It is OK to get Angry

The Bible has a good bit to say about anger. In fact, other than money, anger is possibly a top topic in the Holy Writ.

Back in about 1975 I spoke to Friday Morning Men on several occasions. I did one series on sex and we had a record setting number of males turn up. I was not surprised and was very pleased that my choice of subjects was so well received.

A few months later I spoke on anger and almost twice as many men came. When I expressed my surprise that this topic out pulled sex, one of the men said, "We get a whole lot more anger than we do sex."

I suppose that is why God inspired His authors to write their Spirit led thoughts on the topic. First, let me tell you about my family and how we tried to deal with anger and other negative emotions. My Great Grand Father had been a Holiness Minister and Evangelist. He believed and taught that once a Christian had been "Baptized in the Holy Spirit" he or she could live above sin. This meant that anger, lust, coveting and so forth could be eliminated from our lives.

His daughter, my Grandmother, was a true follower of this philosophy and, as far as i could tell, she did a pretty good job of living without anger and lust. This brings me to my mother who was a fiery, red headed Irish woman who did not live her life without anger, but she had an enormous guilt complex about being imperfect in that regard. She insisted that Christians did NOT get angry. "I get frustrated," she would say, "but Christians do not get angry."

So, we had some very unhealthy ideas about how to deal with the reality of anger and what the Bible actually teaches about it and other negative emotions. For example, until I was an adult who learned to study a bit of Greek and actually understand that there are very different Greek words translated with the same English term anger. This means that the Bible is often precise and clear that the FEELINGS of anger are natural, normal and acceptable. However, resentment, bitterness and revenge are forbidden.

In fact, in Ephesians 4 St. Paul says, "Go ahead and get angry but do no let the sun go down on your anger." The first term translated as anger means "Feel the emotion of anger" but the second term means "bitterness and resentment". It is not possible by an act of the will to stop feeling anger. It is, however, possible to stop thinking about revenge.

More on this topic later.

What Works to End Poverty

I recently read a great story in the Chronicle of Philanthropy about a charity that really works to help people change their own lives. It is called, The Family Independence Initiative.

The story told of how the founder, Mr. Maurice Miller, had a dramatic change of heart and mind about how to help people get out of chronic poverty. At the time of his conversion Mr. Miller was head of a very large, very expensive, much lauded organization with numerous awards for ending poverty. What happened to change his mind?

Mr. Miller was enrolling gang members in a job-training program and had only one more spot. He gave the position to a young man who’d been in prison for armed robbery rather than the man’s friend, who had never been incarcerated.
When Mr. Miller explained why he had to make that decision—because the charity’s criteria favored people who’d been in trouble and seemed to need the most help—the chosen man nudged his friend and said, “See, you should have come on that job with me.” It was then Mr. Miller realized the message his group was sending.

What message was his group sending? "You must become a thief and refuse to work if you expect us to help you!"

Now Mr. Miller is changing the way he works. He founded the Family Independence Initiative and started telling people how to organize themselves into self directing groups of hard working people who used their own insights, knowledge and understanding to defeat their daily problems. When someone calls the FII and asks for help, they are told to go to their group of supportive citizens first.

I learned long ago not to "Over Function" for people. In alcohol and drug treatment that is called "Co-Dependency or Enabling" and it kills addicts rather that curing them. It kills initiative, it kills hard work, it kills self esteem it keeps people in poverty.

The work of Mr. Miller and his group is inspiring, powerful, educational and it works for much less money. Read the story and weep at the cost of failing to help people. Failures are much higher than successes in financial outlay to say nothing of the human costs.

Your support of Sweeten Life Systems is support for things that work. We facilitate healthy systems, healthy networks and healthy relationships. We find doing for people distressing and enabling. We find helping them find their own answers to be liberating and empowering.

How to be an Evangelist

Guy Kawasaki, a very famous blogger, speaker and writer, put out a nice and instructive post recently about being a "secular evangelist". Guy is a Christian so he "borrowed" a lot of ideas from the Bible as to ways we can reach others for a cause, even the cause for Christ.

Here are some of his points.

# Create a cause.The starting point of evangelism is having a great thing to evangelize. A cause seizes the moral high ground. It is a product or service that improves the lives of people, ends bad things, or perpetuates good things. It is not simply an exchange of things/services for money.
# Love the cause. “Evangelist” isn't simply a job title. It's a way of life. It means that the evangelist totally loves the product and sees it as a way to bring the “good news.” No matter how great the person, if he doesn't love the cause, he cannot be a good evangelist for it.
# Look for agnostics, ignore atheists. A good evangelist can usually tell if people understand and like a product in five minutes. If they don't, cut your losses and avoid them. It is very hard to convert someone to a new religion when he believes in another god.
# Localize the pain. No matter how revolutionary your product, don't describe it using lofty, flowery terms like “revolutionary,” “paradigm shifting,” and “curve jumping.” People don't buy “revolutions.” They buy “aspirins” to fix the pain or “vitamins” to supplement their lives.
# Let people test drive the cause. Essentially, say to people, “We think you are smart. Therefore, we aren't going to bludgeon you into becoming our customer. Try our product, take it home, download it, and then decide if it's right for you.” A test drive is much more powerful than an ad.
# Learn to give a demo. An “evangelist who cannot give a great demo” is an oxymoron. A person simply cannot be an evangelist if she cannot demo the product. If a person cannot give a demo that quickens the pulse of everyone in the audience, he should stay in sales or in marketing.
# Provide a safe first step. The path to adopting a cause should have a slippery slope.
# Ignore pedigrees. Good evangelists aren't proud. They don't focus on the people with big titles and big reputations. Frankly, they'll meet with, and help, anyone who “gets it” and is willing to help them.
# Never tell a lie. Very simply, lying is morally and ethically wrong.
# Remember your friends. Be nice to the people on the way up because one is likely to see them again on the way down.

Read more at his blog

Hide the Resurrection?

see my new blog Spiritual Healing and Growth for a post on those who try to deny the resurrection.

Polygamy in America

The current controversy surrounding the military policy toward homosexuals openly practicing their sexual desires is raging all around us. At the same time, many Christian Pastors are asking about ways they can best minister to the people in their congregations that are actively hooking up with others male and female; human and animal. The current push toward sexual confusion and sexual sharing is a headlong rush toward disaster and we are on the lip of the precipice right now.

The political pundits usually discuss homosexual behavior in the military and heterosexual sharing on grounds of personal choice, fairness and civil liberties. It is a "legal matter' they say. There are no consequences beyond accepting all persons as they are.

Pastors, on the other hand, tend to discuss the issue in moral terms. The Left Wing group like the aggressively gay Episcopal Bishop Robinson said it is awful that Conservatives preach hate between parents and their gay children. Conservatives say that Bishop Robinson preaches hate for them and for God's Law.

There are other important psychological, emotional and physical issues to be faced. The USA and Western Europe is moving toward what can only be described as "Practical Polygamy in Homo and Heterosexual Behavior". Technically, this might not be polygamy but it is the sharing of sexual partners without regard to the long term results.

What do you think will be the results of such activities in family life, society and our institutions like the military? Because of the high divorce and remarriage rates we are already seeing the rapid destruction of emotional balance in children and youth along with a dramatic increase in addictions, mental disorders and poor parenting skills.

Most murders and violence are committed by relatives or a person close to the victim. Open, unbridled sexual interactions leads to destruction. The most dangerous time for a women and her children is when she attempts to leave her violent partner. How will such emotional upheavals affect the military? We are already seeing it affect them because of the importation of more women in the ranks of fighters.

Sex is not robotic. It cannot be part of the military or hook ups without deep emotional, spiritual and physical implications. Yet, the top military brass and politicians act like we are discussing test tube babies not real people.

Tiger Woods and the Big Ten

Almost every day when I watch TV I see advertisements that encourage me to violate the Ten Commandments. I rarely watch shows such as 2 1/2 men and Desperate Housewives but I can't miss their ads. I am sure Tiger watches some TV. In fact, he is on TV and a lot of the talk on TV encourages us to join them in violating the Big Ten Commandments.

I saw today that Accenture has cut its ties with Tiger as has Pepsi. They regularly beg us to forget the Big Ten and let our lusts rule. So why are they so tough on Tiger now? What is he doing that most TV, Newspapers and Radio programs don't do continually?

Tiger is simply a man of his era. It is an era that promotes greed, idolatry, free sex, parental disrespect and many gods. In fact, anyone that would say that there is only One God just as the Big Ten says, are ridiculed, mocked and harassed. So, when Tiger is very successful at greed, is he made into a semi god but when he violates one about sex he is vilified?

Seasoned Believers Discerning the Times

Revival Camp Meeting Time


I believe we are in a new zeitgeist but the politicians, religious leaders and corporate leaders are missing most of it. Mr. Obama and his brain trust seemed to have caught the wave and rode it to victory in last year's election but they have currently regressed back to an earlier time. It will crush them if they don't wise up.


Many religious leaders seem to also miss what is happening as well. They talk about personal relationships, small groups, seeker friendly churches and meeting with people in Starbucks and on Face book. But in reality, when they set up a church they tend to fall back on what my professors used to call, "Theory X Leadership" when the world is rushing headlong into "Theory Y Partnerships".

Theory X is leadership from ignorance, hierarchy and distance. It is fond of bureaucracy, top down decisions, one way communication, secrecy, big meetings, mass communication, impersonal mass emails and talking heads with no feedback.

Theory Y Partnerships assume that we are equals in person hood, different in gifts and talents and that everyone has a place at the decision and action table. It is non hierarchical and open in communication while yearning for information and feedback as well as feed forward information.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We are in the Fourth Great Awakening with an overarching emphasis upon personal involvement in all affairs, mistrust of authority, hatred of fakes and a deep desire for spiritual involvement.

Great Awakenings begin with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that brings masses of people to faith in Christ. The next stage is marked by enormous enthusiasm for God, the Bible, worship and fellowship. Then people decide that they need to grow and learn how to follow Christ as His Disciples so study under a person, a church or institution is crucial. The next stage is that of involvement as a Disciple who serves God, usually in a religious setting.

After this stage the masses move from external religious emphasis to developing a deeper experience of the Spirit within. This leads them to seek ways to serve Go outside the church and religious realm so they turn to influencing family, society, community, politics and financial system.

In the late 1700's widespread revivals spread from town to town and village to village in the Colonies. This radically changed the face of the church situation from one dominated by Anglicans and Congregationalists, who were financially supported by taxes ala Great Britain, with a few Presbyterians thrown in to the rapid growth of two new groups. Baptists and Methodists.

The Baptists and Methodists wanted nothing to do with state support nor with seminary training. They relied on enthusiasm, individualism and God's personal leading to propel ministers on horseback and in house churches to preach, teach, baptize and support. After a few years these people dominated the life of the Colonies. They were generally anti-hierarchical, anti-organizational and defiantly independent.

In a few years these red blooded Colonialists started to preach that God had created all men equal and there was no such thing as "The Divine Rights of Kings". Until now such thoughts were foreign and unknown. Now they were openly preached, studied and believed by all but a few traditionalist Anglican Clergy and British Nobles.

Awakenings always focus on two issues: Political and Economic Freedom of choice. That was soon interpreted as "No taxation without representation" and "We have no God named King George". The Revolutionary War was a result of the First Great Revival that turned into the First Great Awakening.

Stay tuned for the second Great Awakening as well as the Third and today's Fourth Awakening.

International Partners for Wholeness

At the Equipping Ministries International banquet and homecoming it was announced that EMI is training Christians how to develop a "Lifetime of great relationships" in over 70 countries. Right now they are counting over 500,000 graduates of the training programs. It was great to catch up with the work of EMI.

My colleagues and I founded EMI as an outgrowth of the Teleios Center at College Hill Presbyterian Church. Larry Chrouch, Maurie Loomans, Pat Wray, Alice Petersen, Vivian Hayes, etc and I had a ball taking Teleios internationally.

After completing a Doctorate at University of Cincinnati in 1975 I started training Peer Helpers at CHPC. In 1976 we set up the Teleios Center to do what we could to facilitate "Wholeness" among our members. (Teleios means whole and complete.)

I took insights from my doctorate and used materials developed by Dr. Richard Walters to "Equip the members to do the work of the ministry". After a few years of great success ministers and counselors from other churches asked us to teach them how to do the same things at their churches. That was when I reorganized a 501 c3 not for profit called Christian Information Committee and folded our new ministry into it in 1979.

We developed a philosophy that said, "Freely you have received now freely give what you have to others". We decided to partner with ministers, missionaries, Christian counselors and educators to set up training centers around the USA and the world. We did not want to become a huge American organization but help others develop their own unique brand of Peer Helping, healing and Christian growth. That philosophy has been very successful.

Several friends and colleagues thought we were silly for taking that approach but the fact that EMI has now reached people in seventy nations is amazing and shows that the best way to expand a ministry is through establishing cells that could then multiply themselves. The process of acting like "dendrite cells" guided us from 1979to 1994 when I resigned as President.

EMI and the other groups we established after leaving EMI have been used by the Holy Spirit to bring God's truth, His fruit and His gifts to even more than is known. The reason is that I trained many missionary groups that took my materials and re branded them for use in their ministries.

YWAM has been especially open to learn and take our materials into the world. Larry and Ellen Chrouch have trained numerous YWAMMERS who in turn have trained numerous students to minister in numerous counseling centers all over the world. I applaud them for such fertile minds and reproductions.

Kirsten Callesen took our Listening materials and translated them for use in counseling people with Autism. It worked marvellously. Then she translated them into Nepalese. Kirsten is Danish and she translated our materials into Danish from English and then from Danish into Nepalese. With her materials she trained 50Believers from the persecuted churches in Nepal. Those fifty teachers and now teaching hundreds of their fellow countrymen and women.

Steve Griebling and I trained hundreds of ministers and cell groups leaders in Singapore and Taiwan who have taken the materials to the uttermost parts of Asia. The Holy Spirit revival in Asia is being followed by discipleship in love, care and healing.

The training centers in Russia set up by Galina Chentsova have multiplied into the entire former Soviet Bloc. Galina is healing families, addicts and Pastors by the hundreds.

Who knows? Maybe there are over 100 countries and one million people who have had their lives touched for the better through this First Century model of ministry expansion. Who says it will not work today?

Want to know more about

and how you can get involved?

Sweeten Life Systems

World Views

In my last post I wrote about the four major ways to view the world. Some of my readers found it confusing. Poor writing always confuses so let me try to explain my interest in writing about these things.

I am trained as an Educator and Clinical Counselor. The foundational world views that underlie form the foundation of my life will always come out in the ways I treat people. For example, Secular Humanism does not believe that humans are any more important than a beetle or a worm. This is why some persons can argue that unborn babies have no intrinsic value and can be offed without any guilt or remorse.

On the other hand, I am convinced that God created the world and gave humans a special spark of Himself. Since all humans carry "the imago Dei" or image of God they are intrinsically of worth and value. To kill any person is fraught with danger and to kill innocent persons is especially odious.

This does not mean that all Secular Humanists are killers and have no conscience. But it does mean that a different world view informs their conscience. The philosophy that guided the most virulent pro abortionists was based on the idea that certain races were inferior and should be eliminated or at least reduced in number. Hitlers' "Final Solution" also arose from a world view that held some to be less worthy than others.

Think about it.

If you have a high view of all humans then your philosophy probably comes either consciously or unconsciously fro Judeo Christian ideals. Almost every charity hospital in the world arose from Judeo Christian thought. As C.S. Lewis said, "Nothing proves Christianity better than a hospital."

What about racist, slave owning Christians? They separated their daily behavior from their faith. The had to change the biblical story. The people in South Africa who treated Black Africans so terribly actually had to alter their basic theology to agree with their sinful actions.

This happens all the time, of course, for humans are quite creative in their application of biblical principles. Just look at how we have altered the Bible's teachings on sex, financial ethics and family life. But being inconsistent with a biblical world view does not make that view wrong. However, applying a Judeo Christian world view consistently can be challenging and lead to a lot of mercy toward those of us who fail.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and most other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement were Christian Ministers. They were building on the shoulders of the Christian men and women who led the Second Great Awakening. These people provided the motivation, energy and demand that slavery be ended in America.

Christianity always leads to change.


Gary Sweeten

Sanford's Hole in the Soul

Gov. Mark Sanford said Tuesday that he "crossed lines" with a handful of women other than his mistress--but never had sex with them. The governor said he "never crossed the ultimate line" with anyone but Maria Belen Chapur, the Argentine at the center of a scandal that has derailed his once-promising political career.

"This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story," Sanford said. "A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day."

During an emotional interview at his Statehouse office with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Sanford said Chapur is his soul mate but he's trying to fall back in love with his wife.

No one in his right mind would say these things. How can his "spiritual adviser" allow him to further ruin his already tragic life? Counselors, Pastors and Coaches take note: When our client has lost his way we must step in and make sure he is protected from himself.

Any grown man who so loses himself to another woman has proven that he is living on the surface of things. He is out of touch with his soul and that leads to a loss of conscious choice about reality.

Mr. Sanford was under the care of a "spiritual adviser' who, by overemphasizing consciousness failed to help him plumb the depths of despair and pain in his soul that only God can heal. James Chapter 1 says

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to

The term here, evil desire, can be translated, "Hole in the soul" and that is exactly what men in midlife must allow God's Spirit to heal if they are to escape the trial and temptations of a "soul mate".

Obedience and strengthening the will are useless unless we allow God's Spirit to bring up all the old pain and hurts and heal them. Face your pain; face your guilt; face your weaknesses and allow God to heal that hole in the soul.

God is our soul mate. Only God can fill that heart shaped vacuum in the soul. To think a woman can fill my soul is raw idolatry.

Who are the Superstars?

I mentioned yesterday that Dr. Ralph Winters passed away. Today we get word that Ed McMahon died. In terms of doing the world good, which man had the greater impact?

Dr. Winter mobilized thousands of missionaries to take the good news to the world. He inspired tens of thousands of ministers and churches to be a blessing to those in need. He started a center for world missions, created a new way to think about outreach and developed plans so different mission groups could work together to have a great reach. He also wrote many books, numerous papers and spoke to millions while establishing a new college.

Ed McMahon served as a side kick for Johnny Carson. He appeared as a spokesperson for some brands and was seen many times on TV.

Which man was considered more newsworthy to the secular media? How does the world of news and entertainment decide what people are important? Are their values your values?

Gary Sweeten

How to Communicate Effectively

I am still learning how to communicate. My friend Michael Cristiani has discovered a net technology that turns cold, hard numbers into visuals and makes the data come alive.

One of Michael's links is for Gapminder, a Swedish Professor's way of visualizing information that is amazing and insightful. I suggest you go to the link and enjoy how he presents his insights.

Michael also links to a site that uses Tableu technology to show his insights. It is fascinating.

I hope Pastors and Christian leaders will begin to use these technologies to train Believers how to track changes and how God is working in our midst. I am hoping Michael can train us to use Tableu to show the results of our research study on the felt ways we can support parents with special needs kids. Take a look at our updated web site to read more about the project.

www.sweetenlife.com

Empathy: What is it?

Mr. Obama says he wanted to pick a Supreme Court nominee with "empathy". He seems to think empathic judges will know the law better and make decisions that favor "the little guys not the big guys and gals".

What do you think about his philosophy of judging?

What do you think about his definition of empathy?

What do you think bout Judge Sotomayor?

Let me hear your comments.

Gary Sweeten

What is Important?

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

All the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality to the coffee in most cases, just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups...and then began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."
God brews the coffee, not the cups..........enjoy your coffee.

Gary Sweeten

Vision for Greater Cincinnati

The wise leaders in Greater Cincinnati have brought together a group of citizens to figure out ways to keep us strong in the future. That is a very tough job. It is a planning nightmare because nobody really knows the future or how to make it happy for a city. You can read the report on the Cincinnati Enquirers web page.

I urge all citizens to interact with the media on these matters. As I see things, the media are getting more and more interested in our views because they are losing eyeballs. Here is my letter to the editor about the report.

Dear Editor:

I tried to read the 360 report carefully and see exactly what was being promoted. I had a few serious concerns.

1. The vision seems extremely "Blue Sky" as if they did little but brainstorm and fill a few flip charts with great ideas. Where are the specifics?

2. I did not see much in the way of supporting small businesses, which are the great engine of employment, innovation and community support.

3. There were some Politically Correct hints at inclusion but the report focused on only two groups that I can recall: a. Young persons and, b. Singles. Not long ago the Enquirer had a great series on the need to keep Seasoned Citizens and their billions of dollars in savings as well as their unmatched depth of experience in the area. Where is the 360 concern for all those resources?

4. Faith based groups were left off completely.

Are we to assume that these were accidentally overlooked or intentionally excluded to focus on non-traditional, non-family, irreligious poor youth?2/16/2009 7:45:39 PM

Gary Sweeten

Darwin or Moses?

The Washington Post has an interesting article on Darwin and his faith in God. Are you surprised? did you assume he was an atheist who lost his childhood faith after realizing it was childish?

Many atheists hold him up as a god because they assume he was one of them. And, many church folk hold him up as a false god or a straw man to scare their members away from the study of science. My Sunday school teacher said that my decision to study psychology and counseling was a mistake because it was from the devil.

Take a look for yourselves in the Wash Post and see what you think of Charley.

Gary Sweeten

What Empowers Christian Growth?

I hear a lot of people talking about Christian growth but few that do much about it. Every week I receive a quote about God's grace from a great ministry that works hard to facilitate individual and church growth.

I normally enjoy it because I agree with it. (I'm funny that way.) The one I received today did not quite agree with my understanding of the ways to enable and empower Christian growth.Read it and see what you think. I would love to hear your insights.

"Conversion is the lifelong transformational process of being remade into the image of God. It is so much more than simply trying to avoid sin. The focus of repentance and conversion is Jesus, not my sin nor my self. My attachment to sinful ways of being is much too strong to ever be undone by mere willpower. There is no substitute for surrender to divine love as the fuel to propel such undoing. Divine love transforms both my heart and my will. Divine love enables me to choose God’s will over mine. Without this, repentance will be nothing more than a self-help scheme based on effort and resolve." David Benner, Surrender to love.

Graced again is compiled by Tom Wood, Church Multiplication Ministries, a non-profit, whose mission is starting, strengthening, multiplying grace-centered churches through consults and coaching church planting pastors, leaders and emerging leaders. Sign up on the web at Graced Again.

Do you agree with Benner? Why? Why not?

Gary Sweeten

http://www.sweetenlife.com/

New Year's Blessings

I received this blessing from my buddy Ron Tate of the Boomer Wave blog fame. Check it Out

2009 Contract: After serious & cautious consideration... your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2009! It was a very hard decision to make... So try not to screw it up!!!

My Wish for You in 2009

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!
May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy
May the problems you had, forget your home address!
In simple words ............

May 2009 be the best year of your life!!!

Image Management

Martin Luther nailing his 95 statements on the door at Wittenberg

"Our nature struggles fiercely against being saved without our works and tries to deceive us with a grand illusion of our own righteousness. So we may find ourselves attracted to a life that merely appears to be righteous. Or because we know we aren’t righteous, we may be frightened by death or sin. Therefore, we must learn that we should have nothing to do with any other way of becoming righteous, except through Christ alone."
Martin Luther

On wag, or perhaps a scalawag, noted that the major task of a Minister is "Image Management". Church work is difficult, I have personal experience in that arena. Perhaps this is why so many Ministers are scared silly to innovate and try new things.

One Minister who came to see me was panic stricken. He had led his congregation into a building program and now the work of building the church community began in earnest. Not everybody was happy with the Minister and they raised a ruckus by writing letters to the Board and protesting loudly to anyone who would listen.

The Minister had been working hard, too hard perhaps, and he was tired. So, one day he snapped and got into them pulpit to let out his hurt, anger and pain. He shocked everybody by resigning right there and then. He had failed to manage his image and he could not stand the fact that, according to him, "Nobody supports me and I have done so much for them."

But the truth was different. A few people, percentage wise, were upset and mad ea lot of noise. The problem with my friend was he was working and trying to please everyone. He had to please everybody, so he thought, or he was a failure.

This man was confusing performance image with his identity in Christ. The Conservative, Evangelical church world is far too focused on performance and far too little focused on what Christ has already performed. Remember a few years ago when so many people wore the bracelet WWJD? It stood for "What Would Jesus Do?" and epitomized the Conservative Church and its emphasis upon works.

Here is the problem, we are not saved by works nor are we kept by works. This past election was won by people largely rejected by Evangelicals and the main question is, "How do we manage our image better?" Our image needs the Holy Spirit not a PR firm. Only God can rescue us and save us and the question is not WWJD but WHJD: "What Has Jesus Done"?

I began with the great insight by Martin Luther and I will end with it. Our flesh desperately wants to perform and show God, myself and others what a good guy I am. My Image must be Managed and that requires that I am perceived to be almost perfect. The fact that a small percent of my friend's congregation was upset set him off and he could not stand it.

We all want to sing the modern version of the old hymn:

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a great guy like me!

But this is not a sweet sound. It is a sickening sound that demands perfection and a lot of Image Management.
But the original text is right.
Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
"Our nature struggles fiercely against being saved without our works and tries to deceive us with a grand illusion of our own righteousness. So we may find ourselves attracted to a life that merely appears to be righteous. Or because we know we aren’t righteous, we may be frightened by death or sin. Therefore, we must learn that we should have nothing to do with any other way of becoming righteous, except through Christ alone."
Martin Luther

Media-Misleading and Myopic

Narcissistic Journalists

I think the biggest losers in this election season were the people who write newspaper stories and appear on TV as journalists. They were little more than cheerleaders for Obama who openly and covertly promoted his campaign and attacked McCain and Palin. They were extremely narcissistic.



Take a look at the way the editors and writers are talking about Obama now that it is too late for voters to do anything about the truth. Evan Thomas and Jon Meacham were on the Charlie Rose Show and said some extremely troubling things about Obama. However, their weekly magazine wrote stories and had his photos on ten cover as though he were Saint John.



Are these "News Weeklies" or "Inspirational Stories of the Divine"? Newsweek is obviously not about reporting the facts of news but interested in making news. Will they get away with it? I do not think they will. Dan Rather was actually fired for lying about George Bush and his reputation is tarnished forever. But even Dan spoke up and said that today's media has mistreated Palin and McCain.

Remember, it is the task of Christians to "Speak the truth in love." Viva the Internet.

Gary Sweeten
http://www.sweetenlife.com/