Is Social Security a good option?

Recently I have been reflecting on social security and its perceived benefits to society by acting as a safety net for retirees and other at risk families. I am increasingly questioning whether the notion of governmental insurance programs like social security are social and/or secure.

Following are my initial thoughts:
To begin, the idea of sociality is that a group of people come together and cooperate because it is in their best interest to promote each others welfare. Every society and culture is founded upon this notion. At its core, socialization allows individuals to become more human by cooperating with one another, not by withdrawing and separating. Unfortunately the effects of governmental insurance programs have been to separate people from those who are most interested in their success.
By turning to governments to fill needs in times of crises, people are actually made less social and relationships are destroyed as family coherence breaks down and the nuclear and extended family increasingly neglect their responsibility to care for their families needs (1 Timothy 5:3-4). Some may argue that my payment of taxes for such programs is proof of my concern for their welfare. Is that so? Show me when you visit these needy and neglected people. I have spent time in the retirement centers and those on social security are the neediest and loneliest of all people. Sending money is not the same are strengthening social bonds. Furthermore, the social function of the church is destroyed by taking from the church their God appointed place as those who care for the orphan and widow that others aren't caring for (1 timothy 5:5).
This is not to say that a government system can't coexist with a strong family and church social structure, the Amish are evidence that it can. What it does say, however, is that it is increasingly unlikely that in the midst of widespread government insurance for a family and church system to stand up and maintain integrity in caring for those under their care. Increasingly, denominations large and small, across the theological spectrum have encouraged their clergy not to opt out of social security claiming it is morally sound. Is it morally sound to destroy the social fabric of society for a few dollars?
That leads to my second thought. Is social security secure? As birth rates fall, and the older generations age, their are only three options for providing the required funds needed for the promises governments have made:Reduce the benefits these insurance programs pay, Tax the younger generations more, Inflate the currency. Historically, ruling authorities do not survive when they reduce benefits, and while taxing the younger generations may be a temporary solution, it cannot be a long-term sustained solution. As birth rates continue to decline, tax rates must increase in such a situation and there is a threshold which will inevitably be reached before revolution or black-markets take over, thus crippling the system even more. That leaves the third option, as the option most governments including our own have taken: Inflate the currency by printing more money. However this tack, actually penalizes the very people government has set out to help. As fixed income elderly and those in need, the very act of causing inflation is insecure, instead of secure.
Thus social security is neither social, nor is it secure for those who most need help. The answer, return to the primacy of the nuclear family and allow them to maintain as much of their income as possible in order to care for those the Word of God calls them to care for.
For a great book on the interrelation between governmental pensions, prosperity, population and family see
Juurikkala, O. (2007). Pensions, Population, and Prosperity. (Acton Institute:Grand Rapids, MI)

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Praying to Share the Gospel- Ephesians 6:18-20, Col 4:3-4, Philemon 6

I believe we have the first prayer request of Paul for himself today?  At least the first request in our series so far.  Paul has been praying prayers of Thanksgiving.  His prayer life has been full of gratitude for the good things God has done, is doing and will continue to do.  But today, we get to look at his first prayer request, and I think it will surprise you.  Paul writes, Eph. 6:18-20 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

Reflection on the Gospel and bondage

The last few posts have been rather personal as I have been reflecting on my own life in Christ. This morning I took 3 hours to pray and quietly think about life and God's plans for me. As a pastor I have this luxury and it is one that I cherish but unfortunately haven't made enough use of the past 2 years. What is coming out of this time is a reality that I have been living in bondage as opposed to freedom.

I have been so focused on my ideals of the devout life (service to the poor, simplicity, adoption, complete trust in God's promise to provide that we make no plans, nor save for the future...), the problems of the world and a personal sense of my responsibility to correct those errors in myself and others that I have been unable to enjoy the moments that God has put me in. I have been unable to enjoy a blessing or gift from others as I have seen it as a wasteful luxury. I have been unable to see how another person is actually being blessed by this luxury since it goes against my values and therefore their enjoyment and blessing would mitigate and cancel my values and ideals.

In short, I have become so self-focused on saving the world, that I have lost sight of my Savior and his work to set us free from the bondage, not only to sin, but also to other "patterns of living" which hinder us from enjoying all the redeemed world. I have confused working for a Utopian society as the Christian life. I have confused being God's child with specific actions that while consistent with loving others, is not the sum total of the Christian life, nor even the path that everyone is called to walk.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12ff, Paul writes, "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything..." There is freedom and grace in Jesus Christ. There is the freedom to live unhindered, not being mastered, or controlled by anything except the Lord who owns us. For Paul goes on to remind the believers that they are "not their own. They were bought at a price." Paul specifically applies this freedom to not be mastered by our lusts, our sexuality, but this would also apply to me. For the freedom of Christ calls me not to be controlled by my thoughts or ideals, by other's needs or expectations, but rather to be controlled solely by Christ to whom I am united and joined.

Thus when the 'devout life' becomes the joyous life and the things we do are done out of obligation instead of from gratitude, the own who masters us is no longer Christ but our ideals and thoughts, or another's ideals and thoughts. Strangely, almost 7 years ago, I had this realization of the Gospel and the freedom it brings and the joy I have in Christ and the lack of obligation I have to act a certain way, or do certain things to maintain God's approval, but it has faded and once again I find myself having lived under the weight of a great law which God is opening my eyes to see. There is freedom in the gospel and Jesus died to free us from the law of sin and death. And certainly, a lack of joy in my life as I have lived the Christian life the past few years is death-like. I want to be free again.

So how is God going to release me? Oddly enough, the direction I had this morning from the Lord was to go and buy something nice for myself, my wife and my daughter (whose birthday is today). What kind of freedom is this? It is the freedom to release the grip that my idealized reality of money has on me and which has been keeping me from being able to enjoy the world which God has placed me in. Will I probably struggle with a sense of guilt as I do this. Most likely, for Satan wants nothing more than to oppress me and keep me in bondage to my idealized version of the devout life. But like Jesus, I can say, "Get behind me Satan. For I will love the Lord first and foremost and he has called me to freedom. And in his freedom he is directing me to release my ideals and that tangibly means enjoying the bounty he has provided me." ...Read more

Growing in my Ability to Relate to Others

I have never been a great enthusiast of psychology, counseling or personality tests. I have taken numerous tests for mission boards, employers, etc. I am an INTJ on the Meyers-Briggs, an Equipping-Releaser on the Grip-Birkman, a D on the DISC. Frankly none of these have been much help to me in the past, this is not to say they are useless, rather it is to say that I was not in a position to understand the need for such information nor how to use such information. I just finished reading Don Riso's Understanding the Enneagram, and for the first time I can see myself and my unhealthy responses to life and a healthy perspective for improving.

While many may question the wisdom of the Enneagram being used by a Christian pastor (I am one of those), I have found it very helpful by ignoring the spiritual new age overtones and looking strictly at the "self-help" information contained within. As a One on the Enneagram (The Reformer), I am an idealist. i live in the realm of ideals, I try to force those ideals on others because I feel the need to reform the world and correct its imbalances. My feelings arise within me in anger and frustration and frequently I can't enjoy the life we have on this world because it is so short of the ideal. This has gotten me in many troubles - from arguments with others, severe dogmatism as well as criticism. And unfortunately I have been falling down that hole alot recently - hence my struggle to encourage others in my preaching for I am trying to reform them not encourage them.

Riso directs my personality type towards more quiet centering and true thinking which will allow me to see the possibilities and to appreciate the present gifts of the world. This is the path out, the path toward true wisdom for the reformer, a path with others will be willing to take. As i reflect on my past ministry with InterVarsity, the years where I was taking a quiet retreat bi-weekly, my stress level decreased, my influence on others increased, my acceptance and empathy for others grew and life was good. However, when i stop these quiet reflections, my emotions get the better of me, my frustration at the world grows and nobody is able to meet my standards. This aligns with his exposition of the Enneagram. Great.

But the real test is whether it aligns with the Scriptures. Is there a call to sit at the feet of Jesus for the compelling doer. Absolutely - the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Is there a call to be thankful for the moment instead of living for an ideal? Absolutely - Paul's secret of contentment in Philippians 4:12ff and the call to give thanks in every situation, 1 Thes 5:18. Is there a call to bear with one another, exercising wisdom instead of harshly ruling? Again yes, Colossians 3:13 and 1 Peter 5:3.

Am I growing as a disciple? Certainly and is the freedom God brings through his Word and through unlikely sources like a textbook on personalities, liberating? It definitely is, may God be glorified as I love his people and learn to move from idealism to true wisdom for a real world. ...Read more

Discipleship and The Seed of the Gospel

Recently, I have been forced to reflect on a number of things in my life: my preaching style, my congregations needs, how to disciple others, worship differences, etc. All of this is beginning to congeal in my mind due in large part to a good friend who meets with meet each week to discuss theology. As we were talking today about the gospel and what it is, we began talking about the parable of the woman who hides leaven in the batch of dough (Matthew 13:33).

Now, I asked, "If the gospel is the leaven, then what is the gospel at the moment it is placed in the dough?" After his response, I followed up with this observation, "After the leaven works throughout the dough, what is the gospel? Is it still the same seed which was planted or is it much more? Is there any way that the initial seed can be extracted?" These observations began to gel in my mind in relation to all of the topics I referenced above. Let me explain.

All of us have received the seed of the gospel (Christ's sinless life, his death in our stead, his resurrection to conquer death, his ascension to heaven in order to reign and his subsequent sending of the Holy Spirit in order to empower us to live the victorious Christian life - all of this is needed in order for an efficacious atonement to have occurred), yet it grows at different rates in each and every one of us. To some, the seed has multiplied many times and come to affect their politics, economics, charitable actions and family life; to others, the climate has been a little cooler, or the time since the seed has planted has been shorter and the seed may not have multiplied at all or only minimally. Yet both are gospel Christians, saved by the grace of God.

So, what happens if the person with the multiplied seed attempts to bring the gospel to bear on all the same areas - political, economic, social, charitable - in the life of another whose seed hasn't grown as much? They will reject it; to them, the gospel has no bearing on these areas yet, the seed hasn't grown for whatever reasons - some may be internal, others external. But if the larger lump of dough continues to force the smaller lump of dough, one will be crushed. It would be like trying to feed a baby of 2 months, the food of a 30 year old on cruise. The baby will choke, spit, cry and possibly die.

Thus it is in life. Each of us has places where the seed of the gospel has grown large, similarly we have places where the seed is still the same size in our life. We all have places where we are 20 or 40 or 80 years old, but other places where we are just a few months old. The solution is not for the older, larger lumps of dough to dish it all out. Quite the contrary, the solution is for the older to use wisdom and discernment to spoon feed little lumps so that the younger areas of our life can be nourished and grown up into the full stature of Christ.

While I have intuitively known this as I disciple folks one on one, my preaching has frequently majored on my strengths and the areas where the gospel has multiplied in my life, but at the expense of recognizing the needs of my congregation. I have tried to feed steak to people on milk; similarly, the congregation has tried to deal with me as one whose relational skills are well developed and whose intuition and feelings are advanced, when in effect I am only a babe. Our strengths and our weaknesses have been pitted against one another.

But thanks be to God for Elders, other pastors and friends who have graciously dialogued with me and helped me to grow and see the situation and to be attentive to God's leading in the parables. So what is the solution? The solution is for each of us to plant the seed of the gospel referenced above into the lives of one another, even into the specific areas of life we see lacking and then to sit back and pray waiting for God to cause it to grow and rise and leaven the whole batch, thereby becoming all the God intends. To God be the glory. ...Read more

The Grandeur of God's Creation

I just returned from 2 weeks of vacation, 1 week camping in the North Cascades and 1 week on a cruise through Alaska's Southeastern shores. What both weeks brought clearly to my mind is the grandeur of God's Creation, his majesty, creative brilliance and great care for each and every detail of the landscape, from the mushrooms of the forest floor to the glaciers of the highest peaks. God is majestic. The waterfalls speak of his creative power and the rainbow reminds us of his promise never to destroy us by flood again. I will let the pictures speak the rest.

Melanchthen on Prayer

Trouble and perplexity drive me to prayer and prayer drives away
perplexity and trouble.
- Philip Melanchthen

Why we are adopting...

A good friend of mine, Mark Ruiter, wrote this in response to a common misconception that adoption is another way to grow your family. Here are his thoughts and mine:

In May 2008 Rockelle and I starting talking and praying about adopting a child. Some people might ask “Why? When you have two beautiful children, at 38 years old, would you consider this?”

The answer is that we have been convicted that as followers of Christ we are called to it...Scripture is full, from beginning to end with commands concerning the poor, the widows, the orphans, and others who can’t care for themselves. God calls down judgment on those who ignore these commands as we see in the prophets. Jesus spends a great deal of time in caring for the poor. Most of His healing miracles were performed on beggars, lepers and other outcasts. Jesus commands us to “love one another…as I have loved you”… Jesus love for us was sacrificial. He gave everything, so that we could gain everything.

This is “the long answer” of why we are adopting.

The short answer is “Because God commanded us to.”

I offer as evidence of this calling, various scripture passages.

Throughout the Old Testament God calls the Israelites to care for the poor, the widow, and the orphan. In Deuteronomy 10:18-21 God says:

18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. 20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.

And in Deuteronomy 14:28-29:

28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

In Deuteronomy 27:19:

19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

In Psalm 68:5-6:

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

In Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.

Through the Old Testament prophets he calls us to Justice

As in Amos 5:21-24

"I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
I cannot stand your assemblies.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

And in Micah 6:8

8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

In Malachi 3:5

5 "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.

As you can see, God both commands his people to care for the widow and orphan, and brings judgment on those who deny justice or help for them.

In the Gospels, Jesus continues as found in Mark 12:38-40

38As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

In Matthew 22:37-40

37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

In Matthew 23:23-24

23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

In Matthew 25:34-40

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Mark 10:17-24

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."


John 13:34-35

34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."


Strong words from Jesus that leave little room for interpretation.

The writings of the apostles, inspired by the Holy Spirit continue in the same vein.

In Romans 12:13

13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

In James 1:27

27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.


James 2:14-17

14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

1 John 3:16-18

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Finally adoption is one of the best possible images of our own salvation. Once we were destitute and completely without hope before an angry God, now we stand before Him as forgiven adopted Sons and Daughters, with all of the rights and responsibilities bestowed on a child of The King.

Deuteronomy 26:18

18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

Deuteronomy 28:10

10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you.

Isaiah 62:2-4

2 The nations will see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah (my delight is in her),
and your land Beulah (married);
for the LORD will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.

Romans 8:15-16

15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Galatians 3:26-29

26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4:4-7

4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Titus 3:3-7

3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Ephesians 1:3-14

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Scripture is full, from beginning to end with commands concerning the poor, the widows, the orphans, and others who can’t care for themselves. God calls down judgment on those who ignore these commands as we see in the prophets. Jesus spends a great deal of time in caring for the poor. Most of His healing miracles were performed on beggars, lepers and other outcasts. Jesus commands us to “love one another…as I have loved you”… Jesus love for us was sacrificial. He gave everything, so that we could gain everything.

This is “the long answer” of why we are adopting.

The short answer is “Because God commanded us to.” ...Read more