2012

blog

My White House meeting & live feed

Today, I invite you to join me at my meeting at the White House with the Obama administration. I’ll be meeting with advisers from the Executive Office of the President along with about 60 other Baptists around the country. You can follow the meeting below from Twitter or check out my Twitter page directly. On Twitter, we’ll use the hashtag #BaptistsatWH and you can interact there. Also, you can interact with the discussion on AlanRudnick.org by posting messages that will appear below using this link.

What’s the meeting about?

GBC

‘Good Christian Bi*ches’ unholy or wholly funny?

For months, rumors went around the internet that a Christian Desperate Housewives show was going to air on ABC. The show was to depict Christians in very unflattering and negative ways. Then, the hype died down, until last Sunday.

‘GCB’ aired premiered and was certainly full of drama… was it Christian drama? Well, you be the judge.

The show was originally named, “Good Christian Bi*ches,” proved to be offensive to some so the series was changed to “Good Christian Belles.” GCB is based on a book with the same ugly title (the B-word word one with seven letters). I’m really looking for the words to describe this show and I cannot find them. So, I’ll use someone who is keyed into Hollywood and who gives a better description:

government

Why government isn’t evil

Mitt Romney may have won the Arizona and Michigan republican primaries, but Rick Santorum is getting the attention. Every four years presidential elections get bizarre. That’s not a political assessment but a statement of moral observation. It seems this year is no different with wild promises and half truth claims of hidden agendas.

I’ll come right out and say it, I have no allegiance to any political party. I’ve voted for democrats and republicans. However, this current republican presidential rhetoric worries me (democratic rhetoric worries me too). Theologically, a Christian’s allegiance is to God first and then to country second. Rick Santorum has become quite the arm chair theologian lately with criticizing the president’s “theology phony”.

Since the days of Ronald Reagan, according to some, government is the source of our country’s problems and government shouldn’t regulate our lives. Or, government is not the answer to our country’s problems although government is apparently the answer when it comes to job growth or economic stimulation in the form of tax cuts. Others have made out the government as necessary evil or even an inherently evil.

So, which is it? Is the government a necessary evil or only good when it cuts taxes? Government is either good or evil, it can’t intrinsically be both. Continue Reading…

Youcef Nadarkhani

White House calls for release of Iranian pastor

Youcef Nadarkhani, a Christian pastor jailed in Iran on charges of apostasy, is now facing a death sentence. The White House called for his immediate release:

The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms reports that Iranian authorities’ reaffirmed a death sentence for Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani for the sole reason of his refusal to recant his Christian faith. This action is yet another shocking breach of Iran’s international obligations, its own constitution, and stated religious values. The United States stands in solidarity with Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and all those who seek to practice their religion without fear of persecution—a fundamental and universal human right. The trial and sentencing process for Pastor Nadarkhani demonstrates the Iranian government’s total disregard for religious freedom, and further demonstrates Iran’s continuing violation of the universal rights of its citizens. The United States calls upon the Iranian authorities to immediately lift the sentence, release Pastor Nadarkhani, and demonstrate a commitment to basic, universal human rights, including freedom of religion. The United States renews its calls for people of conscience and governments around the world to reach out to Iranian authorities and demand Pastor Nadarkhani’s immediate release.

MSNBC reports that he is still alive: Continue Reading…

Ash Wednesday, Lent

Ash Wednesday, Ashes To Go

Today is Ash Wednesday and millions of Christians begin their Lenten journey, but do they have time to stop for an Ash Wednesday service? Many churches only offer a morning or evening service. Busy commuters and schedules do not allow some to be able to receive ashes on this day. How do churches and ministers solve this problem?

Ashes To Go!

Like a drive through church, Ashes To Go enables busy commuters the chance to begin the season of Lent with the words, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” A powerful statement to hear as one heads into the complex and competitive business world.

Ashes To Go started in 2007 with three Chicago-area Episcopal congregations that took ashes and prayer to suburban train stations. For many commuters, Ashes To Go gave them a chance to be prayed for or to be reminded about a tradition that they abandoned long ago. The practice has spread to New York City, San Francisco, Newark, St. Louis, and more cities continue to embrace the practice every year.

Is this Ash Wednesday practice of Ashes To Go really meeting a need or is just a cop-out for Christians? Continue Reading…

Ash Wednesday, Lent

Fat Tuesday, Lent, & You

Today is Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday. For many, this is a celebration of drunken revelry. Countries around the world take to the streets, squares, and community areas to celebrate one last hoorah. Is today really about a huge celebration with no purpose, or is there something more here that involves all of us?

In reality, Fat Tuesday is the last day in the Christian calendar of the season of Epiphany, just before Lent. Traditionally, Catholic and Episcopal cultures around the world use this day before Ash Wednesday to celebrate. Historically, this is the final day that some Christian communities indulge in sweet rich food that are forfeited during Lent. Lent, the period of 40-days (not including Sundays) is the time that Christians prepare for Easter and for spiritual insight.

No matter how strong your connection to Christianity is, or your lack of connection, Fat Tuesday involves you. Why? The answer isn’t very religious, but more practical. Continue Reading…

Churches

Why the NYC church ban doesn’t make sense

As if we don’t need another church and state battle in the news, New York City churches were granted a 10 day reprieve to continue to meet in public school buildings. An ongoing legal battle for 17 years has some New York City churches at odds with the city government. The New York City Board of Education’s policy states that no permits will be granted “for the purpose of holding religious worship services, or otherwise using a school as a house of worship.” In other words, a church ban. However, NYC does allow community groups, including religious ones, to use its buildings.

The whole “separation of church and state” argument really doesn’t have merit. By allowing churches or religious groups to rent space from schools, that does not constitute an endorsement of religion. If all religions are allowed to rent space, then the freedom is not restricting nor hindering religious practices. The New York City Department of Education has defended its decision because the city needs to protect the minds of “impressionable youth”.

Of course, the fear is that children will walk into schools and see a cross, hear a sermon, or have to see other religious icons. This is based on anxiety… fear. Simple guidelines can prevent such interactions. Have churches only meet on weekends when children are not in school. The New York State Legislature recently introduced a bill that sought to allow churches to meet in schools, which some have criticized.

This whole debate doesn’t make sense. Continue Reading…

St. Valentine

The Origin of Valentine’s Day

Today on this Valentine’s Day, the average person will spend $126 on their loved one, which amounts to about $17 billion this year in the United States. An estimated 4 million Americans will propose to their mate. Like it or not, today is a big deal! As you give that Valentine to your loved one, did you know that this holiday has a religious history?

The origin of Valentine’s Day is mysterious. Valentine’s Day comes from a figure in Christian history but the exact identity of St. Valentine is difficult to prove. Tradition holds Valentine was a priest in Rome, who aided and sheltered Christians in persecution under Claudius II. In addition, he married Christian couples under the newly found faith of Christianity. Valentine was caught, and sent to Rome to renounce his faith. Valentine was be beaten with clubs and was be beheaded. He was executed on February 14, sometime around year 270.

One tradition holds that Valentine himself sent the first “Valentine” card:

grammys

LL Cool J acts as chaplain at Grammys

At a time when the music industry was mourning the loss of Whitney Houston, rapper LL Cool J acted as an impromptu chaplain to those at the Grammys and millions of viewers. As the Grammys opened, many viewers were wondering how the Grammys would incorporate the tragic loss of Houston’s death.

http://youtu.be/EccEBBR9VzQ

LL opened with these words:

“Tonight, we ask ourselves: How do we speak to this time, to this day? There is no way around this – we’ve had a death in our family. And so at least, for me… the only thing that feels right is to begin with a prayer for a woman that we loved, for a fallen sister, Whitney Houston.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us. Today our thoughts are with her mother, her daughter and all of her loved ones. And although she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit and to have her lasting legacy of music to cherish and share forever. Amen.

That said, welcome to the 54th Grammy Awards.

Rick Warren

Rick Warren’s purpose driven weight loss

Rick Warren, a mega-church pastor and author of The Purpose Driven Life, latest weight loss ministry has raised questions about the purpose of a church. Warren has lost 60 pounds under a new ministry called “The Daniel Plan“. The Daniel Plan is based on the story of Daniel only eatting vegetables. The weight loss lifestyle ministry employs healthy eating, regular exercise, stress reduction, prayer and small groups meeting in church member’s homes. Apparently, the ministry is effective. The church claims to have lost over 250,000 pounds among its 30,000 members.

What sparked this ministry? Warren explains his revelation to CNN:

On that particular day, I was baptizing 858 people… That took me literally four hours. As I’m baptizing 858 people, along around 500, I thought this … ‘We’re all fat. But I thought, I’m fat,” he said. “I’m a terrible model of this. I can’t expect our people to get in shape unless I do.

This weight loss ministry for Warren’s Saddleback Church is catching on. Dr. Oz is now partnering with the church and is providing a fitness and diet plan.

Is Rick Warren’s latest announcement a gimmick for weight loss or is there something deeper going on?

clergy

The cult of Christian celebrity

I must admit, as a pastor it is very easy to raise up followers of your ministry. That might not sound bad, but it is. Your purpose as a pastoral leader to raise up disciples of Christ. There are a lot of pastors out there that just make mini-disciples of themselves. Pastors who make people pledge their authority to a leader fail to see how hurtful it is, such is the case if you join Mark Driscoll’s Mars Hill Church.

As we have seen the rise of mega-churches, we have also seen the rise of mega-egos. Churches who center a cult of celebrity around their pastors often feature the pastor’s image alongside the church. If a church presents itself as, “Pastor Joe Smith and Christ Community Church” (not intended to be a real church) then, Houston, we have a problem.

Case in point, Bishop Eddie Long, who recently was tainted by a sex scandal, was recently crowned “King” with a kingdom as a Torah scroll was wrapped around Long. Worshipers bowed before him.

Check out the video: Continue Reading…

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