I must confess that I find many things perplexing in the Christian life-- why does God not always heal?, why are there so many without Christ?, and many other questions. But one question has been really troubling me lately: why do Christians lie about each other so much?

I first noticed this several years ago. I found that speakers came where I served and misquoted and mischaracterized those they did not like (in this case and at that time, it was primarily contemporary churches). So, rather than criticize or challenge (which I think is fine) they build their case up with falsehood, or as the 9th commandment puts it, they "bear false witness," or as I will put it, they lie.

John Wesley said bearing false witness is "speaking falsely in any matter" including "lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbour," or to speak "unjustly against our neighbour, to the prejudice of his reputation." Of course it's not always that men are out to ruin another's reputation, but they care nothing of ruining another's reputation in the pursuit of making their point.

This malady seems to be everywhere, but it is surprising to me how common it is among the most conservative of Christians-- those who speak often of their belief in the authority of Bible. People like me. We are quick to defend the authority of God's word, but are not always as quick to apply what it say about lying to our own words.

It struck me most forcefully when I saw one well-known polemic pastor bear false witness against some friends of mine, be confronted on it, admit he was wrong, and then not publicly address, retract, or apologize for what he said. My guess is, even if he had corrected himself publicly few would have noticed, and fewer would have thought it a big deal. The truth is that "all is fair" in some wars.

We often give one another a pass when someone bears false witness because they were being passionate for truth; or at least for a truth that they believe is being attacked. John Calvin said, "slander is often praised under the pretext of zeal and conscientiousness. Hence it happens that this vice insinuates itself even among the saints, creeping in under the name of virtue."

And, to my own shame, I think I began to notice it more when I saw the lying directed at churches like mine. It is funny how I did not care as much about all the 9th commandment issues until some of those 9th commandment issues were directed at me. That shows my own carnality. And, it left me wondering how many times I had carelessly provided a false witness before I was sensitive to it.

The benefit of experiencing some of these false allegations is it sensitized me-- and convicted me that I had not been careful in my own speech.

But it's important to note that if we are going to take the 9th commandment seriously we have to do more than not lie-- we must tell the truth, and even defend those who are being lied about. So, occasionally, I have defended the victims of false witness. In some quarters of my denomination and other conservative evangelical expressions, those lied about are often church planters and contemporary or emerging church pastors. (One of the reasons so many contemporary pastors have left my denomination is that they were tired of being misrepresented and caricatured from the platform of the denomination they supported-- something I believe is changing.)

Even people with whom we have differences need to be spoken of truthfully. Although I am not where Bill Hybels is on some issues, this past summer I wrote about the need to be truthful about Willowcreek and their Reveal study in my monthly Outreach Magazine column and here at the blog.

The same goes for people as diverse as Joel Osteen, Brian McLaren, and Jeremiah Wright. Regardless of how much we disagree and how passionate we feel, in all cases, people should be spoken of truthfully, even when we are disagreeing with them.

We cannot not let a passion for the truth make it OK to not speak truthfully. God is never honored when we defend His truth by speaking falsely.

Because God does not lie and is always trustworthy we value the truth. As followers of Jesus, who called himself "the truth," we must be a people of truth. This demands that we not bear false witness, but speak honestly and plainly of ourselves and others.

I just came across the National Congregation Study Wave II via the Christian Post and it's definitely worth noting. This study, directed by Mark Chaves, Professor of Sociology, Religion, and Divinity at Duke University, compared over 1,505 congregations in 2006-2007 with 1,234 in 1998 revealing some noteworthy changes American churches have experienced in the last 10 years. Here a few points worth thinking about.

Style
The study shows that our American churches have become less formal in worship style over the past 10 years. "More worship services include drums, jumping and shouting or dancing, raising hands in praise, calling out "amen," visual projection equipment, applause, and speaking by people other than leaders compared to 1998, the National Congregations Study shows."

These stylistic changes have not robbed or replaced the biblical components of worship. The Christian Post summarizes, "But the numbers for some features have remained about the same, including a sermon... singing, greeting time, silent prayer or meditation, reading or reciting Scripture." So worship tends to still include preaching, praying and singing while our churches adapt to a very interactive and tech-driven culture.

Tech
I've blogged on the issue of tech in the church on several occasions (here for example), and while we should always be intentional and careful when adopting new practices, as pointed out above much of what this study revealed was the embrace of tech culture-- not the abandonment of biblical components of worship.

In 1998, the number of congregations with Web sites was only 17 percent. The number has since risen to 44 percent in 2006-07. In other words, since 1998 another 10,000 congregations created Web sites and now 74 percent of service attendees are in congregations with Web sites.

Meanwhile, the number of those using email to communicate with members increased from 21 percent to 59 percent during this time period. Nearly 80 percent of attendees as of 2006-07 are in congregations that communicate with members via email.

While it's hard to imagine church life in 2009 without websites and electronic communication, 10 years ago it simply wasn't an issue.

Ethnic Diversity
Simply put, our churches are more ethnically diverse today than they were even 10 years ago. More specifically, "the diversity occurred mostly among white churches; the majority of black churches still remain predominantly racially homogeneous."

Age of Leadership
Yet while cultural diversity becomes more of a reality in our churches (a very good thing), leadership in American churches appears to be aging. With all the talk about younger leaders and church planters this is not what some would expect.

The median age of the head clergy has increased from 49 in 1998 to 53 in 2006. Furthermore, congregations across the religious spectrum have fewer younger leaders. Today, only 39 percent of congregations are led by someone 50 years old or younger, a drop from 48 percent in 1998.

Size of Congregation
Also worth noting, in the midst of all this change, is that the median congregation is the same size today as it was in 1998 (75 participants). Additionally, "the median person still attends a congregation that is the same size as it was in 1998 (400 regular participants)."

This study is broad, including all kinds of congregations. You can find more information at the Christian Post's article, or you can go directly to the study at Duke University.

I've spent some time with Mark and consider him a solid researcher and I believe the research is well done and helpful.

It's Christmas Eve. The kids are in bed-- at least for now.

I thought I would write a few things related to today: one about Christmas, one responding to today's column by Michael Medved (where I get a gentle admonishment), and one about our Christmas Eve services tonight.

First, about Christmas. Tomorrow, we will get up early with our kids, my parents and brother will come over, and we will celebrate Christmas. It is a good time to have my family together (pictured right) and I am glad we can start the morning reading from Luke and talking about the birth of the Messiah.

I love Christmas.

Second, Michael Medved pushed back a bit at some comments I made last week.

I have great respect for Medved and always enjoy his writing. He was responding to an article in USAToday last week (print edition on Thursday) where Michael Horton and I are quoted (and he reprints those quotes with his commentary).

Medved says of Horton:

The article cites the work of Michael Horton, professor of theology at Westminster Seminary in California, who suggests that "Christmas without the specter of the cross, without awareness that this is a baby born to die for mankind's sins, is a fancied up fraud." Professor Horton warns that "Santa becomes a substitute for Christ. He'll give you presents whether you were good or bad. It's hard to imagine Santa returning to judge the human race and consign anyone to hell. But that is what Jesus came to save us from."

He says of me:

For some serious Christians, however, all the tinsel-trimmed traditions have begun to obscure the true meaning of the holiday. "The focus on peace and giving gifts allows you to safely focus on nice things instead of the idea that God sent his son Jesus to be Christ, who dies on a cross," says Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research in Nashville. "It's human nature to want to take the 'nice' without the 'truth.'"

Medved closes the article as follows:

Secularist militants dislike the holiday because its religious trappings remain inescapable and it reminds them of the nation's deep Christian roots. Some faith-based enthusiasts may simultaneously resent the ecumenical, commercialized, gauzy, feel-good atmosphere associated with the festival in its American incarnation. But most citizens--including those of us who constitute the nation's small non-Christian minority - continue to value the properly revered "Christmas spirit" with its emphasis on eternal verities like kindness, community, continuity and new life that continue to characterize what the song rightly heralds as "the most wonderful time of the year."

Since Michael Medved is an observant Jew, I am assuming that his words tell us of his desire to participate in the joy of the season without, perhaps, the meaning as I see it, being a Christian.

Fair enough.

Let me say that I understand his concern, but I think he may have misunderstood what I was saying. My concern is that Christians share the message they have and not get so distracted by the celebration of the incarnation that they fail to explain the reason for the incarnation (i.e. this babe came to die). And, I should add, I would not want to force or pressure non-believers to participate in that which they do not affirm.

Just yesterday, I was sharing with my Jehovah's Witness hair stylist and I wish people would not snarl at her when she does not respond with "Merry Christmas."

Forcing non-believers to say "Merry Christmas" so they don't get boycotted is just silly.

The answer to any "war" on Christmas is not to force non-Christians to acknowledge a Messiah they do not accept. (I mentioned this on Sunday and you can find the message here.)

Thus, I do not believe that we Christians should impose Christmas on anyone. However, I am concerned when Christians do not see this season as an opportunity to tell the whole message of the gospel. For them to celebrate Christmas without telling of Christ is to miss the point of Christmas in the first place.

So, I want Mr. Medved to have a "Happy Holidays," enjoy the time off with family, and participate in the festivities that surround this time of year. However, when I can, I also want to tell the whole story as to why people should have a "Merry Christmas."

In my understanding of the gospel, "peace on earth and good will to men" comes through the work of Christ on the Cross.

No, I do not think that every Christmas party needs to end with a gospel message or a plan of salvation. Christians need to be sensitive to their contexts and respect the religious liberty and views of others. But, in my home, among my friends, and in my church, I want to share the whole redemptive plan, not just the tinsel and trappings, as good as they may be.

Medved has defended evangelicals many times and is a friend to our movement, so I am not sure he would disagree. But, a few sentences in USAToday do not often tell the full story, so I thought I would mention it here.

Happy Holidays, Mr. Medved, and thank you for your work! Enjoy the season.

Third and finally, we had two wonderful Christmas Eve Candelight services tonight. Our music people always do a great job and tonight was no exception.

My message tonight relates to my comments above. The title was "The Babe Who Came to Die" from Matthew 1:18-25. We also took the Lord's Supper so we could celebrate both the birth and death of the Messiah.

Here are my notes from Sunday:

The Babe Who Came to Die (Matthew 1:18-25)

We can lose the meaning of the story when we become overly familiar with its telling.

Let me tell you a story again that is as wondrous as it is true. The story of the manger and the cross.

The Manger and the Cross

1. The Miraculous Birth (verses 18-20)

"The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit."

Virgin Birth but more accurately it is the Virgin Conception.

Jesus was fully God and fully man. He existed as God the Son for all eternity.

Betrothal is more than engagement. It is a one-year unconsummated marriage.

The Virgin Conception has to get your attention. Something big is going on here. And, when you understand it is God the Son being born fully God and fully man, it has to get your attention. It has to cut through the presents, dinners, and parties of this time of year.

Something big happened and you have to deal with it.

If you have heard the story a thousand times, this one is worth your attention again. It is SO fantastic that is demands us to hear and respond.

2. The Saving Death (verse 21)

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."

This is pretty much an exact quote of Isaiah 7:14 "The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel." Here it is "name him Jesus." The names matter.

Why the "name"? Jesus is an English word from Yeshua. Yeshua means "Yahweh rescues" and Immanuel means "God with us."

Yahweh rescues by coming with us. And, that is evidenced in the birth of Christ.

How will he "save"? Hebrews 9:22 "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

What are "their sins"? 1 John 1:8-9 "If we say, 'We have no sin,' we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

John 1:12 "But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name."

Have a Merry Christmas!

Something is wrong with the comments on my blog. Our IT people are working on it. We are hopeful that all the lost comments will be restored. More soon...

Update: My sincere aplogies. The majority of my blog comments were being filtered out. We have found most of them and restored them.

Thanks to those of you who emailed to let me know your comment did not make it through. It appears that many of you are passionate about the SBC Cooperative Program reserach we posted yesterday and a discussion is taking place there (at least now that the comments are working).

We restored over 75 lost comments that dating back about a week. I know of more comments that were not recovered, but I do not know how many. My sincere apologies.

A blog is not a blog unless it has comments... and they should now be restored.

I've been writing a bit about the value of cooperation lately, including an entry on about denominations. I believe in cooperation and want to encourage it on many levels. As I have said before, I think we can accomplish more together than we can apart.

The Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention is a great case in point. The CP is a means of Southern Baptist churches pooling their monetary resources to continue the mission of the church including different kinds of international and North American church planting, theological education, mercy ministries and more. Whereas one church can only do so much in any one of these areas, together SBC churches accomplish great things in all of them.

Lifeway Research conducted a survey of pastors to examine Southern Baptist "churches' thoughts, feelings, and perceptions about the Cooperative Program."

Here are some of the interesting finds:

The description chosen by the most pastors (44 percent) was "mostly positive" stating, "We believe the CP perhaps could be improved in some ways, but is doing a very good job at present of supporting worldwide missions."

The second largest group of pastors (36 percent) describes the Cooperative Program as "overwhelmingly positive," stating, "we believe the CP is not only satisfactory, but is essential to the continued existence of the SBC, and the fulfillment of its mission of worldwide evangelism."

Thirteen percent of pastors have a "mixed" view agreeing that the CP "could be improved in many ways." The remaining responses were spread across "mostly negative" (2 percent) and "overwhelmingly negative" (1 percent). Three percent of pastors describe their church as "unaware" of the Cooperative Program.

When most Southern Baptists think about the CP they think: missions and church planting. Though the CP funds many different ministries, these are widely considered to be the most critical work of the Convention.

Pastors feel strongly that the most important objectives of the CP are to send and support missionaries (83 percent) and to provide resources to plant churches (74 percent) in North America and around the world.

As I explained in the story, "Since many churches equate 'missions' with the Cooperative Program, we should not be surprised that 'missionaries' are at the top of the agenda for pastors."

While most SBC pastors have a high view of the CP, most also believe there is room for improvement. 65 percent of the pastors surveyed "strongly agree it is important for SBC entities supported by the Cooperative Program to use the contributions efficiently, only half that number (34 percent) strongly agree efficiency is present today."

Again I explained, "Although the vast majority have a positive view of the Cooperative Program and a majority believe the funds are used efficiently, it is important to note that there is noticeable drop between those who 'strongly agree' that it is important the Cooperative Program "be" efficient and those who "strongly agree" it actually "is" efficient."

The CP is a strong example of cooperation that most of our pastors value. There is also a number that would like to see improvement in the efficiency of the CP and the precise way monies are allocated, "more than two-thirds of pastors strongly agree that the CP currently 'supports SBC entities, ministries, and missions that my church values.'"

I have already received many comments about the research. That is good, but I would like to ask you to share them here, publicly. I will encourage some denominational leaders to read your thoughts. So, let me here from you.

What do you think about the research, the Cooperative Program, and how we can make cooperation more effective?

On Monday, I spent the day with Chris Conrad, director of church planting for the Wesleyans. Chris is a great guy and I am enjoying spending more time mentoring denominational and network leaders. Chris and I meet once a quarter in our mentoring relationship. During one of our previous mentoring times we had a lot of excitement and I interrupted out time to shoot the CNN interview. Chris just encouraged me and prayed as we went over to the studio.

Most importantly, I consider Chris a friend. And, I have always been impressed with his encouragement and graciousness.

When I taught at Indiana Wesleyan last year, he was in my class. While I was there I flew back and forth for a day at the North American Mission Board. While on the plane, I wrote this short post and never published it. So, I thought I would now.

I learned a lot about sanctification when I was recently with the Wesleyans. We had some good-natured discussions about the topic and didn't always agree.

It was my time there that reminded me, and caused me to reflect upon a convicting reality; I am not as holy as I thought I would be by now. I am guessing that I will think that 30 years from now, but it is still convicting.

While there, I blew a tire and got to see sanctification in action - and not my own. My friend, Chris Conrad, Director of Church Planting for the Wesleyan Church, was also a student in my class. I called him for a recommendation on tire repair and instead he insisted on taking care of the problem. While I went to the NAMB State Summer Leadership Meeting. While I was gone he removed by blown tire, got a new one, reinstalled the new tire, then pushed the car out of its spot to jump the battery (note to self: don't leave the emergency flasher on). He spent ½ a day and a chunk of money and would not let me pay him.

This real-life example of the parable of the Good Samaritan had a huge impact on me by making me keenly aware that if I were in the same situation I would not have done what Chris did. Sure, I would have called AAA and even paid for the service, but not gone to all that trouble.

His example compelled me to stop and think. While my Wesleyan friends did not persuade me to their view of sanctification, all of this did leave me wondering: if sanctification is a central part of your theology, do you focus more on it? And, perhaps, I need more focus on my life. And, can a theological system downplay the importance of personal sanctification? (I think it can and does.)

The example of a godly man can have a tremendous influence. It takes truth that can be either abstract or overwhelming and present it in a way that is understandable and compelling. While I was with my Wesleyan friends we differed on some of the particulars of the doctrine of sanctification, but seeing the reality of it in another man's life was powerful. Cotton Mather said it this way,

Examples do strangely charm us into imitation. When holiness is pressed upon us we are prone to think that it is a doctrine calculated for angels and spirits whose dwelling is not with flesh. But when we read the lives of them that excelled in holiness, though they were persons of like passions with ourselves, the conviction is wonderful and powerful.

Thanks, Chris, for reminding me that I need more sanctification-- and by showing me that through Christ-like service.

Chris is obviously a good guy. He's also loves the local church and has planted two himself; the first of which is now averaging 1200. He is a gifted teacher and I told him 4 times in our conversation that he really needs to be more active in local church leadership-- and he'd be a great teaching pastor. So, call him!

But, his example reminded me that I need to think more about service and caring in the moment. And, maybe, just maybe, we all need to spend more time thinking about and focusing on personal sanctification.

Late yesterday I posted about the economy and church attendance. Many in the media are asking if this is really a trend. LifeWay Research will soon be adding more research to the conversation.

If there is a trend and churches do grow during hard times, the growth should come through evangelism. And, it appears to me that Christians today are less focused on evangelism today than they have been in times past-- with some considering evangelism to be too impolite or old school. They believe it is better to "show" and not "tell" (when it should be both).

So, this video from Penn (of Penn and Teller) is worth your time:

Penn says:

I don't respect people who don't proselytize. If you believe that there's a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, and you think, 'Well, it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward'... How much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize?

I'm speechless. (HT: Dashhouse)

Do bad economic times bring more people to church?

Gallup just released data that is has, as of today, not done so.

Despite some news reports to the contrary, a review of almost 300,000 interviews conducted by Gallup so far in 2008 shows no evidence that church attendance in America has been increasing late this year as a result of bad economic times. In September, October, November, and so far in December, about 42% of Americans reported that they attended church weekly or almost every week, exactly the same as the percentage who reported attending earlier in the year.

Their whole report, written by the ever-articulate David Newport, is here.

The New York Times says they do. Their headline "Bad Times Draw Bigger Crowds to Churches" explains their view. The Times explains:

But since September, pastors nationwide say they have seen such a burst of new interest that they find themselves contending with powerful conflicting emotions -- deep empathy and quiet excitement -- as they re-encounter an old piece of religious lore:

Bad times are good for evangelical churches.

The Times cites a study by David Beckwith.

A study last year may lend some credence to the legend. In "Praying for Recession: The Business Cycle and Protestant Religiosity in the United States," David Beckworth, an assistant professor of economics at Texas State University, looked at long-established trend lines showing the growth of evangelical congregations and the decline of mainline churches and found a more telling detail: During each recession cycle between 1968 and 2004, the rate of growth in evangelical churches jumped by 50 percent. By comparison, mainline Protestant churches continued their decline during recessions, though a bit more slowly.

I read the study a few weeks ago and thought it was well crafted.

The Times does not tell you where to find it, but let me help... it is right here.

Here is the key:

The findings of this paper suggest there is a countercyclical component to church growth for Protestant denominations, particularly for evangelical Protestants.

Or, put more simply, when the economy goes down, evangelical attendance goes up (with a smaller shift among mainline churches).

What are you thoughts? Have you observed the "crush" that The Times mentions in their full article?

Philip Nation just brought by a copy of our forthcoming resource based on our Compelled By Love book. The small group study kit is not available yet, but working at the publisher has its benefits!

Here are the very first photos:

And here is the the world (blog) premier of the video (first shown at the National Outreach Convention).

You can find more info about the book and the ideas contained in this new resource here.

George Barna just released some interesting research on the effect the Christmas season has on individual behavior and experience. More specifically, "five seasonal behaviors were evaluated... regarding the impact of the end-of-year holidays, producing some surprising results."

Listening to Carols

Even though most people complain that retails stores start playing the music too soon, listening to Christmas carols in the home is the most popular change in behavior among those surveyed.

Of the five behaviors explored in the survey, the only one which a majority of people acknowledged as a change they make during the holidays was listening to Christmas carols in their home. Six out of ten adults (59%) said they will definitely do so this holiday season.

Christmas and Church Life

I'm betting most of my readers are familiar with the CEOs in church life. No, I'm not talking about Executive Pastors, I'm talking about the "Christmas and Easter Only" attenders. The Barna study actually showed that while attendance will spike this holiday season, the majority of that growth will come from the more regular attenders coming together more often, or for special services.

The Barna study discovered that there will be an upturn in attendance again this season - but more from the more consistent attendance of regulars than absentees. In total, one out of every five adults (20%) said they will attend more religious services at a church, synagogue or other place of worship during the holiday season than they normally would. However, the promised increase in attendance will be more common among regular attenders (27% of whom said they will definitely attend more often than usual during than holidays) than among people who normally do not attend (4%). Among those who normally avoid church, an additional one-eighth (13%) said they might attend a church service or event during the season. Past Barna studies have shown that less than one-half of those individuals who are open to attending more often but uncertain about the likelihood will actually follow through on such a possibility.

This is important, and Barna spends time on this point at the end of the article saying that while many churches hope to leverage the holidays as an opportunity to connect outsiders with the church/gospel, outsider are not flocking to join the church on these special occasions.

Drinking and Depression

The holiday season has become a time known both for partying and depression. Barna's research revealed that "seven percent of the public [planned on drinking] more alcoholic beverages during the holidays, led by the under-25 crowd (12%), atheists and agnostics (11%) and liberals (11%).

And four percent of those surveyed said that they would wrestle with loneliness and/or depression during the holidays. "The group that stood out as the most likely to suffer through the holidays was downscale adults, 11% of whom said they would definitely confront depression or loneliness." Of course Christians are not immune to real and significant bouts of depression, but I was encouraged to see that "The people least likely to confront these emotions and experiences were evangelicals..." Nice. "...and atheists." Wait, what? This was interesting. Evangelicals and atheists will give up less than one-half of one percent of their respective groups to depression this season. "Otherwise, the expectation of being lonely or depressed was consistent across demographic segments."

It's worth your time, and there's more. Check it out here.

Speaking of Christmas carols and the hope of Christmas against the frailty of a broken world, check out this video from the Casting Crowns.

I guess I am relatively integrated into the online community: You can find my articles, preaching and lectures around the internet at various websites, I have my own youtube channel, of course I have a blog, and I have found the value of social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter. And for the record, I'm not even thinking about using Myspace (does anyone still do that?), tumblr (which is pretty cool), or anything else out there. At least for now.

But now that I've been at it for a while now, I can honestly say there are a number of things I really enjoy about social networking.

* It's great for re-connecting with people with whom I've lost contact.
Honestly, this is a huge plus and has made staying in touch with people much easier - especially for those of us who find ourselves busy and pressed for time.

* It allows for immediate reaction and response to ideas and issues.
Social networking has worked well at informal polling and pulling advice and ideas from my online "friends."

* It provides a way for sharing both the serious and the superficial aspects of life.
Simply put, this is both helpful and enjoyable! Most people get that social networking can be enjoyable, but I also find it inspiring to read what God is teaching others and what risks some are taking for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course, such insights are not gleaned from everyone so you have to know who to watch/read.

* It is an immediate call for prayer that crosses the globe.
Just last night I got word that Donna had been in an accident and quickly posted, "Donna's been in a car accident. She says she is fine. I am on my way there now." I am very thankful for those who prayed and wrote back.

But like all things in life there are things in life there are negatives.

Many of my friends say they want to be less connected via the Internet, not more. They say they can't spend their days responding to Twitter direct messages and Facebook messages. Sometimes that is because they say they are too busy. Sometimes it is because they say such interactions are superficial. I must admit, I understand at times. However, I am of the opinion that it is better to be connected using social media, recognizing the limitations, than to be disconnected. As a rule, I respond to all my Facebook messages as that seems people are really writing me (like they do on email). I try to respond to as many Twitter messages as I can, but responding to all gets very tedious to those who follow you since your responses go to all your Twitterfriends (and many are just comments, not really part of a conversation). I try to respond to all direct messages, though sometimes I fall behind.

I think I like Facebook better than Twitter, though I use Twitter to "feed" into Facebook. On Facebook, you can actually see the interactions below a comment. On Twitter, you cannot. It is interesting to me that people are much more likely to respond on Facebook than on the blog. I have probably had over 100 Facebook conversations this week and a much lower number on the blog (though this has been a slow blog week).

There are some disadvantages, but I like the value of being connected in this way. So, for now, I am still "in."

However, just for fun, there are some things about social networking that drive me just a wee bit crazy. For example:

* When Twitter friends ask me to promote their product on my blog or Twitter.
Stop it.

* When conferences ask me to promote their conference on my blog.
Stop it.

* When people want to argue with me through Twitter.
Here's how it goes down: "Do you really think it is right for LifeWay to not sell this or that product?" Yes, let me think, could I have the privilege of debating you about this while 2000 people watch and we put our thoughts into 140 character Tweets? Genius.

* When people do drive by questions.
For example, I tweet, "Going to be in Chicago for a week teaching at TEDS." My next tweet is, "Just landed in snowy Chicago." Then, I get two replies, "Ed, how long will you be in Chicago?" Three words people: READ THE FEED. It's not as violent as a drive-by shooting, but it's just as impolite.

* When people try to discuss blog posts via direct message on Twitter.
Look, if I wanted to have a private chat about it I would not have posted it on the blog.

* When people ask me random questions via Twitter.
"Ed, we have 300 people in our church. How many students should we have in our youth group?" My name is Ed, not "google." And, that has a lot to do with your community, by the way.

* When Facebook friends ask me my email address.
Look-- if we are friends, it is right there. This is almost like someone calling me up on my cellphone to ask what my area code is. *sigh*

* When Facebook friends invite me to an "event" they should know I cannot attend.
If it's not a real event, I don't want to "attend." If it is a real event and it's out of state-- it's irrelevant to me.

* When people invite me to join their "cause." I am not joining your crusade for or against the "new facebook," the "reason for the season," or anything else.
I do not believe you are going to change hearts and minds and overcome the evil one with what amounts to an electronic petition that no one cares about.

* When people invite me to play some kind of a Facebook game.
Look-- you may enjoy Dungeons and Dragons but I don't want to play it with you at this stage in my life. I'm not networking here to see your magic castle, become your squire, or fight your mob war. Just sayin'

Alright... enough fun.

Those are my thoughts about social networking. What are yours?

I am interested in a couple of things:

1. What are you thoughts about social networking? Do you use some of these tools? Why or why not? Give me your thoughts.

2. What suggestions would you have for me? I have been intentionally adding more video content at the suggestion of some friends, but what other suggestions would you have for the blog, Twitter, and Facebook. For example, I am thinking of creating a regular on-line (live) video conference to answers questions that people might want to ask. (Let me know if you think that would be a good idea, if you don't mind.)

To me, the question I struggle with is this: how can these tools be used to advance the Kingdom? My goal is to help pastors and church leaders. I don't think short interactions do that (and I wonder about the narcissism it may promote). So, I write longer blog posts than most do in the hopes they might provide some helpful content. I see Twitter as more relational fun with folks who are interested in what you do. I see Facebook as a community of acquaintances and friends in discussion. And, I see the blog as a place to put deeper thoughts or ideas that require more space.

So, I would love to hear from you and let's do a little social networking here.

I am open to your ideas, suggestions, requests, or criticisms.

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And, these are the responses I got from some friends when I tweeted about this post. As you can see, only Larry is really a Christian. Grin.

Here is the final video put together by the Central and Eastern Europe team. I do hope you will considering partnering with the folks there in church planting. Here is the link where you can find all the info about the ministries there.

While I was there in Europe, I also spent a couple of days in Rome. I will be talking more about this later. Darrin Patrick and I will be leading a group to Europe (Rome and Marseille) May 22 through June 1, 2009. More on that soon, but here is an interview at the Vatican talking with Chris Watts about church planting in Rome.

You can learn more at the Upstream Collective.

Back in August, I was invited to record a television program and shoot some video for the Assemblies of God. Both programs were videotaped at the Total Living Network in Aurora, IL.

Larry Griswold and Gary Blanchard from the Illinois District of the Assemblies of God interviewed me for the video. They then took the videos as part of a bigger program and showed it to over a thousand leaders in different meetings throughout the region.

To load them on YouTube, I combined them based on length so each video (after the introductory one) is between 5-10 minutes.

Kary Oberbrunner, self-described "Recovering Pharisee," is the Pastor of Discipleship and Leadership Development at Grace Church in Powell, Ohio. He is also the founder of Redeem the Day Ministries and author Called and The Journey Toward Relevance. His most recent book, The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture, aims at helping the church figure out what it means to live in the world, while not being "of it." While many in the church are talking past one another on the issue of cultural relevance Kary's book should prove to be a helpful addition to the conversation-- if people will listen.

I had the chance to read The Fine Line when I wrote an endorsement for it. It is a good read and worth your time. We asked Kary a few questions as part of his blog tour. Kary will be around to interact so please take a look and share your questions.

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to be at two churches in Raleigh Durham. One of the things I like to do is to create a photo review of the churches and tell a bit of the story (Please excuse the quality of the photos, all I had was a camera phone and clearly I had too much caffeine).

Matt Fry and J.D. Greear

I had a great time this weekend in Raleigh Durham with Matt and J.D. Saturday night I had the opportunity to speak at C3 Church where Matt serves as pastor. On Sunday morning, I spoke over at the Summit Church where J.D. is pastor. I was very impressed with both men and their churches. We had a brief time in J.D.'s study and got a pic.

Preaching was great. Their churches are amazing. And, I will write about both churches tomorrow. However, I had some special fun with J.D. and his daugher Karis in a gokart race at Frankie's Fun Park (for the record, it was a tie). And, let's just say I have a picture of Matt in a stylish (a cat-in-the-hat-like) hat when we went to the Marbles Childern's museum with his son Caleb. Great fun with a couple of great guys.

Both Matt and J.D. blog, so be sure to see visit their blogs.

Cathy Grossman and USA Today

One of the most fascinating jobs in America must be covering religion. I recently had the chance to speak at the Religion Newswriters Association and learned more about this challenging job. As a conservative evangelical, most of my evangelical friends have a negative view of the media. Sometimes that perception is earned. However, I must say that I think that many of these writers try hard to understand us-- and we are not that easy to "get."

Cathy Grossman has worked hard to report well on evangelicals (and many others). And, I am glad to see her enter the blog world with her Faith and Reason Blog. I would encourage you to drop by and take a look. You can find the full religion page here and there is a link to a forum (usually on the left) where there are lots of topics to debate!

Chicago, My Kind of Town

I am excited that I am getting connected to Chicago. Charles Campbell, who helped organize the conference I spoke at last month while at Trinity, shared with me a pretty impressive undertaking.

Matt Willis is a church planter who is using the Wiki technology to create a prayerwalking map of the Chicago neighborhoods. He and others are seeking to mobilize large numbers of people to come to the city to pray and post their observations here.

Behind the Scenes with "Al"

You can enjoy the whole Al blog series here.

Latino Settlement in the U.S.

J. B. from the International Mission Board keeps a sharp eye out for helpful new reserach. She sent this on to me today.

Latino Settlement in the New Century [pdf]

The Pew Hispanic Center offers timely commentary and research on a wide range of issues related to the Hispanic population within the United States.
Over the past few years, they have put out working papers on immigration, economic forecasts, employment, and pending legislation. This report by their senior research associate Richard Fry was released in October 2008 and it offers a detailed demographic portrait of the growing Hispanic community in the United States. Throughout its 35-pages, visitors will find detailed statistical information on the transformation of the Hispanic population over the past decade, along with material on which counties are experiencing the greatest statistical increase in the number of Hispanics. Finally, the report is greatly enhanced by its use of tables, graphs, and county-level maps of the US.

Mark Driscoll and Acts 29

Mark Driscoll and I have been emailing back and forth about a new project. More on that as soon as possible. However, in the meantime, you should consider listening to this recording where Mark talks about the values and focus of Acts 29. Crazy idea-- if you have questions, it might be good to actually listen to the vision and values. But, what do I know? Have a listen here.

You can also listen to an interview I did with Mark a while back here.

I have not had much of a chance to be at many Acts 29 events lately, but I am excited about a forthcoming meeting that Mark, John Piper, Matt Chandler, I, and several others will be doing in June 2009 in Raleigh Durham. Should be a great week. I will be teaching a class at Southeastern and doing the conference in the evening, etc.

Over the years, we have learned a few things about research in SBC life. Research tends to get people in our denomination excited. Many people quote it, most like it, and some despise it. People will quote and misquote statistics regularly to prove or disprove whatever matters to them. Simply put, we are an enthusiastic, passionate, and often imprecise people when it comes to church research.

As such, when we do research, it gets a lot of debate and discussion. We do not mind at all--and sometimes we read a comment and think, "Good point!" or "We should have thought of that." As such, we very infrequently respond to inappropriate uses or criticisms of our research.

However, I do see a pattern developing. It appears that when one of the faculty members at one of our seminaries disagrees with the results of our research, they write a rebuttal or a criticism. We actually don't mind a (good) rebuttal and questioning the wording of questions is normal and expected. However, it does seem that some of the faculty at Southwestern are making a habit of taking time away from their important tasks to critique our research. I thought it would be wise for me to take this opportunity to respond in what I hope is a gracious way.

Actually, our team debated whether to respond (and have not in the past). Since few people have read or commented on the critique, it is regrettable to bring attention to it. However, since these critiques seem to be a recurring (and public) pattern, it seems best to address it publicly.

On to the specifics...

Dr. David L. Allen of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary recently released a white paper entitled, "Calvinism: A Review" at baptisttheology.org. In his white paper, Allen reviews the book, Calvinism: A Southern Baptist Dialogue of which I contributed the chapter, "Calvinism, Evangelism, and SBC Leadership." In my chapter, I present results from two recently collected data sources, the North American Mission Board's 2007 New Minister's Study and LifeWay Research's 2006 Calvinism Study.

In his review of the book, Allen presents a critical review of the data analysis done by the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Research. He raises a number of "weaknesses" surrounding the study. Actually, such comments are fine--no study is perfect and this study representing the NAMB and LifeWay surveys is far from flawless due to several factors I will list below. There are weaknesses to this study as in every study. And, we don't mind a good debate on the issues at hand.

However, this is the best, current study on the topic of Calvinism trends in the Southern Baptist Convention. Moreover, the data analysis is sound and accurate. And, in light of the pattern of such critiques coming from the same sister entity, my colleagues and I decided to respond.

The following response to Allen's review will take each of Dr. Allen's points one by one, providing further evidence and clarity for each issue raised by Allen.

Networks have grown in prominence over the last decade. Actually, few national networks are more than a decade old. However, it is not a secret that they are growing in participation and in influence.

This has not been free of controversy. Many in denominations are concerned and some are critical at the rise of networks. They have some valid concerns: networks often have less racial and economic diversity, they tend to be often less involved in global missions, and they are often driven by one methodology.

I am regularly asked if denominations still matter. Actually, I am asked often why I work for one. And, I answer consistently for the same reason - I think we can do more together than we can alone.

However, denominations are in an important time of rethinking right now. I believe that many denominations, including mine, will look significantly different twenty years from now.

In Breaking the Missional Code, we wrote about denominations: