This Week’s Sermon

Hey everyone! I’m going to try something new here and see how it works. At our church we have what we call e-Quip groups, which are email discussion groups based on each week’s sermon. I usually send out an email with the sermon and some discussion questions, and people Reply All with their answers. To streamline the process, and to hopefully bring more voices into the conversation, I’m going to start posting the sermon and questions here on my blog. Feel free to share your answers to the question in the Comments section. I’d LOVE to hear what you think!

 Nov. 26, 2006

Scripture: Mark 13:1-8 -As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” ”Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

SERMON – Knowing the Future
     Would you like to know the future? We dream about it, we plan for it, we sometimes dread it. Wouldn’t life be a whole lot easier if you knew what was coming? Part of our human nature is wanting to make sense of the unknown. We don’t like what we don’t know and can’t control, so we do everything in our human power to find out what’s coming so that we can be prepared for it.

     Sometimes we try to use things beyond our human power. How else can you explain the popularity of fortune tellers and psychic hotlines? And yet, I believe we all know the limits of those kinds of powers. When Dionne Warwick’s Psychic Friends Network filed for bankruptcy, the newspaper headline said, “They should have seen it coming.” Another newspaper advertisement made this statement: “Clairvoyance Society of Greater London will not meet today due to unforeseen circumstances.”

     And here’s a question: do we really want to know what’s coming? Deep down, knowing the cruelty and capriciousness of life’s circumstances, do we really want to know the future holds? A frog went into see a fortune teller. The madame gazed into her crystal ball and said, “Mmm. Aaah. I see a beautiful young woman in your future who will take a great interest in you.” “Really?” the frog said excitedly. “Where will I meet her? A bar? The park?” “No,” said the fortune teller. “In a biology class.” Do we really want to know the future?

     The disciples decided they wanted to know, so in chapter 13 of Mark’s gospel they try to turn Jesus into Nostradamus and have him predict the future. After Jesus warns of the
Temple’s destruction, an event which many Jews believed would signal the beginning of the Final Judgment, the disciples ask, “When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

     Jesus’ answers to those questions have been fertile soil for people fascinated with the end of the world. People in every generation have predicted the end times and the second coming of the Messiah, but they all share one flaw, which was pointed about by a cartoon in the New Yorker. It shows a bearded, flowing-robed prophetic type carrying a sign down a busy sidewalk that read, “Yesterday in this space I predicted that the world would come to an end. It did not, however. I regret an inconvenience this may have caused.” Everyone who has predicted the end of the end of the world has been wrong. And while some of them have been faithful people doing their best to live out God’s word, others of them…well, let’s just say this: Some people try to simplify everything and put it all into a nutshell, but the only thing in the nutshell is a nut.

     The idea of the second coming of Jesus was a huge issue in the time that the Gospel of Mark was written, about 30-40 years after the resurrection. People were experiencing some of the very signs Jesus was talking about, and it was believed that his second coming was literally going to be any day. While the idea of Jesus’ return was a hot-button issue in the 1^st century, it’s lost some of its power by now. After all, it’s 2000 years later and we’re still here. Do we begin to doubt the accuracy of Jesus’ words? Has there been a time in history were there hasn’t been wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, earthquakes and famine? And yet, we’re still here.

     In our modern times, this idea of a second coming is dealt with in two extremes. On one extreme, it becomes the driving force behind a person’s belief, to the point that nothing else matters. These folks see every world crisis as a sign of the apocalypse, and they use this text to sow terror and to scare people into belief.

     The other extreme, one to which I honestly relate more easily, is to simply ignore this idea that the world will end when Jesus comes again. It may have been a powerful motivator in Mark’s time, but in our world of practicality and modern progress, it just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. So we do our best to live lives as we’ve been instructed by Christ, and skip over the parts of the Bible like chapter 13 of Mark.

     My guess is that more of us fall more into the second category than the first. In the more mainline denominations like ours, much more time is spent on how our lives should be lived than on how they could possibly end. So what do we do with this idea that Jesus is going to come again, that there will be an apocalypse, a Judgment Day?

     First we need to clarify what Jesus said so that we have a better understanding. Jesus warns his disciples about false prophets, people claiming to be the Messiah and claiming to have special knowledge. He says that there will be wars and rumors of wars, that nation will rise against nation, that there will be earthquakes and famines. I remember in high school a movie came out called “The Seventh Sign,” starring Demi Moore. She played a pregnant woman who has these end-of-the-world visions related to her unborn child. And there’s this mystery guy who shows up in different parts of the world, breaking open these ancient seals and unleashing things like wars and famines and earthquakes. It got me thinking about what the Second Coming would be like, probably the same effect the “Left Behind” book series has on people today.

     But Jesus’ response to all our popular prognostications of what Judgment Day will be like is simply, “That’s not what you’re looking for.” He says that all these things that people have been interpreting for centuries as roadmaps to the end of the world – wars, earthquakes, and such – are not maps at all. “Such things must happen,” Jesus says, “but the end is yet to come.” This is an important distinction Jesus is making here. This is not fortune-telling; this is teaching about living faithfully while waiting.

     You can’t blame people for being fascinated with this idea, because it is so intriguing. But on a deeper level, I wonder if people don’t actually long for some sort of judgment day, because that would prove once and for all that God does have a plan for us. The catastrophes of life sometimes seem so random and unfair that many of us yearn for some sign, any sign, that God is still in control of this mess. It’s sometimes hard to believe that when the world around us crumbles like the stones of the Temple.

     I think that’s one of the reasons so many people disregard this idea of a second coming. We’ve seen the wars and catastrophes and falling buildings, but we’re still here. Pastor Fred Craddock asks, “Could it be that people aren’t interested in the Second Coming because they’re still disappointed with the first?” Jesus came as a Savior, but there’s still disease and death and dishonesty. We haven’t experienced the end of the world on a global level, but we’ve experienced it over and over on a personal one.

     Do you remember feeling like your world was coming to an end? It doesn’t take a war to trigger that. It can be a single word. Cancer. Divorce. Downsizing.  Life is great, and then, in the blink of an eye, or over an agonizing period of time, the magnificent temple that is our life comes crashing down around us, no stone left standing on top of another. How can I go on? Nothing will ever be the same. My world is ending. What did the first coming of Jesus offer us that should make us care about the second one?

     Notice back in chapter 13 how Jesus describes the coming of the apocalypse. He names several terrifying, life-shaking signs, and says that all these things that will take place are a sign of what? Not of the end. You’d think these things would mean the end, don’t you? But Jesus says they are the sign of the birth, a new beginning.

     There’s a reason that the birth process is called labor. It takes a lot of work to give new life to something. There’s screaming and sweating and loads of medication, and that’s just for the husband. The end result of creation is beautiful, but the path there can be fraught with anguish and pain. When our daughters sit down with crayons or glitter glue or watercolors, Leigh and I throw down a few newspapers and run for cover. Creation can be messy. But the end result is always beautiful to us, a new creation.

     Whether we are waiting for the end to this earthly world, or struggling through what feels like the end of our personal world, Jesus words are the same. He says that there is something new about to be born. It’s not going to be easy; there will be pain and suffering to go through. At times it may be hard to see the end. At times you may want to give up. But be patient. Endure. Trust that God is with you. A wise person once said, “There are no hopeless situations, only those who don’t have hope.” If at times you feel like your world is ending, realize that what may be happening is that something new might be beginning.

     This message couldn’t be more appropriate at this time of year, as we get set to begin the season of Advent. The season of Advent is a season of waiting, a season of anticipation, as we prepare our hearts for the arrival of the Christ child. Some would argue that Christmas has become a mess of materialism and me-first mentalities, but as Christians, we simply cannot forget what we’re waiting for. In the midst of our struggles and tribulations, we come to Advent expectant, because we are awaiting a birth, for Christ to come again into our lives. He brings with him the greatest gift of all: he brings hope. What are you hoping for in your life, in this world? That’s why the first coming is so important that we celebrate it each year. Hope will be born again.

Discussion Questions

1 – If you had the opportunity, would you want to know the future? Why or why not?

2 – Have you ever experienced God creating something new in your life through a difficult situation?

3 – What are you hoping for this Christmas?

More Thanksgiving thoughts

I subscribed to a Christian humor mailing list called Mikey’s Funnies. I really like some of the stuff he sends around. You should definitely check it out by clicking here.

 One of the things I like is that his Funnies are usually not only funny, but can be very poignant as well. Check out today’s sharing; I can certainly respond with an “Amen!” to just about every one of them…

 This Thanksgiving I’m thankful…
That I’m not a turkey.
That grass doesn’t grow through snow, necessitating winter mowing as well as
shoveling.
That there are only twenty-four hours available each day for TV programming.
That there aren’t twice as many Congressional Representatives and half as many
doctors.
That teenagers ultimately will have children who will become teenagers.
That the space available for messages on T-shirts and bumpers is limited.
That snow covers the unraked leaves.
That hugs and kisses don’t add weight or cause cancer.
That DVDs and radios and TV sets and washers and mixers and lights can be turned
off.
That no one can turn off the moon and stars.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His loving kindness is
everlasting.” (Psalm 136:1)

Looking for the sword, missing the miracle

I heard a very interesting illustration from our regional minister this past week, who stole it…er…borrowed it from a conference he attended at Grainger Community Church in South Bend. He said two guys were watching the epic movie “Braveheart.” In one scene, William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) is readying his band of soldiers to fight the English army, and he gives this stirring speech: “Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you’ll live… at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take… OUR FREEDOM!” It is one of the most stirring moments in the film as the soldiers follow Wallace into battle.

At the end of that scene, one guy turns to the other and says, Wow! That was amazing! What did you think of that?”

The guy says, “I didn’t like it.”

“Why not?” the other guy responds incredulously.

“Because it had a discontinuity in it.”

Sure enough, the guys rewind the DVD (do you rewind DVDs?) and watch the scene over again. As Wallace is charging toward the English army, the movie cuts to him running, then back to the army, then to him running again, then back to the army. And with each cut back to Wallace, his sword disappears. In one scene he’s carrying it, in the next it’s gone, in the next it’s back, in the next it’s gone.

“See? The editor messed up. There’s no continuity.”

To which the other guy responds, “We’ve just watched on of the most moving scenes in any film ever made, and you’re worrying about a disappearing sword?”

I wonder if sometimes in life we spend so much time focusing on the problems that we miss the miracles around us. When life does what life tends to do, which is toss discontinuities into our well-laid plans, do we dwell on the problem, or do we see the bigger picture of God at work in the midst of it all?

This Thanksgiving, if the turkey is too dry, be thankful you have food on the table. If Uncle Larry gets a bit overbearing, be thankful that you are gathered with family. If Grandma Rose tells that story for the 13th time, be thankful that there are stories to hear about your relatives. This Thanksgiving, if something goes wrong, be thankful for all that goes right. Happy Thanksgiving!
 

Ready, Set, Vertigo!

I had one of the weirdest experiences of my life last Wednesday evening. I was home from work after a typical day at the office. We had just finished dinner (yummy!), and I was giving Molly a piggy-back ride upstairs so I could do her bath. When we got upstairs I carried her into our bedroom and fell on the bed with her. As soon as I did, the room started spinning violently, pinning me to the bed. It felt like I was on one of those carnival rides that spins so fast you’re pinned to the walls of the ride (called The Gravitron). I tried sitting up, but couldn’t make it, and had to wait until the spinning slowed down. When I did sit up, I was still very dizzy, had broken out in a cold sweat, and my arms and legs were very heavy and weak.

 I laid back down, and was hit again with another intense dizzy spell. This wasn’t just a “hey, the room is spinning!” kind of dizzy. This was a “hey, what’s the bright light and why are people beckoning me toward it?” kind of dizzy. I started worrying: was this my heart? Something MS-related? Did I eat contaminated spinach? When I was able, I sat up again and called Leigh upstairs. I told her what was going on and that something was wrong. She asked if I needed to go to the hospital and I said, “I don’t know.”

 While I’m sitting there trying to get my wits about me, our lovely daughter Molly decided to dump a can of white paint on our bedroom carpet. Someday we’ll laugh about all of this. Today is not that day. Tomorrow is not looking good, either.

So I’m sitting up trying to see if this feeling is going away. It’s not, so I tell Leigh to call an ambulance, because I can’t even sit up, much less stand and make it down the stairs. Leigh gets me a cold rag for my forehead, so I lie in bed with the rag on my head, listening to my poor wife try to talk with me, calm Sydney and Molly, and decide what to do about the growing white paint spot on our bedroom carpet. She’s a trooper!

 The ambulance arrives and the paramedics do their preliminary assessment of the situation. I hear them mention flu, which would make sense. But I’m still stunned at how quickly this hit me. They ask if I can sit up and I say, “I can try.” I do, and am immediately hit with another violent dizzy spell. I lay back down am so dizzy I can’t even speak. This is a shame, because what I’m trying to say is, “Can someone please get me something into which I can regurgitate my tasty dinner.” They don’t and I do, right onto the new white comforter (sorry Honey!). At this point one of the parademics says, “He should probably go to the hospital.” This man has a future in corporate consulting.

 So I get up on my feet and, with help, make it down the stairs. But as soon as I get out the door and onto the porch, the rest of my dinner decides there’s more room outside than inside and comes up. The neighbors, who have been summoned by the flashing ambulance lights like bugs to the zapper, get a front-row seat to “Upchuck: the Sequel.” As I threw up into Leigh’s plants I remember thinking, “I hope this helps her garden grow faster!”

I finally make it onto the stretcher and into the ambulance. The guys spend some time getting me situated and running an IV. I think the IV guy was new, because at one point I looked down and my arm was covered in blood. I think he may have hit a vein (which, actually, is what he was supposed to do). I felt every pothole and turn on the way to the hospital, but managed to lie still and keep the world stabilized.

 At the hospital, they get me into a room and after about an 1/2 hour, the doctor comes in, sits in a chair, and says, “You have a classic case of vertigo.” I remember thinking, “Well, if I have to get diagnosed with a Hitchcock movie, at least it wasn’t ‘Psycho.’” Leigh and the girls came in to make sure I was still alive, then headed home to get our now over-tired girls in bed. They doped me up with some Benadryl and anti-vertigo medicine. That pretty much made me loopy and extremely tired for the rest of the night. I barely remember Leigh coming back to get me and taking me home.

 I slept most of the next day, and was hit with a few more dizzy spells (but not as severe). The attack was Wednesday night; it is now Saturday night, and I’m just beginning to fully get my legs back under me. I’ve discovered that I get dizzy when I lie straight back, which I have, from this point on, decided not to do anymore. Ever. I still get a bit foggy and lightheaded (no different than usual, some would say), but am beginning to feel normal again.

I’ve heard of people having vertigo (my mom had it just a few months ago), but I never realized the severity of it. This has been a terrible experience; I wouldn’t even wish it on a Baptist. It’s been another reminder that I’m not in control, and that sometimes God has to MAKE me lie down in green pastures (not gonna say what the green represents) to get my attention.

Another 24 Hours

OK, enough posts about trivialities like sermons and God. Let’s get to the serious stuff: less than 2 months until the premiere of “24″!! I admit I am shamelessly addicted to this show; I’ve seen every episode since the first episode of the first season. I try not to let myself get too caught up in TV shows; I’ve promised myself I won’t faithfully follow more than one show at a time. Otherwise, I’d spend WAY too much time in front of the boob tube (hence our success at warding off the desire to buy a TiVo – so far!). If there’s a show that I really want to see, I wait until it comes out on DVD (and on the eighth day, God created Netflix).

 But 24 is the perfect show for me – it doesn’t require me to think too much (like another show I enjoy, “Lost“) but it’s not mindless entertainment (think “Two and A Half Men” – not even worth a link). Another thing I like about “24″ is the cliffhanger aspect. It’s not unlike the old serials that ended with the hero in peril and kept you on pins and needles until the next week’s episode. Sure it raises logistical questions (why don’t we ever see Jack Bauer go to the bathroom?), but it is fast-paced, excellently-acted entertainment (Gregory Itzin was robbed – he should have won an Emmy).

So we’re coming up on Day 6 (for those of you who haven’t watched the show, you’re only 140 hours behind – there’s still time to catch up!). And once again Jack Bauer (the man I still want to be when I grow up) is in all kinds of trouble. The trailer for the new season is now available and gives all kinds of cool teasers (Wayne Palmer is president?!?).

 Once the season starts (with a 4-hour premiere on on Jan. 14 and 15) I’ll be posting regularly with questions and speculations. I hope you 24 veterans will keep up, and that rookies will check out this great show.

Hypocritical Christian? Guilty!

I’m always dismayed when I hear about a pastor or religious figure going down in flames over some kind of scandal. The latest one involves Ted Haggard, head of the National Association of Evangelicals and pastor of a mega-church. Haggard, an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, has been accused of being in a homosexual relationship and taking drugs. He’s stepped down as head of the NEA and been fired from his church position (you can read more about it here).

 This bothers me for several reasons, but first, let me tell you what doesn’t bother me about this. While his actions concern me for his own well-being, it doesn’t bother me that Haggard was in a homosexual relationship and was a drug user. We all have our baggage. No one is perfect. Because he’s a public figure, Haggard’s dirty laundry is more visible than most people’s, but it’s no more soiled than yours or mine or anyone else’s.

 What does bother me is this: First, it bothers me that the office of ministry has once again been abused. I know I just said that the guy deserves some slack, but my feathers get ruffled when I hear of any clergy abusing their office. Why? Because, like it or not, the actions of one clergy can reflect upon all clergy. When the Catholic priest abuse scandal was in full swing, I noticed a difference in the way people reacted when I told them I was a pastor (by the way, many people around here don’t know the difference between priest, pastor, minister, deacon, or elder. They’ll ask, “What should I call you? Father?” I say, “‘Kory’ will be just fine”). It’s as if people assume all clergy are cut from the same cloth. I should have more patience for pastors who cook the church books or run off with a congregation member, but that’s one place where God and I don’t see eye to eye. As clergy, we are entrusted with an incredible amount of authority (whether we deserve it or not); to abuse that authority is, to me, one of the most egregious of offenses.

Second, it bothers me that Haggard put on a public persona of being vehemently against one of the very things he himself struggled with. Why so strongly oppose gay marriage when homosexuality is a part of your own life? Is it an attempt to compensate publicly for what goes on privately? Maybe so, but it still bothers me. It would have been better for Haggard to pick other battles and privately work on his own issues.

What Haggard’s actions do is strengthen the argument that Christians are hypocritical. “Look at that guy! Protesting against gay marriage on Sunday and engaging in homosexual activity on Monday!” I’ve heard the “all Christians are hypocrites” argument many times as a reason why people are turned off by the church and religion.

You know what? They’re right. Every Christian is a hypocrite, and I’m at the top of the list. Why? Because every Christian professes faith in Christ and a commitment to a lifestyle which we can never achieve. The Bible calls us to “be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect,” but the fact of the matter is that none of us can never reach that goal. As Paul says in Romans, “ALL have fallen short of God’s glory.” All. You. Me. Everyone.

That’s why forgiveness is so important to our understanding of the faith. There’s a bumper sticker that says, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” I take offense at that a bit, because aren’t we a lot more than JUST forgiven? How about filled with joy? Sanctified? Blessed? But the point is well taken. We ARE forgiven. That’s how we can show our sorry faces at church each Sunday: we know that our Father welcomes us with open arms, regardless of how far we’ve run away the past week.

Here’s what I wish: I wish more non-Christians understood that Christians are not capable of being perfect and never sinning; I wish more Christians tried harder to be Christ-like (even if we can’t do it) and stopped refusing to take accountability for their actions (the Devil made me do it, and God will forgive me, no matter what); and I wish more pastors would model the honest struggle to live faithfully, while also calling themselves to a higher standard. I don’t know. Maybe I’m asking too much.

Christianity’s Dirty Words – your input needed!

I’ve had this sermon series in mind for awhile, and I think I’ve let it marinate enough in my mind that I’m ready to move forward with it soon. But I need some input. The idea behind the series is there are a lot of biblical words that have been co-opted by our larger society and redefined in such a way that gives them a negative spin.

 For example, the word “sin.” I had a parishioner tell me that she mentally turns me off whenever she hears that word in a sermon because its negative meaning was pounded into her while she was growing up. And I was told once by a pastor that I shouldn’t use that word in my sermons because it makes people cringe. She said I should use “brokenness,” to which I replied, “But Paul didn’t say, ‘The wages of brokenness are death’.” The word “sin” has been taken from its biblical context and so negatively redefined that people are afraid to use it. Therefore, the word loses its power both to help us understand our own condition and how we can be saved from it.

  The title of the series would be “Christianity’s Dirty Words.” Where I need help is determining which words or phrases to preach about. So far, I’ve come up with these: sin, salvation/being saved, obedience/submission, sacrifice, suffering, evangelism, community, stewardship, confession, death/eternal life/Heaven, doubt, healing, justice/mercy, miracle, peace, revelation, worship.

 I could also include some words that have positive meanings in our culture, but still have lost the potency of their biblical meaning:  Hope, grace, love, joy, service.

 Here’s my questions for you: what words am I missing? If you had to pick four to six words you’d like to hear sermons about, which ones would they be? Which ones most intrigue you? Who knows, if this goes well it may become my first book!

Celebrating Youth Sunday

We had our annual Youth Sunday worship this past Sunday, and once again it was a testimony to the wonderful youth we have in this church. As a pastor, there’s always a part of me that hesitates when we turn the worship over to the youth, mainly because you simply never know what to expect from them (watch this baptism video for proof and a good laugh.)

But this past Sunday reminded me once again that youth are not just the church’s future, they are the church’s present, as well. I’m so proud of each one of them for their participation. The two youth who shared their stories, Alex and Laura, showed wisdom and maturity beyond their years as they talked from the heart about how the church has helped them grow in their relationship with God. It’s amazing for me to have watched these two grow up over the past five years. They have turned into such wonderful people!

The music was also outstanding. Katie blew me away with her song (that she wrote!), and Rachel and Hannah were simply awesome on “Amazing Grace.” And Tommy did a great job on a very difficult song during communion. Each youth who participated truly made it a time of worship for me (and I have to admit, I really enjoyed sitting with my family duirng worship!). We have a lot to be thankful for at this church, not the least of which is our outstanding young people.

Followers of Christ – fans or fanatics?

I just finished reading a very interesting book by John Krakauer. Krakauer wrote one of my favorite books, “Into Thin Air,” a true story about a group of climbers who got caught in a storm at the top of Mt. Everest. The book is a gripping narrative and sparked in me a strong curiosity about Mt. Everest (although I would never want to try and climb it myself!). Krakauer has a way of highlighting the dramatic elements in a story that makes it feel like well-crafted fiction.

This last book is called, “Under the Banner of Heaven.” It starts with the account of a double-homicide carried out by religious fanatics, and launches from there into an examination of Mormonism and some of its fundamentalist spinoffs. While the book focuses a lot on the history of Mormonism (I never knew it was so violent!), it also looks at home splinter groups have broken off from the main church, often over the issue of polygamy. I didn’t find the book to be anti-Mormon at all, but it certainly is biased (and understandably so) against the fundamentalist sects that have broken off from the Mormon church.

I found the book to be a fascinating read that raised a lot of spiritual questions for me. At one point, when Krakauer is discussing the men on trial for the murders, he makes the point that he believes at least one of the men committed the crimes because he truly believed it was the will of God. There was an argument about whether or not the defendant should use the insanity defense. If he did so, and was found guilty, would it imply that anyone who claimed to be following the will of God could be considered insane?

Another question the book raised for me had to do with God’s revelations. The Mormon faith is founded on the work of Joseph Smith, who claimed to receive direct revelations from God (including one about “spiritual marriage” or polygamy). His revelations were so influential that they have spawned a worldwide religion. While I don’t doubt the authenticity of Smiths’ revelations, unfortunately, I’ve never had God speak directly to me in such a blunt way, so it’s hard for me to understand how this process works.

How do we measure whether a direct revelation is authentic or not? We could measure it against the standard of the Bible, but as you know you can use the Bible to prove or disprove almost anything (including polygamy). Do we then measure it against what makes sense? Or against our own innate understanding of right and wrong? As Krakauer’s book so vividly points out, just because someone says God told them something doesn’t mean it was actually God speaking.

Welcome to Kory’s Blog!

Hi everyone! I figured it was about time I joined the online community and started my own blog. My hope is this blog can be used by friends, family, and congregation members to spark lively discussions about a whole range of issues, from theology to church life to books and TV shows. I may even offer up some comments on my beloved Reds and Bengals at some point! I look forward to reading and responding to your comments. Thanks for joining me!