paulmoreland.com

System Errors

paul — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:34:48 +0000

The following are suggested system error messages for MickeySoft Windoze, they make more sense than most of the error messages that are already part of the operating system:

Smash forehead on keyboard to continue.

Enter any 11-digit prime number to continue.

Press any key to continue or any other key to quit.

Press any key… no, no, no, NOT THAT ONE!

Close your eyes and press escape three times.

Bad command or file name! Go stand in the corner.

Keyboard not attached. Press F1 to continue.

Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic.

Runtime Error 6D at 417A:32CF: Incompetent User.

Error reading FAT record: Try the SKINNY one? (Y/N)

WinErr 547: Printer not found. Use backup…..PENCIL & PAPER.

CONGRESS.SYS and PRESIDENT.SYS corrupted… Re-boot Washington D.C.? (Y/N)

That last one is my favorite. And I vote for YES! Let’s reboot Washington D.C. on November 2!

Pocket Friendly Cybernetic Options

paul — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:56:09 +0000

In today’s world the personal computer has become almost indispensable for day to day life. It is used for everything from writing articles and home work assignments to chatting with friends and family around the world on various social networks. But there are some aspects of computer usage that are often overlooked in our society. One is the legal aspect of respecting and paying for the intellectual property of the companies who provide the operating system and programs we use to accomplish the various tasks for which we obtained a computer in the first place. And another is the security aspect since today’s computers all to often come under attack by viruses and malware.

There is a cheaper and more virus and malware resistant option than the nearly monopolistic Microsoft® Windows® and Microsoft® Office®. Gone are the days in which Linux was just s tool or toy for “geeks”. With current distributions like Ubuntu Linux 10.04 it is possible to download and install a stable, usable operating system that comes with a GPL (General Public License) user agreement. Unlike pirated copies of Microsoft® Windows® and Microsoft® Office®, Ubuntu Linux is easily upgraded with regular security fixes. Due to the nature of the operating system it is extremely virus resistant and with the regular security updates it remains so.

Installing Ubuntu Linux is as simple as downloading the .iso file from the Internet and burning it to a CD. The instructions for doing so are available on www.ubuntu.com . The CD produced can be used as a “Live CD” which gives you the opportunity to try the system out without making any changes to your computer. By placing the CD in your computer and booting from it instead of your hard drive you can take a look at the operating system and the default programs that are included with it to ensure that it will work well with your computer hardware.

Installing other programs is as simple as using the Ubuntu Software Center. This is a feature of the Ubuntu experience that allows you to download programs, games and tools to accomplish many tasks right from the Internet – and they all come with the GPL “free” license. Open Office is included by default with Ubuntu Linux. This allows you to open Microsoft® Office® format documents and save to Microsoft® Windows® and Microsoft® Office® format as well.

Ubuntu Linux also runs faster on older computers that have problems with the more recent versions of Microsoft® Windows®. If you have an older Pentium III or newer computer sitting idle, Ubuntu Linux gives you a good way to get it back up and running better than new. And if you have a newer machine you can set it up with a legal, stable and secure operating system for little out of pocket expense.

When The XP Hits The Fan

paul — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:53:50 +0000

Today my laptop “bit the dust”. It simply refused to cooperate. I couldn’t even get it to boot into “Safe Mode”. Fortunately I set up an Ubuntu Linux 10.04 USB drive the other day. I guess the Good Lord was prompting me. A search on the ‘net produced zilch, nada, zip, diddley as to ways to fix the problem I’d encountered. The hard drive was accessible so the external hard drive was called into play and a copy of the document folder contents was made. A copy of the desktop was made. And finally, after much hemming, hawing, dithering and stewing I did it – clicked the “Install Ubuntu” button. The hard drive was re-partitioned and formatted and Ubuntu 10.04 was installed. Now? I’m in the process of setting up e-mail and other vital functions. Ubuntu 10.04 is a breeze to setup and maintain. Over the past few months I’ve messed with it quite a bit on the other decrepit, almost moribund laptop. That one is now doing duty on Sundays as the church’s presentation projector. It’s hooked up to the video projector and we use Open Office Impress to show the songs and the sermons each Lord’s Day.

And so far I’m tickled. We’ll see what all can be done to do everything I need to do. Main concerns at this point are Frontpage (I’m going to try running it under Wine) and video editing. Ubuntu is supposed to have new video editing capabilities – we’ll just have to put them to trial and see what can be done. The keyboard takes getting used to. After well over a decade of Mickey$oft Windoze’s US – International keyboard, the Linux equivalent does leave somethings to be desired. In the Windoze variant an ‘ followed by a t produces ‘t where as the Linux version produces a blank space. Also the ‘ followed by a c in Windoze produces a c-cedilla (don’t know how to reproduce it here, but it looks like a c with a tail under it) – here it produces a ? ??? Upside down c-cedilla? (weirder yet – the letter it produces becomes a question mark in WordPress) I’ll have to do some homework to learn how to write portuguese on this machine now. Still, español works fine, and that is what I type the most, other than english that is.

If Vehicles Were Treated Like Firearms

paul — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:08:21 +0000

Just think what life would be like if automobiles were treated like firearms.

You could not purchase a long vehicle until you were at least 18. In some states you would only be able to purchase ANY vehicle after your 21st birthday.
You could only obtain a short vehicle after your 21st birthday.
The military would train young folks to use vehicles that they would not be allowed to use in civilian life.
The military would send young people overseas to use vehicles they were prohibited to own at home.
In some states you would be subject to up to a fifteen day waiting period between time of purchase and the day you could take your vehicle home.
In some states you would only be able to purchase one vehicle per month.
In some states you would not be able to obtain military style vehicles – even if the military features were only cosmetic, not functional.
Automatic vehicles would be subject to a federal tax, extensive background check of the purchaser and you would have to advise the proper authorities prior to transporting them over state lines.
Automatic vehicles would be illegal to own in many states.
Mufflers for your vehicle would be illegal in many states.
Mufflers for your vehicle would be subject to a federal tax, extensive background check of the purchaser and individual serial numbering.
Possessing a vehicle fitted so that a muffler could be installed would be prohibited in many areas – even if you did not possess a muffler for the vehicle.
A Federal Bureau of Automobiles would be able to drop in and examine manufacturer and dealer records and could arbitrarily shut down the dealer or manufacturer for any violation (intentional or unintentional) of the federal or local vehicle paperwork requirements.
In order to be a vehicle dealer (buying and selling any number of vehicles for profit would constitute being a dealer) you would have to apply for a Federal Vehicle Dealer License.
Congress would constantly be seeking ways to “shut the car show loophole” to prevent Mexican drug cartels from obtaining vehicles on the black market.
Every time a vehicle was used to commit a crime the Brady Campaign To End Vehicle Violence would call on congress to enact further restrictions on law-abiding vehicle owners.
Each and every vehicle would have to be accounted for through every step of manufacturing and a federal excise tax would be collected from manufacturers of vehicles and fuel.
Manufacturing a vehicle without the special vehicle manufacturer license would be a felony.
Modifying a vehicle from manual to automatic would be a felony.
Possessing the parts necessary for modifying a vehicle to automatic would be a felony – even if no modification to the vehicles in possession had been done.
People would be scandalized to find out that you owned an automatic vehicle – even if all the paperwork, taxes, fees and such were in order.
Preachers would speak from the pulpit about the evils of vehicles and condemn anyone who owned one as a “violent criminal” – no matter how peaceful the person might be and no matter that the vehicle in question had never been used in a crime.

The New Black Panthers, La Raza and the KKK

paul — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:40:15 +0000

There are some racial groups around the United States that are promoting racial hatred and bigotry. During the last elections several polling places were haunted by persons of a certain race who carried impact weapons, dressed an in intimidating way and basically did their best to keep people of other races from voting. Racial epithets were used and on occasion even violence was implemented against those with whom they did not agree, either on the basis of opinion or simply because of the color of skin. The new news media, YouTube, has plenty of videos on the subject for those curious enough to take a look. Interestingly enough, the current Attorney General has seen to it that charges against such perpetrators were dropped. Of course, surely it isn’t because they share the same race, is it? Isn’t it time justice were really blind, not hampered by the color of anyone’s skin? A white attorney general dropping similar charges against a white perpetrator of racial hate actions would have been called on the carpet, at best. In fact, we’ve seen this government even go after their own Navy Seals for doing their job and bringing in a terrorist, why do they cut a racist slack when he was doing his best to disrupt the electoral process?

Meanwhile, out on the left coast there is a group called “The Race”. They preach racial superiority and perpetrate all kinds of harassment against those of different races. Since the movement to diminish illegal immigration got underway and brought widespread media attention due to Arizona’s decision to essentially enforce federal laws against illegal immigrants, there has been a big upsurge of racial tension by those who want the benefits of the civilization created by those of another race – without the presence of people who belong to that race.

It was not that long ago, historically speaking, that people decried (and rightly so) the white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) who intimidated people who were not white or who were deemed inferior to them based on religion or ethnicity. But today, the “New Black Panthers” and “La Raza” are allowed to spew their own version of racial hatred and bigotry, mostly unchallenged by the “main stream media” (wouldn’t lame stream media be a more appropriate designation for them?).

As a Christian I oppose ALL forms of discrimination due to race, ethnicity, country of origin or other superficial and irrelevant characteristics. The Apostle Paul wrote:

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. et the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:9-17)

Now THAT is a far better way of living than to hate and ostracize or reject people based on the color of their skin. I recall what it is like to be a minority. Shucks, as a TCK or MK (Third Culture Kid or Missionary Kid) I’ve always been a minority, even when amongst people with the same skin color. What I’ve found over the years is that there are bad apples in any barrel. You can’t lump all folks together. You can’t paint any group with the same broad brush. Let’s learn to take folks as individuals and let each person stand, or fall, on their own merits and character – or lack thereof.

Isn’t it time for a NAAAP? (National Association for the Advancement of ALL People?)

The Good Lord Willing And The Creeks Don’t Rise

paul — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:58:34 +0000

Recently some friends of mine were discussing the origins of an old saying, “The Good Lord willing and the creeks don’t rise”. The question was asked, “Does anyone know if the reference is to a creek (little river, stream, bayou-ette) overflowing its banks, or to the Creek tribe going off the reservation?” It turns out that some folks claim that this goes back to the Creek War of 1813-1814. But those speculating on such origins probably never lived in the backwoods. Unless someone makes the effort to look through historical documents until they come across some ancient writing in which the words are written (I suspect that some variation of this theme may be found on Cuneiform tablets in some ancient city) we may never know for sure. But I heavily suspect that the phrase is ancient indeed, arising long before 1813 and the uprising of the Red Stick Creeks.

Why do I suspect this? Because I HAVE lived in the backwoods. When one lives in primitive surroundings in which roads are mere trails through the woods and rivers and streams are crossed at shallow fords, one begins to understand the importance of doing one’s traveling when the water is down. Years ago I was talking with a young man who was telling me about how he would go to parties during the rainy season. Since entertainment was few and far between in the backwoods area of the sertão in which he lived, any party was not to be missed if at all possible. There was no “the Good Lord willing” part to it at all – it was, “If the creeks don’t rise I’ll be there” Except that he made it to more than one party even though the creeks DID rise. Such was his desire for entertainment that he’d come to a swollen creek choked with rushing water and weeds and whatever. He’d strip down, pick out a point upstream of his desired landing point on the other side and swim across the creek with his clothes held over his head. Once he got over there he’d dry off as best he could and get dressed again before heading down the track towards the party.

But most folks wouldn’t go to such measures. Common sense dictates that once the rain tapers off the creek will sink back down and the water will be less dangerous to one’s continued existence on this green earth. And so, if the rains swelled the creeks and rivers folks would simply wait until such time as they went back down – and THEN go on about their business. The building of bridges across some of the rivers made traveling easier, but all it took was one deep ravine choked with muddy rainwater to put a damper on a person’s travel plans.

Over the years folks have tried to find various ways of getting through in spite of the swollen creeks and rivers. One sees four wheel drive vehicles equipped with “snorkels” to allow them to run even with the engine compartment under water. My uncle would take off the fan belt before driving into a river ford. This would keep the radiator from getting pushed back into the fan by the water and being damaged. By getting a good steady start and not slowing down he would create a “bow wave” which kept the water out of the engine compartment and thus out of the air intake. However, he only used these methods when the water was low. If the creeks were up, he’d simply have to wait for them to go down before continuing his journey.

No, I give no credence to the Creek War of 1813-1814. It makes an interesting story but has little merit to suggest it as the origin for the saying. Backwoods living is different from today’s asphalt and steel bridge living. If the creeks are up you’re simply not going much of anywhere until such time as they go back down. That’s all there is too it.

People of Faith

paul — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:29:26 +0000

“People of Faith” – a term that many in today’s culture bandy about with derision and scorn. They look down on folks who are “people of faith” and turn up their nose at the ideas such folks espouse. And yet, what does the term mean? What are “people of faith”? Are they people who have faith in faith? Are they folks who trust in trust? As far as that goes, who ISN’T a “person of faith”. Even the atheist is a “person of faith” – they have faith that their ideas are right. They have faith in the non-existence of a divine being who will one day ask for an accounting. Each one of us had faith in something or someone. Each one of us expects life to be a certain way and to run by certain rules.

So, what is this with “people of faith’? When it is used in today’s culture, most often it refers to people who believe in God, the Creator. The people who are immersed in our post modern culture looks down on such people because supposedly they are so much more “enlightened” and have a better perspective on life. It is high time we started to use words correctly and to hold others responsible for doing so too. The next time someone looks down their nose at you and says, “You say that because you are a person of faith” – or some such silly “put ‘em in their place” argument – simply smile and respond, “You, too, are a person of faith.” It’s time to reclaim our language – and our culture.

A Complainer Or A Doer?

paul — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:13:03 +0000

We all have it within us to complain and criticize. We all have it within us to become an agent for positive change. So the question is – which will we put in practice? The former is far easier than the latter. But in the long run, the latter is SO much better. Which will you have as your epitaph – “A Complainer” or “A Doer”? Someday we must stand before God’s throne and give an account of our life. How much better it would be for us to stand there and say, “I did not like what I saw because it did not match Your Nature – so I did what I could to restore Your order to the world around me.”

Sexual Purity – Christian Dating

paul — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:24:13 +0000

Recently a friend posted on Facebook the following question: If a man cannot stay sexually pure while he is single, why would God trust him with someone the Lord really loved? This question generated quite a bit of discussion and a few responses of my own. What follows are the responses I made to the initial question but edited and expanded for the purpose of my blog. I don’t include that written by others, other than the original question.

Knowing my friend and his desire to honor God I knew that the original question is a rhetorical one. So in my first response I summed it up as follows: In other words, if you want a special someone for a wife (or husband) – be a special someone. God takes sexual purity seriously, so should we.

What follows are the rest of my contribution to this thread as well as further amplification and clarification of the theme.

In our ministry we run into a lot of people who are going through marital problems, most of which can be traced back to inappropriate pre-marital practices. And yes, pre-marital sex often leads to susceptibility to extra-marital sex. We are seeking ways to help kids to understand the concept of Christian dating. NO physical interaction (hugging, cuddling, kissing, etc) until marriage. Get to know the person’s mind and heart before the hormones kick in. Once physical intimacy begins then the thought process clouds and mistakes are made. If a couple learns to talk and pray together as friends then it is much easier to weather life’s storms. The physical aspect is natural to learn together AFTER marriage. But it’s an uphill, upstream fight against popular culture which glorifies that which tends to destroy marriage and long term relationships.

There are hugs and then there are hugs. There are kisses and then there are kisses. I’m a hugger, myself. My wife is not. But we get along very well, because I meet her needs the best I can and she meets mine the best she can. The problems don’t come from mismatches in the love language area (if you’ve not read the book, I highly recommend it – “The 5 Love Languages”), the problems come when needs are not being met and when an attitude of selfishness creeps into the marriage (or is there from the start).

Look at where we’ve come from and where we are. It used to be that folks expected to arrive at the wedding night as a virgin and to marry a virgin (speaking of folks with a Christian outlook on life here) and yet today all to often folks allow the culture around them to tell them what a pre-marital relationship should look like. And the world’s ideas of a premarital relationship are FAR different from God’s. When I state that single Christians who are seeking a mate should engage in “NO physical interaction (hugging, cuddling, kissing, etc) until marriage. Get to know the person’s mind and heart before the hormones kick in.” I’m referring to the change of mind that Paul refers to in Romans 12:1-2. We should “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice” and we should “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. In this context that means that when we deal with a person of the opposite sex we keep our thoughts pure concerning them. We should “treat the younger women as sisters, with all purity”. That mind set keeps us from thinking things we should not think about them and helps to keep the hormonal urges to a minimum. By not engaging in inappropriate physical stimulation we make it much easier to prevent inappropriate mental stimulation.

When both man and woman come to the relationship determined to give 100% of themselves to the relationship (Christian marriage is NOT 50-50, it’s 100-100) then the differences in love languages get worked out in a healthy manner. But if one or both hold back and fight “for their rights” rather than for their relationship then there are problems. A correct attitude towards the relationship (what can I give, rather what can I get) allows for better communication in this area. And since we are talking about pre-marital relationships here, this is the time to see if the other person is in tune with YOUR desire to build a strong marriage. This is the time in which you can analyze and see if they are “in it for what they can get” or if they are also seeking a lifelong partnership in which both parties will invest their all into the mutual enterprise. If you are physically involved during this time then it is very difficult to think clearly about the matters of greatest importance. THIS is the time to think clearly and analytically, NOT after you have taken vows before man and God “until death do us part”. After the vows is when too many people finally come to the realization that they “are with the wrong person” – because that person does not contribute to the relationship but rather seeks to drain every drop to their own perceived needs rather than thinking of what it takes to build the relationship by providing for bother partners’ needs.

The trouble with hugging and kissing (especially the kissing part) is that it is far to easy to go beyond what is a healthy, friendly hug and kiss and to slip into sensuality. That quick peck on the lips becomes a lingering kiss. The lingering kiss becomes a probing kiss. And so it goes downhill from there. The same with hugging. A quick, friendly hug becomes a longer, more intimate hug. The more intimate hug becomes an opportunity for caressing. And it goes downhill from there. There’s not a person in the church I’ve not hugged, but there’s only one I hug as a sex partner (my wife, in case you were wondering)- and the difference is very great in both the attitude and the results. The same with the kiss. Here in Latin America it is cultural to greet friends of the opposite sex with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. But there’s a lot of difference between the way I hug a person from my immediate family and the way I hug a person from my Christian family. There is a difference even in that relationship, although both my immediate family and my Christian family are important to me the necessity of seeking purity calls me to keep certain barriers up to prevent misunderstanding or temptation. There are many different relationships we all have and thus a need to ensure that we are not inappropriate in our actions towards others. There’s a difference between the way I hug and kiss my kids or grandkids and the way I hug and kiss my wife. By not hugging them the same way I do my wife I am not discriminating against them or saying “I don’t love you” – I’m differentiating between the types of love and showing healthy boundaries so that they can emulate them.

It is VERY healthy for a Christian couple who think about dating to be careful of the way they interact physically. The line of reasoning some have is that “I must find someone who is identical to me in the love languages they use”. This is not necessarily true. One participant in the discussion referenced above mentioned that they had been in a “mismatched marriage” in which their spouse did not fulfill their personal, physical needs. Their spouse did not provide the physical nurturing that they felt a need for. So this person’s idea was that they need to experiment until they find someone who fulfills that need. This is a dangerous line of thought and takes the person in a dangerous direction. Such lines of reasoning have lead some folks to seek someone who is “compatible sexually”, believing that they must find someone who will interact with them in the same way they desire in the sexual area. So they try different partners, seeking someone who can live up to their expectations. This actually leads to incompatibility rather than compatibility because they learn what Jane, Judy, Mary and Bertha like – but end up married to Sarah. And it turns out that what turned on those others does NOT turn on Sarah but has the opposite effect. And the same holds true for those of the opposite sex. That is why we as Christians must be VERY careful of how we handle each other physically. We should not be so naive as to think that we are above being tempted. The Bible teaches us to flee temptation and to shun the very appearance of evil. That means we must constantly be on the alert to make sure we are not making excuses for flirting with temptation. If we seek someone who is 100% committed to the relationship and to showing God’s love in the marriage then the sexual compatibility problem will not arise. By learning to talk about things BEFORE marriage and by learning to respect and to know the other person non-sexually, they actually prepare the way for sexual compatibility as they learn together about this vital part of a healthy marital relationship.

The Bible teaches us to greet each other with a holy kiss. The key word there is holy. If one finds oneself “holy kissing” the sexually attractive folks more than those who are not then one needs inquire of one’s self as to the motives behind the behavior. Yes, we should be friendly and open with each other in the church – but maintain always the purity that Jesus calls us to have towards each other.

When one does not receive the appropriate level of affection in marriage then one must be very careful to not seek to satisfy that need outside of marriage. I’m VERY careful about the affection I show to women who are not receiving the affection they should inside their marriage. As a pastor it is all to frequent that one becomes aware of deep problems in a marriage. It is far to easy to become a stumbling block to someone who has an unfulfilled need and thus we must be very careful. That is why I always work with my wife when dealing with couples or women. Whole books have been written on this and similar subjects. It is impossible to do justice to the topic in such a limited venue as a Facebook comment or a blog post. Still, I urge you to consider the idea of Christian dating. What should it really look like? I stand by my assertion that it looks very little like the dating scene of the world around us today.

Many talk about being careful in the sexual area because of the danger of STD’s and unwanted/unplanned pregnancies. If it were just the STD’s and babies it would be bad enough. But the dangers go far deeper. With each person you have sexual relations with, even “just” heavy petting, necking, etc – you form a certain bond. That kind of intimacy was designed for marriage, not for sharing with every halfway attractive person who happened to stumble in your way. What folks don’t realize is that in each and every encounter you leave a little of yourself behind. The Bible calls it “becoming one flesh” and it’s not just a euphemism for sex. It is a spiritual reality. And that is where the greatest dangers lay – in forming inappropriate spiritual connections with numbers of people to whom you have no lasting link OTHER than that sexual one. Casual sex makes for great difficulties in forming strong bonds within marriage. It is hard to help folks overcome their poor choices, but that is what we seek to do. The apostle Paul wrote that a sexual encounter with a prostitute is the same as a sexual encounter with your wife as far as becoming one flesh goes. To a lot of folks “that doesn’t count because it was only a business transaction.” They are dead wrong. There is no such thing as “casual sex” in God’s eyes. Each and every instance of sexual contact builds a bond between the couple. That is why we need to help our young people to abstain from sexual encounters until marriage. That is why we need to help them to learn appropriate ways of interacting with people of the opposite (and the same) sex. We are not called sensuality, we are called to true freedom. True freedom is being that for which you were created. And God did not create us to be libertines in the sexual area. He created us to form strong marital unions in which the children can be brought up with strong examples of what it means to be men and women committed to God and to each other.

Some Thoughts On Church Growth

paul — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:36:43 +0000

“Church Growth” – it is now the stuff of books and seminars and college courses. Men dedicate their lives to understanding how to achieve this holy grail. Huge temples are built and marketing experts consulted with the goal of being “seeker friendly” and filling the huge hall with crowds of people. Different denominations and congregations find different ways of fulfilling this goal. Rallies and “Crusades” are held to “bring in the sheaves” (although that ancient hymn is not sung anymore by the majority of those seeking “church growth” ).

Over the years I’ve seen “revivals” and “crusades” and “rallies” performed with the intent of bringing growth to the church. And over the years I’ve seen the same people flocking to the “altar call”, time after time after time. Yes, there are some souls reached through mass means. Yes there are some lives transformed. But are they really effective? The last figures I saw for a huge “Crusade” were something less than five percent (if I recall correctly it was less than one percent, but let’s be generous anyway) of the “decisions for Christ” actually resulted in a person who joined in with a local congregation.

Over the years I’ve come to be skeptical of this type of operation. When the same people go forward time after time to be prayed over by this, that or another “Pastor”, “Prophet”, “Bishop” or “Apostle” – what is really being accomplished? When a new building is erected and dedicated and people from congregations around the city flock to it because of the “fresh anointing” – is that truly “Church Growth”? When you siphon off members from other congregations that is not “Church Growth”, that is congregation expansion at the expense of others. The church grows when you live the gospel and bring people into the fold who had never before had a personal relationship with God. Focusing on numbers rather than individual souls is a common mistake.

Many folks look at specific events over the history of the church and try to emulate them. They see three thousand people baptized in the name of Jesus the Christ on a single day and want to do the same – forgetting all the factors and happenings that lead up to that landmark event. When we see something of great magnitude happening we should ask ourselves, “What was the catalyst? What built up so that this could happen?” It isn’t that God’s Holy Spirit does not work today – but He works in the same way that He did in centuries past. For great history changing events to happen there must be ground work.

What was the ground work for the day of Pentecost? God came down and lived amongst us (Emmanuel – God With Us). He lived and worked and taught and interacted with people. He lived a human life as an example. He Himself was baptized and He Himself was tempted for forty tortuous days. He called to Himself twelve men, common men from all walks of life. For three years He taught them. For three years He showed His power to them and through them. He fed multitudes. He healed multitudes. And through it all He taught as none had taught before Him. He touched lives by touching their minds and appealing to their heart and focusing them on the Father. But all that was as nothing to them the day that they stood before the Roman Governor and cried out as one man, “Crucify him!” But as is common with mobs, once the heat of the moment was gone they came to themselves and started wondering “What have we done?”

And then the rumors started. “The disciples carried off his body!” “But that can’t be, the guards are still living!” “I heard He is alive!!” “I talked with Peter – the tomb was empty!” “Mary says an angel told her He is alive!” “I heard that He appeared right before them all!” “I, myself, have seen Him!” And this rolled around the city for weeks, until the next Feast Day.

From all over the known world they came, from fifteen countries or more. They came to celebrate the ancient feast as directed by the Law of Moses. The city of Jerusalem swelled and jostled with the teeming crowds. Families welcomed relatives from afar. Small houses were crowded with people. And on the day of Pentecost they were celebrating before Jehovah when suddenly a sound as of a mighty, rushing wind was heard and every eye turned to see – twelve common men, betrayed by their provincial clothing as being from the scorned northern territory of Galilee, standing there, each with a tongue of fire over his head. Now THAT was a sight to behold! And then a hush fell on the crowd as one burly fisherman stood out from the rest and began to outline the events leading up to this day. They heard the familiar history of their race and nation recited by these men – and then they realized “They are speaking MY native tongue!” The familiar story was related in familiar accents, not the course country bumpkin dialect of Galilee!

But then the clincher – this common looking fisherman pointed his finger RIGHT in their collective face and said “YOU are responsible for taking the life of God’s Own Son!” This man, who weeks before had been hiding from the authorities, quaking at the thought of cruel whips and a horrific cross, was standing there today – facing them down. And they KNEW he spoke true. Many of the same people were there who weeks before had yelled out “Crucify him!” and they knew that they had traded the life of a murderer for the death of God’s Son. The silence was broken by a voice asking “Brothers, what should we do?”

Now to put this in perspective there were likely at least a million people crammed together for this celebration. Not everyone could hear the message, not all that did were convinced or convicted of their own sin on that day. But from amongst the crowd streamed three thousand people to answer Peter’s call to “Repent and each of you be immersed by the authority of Jesus the Christ! This is the way to be forgiven of your sins. And you WILL receive God’s Holy Spirit! This promise holds true for YOU, for YOUR CHILDREN and for ALL who will hear the call of the Lord!”

Yes, an amazing event. A history changing event. But the ground had been prepared. The seed had been sown. And GOD brought forth the harvest on that day.

And today? What are we doing to prepare the ground and plant the seed? Many of us no longer live and work in a land where God’s Gospel has been proclaimed. Most of us live and work amongst people to whom the historical accounts sound like fables and fairy tales. No longer do most people build their lives around some semblance of Godly teaching like the jewish people did at that time. So why do we expect to reap the same results as Peter and the Apostles did?

Our work for today is clear. Yes, there ARE some fields still ripe for harvest, but many more have yet to be sown. And in each case we need to allow the Lord to work through us. As in anything worth doing we must learn to get the fundamentals down. If we allow God to help us build the foundations, He will build His church.

Of what good is a building full of worldly, carnal people who sing praises to God on Sunday but live like the rest of the world the rest of the week? To be honest – it is of no good at all to God’s kingdom. If we want real church growth then we must understand WHAT makes the church grow. Swapping sheep or stealing sheep does not a flock build. How many christians drift from congregation to congregation, seeking a speaker who will tickle their ears? That is not the path to building a church or causing true growth.

Here is what the Apostle Paul had to say about “church growth”:

¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:11-16

The work of the leaders of the church isn’t to “develop strategies” or “study market trends” or “be seeker friendly”. The work of the church’s leaders is to “prepare God’s people for works of service”. And what happens when we do that? “The body of Christ may be built up”. And THAT, my friends, is church growth. REAL church growth. For too long the church has been concerned with filling pews and buildings and programs. But we have forgotten the true call of the church. Note that the leaders are to prepare God’s people “for works of service”. Serving the world around us is NOT a program – it is what God intended us to do. Indeed it is also written that we are created in Christ Jesus “to do good works”. A christian who is not serving the community around him is a christian who is not fulfilling his purpose in God’s kingdom. And if, as leaders in the church, we are not preparing God’s people to serve, if we are not allowing them the time and opportunity to serve, then we are failing – no matter HOW many people may come together each week to sing and feel good together.

If we want the church to grow, instead of just play musical pews, then we need to seek God’s leading in our lives. Forget the studies and the “experts”. Get back to God’s word. Let HIM transform you and renew your mind. Let Him give you hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Let Him give you the power you need to serve the world around you. And as you do – He will honor your faithfulness according to the ability you have to handle well that which is entrusted to your care.