Creation that Points to Glory

I am constantly being floored by the beauty and perfection of God's creation that points to His glory.

"Lift up your eyes on high and see:
   who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
   calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
   and because he is strong in power
   not one is missing." (Isaiah 40:26)

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Though, let us not fall into the sin of worshiping created things over Creator.

Called to Work

In thinking about my recent decision to relocate from Harrisburg, PA, clear across the country to Seattle, WA, the topic of being 'called to work' seemed to be a common theme.  A recent 4-part post on the Gospel Coalition web page was particularly helpful.  It paints a very clear picture of why we work: "You work because it glorifies God."

Here are a few highlights:

Work is not merely a means to an end.

"If we are to live all of life for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), then we need a God-centered view of work. It’s not enough that we try to honor God in how we do our work, or that we try to be Christlike to people at work, or that we support God’s kingdom with the money we make from work. The glory of God must inform and transform our view of work itself....We are using work. We’re in it for what we get out of it. God may be honored in the results of our work, but he is not supreme in our view of work itself"

We were made for work.

"The most notable thing about this passage [Gen 2:7-9; 15] is that it takes place before the Fall. Work is not a result of sin. It is part of God’s original design for humanity... God put Adam in the garden of Eden to work it and to care for it. Let this sink in: Work is what we were created for."

 "One of my seminary professors used to say, “God expected Adam and Eve to split the atom.” He didn’t just intend for them to have babies and plant trees. They were meant to exercise dominion over all of creation, turning the entire earth into a showcase of the glory and beauty and majesty of God—and then working it and caring for it for all of eternity."

Work is good, but because of the Fall, work is hard.

"It’s important that we see both the goodness of work in God’s original creation and the struggle of work under the Fall. If we only see the good, we’ll be frustrated when things don’t go as they should. If we only see the bad, we’ll have a hard time doing our work to the glory of God."

Tips for Monday morning:
(1) "Go to work tomorrow or next month or next year and do your absolute best."
(2) "[D]on’t expect life at work to be peachy...Work doesn’t always work the way it should."
(3) "[L]earn the Ten Commandments. Especially the fourth one: the Sabbath."
(4) "[G]et yourself into the discipline of praying the Lord’s Prayer before work and after work and during work. Not to get God to do something for you, but to get yourself into a God-centered rhythm of life."

You can read the whole thing: here

How Does Your Understanding of the Gospel Affect Your Evangelism?

This past weekend I attended a world missions conference.  The conference was certainly geared toward a young audience, though I really found Bob Lenz's messages both encouraging, challenging, and even humorous.  I also found it very refreshing worshiping for hours with the band Reilly.  Lecrae really topped off the evening by boldly preaching the gospel with more passion that I've even seen from Piper...the man sure has a gift and I'm really thankful he's using it for the glory of God.

Nonetheless, in one of his messages, Bob Lenz shared the following statistic:

85% of all Christians in the Church were saved before the age of 18.  Furthermore, 75% of that 85% [i.e. 64%] came to know Christ before the age of 14.

In this particular message, Bob was talking about youth missions...how we should not overlook America's youth as the most unreached people group in the world (less than 2% of youth under age 14 are in church).

I want to first be very clear that I do NOT mean to discourage youth ministry in any way.  It is indeed a very important calling and one that must be done.  Christian parents, especially have an enormous responsibility.  My reason for writing this post is that I cannot help but look at that statistic as though the cup were half empty: we, as Christian adults are only reaching 15% of those who didn't grow up in a Christian family.  As someone who had never heard the gospel until I was 20 years old, that statistic breaks my heart.  Had God not brought someone into my life to share with me who God was and what He had done...I would have remained dead in my sin.

Again, not to discredit the importance of reaching out to the youth that we are given the opportunity to evangelize, but have we (the church as a whole) given up on unbelieving adults?  Bob shared another statistic: "9 out of 10 Christians will never lead another person to Christ." That statistic might break my heart even more than the first.  Is our faith really that stale and unfruitful?

I'm currently reading Bonhoeffer's biography (which I'm having a LOT of trouble putting down).  The book is worth buying even for the 2 page foreword by Tim Keller.  He writes:

"True grace comes to us by costly sacrifice. And if God was willing to go to the cross and endure such pain and absorb such a cost in order to save us, then we must live sacrificially as we serve others. Anyone who truly understands how God's grace comes to us will have a changed life. That's the gospel, not salvation by law, or by cheap grace, but by costly grace. Costly grace changes you from the inside out."

Now, if we really have been affected by the gospel; if we really do understand it...why do only 10% of Christians end up leading another to Christ?  How are we not so excited about Christ, and so understanding of what they are missing that we don't time-and-time-again share the gospel and disciple them, even when it is uncomfortable?  If we really understand the gospel, how are our hearts not so set ablaze by what He has done for us that Christ is not our single all-consuming passion? I have to admit that I am as guilty of pursuing other passions (often godly passions) as the next guy.  I think we, as a church, really need to take the time to focus ourselves solely on the gospel.  I know that I need to meditate on it with no outside distractions until I really get it.  And even when we do think we "get it", we need to not glance away, lest we might lose sight of it.

If our eyes are actually on the gospel, I am certain that we would be so excited about it, so clear on God's absolute hatred of sin and it's resulting consequences, and so amazed by God's love for us, that we could do nothing more than proclaim Christ with the passion that would make anyone who sees us, ask about our joy.

What I Learned From the Rob Bell Debacle

I’m sure by now, you’ve heard of Rob Bell’s new book titled “Love Wins” and the vast amount of criticism surrounding the book. Beginning with Justin Taylor’s initial comments based on a video that Bell release to promote the book, to Tim Challies initial review, to Kevin DeYoung’s review, etc. Ultimately, I think Driscoll has the BEST response on the TOPIC. The statistics of people writing on Bell over the past few weeks is remarkable. When Tim Challies posted his book review, he reported that 50k more people than usual stopped by his site to read his review. This is not a small or a light matter.

I really don’t think there is much question that Rob Bell has fallen off the deep end into liberal theology. As he did in Velvet Elvis, he interprets the Bible to conform to his own worldview based on what feels good or comfortable to him. As Driscoll has been pointing out, there have been quite a few heretics preaching the same universalistic views as Bell is for centuries (my grandmother being one of them).

My first reaction is pure disbelief of how anyone could read the Bible and and come to Bell’s conclusion. Jesus bluntly said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” in John 14:6. Scripture is full of this truth...and without scripture, you are no longer left with Christianity, but rather some self-centered ideological spirituality.

My second reaction was anger/disgust and admittedly sinful. I thought: “wow, Rob Bell, it’s too bad that once in hell, you won’t be able to report back that you were wrong, to the thousands of followers that you are dragging down with you”. Ultimately, we need him to know that he is wrong and to admit to his followers that he is leading them astray, in order to not further undo the immense amount of gospel work that he has already wrecked.

My third reaction was back to confusion. I want to camp out here for a minute. How do we have so many people that not only study, but teach the Bible on a daily basis that know so little about the character of God? I understand that it’s the same case as was with the Pharisees who never “knew” God. But why do we have people like Richard Mouw, the president of Fuller Theological Seminary, calling Love Wins “a great book, well within the bounds of orthodox Christianity and passionate about Jesus”...to that statement my response is: only if those bounds are so far away that we can’t see either end and the Jesus he is referring to is actually the name of the Latin fruit salesman on a low-budget Spanish soap opera. Mouw went on to say “There are stingy people who just want to consign many others to hell and only a few to heaven and take delight in the idea.” You can read more of this crap, here. This is the point where I get really confused in their logic. God does not delight in sending anyone to hell; I don’t delight in seeing (figuratively) anyone sent there. Yes, Mathhew 7:14 says “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few”. Unlike many liberals are willing to, I’m not going to pull a Thomas Jefferson and cut that verse out of the Bible with a razor blade because it’s difficult to grasp. Rob Bell, Richard Mouw, etc., if you really do love people and don’t secretly delight in seeing people sent to hell...stop lying to the lost, preach the true gospel of the Bible, and stop leading people away from Christ and into hell.

Now, here’s the part that really has be confused. When someone like John Piper joins the discussion, the liberal side of the discussion always seems to wind up attacking him, saying that he is a fundamentalist, he is hateful, unloving, and un-passionate about Christ...the absolute opposite description that anyone would give who has ever listened to or read the man. Have you ever heard a Piper sermon that didn’t have at least one hefty encouragement to world missions? There is no inclusivism whatsoever in his, or many Reformed ministries. Driscoll is a great example of this; if Mars Hill (Driscoll’s, not Rob Bell’s) was inclusive, how could you explain the enormous growth in believers while preaching this so called “inclusive and offensive message”? Additionally, Mouw states: “But Rob Bell allows for a lot of mystery in how Jesus reaches people"...buddy, if there is one thing the Bible is dead nuts clear on, it is of our need for Jesus. There are many ways to Jesus, but only one way to the Father...that being Jesus. I find it absolutely amazing how Bell and his buddies always seem to follow a pattern of “let’s talk” and then when the questions get tough, duck out the back door with no accountability or need to engage and respond to any questions or opposing view.

Update: Rob Bell was on MSNBC for a few short minutes and pretty much got ripped apart by a reporter this evening. I’m amazed how he couldn’t answer a simple question regarding suffering (maybe he should have paid a little more attention to Piper -- he could have at least referenced Romans 8:28). I’m also amazed at the number of times that he seemingly contradicts himself in the brief interview.

My final reaction is a realization that we are utterly dependent on God to get us through this and every situation. I am clueless, not to mention incapable of persuading those with hardened hearts of the truth, only God can do that. Thankfully, there are enough people, who can actually speak logically, who can see what an idiot Rob Bell is, who refuse to follow him down to hell, who God can use to speak truth to those who are not discerning enough to divert from Bell's lead. Thankfully, because of God's providence, His will, will be done. I am completely dependent through prayer that God would open the eyes of the millions of people with erroneous views of the gospel and the Bible. Buddah’s not going to save you, Allah is nothing more than a demon (if not an imaginary character), Star Trek is just a TV show, your money will burn, you car will rust, at some point you will retire from your job (if you don't die first), and there is no saving gospel in Rob Bell’s message. Jesus is the one and only way to Heaven. Pray with me that God would use the discussion sparked by this crappy book to grow in numbers and faith people with a passion for Christ.

As for my one and only response to the book itself, I offer a single quotation by J. Gresham Machen in 'Christianity & Liberalism'. He states: “Religion cannot be made joyful simply by looking on the bright side of God. For a one-sided God is not a real God, and it is the real God alone who can satisfy the longing of our soul. God is love, but is He only love? God is love, but is love God?” (HT: Justin Taylor). God is more than love. God, will win.

A Sobering Evening

As most people that read this consistently know, one year ago this week, I went with the Penn State Navigators on a spring break missions trip to Atlanta, GA to serve (more like, to be served) the homeless. I wrote more about that experience and how it really affected my life, here.

I often find it funny how God chooses to answer prayer. Very shortly after moving to Harrisburg I noticed a surprisingly large homeless population downtown. Given my experience in Atlanta I felt called do something to serve these people. I prayed that God would give me the boldness to meet the homeless in my neighborhood, and that he would guide me in doing so (especially in finding them and for a mission partner). Long story short, it has been 196 days since I moved here, and this evening I had my first interaction with the homeless living only a few blocks from my upscale loft apartment (the contrast in that makes me feel a slight bit guilty).

This evening I got coffee with a friend, who lives just a few blocks from me. Later in our conversation he mentioned that he had been going out to get to know, bring food to, and care for the homeless. I was convicted by much of what he had to say about how we live our lives with little faith and compensate with our wall of money for protection. I doubt that God could have ordained this any better than he did. My friend asked if I would be interested in heading downtown with him to give a homeless man who had developed a pretty nasty cough, named Chuck, some cough drops and water. Having prayed for someone to do this with I agreed and we headed to the location that he knew many of the homeless would be.

We never found Chuck; a few of the regulars indicated that he had another location that he often stayed when it was really cold. Please pray for his health. We were also looking for a woman named Jenifer. A man named Keith informed us that Jenifer had passed away the night before. It rained hard for the entirety of the previous day and turned to sleet and snow later in the night. My friend had talked to this woman the evening before. What struck him the most was that all that Jenifer wanted from him is for my friend to simply sit and talk with her for 5 minutes. It sure is sobering when you go out to meet a homeless friend and you find out that she passed away due to the cold/snow the night before.

We also met an 18 year old couple, Mike and Brandy who had been living with Mike's parents, but had since been kicked out because of their dislike of his wife. Please pray for their protection, soft hearts seeking the gospel, and for my boldness to share what I have been given with them.

The Worst Generation's war in America

I read an article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette while I was home this weekend titled "The Worst Generation's war in Wisconsin". On one hand I found Ruth Ann's summary of what is going on in Wisconsin (with regards to the protests of public employees) dead-nuts accurate and insightful, on the other, it was also convicting.

She refers to her generation (baby boomers born between 1945 and 1964) as "The Worst Generation" (a pun of "The Greatest Generation"). She sites former Clinton adviser Paul Begala (born 1961), as "the most self-centered, self-seeking, self-interested, self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-aggrandizing generation" in US history. She asks: "Will the boomers finally step up, as their parents did, and do what's best for the next generation?" Ruth Ann says the question at the heart of the Wisconsin budget battle is a demand of things for ourselves without regard for the cost to our children or our less privileged peers. If you're interested, read the rest of the article - it's really good.

I wish Richard Winters (Band of Brothers) or William Wallace (Braveheart) could just come out of the past and slap each and every public servant employee chanting that they will "overcome" the voters and tax payers of Wisconsin. Though I'd still be happy seeing newly elected governor Scott Walker do just that.

Even in writing this (given the rant against teachers that I just deleted) I am convicted of the same thing that this article convicted me of. Americans have one incredible sense of entitlement. Teachers somehow have a sense of entitlement that they can be glorified baby-sitters who work 180 days/year yet complain that they aren't paid enough and work too hard. (If you want to see what hard work is take a trip to one of the blue-collar steel mills in Pittsburgh after a piece of equipment goes down...that's hard work). I somehow have a sense of entitlement that I shouldn't have to pay a government $24k/year in taxes which supports these people. Really, neither of us are right, regardless of how lazy or how much of a workaholic we are. Really, both of us deserve to be born homeless in some impoverished nation, sold into slavery, be beaten for years, thrown in prison, never told the gospel, and to eternally burn in hell...that's what we are entitled to. Yet, I can't even keep my focus away from ranting against teachers and public "service" employees long enough to make it through this paragraph because I, like "The Worst Generation" public service employees in Wisconsin, feel that I am entitled to something that "I've worked for".

I want to take this time to simply acknowledge my (and your) need for a savior, renounce my entitlement to anything but death, and thank God for providing not only that savior in Jesus Christ, but also thank Him for all of the incredible gifts that he has given me...and in His irony, even teacher friends.

Career Fair & Interview Tips

As a Product Development Engineer fresh out of college, the possibility of an occasional recruiting or interviewing trip wasn't something I expected to be doing. The career fair part, maybe. But I was rather surprised to have been given the responsibility of interviewing potential new hires after being with my current company for about a month. This week, I'm heading up to Penn State for my 3rd recruiting trip. I am very much looking forward to it (as any other trip to State College). Surprisingly, I really enjoy recruiting & interviewing. Most of all, I enjoy learning about what other people are working on. In light of this trip, I thought it would be helpful to offer a few pointers to anyone who might stop by our booth.

1. First and foremost, if you want a job, your stature and excitement better reflect it. If you aren't confident in how you present yourself, you will be among the first that I throw in the trash pile. You might be a 4.0 Ph.D. student with a 3 page list of publications, but if your excitement level matches that of watching pro-bowling of TV, and I need to hold a megaphone up to your mouth just to hear what you’re saying, I'm not interested. If I don't enjoy talking with you for our 1 minute conversation, I REALLY don't want to draw it out to an hour long interview. Standing around all day giving the same spiel once every 2 minutes for 6 hours gets to be rather tedious when 98% of the students that come up to you all sound exactly the same and really don't sound or look like they want to be there.
2. At least have an idea of what we do before you hand me a resume and ask for a job. We're one of the world's largest companies, if you haven't heard of us, you're out of touch with the industry and you sound desperate. I definitely underestimated the value of this in the past, but simply writing the name of the company with whom you want a job with goes a LONG way. Plan ahead, you look much more interested and prepared (even if you're not). At my first career fair, my boss gave an interview to a guy simply because he wrote our name on the "purpose" section of his resume - his background had nothing of what we were looking for.
3. Resume buzz words are a waste. Avoid like the plague cliché phrases such as "I'm a hard worker", "I am awesome", "I want to excel in the industry"...according to 97% of the resumes that I've seen, so does everyone else. Odds are that I'm going to breeze through your resume. Focus on what you did. Be specific. Don't fill your space with cliché phrases, you will blend in with everyone else.
4. What do you do besides school? Sure, first and foremost we want to hire someone who can work. But we also don't want to hire a zombie. Don't focus on this, but if you were a part of the Navigators, put it on your resume - it shows that you're versatile and can potentially give a little more common ground to talk about which WILL result in me remembering you.
5. If you took 5 years to finish your B.S., or if you have a large gap between school and full time employment be prepared to say why. If you were just being lazy, come up a good story or something, but please don't lie or make excuses. If you screwed around in your freshman or sophomore year, admit it, tell me what you learned and we can move on. If there was one person who had no shot of getting a decent job, it's someone who comes across as lazy (either if they are or I perceive them to be)
6. If you end up getting an interview, and they ask you to do a quick presentation of a project that you worked on, print out your presentation (4 slides to a page is preferred, by me anyway) and emphasize what YOU did (keep the emphasis away from "we"). Also, make sure you have a copy of your resume for everyone that you're interviewing with.
7. I always thought that I had to use that fancy resume paper. I now realize that no one cares if you do or don’t. We want to hire a person, not find a new office supply store. Multiple pages is fine for us, because we're not scanning resumes and the ability to fill up 2 pages is a plus in my book. However, Intel, GM, or Raytheon might not like your unorthodox staple. More important to me is that you don't hand me a piece of paper with size 6 font. My boss is a grandfather - he can't read that, you could have written the Declaration of Independence and he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
8. This isn't as big of a deal to me as most older recruiters, but get a haircut, shave, and look presentable. If you smell bad, I'm going to do my best to get away from you.
9. Two weeks ago at the University of Illinois, one girl kept bad mouthing everyone else on one of her projects. My boss still keeps laughing about it. I wish I was in the interview room at the time. I can only imagine how terrible it must be to work with her. She might have had terrible partners, but a good leader will straighten them out. Odds are good that an interviewer will ask about a time where you were placed in a team environment or had to work with a difficult person, rather than focusing on their flaws, focus on your strengths.
   
10. Finally, if you still have the pockets of your suit sewed together, odds are that my boss is going to laugh at you. He might also laugh if you wear white socks with a black suit. I might laugh with him.
    

That's pretty much all I have. Feel free to post a question or comment. And, Penn Staters looking for a job, good luck.