If Gossip is Wrong, Why Do Christians Do It?

The privacy of the Catholic confessional booth provides great symbolism into people's desire to keep their secret sins secret. No one wants to be embarrased by having his shortcomings and foolish decisions proclaimed publicly; BUT, people sure don't mind talking publicly about the sins of others!

Gossip is one of the most "trendy" sins among professing Christians. Gossip is an artform which can be camoflouged under the cover of a prayer request, the guise of a concern, or under the veil of a self-appointed victim. Gossip can be used to rally support, to defame individuals, or to tear apart churches. Gossip is fun, because it directs all of the attention and blame away from the one sharing it and refocuses attention in a different direction. Bottom line, it's a great strategy to keep people focused on others, so they can't get close enough to discover the real you.

From the number of believers who share gossip, it is obvious that they do not realize what the Bible says about it. Prov. 6:16-19 says, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him...a lying tongue...19A false witness that speaks lies, and HE that sows discord among brethren." Leviticus 19:16 -"Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people. "Do not try to get ahead at the cost of your neighbor's life." Proverbs 16:28 - "A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends." Proverbs 25:23 - "As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!" Proverbs 26:20 - "Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops." Romans 1:29 - "Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip." Gossip is an abomination before God because it hurts His people and destroys His church!

There are many reasons why people gossip: 1) Jealousy - Speaking evil of others helps bring them down to our level. 2) Anger - Some people gossip to "let off steam" about an issue or person with whom they are upset. 3) Acceptance - People want to "fit into" a group. 4) Deference - Talking about others keeps people from focusing on the one sharing the gossip. 5) Self-promotion - The desire to advance or look good at the expense of others. 6) Finally (at least in this post), a major reason for gossip among Christians is failure to understand how serious it is and how it is used by the devil. A person who shares gossip is doing Satan's work for him!

So how should you handle a gossip? 1) Stop them - It is wrong to spread gossip, but it is also wrong to listen to it. 2) Arrange a meeting between you, the gossiper, and the ones being talked about. If the gossiper won't attend the meeting, you'll immediately know that what they were sharing was not true. 3) Once you have discovered the truth, you should go back and correct any misinformation in the minds of those with whom the gossip was shared. This will clear the innocent and remove shadows of doubt.

Gossip has no place in the life of a Christian. Gal. 5:19 NLT says, "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results...hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group." Contrariwise, Gal. 5:22 NLT says, "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." From these passages in God's Word, I'll let you determine whether a gossiper is Spirit-filled or Satanically influenced.

Whatever Happened to Commitment?

I've recently been preaching a marriage series entitled, "Lord of the Rings." It's been difficult having to touch on subjects that require people to do serious introspection, but it is very necessary. Yesterday, I preached on the topic of "commitment." When I asked the couples who had been married for more than 50 years what the key to their marital success was, they all said, "commitment." They admitted that their marriages weren't perfect, but rather than choosing to walk-out over conflict, these committed couples chose to walk-through their problems. Commitment was an integral and an foundational part of these long-term marriages!

In the middle of a marriage series, God revealed to me the lack of commitment among "Christians" in so many areas -- including to their local church. We had a family leave our church last year and state, "You all expect too much commitment here." I'm sure many other church-goers have a similar concept which pastors call the "consumer" mentality. People choose a church based on what's in it for them and they rarely want to give anything back. They want good ministries for all of their family members, but they don't ever want to help in any of those areas.

Other believers have what could be called a "hip-hop" mentality toward commitment. They get their hip out of joint and hop on over to the next church when their feathers get ruffled. A simple offense over a preference results in a total walk-out on the church family they have loved, laughed, served, and shared with. I've often wondered if these solemn saints would walk-out on their own spouse and children if they had different musical tastes at home... Wow! This could be why some kids hide their music from their legalistic parents. One thing is for sure, this is a pattern which will be repeated and the church-hoppers will hop again. I guess we could rename these as the "Elizabeth Taylor" church members. They initiate relationships, tell you how wonderful you are compared to their ex, vow commitment to their new church family, entrench themselves, love, serve, and then LEAVE ... it's only a matter of time.

There are also the "fair-weather" church members. This group is like the fair-weather sports fan who changes his team allegiance based on winning percentages. These church members"commit" to a body of believers as long as the church does everything the way they like it. They're committed during the good times; but when a problem arises, they suddenly feel God "leading" them somewhere else. They are like the adulterer who makes his menu selection, but when he sees what someone else ordered... he wants to try some of that! These church members will move their membership whenever a new preacher comes to town, a church starts a new program, or the preaching strikes a cord of conviction.

Lack of commitment among "Christians" is not limited to the church, it spills over into the workplace. Long-time employees fail to appreciate the opportunities provided by an employer and choose to walk-out for a few more cents per hour. Lack of commitment is seen in major league sports when players take free-agency and sell their soul to the highest bidder (like they couldn't survive on a mere $5 million per year). Lack of commitment is seen in some college students who transfer from school to school and some totally drop out. Lack of commitment is seen when dads don't keep promises made to their children and they break the marriage vows made to their spouse.

Lack of commitment is evidenced in many arenas, but it can generally be traced back to a lack of commitment to God. Are you struggling to keep your commitments? Heed the command found in Deut. 6:10-14. First, remember that everything you have comes from God. Second, remain faithful to Him. Verse 14 says, "You shall not go after other gods..." Be committed to God and all of your other commitments will fall into place!" Finally, realize that Jesus was fully committed when He died on Calvary's cross for you and Rom 12:1-2 says that it is our "reasonable" service to be living sacrifices (committed) to Him!

The Lost Tomb of Jesus

"The Lost Tomb of Jesus?" You've got to be kidding. Tours are given of the site daily that both Christian and secular historians have identified. So why would anyone say they found Jesus' family tomb, His bones, and the bones of His wife and son? I smell an advertising scheme being used to help someone put a dollar or two in his personal bank account!

Academy Award winning director, James Cameron is catalyst behind this endeavor. Cameron and investigative journalist Simcha Jacobovici, who wrote the book "The Jesus Family Tomb" are attempting to ride the coat tails of Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code." Interesting, since James Cameron's 1998 movie, Titanic, was such a success and Ron Howard's, "The Da Vinci Code," was not. After all of the hype prior to the Da Vinci code and questions about whether or not it would cause people to doubt their faith, that movie moved off the scene quickly and very little discussion followed.

Cameron's "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" will premier on March 4 on the Discovery Channel. I for one - won't be watching! To call this a documentary raises great question about the credibility of the Discovery Channel itself. The entire premise for this "documentary" is built around theories that have been discredited by archaelologists since the limestone boxes were discovered in 1980. In fact, Cameron and Jacobivici both appeared recently on the TODAY Show and admitted that the probability that the remains are NOT really those of Jesus and His family members is more than 100 to 1.

Jesus was a very common name during the time of Christ. Jesus is a variation on the names Joshua, Jeshua, and Jehoshua. The variation would be similar to Robert, Roberto, or Bob. The name, Jesus, in that time would be as common as the names Bill, Tom, or Bob, today. Historians record at least 5 high priests known as Jesus. The historian, Josephus, makes reference to at least twenty people named Jesus. The name Jesus is used over 600 times in the New Testament. Colossians 4:11 refers to Jesus Justus, the friend of Paul. Acts 13:6 refers to the sorcerer at Paphos called Bar-Jesus. Some manuscripts even give Jesus as the first name of Barrabus in Matt. 27:17. So, to find a tomb with the name Jesus on it and conclude it must be Jesus the Christ; would be like finding a tombstone with George on it and concluding it must be George Washington.

Even further, to hear the claims that Jesus' name inscribed on the box demands more credibility would disqualify the so-called "authorities" even further. Archaelogists describe the practice of inscribing names on the burial boxes as being a very common practice in that region of the world during the 1st century. To even further discredit the so-called authorities that are pushing for DNA testing... just who are they going to compare the DNA to? Rational thinking and scientific approaches quickly discredit Cameron and reduce his claims to nothing more than a publicity stunt for his new movie.

Finally, will this shake the faith and foundation of the Church? Absolutely not! If anyone is persuaded by Cameron's claims, their faith was weak to start. To put the claims of Cameron ahead of the Holy Bible, which has been proven to be supernatural, would be ludicrous. It would also be to ignore the teachings and warnings of Jesus found in Matthew 24.

Christmas -- Going...Going...Gone!

Each December, we are reminded that America is a post-Christian nation as evidenced by the effort to erase Christmas from our culture. Department stores are now requiring employees to say, “Happy Holidays;” school students get a “winter break;” Christmas parades have been replaced by “holiday parades;” Christmas trees have been replaced by “holiday trees,” and Christmas light displays are now referred to as “holiday lights.”

The attack on Christmas is more than a simplistic Scrooge mentality. It is symptomatic of the anti-Christian sentiment that is widespread in America. This sentiment just seems more obvious at Christmas as suggested by talk show host, Bill O’Reilly’s statement, “There is an anti-Christian bias in this country, and it is more on display in the Christmas season than any other time.” Author Don Feder displays the same sentiment as he states, “You’d have an easier time setting up a nativity scene in Saudi Arabia than in most public parks.”
Now don’t misunderstand, the anti-Christian bias extends far beyond Christmas.
Battles are raging over Ten Commandments displays, efforts to remove God from the Pledge of Allegiance, banning prayer from public events, and even redefining marriage. Rosie O’Donnell recently compared radical Christians to the Muslims who flew the planes into the World Trade Center; Keith Ellison, Democratic Congressman from Minnesota, desired to be sworn into office using the Koran; Ford Motor Company endorsed the defeat of Constitutional amendments banning same sex marriage; and the list goes on!

The widespread attacks against religion in America have been ongoing and subtle. People offer their annual uproar about greetings such as “Happy Holidays” and celebrations of Santa, but neither is new. What is new is the readily accepted replacement of nativity scenes by decorations pertaining to Kwanzaa and Labafana, which are indicators that people are forgetting the true meaning of Christmas.
Clemson University religion professor, Nancy Hardesty, recently reported her belief that even Christians have forgotten the meaning of Christmas as a religious event. Could this be true? Christians are launching attacks against those taking Christ out of Christmas; but as author Matt Friedeman states, “Christians too often love to tackle "Happy Holiday" type issues because it diverts attention from the truth of our collective lives.” He states, “We are evangelicals without evangelism, Christians without compassion, and saints without a sanctifying presence.” Could it be that this secularization of culture, the removal of Christ from Christmas is ultimately the fault of Christians who have lost sight of the true meaning of not only Christmas; but also the true meaning of Christianity?
The effort to save Christmas must start within the Christian community. Christians must go back to the biblical foundation and become proactive in telling people about God’s love for mankind and the gift of His Son. If we fail to do so, we can only blame ourselves when our children come home singing, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Holiday,” or “I’m Dreaming of a White Holiday.” Worse yet, when they don’t even know that Jesus is the “Reason for the season!”

Renaming the Trinity?

“What’s in a name?” You may remember that famous question from Shakespeare's lyrical tale of lovers. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet and fall in love, but their romance is doomed from the start because their families are at war. Juliet tells Romeo that a name is meaningless, and that she loves the person, not the Montague name and not the Montague family. Romeo, out of his passion for Juliet, rejects his family name and vows, as Juliet asks, to "deny his father" and instead be sworn as Juliet's lover.

It appears that in our quest to pattern the church after today’s modern culture, some Christians are losing their awe, reverence, and respect for the holy name of God. They have adopted Juliet Capulet’s philosophy of “That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet” and taken it upon themselves to rename God. Such an act borders on blasphemy! It is true that God’s divinity is not impacted by what we call Him, but it is certainly not our right or privilege, as the creation, to rename our Creator.

On June 19, 2006, the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) actually discussed the idea of renaming the holy trinity. The project was initiated in the 212th General Assembly of 2000 and due in 2003, but it was delayed. While not officially adopted, the paper, titled “The Trinity: God’s Love Overflowing.” was commended to individual congregations for further study and discussion. While changes are seriously being considered, the Trinitarian formula of “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” will still be used for baptisms.

The variations for the Trinitarian formula which are suggested in “The Trinity: God’s Love Overflowing” are as follows: “One from Whom, One through Whom, and One in Whom;” “Rainbow of Promise, Ark of Salvation, and Dove of Peace;” “Speaker, Word, and Breath;” “Overflowing fount, Living Water, and Flowing River;” “Sun, Light, and Burning Ray;” “Giver, Gift, and Giving;” “Lover, Beloved, and Love that Binds together Lover and Beloved;” “Rock, Cornerstone, Temple;” “Fire that Consumes, Sword that Divides, and Storm that Melts Mountains;” “One Who Is, One Who Was, and One Who Is To Come;” and finally, “Compassionate Mother, Beloved Child, Life-giving Womb;”

Life giving womb? Leanne Millinger asks, “How does a uterus suggest the role of the Spirit in the believer’s life — power to be Christ’s witness, victory over sin, convicting the world regarding sin, righteousness and judgment?” Such absurdity has motivated other believers back to reevaluate doctrine and as David Irby points out, “All major ‘Reformation churches’ have always agreed that those who don’t affirm, “Father, Son, Holy Spirit” cannot be saved. So even tinkering at the edges of that formula poses a danger to souls.”

What's the Big Idea?

Have you heard all of the commotion surrounding the Veggie Tales videos being aired Saturday mornings on NBC? It seems that the religious references and mention of "God" have caused quite a stir. Critics said that the animated programs should be restricted to "religious" channels. I applaud the Veggie Tale producers for their flexibility and willingness to make the necessary changes in order to meet the network requirements, but why could the programs not be aired in their original format?

Are the major networks anti-God? You saw my previous post regarding Rosie O'Donnell's comments on "The View" comparing Christians to Muslims. To date, there has still been no apology or disciplinary action taken by ABC. Now NBC won't allow religious references. I personally perceive this as an anti-Christian bias, rather than anti-religion. All one has to do is watch the programming and you'll soon realize that only Christianity is being censored. The religion of humanism is being broadcast daily. The gods of free sex, homosexuality, promiscuity, infidelity, violence, murder, greed, self-gratification and more are being broadcast daily. Humanistic religion is approved by the networks, while Judeo-Christian religious references are banned.

Has everyone checked their brains at the door? Think about it... TV will allow Gene Simmons to talk about his "Family Jewels," MTV to teach a kid how to be a "Jack Ass," and Nip/Tuck will teach them how to look and cheat like "everyone" else. Furthermore, a recent court ruling now makes it illegal for companies to edit the sex and violence out of movies to make them suitable for children and families -- even though the companies pay huge royalties! Hollywood wants to remove parental control over what their kids see. Don't tell me there is no underlying agenda! And in spite of all this, we CAN'T talk about God or make religious references??!!!

I applaud Big Idea for being willing to reach into a new market and offer character training in a world filled with less than desireable "characters." I wish the networks would allow them to clearly tell people that Jesus is the answer for the issues they are facing, but I'm trusting that God can still work through the Veggie Tales programming. Let's pray that God will use this Saturday morning opportunity to encourage children toward good morals. He knows we need it!

Rosie O'Donnell Compares Christians to Muslims

When "The View" announced that Rosie O'Donnell would be the new co-host for the show, I had to chuckle. What type of person would watch Rosie O'Donnell host any type of talk show? Well, she recently helped me understand and disclosed the depth of her intellect to viewers on "The View" as Rosie compared radical Christians to the Muslims who flew the planes into the World Trade Center. Even her co-hosts disagreed with her. See the whole article and a video clip at
http://www.afa.net/Petitions/Issuedetail.asp?id=214

To date, ABC has refrained to call for any apology or to issue any reprimand of O'Donnell. Jimmy the Greek was fired by CBS for his controversial comments about black athletes and CBS was respected for it. Will the leadership of ABC have the courage to show the same resolve or are they actually in support of anti-Christian bigotry?

I find it interesting that the Pope recently had the courage to apologize for his comment which offended Muslims. Would the Pope do more to appease radical Muslims than ABC will do to appease those in the Christian community who were offended by O'Donnell's comments? Interesting... the Pope, a leader of the Christian movement which Rosie criticized as being hatemongers, had the courage to apologize. Will Rosie?

I feel that the comments by Rosie O'Donnell deserve a public apology and public reprimand. Please join me in expressing your concerns to:

Brian Frons, President - ABC Daytime
ABC
77 West 66th St.
New York, NY 10023-6298
Primary Phone: 212-456-7777
Fax: 212-456-1424
E-Mail: Brian Frons, ABC (netaudr@abc.com)

Improving Your Serve

There are several sports in which one player with a strong technique has a tremendous advantage over his opponent. Tennis great, Andy Roddick, exemplifies this advantage with his powerful serve. From 2001 – 2004, Roddick’s record was 234-74 and at 22 years of age, his prize money totaled over $7 million. On September 10, 2006, Roddick was the runner-up in the U.S. Open and earned $1.1 million. Roddick's new coach, the legendary Jimmy Conners, has helped Andy improve his overall game; but his greatest strength is still his serve.

The "service" advantage transcends beyond the tennis courts into the business world. Growing up in a metropolitan area, I was used to a competitive service industry; which resulted in great customer service, timely responses and a high quality of work. Business owners knew that if their company didn’t perform well, the customer had plenty of other choices to call the next time. In a smaller town, fewer competitors often results in less motivation and a lower quality of workmanship. I recently called one company that took over five months to respond to a simple service call and another that responded within a matter of hours. Which company do you think I will call the next time? Certainly – the one that provided the best service!

Realizing the importance of the “serve,” I carried my thinking beyond the tennis courts and local businesses, into the realm of the local church. Can improving the way we “serve” really make a difference in the local church? The answer is emphatically “yes!” The problem is that too many church members think they are the ones who should be served, rather than realizing that they are supposed to be serving others.

Phil 2:7 (NIV) says that Jesus set the example of serving by humbling Himself and taking on “the very nature of a servant.” When the disciples were arguing over who would be the greatest, Jesus said in Mark 9:35 (NIV), “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." The Apostle Paul relates a similar thought in Phil 2:3-5 (NIV) as he instructs believers to “consider others better than yourselves… looking not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” In Gal 5:13 he says that by love, we are to “serve one another.” It is obvious that God wants His church to be “others oriented” and to “serve” one another.

How is your serve? Do you sit in the pew or serve in a ministry? Do you go to church to get something for yourself or to give something to others? Do you complain if things aren’t done exactly the way you prefer or are you flexible for the sake of reaching others? Do you build people up or do you tear them down? Is your religion built on serving the Savior or serving yourself?

Andy Roddick improved his serve through years of practice. Serving others may not come naturally to you; but the more you practice, the better you will become at it. The more Christ-like you become; the easier it will be to develop a spirit of servanthood.

Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery

Have you ever noticed the role that imitation plays in our lives? Children have sports heroes that they imitate by dressing like them, walking like them, shooting free-throws like them and even knocking the clay from their cleats like them. Some people have music idols that they imitate through dress, dance steps and by singing their songs. Impressionists have become rich by imitating popular singers and celebrities. Corporations have boosted earnings by imitating one another through advertising campaigns and logo spoofs. Imitation is part of everyday life!

Imitation is not limited to individuals, impressionists and corporate America. Imitation is also found in the Christian realm. Perfectly healthy preacher boys used to clear their throats, hack and cough like the famous preacher, Jack Hyles. Today, you’ll find preachers imitating Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, and Ed Young, Jr. The truth is, we imitate those we want to be like!

Churches also imitate one another. Find a successful church and you'll find other churches imitating their service times, programming, musical styles, outreach events, advertising campaigns, and even hiring pastors of similar age. Some people are offended by imitation; but “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.” When someone wants to be like you, they are paying you a great compliment. People want to be part of what is successful and for those who are not gifted with creativity; it is easy to follow and simply copy ideas from others. When someone replicates your idea or imitates your ministry, it extends your sphere of influence!

Imitation is also seen in families. Watch the little boy who walks behind his daddy and tries to put his feet in his father’s footprints. Watch the little girl who gets into her mother’s makeup drawer, then puts on her mommy’s shoes. Children imitate their parents because they want to be like them. Imitation is the highest form of flattery!

One of my favorite songs is “I Want To Be Just Like You” by the group Phillips, Craig and Dean. It’s a song about a father who realizes that his son is imitating his every step and the father wants to give him a godly example to follow. The dad realizes that as his son imitates him, he must imitate Christ. The chorus reads as follows, “Lord, I want to be just like You, because he wants to be just like me. I want to be a holy example for his innocent eyes to see. Help me be a living Bible Lord, that my little boy can read. I want to be just like You, because he wants to be like me.” The song presents a great challenge to every parent. Our children desire to imitate us, so we must live in a manner that imitates God.

Imitating God was exactly what the early disciples desired to do. Their actions resulted in them being called Christians for the very first time in Antioch. The term was meant in a derogatory sense, accusing them of imitating Christ and wanting to be like Him. The disciples desired so much to be like Christ, that people began to refer to them as “little Christ’s.” Has anyone ever accused you of trying to be like Christ and imitating Him by your actions? Does your life reflect Christ-likeness?

As you watch people imitate sports heroes, celebrities and personal idols; be reminded that God wants believers to imitate His Son. This is clearly seen in Rom 8:29 (NAS), “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…” If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, just imagine how God feels when we imitate His Son!

Are You Too Busy?

Surveys reveal that Americans are working more, sleeping less, and burning out more frequently. I am amazed at the number of people who live in a state of exhaustion. They are frazzled, they can't remember things, they display dark circles and bags under the eyes, they are short fused, and usually looking for one more thing to get involved in. Often, the exhaustion is due to trying to keep up with the Jones'. Often it is parents who are trying to put their child in dance, cheerleading, softball, and Girl Scouts. It could be baseball, hunting club, school functions, Boy Scouts, and more! Where does the cycle end?

I remember telling my wife that I hoped life would slow down a little bit in South Carolina vs. South Florida. I was wrong! If anything... the pace has increased! This summer was no exception as I hired a completely new administrative team in our school, we added new members to our church staff, and we renovated several areas of our campus. Sure, God is blessing and our church and school have more than doubled since 2003, but the caution flags went up for me as I preached a message about the Sabbath several weeks back. One thing that caught my attention was the following song by Larnelle Harris. Allow me to share it with you:

(verse 1)
"There he was just waiting, in our old familiar place
an empty spot beside him, where once I used to wait
to be filled with strength and wisdom for the battles of the day
I would have passed him by again if I didn't hear him say
(chorus)
I miss my time with you, those moments together
I need to be with you each day, and it hurts me when you say
You're too busy, busy trying to serve me
but how can you serve me when your spirit's empty
there's a longing in my heart, wanting more than just a part of you
it's true I miss my time with you, what do I have to offer
(verse 2)
How can I truly care, my efforts have no meaning when your presence isn't there
but you will provide the power if I take time to pray
I'll stay right here beside him and you will never have to say..
(chorus)

Perhaps you, too, have been experiencing more of life lately than of "The Life. " If so, why not stop right NOW, sit at Jesus feet, and have a moment of personal communion with Him. In our hectic pace to get through life, don't forget the Giver of Life.