
--the gospel of salvation (the object of this good news) 1:16. See I Tim 1:15.
--the gospel this is his own (the message of Christ filtered through Paul's own experience and testimony) 2:16. This is the ultimate aim, for each of us to pass along the gospel message in the manner the Holy Spirit has taught us. That's why a dozen preacher/teachers could do expositions of Romans and no two would sound alike. It's not a problem, it's the genius of God's plan.

Then, after the introduction, Paul moves into a fuller presentation of the gospel and various issues surrounding it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Romans 1:18-32 - MAN HAS NO ONE TO BLAME FOR HIS TROUBLES BUT HIMSELF

Theme: Humanity's troubles stem from his rejecting God. (That's the root cause.)

Before presenting the "good news" (the gospel), the bad news has to be dealt with.

1) Mankind has rejected the knowledge of God. 1:18-21

2) Mankind has rejected the worship of God. 1:22-25

3) Mankind has rejected the plan of God. 1:26-32

As a result of rejecting the Lord, man has made some very bad choices, which in turn have brought the wrath of God upon him.

1) He exchanged God for idols. 1:23

2) He exchanged Truth for a lie. 1:25

3) He exchanged the Natural for the unnatural. 1:26

What a shame. Mankind could have had God, Truth, and the natural order of Creation. By rejecting God, he has chosen the absurdity of idols, the illusion of lies, and the illness of the unnatural.

Look around the community where you live and see if this doesn't describe much of what you see.

Hundreds of years earlier, God said: "My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters and they have hewed out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jeremiah 2:13)

What an exchange! Whatever were we thinking! Stay with the Jeremiah 2:13 analysis for a moment. Remember that a cistern was an underground tank, dug out and lined with clay in order to store rainwater. At best, the water would be stagnant; at worst, it could become polluted. But God says His people have not swapped Him--the fountain of living, running, fresh water--for stagnant water. It's worse than that. They have turned their backs on Him and chosen dry holes in the ground!

The choice is never between God and other gods. There are no other gods. The choice is between the living God and a dry hole in the ground.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Romans chapter 2 - DON'T GET SELF-RIGHTEOUS HERE, RELIGIOUS CROWD!

It's so easy to criticize and condemn those who blatantly reject God and plunge headlong into lifestyles of debauchery. But hold on--we who are "God's frozen chosen" are not off the hook.

LEADERSHIP LESSON NO. 39--"Keep Good Records, a Journal Even."

"Pastor," the caller said, "I have a question, and I'm embarrassed to ask it."

Thinking I was about to do some telephone counseling, I donned my best pastoral manner and said, "Don't be. Tell me about it."

She said, "Well...sir...could you tell me when I got married?"

It turned out that I had performed the wedding for this woman and her estranged husband several years earlier and she was now needing to benefit from his insurance with the Veterans Administration.

And if that wasn't enough, she said, "It was either June 1, 1969, or July 8, 1970."

I said, "You don't even know the date?"

She had an excuse which I have long since forgotten.

After digging through the calendars of my pastoral ministry for previous years, I called her back. "You and Sam McFranklin were married on March 3, 1971." She thanked me and hung up.

I hope everything worked out for her, but have my doubts. Anyone who doesn't even remember her wedding date probably has a lot of other loose strings dangling in her life.

Let's hear it for keeping good records.

I sat in a meeting in which the pastoral team was divided, one man saying one thing, another contradicting him. As a result of the divided leadership, the entire church was split down the middle and serious consequences were looming.

On the surface it seemed to be a "one said/the other said" controversy with no obvious clear-cut resolution. Then one of the men volunteered something that settled the issue.

"Here are the minutes of the meetings," he said, as he opened a file and produced a stack of papers. "Furthermore," he said to the man across the table, "your wife is the clerk and took these minutes."

According to the minutes of the church business meetings, the first man was correct in his position and the man whose wife had taken the minutes was clearly mistaken. The matter was settled, or would have been if the plaintiff had been interested in the truth. Unfortunately, his primary interest involved getting his way, which moved the controversy to another plane altogether.

I was not then and am not now a judge, but had I been, the notes of the church business meetings would have been the smoking gun and would have ended the "trial."

What I Learned in 2007

My Birmingham friends Philip and Shellyn Poole started this with their Christmas letter. According to that document, last year they learned such lessons as home warranty companies consider water lines to the fridge to be "plumbing" and not "refrigerator repair," tires for small cars are costlier than for trucks, and the ever-popular "Poorly lit stop signs are still stop signs." We may assume someone got a ticket and is having trouble getting over it!

Here are my top ten lessons of 2007. (A disclaimer: I'm doing this at one sitting and no doubt will think of a dozen more later.)

10. If you are in Gardendale, Alabama, don't even think about driving past that white line at the intersection. Doing so cost me $133, and yes, I am still having a little trouble getting over that!

9. Southern Baptists are still the greatest people in the world. Two years after Katrina, they're still flowing into New Orleans in record numbers to help us rebuild. We're so grateful this country has not been hit with another hurricane of any size to draw away the attention and resources. For those interested in coming to help, go to www.joemckeever.com and click on the house at the top of the page.

8. Rebuilding New Orleans is not going to be a ten-year job as I previously thought. We're now talking about 25 years. I'll be in Heaven when it's finished, but I'll be cheering you guys on!

7. Had I brushed my teeth regularly as a child when Mom told me to do so, I could have saved myself over $12,000 this year alone. How does that line go from the mechanic--"Pay me now or pay me later!"

6. Bill Taylor's innovative plan for helping our struggling churches--the program is called Unlimited Partnerships--is a wonderfully creative way for pumping new life into our congregations and encouragement into our pastors. He started it March 1, 2007, and already it has made a lasting difference in a hundred ways.

5. Friendship is the best thing going. This year, as we continue to deal with the rebuilding of this city, and as my family has dealt with the homegoing of our Dad, we have drawn such incredible strength from friends. I've frequently (and teasingly) quoted a Canadian pastor friend who says, "A friend is God's apology for your relatives," but I've got some wonderful kin also, so no apology needed. Just basking in the glow and love of friends.

My Christmas Message

The text is Luke 2:8-18, the message of the angels to the shepherds.

Theme: Every element in the angels' message is a welcome surprise to us.

FEAR NOT.

There is so much fear in this world.

When earth is invaded by Heaven, we naturally cringe. To our delight, God's messenger tells us not to be afraid. He does not bring us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind (II Tim 1:7). You don't have to be afraid ever again.

GOOD NEWS.

There is so much bad news in this world.

We would have thought that when God came to earth, it would be just long enough to plant an explosive device that would put an end to the human experiment. And yet, to our overwhelming surprise, His message to mankind is good news, which is the meaning of the word "gospel." The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

GREAT JOY.

There is so much unhappiness in this world.

Only in New Orleans, A to Z

Angus Lind, columnist for the Times-Picayune, has filled the alphabet with aspects of the culture that makes this city unique. Sunday's paper ran the Living section crossways so that by opening the entire page out, you have this giant poster depicting Lind's compilation of New Orleans blessings, complete with pictures.

So many expatriate New Orleanians read this blog, we thought you would enjoy his list. It's shortened somewhat for brevity's sake. See if any of these bring back memories. Or make you homesick.

A is for Audubon Park, Azaleas, the Absinthe House, Antoine's, Arnaud's, Algiers, Arabi, architecture, and ain't dere no more. B is for the big easy, bless you boys, Buddy D, Tom Benson, Bienville, beignets, bananas foster, brake tag stations and Barq's.

C is for Crescent City, Canal and Claiborne, Cajuns, Carondelet, Creoles, cafe au lait, Cafe du Monde, calliopes on steamboats, Chalmette, Commander's, City Park, Charity Hospital, Camellia Grill, and the Crescent City Connection. D is for Deuce and Drew, Dawlin', Dis n' Dat, downtown, Delgado, dey all axed f'you, and D. H. Holmes.

E is for Emeril's, ersters, Endymion, Essence. F is for the French Quarter, fleur-de-lis, French Market, de ferry, Faubourg Marigny, first you make a roux, and Frostop. G is for gumbo, gris-gris, Galatoire's, Gentilly, Garden District, Green Wave, go by yo mamma's house, and Gretna.

H is for Hubig pies, Hornets, hurricanes, Harry Connick Jr., the Huey P., half shell, Hap Glaudi, and how y'all are? I is for Irma the sweet soul queen, Iberville, Irish Channel, I done tol' you a hunnert times, and izzat so? J is for Jazzfest, jazz funerals, jambalaya, Jackson Square. K is for K-Paul's, K-Doe, Krewes, Krystal burgers, K-Ville, and "another K we won't mention because it doesn't exactly feel like a blessing yet."

L is for lucky dogs, lagniappe, Landrieu, Lee Circle, Lower Nint' Ward, Louis Prima, Liver n' Onions, Lenfants, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. M is for Mardi Gras, the Mannings, Morgus, Mandina's, makin' groceries, Magazine Street, Marie Leveau, muffulettas, mirlitons, McKenzie's, Monkey Hill, and Maison Blance. N is for N'Awlins, nutrias, neutral ground, nectar sodas, and no left turn signs. O is for "only in New Orleans," Olympia Brass Band, and Orpheus.

How God Fooled Satan At Christmas

"....the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." --I Corinthians 2:8

Understand, Satan is a created being. He shares none of the attributes of Almighty God---not omniscience, omnipresence, nor omnipotence, meaning that he is limited in knowledge and space and power. When it comes to predicting what God is going to do next, he has to rely on what he can figure out, what he remembers from the timeless past when he resided in Heaven as a favorite angel, and what he reads in Holy Scripture. Since the Holy Spirit does not enlighten his understanding, he sees as the world sees, not with the mind of Christ. Once we understand this, a hundred puzzles fall into place.

The Apostle Paul pointed out that had Satan known what God was up to, he would never have crucified Jesus. One might say that God pulled the wool over the devil's eyes and fooled him. On that first Easter Sunday morning, an imp rushed into the presence of his satanic majesty, interrupting the two-day celebration over the death of Jesus. The demon breathlessly announced that the tomb was empty, the body gone, and the soldiers looked like they had seen a ghost. Satan spewed out his champagne and cursed. He had been had and he knew it. He had played right into God's hands and was defeated.

Sometimes in biblical history, we see that the Lord manipulated Satan, as in the cases of Job and Joseph. Sometimes, God gave him a good comeuppance as at Mount Carmel when Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal in a fire-calling contest. At other times, the Lord used subterfuge to fool His enemy. Christmas is one of those times.

Leadership in the Crescent City

The New Orleans City Council faced a baptism of fire today and showed the kind of courage not seen in political leadership around here in a long time. The members voted unanimously to approve the demolition of the various public housing developments, and did it in the face of a mob scene.

We made national news throughout the day. Fights broke out in the council chamber and police could be seen restraining this one, fighting that one, arresting another. Television cameras and boom microphones were recording all this, while outside the chamber crowds were breaking through the gates which police had locked since all seats were filled and there was no more room. "We deserve the right to be heard," sounded out from the crowd. "They filled the seats with their own people." "Is this land a democracy or a dictatorship?"

The local evening news shows the crowd being pepper-sprayed and someone being tasered. Police turned water hoses on the mob and used mace on some of the worst agitators. When the cops handcuffed the gates the second time, the crowd broke through again.

There is no reasoning with people acting like this. Later, as some of the injured spoke to the cameras, you got the impression they were all innocent bystanders, there to participate peacefully in a democratic process and completely surprised at the reaction of the police.

All I know is what I got through the media but it appeared that few of the activists were actual residents of those projects, and that many were not even from New Orleans. There was a public demonstration to be made and those attract a certain class of individuals like honey does flies.

Turn off the television cameras and most of the demonstrators would go home.

Later, the mayor and the entire city council stood together for the news media to give a report and answer questions. We thoroughly agree with their assessment that today, a major step was made for the long-term good of this city.

Our leaders showed real leadership today, and that is something to be proud of.

Brian Williams led tonight's NBC Nightly News with the story of this day in our city. At the end, the reporter on the scene said, "And where was Mayor Ray Nagin in this? He was nowhere to be seen. Later, he said, 'This was the City Council's day.'"

LEADERSHIP LESSON NO. 38--"Recognition is Good; Just Don't Need It."

Let me tell you about a local fellow.

Drew Brees is the quarterback of the New Orleans Saints football team. After a great season last year, the team got off to an 0-4 start in 2007, but since have come back to even their record at 7-7. If they win the next two games, they'll end up at 9-7, only one game off last year's record with a slim possibility they will make the playoffs.

Even so, Drew Brees is having the best year of his career. Football fans will appreciate these numbers. Brees has not thrown an interception in the last 121 passes. He is on a pace to break the NFL record for the most completions in a season (he has 378 passes and needs 41 in the next two games to pass Oakland's Rich Gannon who had 418 completions in 2002). Brees has 25 touchdowns this year which means he will probably hold the Saints record in that department after this year.

But wait, it gets better. In the past 10 games--after the disastrous first 4 games--Brees has completed 71 percent of his passes. Last Sunday, against the Arizona Cardinals, certainly no pushover, he completed 26 of 30 passes, including the last 12 in a row. That is almost unheard of, and figures out to a completion rate of over 86 percent. Ask any football fan how impressive that is.

And yet, Brees was not selected for the Pro Bowl, professional football's all-star exhibition. It's the recognition from fans, coaches, and fellow players that you are at the top of your game. In fact, no one on the Saints received that honor this year. Dallas, meanwhile, is sending 11 players to the Pro Bowl.

If Brees is disappointed, you'd never know it. This man is the most even-tempered, the most mature, of any player we've ever had in these parts. His foundation helps underprivileged children in the New Orleans area and he can frequently be seen interacting with children and parents as he uses his fame, his influence, and his resources to make a lasting difference. If our works indicate our faith, as James says in the epistle that bears his name, Drew Brees is our brother in the Lord.

Recognition is good in almost all cases. Most people seem to like it, particularly when it comes from their peers. In the annual awards show of the motion picture industry--the Oscars--time and again, we hear movie stars who receive the golden statuette speak of how special it is to have been chosen for this honor "by my peers."

The only thing I recall from Psych 201, a course required of sophomores at my college a long time ago, is this incident. In a factory where hundreds of people were slaving away at menial jobs, someone walked back and replaced the light bulb above the head of one particular worker. There was nothing wrong with the old bulb; he just put in a new one. Immediately, the productivity of that worker went up. Evidently, someone knew he was back there and felt he was important. It's a great lesson.

The trick is to appreciate the appreciation without requiring it in order to do your best work. And to extend it to others without needing it yourself.

In the last "leadership lesson," the one dealing with humility, we encouraged readers to take down from the wall all those plaques of appreciation, recognition and achievement that seem to accumulate over the years. And yet, maybe not. There is something to be said for leaving them up. At least, leaving them where you alone can see them and be motivated by them.

After posting that essay on humility, as I was walking from my study, I noticed a plaque given by my seminary some 9 months after Katrina. The text says something about "distinguished service." Now, it was not hanging on the wall and never has been. It sits on a lower shelf of a bookcase in front of some reference books. So, why is it there? Why did I not relegate it to the drawer--or worse, to the dumpster--as I've been counseling readers to do?

The answer is that I'm of two minds on this subject.

LEADERSHIP LESSON NO. 37--"Get Humble and Stay That Way."

Humility is not putting yourself down. It's seeing yourself as you really are. It's not thinking, "How small I am." It's not thinking of yourself at all.

What appears to some as humility may be inferiority. Think of the wallflower at the dance who pulls into her shell, makes eye contact with no one, and sits there moping, "No one likes me. No one wants to dance with me." The truth is, she's the most egotistical person in the hall. The belle of the ball, the young lady who is charming everyone by her dazzling smile and sunny personality, is the very opposite: she's not preoccupied with herself at all. She's thinking of others, and they are responding to her attention.

For some reason the ministry seems to attract more than its share of not-very-humble persons. I suppose it has to do with the fact that they are "performing." People are sitting in pews and looking up to them, and it goes to their heads. Poor things. If they only knew.

I've been in pastors offices where the walls were literally covered with plaques and framed certificates. The office was a shrine to the minister. I've seen ministers receive doctorates, then change every sign in the building to reflect their new status, and make sure the secretary never misses an opportunity to add his new title to his name.

Read a pastor's resume when you get a chance. Or an evangelist--they tend to be even worse. Notice the ones that are quick to cover themselves in the glory of large pastorates or successful revivals or books published or other awards. It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

These are our spiritual leaders, the ones sent to teach character and integrity to the rest of us.

There are so many reasons to be humble and so many temptations not to.

Judging from his epistles, the Apostle Paul had to deal with the problem of arrogance and pride in the various churches where he served. In his letter to the church at Corinth, he took on those who were "arrogant in behalf of one against the other." Think of the way high school or colleges promote their football teams and put down their opponents; that's what was happening in Corinth.

Paul asks these boastful believers three questions:

We Each Have Our Battles

My friend Xena used to ride her motorcycle to church, then call me the next week. "I don't know what I'm doing in that ritzy church," she would say. "Surrounded by all those women wearing their furs and me in my denims."

Usually I would assure her that she was an important part of our congregation and that we would be much poorer without her, but once I tried a different approach.

"I saw where you were sitting Sunday morning, Xena. It might interest you to know that on the row behind you, that handsome well-dressed couple just buried their only son. He was in the Air Force and was killed when his trainer crashed. And on the same row as you, that family is battling alcoholism. An older lady a couple of rows in front of you is facing bankruptcy. Everyone around you was in church because they were hurting and needed the comfort only the Heavenly Father can give."

"Thanks. I needed that," Xena said.

Someone has said that everyone you know is either in a crisis, just coming out of one, or about to experience one.

You cannot look at their exterior appearance and tell. I had a reminder of that Sunday morning at Riverside Baptist Church down the street a mile from my home.

Toward the end of the worship service, Joe Marsh asked the pastor if he could say a word about the church's Celebrate Recovery program. He rose from the pew behind me, walked to the front and stunned everyone with his testimony. Later, I asked for the privilege of sharing his story. After you read it (which I have edited slightly), I'll give you my own little tale of woe, one I've never mentioned on these pages.

"I'm Joe Marsh. Those who look at me see a normal guy. I grew up in church, surrendered to the ministry at 17, and have been a grad student in seminary for 18 months. I'm 6 feet 1 inch and weigh 195. People who look at me have no idea what struggles I have in my personal life."

"I am an overeater."

LEADERSHIP LESSON NO. 36--"Speak Well But Don't Overtalk"

The number one tool in the leadership kit is words.

Opening our mouth, we utter sounds which others recognize as meaningful words and which we hope to have arranged in such a way as to inspire, instruct, and encourage, and once in a while rebuke. That's a pretty hefty order for something as simple as words, but we've all seen people do it. We remember Churchill's words in 1940 and Martin Luther King's words in 1963 and we thrill at the power of speech well-chosen and powerfully delivered.

I'd like to do that, we all think to ourselves. We imagine the effect of speaking just the right words and watching lives change before our eyes.

If the number one tool in the leader's kit is words, I daresay the number one failing of leaders, and especially the preacher-kind-of-leaders, is overtalking. It's not that we did not use some great words in our talks, our sermons or our prayers; it's that we surrounded those wonderful words with so many other words that we ended up devaluing their worth and weakening their impact.

Ask one of us preachers a question and 15 minutes later, we pause for breath and ask, "What was the question again?"

Shame on us.

This Christmas Season

As Rosanna Rosannadanna said, "It's always something."

My niece Deanna's house burned down Friday night. She lives a city block from my Mom, but Mom slept through the fire trucks that finally extinguished the blaze. She lost everything.

Fires are not unknown in our family. Until the death of my brother Charlie in 2006 and our father's death on November 3, 2007, the most defining event in our family was the burning of our house in February of 1954. It came when all 6 children were still living at home and a month after Dad had lost his job. Twenty or more years later, Charlie's house burned.

We know all too well the pain caused by such things. Deanna has health problems too and frankly, this was the last thing she needed. We will appreciate our friends praying for her.

I'm about to do something here I never do: tell you what we've been doing, where we went, and such.

Homes for the Holidays

The big controversy raging in our city these days has to do with the planned demolition of five shuttered housing projects to make room for planned multi-level-income housing. No one is neutral on the subject and everyone has "the truth".

We need housing for the poor. The test of any society is how it takes care of its poor. We have to get the homeless out of the parks and off the streets. Demolish those projects and you will multiply the number of homeless in New Orleans. Save those buildings.

Those projects were breeding grounds for crime and violence. They provided sanctuary for drug pushers and a haven for gangs. We do no favor to the poor of our city when we relegate them into the saddest accommodations on the planet where they will be victimized by the ruthless and terrorized by the ungodly. Tear down those buildings.

The New Orleans City Council is on the spot and has to make the ultimate call. Citizens on both sides of this issue are bombarding council members with emails, phone calls, letters, and visits.

One council member shared some of the emails she is receiving with the Times-Picayune, and they were printed in Sunday's edition.

Beth Pesses is a nurse at Charity Hospital. "For 32 years I have served the poor in our community. I have wiped their tears, bandaged their wounds and prepared their bodies for the morgue. Very few people have more empathy for the poor in our society than Charity nurses. But the housing projects are not the answer... The combination of asbestos, lead paint and violence are three community health issues that nurses are interested in on an international level. But nurses need their leaders to back them up. We need our leaders to stand up to those who are demanding, some through violent means, to reopen these unhealthy environments. We look to our leaders to use their knowledge and expertise to make the RIGHT decision and not just the most popular one."

Erin O. Stopak is with Talbot Realty Group. "My wife and I are very politically active New Orleanians, and understand y'all are in a 'no-win' situation in regard to the tear down of public housing units. Whatever or however you choose to vote will anger somebody. Please know that myself, family, and friends all want what is best for the future of this city, and most importantly fair to former public housing residents displaced by Katrina. PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE TEARDOWN OF ANY PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS!!!!!!!! Katrina was a horrific event, but has given us the chance to rebuild our city correctly, and break the cycles of poverty (which) trapped so many of our residents for generations."

Then, two on the opposite side of the issue.

Christians Should Choose Their Fights Carefully

"A dog can whip a skunk," the old-timer said, "but it just ain't worth it."

Some fights ought to be called off; they're not worth the trouble and if you win them, you haven't got much.

Just north of New Orleans lies the bedroom community of Slidell. Earlier this year, the courthouse there became ground zero for a contest between the ACLU and the political establishment as well as the religious right, all because of a picture of Jesus hanging on the wall. Defenders of the picture spoke of the Lord's being our Lawgiver, of the debt our society owes to Him, as well as the worthiness of the painting from the standpoint of art and antiquity. The ACLU, to no one's surprise, wanted it down, period. They said the picture was violating the well-known rule against blending religion and public life in a pluralistic society like ours.

The courts got involved and were equally divided. Then, as the ACLU folks fumed and threatened, the Slidell people did something rather brilliant. They left the picture up, but added some more. I'm not sure who's images are now adorning the wall in addition to the first one, but presumably they were founders of other religions and other noted lawgivers.

Just like that, the furor died down and the controversy went away.

This Christmas season, like the last several, we've been treated to the spectre of Christians speaking out against greetings which omit "Merry Christmas" in favor of "Happy Holidays" or the like. Now, I'm a conservative, almost-but-not-quite-right-winger--the type who would love to have Mike Huckabee as president, for example--but I am really amazed at this controversy.

It's probably not necessary to remind my brothers and sisters in Christ that this season of the year is not just for Christians. Everyone has the same calendar and every sect in the world has its own celebrations. In America at this time, the Jews have Hanukkah and our African-American friends have Kwanzaa.

Frankly, that's fine with me, although...

46 Cartoons for the Study of Romans - UPDATED!

46 Cartoons on Romans

Click here for the rest.

My Favorite Christmas Verse

"Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

It should go without saying that the angels from Heaven know a lot more than you or I do. And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem and they brought the announcement to the shepherds on a dark hillside nearby, they identified Jesus as "a Savior." Check any dictionary and you'll find the obvious: the word means "one who saves."

I once pastored a church which used to have a blue neon sign out front which beamed out the message JESUS SAVES. They took it down in the 1950s, I think, but have never asked anyone the reason. I think I know. People are embarrassed by that message. Erect it on the front of a church building, and immediately people think you are a bunch of holy rollers or religious nuts. And since we all want to appear dignified and respectful, they took it off the building and probably sent it to the trash heap.

Read a thousand Christmas messages--cards, advertisements, songs, sermons--and you'll find very few dealing with the salvation aspect of Jesus' coming to earth. And yet, according to the angels, that was the whole point of His coming! He came to save us.

In fact, that's what His very name means. "You shall call his name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins," the angel Gabriel had told Joseph (Matthew 1:21). The literal meaning of 'Jesus' is something like 'The Lord saves.'

All of which begs the question: SAVED FROM WHAT? And to what? The New Testament is filled with answers to both questions, and I'll let you do your own spadework on that. But in essence, it tells us we are saved from ourselves, from our sins, from the penalty for our sins, from this perverse generation, and such. We are saved to new purpose in this life, to Heaven in the life to come, and to all the plans and promises of God.

I hate to argue with Christmas cards--they can be so beautiful and inspiring--but Jesus did not come to bring peace on earth according to His own words (Matthew 10:34). He did not come to make everyone feel good about themselves or the human situation. He did not come to bless religion or to tell everyone they are loved and beautiful in God's sight. He came to save us.

That's what His death on the cross was all about. It was the culmination of the very purpose for His appearance in the first place. A gospel song about His death puts it like this: 'Don't feel sorry for my Jesus; He did exactly what He came to do.'

Wondering About Christmas

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night."

Have you ever wondered what those shepherds and their flocks were doing outside in the open in the dead of night? How many sermons have we heard over the years describing how shepherds put their sheep inside the shelter at night, and then lay down across the door opening, giving illustration to our Lord's teaching that "I am the door of the sheep." (John 10)

Some writers say shepherds in that part of the world kept their sheep outside from March through November. Maybe that's the reason. I wonder.

Have you ever wondered if there were other shepherds in nearby fields at the same time? And why only these shepherds were chosen as the earthly audience for the very first Christmas pageant ever, and this one the standard by which to judge all the succeeding ones?

Is it because only these shepherds were available? We do know that God puts a high prize on availability, more than on ability itself.

Were these shepherds the only people available?

"And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid."

I guess they were afraid. I would have been frightened out of my wits.

Have you ever wondered what that scene looked like? And if other people in other fields could see this heavenly vision? Would they have seen a bright light in the sky coming from the acreage these particular shepherds had staked out? Or would they have seen nothing at all, even had they been nearby?

"And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.'

Fear not. Oh yeah. Easy for you to say, angel.

LEADERSHIP LESSON NO. 35--"Humor is Good; Don't Overdo It."

I was 27 years old with a new seminary degree and ready to take on the world. We had driven up from the bayou country of Louisiana to Greenville, Mississippi, to visit Emmanuel Baptist Church for a trial weekend. If we liked them and they liked us and if we all agreed God was "in this," then I would become their new pastor.

I had pastored two small churches before, but this was my first "trial weekend." Those are well named, incidentally, for they are trials for everyone concerned. That's why I did what I did that Sunday morning.

I told three jokes at the sermon time.

During the worship service, someone introduced Margaret and our small boys and presented me. I walked to the pulpit, smiled at the expectant congregation, and opened my mouth to speak. Up until then, I had done fine.

First. "This is my first time to preach in Mississippi. I'm delighted to be here, and particularly glad to see you're all wearing shoes."

Okay, not a joke, but I meant it as one. They actually laughed, which was all I wanted. They knew I was teasing them about the reputation for backwardness Mississippi has.

Second. "Preaching here today--and you and I looking each other over--reminds me of the country preacher who was in the same situation I'm in today. He looked out at the congregation and said, 'There is a powerful lot of wonderin' goin' on here today. You are wonderin' if I can preach, and I am wonderin' if you know good preachin' when you hear it!'"

Again, it got some laughter. It's not a knee-slapper, but a pleasant bit of humor. Up until now, I was okay. This was the time to move into the sermon. But I didn't. I had another joke, the best one yet.

Third. "Flip Wilson (African-American comedian everyone was familiar with in 1967) was portraying a Black preacher in this same situation on his television program. You know how the congregation answers the preacher in their churches. He looked out at the people and said, 'If I's called to be pastor of this church, this church is going to WALK!' The people called back, 'Let 'er walk, boy, let 'er walk!'"

"The preacher said, 'If I's called to be pastor of this church, this church is going to RUN!' They said, 'Let 'er run, boy, let 'er run!'"

"The preacher said, 'If I's called to be pastor of this church, this church is going to FLY!' They said, 'Let 'er fly, boy, let 'er fly.'"

"The preacher said, 'If this church is going to fly, it's going to take money!' They said, 'Let 'er walk, boy, let 'er walk.'"

(Hope I don't offend anyone by printing the joke in dialect, but that's how he said it and it's the only way to tell it. The teller has to raise his voice in the appropriate places to make it work, too.)

It is a funny story. They laughed, and finally I went into my sermon. Oddly, I have long ago forgotten what the sermon was about, but will never forget those three little jokes. The reason I remember is what happened afterward.

Special to Pastors: "What Your People Want to Hear at Christmas"

Many of the people in our churches have one thing in common with the Athenians whom Paul encountered on his second missionary trek: they love to hear new things. If a sermon does not present some new idea, enabling them to walk out with a 'I never thought of that before,' the message just doesn't work. To many, the harshest criticism of a sermon is "I've heard that before."

Now, being a preacher with a strong desire to please--to have people walk out of church feeling they've received something really special that day--I've sometimes fallen into that trap. I have found myself reading Scripture in search of exotic texts, those that surprise me with stories I'd never noticed, insights I'd never found, principles which I knew would excite my members. But, as I say, it's a trap.

There is a reason 'Amazing Grace' is the most popular hymn in America. And reason aplenty why subjects like 'Salvation by Grace' (Ephesians 2:8-9), 'The Inspiration of the Scriptures' (II Timothy 3:14-17), and 'Heaven' (John 14:1-6) are such familiar subjects most of us could preach at a moment's notice with no preparation at all. They connect with the deepest needs and hungers of people.

I cannot speak for other pastors--I know only my own situation--but I cannot count the times when in my study I have come across these and other well-known (i.e., much-loved and oft-preached) texts and considered adding them to the preaching schedule, only to back away. They just weren't exciting enough.

My reaction might not have been so obvious but it feels like the worshipers in Malachi's day who turned up their noses at the Lord's offerings, saying, 'What a weariness.' In the old days, the Lord took that as an insult.

The grand themes of Scripture are grand for a reason: they have ministered best to God's people over the centuries. As someone has said, 'Cliches came to be cliches for good reason--they carry great truth.'

I sat across the table at a fast food restaurant chatting with a young pastor who was struggling to find his way. I had seen enough of his work to feel he was getting off course, that his preaching was too negative, and his people were becoming restless and discouraged. I said to him, "My friend, preach the great old truths. The love of God. Grace and mercy. Forgiveness. The joy of the Lord is your strength. The incarnation of Jesus."

I said, "Now, I can just hear the enemy whispering in your ear that these are boring subjects. But he's lying. These are the diamonds in the field. These are the sermons that will minister best and accomplish most for your hurting people."

It took years, but I finally came to take my own advice.

About New Orleans and the Bowl Games

The city is excited that in the post-season arrangement of college football games, New Orleans gets the two biggest contests. On January 1, the Sugar Bowl features Georgia versus Hawaii, the only unbeaten team in the "big" division of the NCAA. Georgia has lost two games but many people call them the toughest team going right now. They want to prove that, while Hawaii wants to show they can play with the big boys.

Because of their unblemished record, Hawaii claims it should be in the BCS championship game which will be held in the same arena, the Louisiana Superdome, on January 7. That game features LSU against Ohio State.

The two biggest games of the season, and we've got them. On Tuesday after the Sugar Bowl, the Georgia/Hawaii guests will be leaving town the same day the LSU/Ohio State people are arriving. Look for gridlock.

I said to my dentist, "So, who are you pulling for on January 7?" The framed certificates all over his walls bely his Ohio State roots.

"Not even close," he said.

I pointed out that I'm from the state of Alabama, but pulled for LSU against the Crimson Tide this year.

He said, "But you didn't attend Alabama." Nope. Birmingham-Southern. But we didn't have a football team, and Bear Bryant had just arrived as the Alabama coach, so we all adopted the Tide and quickly became ardent supporters. I've gone to many of the Alabama games and have my own Bear Bryant stories.

"Not the same thing," he said. "When you live on campus and the Saturday football game is the biggest thing going and you sit in the freezing stands with your sweetheart and your fraternity brothers--you are forever bonded."

I guess so.

The Second of the Two Specials

Here is the other article of mine found among my father's keepsakes after his November 3 death. You'll see why it means so much to me that he kept it.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT HEAVEN, YOU HAVE A SURPRISE IN STORE
(Originally written September 9, 2003)

In the latest Tom Clancy best-seller, "The Teeth of the Tiger," foreign terrorists plot a doomsday act against the United States. As the team slips across the unguarded Mexican border, each man knows he has less than a week to live, but dreamily anticipates the glorious fate awaiting him in heaven as a martyr. The terrorists fantasize of celestial virgins catering to their every desire and the eternal glory in which they shall bask. The price for such a coveted reward is a suicidal act which snuffs out the lives of hundreds of the infidel Americans. They can hardly wait.

As I take that in--and I scan a lot of it because even reading such twisted thinking pains me--all I can say is, "Are you ever going to be surprised!"

I suspect there are a lot of disappointed martyrs waiting in some celestial dumping ground, eager for a reunion with the crooks and con men who hoodwinked them into believing that murderous martyrdom earns heavenly bliss. They are literally weeping and gnashing their teeth--weeping from the hell in which they find themselves and teeth-gnashing in anger at those responsible for their ending up there.

We wonder at the way some people consign their eternity to others without so much as a 'by your leave.' Promise them unending glory or godness and you can have everything they own. Don't they question their leaders, we wonder. Why don't they demand credentials from those asking so much of them? How can these people be so brilliant in a hundred ways and completely gullible in others?

The Lord Jesus once said, "No one has been to Heaven except the One who came from there." (John 3) Whatever else we make of that, one thing is certain. Jesus claimed to be The Authority on Heaven. Not one of the authorities, but the sole authority. Not the angels, not preachers, not philosophers, not intellectuals, not theologians or soothsayers nor celebrities. Just Jesus.

The only Native of Heaven ever to set foot on earth is the One qualified to teach us what Heaven means, what it is, and how to get there.

As for the credentials of Jesus, how about a sinless life, a miraculous death, and a glorious resurrection! He truly is in a league of His own.

That's not to say Jesus doesn't get out-voted a lot. On practically any secular college campus in America--and in far too many seminaries--Jesus' words are debated and dissected and discarded as too narrow, too primitive, and too irrelevant. Some people need reminding that God did not put Jesus up for a vote. In the memorable words of the Apostle Paul, "Let God be true and every man a liar."

The Lord Jesus Christ was not submitted for our approval.

Two Specials (Here's the First)

This weekend I was looking through some of my father's stuff and came across two articles I had written several years ago, which he had kept with his stash of mementoes and keepsakes. The fact that he kept them meant a great deal to me, and prompts me to post them here on the website for any use the Lord may still have for them.

Here is the first one....

UNEMPLOYMENT'S GOOD SIDE: It Gave Me Back My Dad
(Originally dated January 8, 2002)

In the last year, both my sons and a number of our church members found themselves looking for jobs. There's a lot of that going around these days, as blue chip companies cut back and last year's start-ups become this year's anecdotes. It will seem strange to some, but I look back to a time when my dad was unemployed as the best time our family had ever known to that point.

It was 1951 and the news came suddenly. Mom and the six children were in Alabama visiting relatives while dad worked in the coal mines at home, near Beckley, West Virginia. He would be along in a few days. He came all right--with the news that the mines were laying off half the work force. Our family would be moving in with our recently widowed grandmother until he could find work in Alabama.

In many ways, it was a dark day, as we moved away without saying goodbye to classmates and our home. To our Alabama cousins, we went from exalted status as northerners with the fascinating Yankee accents to intruders who talk funny and whose father had no job. It was not an easy adjustment for this eleven-year-old.

But the rewards were almost immediate.

Simple Church

Church doesn't come much simpler or worship much purer than Corinth Church, a few miles east of Double Springs, Alabama. I preached there last Sunday morning at their 8:30 service. The place was packed out; maybe 45 people were present. They turned off the butane heater, occupying the center of the platform where a pulpit would normally sit, just before the service started.

No electricity, no lights. No cushions on the pews. No piano, no organ, no keyboard, not even a harmonica. No bathrooms, no water fountains. No robed choirs, no stained glass windows, no carpets on the floor. It's just a room, and a small one at that. No printed bulletins, no projectors, and no screens on the wall. No announcements, no special music. And, in case you are wondering, no babies, no children, and no teenagers either. So no nursery, no classrooms, and no noise.

Corinth Church was started sometime around 1857, typical of the little one-room church houses so prevalent in rural, primitive America at the time. As the country prospered and people moved to town and then the society became more mobile, more educated, and more demanding of its institutions, the Corinth churches of our land were mostly abandoned.

This one was was shut down sometime in the early 1980s; the wonder is that it held out that long. Then, on May 25, 2003, some neighbors decided to reopen the building and have services. It's been going on ever since. The reason I'm so exact about the years and the dates is they gave me one of their fans. It's all printed on it.

Bill Wilson is the pastor. "I have to leave as soon as the service is over," he told me. "I'm the pastor of the Nazarene church at Black Pond." He and I wore the only suits in the house.

I asked the congregation, "Is this a Baptist church?" Yes. "Are you all Baptists?" Nope. Lots of shaking heads.

"How many of you are Methodists?" A couple of hands. "Nazarenes?" The preacher and one other. "Baptists?" Lots of hands.

I named other denominations and got a smattering of response. "We had a Catholic one Sunday," someone said. It's not far from the resort area of Smith Lake, so presumably they attract from that area.

I asked, "When we leave here, how many of you will go on to another church?" About a third of the hands went up.

"The obvious question then is, why are you here?"