The Neural Buddhists

If you've got the time, be sure to read the op-ed in the NY Times today "The Neural Buddhists" by David Brooks. He argues that the debate between those who argue for faith in God and those who argue for strict materialist atheism is shifting to a debate between those who argue for faith in religion and those who propound a sort of sentient relativism, where experiencing God is common, but boxing God into formal religious systems is not. Brooks writes:

"In their arguments with Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, the faithful have been defending the existence of God. That was the easy debate. The real challenge is going to come from people who feel the existence of the sacred, but who think that particular religions are just cultural artifacts built on top of universal human traits. It’s going to come from scientists whose beliefs overlap a bit with Buddhism."

He concludes:

"In unexpected ways, science and mysticism are joining hands and reinforcing each other. That’s bound to lead to new movements that emphasize self-transcendence but put little stock in divine law or revelation. Orthodox believers are going to have to defend particular doctrines and particular biblical teachings. They’re going to have to defend the idea of a personal God, and explain why specific theologies are true guides for behavior day to day."

Though the debate may be shifting a bit (though it could be argued that this is nothing new), the task of the Christian is the same: make plain the truth of the Bible. It does not really matter what the competing "faith" is. Atheism, neural Buddhism, or something else. Paul said quite plainly, "But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles," (1 Corinthians 23). This means, of course, that all people, outside of the grace of Christ, will not understand or believe the truth that Christ has come to set us free.

So pray that you are given the wisdom to engage all people where they are with a defense of the truth, with grace, and with love. And always pray that they see beyond what is seen and that their eyes fall on what is unseen, the glory of Christ.

Interview with WV on Myanmar

Here's an interview at CT with Laura Bank, an emergency communications officer with World Vision, on the most recent news in Myanmar and how World Vision is bringing aid to the devastated areas.

She said, "As soon as the storm ended, we were able to begin distributing rice, clean water, fuel, rebuilding supplies, and blankets—the basic things that we wanted to get to people as soon as we could. Because we'd been there for so long, we were able to purchase goods locally and in bulk, and try to start some of the relief efforts on a very small scale."

On what they need in terms of giving:

"Based on early estimates (we're still getting the final assessment from our team), we're looking at about $3 million that would help serve close to a quarter of a million people over the next 30 days. So that would be a full-scale humanitarian aid effort in the short term to try to begin taking care of immediate needs. But speaking long term, World Vision has no plans to leave the country. We hope to continue to work in country, as we have for four decades, to help them rebuild after this terrible storm."

And on WV's "child-centric" approach:

"One of the things that makes World Vision unique as an NGO is that we are 'child-centric.' We were founded with the biblical call to work with women and children—to protect them and to be an advocate for them. And we're very concerned about the children that we have.

"We have about 10,000 children in the center of the destruction in the five regions that have been marked as the hardest hit, and we have 42,000 children total in Myanmar. We're concerned for them because in a natural disaster, children in particular are very vulnerable to disease. They're vulnerable to dehydration. And they're also vulnerable to the emotional stress and the toll that takes when a little child has to go through a situation like this."

Again, to give money to help in the aid process, click here.

Give for Myanmar

World Vision has a presence in Myanmar and you can give immediately to help them distribute aid. To give money, go to their donation page.

A Quote on the Contemplation of God

"There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in it's immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, 'Behold I am wise.' But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumbline cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass's colt; and with solemn exclamation, 'I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.' No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God."

-C.H. Spurgeon, at twenty years old (taken from Knowing God by J.I Packer, p. 17-18)

GracePoint, the Church

If you were in the service on Sunday you know that Grace Chapel officially "let us go," GracePoint Community Church. That means that we are no longer a ministry of Grace Chapel; we are a church unto ourselves. Though it is sad to break from them, it is also terribly exciting. As Steve has said to me over and over, "Look at what we have done." Though by-laws and governance structures and business meetings are not the most riveting things, you all engaged with these things in a way that shows your commitment and passion for GracePoint and, more importantly, your eagerness to continue the task at hand: the spreading of the Gospel. Please check out Steve's last two messages (here and here) and be sure to come this Sunday to hear the conclusion to his series called Chapter 2.

Also, if you were not at church on Sunday, check out the audio of Grace Chapel's presentation to GracePoint. You'll hear from Richard Rhodes, Brian Wilkerson and Bill Burke:

Chapter 2: Being Changed

Here is Steve Luxa's message from Sunday. The scripture passage was Matthew 13:44-46.

How to Respond to the Myanmar Tragedy

It is difficult to know how to respond to major natural disasters like the one in Myanmar, where at least 22,000 people have been killed and 41,000 people are missing. Disasters like these are so horrendous, huge and far away that it is mostly overwhelming to even think about them, let alone do anything to help. John Piper is always helpful when disasters like these come up. Here are his six ways you can react to this tragedy:

1. Be softened to the pain nearby.

The Good Samaritan knew nothing of the calamities in first century Burma, but was commended by the Lord for mercies at hand (Luke 10:25-37).

2. Pray for the followers of Christ in Myanmar:

• That they would be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10; 100:3).
• That they would be awakened from the illusion that this life is long or sure or the main point of eternal existence (James 4:14).
• That they would be given a new vision of the supreme value of Christ who promises his followers that famine, nakedness, and death will not separate them from his love (Romans 8:35).
• That God would meet their needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, so that they might have to give to those in need (Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 4:28).

3. Pray for the millions of unbelievers near the calamity and far from it:

• That they would see the helplessness of man before the Power that rules the world and fly to Christ who alone delivers from the final cyclone of God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
• That they would not respond like the people in Revelation (9:20; 16:9, 11) who did not repent at the devastation but cursed God.
• That they would hear the best news in all the world—not the news of health, wealth, and prosperity in this world, but the news that Christ became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13) so that in him we can be more than conquerors in every calamity of life (Romans 8:37).

4. Pray for those of us who live in the seeming security and prosperity of America:

• That we would see what is about to break over us in due time—either collectively as God removes the hand of his providential restraint, or individually as one by one we are whisked to the hospital, then wheeled to the nursing home, and then carried to the funeral home (Hebrews 9:27).
• That millions would be made to see this and repent from the adultery of treasuring anything more than Christ (James 4:4).

5. Give money to replenish the coffers of compassion “since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).

6. Muster a team from your church, and when the doors are open, be ready to go.

I would only add that you pray that God bring aid quickly to the devastated region. Getting the necessary help to the affected areas has been, and will continue to be, very difficult.

World Demand and Christian Living

Check out this excellent post over at CT by Rob Moll on the struggling American economy and the surging demand of the world. He concludes:

"But how should American Christians react to a world in which those resources we've become used to having mostly for ourselves are suddenly in demand across the globe? Can we learn to share our global resources? Must we see a lower standard of living in our future?

"Many Christian traditions have taught the lessons of simple living. Living simply, and thereby consuming less, does not necessarily correspond to a decrease in living standards. Those skills in simple living, it seems, are more needed these days as billions more people are now competing for a shrinking supply of resources. While some researchers foresee nationalistic competition in a scramble for limited resources, possibly resulting in war, Christians can be leaders not only in wisely exploiting creation but also in justly sharing it."

Sadly, this sort of wisdom isn't always understood or applied by American Christians, even though stewardship is a millennia old tradition and teaching (see the book of Genesis). "Going green" was invented by God, and his purpose is to use it to bring about the complete redemption of the planet.

In college, many of my fellow students believed that Christians were the worst stewards. Because Christians only care about getting raptured and taken to heaven, they would say, they could care less about caring for the earth. Now that is a fundamental misunderstanding of Christian theology. When Christ does return we won't be taken to heaven. Rather, God will fully redeem this planet and we will continue to be its caretakers (see Revelation 21). So "going green" today in some capacity is our responsibility for two reasons: (1) It aligns us with God's plan and will in redeeming the earth, and (2) it will show the world that we are not so self-centered that we care only about ourselves. In fact, it will show that we care precisely about the things they care for. Perhaps this will help lead them to see not just the creation but also the creator.

Fridays are for Quotes (and Babies)

"Elizabeth Lynn Phelps."

How to Spend Your Economic Stimulus Payment

As I'm sure you've heard, the government is giving us some money back. In the next few months a bunch of Americans will be getting an "economic stimulus payment." The hope is that by moving a large chunk of money into the markets, the economy will turn around (at least a little). Obviously, as Christians, we must spend every cent we make wisely (we are God's money managers, as Randy Alcorn has said).

Read these pieces on the topic:

• Tim Challies interviewing David Kotter: Thinking Christianly About Economic Stimulus Payments.
• David Swanson: Money from Heaven.
• John Piper: Economic Stimulus Payment and Christ.