Allen Raynor Weblog: Re-Issue of “The Changing Culture Down Sesame Street”-Jan. 30, 2017

          Since 2007, I have had the privilege of writing and sending out weblogs on various issues pertaining to Christian living, current events, and theology.  My intent from the beginning was to help God’s people think just a little deeper about a variety of issues.  Further, it was a way to stay in touch with people in previous churches I had pastored, friends, and extended family.  My original mailing list has more than quadrupled in size.  I hope these have been an encouragement to you.  As this year marks the ten-year anniversary of these weblogs, I am going to be re-sending some throughout the year, in addition to sending out new ones.  Thank you for your encouraging words along the way and letting me know how these have been an encouragement to you.

 

The following weblog is from November 16, 2009.  It is one that received a lot of feedback, because, I suppose, it is on a subject that hit close to home for many people!

 

Allen Raynor Weblog: The Changing Culture Down Sesame Street

(Nov. 16, 2009)

                                                                   

          Can you believe it? Sesame Street turned 40 last week!  I was one of the millions of kids who often spent my mornings watching the colorful characters engaging in banter, projecting moral and life lessons, and generally trying to teach kids how to make the world a better place.  When I was watching Sesame Street in the mid-seventies, the issues addressed were wholesome ones such as acceptance of other races, sharing, the value of friendship, and many other worthwhile things.  But, as the culture has changed over the past 4 decades, so has Sesame Street. 

          Children have increasingly become the targets for indoctrination by those with various agendas.  Gone are the days of universally accepted values based on a Christian worldview.  Replacing these traditional values is a secular system of thought proclaiming the highest of virtues as “tolerance” and/or “acceptance.”  If a boy wants to be more like his mother or if a girl wants to be more like her father it is ok.  If a girl has two mommies or two daddies, it is great!  Families are anything someone proclaims them to be.  The important thing is that there is love.  Unfortunately, the homosexual rights’ activists have captured shows like Sesame Street, and others to use them as tools in the advancement of their causes.

          In commemoration of the 40^th anniversary of Sesame Street, which began in 1969, DVD sets of earlier episodes are becoming available.  Interestingly enough, these DVD’s come with warning labels cautioning parents that these episodes are not for children.  Ironically, this children show’s early episodes are deemed not suitable for the current generation of children.  The reasons cited are that children are seen riding bikes without helmets; the Cookie Monster is seen gorging on cookies instead of the much healthier snacks he eats today, and Oscar the Grouch is portrayed as suffering from a personality disorder, displaying signs of depression, and is perhaps even suicidal!  I will agree that things do change over time in light of new information, but COME ON!  Political correctness is paralyzing us!  It is killing us!

          Our culture has evolved rapidly to a point that every small minority is given preferential treatment over and above the majority.  Sesame Street is far less of a trend-setter than it is a trend-follower.  It is a snapshot of what is going on in the public school system, through other television targeted at children, through children’s books, etc.  We have largely lost the freedom to be “us” anymore!  It is difficult to even have a frank and honest discussion about anything with anyone anymore!  You must fall in line.  You are welcomed, even encouraged to question or berate anything traditional, conservative, or Christian-oriented, but you are forbidden from questioning anything deemed to be politically correct or you will be maligned with venomous hatred from those on the political left.  Now, even honest, hard-working, traditional, God-fearing Americans are fearful of being unjustly labeled as racist, bigoted, or fanatically religious.  Their pseudo-solution to the problem is increasingly to be silent while liberals scream!

          Sesame Street is just one example of the many television shows which have largely lost their way and bowed to political correctness.  TV shows, too numerous to list have, one by one, cut themselves off at the knees because their writers, who are flaming left-wing liberals, are on the fringes of society having pushed and pushed and pushed to move their ideas into the mainstream.  As the old saying goes, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.”  These fringe people on the far left are, by far the most vocal, most militant, most organized, and most galvanized in their hatred of all things traditional, while those supporting traditional values have largely been silent.  Just a couple of weeks ago, Joel Osteen, pastor of the largest congregation in America was asked an easy question on ABC’s The View, in regards to homosexuality.  He actually answered the question correctly but he did so in such a sheepish and non-reassuring manner, I am not sure if I even believe in traditional marriage anymore!!!  Just kidding, but my point is that liberals have got their bluff in on us and why, I do not know!  They are taking over everything we have, one by one, while we, for the most part, stand by and watch!

         Isn’t it time “we the people” stand up for what is right again?  If you look at all the heroic acts which were done by brave men and women to found our country and preserve our country at various points, I think they would be ashamed and appalled at how we have let it simply drift into the hands of far left extremist.  God is not political, but what we do politically is a direct reflection of what, better yet Who, rules and reigns in our hearts.  I do not buy for a minute Jimmy Carter’s oft stated argument that politics and our faith are two completely separate realms.  They are inseparable.  As a good Okie boy, like myself, would say, either it is or it ain’t!

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

 

Allen Raynor Weblog: The Beginning of the Trump Presidency In a Kingdom Perspective-Jan. 26, 2017

          Last week the 45^th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, was inaugurated into office.  His campaign, election, transition, and inauguration were all marked by tremendous controversy including a number of protests.  Nevertheless he is now the nation’s President.

          Love him or not, as Americans we have a long history of respecting the office, even if we do not agree with the office holder.  It was sad to see many Democratic Party members of Congress boycott the Inauguration because they deemed Trump to be, in their words “illegitimate.”   Inauguration Day is much bigger than the one being inaugurated.  It is, above all else, a celebration of the peaceful transfer of power from one person to another, quite atypical of what we have seen down through history, and even up to the present, in many parts of the world.

           Some Americans have not been overly concerned with who won the office, but others have voiced considerable concern.  When you care deeply about who wins, it cuts very deeply to lose.  I remember the first Presidential election of which I was old enough to remember when the candidate I supported lost.  While I had followed every campaign and subsequent election cycle since 1980, I was not disappointed with the outcome until in 1992 when George H. W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton.  I remember feelings of anger and bitterness directed toward third-party candidate Ross Perot, who I still believe cost Bush that election.   I remember not wanting to get out of bed the next morning and hoping it was merely a bad dream.  Nevertheless my theology shaped and formed by God’s Word told me that the Lord was still going to be in control when Clinton took office in January, every bit to the degree he had been in control during the 12 years of Reagan and Bush.  In 1996, 2008, and 2012 I had to dig deep once again to let my theology take precedence over my emotions.

          Sadly I see many “acting out,” even in some childish ways, because they did not like the outcome.  So as not to let Trump’s supporters off the hook, I see a lot of un-Christlike gloating and un-Christlike ridicule of Hilary Clinton, Barak Obama, and the Democratic Party in general.  Your feelings may be wrong and they may be right, however the real question is “How would Jesus act in the same situation?”  Would He enjoy a good dig at the other party or would be suggest we pray for those whose eyes were closed to the truth?  The answer is obvious.

          To be upfront and honest and provide full disclosure, I have a degree in Political Science and on the wall of my college dorm room above my desk hung top left – Richard Nixon; bottom left – Gerald Ford; Top right – Ronald Reagan; bottom right – George H. W. Bush.  Centered in between those four 8x10 glossy, signed photographs was a group photo of the four men taken at the dedication of The Nixon Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, CA in July, 1990.  I subscribed to U.S. News and World Report, The Dallas Morning News, voraciously devoured the daily news, listened to National Public Radio, Rush Limbaugh, was a member of the “Political Science Club” on campus, and when I had breaks from school I was reading books such as No More Vietnams, In the Arena, and 1999: Victory Without War, all by Richard Nixon. My goal was to go on to Law School and the University of Oklahoma and become an attorney.  I often told people in those days, there was a need for Christian lawyers.  It seemed like a completely justifiable pursuit in my mind.  But, looking back I now see God’s kingdom did not seem as big to me as it does now; further, in those days the kingdom of this world seemed much bigger than it now seems.

          In the years since then I have come to understand that the politics of this world and the ways they are generally practiced are illustrative of the depravity that is in the human heart.  Most political issues turn into judicial issues where courts decide who has the greater standing on the basis of law.  However, increasingly over the last several years, court decisions have been arrived at, more and more, not strictly on the basis of law, but upon political pressures, political correctness, and exclusively secular-based reasoning.  What we have is a battle of wills that are being settled in courts of law because they cannot even begin to be settled anywhere else. It was Alexis de Tocqueville who wrote in his classic work Democracy in America in the 1830s “There is scarcely a question in America that does not turn sooner or later into a judicial one.”  If only he could see us now!

          So where does that leave us?  Is it time to give up?  I would assert that as believers we have every reason to be optimist.  Not because of something as unimpressive as the outcome of any election or a ruling handed down by the Supreme Court or a vote in Congress, or any other mundane, routine, largely predictable occurrence, but as Scripture says “Rejoice because your names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20).”  The short-term forecast for believers shows storms ahead, but the long-range forecast shows very pleasant conditions.

          It would be a mistake to put too much stock in anything of this world, because this world is passing away with all its lusts, but instead we need to lay up our treasure in Heaven where the various elements do not and cannot destroy.  However, we do not need to be so disengaged that we fail to be the salt and light Jesus taught us to be.  We need to stand boldly for what is right and stand just as boldly against the things that are wrong.

          Prayer is the first thing we must do.  If you cannot bring yourself to pray for the leader of the free world then I wonder what things you might be praying for instead.  Prayer changes things.  Prayer is the constant act of submitting ourselves to God and acknowledging our utter dependence on Him.

          Believers, or anyone else, can rejoice we live in a free country, and we can even rejoice about the outcome of the 2016 election and Trump becoming our President if we desire.  However, we must be careful to remember this is an earthly office with a flawed human being in it working within a flawed system, along with other flawed people trying to govern some 319 million flawed people.  But it does make perfect sense that we would all turn to a perfect God for help and guidance.  So be careful to not make the new presidency out to be more than what it really is.  I appreciate the instructive words of John MacArthur in his January 17 monthly letter.  He writes “We must never mistake changes to the political landscape as some sort of monumental spiritual achievement.  Nothing that happens in the world either aids or hinders the building of God’s kingdom – He depends on nothing and no one to accomplish His purposes.  In fact it has always concerned me when Christians view the political tides as somehow shaping redemptive history, or as posing a threat to – or enabling opportunities for –the church’s advancement.”  MacArthur has it right.  God is much, much bigger that the small things of this world. 

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Allen Raynor Weblog: Recommended Reading from 2016 (Pt. 3) (Dec. 15, 2016)

          Most all believers know that an atheist claims to not believe in God’s existence, but beyond knowing that, few have really worked through and wrestled with their arguments.  Most believers are taught the atheist is wrong – end of story.  But it is fruitful to hear, and try to understand, their arguments.  They are much simpler to refute by the average believer than one might think.  In The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs, Norman Geisler and Daniel McCoy present atheistic beliefs in the atheist’s own words.  Geisler and McCoy do not spin or even do that much critique but instead quote many leading atheists extensively and expose conflicts between their, frequently contradictory claims.  Those claiming to be “atheist” are on the rise, therefore the average believer needs to become more familiar with this position in an effort to defend the Word of God.  Another great apologetics work I read this year was The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller.  The book is an outline of Christian belief and answers the major objections that are frequently leveled against Christianity. 

          Cultural engagement is not an option for Christians.  We are not only losing the culture war in America, but we are losing, bit by bit, our religious freedom and it will only get worse.   The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention has begun publishing a series of simple, straight-forward books to address the biggest issues of the day.  I read the newly published The Gospel & Religious Liberty by Russell Moore and Andrew T. Walker.  We must fight for religious liberty or we will wake up one day and realize we no longer have it as the luxury we once knew.  The culture is finding new, and often creative ways, to try and silence the church.  The church in America is under ever increasing attack.  How should we respond?  Moore and Walker’s book is a great tool to help believers answer that all-important question.  I also read The Gospel & Racial Reconciliation from the same series by Moore and Walker.  It is insightful and helpful when it comes to understanding the problems we face in the area of race relations and offers Scripture-based solutions.  Race-relations have become a big issue in recent years and Christians need to know how to address it with biblical truth and grace.

          Country music fans will enjoy Country Faith: 56 Reflections from Today’s Leading Country Music Stars compiled by Deborah Evans Price.  The format of this book is, singers share their favorite verse and what it means to them; particularly how it has helped and encouraged them along the way.  There are many heart-felt insights that are highly applicable to every-day life.  We enjoyed reading through this book during our family devotion time in the evenings.

          Whether we like it or not, homosexuality is an issue that is not going anywhere.  Believers have struggled to respond to a rapidly changing culture.  Some are sadly compromising on the issue in ways that the Bible does not support, while others are rigid and dogmatic and even unloving toward persons struggling with this particular sin.  Where is the right balance?  Glenn T. Stanton’s book Loving My LGBT Neighbor: Being Friends in Grace & Truth helps us understand how we can build healthy friendships with members of the LGBT community for the purpose of winning them to Christ.  The book does not compromise on biblical truth concerning issues of sexuality, but it does offer a slightly different approach than other books on the subject of homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgenderism.  I believe this is a much needed book for most believers.

          Over the past few years I have found commentary survey books very helpful.  This year I enjoyed reading through Old Testament Commentary Survey: Fifth Edition by Tremper Longman III.  I had read an earlier edition and have also read the New Testament equivalent by D. A. Carson.  When you prepare to study a book of the Bible, there is no shortage of commentaries available and it is overly optimistic to assume they are all good.  These summary books give a very brief critique of available commentaries on the various books of the Bible.  These are must-haves for all pastor’s libraries, but laymen also may find them helpful.

          In 1958 John Stott’s book Basic Christianity was first published.  Since then more than 2.5 million copies have been sold.  The book is a true classic.  The book covers such basic topics as “Who is Christ?”  “The character of Christ,” “The resurrection of Christ,” “The death of Christ,” “Salvation in Christ,” “Becoming a Christian,” “Being a Christian,” and much more.  The book is simple and basic, in one sense, just as the title indicates; however it is actually quite thought provoking and challenging.  It first challenges the non-Christian with the explicit reality of lostness in which they are living, then moves to the claims of Christ which are substantial and then to certain realities that should always be present in the lives of believers.  It is this latter part that especially gets challenging for Christians.  This is a book all believers should read.  Further, it is a very good choice of a book to place in the hands of a non-Christian or to place in the hands of a new believer.

          There are several short books, mainly by popular authors, that examine the Christmas story.  I have read many of these through the years.  One of the latest, which only came out this fall, is Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ by Timothy Keller.  Keller’s approach is a little different than most of these type books.  It is actually quite pointed and challenging along the way.  It certainly caused me to think deeper than I have while reading other books on this similar subject.  Reading this book will likely help you to better understand Christmas.  I think Keller is one of the best contemporary authors and would recommend your reading anything of his you come across.

 

I hope you find this year’s recommendations helpful and enjoyable!  Merry Christmas to each of you!  Thank you for reading my weblogs these past 9 ½ years, and for your positive feedback.  You are greatly appreciated!

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Allen Raynor Weblog: Recommended Reading from 2016 (Pt. 2) (Dec. 12, 2016)

There are a multitude of books available on prayer and all have some value if read and applied.  However, few books on the subject really get to the heart of the matter.  Timothy Keller’s book Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God is perhaps the best book I have read to date on the subject of prayer.  It is easy to read, yet highly profound.  He draws heavily on the writers of the past such as Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Owen, Edwards, Muller, and many more, while using contemporary illustrations and applications.  Prayer is not an act/work we perform, but rather a way of living.  As we live in close fellowship with God, we work hard to grow closer to Him and Keller covers many ways by which this may be accomplished.

          One of the saddest realities of parenting for many Christians, is to see their children act, in varying degrees, like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable.  Many parents, and grandparents, weep because one they love, and one who knows better, has succumbed to the allure of the world and its ways.  Many well-meaning parents and grandparents are saying and doing the wrong things as they work to try and remedy the problem.  Sadly, in many cases they are pushing their loved one further away and making the situation worse.  In his very helpful book Reaching Your Prodigal: What Did I Do Wrong?  What Do I Do Now?, author Phil Waldrep explores the pattern in the Lord’s parable and what we can learn and apply to our situation as we long for that day the prodigal returns home.

          Churches are struggling these days when compared with their former glory.  Efforts by some to try and reinvent church have largely failed.  Scripture teaches us to “return to the old paths.”  Further, what seems new is not really so new anyway, after all the wisdom of Solomon taught there is nothing new under the sun.  That is why the church of the Lord Jesus needs to wake up and experience true revival or renewal.  Charles Swindoll’s book Church Awakening: An Urgent Call for Renewal was challenging and enjoyable.  He writes to the church as a whole, as well as to pastors admonishing all to awake and get back to the basic tasks of believers such as exposition of the Word of God, church members being willing to be taught, sharing of our faith, discipleship, ministry, prayer, etc.  We have been seriously adrift for some time and we need to wake up!

          I enjoyed reading Thom Rainer’s latest book Who Moved My Pulpit? Leading Change in the Church.  This is a quick read with some good insight.  There is not a lot of new information in addition to what you would find in other books on the subject by Rainer, but it was helpful and, at points, entertaining.  I also re-read and taught through his book I Will: 9 Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian. It also, is well worth your time to read.

          John Piper has been one of my favorite authors for many years.  His depth helps me understand many subjects with more clarity.  His book Living in the Light: Money, Sex, and Power: Making the Most of Three Dangerous Opportunities shows the dangers of how these three alluring areas tend to trap us.  We have fallen for many lies and we have learned ways to rationalize our sins.  Satan distorts God’s gifts.  He cheapens them and makes them dirty and tells us we are not satisfied with the limits God has prescribed.  Piper helps the reader see, from the Scripture the goodness of God in these areas in a fresh way, as well as helping the reader face areas in his/her life that are not as pure as one might think.

          American education has undergone many major and minor changes over time.  But one thing is very clear.  God was once the centerpiece and now is out entirely.  Up until around the year 1900, The New England Primer was widely used to help teach children to read and understand the basics.  One will be amazed at, not only the saturation with references to God, but also the significantly more rigorous academic expectations of children and their learning.  This inexpensive book should be obtained and read by everyone, as we need to see how far we have drifted.

          This past spring I taught through the Book of Esther on Sunday evenings.  It was my third time to do so in the course of my years in ministry.  Among the commentaries and related books I used, which I would recommend, are The Message of Esther by J. A. Motyer from “The Bible Speaks Today Commentary Series.” Charles Swindoll’s book Esther: A Woman of Strength & Dignity from his “Great Lives from God’s Word” series, was also a great help.  The Queen and I: Studies in Esther by Ray Stedman shed a lot of light on the book for me.  The one however I would say do not miss when studying the book is Inconspicuous Providence: The Gospel According to Esther by Bryan R. Gregory.  This thoughtful and well-written book gives a tremendous background, and great insight throughout concerning God’s master plan.

          I greatly enjoyed preaching through the Book of Jonah during the summer of 2016.  This is the second time I have preached through the book in my ministry, but the first time I did not go into a lot of depth.  However, this time I took my time and spent 9 weeks.  Truly this book is a treasure trove that sheds a lot of light on several different truths such as God’s compassion, God’s forgiveness, God’s long-suffering nature, God’s determination to use certain people for his glory, God’s sovereignty, and God’s enormous love.  Additionally, we understand more about such negatives as rebellion against God’s will, and consequences for our actions from this book.  Also we gain a better understanding of hell and separation from God by studying chapter 2; also, Jesus’ comparison of Himself and Jonah and being in the belly of the fish/earth.  I read through 8 commentaries that were helpful in varying degrees but the two books I would recommend most for laymen are The Remarkable Journey of Jonah: A Scholarly, Conservative Study of His Amazing Record by Henry M. Morris; also Jonah: A Study in Compassion by O. Palmer Robertson.  Both bring home the teaching of the book in a straightforward, user-friendly way.  James Montgomery Boice has a couple of volumes which cover all of the Minor Prophets.  His section on Jonah was very good and extremely helpful in my study.  Also, I would give honorable mention to Billy K. Smith and Frank S. Page for their volume on Jonah in the New American Commentary Series (NAC).

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Allen Raynor Weblog: Recommended Reading From 2016 (Pt. 1) (Dec. 8, 2016)

          It has now been nearly ten years that I have been doing an annual “recommended reading” list comprised of books I have read over the previous year that I found the most helpful and most worthwhile.  I have been asked many times if every book I read makes my list.  The answer is that usually about half make the list and about half do not.  Some books are mediocre and some just do not appeal to a very wide audience.  Most of my readers are laymen, so I try to keep that in mind when recommending books.  If a book is more geared toward pastors, I try and point that out.  From the outset, my weblogs have been for the purpose of encouraging believers to think a little deeper about biblical truth and contemporary issues, and that place where the two meet.  My recommended reading list tries to maintain that same philosophy.  With that being said, here is part 1 of my recommended reading list comprised of the best books I have read in 2016.

 

          Billy Graham’s books have always been good tools to use to introduce persons to Christ both from an apologetics standpoint and also when it comes to some of the basics new believers need to know.  His name recognition and longevity in the public eye give him a lot of credibility with many people.  His book Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity, and Our Life Beyond goes through the books of the Bible, starting with Genesis and  continuing through Revelation discussing what each book has to say about Heaven, eternity, and our life beyond our earthly existence.  It is encouraging, uplifting, and a great book to put into the hands of another person; particularly a non-believer or skeptic. It is not particularly deep, but does help the reader to focus on Heaven throughout.

         Every believer needs to have, at least a basic understanding of the Protestant Reformation; most of all the key names associated with it and the main issues at hand.  The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves is a well-written, concise, and enjoyable overview of the Reformation.  The book helps the reader get inside the thinking of the major figures and grasp their positions.  2017 marks the 500^th anniversary of what is recognized as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.  We all need to understand it better.

            This year Michael Reeves became one of my favorite authors.  Do not miss his simple little book Enjoy Your Prayer Life.  It offers great encouragement where prayer is concerned and learning to better enjoy the communion we have with the Father, as Jesus also did.

          Many wonder what happened to the Apostles of our Lord after the biblical account ends.  There are many myths and legends surrounding what each may have done, how he died, where he traveled, etc.  After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles by Bryan Litfin is a great resource to help you separate fact from fiction.  The author does not try and sway the reader to his opinions on matters, but instead merely presents evidence for and against various claims.  Then, at the end of each chapter gives a “report card” and assigns a grade to the likelihood of each claim based on evidence.  I found the book to be extremely enjoyable, helpful, and enlightening.

          Often believers, and even pastors, who have a very high view of Scripture still misinterpret key passages.  There are many places where misinterpretations have grown into “urban legends.”  Author, David A. Croteau, has written a very helpful book titled Urban Legends of the New Testament: 40 Misconceptions.  Each of the 40 short chapters of the book deal with another “urban legend.”  Examples of the issues he covers include “Did Jesus really sweat drops of blood?” “Was the ‘eye of the needle’ a gate in Jerusalem?”  “Are we not supposed to judge others?”  “Should the words found in John 3:16, and following, appear in red in our Bibles?”  “Does the Bible teach that women should not wear jewelry?”  The layout of the book is very easy to follow, reader-friendly, and helpful.

          Sorrow, sadness, and depression are not pleasant topics, but they are problems real people have to deal with on a regular basis.  How do we handle these things?  I was encouraged by reading Zack Eswine’s book Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for Those Who Suffer from Depression.  The “Prince of Preachers” Charles Haddon Spurgeon suffered from several malady’s including bouts of depression.  The book is an intertwining of Spurgeon's insights into his own depression, depression in general, and Scriptural clarity on the whole issue.  I believe this book is worth your time to read.

          In years past, Christians did not talk about or worry too much about how we got our Bible.  They trusted the Word and believed it simply came from God and was to be revered, honored, and obeyed.  In an increasingly skeptical culture it has now become important that believers know more about the origins of their faith.  In particular, believers need to know about the origins of God’s Word so they can defend false claims leveled against it.  Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Timothy Paul Jones, recognizing the need to equip laymen, has put together a concise 6-part study series called How We Got the Bible.  In addition to the DVD sessions, there is a book which is very good and certainly worthwhile to read.  The book contains many charts that help the reader see in clear terms some of the realities in how the Bible came to be.  The DVD sessions and the book chapter titles are identical.  These include “What’s So Special about the Bible?” “How We Got the Old Testament,” How We Got the New Testament,” “How the Books of the New Testament Were Chosen,”  “How the New Testament Was Copied,” and “How We Got the Bible in English.”

          Earlier this year I was privileged to preach through the joyful New Testament Book of Philippians on Sunday mornings.  D. A. Carson’s book Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians was helpful and easy to follow.  Another simple, yet doctrinally sound commentary that was also helpful was Philippians by Geoffery Wilson.  John MacArthur’s volume on Philippians in his New Testament Commentary Series was also solid and useful. For pastors and anyone really wanting to study the book deeply, do not miss Peter T. O’Brien’s The Epistle to the Philippians in the NIGTC series. 

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

The Closing of Minds, and Loudening of Voices (Nov. 17, 2016)

          Not everyone is happy with the results of the 2016 Presidential election.  Every 4 years there is approximately 50 percent of the country that wishes the result had gone the other way, but some take it better than do others.  In recent days we have seen wide-spread rioting in the streets of major cities and a variety of protests taking place on college campuses around the country.  Perhaps strangest of all is that professors and administrators have actually given students time off from class, postponed exams, and grief counselors have been brought in to help students work through their trauma!  Yes this has really happened! We have seen several celebrity rants on Facebook, talk shows, and in other forums with disenchanted people acting in every manner from vulgar to childish.

          The roots of the issue we see are much deeper than sorrow over an electoral loss.  They stem from years of grooming by several compliant parties including parents, teachers, Hollywood, and the media.  At the heart of the issue is the fact there has arisen a generation that does not appreciate the concept of “free speech” like others who have come before.

          Liberals, of every stripe, have been allowed and even welcomed to speak on college campuses but conservative voices have been silenced by protests and demonstrations; consequently invitations have been revoked.  This is a generation that has not been taught to listen to all sides and evaluate the merits of various arguments.  Instead, they have largely been brain-washed, and manipulated into believing certain things because the alternative was either neglected or rejected by those dispatched with the responsibility of teaching.

          The overwhelming number of state universities have very non-diversified faculty.  Statistics have shown that 75, 85, even 95 percent of some universities’ faculty are comprised of professors identifying themselves as Democrats or liberal with only 25, 15, or perhaps 5 percent identifying as Republican or Conservative.  This ideological in-balance is also true among the mainstream media.  Persons identifying as liberal saturate news organizations while conservatives are often edged out or not hired in the first place.  Therefore, when it comes to hearing and evaluating arguments, young people often lack the tools by which to do so, because they have only been taught one viewpoint/worldview.

          Kids growing up in conservative homes may be heavily influenced by parents, grandparents, teachers, etc. toward conservative ways of thinking . They are not however, immune from liberal ideology because of their exposure to Hollywood, the main-steam news media, and universities, if and when, they attend.

          Even beyond differences in ideology, it is the particular behaviors of some in the wake of Trump’s victory that have left many scratching their heads.  It is all the crying, and whining, and acting like spoiled brats that is hard to process.  Many conservatives were devastated in 2012, 2008, 1996, and 1992 but we saw nothing of this sort of behavior.  Where are they learning that these types of displays are good, healthy, or reasonable?

          In her 2008 book The Death of the Grown Up; How America’s Arrested Development is Bringing Down Western Civilization, author Diana West explores how that childhood is being extended longer and longer.  One of the reasons is because kids are not forced to become adults like they once were.  Generations ago those in their late teens were getting married, going off to war, farming, having and raising children, and starting the pattern of adult life that would carry them for the remainder of their lives.  Now many, well into their 20s and beyond, are still acting like children, shirking responsibility, living for the moment, undecided about the future, unable to maturely assess situations, and properly rationalize and analyze.

          One of the hallmarks of maturity is being willing to take a little more than your share of the blame and a little less than your share of the credit.  Another mark is to accept that which you do not like and do so with dignity, grace, and poise.  The election protesters on college campuses are angry because they have largely been taught to be angry.  In many cases, the professors that have taught them to be angry about their government and perceived injustices are then letting them postpone their exams and applauding their walk-outs.  These professors have effectually become enablers and promoters of the tearing of the fabric of society.  All that would have ever needed to be done was to present both sides and let students make up their minds with all facts on the table, but that has strangely become rare.

          One of the central issues in this debate is, first of all “What is truth?” and secondly “What place does truth hold in your worldview?”  The truth is never afraid to be examined, scrutinized, or viewed under the brightest of lights.  Truth will always stand the test.  If one is to have the confidence of “truth” on their side, they need to understand where others are coming from and not be wooed by propaganda hand-fed by political parties or agenda driven media.  And yes, not even by tenured faculty at major universities.  Lies/falsehoods are the opposite of truth.  Lies demand tolerance.  Lies fear exposure.  Lies beg to be left alone.  Lies love to be shouted but hate being examined.  If university faculty, and their students believe that what they believe is the truth, why not let others with alternate, conservative viewpoints come in and make speeches and presentations and they pick apart their arguments.  The fact that they are largely unwilling to do this gives strong indication they are afraid.  They are, in essence, closing their minds as a form of self-defense. 

          The overall delusion we are witnessing in our country is unnerving and will not lead to a good place.  Countries in Europe have been ahead of us in seeing these things play out to their natural conclusion and it is not a pretty picture.  Just take a look at what has happened in Greece.  God gave us minds to think with and to evaluate ideas, viewpoints, and the world in general.  College should be a time that students learn diversity, tolerance, and about worldviews different than their own.  Sadly without even realizing it, they are being indoctrinated into a strange, closed world that is not easy to vacate.

          Many educators, politicians, parents, news media, etc. have let this generation down.  I am so thankful for parents, teachers, and others who taught me how to think and evaluate claims without merely indoctrinating me into a particular viewpoint.  That is education.  That is what America has always been about.  Slowly, the American mind is being closed.  It is ironic that liberalism is alive almost everywhere except when it comes to freedom of thought and speech.  If you say the wrong thing you will be punished.  This is not the America most have known, but it is the America we are sadly becoming.

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

The 2016 Presidential Race and Now What? (Nov. 11, 2016)

        The 2016 Presidential campaign, and election itself, is one for the record books.  Not much was predictable and not much followed any type of normal pattern.  Donald Trump, to the surprise of many, was elected the 45^th President of the United States defeating Hillary Clinton.  The bitterness of the campaign was unprecedented.  Many expressed their shame for the state of our country because of things being said, the immorality and dishonesty of the candidates, the underhandedness of supporters and the political parties, and their surrogates.  Well, it is all over now; so is it time to rest?  Is it time to relax?  No; it is now time for believers to get serious about prayer for our new leaders, the ones who lost, and for our country as a whole.

          There are many things we must keep in perspective.  Donald Trump may have been a better alternative than Hillary Clinton, but he is a deeply flawed individual with a sin nature that expresses itself in many different ways.  Many of the things he has said and done are deeply concerning to many Americans.  He, like all the rest of us, has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  He will be tempted and tested by foreign governments, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, his advisors, problems that are foreseen and problems that are unforeseen.  It is unimaginable that any human being would enter the Presidency without being committed to daily prayer for guidance.  We as the church of the Lord Jesus need to pray for Donald Trump and for his entire family who will be under vehement attack from now on.  Pray he nominates conservative Supreme Court Justices, works to protect the rights of the unborn, and represents conservative American values, but especially biblical values.  Pray that if he does not truly have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that he gives his whole life to Him.

          We need to pray for those who will serve in the next administration.  Pray for Cabinet leaders, advisers, and support staffs that are vitally important to the President’s success and the overall success of our country.  We need to pray for a smooth transition leading up to the next administration.

          We need to lift up Hillary Clinton in prayer.  I am sure she is devastated in her defeat.  Let us not forget she is a human being.  I say that because, so many of my fellow Americans and fellow believers have been utterly cruel to her since losing the race last Tuesday.  While she may be a political enemy to many, she is still a human being created in the image of God and in need of either developing a personal relationship with Christ or very serious revival.  She has a serial problem with lying and hunger for fulfillment through gaining of power.  Instead of hating her for those things, why not pray for her.  She has already begun to fade from the national spotlight and soon, she will resume life as a private citizen, but her needs remain.  I would ask my fellow Christians if they can really justify not praying for her?  I went through many stages of emotion where Hillary was concerned, including dislike, fear, disbelief, almost hatred, but finally sorrow.  In the weeks leading up to the election, I had made peace in my heart that she was probably going to win, however I began feeling sorrow for her as I thought about what a high premium she put on an earthly office or political position but showed almost no evidence of care or concern for the most important thing of all – a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

          We need to pray for our country.  It is deeply divided, perhaps more than at any other time since the Civil War.  Americans are totally embittered against other Americans.  The divisions have been precipitated by two deeply flawed candidates running against one another with such high negative ratings and unlikability.  More than perhaps in any other Presidential election Americans went into the voting booths and voted “against” someone rather than “for” someone.  Since Trump’s victory, there have been protests on college campuses and in the streets of major cities with marchers chanting vile things like “f**k Donald Trump” even though he won a decisive victory in the Electoral College.  Clinton, evidently won a majority of the popular vote, which is concerning in itself, when you consider her overall character and the things the WikiLeaks email releases revealed about her and her attempts to subvert the law, and yet still a majority of Americans cast their vote with her to be President.  It is astounding in a deeply disturbing way.  It strongly supports the supposition that America has lost its moral compass.  Our nation needs prayers!

          I have a very big caution for all those who voted for Trump and are now breathing a sigh of relief.  Now is not the time to relax, nor is it time to start believing that our country is going to get back on the right track.  No matter whether we have had Republican Presidents or Democratic Presidents, our country has been moving in the wrong direction for a long time.  Those we disagree with as conservatives, which is at least half the nation, are not going to suddenly fall in line, any more than conservatives fell in line when we were moving by leaps and bounds toward a socialistic state.  Christ is still going to return at His appointed hour and the end of time will come.  No matter what political party controls The White House or Congress.  Jesus told his followers that His Kingdom was not of this world.  Christians need to keep that in perspective as we move into the days ahead.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor