Thankfulness: For Stuff or To God?

While much of our Thanksgiving tradition in America seems admirable on the surface, I am afraid it may be more harmful than good. The typical question during Thanksgiving lunch is “What are you thankful for?”, to which we reply “health, family, friends, homes, jobs”, etc. All great things right? Perhaps.

We should be careful to remember that simple declarations of generic thankfulness are useless. To “be thankful” is an empty feeling unless there is a person to be thanked!

Many of the Godless and (practically) atheistic among us declare how “thankful” they are for things, conditions, circumstances and people. Their thankfulness is nothing more than a smug acknowledgment of self satisfaction with life. It is a once-a-year admission that they are enjoying “good” things. The One who, in His wonderful mercy, goodness and grace provides those good things is regularly and sometimes purposely left out.

I hope believers in Christ will not be caught uttering these empty words. We ought to praise the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We should thank Him specifically, by name, listing our blessings one by one. For every thing, condition, circumstance or person we acknowledge, He ought to be given glory and every ounce of credit. We have neither the right nor the privilege of offering anonymous and generic thank you’s to no one at all. The God of the universe is our merciful provider and the author of every good thing.

What potentially makes the “what are you thankful for” tradition harmful? Simple: it can rob God of glory and shift focus to quality of life. This is not a good thing no matter which way you look at it.

Bauder Weighs In

Today Kevin Bauder addresses the Dan Sweatt message I referenced in my last post. He makes a point I have been making with friends and colleauges for years.

Bauder on Sharper Iron today:

I am grateful to have been reared in a version of fundamentalism that was led by men who refused to become “giants.” You have probably never heard their names, because they were not trying to create or control empires. They were willing to stand up to bullies, however, and in some cases they were savaged by the very “giants” whom Pastor Sweatt identifies.

Missionary Broadcasting.com on April 10, 2008:

There are some fantastic fundamentalist ministers around today. They are found at small Bible colleges, medium sized churches, and remote mission fields all over the world. Their teachings are more difficult to find, I understand, but the power of God shines through their every word. They give testimony of simple faith, consistent Bible teaching, and love for people.

Bauder is focusing on Fundamentalist leaders from the past, while I reference their paralells today. Either way, we are making the same point. The finest men of God in Christianity did not (and do not) lead vast movements or write best-selling books!

I would contend the “giants” Sweatt references (on both sides of the issue) are the chief problem. Every time questions are raised about the doctrine or methodology - beliefs and convictions, not personalities – of current or former “big name preachers”, things start to get ugly. They got ugly when Pastor Sweatt mentioned some of his heroes, and they get just as ugly every time the names Piper, Keller, Dever, Mahaney, Driscoll or even Calvin himself are put forward.

People that are sycophants in either camp disregard the merits of any criticism on belief and/or methodology, choosing instead to enter ”defense mode”. In short, the men engaged in the argument have the identical problem – and it is a huge problem. They focus on men, fellowships and movements of the day instead of focusing on individual issues, doctrines and specific discussions. The sad part is that neither side seems to realize their failure.

If someone (anyone) writes, preaches or behaves wrongly they ought to be called on it. Let’s stop jumping on every opportunity to defend our favorite authors and teachers! Some have been proven categorically to be wrong, yet their actions and beliefs are still being justified, excused, defended, dismissed and forgotten. If he’s one of our favorites he “has a different style”, but if we don’t like him he is “harmful to the cause of Christ”. Ridiculous. Wrong is wrong is wrong, and it’s about time someone stood up and said so. But then…I guess I just have.

Young and Restless

All the right people have been criticizing a message that was preached at the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship southern regional meeting recently. Some of the articles written against it were downright hostile. After reading them I knew I needed to listen with a discerning ear. I have, and you should too. It is called The Young and the Restless and it was presented by Dr. Dan Sweatt, Pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in Lilburn, Georgia.

There is a growing distinction (even division) among ‘old style’, traditional fundamentalism, and Calvinist, sometimes Reformed ‘neo-fundamentalism’. Unimportant theological mumbo-jumbo? Absolutely not. These are serious issues that ought to be examined thoroughly by men of God. So…devote an hour to listen and let me know what you think afterward.

Old Fashioned Effectiveness

I am, by any measure, a conservative and traditional Christian. Growing up in church I attended a Sunday morning and Sunday evening service, along with a Wednesday night prayer meeting; all at which we sang hymns, and heard old fashioned preaching from an old King James Bible. On frequent occasions, we would also do some traditional ministry outreach, such as handing out tracts and (as we called it) knocking doors. If you’re waiting for me to explain how I have “matured” to the point of believing many of these things are irrelevant in modern culture, you can forget it! I am rather becoming more and more convinced that what we did back then is just exactly what is needed today.

That is why I was so wonderfully encouraged by an article I read yesterday, written by a man I have never met. His name is Travis Snode, and he serves the Lord as a missionary in Northern Ireland. I can’t explain just exactly why I was so touched by his post entitled Don’t Knock It, except to say that it brought back memories of knocking on an unknown door, at an unknown house, on an unknown street. It reminded me of the unknown response I would recieve from an unknown man or woman as I made a feeble attempt at either a gospel presentation or a church invite. I could almost feel the lump in my throat as I rapped on the first door, then could just as easily feel the calm setting in as I walked up the second, third, and fourth driveway. For certain it gave me a nostalgic moment, but it also caused me to remember the very real sense of accomplishment I felt when a lost soul showed up on Sunday because of my efforts. It was during those times that I first felt God’s leading into His full-time service!

If you wonder why I am bothering to explain in such emotional terms my reaction to a simple article, expressing nothing more than the everyday efforts of a faithful missionary; let me clear up the confusion. I am grieved to the point of tears over an attitude that is gaining ever-increasing momentum in some fine, doctrinally-sound churches. It shows no outward signs of rebellion, but makes slow and deliberate movements in anything but a traditional direction. It pats young men like myself on the head, and in condescending tones tells us to “get with the times”.

Well…after hearing me express the virtues of the traditional, you may also feel I should modernize. Remember you are reading a blog entry, written by a 31 year old man, who has spent the entirety of his adult life laboring passionately in the field of technology. Then acknowledge it is not simply the “new” that the traditionalist fights against. It is the replacement of the old with something that is not, by any Biblical standard, better.

Does anybody want to go out and knock some doors with me?