Teaching on money has always been one of my most difficult tasks as a pastor.  Why?  Mainly because of "the few" who inevitably get offended that I would dare talk about such a personal, private matter in church.

The dominant culture's desire to segregate our spiritual lives from our financial lives has always mystified me (although the financial improprieties of so-called spiritual leaders has undoubtedly helped to deepen the divide).

Yesterday was the first time I've taught on money in the past two years.  I poured a lot of energy and time into it, and so far -- no one has left the church.  There were two quotes in particular that are still buzzing around in my brain from yesterday.  One of them was spoken over 40 years ago, and the other, much more ancient.

“To have enough is good luck, to have more than enough is harmful. This is true of all things, but especially of money.” – Chuang-Tsu, Chinese Scholar - 4^th cent. BC

We are rich in the things that perish, but poor in the things of the spirit. We are rich in gadgets, but poor in faith. We are rich in goods, but poor in grace. We are rich in know-how, but poor in character. We are rich in words, but poor in deeds. We say we are rich, but in God’s estimate we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” – Billy Graham, 1963

In his famous "Parable of the Sower", Jesus explained that "the deceitfulness of money and the desire for things can come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" (Mark 4:19).  If money and materialism possess an inherant power that can thwart even the word, the kerygma, the gospel -- then what do you think it will take for the tide of materialism (especially within the Body of Christ) to turn?

Ah, come on... it's everywhere!

Medallions, rings, clothing... even car rims and teeth! And now, "bling bling"  has been added to the Oxford dictionary.

But what does bling bling really mean?  Why is it a part of our culture and what is it saying?

Contemporary Western society has virtually eliminated the once prevelent rite-of-passage and its welcoming of children into adulthood. Surprisingly, few people today realize that the entire concept of “adolescence” is a modern construct – only appearing in the last century. Prior to then, in nearly all cultures in all places at all times we observe a two-stage development of humanity: children and adults. Rather than children anticipating and preparing for his or her journey into adulthood (e.g. Jewish bar/bat mitzvah, Amish Rumspringa), it seems that contemporary culture is sending a double-message: "you're teenagers now and won't be adults for quite awhile," AND "we want you to go ahead and act like adults though, endulging yourselves in anything and everything."

What's up with that? Are we simply inept as parents? Or are parents so self-absorbed that they're just leaving children to "grow up" on their own? Or has our society become so radically egalitarian (everyone deserving the same benefits regardless of merit) that our children "deserve" to do all that we deserve to do?

Put simply: children are being pushed into adulthood sooner and sooner --especially girls. Set Hollywood aside for a moment. Just take a look in the girls clothing section of many popular department stories -- you're bound to find a plethora of sexually provocative clothing including thong panties and suggestive slogans. The days of "Little Mermaid" and "Sponge Bob" clothes are quickly disappearing. What in the world are we grooming them for??!!

As communities-of-faith, I believe we have been failing our children -- and continue to do so -- by no longer offering them a meaningful transition (along with its accompanying nurture and support) from being children to being adults. The majority of Western religious institutions no longer emphasize a rite-of-passage, and guess what? The secular world knows it! That's why (especially in the western U.S.) increasing numbers of young adults are now looking to Las Vegas as rite-of-passage.

Even ten year ago, any attempt to offer up a religiously-themed movie like Mel Gibson's The Passion would have never flown. But with the increased popularity of "spirituality" within the culture, it seems that the time may well be RIPE for these types of movies.

With The Passion on the big screen less than a week, ABC is heavily advertising their made-for-TV movie, Judas. Here's some of the promo info. from ABC:

Judas is perhaps the most complex character in the Gospels, the disciple-turned-betrayer — a man who walked with Jesus, only to later turn him in for thirty pieces of silver. Judas, covers the two years Judas spent with Jesus, years marked by political unrest as well as spiritual awakening.

The historical dramatization takes a unique look at an age-old story and provides a view into the heart and mind of Judas. It is the intimate story of a man who wants something from Jesus he cannot have, and who cannot accept what Jesus does offer.

What does all this mean? Will we see a growing number of movies like Judas? Will you watch it? Tape it? Ignore it? Is there a message here concerning our culture, or is it all no big deal?

College and University professors need to WAKE UP and realize that their students are tired of religious censorship in the classroom -- today, students want to disuss spiritual things openly in class.

Consider the following excerpt from a recent Time Magazine article:

Intentionally Christ-centered colleges have seen a 27% increase in enrollment in the past five years, compared to an 8% increase for all four-year schools. Young people are concerned about their spirituality and also are interested in hearing religiious discussions in the classroom. According to a study going on at the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA], more than 75% of college juniors revealed that they talk about religion and spirituality with their peers, but 62% say their professors don't encourage this talk in the classroom.

Is it possible that a student-driven movement to bring religion back into our nation's institutions of higher learning will lead to a "trickle-down" phenomenon (in the coming decades), re-asserting the appropriateness of religious dialog and discovery within our public secondary and even primary schools?

The following story caught my eye -- especially since we are nearing the start of Lent. Maybe we North Americans can learn a thing or two from our brothers and sisters down South.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - It's an invitation to hell, warns a minister. Too violent and chaotic, complains a scientist. For others, Rio's carnival which began Friday is only good as an excuse to get out of town.

Carnival: So many Brazilians seem to hate it, despite the stereotype of an entire nation putting everything on hold to dance and drink the night away.

Known as the world's biggest party, the five-day long pre-Lenten bash started with the ceremonial handing of the key to the city of Rio to the symbolic "Fat King."

Tourists may love it, but a recent survey conducted by the Sensus polling group found that 57.4 percent of Brazilians dislike carnival and want nothing to do with it. (click here to read the entire article)

I totally salute the Brazilian people. Having fun is one thing, but when it becomes an excuse for all-out decadence -- the line has got to be drawn. It seems that Carnival -- which means "farewell to meat" (from carne), has become more of a meat market (and I'm not talking about the corner butcher)! :O

If public sentiment continues on its present course, party-goers may need to find a new country for their unbridled passions.

I'd like to think that America is paying attention and will learn something from this. But I have my doubts.

Should followers of Christ retreat from the world and it's culture, or engage and transform it? I have always believed the later. But how should we actually go about doing it? I believe that there are undoubtedly many answers to that question. But one group in particular seems to have a plan that recently caught my attention. Trinity Law School has been running a volley of radio ads designed to attract young evangelicals into the practice of law -- not merely to defend the needy, but to help change American culture from within the legal system. Reading through a brief statement from the school's Dean seems to make it clear that Trinity has culture transformation in the heart of it's vision/agenda.

Is this a legitimate way to transform our culture? Should believers train themselves to enter our country's legal system as ambassadors of Christ? Our should believers leave the legal system entirely alone? I don't think so. Didn't Daniel (and his friends) engage themselves in the culture and government of ancient Babylon -- faithful to their beliefs, yet believing God would use them in their environment? Yes! So shouldn't we, in our postmodern, post-Christian culture seek to do the same?

Seems to me that entering the legal system is far more reasonable and desirable than all the wacky things many Christian extremists are known to do in THEIR attempt to change our culture (like displaying "turn-or-burn" type signs at parades and sporting events). What are your thoughts?

A final tongue-in-cheek thought: Heck! Lawyers have a rotten reputation anyway -- how could Christians screw it up any more?!? :D

A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor caught my attention this morning -- primarily because I've been increasingly concerned about how sports is supplanting family involvement in communities of faith throughout American culture. And it's not merely the "watching" of sports, but the active participation in various sports leagues which require children and youth to compete on Sundays (with parents participating in a variety of ways as well).

On the one hand, I'm not overly surprised by this, for we are certainly living in a post-Christian society that no longer values what the Church has historically valued (e.g. observance of "the Lord's day"). I suppose that idolatry, in all of it's manifold expressions, would of course be expected out in the "normal" world that does not embrace the values of God's kingdom. But on the other hand, my concerns are not aimed at the unbelieving world, but rather those desiring to be followers of Christ. Believers should know better.

Once again, I fear that the dominant culture is influencing the Church rather than the other way around. Consumerism, and the commodification of Christianity is encouraging believers to practice their faith out of convenience more than conviction (or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that convenience IS their conviction). Heck. We don't need to worship on the Lord's Day anymore -- we can worship whenever it's convenient, right? And if our congregation doesn't offer enough "choices", then we'll just look for another church.

As a pastor, a shepherd -- I'm often baffled by people's decision to stay home from church in order to watch a football game or NASCAR race. It's not that I'm NOT concerned about the Sunday sports leagues which keep "the faithful" (??) away from their community of faith -- but when the "need" to watch sports is more important than encountering God with fellow believers on the "first day of the week" as Christians have valued throughout time -- then it seems obvious that God is being supplanted in their lives, and idolatry begins to appear the culprit.

Sports is not inherantly evil, not inherantly idolatrous. And this makes the task before us all the more challenging. What's the solution? I'm not entirely sure. But I do believe that the lack of passionate spirituality mixed with the modern church's "disconnect" with the ancient church's beliefs and practices is much to blame. In many areas, American Christianity is impotent. People sense this, and go about replacing it's primacy in their lives, maybe without even consciously being aware that that's what they're doing.

I continue to be fascinated by the insights of non-Westerners. So, when I came across this blog post from World Magazine, it immediately caught my attention. Although the post (and subsequent "comment" posts) addresses the African (and more specifically Nigerian) view of homosexuality, it wasn't that specific issue that leaped out at me -- it was the way in which the West, particularly the Church in the West, was characterized:

Good quotation from Uganda Archbishop Mpalanyi Nkoyooyo: "The West introduced us to the faith but it seems they have run out of ideas on which way to go. They are confused about the Bible and want to destroy the church." Strong comment from the Ghanaian Chronicle concerning "the countries of the white-man": "their moral development is seen tilting backwards toward our animal self instead of the moral of our maker.

The blog's author goes one to say "African strict constructionism regarding the Bible is an enormously positive development, but it frustrates Western leftists who once extolled African wisdom." Whoa! Now THAT'S a loaded statement that needs some unpacking, don't you think?

My personal "read" on this is that Western Christians (and Americans in particular) need to listen to the voices and perspectives of not only Nigerian believers, but other non-Western believers as well. We may be "too close" to our true predicament to see it objectively. While we continuing navigating the currents of postmodern deconstructionism and figuring out the implications of living within a new paradigm, we could certainly use the constructive evaluation of fellow believers from other parts of the globe. My hunch is that we are naturally not willing to characterize ourselves as suffering from any sort of moral decay -- to the contrary, we're probably more likely to perpetuate our strong sense of moral superiority as Americans.

What are your thoughts?