Walls: Why Christians Must Think or Die

My old philosophy professor, Dr. Jerry Walls, in rare form in an interview prior to a lecture at the University of Kentucky.

Remember the Persecuted This Sunday

This Sunday, November 11, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Please visit the IDOP web site for helpful and informative materials, including critical prayer requests from our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

A Prayer for the Persecuted Church, Based on Psalm 46

'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.' Psalm 46:1-3 (ESV)

Father in heaven,
we come into your presence now, to advocate specifically for all your children who are living amidst great trouble and with terrible suffering. Their homelands shake because of war, communal violence and religious persecution. Their lands are flooded with violence, hatred, insecurity and hopelessness. Father we implore you to be their refuge and strength. Draw them close to you – men and women, small children, anxious parents, the frail and elderly – rescue, sustain and protect them who are the 'apple of your eye'. May they know and experience you as their refuge and strength, their very present help in trouble. Lord, increase their faith so that regardless of their circumstances, fear cannot prevail nor have victory over them.

'There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.' (vv4-7)

Father,
we ask you to abundantly provide streams of 'living water' to refresh, sustain, uplift and invigorate the suffering persecuted Church, bringing her supernatural strength, life and joy in the midst of her hardships. By your Spirit may your children know and rejoice in your presence, despite the difficulties of their circumstances. May they be comforted and encouraged as they see by faith that the LORD of hosts is with them, standing firm in the midst of his people.

'Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.' (vv8-11)

Father,
we pray that you will open the eyes of every child of God to 'behold the works of the LORD'. May your children be encouraged by your great and awesome deeds in all the earth, including the Muslim world and Asia, where prayer is being answered despite severe persecution, the Church is growing, and your glory is spreading. May the persecuted believers be blessed with spiritual sight to 'behold the works of the LORD' in their own lives and in their nation.

Lord,
we pray that you will expose and destroy the evil forces that wage war against your Church. We ask you to 'frustrate the ways of the wicked': disrupt illicit transfers of weapons that would be used against your children, and bring to naught all evil and foolish schemes that would harm your beloved people. We beseech you to send out more workers and spread your gospel through the whole world. May your Holy Spirit wield as a sword your holy word as it goes out from the lips of your servants so that truth may deal a death-blow to lies and false religion. May hearts be turned towards peace, so that wars might cease and weapons be needed no more.

The earth may be filled with trouble, but you O Lord are the refuge, strength, fortress and deliverer of your people. You, O Lord, do faithfully supply and sustain your beloved. You, O Lord, will be exalted amongst the nations. You, O Lord, will be exalted in the earth. You, O Lord, are with your people. You are our fortress, and for this we give you thanks and praise as we lift our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ before your throne.

AMEN

Afternoon at Faith and Fundraising

Leadership guru Antony Bell is speaking now on "Leadership: Ensuring Your Fundraising Success." He has previously worked with the Navigators and is author of The Clock Tower: A Story about the Three Critical Elements of Leadership (complimentary copies were given to all participants). He is now CEO of Leader Development, Inc. Here are his pertinent points.

Leadership matters in every context.

Character and competence are equally important. David was a great leader because he had both character and competence.

Great leadership is pursuing noble ends with noble means.

Jesus did not start out with a mission statement. He started out with his values. He declared the ends before he defined the means.

If you have the right knowledge, you can develop the skill to be an effective leader.

Four quadrants of leadership
Noble, but inept
Noble and competent
Inept and corrupt
Competent, but corrupt

Three dimensions to leadership
Organizational
Operational
People

A well-led organization integrates all three dimensions.

Faith and Fundraising, Day 1

I'm at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Columbia today and tomorrow for the Faith and Fundraising Conference, sponsored by the National Development Institute. It's a rather funny feeling attending an international conference less than ten miles from home, but I see a number of local ministries represented, so I'm not exactly among strangers.

Session One just concluded. Jimmy LaRose, founder of NDI, led us in a study of 2 Corinthians 8 as the biblical basis for fundraising. I wouldn't have expected such deep theology at this kind of conference, but his exegesis was thoroughly sound. Session Two will continue the study into chapter 9.

The best line so far: "Those people who tell you it's wrong to ask for money are people who aren't willing to give."

More later.