Tattooed Jesus

A co-worker sent this link to several of us and asked for our thoughts. Perhaps you have you have already seen the story or heard the buzz. This story is about a billboard that supposedly depicts Jesus sporting tattoos. Here is my comment:

I read this statement yesterday and found it to be surprisingly appropriate to this discussion, The author was writing about the church at the end of the first century; "The process of accommodation to the values of the dominant culture continued unabated for the next several centuries..." (Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why it Matters Today by Joseph H. Hellerman). His point was that the early Christians were known for their counter cultural message. Unfortunately, it did not take long for assimilation and syncretism to set in.

One might argue that a tattooed Jesus is counter-cultural. No doubt the intent was to show that Jesus came to "seek and to save the lost."  But this image is radical only if the dominant culture is one of white shirts, ties, and wing tips. This is obviously not the case. In fact, body art is embraced by the culture in ways previously unknown. So, a picture of a tattooed Jesus should certainly come as no surprise.

May be the larger is this: why are people upset because their favorite rendition of Jesus is being defaced? Since when did we learn what Jesus actually looked like? The billboard merely shows a man who represents what we have embraced as the image of Jesus, without any empirical evidence.

What is even more disturbing is this: when did it become OK to violate the 2nd commandment and revere images as representations of God? The uproar over this is telling.

Vanity Plates

Vanity plates have long been a means of self-expression. Sometimes it’s fun to guess what the combination of letters and numbers signify. Recently, I followed a new, shiny, black Mercury with titanium wheels, driven by a woman, who from what I could see, was very well dressed. Her license plate read “GD FVR ME.” I assume the message was “God favors me.” I do not know this person, so I could not possibly comment upon the truthfulness of that statement. But as I saw that plate on that car I began to ponder the message.

I have just upgraded my vehicle to a 2001 Buick Century. This was my wife’s car, but we “upgraded” the Buick to a 2001 mini-van. For the past 3 years, my “ride” was a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina. This was a dependable car, although not particularly attractive. I am convinced that a GD FVR ME vanity plate would not have the same impact hanging on my 1993 Lumina.

The message seems to be that if God does favor you, the manifestation of that would be in the form of a shiny, new, black Mercury. I would not be opposed to a new Mercury if God saw fit to bless me with one. However, if God’s expression of favor to me is the forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and the surpassing riches of knowing and loving Jesus, I’ll take the Lumina.

The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good

Several books have been recently published that explore the dangers inherent in ministries that target the poor and underserved segments of the population. Toxic Charity shows how well intentioned ministry can actually be detrimental in the long run, particularly if that ministry fails to address the causes that precipitated the individual’s dependence upon our charity. When I requested the book, The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good, I thought would be reading along the same lines.

Peter Greer offers a great balance to the growing list of titles about people helping people. Unlike Toxic Charity, Greer does not deal with how our helping people can hurt those who are helped; rather he shows how helping people can hurt the people who are the helpers. The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good recounts the dangers that may easily overtake the leaders involved in ministry. Chapters cover topics like “the Spiritual Danger of Giving Leftovers to Loved Ones” (especially convicting), “The Spiritual Danger of Justifying Minor Moral Lapses for a Good Cause” and “The Spiritual Danger of Thinking You’re the Superhero in Your Story,” to name a few.

When you read the chapter titles, it is easy to think of certain individuals in the public spotlight who have become the poster child for the dangers covered in the chapters. Greer, however, avoids the easy targets and shows how all of these dangers can trip up any of us. He takes a shot at all of us with words like, “Nothing is wrong in taking pleasure in your work… Work is a gift. But finding your identity in your work is a cheap substitute for finding your worth in Jesus Christ. And I’d forgotten my identity as a Christian leader was subordinate to my calling as a follower of Him (italics original).”

My wife finished The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good before I did. Her comment was that “every man in ministry should be required to read this.” I finished the book. I concur.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Library Thing as part of their Early Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

 

 

Interpreting Paul

John D. Harvey offers a helpful volume for anyone who desires to understand and teach the letters of the apostle Paul. Interpreting the Pauline Letters is a brief guide (210 pages including glossary) that leads the reader from the text to proclamation. The book flows logically from genre to theology to text critical issues to exegesis and exposition. While it certainly is not exhaustive, Harvey includes every issue that the student of Paul needs to research while embarking upon such a study.


Particularly helpful is the chapter titled “Preparing to Interpret Paul’s Letters.” This is a quick study on textual criticism and translational issues. Harvey indicates that prior to interpreting the text, it is wise to review the textual variants and arrive at the likely form of the text one wishes to understand. I found myself resurrecting the Greek I had allowed to mold in my mind to get the most from this section. It is not necessary to know New Testament Greek, however, to profit from this volume.

This book indicates that it is part of the Handbooks for New Testament Exegesis series. If the other volumes in the series are as helpful as this one, the series would be a welcome addition to any library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Kregel Publications as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Feed My Sheep

Edited by R. Albert Mohler, Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching includes articles by a “who’s who” of modern evangelical, gospel preaching, Christ loving preachers. I personally think that every believer should read at least 1 book on preaching. It makes sense that, if God has chosen to save His people through the foolishness of preaching, then preaching should be an important concern for every Christian and not just the ones who have been called and gifted to do it. Contributors to Feed My Sheep are those who some will recognize, and others will not. Writers include R. Albert Mohler, the late James M. Boice, R.C. Sproul, Sinclair Ferguson and John MacArthur.


While acknowledging luminaries in the modern field of preaching, we are to scrupulously avoid the cult of personality that invades the Christian sub-culture. Unfortunately, no stream of Christian community is completely immune from this. I receive a bi-weekly “fundamentalist, independent, Baptist, KJV only” publication where the photograph of the contributing writer or advertising church pastor is the primary feature (a recent edition had 88 mug shots on 24 pages).

The Pentecostal wing of the culture adores such nearly household names like T.D. Jakes, Ken & Gloria Copeland, and John Hagee. The fact that many will know these names and few of the ones mentioned above demonstrates the success of self promotion. Of course, the more “moderate” stream of the Christian media will recognize the names of Joel Osteen and Rick Warren.

John MacArthur speaks to the “rock star” mentality that sadly permeates our Christian culture. In Feed My Sheep he writes:

If you want to be used mightily by God, get yourself out of the way. Learn to see yourself as a garbage pail, or, in the words of Peter, to clothe yourself with humility (1 Peter 5:5). It’s not about you; it’s not your personality, it’s the Word of God. God doesn’t need the intellectuals. He doesn’t need great people, fancy people, or famous people. The people aren’t the power. The power is the message! He puts the treasure in clay pots so that the ‘surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves’ (2 Cor. 4:7b) (page 154).

Book Review

Kregel has supplied a very helpful study/teaching tool with their publication of Lars Kierspel’s Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul. I own other volumes of “Charts” that cover different aspects of Biblical studies; however, none of them are as complete as this volume by Kierspel.

The 111 charts range from “snapshot” summaries of Paul’s epistles to discussion about specific issues that arise in the Pauline writings, such as divorce & remarriage, questions about the law, criteria for the selection of elders, to current treatments on the new perspectives on Paul. One of the more helpful features of this resource is the 40+ pages of explanatory comments that follow toward the end of the book.

This is a great teaching tool. The publishers have granted permission to reproduce these charts for classroom use. Even more helpful would be a CD-ROM version that could be loaded to a power point presentation. This may be something that could be considered in future editions.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Kregel Publications as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Hoping in God

Regardless of your opinion about Rick Warren's ministry, this is a time when the Christian community should "mourn with them that mourn." Michael Patton provides an insightful and compassionate post here.