Just finished reading Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation.  This is not the normal type of book that I read.  I had heard so much about this book. With the political climate in the US being so toxic, I felt I needed to get a different perspective than what I normally read or hear.  

This book was well researched.  I learned a lot about the evangelical world that I grew up in but didn't know the backstories.  I remember being part of the Regan revolution while in high school.  I remember the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition.   Kristin Kobes Du Mez taught me quite a few facts about those groups that I never knew.  If I had one issue with her book it was she obviously wrote from a bias against white evangelicals.  I realize I am white and an evangelical, but I do not appreciate being lumped in with everyone.  I have my own views and convictions.

Du Mez exposed a problem that I've been dealing with for the last few years.  Several evangelical leaders have sold their souls to politicians in order to get Supreme Court nominees and other political favors.  I am as pro-life as anyone, but some of the excuses that Christian leaders give to support morally corrupt individuals is disturbing.  Two years ago I wrote in a candidate because I could not vote for either candidate.  One was because they were pro-abortion and the other because he had some moral issues that were contrary to my faith.

The other issue Du Mez brought up that is extremely disturbing to me is the cover-up that some Christian leaders have done for other Christian leaders who were exposed for moral failures.  We all have sinned and this is not meant to point fingers.  But Christian leaders, especially pastors, should be held to a higher standard.  I have a family member who was hurt by a clergy member.  The church should be a safe place for people.  Its leaders should be trustworthy and not prone to taking advantage of people.  

I would recommend this book but understand that the author does have a political slant that may be different.   I would give it 4 out 5 hockey sticks (a joke for those who remember my old blog).  

And they praised God because of me?

It has been a long summer dealing with health problems in my mother in law and preparing for a wedding for our son two weeks from today.  This past week I took my 3rd of 4 D.Min modules where I go to Atlanta for an entire week.  What a way to spend a vacation.  But I'm within 470 days from graduation.  But who is counting?

This morning in my devotions I was reading in Galatians 1.  Paul is giving a defense of his apostleship.  He said something in the last verse that hit me.

And they praised God because of me.

I wonder how many people praise God because of me?  We all want to be liked.  But being liked doesn't always lead to people praising God for you.  Sometimes I need to be told the ugly truth.  Some of the best bosses I had were very truthful.  It hurt but I knew they loved me.  I've had other bosses who could care less about me. They just want to get the job done.  I want to be known as one who cares and makes people better.  My favorite Bible character besides Jesus is Barnabas.  Why?  Because his name was changed to "Encourager."  That is what I want to be known for.  Kevin was an encourager and for that I praise God.  

Sandwich Generation

I haven’t written because life has been kind of out of control the last few weeks.  My wife has been overloaded with her job and a wedding for our son a month a way.  I have been trying to take up the slack for her.   My mother in law moved in with us 2 years ago.  We moved to a bigger house with a basement and have built out a mother in law suite.  We have had our share of struggles with her living with us.   She went to the hospital in June and she went to rehab for 2 weeks.  One nurse pulled my wife aside and told her she saw through her mom and that we could not keep living like this.  Her mom is nice to me but horrible to her mom.  The day before she moved back my wife put her mom on speakerphone and when she began to talk ugly to my wife I stepped in and told her mom she had 2 choices.   She could respect Cass and stay with us or we would find somewhere else for her to live.

Amazingly, her mom had been nice every since then.  The problem is her health is deteriorating daily.   We had a shower for our son and fiancé on Saturday and I’m not even sure how she made it to the shower.   Last night she fell and I had to pick her up.  We are to the point that we don’t think she can continue to live with us like this.  One option is to hire someone to help her.  But she doesn’t want to spend the money.  Don’t get that.  The 2nd option is to move her to a nursing home.  We really don’t want to do that but we are unable to care for her.  What a mess.  The sandwich generation is a real thing.

Relationships

The past two weeks I found out that two friends were no longer married to their spouse.  I also heard a podcast where another famous Christian author lost his marriage.  I'm not here to judge anyone.  But does make me sad.  What good does being in ministry if you can't make your marriage work? Just really bummed hearing about these men. 

Culture

There is a lot of talk about culture in society.  What about the culture of an organization?  I've been a part of some toxic environments.  The sad thing is many of them were churches and religious organizations.   If Jesus has transformed our lives, why doesn't the culture look like that?

This week I got to serve at GROW 19.  It is a conference that Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama puts on every year to help pastors grow their church.  The secret to Highlands is prayer and culture.   I'm not naive to believe that it is a perfect environment.  Nowhere this side of heaven is perfect.  But the culture is contagious.  We had hundreds of Dream Teamers (volunteers) giving of their time to serve almost 4000 pastors.  I am passionate about serving at Grow because I was one of the desperate pastors 12 years ago.  

What the pastors and staff find when they visit Highlands is that there is a healthy culture.  Perfect, by no means.  But healthy, yes.  Trust me, I know the difference.  I've been a part of 4 church splits.  One as a child and three as a staff member.  One of those splits was a mutiny.   In unhealthy cultures, the staff and members don't work together.   They are territorial.  The last church I pastored, I had groups formed to get rid of me.  They met in the back of a local restaurant with stacks of complaints about me.  I don't want to make it sound like I'm perfect either.  I'm sure I was the cause of some unhealthiness at places I served. 

When we joined Highlands the excellence and culture was what attracted us.  It is a church that is truly about going after the lost.   It excites me every time I enter the doors or go out monthly serving at the Dream Center.  Thursday was my birthday.  I'm not one who cares about being noticed.  I didn't tell anyone on the team I was serving at Grow that it was my birthday.  But one of my friends who is on staff at the church wished me a happy birthday because he saw it on Facebook.  Next thing I know the whole team I was serving with is singing happy birthday.

Several of my co-workers called and wished me a happy birthday.  Then someone from the ministry I serve at called.  When I saw it I just assumed he was calling to wish me a happy birthday.  That was a bad assumption.  He wanted to know why I had not done my monthly reports.  I always get my reports in on time but they recently changed the date of our deadline and I thought it was the 1st not the last day of the month.   Nothing was said about my birthday or even asked about my family.  Let's just say, it was a contrast of two cultures.  Thankful that I can be part of a healthy culture at church.  That is more than most people can say.

Guarantees

They only guarantee in life is that we will spend eternity somewhere.  I've come to learn that nothing else is guaranteed.  Loyalty sure isn't.  I was disappointed again today.  I shouldn't be surprised.  This isn't the first time they have done this.  I won't go into the details by chance they read this. This has nothing to do with my family or friends.  I guess being faithful and giving all you have means nothing.  Disappointment is just a part of life.  I'm sure I will get over this tomorrow and probably after I post this.  It just stinks especially when it hurts someone you care about.  Three times I'm out.

Making sense

I'm a high-capacity person.  I can handle juggling many things at one time.  Yet, this is a time where not much is expected of me.  My wife is slammed.  She is staying up to 2 and 3 in the morning working.  I could handle it fine yet I'm in place of boredom.  She, on the other hand, is overwhelmed.  I don't get it some times.  I wish I could reverse it.