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Safeharbor Staff Blog

Select Author...All Authors (41)Salmon, Micah (16)White, Dan (21)Office, Safeharbor (4)

Holy Sex

The title of this article may seem a little ironic to those of you not familiar with what the Bible has to say about the topic of sexual relationships. But the truth is that the Bible says quite a bit about sexual practices that honor a holy God and those that don’t. From the book of Genesis (Gen 2:24; 4:1, 25) to the pages of Revelation (Rev 2:20; 17:1ff), and at so many points in-between, the Bible talks about sex. Sometimes the presentation is discrete, using euphemisms for genitalia (feet) or intercourse (to know) to describe sexual acts in biblical history. But when it comes to the details of a sexual relationship that honors God, the biblical writers are fairly clear.

CAUTION: FOR SPIRITUALLY MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.

I mention all this because sex has been in the headlines recently. Just this week MSNBC cited an article that rated Orlando, FL as the most “porn-crazy” city in the U.S. The erotic fiction trilogy, Fifty Shades… , currently takes up the first three spots on the New York Times Best Sellers List for fiction, and made an appearance in some fairly graphic skits on Saturday Night Live this past Saturday. And, of course, every major news outlet in America has quoted Joel Hunter, Lead Pastor of Northland Church and spiritual advisor to President Obama, who made headlines when he, in a personal phone conversation with the president, respectfully disagreed with his statements about gay marriage (click here to read Hunter’s personal response).

Demographers tell us that Generations Y & Z have been raised in a highly sexualized culture. While Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers pushed sexual boundaries, later generations have been bombarded with sexual imagery in ads, music, internet content, television programming, etc. They experience sexual pressure from their peers at an extremely young age. These generations also value authenticity and resist modesty to a fault, so it’s no wonder that they are explicit and unrestrained in their discussions about sex.

The world around us has a message about sex. As a church it would be a mistake for us not to speak candidly about the Bible’s message on this topic. I won't even begin to list all of the biblical references to sex in this  meditation. But here are a few things to note concerning the topic:

1)      Everything about our bodies is a potential expression of worship. Romans 12:1 gives the clearest expression of this truth, when it says “…in view of God's mercy,...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship.” This passage tells us that the way we offer worship to a God who is spirit (John 4:24), is to express a desire for holiness through physical acts that are pleasing to God. 1 Corinthians 6:13-20 goes so far as to say that “sexual immorality” is an improper use of the body, because our bodies are meant to bring honor and glory to God.  Sex that genuinely honors God is an act of worship. 

2)      Sex is not sin; unrestrained lust is. The idea of sexual immorality indicates that there is such a thing as a moral sexual act. From the beginning of human history, God blesses sex between a man and wife (Gen 2:24). The Apostle Paul goes into detail about the benefits of marriage, and insists that a husband and wife ought not to deprive one another of sexual fulfillment (1Cor 7:1-9). The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers to see what takes place in the bed of a married couple as pure (Heb 13:4). However, Jesus makes it clear that sexual lust for someone that is not your spouse is on par with adultery (Mat 5:28). He raises the bar even above the list of sexual sins in Leviticus 20, which describes boundaries for sexual relationships that honor God.  A lack of sexual restraint violates God’s holy nature and degrades those affected by such sins. Throughout the New Testament, biblical writers make it clear that sexual immorality, impurity, and lust are, without question, sin (1Pet 4:3; 1Thes 4:4-5; Rom 1:27). Sex was obviously intended by God to be pleasurable, but the unrestrained pursuit of that pleasure over and above a concern to honor God is sin.

3)      Sin is natural, but God gives grace. The most common argument against a biblical perspective on sex is that it precludes the natural tendencies that many people have to engage in sexual acts outside of marriage between a man and a woman. But the Bible doesn’t ignore the fact that people naturally operate outside of what God prescribes for a life that honors him. In fact, when it comes to sex, the Bible is filled with examples of people who operated outside of his will for holy sexual relationships. In some cases, the sin was punished; in others, it was not. The message of the New Testament is grace—grace to forgive sin, and grace to help us overcome our natural tendencies toward it. Romans 8:1-14 testifies that God desires to help those who belong to Jesus overcome their natural tendencies toward sin with the help of the Holy Spirit. This process, in my experience, doesn’t typically take place over night; but for those who desire to be led by the Holy Spirit, unrestrained grace is available.

So how do we respond to the highly sexualized culture in which we live? We must respond with a love for a God that is holy message of compassionate grace. As followers of Jesus we ought to reflect the humble compassion that he has for a world that is lost without him (Mat 9:36). He lived among us; he calls us brothers, because he identified with us. And as people redeemed by the grace of God, let compassionate grace be the message that we proclaim. Resolve not to condemn those who have been left empty and jaded after a pursuit of pleasure runs its course. Let’s resolve, as a church, to be ambassadors for the God who stoops to our level to reconcile the gap between his holiness and our fallness and make us new (2Cor 5:16-21).

 A Grace-Loving Disciple,
Pastor Dan

Hockey For the Sake of the Gospel?

I've recently begun playing roller hockey again. It's a sport I picked up when I moved to Nebraska in 2004. The previous youth pastor had organized a weekly game in the church gym, and I inherited it. Initially, I was reluctant to keep it going, as my only real prior knowledge about the game was based on ESPN highlight clips (mostly of violent checks or fights) and a couple failed attempts to try inline skating, plus there were only a few kids that played, but they begged to keep playing, so I obliged.

At first I just watched. Then I bought skates and a stick, and practiced by myself, trying to learn to stay upright and handle the puck. Eventually, I joined the games, and, although it was a rough start, it was a lot of fun. As time went on, I got better and better, learning how to pass, shoot and even goaltend. It was fun and I felt like I was accomplishing something.

Better, though, the weekly hockey games grew in popularity in the community. At first, attendance would be hit-and-miss, and sometimes we were unable to play full games. But, as time passed, the games got more interesting, kids invited friends and word spread. We'd pray before every game, have fun, fast, high-energy games (without checking or fighting), and we'd emphasize sportsmanship. The church purchased extra skates, sticks, pads and supplies so that kids could play even if they didn't have their own equipment. We started seeing kids walking through the door of the church who would otherwise never step foot inside. Some kids drove 30 - 45 minutes to play. We had opportunities to get to know kids, interact with them, help them through tough times and show them the love of Jesus. Shortly before I left in 2007, we had a tournament where we handed out trophies and awards, and many kids who would otherwise never have received any kind of significant recognition, did. The youth pastor who had started the program had moved back by that time, and he said he'd never seen hockey draw so many people in and have such an impact. It was amazing and humbling.

Since moving here in 2007, I've not played hockey, even though I missed it greatly, because I didn't know anyone who played. A couple months ago, I happened upon a few people playing at the outdoor rink in Lake Mary, and they invited me to play. I began to attend weekly pick-up games, and have gotten to know a few of the guys. I've recently joined a league, too. It's been a lot of fun, but also challenging. I'm one of the older guys playing (most of the guys are in their 20s; I'll be 39 next month), and my body is definitely feeling it, with bruises, bumps and aches that don't quickly go away.

But, it's worth it, not just for the enjoyment of the game, but more so for the chances I have to live my life for Christ in the real world. I've realized that I very much live in a "Christian bubble" where most of the people I interact with love Jesus and desire to follow him. While Christian community is certainly needed, I've also been called to get uncomfortable, to break out of that bubble and reach out to those who don't know Jesus. Hockey players are a different bunch, and many of the guys I play with use incredibly crass language, live carelessly selfish lifestyles and have serious misconceptions about God and faith. They need Jesus, and I'm in a unique position to introduce him to them.

I don't write any of this to pat myself on the back or set myself up as some stellar evangelistic example; in fact, this is more a confession of my failures than anything else. It's been difficult to be faithful, especially in the "heat of the battle." I've lost my temper, said things I shouldn't have and am even dealing with physical injury. But, if I'm able to reach these guys and help them know Jesus, my failures and pains will all be worth it.

The Apostle Paul is my example, as Jesus was his. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 has been challenging: "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake for the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

If you're not already, would you consider looking for opportunities to "become all things to all men" in your life? Perhaps that would be picking up a sport or hobby that you enjoy, with an eye toward reaching out to others who like that activity, too. It might look like taking a few steps outside of your castle to invite your neighbors over to dinner. Perhaps it's crossing a racial or economic line, like Pastor Dan talked about this past Sunday. Whatever it may be, let's commit to praying for each other, asking for God's help to be bold, loving, compassionate and truthful, as we extend Jesus to the world around us.

Shalom,

Micah

Go and Die or Come and Die

At Safeharbor, we have a Discipleship Strategy with three "steps:" Encounter Jesus, Pursue Jesus and Extend Jesus. We've realized the need to both be and make disciples, and have implemented this process, based on biblical principles, in an effort to accomplish genuine discipleship.

Certainly, there is lingering significant misunderstanding about biblical discipleship in churches around the world. Perhaps this may be traced back to the way salvation has been described. The gospel has often been sold as a simple process: "pray a prayer, accept Jesus into your heart, invite Jesus into your life." If you've been around Christian circles for any length of time, you're familiar with these phrases.

It is concerning, though, that these concepts never appear in the New Testament, and do not accurately reflect the true nature of biblical salvation. They may be based on misconceptions of various passages of Scripture (i.e. Revelation 3:20; "Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."), or a modern evangelistic desire to simplify things for those who don't know Jesus. The problem is that "praying a prayer" or "asking Jesus in" may misguide many into potential disillusionment when they realize there's much more to discipleship than they bargained for.

John 3:16 is a familiar verse, and one we often use to summarize the gospel: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life." Many of us love this verse, and rightly so; it reminds us of God's love, his sacrifice, and our future. It's probably the most quoted verse in the Bible. When sharing our faith, or considering our own salvation, we often reference this "gospel in a nutshell." It helps us connect deeply with God's love.

However, despite it's goodness, one verse simply cannot summarize the entire truth of the gospel. That is why there is more to the Bible than John 3:16. Similarly, simple phrases like "ask Jesus into your heart" do not convey the biblical model of faith and the gravity of discipleship. In our efforts to simplify, to ease our angst about evangelism, and to make Jesus more attractive to an ever-increasingly skeptical world, we've watered down the truth to phrases and steps that are too simplistic.

The reality is that faith is costly; it cost God his Son. It cost Jesus his godly privileges and his life. Biblical heroes, such as the Apostle Paul, gave up all they once considered worthwhile. And, it's supposed to cost us everything. Perhaps the most significant truth of John 3:16 lies in one word: "gave." This word communicates sacrifice and struggle, nothing token; it is God's love taking drastic action against his own totally appropriate wrath against us and deserved judgment for our sinfulness. And, when Jesus said that belief is the step we must take, he wasn't talking about verbal or even intellectual assent; it was about a radically altered lifestyle of submission to the Father, that Jesus himself exemplified (Philippians 2).

Discipleship does not occur just because we pray a prayer or invite Jesus into our lives, because discipleship isn't about a moment in time, nor is it so quaint or superstitious. More importantly, discipleship isn't about us; it's about Jesus. Jesus invites us into HIS life and expects our lives to be about him and his kingdom (Matthew 6:33). He invites us to follow him (Mark 1:17). He asks us to abandon our lives (Luke 9:24), possessions (Luke 14:33), even friends and family (Luke 14:26) and share in his sufferings (John 15:20). He asks us to count the cost (Luke 14:28-30). He says we should take up our crosses (i.e. instruments of torture that will probably kill us) and follow him (Matthew 16:24). It is when we humbly acknowledge these truths and give him alone our singular trust that discipleship happens (Mark 1:15, Romans 10:9). When we are unclear on these truths, and/or don't share them with others, we do everyone involved a disservice, especially God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor, who gave his life for the Lord at the hands of a Nazi firing squad, said, "When Jesus calls a man, he bids him come and die." His point is this: to understand Christ's salvation is to give all we have to attain it (Philippians 3:7-11). It is to understand that God is not lopsided. He is both hating and loving, wrathful and compassionate, just and merciful. It is this balanced clarity that helps us know the utter power of God's salvific effort, and which drives us to become "living sacrifices" (Romans 12). To believe and communicate anything less is damning.

May we be disciples who create disciples, to the glory of God.

Micah

Brothers (and Sisters) of a Different Hue

Recently, I’ve had the good pleasure of getting to know some of my fellow pastors from the many different churches in Sanford.  I had already begun to tap into a few different opportunities to meet and pray with these people who have now become my dear friends, but recent events have sped up the process. 

I’m going to type four words that will likely cause intense emotional reactions from those of you reading this short meditation.  A careful pastor might be inclined to avoid any possible association with these words.  A pastor who loves Jesus and his church cannot avoid the issues that have arisen in our community as a result of these words—or names, rather. 

Back Where We Began

This weekend, we mark the beginning of Holy Week (or Passion Week) with Palm Sunday, the commemoration of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on the first day of the Passover week. As you probably know, the crowd of pilgrims in town for the Passover who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem that day waved branches (only John 12:13 specifically mentions palm branches; go figure) and placed them on the ground in front of Jesus' donkey colt, along with their cloaks, as a symbol of worship and a declaration of victory. They shouted and sang "Hosanna!" and proclaimed prophetic references from Psalms (118:25-26). Essentially, they declared that Jesus was the coming Messiah they had been waiting for, and they vowed their allegiance to him.

Something, though, changed. Within the course of five days, the crowd reversed their opinion of Jesus and called for his crucifixion. Theologians explain various reasons for the change of heart, such as disappointment in Jesus' words and actions, and the Jewish religious leaders' smear campaign against Jesus, but, regardless of these, one thing stands out as abundantly clear: the crowd was easily swayed.

We don't have to look far to verify similar phenomena in our culture. The recent events involving the tragic death of Trayvon Martin have shown us how quickly a crowd can be stirred. We see it on other levels, too, as we bounce from one pop cultural phenomenon to the next. On an even more micro level, we only have to look into our hearts to know how easily influenced and fickle our loyalties can be. The crux of the issue? The heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 says "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." In Matthew 15:19, Jesus says, "out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander." Paul says the human heart vacillates from accusation to defense (Romans 2:15). Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

If we're honest with ourselves and each other, we have to admit that we find these biblical statements to be true in our lives. I'll certainly admit it. I can go from worshiping my Creator at church on Sunday morning, to cursing the driver in front of me who cut me off on my way to my Sunday lunch at Chipotle. While this isn't a "True Confessions" column, I share my sin with you as an example that many of us can identify with from our daily lives, but it can look like many things: yelling at your kids shortly after finishing Bible study; telling the homeless beggar to get a job, later smugly putting your offering in the plate; declaring allegiance to Jesus in bold, unmistakable terms, while in the process of trying to sleep with everyone on the football team; firing an employee for stealing pens, but justifying fudging the numbers on your tax return as a "legal loophole." James says this should not be (3:10-13).

These examples, and the ones you've no doubt thought of, while we should feel badly about them, should not drive us to despair. We do not have to be at the mercy of the whims of our hearts, yet we often try to overcome our sinful patterns alone, which can often drive us deeper into those patterns, as well as new patterns of sin, including perhaps the most grievous, the sin of telling God "we can handle it," though we cannot.

The words of "Where I Began" by Caedmon's Call ring true. One lyric that stands out is "I've done the work of Sisyphus / Thinking that I could get over this hill / But the one thing I can't get over now / Is the force of your will." The singer declares he's exhausted himself handling things alone, even, like Jonah, intentionally disobeying God, but it has been only an exercise in futility. He admits he can no longer resist God's will, as he finds himself back where he began (i.e. a child of God, in His care). He humbles himself before God, confesses his sin and admits his need for God's help, recognizing it is truly only God alone who can help him. This is essentially a lyrical summary of Proverbs 3:34: "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

As we worship our Creator this Sunday to mark the beginning of Passion Week, celebrating the Messiah and declaring allegiance to our Savior, may we be ever aware that we are but a moment away from a change of heart when we allow influences other than God to control us. Though 2000 years separate us, we are not much different sometimes than the crowd which worshiped then condemned Jesus. The one constant in both situations is Jesus himself, who still went to his death on the cross out of obedience to the Father who loved them, and loves us. Romans 5:8 sums this up well: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." May we find "the force of God's will" irresistible, as we recognize his love and leadership in our lives, continually turning over, moment by moment, our claim to ourselves and trusting him to guide us out of sin and into righteousness. May we abandon our futile efforts at saving ourselves, trying to prove to God that we can handle it, or justifying our duality and simply cling to our God in utter humility.

You Are What You Eat (and Other Spiritual Lessons)

As most of you know, I’ve been watching what I eat pretty strictly for almost 6 weeks now.  And it’s working; as of today I’ve lost about 30lbs.  Our physical and spiritual states are definitely connected.  The practice of fasting can bring spiritual clarity, and feasting is associated with spiritual joy. And while this diet has certainly had a positive effect on my spiritual growth, I’m not going to make any strong claims about the importance of the relationship between our spiritual and physical health in this meditation.  I’m keeping it light today (pun intended).  So here are a few axioms of physical health that might also apply to our spiritual life.

1. You are what you eat.  I’ve discovered that when you eat good* you feel good; when you eat bad* you feel bad.  Of course, I didn’t realize that I felt bad, ‘till I switched things up a bit. 
   Philippians 4:8-9 reminds us of the spiritual principle of filling and feeling,
“Finally,brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
2. The lag effect.  I’ve tried diets before.  I didn’t even call them diets; I called them lifestyle changes.  Of course, the lifestyle change only lasted for a few days, and I still allowed myself certain “cheats.” It became frustrating to work so hard for minimal results, so I gradually gave up.  This go ‘round, I’ve realized that it takes commitment and time to see the effects of eating well.  Sometimes the results are immediate, but often I go days without a noticeable effect.  On those occasions, the payoff comes a few days later.
I’ve noticed that the spiritual lag effect can be much more dramatic.  Sometimes the results of faithful action can be seen immediately.  Sometimes it takes years to see the effects.  And in some instances, our only hope is that it will all make sense “by and by.”  Galatians 6:9 encourages us with these words,
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
3. The importance of partners. I don’t think I need to explain this one.  Exercise programs, diets, and spiritual journeys are more successful with partners.  With that in mind, Hebrews 10:25 challenges us with these words,
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
4. Self-control is possible.  One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control.  God desires to help us become who he desires for us to be.  When we submit to the leading and influence of the Holy Spirit we can have physical and spiritual self-control.  Galatians 5:22-25 states this truth clearly.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (also see Romans 8:5-14; 1Corinthians 10:13)
5. Setbacks. I’ve had a few setbacks these past few weeks.  Some of you are relentless in your efforts to feed me brownies : )  We’re going to have set backs on our spiritual journey. The temptation is to let the guilt overwhelm us, so that we convince ourselves that we are unworthy and unable to be God’s children.  The Bible acknowledges that we are sinful, but reminds us to confess our sins and move forward.
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." -1 John 2:1

BRAVE DISCIPLES

       Recently, I reread a book titled The Myth of Certainty: The Reflective Christian and the Risk of Commitment.  Contrary to what it's provocative title might indicate, the author doesn't leave his readers in a sea of confustion about truth, certainty, and morality.  But the book does outline a journey that thoughtful Christians must make, when they live in a society that rejects the notion of Truth (the capital "T" is meant to represent somehting like the possibility of absolute truth).  This is a journey that I've made personally. 
      You don't have to make the journey.  You don't have to wrestle with the reality that all truth claims are subject to skepticism from the majority of peopel around you.  You don't have to ask yourself whether or not their skepticism is warranted.  You can simply choose to be resolutely focused on the truths you've come to uphold.  In fact, in a lot of ways, I'm a practical guy; I don't care how you come to be committed to the truth of who Jesus is and what he's done for us, I just want you to get there (Luke 9:23-29).  I want you to get there because I've come to see--intellectually, spiritual, emotionally--that it's undeniabley true.  So if you're already a committed follower of Jesus, and you never need to question faith, great!  If that means that you're shaken by questions about Jesus that seem to elude answers, I have a good book for you to read (see above :0).  If that means that you are resolute in your commitment to Jesus, dispite the questions you are willing to entertain, I can identify. 
     There is a sense in which committed followers of Jesus who rarely question their convictions have much to offer.  They typically know quite a bit about Scripture, they have strong convictions about morality, and they have a sense of urgency when it comes making disciples.  Of course, there's a danger too.  Christians who resist the urge to question their convictions tend to be hesitant to examine their beliefs against the backdrop of God's Word.  If we're hesitant to question a conviction, we either believe that we already know most of what God wants us to know, or we're afraid to discover that we might be wrong. 
      There's equal danger in being wishy-washy.  The writers of the New Testament are clear in their instructions about good, clear teaching in the church (Eph 4:11-15, 2Tim 2:2, & 2Peter 2:1ff to list a few).  Those who question everything tend to resist commitment, even to the clear commands of scripture.  That's where the "risk of commitment" comes in.  Our culture is one that celebrates the avoidance of commitment--commitment to marriage, commitment to family, commitment to country, commitment to the work place, even commitment to faith. It's risky to make a commitment--you might make the wrong decision.  But I've found that taking the risk of commitment is totally worth it.  In fact, in some ways, it's hard to see the truth or falsehood of somehting untill you've made a commitment to it.  Recall the truth that Jesus's disciples discovered after they made a commitment to follow him, or the lie that the centurion uncovered while persecuting Jesus, who he believed to be just another man (Mark 15:39). 
      So, convictions are good, but they must be constantly checked against God's Word.  And questions are good, but Jesus desires commitment.  Maybe it's with this in mind that the Apostle Paul instructs us to "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1Thess 5:21).   In other words, we must constantly examine the claims that are put before us.  If they measure up to God's Word, whether it challenges our previously held convictions or not, we must adjust our perspective accordingly. 
At Safeharbor, over the past few weeks we've been examining the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  Last week, I issued an important challenge.  Before we proceed to examine the issues that typically lead to entrenchment or ambivilance regarding the Holy Spirit's work, we need to align our heart with what God desires for us and from us.  "Pure hearts desire what God desires."  My hope over these next two weeks is that we would be brave disciples who examine our convictions against what scripture has to say and make a commitment to live out what we discover there--whether it challenges our previously held convictions or not.  My hope is that, if you haven't done so already, you would sincerely pray somehting along these lines:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalm 139:23-24

A Disciple Trying to be Brave,
Pastor Dan

No Religion Too

I wouldn’t say that I’m a huge Beatles fan, but I do enjoy their music and their whimsical approach to songwriting. Both John and Paul of the famous Lennon-McCartney songwriting duo, went on after the breakup to write some hits of their own. In the most well-known song of his solo career, Imagine, John Lennon painted a vision of a utopian society in which there were “no countries,” “no possessions,” “no heaven,” “no hell,” “no need for greed or hunger,” and “no religion too.” Later, Lennon said of this song that it is “anti-capitalistic,” “anti-conventional,” and “anti-religious,” but that people accept it because its “sugar-coated.” The anti-religious theme turns out to be a dominant one in his conception of the ideal society.

As Christians, we should have obvious disagreements with the vision that Lennon paints. But, we don’t have to imagine, what a society with “no religion” looks like. We can see it today—or at least the aftereffects of it. And, I’ve been there.
The former Soviet Union is the best example I can think of, which illustrates a society trying to live out the vision of “no-countries,” “no possessions,” and “no religion too” (countries like Cuba and North Korea also qualify). It is a failed experiment in Marxist Communism. According to the philosophy of Vladimir Lenin and, later, Joseph Stalin, the first leaders of the Soviet Union, people had to be educated to the “reality” that religion was a tool used by the ruling classes to exploit the masses.

Religion was never fully outlawed in Soviet society, but it was, at times, nearly extinguished from the public consciousness. Churches and places of worship were closed, and sometimes destroyed. Bible studies were made
illegal. Atheism was strategically promoted by all government institutions. And, when, on a few occasions, religious activity was encouraged, the church was viewed as a political tool.

Twenty-Two years after its collapse, the failed experiment weighs heavy on those who live in the former Soviet Union. You can see it on their faces. I’m not trying to be overly dramatic, or to paint a skewed picture to make my point. During our recent trip to Ukraine, Tammy and I were surprised by the general lack of joy and the poor quality of life that we witnessed.

In Ukraine, government-run institutions are famous for their corruption and mismanagement, and there is great disparity between the wealthy and the poor. These things take place all over the world, but even in third-world countries, people manage to find joy and happiness in simple things. In the former Soviet Union, however, people seem to be generally cold and joyless in their demeanor. Tammy and I were later told that adults who smile and laugh in public were regarded as foolish. (They must have thought that we were idiots!)

In my mind, while there are certainly other root causes of the failed experiment, this what results in a society that seeks to live by the motto “no religion too.” I don’t have to imagine it. I’ve seen it.

I’ll be the first one to admit that people have done horrific things in the name of religion. And, it has been, in times past, a tool of manipulation. But every endeavor that involves humanity risks the same danger.

Recently, a young man, by the name of Jefferson Bethke has become a spoken-word Youtube sensation, claiming that he loves Jesus, but hates religion (see it here). He’s even been asked to speak on national television, as a result of his surprising success. There’s been a lot of debate surrounding this video, most of which appears to be a matter of semantics. Bethke seems to be using religion as a shorthand for empty ritual. He actually values what most people would call “religion”—things like church and the ways in which people express their sincere devotion to God. The problem is hypocrisy and empty ritual that distracts us from the relationship God desires to have with his creation, not religion.

Perhaps the failed experiments of a society without religion, like the USSR, is the reason James says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27). When our worship of God is carried out with a pure desire to honor him in the way we interact with the world around us, we make the world a better place, rather than allowing the corruption of the world to win the day. What might Russia and Ukraine be like today, if the church were allowed to humbly and wisely carry out it’s true, uncorrupted mission?

Imagine with me. Imagine a society where Christian love, humility, peace, and joy reign supreme. Imagine a place where heaven is treasured in our hearts, and hell is recognized as the absence of all that is good. Imagine a government that took the call of James 2:27 seriously.

We will never experience such a society on this side of Christ’s return. But my hope is that we begin to see what happens when we take up the call to live out our “religion” and “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

A “Religious” Disciple,
Pastor Dan

Becoming A Praying Church

There are many passages of scripture that command us as a congregation to pray, but none maybe more clear than Jesus quoting Isaiah 56:7 in Matthew 21:13 when He said “my house shall be called a house of prayer”. It is also His plan for the churches of the New Testament and remains one of the greatest challenges for churches today.

Acts 2 reveals a church that was devoted to prayer, spending time as a body of believers confessing their sins, interceding for others, asking God to provide and thanking Him for their blessings. This was just as Jesus taught us to pray! “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Too often churches rely on “prayer warriors” as if the utterings of the rest of us are less powerful. This simply is not biblical. I am not implying that intercessory prayer, led by spirit-filled individuals is unimportant, rather, that it is not a substitute for the body of believers being in one accord, devoting time to pray.

Praying churches begin when individuals dedicate themselves to praying continually with genuineness and leaders who model this with boldness. As a newly appointed Elder I take this charge very seriously and encourage you to “walk the walk “with me. Lay-people partnering in prayer with leaders are not a new idea. It goes back to the Old Testament in the book of Exodus when Moses prayed on a hilltop for Joshua to defeat the Amalekites. It continued in the New Testament as 120 disciples prayed during the days of Jesus’ ascension and the day of Pentecost. (Acts 1:14) It is ongoing today.

John Wesley recognized the power of prayer when he said, “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergy or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven on earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer”. Through prayer, God makes the impossible, possible!

Our time is now to proclaim the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:2, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us”.

Let us lift our voices to the One who “called us out of darkness into His marvelous light”.

Dave Krazeise
Elder

Do Our Lives Celebrate Who We are in Christ and Who Christ is Within Us?

In this confusing world, sin and obedience can sometimes appear to be interchangeable. Standards of conduct and the Golden Rule are slowing being replaced by cultural, societal and socially acceptable norms. Often times we spend more time arguing about "choosing the right God" rather than "being right with God." A supreme God hears all, sees all and knows all. In Isaiah 55:8-9, God reminds us, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

In order to manage and better relate to our God, we naturally tend to describe Him in terms we understand, visualize Him in what we see, and acknowledge Him in ways that don't make us uncomfortable. But, what if we tried living up to His standards, rather bringing Him down to ours? What if Safeharbor Christian Church stood out in our community by standing up for Christ in our community?

I have always loved the statement "Seeing the world through Christ-like eyes..." Jesus personally illustrates this message to us within the book of John, chapter 9, in the story about Jesus healing a man born blind. When asked by His disciples who sinned that this man be born blind, Jesus responded in verse 3, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." He goes on to prove His point by using His own hands to shape mud, place it over the man's eyes and tells him to wash his eyes out in the Pool of Siloam.

Turns out this story wasn't really about the blind man himself after all. It was about all the people around him who knew him to be blind from birth, who witnessed the miracle, who knew the Old Testament laws, and who still didn't want to believe what they saw. You see the blind man recognizes in verse 31: "We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him."

They were, or rather yet, we are the ones who are sometimes blinded. Jesus explains in verse 39: "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” When we are consumed by the world, everything looks out of whack and everyone else looks out of touch.

But when we live our lives as a CELEBRATION of Christ's life blood poured out for us, we can proudly proclaim and see Christ alive in the world through our words and our deeds. If we dared to submit to His will in 2012, our small group called Safeharbor Christian Church could...

...BE A PRAYING CHURCH...
(Hebrews 5:7 – “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”)

...GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD...
(Romans 8:9 – “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”)

...AND HUMBLE SERVANT LEADERSHIP...
(2 Chronicles 7:14 – ”If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”)

...BEING OBEDIENT TO OUR GOD THROUGH OUTREACH & EVANGELISM.
(Matthew 25:40 - “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”)

Ray Sudduth
Elder Chairman

Safeharbor Update

These are exciting times. With Christmas Day in the past and New Year's Day right around the corner, many of us are abuzz with activities: taking down Christmas decorations, exchanging gifts for the right size, buying "2012" party favors and beginning to concoct resolutions. With all the hustle and bustle, we just want to remind you of some important goings-on at Safeharbor.

Please keep Pastor Dan and his wife, Tammy, in your prayers as they serve as part-time missionaries in Crimea, Ukraine with Pioneer Bible Translators. They are being faithful to God's call to share the resources God has given them in effective ways, hoping to multiply their investment in the lives of the Crimean Tartar people of the area, through the love of Jesus. Pray that God would keep them safe, that he would use them to accomplish his purposes, and that they would grow closer to him and to each other through this experience. Please also pray for their children who are still here in the US with friends and family watching them, that they will be well taken care of and that their longing for their parents would be assuaged for a short time.

While Pastor Dan is abroad, it's essentially business as usual at Safeharbor. It is very encouraging that our church has capable leaders in all areas who are able to not just maintain, but help grow the church in our pastor's absence. Our Elders, Deacons, ministry leaders are godly men and women who desire nothing more than to see each person who darkens the doors of Safeharbor come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and grow in discipleship. Over the next few weeks, you'll be hearing from several of our Elders, as they elaborate on their 2012 strategy to help us Encounter, Pursue and Extend Jesus. Please be in prayer for our leaders: Elders (Dave Krazeise, Mike Kyle, Buzz Lee, Bruce Preston, Ray Sudduth, Mark Weece); Deacons (Rey Comrie, Sal Palmieri, Matt Snyder, Anthony Squitieri, John Ward); Staff (Mark Hughs, Micah Salmon); Ministry Leaders (too many to list).

As we enter 2012, please also continue to pray for the church as a whole, that we would grow in our love for God and people, that we would make a difference in our community, that we would be kept safe from problems, that we would work through any issues that do arise, that God would provide for our needs, and so on. Pray not just for the body as a whole, but for each other individually, too. Pick a name or two a day, and ask that God would guide them and direct them according to his purposes. While the church HAS property and a building, the church IS its people, and praying for each other is one significant way we can help Safeharbor succeed.

May you have a happy and safe New Year celebration, and a joyous and Christ-centered 2012!

A Long Journey Home

As many of you know, on the day after Christmas, Tammy and I will make our way to the Orlando airport and begin a two day journey to Crimea, Ukraine, where we plan to get involved with the work of Pioneer Bible Translators, among the Crimean Tatar people. We’ve been planning this trip for many years now, but we’ve always had a good reason not to go. There were things other than plane tickets that needed to be purchased. Finding people to help with childcare in our absence seemed impossible. Other plans competed for our limited time. In essence, it was simply easier to keep on living out the pattern of life that we’ve been living up till now.

In a sense, the longest stretch of our journey has already taken place. That part of the journey was largely spiritual. We’ve been growing in our understanding of stewardship for some time now. Tammy and I have always given to the work of the church and taken care of the needs of people around us when we were able. We’ve used our time, money, and energy, to honor God as best as we could.

I guess it was during the summer of 2010, as I began preparing for the “Fields of Gold” sermon series, based on Andy Stanley’s b book by the same title, that I began to understand stewardship in a new light. Somewhere along this journey I started to see that stewardship is not simply about being careful with what we have, or being thrifty, despite what we’re often told about the practical aspects of being good stewards. Make a budget, cut coupons, give 10% of your income to the church, and plan for the future; that’s good stewardship, so we’re told. Unfortunately, when these practical aspects of stewardship become our focus, we tend to tighten our grip on “our” possessions.

I’m continually growing in my understanding of this definition of stewardship, but I now see that faithful stewardship is about USING, what God has entrusted to our care, in a way that honors him. I emphasize the word “USING,” because many of us are content to reduce stewardship to responsible saving and spending. In reality, good stewardship, for most of us, requires that we loosen our grip on what God has put in our hands, and put it to use.

At Safeharbor, we recently spent a considerable amount of time sorting through Matthew 25:14-30, in which Jesus tells the “parable of the talents.” This parable has shaped my understanding of stewardship more than anything else in the Bible.

In the parable of the talents, the master of the house gives three trusted servants 5 bags of gold, 2 bags, and 1 bag, respectively. The master of the house later returns to find that two of his servants made wise investments, while one of his servants took what was given to him and buried it in the ground. Jesus tells us that this servant was unfaithful and lazy—he was a bad steward. The unfaithful servant explains that he “knew,” if he lost what was given, the master would be furious. What he discovered, however, was that the master was more furious over the fact, that he did not USE what was entrusted to his care. So, the master took the talent from the lazy servant, and gave it to the one was best at USING what he’d been given (If you’re not familiar with the parable, read it here.)

Of course, this is not a parable about how to play the stock market or how to amass a pile of money. This is a parable about the kingdom of God. We may invest money, but we also invest time, energy, relationships, possessions, our intellect, and our spheres of influence to help lead others to Christ. Faithless servants never USE these things, for fear that they might fail and, in failing, disappoint God. When, in reality, God is most disappointed when we fail to USE what he’s given. It seems as if he would rather us make a “bad investment” than do nothing at all.

I don’t know that there is such a thing as a bad investment, when it comes to the kingdom of God. The things we invest in this world will eventually be destroyed. The things that we hoard, go to waste. But, when we give of ourselves, for the sake of God’s kingdom, seemingly insignificant acts and notable ones alike have eternal ramifications.

Coming back to our trip, Tammy and I feel that our work in Crimea, along side of the missionaries with whom we’ve developed a strong bond, is a wise use of our money, vacation time, relationships, energy, influence.... I haven’t always felt this way. From a purely financial standpoint, the plane tickets are pricey, and we could just as easily use that money to spread the influence of Christ’s kingdom in Seminole County. It’s been a long journey, but I now realize that the one who gives has more to give, when we USE what we’ve been given to invest in his kingdom.

Good stewardship is not simply about analyzing how our resources are spent, it’s about taking bold and faithful actions in the name of Christ, no matter what the cost. Because, when we finally get home and stand before our master, the creator of our souls, and the Savior who gave up everything for us, he will not be pleased with us for being thrifty, or analytical. He will not take note of our budget, or how carefully we plotted out our calendar. He will, however, comment on whether or not we had been faithful in opportunities we had to spread his influence in this world.

Our journey from Crimea to Sanford will take about 24 hours to complete, but that is nothing compared to the journey that we are all destined to complete when we arrive at the foot of Jesus’ throne.

A Traveling Disciple,
Pastor Dan

Practicing Joyful Worship

Keeping Christ in Xmas

At Christmas, we sometimes note the dubious absence of Christ in secular celebrations, and, invariably, someone, somewhere, will lament that there is no greater offense than the use of "Xmas," decrying it as a way to "remove Christ" from the celebration of his own birthday. Sadly, this is a bit misguided.

The truth is, "Xmas" is really just a symbolic way to say "Christmas." The letter "X," pronounced "Chi," is the first letter in the Greek spelling of the word "Christ." The usage of the symbol "X" to represent Christ in the English language dates back to at least the first millenia A.D, while variations of the term "Xmas" can be dated back almost as far, although it's common usage didn't seem to occur until the early 18th century and following. In many churches, especially more traditional, liturgical churches, the "Chi-Rho" or "labarum" (an "X" with an elongated "P" through it - the first two Greek letters in "Christ") has long been used to represent Christ, even today. For thousands of years, in fact, Christians have used symbols to represent Christ: a fish, a cross, the communion elements. Furthermore, throughout Scripture, symbols are used repeatedly to represent something spiritual (i.e. Passover lamb, Tabernacle, various colors and numbers, etc.). So, symbolism should be far from foreign to us.

Why, then, do we struggle so deeply with one symbol so innocuous? If we're honest, the truth is that we sometimes focus on insignificant things when we really should focus on the bigger picture. While we bemoan the use of "Xmas," many of us get just as caught up as our secular neighbors in the American commercialism and consumerism we're told is appropriate by 5th Ave. marketing gurus. We can make equally poor choices with our time, money and family as any average Joe, simply because we're told "'Tis the Season." We can overshadow or even remove Christ from Christmas in various other ways than replacing his title with a symbol, sometimes even while we're in the thick of "defending" Christ.

Perhaps we should return to the intent of Jesus' birth 2000 years ago: redemption. Jesus willingly set his will aside, came to earth in human form, as a helpless baby, into incredibly humble circumstances, with the express purpose of fulfilling the Father's will of redeeming fallen man and restoring them (and us) to a right relationship with God. He did not come to fix everything that was wrong in his culture, but to redeem people who lived in that culture. If Christianity is about redemption, then we should take note of Jesus' method and be redepmtive, too. In fact, Philippians 2 reminds us that our "attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."

We can redeem the "X" this Christmas by caring for those around us, reaching out to those in need, being thoughtful and simple in our gift-giving and decorating, and using our resources to represent X/Christ to people who know Christmas as nothing more than a secular exercise in celebratory fanaticism. And, while we can do this on the macro level by inviting people to our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services, it's really on the micro level, person to person, where we can make the biggest differences. The evidence that Christ's redemption is significant to us is in following his example, both during the Christmas season and beyond.

So, whether we spell it "Christmas" or "Xmas," may this season remind us of the greatest symbol of all, Jesus himself, as we appreciate his redemption in our lives and share his redemptive nature with others.

Shalom,

Micah

A Generous Thanksgiving

Breaking News: Our Thanksgiving meal has been rescheduled!

If you haven’t heard the news yet, let me be the first to tell you that we’ve moved our Thanksgiving meal to 5:00pm, November 20^th. We hope that this makes it a little easier for you to attend, to bring a guest, and to bring food to share. Commedian, Phil DiTommoso still plans to join us. Please be sure to let your guests know about the change.  If you haven’t invited a guest, there’s still plenty of time.  And, be sure to bring a heaping dish of food to share.  Let’s make this a true opportunity to EXTEND the love of Christ to all who attend.
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All this talk about our Thanksgiving meal has me thinking about the book of Deuteronomy.  I’ll come back to that….

 I don’t know that I have an absolute favorite holiday, but Thanksgiving is a definite contender.  Family, friends, and football is definitely included in the equation of what makes it so great in my mind.  But if I’m being completely honest, I have to say that it’s mostly about the food.  Ham--glorious, sugar-crusted ham!  Sweet potato casserole, finger snacks, green bean casserole, my mother’s famous cranberry-Jell-O salad (now Tammy’s famous cranberry-Jell-O salad), lumpy mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, apple pie…. My mouth is watering already.

There have been times in my life when money was tight for our family—both as a child and as an adult.  But I can’t think of a time that we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving with an abundance of food.  Even during meager times, we’d gather with family and friends, share our food, and give thanks as we stuffed our faces with holiday fare.  It seems a little odd that we would express our thanks to God by filling our stomachs and relaxing with each other.

So, back to Deuteronomy…. Of course, Thanksgiving has religious themes; we trace its roots back to Pilgrims who came to America as an expression of their desire to worship God freely.  However, the Old Testament describes some events that closely mirror our Thanksgiving meals.  There are a handful of passages that bear this out, but, perhaps, the most clear example can be found in Deuteronomy 16.  In describing 2 very important feasts on the Jewish calendar—the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles—God instructs his people to give him thanks by stuffing their faces, in proportion to the degree that they’ve been blessed.  The primary way that they were to give thanks was to eat together!  What a holiday.

The part that I appreciate the most, however, are the instructions found in vs. 11 & 14.  Both give similar instructions for the two feasts.  Here’s what Deuteronomy 16:14 says:
          “Be joyful at your Feast-- you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.”
In other words, God wanted to make sure that everyone had plenty to eat.  No one was to go without.  The less fortunate, those who didn’t own property, and the unprotected were to be invited to the celebration. 
 
My in-laws, the Hoffmeiers, reflect this practice better than anyone I know.  The “Hoffmeier Hilton” is usually full.  But, on Thanksgiving it is over capacity.  Everyone is invited. This is a meal for family, friends, and, especially, the stragglers—people with few attachments, people far from home, people who won’t/can’t make a meal of their own.  We give thanks, we eat, and we relax together.  Hoffmeier Thanksgivings are a reflection of what God intended for our feasts and celebrations.
 
In the past, Safeharbor Thanksgivings have also been a reflection of the feasts mentioned in Deuteronomy 16.  This year, it’s my hope that, more than ever before, we will take seriously our responsibility to invite the stragglers.  Let’s eat with joy in the presence of God. Let’s give those around us a reason to give thanks, by inviting them to join us.  Let's have a generous Thanksgiving celebration!
 
A Thankful Disciple,
Pastor Dan

Mutual Relationships

The Sunday-school rhyme goes like this:
“Here is the church,
Here is the steeple,
Open the doors,
And see all the people.”

The picture below illustrates the corresponding hand motions.


About a year ago, on a Sunday morning, I shared a revised version of the rhyme that went like this: “Tear off the doors,
Throw away the steeple,
‘Cause the church is not a building.
The church is people.

My rhyme may not be suitable for our pre-schoolers, but neither is the one above. Besides the fact that Safeharbor hasn’t had a steeple for a long time, many of us spend the rest of our life trying to unlearn the notion that church is a building to which we show up on Sunday morning to sing some songs, listen to a sermon, bow our heads, sing some more songs, and take communion.
Ephesians 2:19 tells us that we, the people are God’s building. The church building is only special to the degree that God’s people who meet there are special (or holy—1Peter 1:16 & 2:5). And, from God’s perspective, the church building is only as beautiful as the relationships between the people who gather there to grow and serve as Jesus’ disciples.

A few of us at Safeharbor have been reading through a book called “Love One Another,” by Gerald Sitser. This book doesn’t contain any new insights on how to love others. In fact, it’s mostly an explanation of some of the verses in Scripture that contain the phrase “one another.” The author indicates that when the church fulfills these “mutuality commands” we’re on our way to “Becoming the Church Jesus Longs For” (the book’s subtitle).

Here are some of the “one another” phrases that we read about in the New Testament:

• “Love one another”
• “Welcome one another”
• “Submit to one another”
• “Forbear one another”
• “Forgive one another”
• “Confess Sin to and pray for one another”
• “Serve one Another”
• “Encourage one another”
• “Comfort one another
• “Bear one another’s burdens”
• “Stir up one another”
• “Admonish one another”