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Are pastors out of touch? Here's an item from The Pastor's Weekly Briefing, provided by H.B. London and Focus on the Family: "The latest results from two Ellison Research studies showed that Protestant ministers tend to be less informed about popular culture (magazines, TV, videogames, music, etc.) than are the people to whom they are ministering. The results were just released within the November/December edition of Facts & Trends magazine. "The nationwide studies compared 797 Protestant ministers and 1,184 laity (adults who attend Protestant churches) with regard to today's culture: books, music, sports, celebrities, television programs, politics, magazines, radio and TV talk shows, movies, the Internet, video and computer games, and clothing and fashion. "The area of today's culture ministers tend to stay most informed about is politics -- 36 percent were very informed and 55 percent somewhat informed -- the only one of the 12 areas included in the study about which ministers actually felt better informed than the laity. Pastors and laity felt nearly equally informed about sports. But on each of the other ten topics, laity feel significantly more informed about the culture surrounding them than did ministers. "Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research pointed out that this research raises the question of how well churches are impacting how people interact with culture -- how they live their daily lives. 'People are definitely impacted by the culture they consume -- the Web sites they visit or the music they listen to, for instance. Pastors need to be informed about what's out there in order to understand how the culture is influencing the people they are trying to reach,' Sellers said." (www.parsonage.org) Being the father of two boys (10 and 6), I frankly know more about video games and SpongeBob than I care to know. As for sports, with the season Florida State is having this year, I'd just as soon be informed on something else! Michael
Duduit, Editor CORRECTION: In the last issue we made an error. It turns out that Peter Jensen is archbishop of Sydney, while Philip Jensen (his brother) is Dean of St. Andrew's cathedral Sydney. (We always have a problem telling those brothers apart.) Thanks to Australian reader Steve for the catch! There will not be an issue of PreachingNow next week. The next issue will be dated December 5. Have a happy Thanksgiving holiday and a blessed beginning of the season of Advent!
Thankfulness and Entitlement Pastor Alan Smith tells the story of two old friends who bumped into one another on the street one day. One of them looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, "What has the world done to you, my old friend?" The sad fellow said, "Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars." "That's a lot of money." "But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand free and clear." "Sounds like you've been blessed . . . ." "You don't understand!" he interrupted. "Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million." Now he was really confused. "Then, why do you look so glum?" "This week . . . nothing!" That's the trouble with receiving something on a regular basis. Even if it is a gift, we eventually come to expect it. Someone once suggested to me a way to test someone's character. Give him (or her) $5 a day for a month. Then stop, and see what his reaction is. The natural tendency is that if we receive a gift long enough, we come to view it as an entitlement. We feel hurt, even angry, if we don't receive it any longer. It's the same way with the blessings God gives us every day. I don't deserve the comfortable home I live in, the beautiful scenery around me, the clean water that I drink. But after receiving these gifts (and a multitude of others) for years, I sometimes fail to be grateful. I've come to expect these good things. And when one of them is removed for a short while (like the water being cut off), I get upset. Make an effort today to recognize the blessings you've come to take for granted. Focus on what you have rather than on what you don't have, and see if it doesn't improve your attitude. (Visit Alan Smith's Thought for the Day at http://www.tftd-online.com/)
What we believe 66 percent of Americans have no doubts God exists, while 5 percent don't believe in anything beyond the physical world, according to a report in the Oct. 30 issue of Time magazine. That report is based on the Baylor Religion Survey of September 2006. Even though more than 85 percent of Americans claim to follow the Christian faith in some way, 37 percent also believe that places can be haunted. Evangelical protestants compose the largest single slice of the populace, at 34%, while mainline protestants equal 22% and Roman Catholics equal 21%. About 5% of Americans claim to be atheists.
Definitions of morality vary by age Young adults -- the "Buster" generation in their 20s and 30s -- have sharply different views on what constitutes moral behavior, according to recent research from the Barna Group. Barna reports that, "Some of these differences show up in the sexual activities engaged in during the past month. Busters were twice as likely to have viewed sexually explicit movies or videos; two and a half times more likely to report having had a sexual encounter outside of marriage; and three times more likely to have viewed sexually graphic content online. "But many Busters also defy sexual convention in their attitudes. For instance, more than two-thirds of the generation said that cohabitation and sexual fantasies are morally acceptable behaviors, compared with half of older adults. Most young adults contended that engaging in sex outside of marriage and viewing pornography are not morally problematic, while only one-third of pre-Busters agreed. Almost half of Busters believed that sexual relationships between people of the same sex are acceptable, compared with one-quarter of older adults." Busters also indicated they were more likely to drink or use illegal drugs, use profanity in public, or take something that doesn't belong to them. A key factor is how we determine what is right or wrong. Barna reports that, "Nearly half of all pre-Busters said they view moral truth as absolute, but only three out of 10 Busters embraced the concept of absolute truth. Two-thirds of those over 40 said humans should determine what is right and wrong morally by examining God's principles; less than half of Busters felt this way. Instead, nearly half of Busters said that ethics and morals are based on 'what is right for the person,' compared with just one-quarter of pre-Busters." (Click here to read the full article.) http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrow&BarnaUpdateID=249
ILLUSTRATION: Thanksgiving Though David was only four years old, he often asked the blessing before family meals, and this year he was asked to return thanks before Thanksgiving dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited -- and waited. After a long silence, the little David looked up at his mother and asked, "If I thank God for the broccoli, won't He know that I'm lying?"
Ten
more reasons to attend the As if the previous ten reasons to attend the 2007 ICOP in Cambridge, England were not enough, here are ten more to add to the list:
What other reasons do you need? Registration is now available at an earlybird discount -- register today and save $55 off the normal rate. To learn more visit the website at www.preaching.com/icop or call (800) 288-9673 (outside the US, call 615-312-4245.)
ILLUSTRATION: Change, Flexibility Richard Fairchild tells the story: I was in a small rural church one time that had a major dispute about where the pies should be placed in the kitchen prior to serving them for the annual turkey supper. One woman actually left the church community because several new comers to the church had convinced the rest of the women working in the kitchen that it would be more efficient to put the pies on the counter beside the sink instead of the counter next to the refrigerator. "It's not the right way to do it," she said." "We've never done it that way before, and I am not going to be part of doing it that way now. I won't have any part of that kind of thing. Those new people are going to ruin this church. They don't know anything. They aren't even from around here." Sound familiar to anyone? The apostle John came up to Jesus one day. "Jesus," he said, "I was walking down the road with the rest of the disciples, and we saw someone casting out demons in your name. We tried to stop him because we don't know who he is; we tried to stop him because he's not one of us." (Richard J. Fairchild, Working Together)
ILLUSTRATION: Listening, Communication Perhaps you have heard the story of the Miracle Bridge. (Chicken Soup for the Soul, No. 3) In 1883 a creative engineer, John Roebling was inspired to build the Brooklyn Bridge. Experts told him to forget it. He convinced his son Washington, an up and coming engineer to build the bridge. They hired a crew and began to build their dream bridge. The project was only a few months old when there was a tragic accident. John Roebling was killed and his son was severely brain damaged. He was unable to move or talk, but his mind was sharp as ever. He was able to move one finger and touched the arm of his wife. From that point on they learned how to communicate. For the next 13 years he tapped out instructions to the bridge builders who then completed the spectacular bridge. Our ability to communicate is our greatest asset. The best way to be disciples is to be people who are understood and at the same time be folks who are willing to listen. (Keith Wagner, "Is Anyone Listening?" via sermons.com newsletter)
ILLUSTRATION: Effort, Success An industrious turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding to perfect a better turkey. His family was fond of the leg portion for dinner and there were never enough legs for everyone. After many frustrating attempts, the farmer was relating the results of his efforts to his friends at the general store get together. "Well I finally did it! I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!" They all asked the farmer how it tasted. "Don't know" said the farmer. "Never could catch the thing!"
Last call for 2006 preaching conferences The last three Preaching Truth in a Whatever World seminars of 2006 are just around the corner. These one-day preaching conferences explore strategies for effective biblical preaching in a postmodern world. Led by Preaching editor Michael Duduit and a variety of guest speakers, these conferences offer a valuable time of insight and refreshment for those who proclaim the Word. Preaching Truth conferences will be held in the following cities: Tampa
Bay, FL -- Nov 28 For more information or to register, call (800) 288-9673, or visit the website at www.preaching.com/truth
"Temptations, unlike opportunities, will always give you second chances." (O.A. Battista)
From the sponsor of this week's edition: Rick
Warren's "Bible Study Methods" Learn how to study the Bible the way Rick Warren does. With simple, step-by-step instructions, America's pastor guides you through twelve different approaches to studying God's Word for yourself. Doing so will help you fulfill the third purpose of The Purpose-Driven® Life: becoming more and more like Jesus.
ILLUSTRATION: Funerals, Warning Frank's hospital bed is surrounded by well-wishers, but it doesn't look good. Suddenly, he motions frantically to his pastor for something to write on. The pastor lovingly hands him a pen and a piece of paper, and Frank uses his last bit of energy to scribble a note, then dies. The pastor thinks it best not to look at the note right away, so he places it in his jacket pocket. At Frank's funeral, as his pastor is finishing his eulogy, he realizes he's wearing the jacket he was wearing when Frank died. "Frank handed me a note just before he died," his pastor says. "I haven't looked at it, but knowing Frank, I'm sure there's a word of inspiration in it for us all." Opening the note, he reads aloud, "Move! You're standing on my oxygen hose!"
"A real friend is one who attacks us in the front."
Bumper Sticker Wisdom Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film. He who laughs last, thinks slowest. A day without sunshine is like, well, night. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse? Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges. Honk if you love peace and quiet. Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular? Nothing is foolproof to the sufficiently talented fool. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
And finally . . . Grape Guy may have squeezed out a new record. An American man caught 116 tossed grapes in his mouth in three minutes in what he hopes will become a new Guinness World Record, according to a Nov. 13 Associated Press story. Steve "the Grape Guy" Spalding, 44, of Dallas, Texas also set a personal record for endurance grape catching, using his mouth to catch 1,203 grapes thrown from a distance of 15 feet over half an hour, according to publicist Deanna Brown. No Guinness World Records officials were present at Spalding's grape-gobbling attempt, carried out Thursday in Australia overlooking Sydney's iconic Opera House. But Brown said observers had filmed Spalding's attempt and would be submitting forms to Guinness officials in the hopes of creating a new record for speed grape-catching -- the most grapes caught in the mouth over three minutes. Meanwhile, reports are that "Watermelon Guy" is still in critical condition in a local hospital.
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