I often pray a very specific prayer for my children.  I was already certain that the Lord hears my prayers, and that he answers them.  It’s just that this particular prayer is more of a long-term prayer of eternal consequence, a prayer for their salvation.  Ultimately, I hope that they get to know the Lord Jesus the way that I know him, or better.

The glimpses of seeing the Lord at work in the lives of my kids are seemingly few and far between, but tonight I had perhaps the most satisfying moment as a father.  Oddly enough, the moment came tonight after a questionable decision to watch the movie “Avatar” with my six-year-old son over the past two evenings before bed.  He seemed to enjoy the the first half of the movie so I agreed to let him watch the second half with me tonight despite my knowing that there would be violence.

*Spoiler alert* Please skip to the next paragraph if you haven’t seen Avatar and you intend to!  During the final battle scene, when the Na’vi had finally turned the tides and the forest creatures joined in, my son was thrilled to see the “bad guys” get destroyed.  He gleefully shrieked when a pack of giant hammer-headed beasts crushed the mechanized warriors that had decimated the good guys just minutes before.  He absolutely loved seeing the “dragons” fling the flying warships into the cliffs.  He really had a great sense of who to root for, particularly against the evil forces.  In the past, my son had often rooted for the bad guys in various movies and shows, but not this time.  Amazingly, this is not the end of my story.

When the movie finished, it was time to head off to bed (an hour late because of the movie).  We laid down on his bed and talked a bit about the movie.  I was interested to hear his favorite parts as well as finding out if any of the violence had scared him or impacted him.  He told me his favorite part, which involved the “dragon”, and he said that he wasn’t scared or sad or anything, and then he got quiet for a minute.  I was about to ask him what the scariest part was when he said “Daddy, I don’t think they worshiped the same God we do.”  He meant the “good guys”, that they didn’t worship our God.  I was floored, so I probed a little deeper.  I said “You’re right, buddy (my heart is full at this point)… there was something/someone missing from the story, wasn’t there?”  He said “Yeah, they didn’t know Jesus.”  WOW!  He continued “They were worshiping, but they were worshiping the wrong thing.  I mean, they prayed and stuff, but they prayed to a tree or something.”  Then, as if I wasn’t already fully blown away, he concluded with this nugget of spiritual wisdom.  Mind you, this is ALL unprompted…  he said “How can a created (the tree) be THE Creator.  It just doesn’t make sense.”

I about fell off the bed.  I told him how right he was, how proud I was, and we immediately prayed, among other things, that the people that made the movie would meet the Jesus that we know and love.  I really think that he was praying with me in his heart and not just listening to his bedtime prayer before zonking out.  Even now, as I write this an hour later, I am still full of thankfulness to the Lord that captured my heart.  I am thankful that he is answering my prayers for my kids.  I trust that my kids will both be believers, and true warriors for the Kingdom of God.

One more thought before I wrap this up.  I’ve talked to lots of people about Avatar, even though I hadn’t seen it until yesterday.  I had heard from a source or two that there were bits of bad theology mixed into the movie, mainly pantheism.  So, I was prepared for it when I saw it, and I wasn’t surprised at all.  Most people I talked to about Avatar, though, made no notice of the theology and just enjoyed the movie.  Mind you, I enjoyed the movie, too.  Anyway, leave it to my six-year-old, as if he were a mature Christian, to solemnly point out that they weren’t worshiping the right God.  I find that highly ironic and totally amazing.

Nights like tonight are so gratifying, comforting, fulfilling, and all kinds of other words ending in ING.  I am just so happy that the Lord is taking hold of my kids’ hearts and that the time I spend telling them everything I know about the Creator of the universe is actually sinking in.  Wow… just wow!

If you know me very well, you’ve probably heard that I just got back from the first on-campus course of my seminary experience.  Let me just say, it was fantastic!  I met a bunch of wonderful, new people for starters.  For an extrovert like me, that is particularly exciting.  I was also quite intrigued by the classroom material.  Top that off with my meetings with professors and time outside of class discussing ministry and theology with other students, and it was one heck of  an experience.  The icing on the cake was the weather in Charlotte, where it was in the 60′s for most of the week (while being in the 30′s in Cleveland).

The topic for my class was “Apologetics”, which may be defined as a reasoned defense of the faith.  The apostle Peter made a case for apologetics when he said to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

All of us Christians have had to defend the faith at one time or another.  This would include defending against or trying to persuade a non-believer of the hope that is in you (the gospel).  It could also address any doubts that we face as believers.  Thus, apologetics is not just for theologians that want to “argue” with atheists, but it’s an integral part of evangelism on par with preaching.  Also, I should  make it clear that apologetics does not involve “apologizing”, as if we’re sorry for our Christian beliefs.  Quite the contrary!

There are essentially two components to my grade in the apologetics course.  The first, of course, is an exam… no surprise there.  The other major component is a “dialogue paper” in which I’ll have to present a real or fictitious interaction with a skeptic (non-believers or skeptical believers are equally good).  For this reason, I invite any of you that have questions, concerns, or doubts about the Christian God to share them here as comments on my blog.  I’d be more than happy to answer your questions, and it might just help me out for my course grade!

News is spreading that, lately, Christians in Nigeria are being killed for upholding their beliefs.  Militant Muslims are demanding that these Christians should convert to Islam, and those that reject such a notion are being put to death.  Several pastors have been martyred, as have hundreds of others, including women and children.  Christians in Nigeria deserve our attention and especially our prayers in the face of such a horrible persecution.

In America, we’ve become very complacent with our religious freedom.  We are able to come and go from churches and other religious functions without any scorn, ridicule, torment, or bodily harm.  This is not the case throughout much of the world, especially overseas where Christianity is spreading the fastest these days.

If we choose to study church history, we may read about similar persecutions ever since the church was in its infancy in the first century.  There were scores of famous martyrs that witnessed to Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, only to pay the ultimate price for their testimony.  These stories of our brave and vigilant forefathers went a long way to assist in the spread of the gospel during the first few centuries after Jesus’s ascension.  A martyrdom, and to stand up for what we believe in the face of  death, is a powerful testimony.

My question is this: when faced with a similar scenario, would we American Christians make the same proclamation in the face of terminal adversity?  I would like to hope so, but I’m not so sure.  Something like 95% of Americans claim to be Christians, but I can’t imagine that number would hold up in the face of persecution.  Would would a realistic percentage be?  A better question is this: how many self-proclaimed Christians in America actually have a relationship with Jesus?  I wonder.

Jesus gave us the ultimate model of perfection as he endured shame and torture on the cross.  I sincerely hope that I’d be able to go to my death proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ.  No matter what perils I might face, I hope to be able to hold fast and strong to my Lord.  I pray that it won’t come to that, but if it does, I trust that the Lord would see me through it.

Last night my Christian small group began the Truth Project as our study for the summer.  If you haven’t heard of it, this series is a production of Focus on the Family, and it focuses on developing a Christian worldview.  It’s taught by bright and engaging guy named Del Tackett.  While I’ve  already been through the course once before, I’m excited to experience it again.

I can remember the passion and eagerness I felt after each and every video session the first time through.  I can remember wishing each time that the hour long lecture/video could somehow not end.  I remember how empowered each of us in the group felt as we were equipped with some new knowledge and perspective.  I remember clearly the feeling I had as my worldview was being transformed and solidified.

I’m excited to relive some of those feelings and to see others share the experience.  I’m looking forward to discussing the course particulars in a smaller setting.  I’m pleased that we’ll be able to pray amongst friends about the issues presented to us each week.

I know that the Lord has a plan and a message for each of us as we delve into the Truth Project… so cool!

Here’s a link to a teaser video if you’re curious what this series is all about…  The Truth Project

Not so long ago, I thought that Christian music was a bunch of nice words with a bunch of lousy music.  Such artists as Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, while they certainly have their loyal followings, were such a bore to me.  Much to my surprise, Christian music has changed dramatically since I last paid attention to it.

Back in my college days, my ears would have bled while listening to contemporary Christian music.  Little did I know that, at that very time, it was on the verge of breakthrough.  While I was poisoning my soul with the songs of Metallica, Alice in Chains, REM, and the like, contemporary Christian rock was transforming into a solid, enjoyable genre.

While I still greatly enjoy some of the instrumental music in much of the songs I used to listen to, the lyrics make me uncomfortable.  There are simply too many references to sex, drugs, and blasphemy.  For a while, I enjoyed what I felt was a “middle ground” by listening to such artists as U2 and Coldplay.  For the most part, they deliver a positive (and sometimes Christian) message.

What I’ve found recently, though, is that Christian bands can be equally as appealing musically as secular bands, and you’ll never be ashamed of the lyrics.  Quite the opposite, actually.  In fact, most Christian rock songs of today are highly uplifting.  Given that music can have a profound impact on our moods, this is a radical change from some of the “angry” music is listened to when I was younger.

Recently, my wife admitted to me that she was going through much of the same inner conflict.  She loved her secular music, but it wasn’t uplifting.  She challenged me to find her a “Christian Coldplay”.  Well, I think I’ve found it.  The artist’s name is Brandon Heath, and he has two albums full of wonderful music.  She loves to listen to his CDs, and so do my kids.  They’ve all picked out their favorites that we have to play repeatedly during car trips!  Both experienced Christians and those that have recently learned the good news can appreciate his work.

Another artist that has caught my attention is Jeremy Camp.  His music is a little bit “harder” than Brandon Heath, although that’s a huge generalization.  His lyrics are also a bit more spiritually in-depth.  He often sings of such things as letting God take control of our lives, living and breathing God’s word, and sharing the gospel.  Again, you’re left feeling uplifted as you listen to Jeremy Camp’s music.

Certainly other artists are worth mentioning.  I’ve enjoyed a number of songs from Jars of Clay, Third Day, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, and many others.  If you’ve thought that Christian music isn’t worth a listen, think again!  Give it another try and I suspect that you’ll be impressed.  If you’d like a recommendation, just let me know what type of music you typically listen to and I bet I can find something you’d like.

A pastor at church suggested this book for me and I must say, I loved it!  Paul Marshall delivers a message about our responsibility to live in, learn from, and react to the world that God has created for us.  He emphasizes the importance of living in the here and now, embracing the moments that God has given us.  He focuses on topics such as work, rest, play, education, imagination, innovation, salvation, and worship.  He ties together these aspects of life in a way that convinces us to be consistently faithful in every aspect of our lives.

By vocation, Marshall is not a minister, but he incorporates his experience as a geologist into a variety of interesting stories to assist in the delivery of his message.  Like many of us, Marshall has struggled to figure out what his calling might be both professionally as well as his responsibility to follow God’s path.  After prayerful consideration, he decided that God hasn’t laid a clear path of stepping stones for us to follow, but rather he intends for us to make sound decisions based on the experience that He has given us.  His experience has taken him all over the world, having met an assortment of people that have left their marks in his memory.  Each one has affected him and left him with a greater understanding of God’s handiwork.

The most memorable and unique parts of this book are his emphasis on embracing the world we live in.  He explains how we can take advantage of our positions in secular jobs to minister to people specifically by showing them God’s love.  He reminds us of the importance of rest, pointing out to us, lest we forget, that God rested on the seventh day of creation, and he made it a point to underscore its significance.  Marshall also encourages us to play, or to engage in an activity that serves no purpose other than itself.  God wishes for us to delight in His creation!

Perhaps the most interesting statement Marshall makes is with regard to creativity and the arts.

… God wants our clothing, our food, our speech, and every single thing we do to be a response of creative, imaginative, stylish, and joyful creatures.

It makes sense.  Folks aren’t interested in a religion of people that are boring.  Jesus, especially, was far from boring.  Marshall challenges us to live with vim and vigor, jubilantly celebrating God’s good work.  The primary message I’ve taken from this book is to let the world see our love, our faith, and our delight in the world we live in.

Purchase this book from Amazon here or borrow it from your church library like I did!