The 7 Experiment: Theology of Media: LOLology

My wife has been going through a Bible Study called The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker which has really engaged many of the ladies of my church.  The next part of this particular study is all about media.  Again, let me reiterate, my concern with any of these areas is: “What does the Bible actually say?”  That should be a key for us in any subject we tackle in the Christian faith.  Our perspectives and attitudes should be informed by Scripture and then we need to align ourselves with it where we differ from God.

THEOLOGY OF MEDIA: (LOLOLOGY)

American culture is saturated with media.  People are consuming media most waking hours of the day.  We arise to an alarm clock which plays music.  We listen to a CD player or iPod while in the shower.  The TV turns on in the morning while we eat breakfast to offer news and weather while checking interpersonal email on our laptop while our coworker texts us to say they will be late for the car pool.  Advertisements spill through the radio, TV, web pages, and even on the bottom of some smart phone apps.  The drive to work is littered with billboards, road signs, and dozens of other channels of communication.  Media is everywhere.

In fact, the average person spends more time consuming media than they realize.  Research in the field reports “Consumers are now spending more than one-half of their waking day with media… Further, consumers’ media consumption has increased by an hour per day over the last 2 years, this largely resulting from an additional 40 minutes of time spent online since 2009 (“Ipsos OTX Media,” 2010).

One of the most pervasive aspects of media that has crept up on us in the past few years is social media.  Social media is Myspace (I just checked and… yes… it is still around), Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and tons of other applications that suck up our time and connect us with others.  It seems that online social media has become as important as traditional social functions.  Anymore, a person without social media is simply “out of the loop” when it comes to pop culture and social functions.  For example, my wife uses Facebook to invite people to social events.  No FB, no invite.  This means that we could potentially be missing really cool people who live in the dark ages.  Our family is still too young (children ages 12, 11, 9) for social media to play a big part of their lives.  I would assume as they age that it will become a means of social networking for their friendships and relationships and for us keeping up with them.

Speaking of relationships, I have noticed that the “in a relationship” status on Facebook is a sort of badge of passage for teenagers.  They are very proud when they can be in one and it shows their devastation when the message reads “is now single.”  In addition to this, you can Facebook stalk someone without ever speaking to them.  You can know their kids names, sexual orientation, birthdays, life milestones, and many other characteristics without even seeing them in person.  This is a huge relationship changer for adults as well as for teenagers.  This means that a “friend” no longer has to be someone physically close.  “Friend” is now a term that has been downgraded (in my opinion).

You might at this point be thinking… Yes Troy, but what does the Bible say about media?  We’ll get to that!

In Sherry Turkle’s book (2011) Alone Together, she relates is that technological enhancements made a person feel like “I am a better person” and herself makes the statement later “People love their new technologies of connection” (page 152).  The sense we get from her research is that technology is making people feel better or at least making them feel better about themselves and their relationships (page 196).  People felt like “more” when connected (page 153).  In terms of family relationships and even Christian ministries, it would seem that the definition of self and self-worth will be arriving to a person via others in cyberspace.  A person’s sense of self is now tied to objects and technology and the view of others online.  This can create havoc if the technology breaks down or those online are harsh.

I also noticed that Turkle goes on to describe parents dividing their attention between technology (phones, email, texts) and their children (page 160).  Children are seeing their parents prioritize machines.  Even chapter 9 of Turkle’s book relates that children are also growing up tethered to technology.  Online games and networks are helping children work out their identities in community (pages 180-181).  Thus, having focus in a relationship no longer looks like it once did.  A conversation may be interrupted by texts, calls, updates, and people slide to the side of attention.  Is this healthy?

Parent-child relationships used to have to deal with the parent “being on call” for work every so often.  Now, “they are always on, always at work, and always on call” (page 202) which changes the dynamics of families.  Children need to be shown and modeled boundaries when it comes to technology.  For example, no phones, texts, TVs, music, or other devices are allowed at our family dinner table.  This allows each person to physically talk to another and focus on what is being said.  As my family grows and adds age appropriate technology, this is a boundary that we have decided will not change.  This allows for off-line real conversations and closeness.

You might at this point be thinking… Yes Troy, but what does the Bible say?  I’m tired of reading your old homework from one of your classes… what does the BIBLE SAY!?

Nothing.

It says absolutely nothing about Facebook or AOL chatrooms or email or smart phones.

It does however say in Exodus 20:3-6, “You shall have no other gods before me.  "You shall not make for yourself an idol  in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

If you can’t put your phone down to go to the bathroom, it might be a god for you.

If you have to check your phone every five minutes, it might be a god for you.

If you choose to skip church and play a computer game, it is a god for you.

If you don’t want to go to a Bible study because someone will pass you on Candy Crush, it is a god for you.

If you spend all your extra money on gadgets and devices with “i” in the name… it might be a god for you.

If you can’t turn your phone off for dinner, it might be a god for you.

The Christian point of view when it comes to friendship (for me) has always been summarized by Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  A friend should lend support and be a good neighbor.  A friend should show concern and communicate that.  This is easily done on social media with “likes” “pokes,” hashtags, mentioning people in posts, tagging photos, uploading videos, and being instantly alerted to birthdays and other events.  Being a good friend is easier and can be easily expressed when people are connected through digital media.  So… use media to be a Godly good friend.

Here are some Principles for being a good “friend” on Facebook:

* Send a message on a person’s birthday

* “Like” comments about people’s kids even if you don’t care

* Comment on photos of people’s new hair or updated look

* Send congratulations for milestones

* Follow up short messages of praise with a longer email

* Note what people like and are “fans of” so that you know what presents to buy

* Use social media to help people plan for your friendly social events

* When people ask a question, offer honest feedback; privately if needed

* Always answer your messages

* Mention you are “praying for you” when you know people are having a hard time (then actually do it!)

* Send people a Bible verse every so often for their wall

For some reason, 1 Peter 3:3-4 popped in my head which encourages women (and men too) to have worth tied to God only for it says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.”

If you get ticked when someone doesn’t “like” your picture, your worth might be tied to Facebook.

If you use social media to attack someone (not to their face), you are using social media to hide.

Overall, I personally see a temptation for technology and the ability to be “tethered” to compete with a relationship with God and to have all your personal worth wrapped up in a device.  Technology sucks up time, brain power, effort, thought, money, leisure time, work time, and other aspects of a person’s life… some of which may have been dedicated to God before.  THIS is the DANGER of TECHNOLOGY. 

So what is a proper Lolology?  Watch out for it… very carefully.

Troy Borst

Associate Minister

Up Next…

THEOLOGY OF WASTE (THEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT)

THEOLOGY OF SPENDING

THEOLOGY OF STRESS

The 7 Experiment: Theology of Possessions: Stuffology

My wife has been going through a Bible Study called The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker which has really engaged many of the ladies of my church.  The third part of this particular study is all about possessions.  Again, let me reiterate, my concern with any of these areas is: “What does the Bible actually say?”  That should be a key for us in any subject we tackle in the Christian faith.  Our perspectives and attitudes should be informed by Scripture and then we need to align ourselves with it where we differ from God.

THEOLOGY OF POSSESSIONS: FORTUNOLOGY or maybe STUFFOLOGY

I got stuff.  You got stuff.  Most of us have so much stuff there is a whole subculture of garage sales where we practically give our stuff away so we can buy more stuff.  Some people have so much stuff they get storage units to put all their stuff.  If you listen to all the statistics, as an American we are in the top percentage of the world of people who have stuff and we should feel guilty about it!  When we talk about stuff (yes, that is my technical term for all possessions), we get into thoughts about the “haves” and the “havenots” and the “haves but we ain’t paid it off yets.”  Talking about possessions gets into speaking about money, housing, cars, hobbies, politics, clothing, debt, and all sorts of issues.

        

For the ladies Bible study, our particular group set up a swap shop where they could get rid of their unwanted or unneeded or guilt-causing items and others could benefit.  So what are we supposed to think about when it comes to our stuff? 

So, what does the Bible say about possessions?  There are a cluster of key words to look for and think about when looking at possessions and stuff in the Bible.  Some key words: possessions (38x), money (123x), greed (12x), poor (177x), riches (51x), clothes (169x), taxes (12x), credit cards (1x… Esther 2:22 J), creditor (5x), and debt (11x).  The words associated with our stuff are inexhaustible. 

Instead of looking at multiple passages on this subject, I would like to take a look at one particular passage.  I want to look at it because it contains several interesting aspects that are important any may head off any technical questions you may have:

* It involves Abram (Abraham) who is seen as a man of faith in the Old Testament and New Testament (Hebrews 11) which helps us see this issue of possessions is part of a faithful person’s life.  God liked him lots.

* It involves a real life situation, so it is not a parable or story or fictional poem.

* The chronology of the event is before Moses brings “the Law” to the Israelites and so eliminates the idea that this was “just a Jewish thang.”

* It deals specifically with possessions.

Genesis 14:11-24: “The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away.  ¹² They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.  ¹³ One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.  ¹⁴ When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.  ¹⁵ During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.  ¹⁶ He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.  ¹⁷ After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).  ¹⁸ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,  ¹⁹ and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  ²⁰ And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.  ²¹ The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."  ²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath  ²³ that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'  ²⁴ I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me-- to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

One of the things you need to notice about Abram (and even Lot) is that these men were wealthy.  They had flocks and herds and servants and Abram even had trained men at his disposal who numbered 318.  Through the situation, Abram/Abraham attacked those who had sacked Sodom and Gomorrah and got back his family along with all the items that had been plundered.

Verse 18-20: Melchizedek comes out and blesses Abram specifically saying his victory was from God.

Verse 20: Abram tithed to God out of all that he had received.

Verse 21: Abram is offered the possessions as his reward for getting the people out of harm’s way.

Verse 22: Abram did not want to profit from this endeavor.

Verse 23: Abram did not want any person to say they had given Abram wealth… ??WHY??

Verse 24: Abram only accepts as reward what his men need to eat.

In terms of Stuffology, I think Abraham teaches us a proper view of how to think about our stuff:

First, Abraham used what he had to help others.  He used the trained men in his household to rescue those who had been take prisoner and to get back the possessions and livelihood of those who had been attacked.  Abraham did not sit back and let it all happen… he had the ability to do something and so he did it.  And, from Abram’s perspective, he did it not for the expected reward, but because he was able.

Second, Abraham gave back to God.  Remember, this is before the Law was given to the Israelites.  This was before God said in Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”  This was before Jesus said in Matthew 22:21, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."  This was well before the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  This faithful man had a personal relationship with God and gave out of his thankfulness to God because he loved Him.  This giving was an expression of thankfulness.  This giving was an expression of Lordship.  This giving was an expression of keeping possessions in their proper place.

Third, Abraham was careful who he dealt with when it came to possessions.  We need to keep in mind that the Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham was dealing with in this passage is the exact same two cities that are smote from the very face of the Earth later in Genesis because of their abject wickedness.  Abraham relied on God for his blessings.  He relied on God to increase his flocks and herds.  Abraham did not want business dealings with this wicked king (whom he actually helped out… love thy neighbor and enemy and all that) or to be in debt to that same king.

So what is a proper theology about clothing (Stuffology)?  I think a proper Stuffology keeps materialism in full view and notes it as a temptation that can strike anyone whether they have little, some, or a lot.  A proper Stuffology first acknowledges that ALL possessions are a blessing from God…you ain’t the source of it all.  A proper Stuffology also gives back to God out of thanks and lordship and keeps all dealings with “stuff” in a holy manner… puttin’ in the offering plate ain’t optional.  A proper Stuffology also makes a point that stuff should never be only for self, but for the benefit of family, friends, and those in need… it ain’t just for you. 

Some Suggested Action Steps for a Proper Stuffology (theology about possessions):

*  If you are not tithing, just start.  Quit messing around and get faithful in this area.

*  Note in your checkbook or online where you money is going… are you purchasing more stuff than you need?

*  Think about your possessions: Are you getting some of your possessions in an illegal manner?

            > Illegally copied CDs, DVDs, etc?

            > Taking unapproved leftovers from work?

            > Sneaking in questionable expenses on your expense reports?

            > Shoplifting?

*  Are you going into debt for things you want because of greed? (be honest)

*  Are you able to help those in need around you, but decide not to because then you’d have less?

*  Are you able to help those in need around you, but decide to help because then it makes you look good?

*  Take donations to a thrift store or ministry and DON’T get a tax receipt. 

Troy Borst
Associate Minister

Up Next…

THEOLOGY OF MEDIA

THEOLOGY OF WASTE (THEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT)

THEOLOGY OF SPENDING

THEOLOGY OF STRESS

Through My Eyes: Missions, My Sponsor Child and Where I Want to Go

(Abby has recently started her own blog inspired by her love of writing this series. This blog was originally posted on Through My Eyes...)

Hey everybody! Today, I’m going to talk about what I have been thinking about doing with my life for quite a while. Missions is something that I used to look at and think “All the bug bites those people must get…” and I really never looked at the bigger picture. Last year at Bigstuf, I gave a bible to a little boy in Kenya named Bilha Njeri. That was when I first realized that missions were more than bug bites and living in a clay hut. Over the course of this past year, I have grown to love missions. I mean, at first I wasn’t like “Oh my gosh, I need to go save all the little children NOW!”  But now I’m definitely all about it.

I really started loving it about two or three months ago. One day, I was aimlessly walking down the hall at Bayshore when I came along this table with these pictures of kids on them. I look at each picture, seeing how old the kids are, where they live and stuff like that. So I venture back to my mothers desk and I say to her “Mom, I want one of those children.” On the way home, she goes “Call your nana, and maybe she will do the money part of everything.” So I call my Nana up and after various moments of explaining what it is and what I want, she agrees. That weekend, I make my sponsorship happen. I did it with One Child Matters and now, for 31 dollars a month, I sponsor Juana F. Reyes Fuentes, a 12 year old girl from Honduras. Juana lives with her parents and her four brothers and sister in a simple concrete blockhouse which lacks many amenities. Her father is a factory worker and their family appreciates what the Casa de los Ninos Child Development Center does for Juana. (I believe Casa de los Ninos is Children’s home in Spanish..) The place where Juana lives is in the community of La Joyada. In this agricultural region of southern Honduras, unemployment is very high. Malaria and worms often affect children, and medical treatment is expensive. Children have limited access to education and may be forced to work.

I cannot tell you how happy I was when we got her and Juana definitely means the world to me. I had to wait to get a packet to write Juana her first letter, and that took only forever…but when mom posted on my Facebook wall that my packet came while I was at Bigstuf, it only made my week so much better. Right when I got home, I made sure to write my letter perfectly. It took me almost 5-6 tries and several pieces of paper before I was confident enough to send it. I put the silliest picture of me and Lily, my dog, so that she could see me and put a smile on her face first thing, and the best picture of my family. I don’t know if she got my letter yet, but I hope Juana keeps it forever. I can’t wait for her first letter to me. I plan on writing her at least once a month, or however often I can. Really, Juana just boost my want to go places and meet kids in need.

This title also says where I want to go, right? What I have wanted to do since Bigstuf, is go to Uganda in Africa. Bigstuf this year really focused on missions, I feel, and Bob Goff made me want to go to Uganda. I want to go and help all the people and meet them and talk to them and its something I plan on paying for and doing before I turn 20. Yes. Before 20. I tell people this, and most of them are like “No, no! That’s dangerous!” but really, its just what I feel like I want to do. I feel like its what God wants me to do. I plan on asking for another child for Christmas, which is something I definitely want, and if that is my only Christmas present…I will think that it is the best Christmas present anyone has ever gotten me.

 

Through My Eyes…..God’s path is the one I am running down, and there is no way to stop me!!! 

Abby

The 7 Experiment: Theology of Clothing: Vestimentology

My wife has been going through a Bible Study called The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker which has really engaged many of the ladies of my church.  The second part of this particular study is all about clothing.  Again, let me reiterate, my concern with any of these areas is: “What does the Bible actually say?”  That should be a key for us in any subject we tackle in the Christian faith.  Our perspectives and attitudes should be informed by Scripture and then we need to align ourselves with it where we differ from God.  The study focuses on various areas where Americans normally struggle with excess and challenges them to focus on God in those areas.  One area they tackle is clothing.

THEOLOGY OF CLOTHING: (VESTIMENTOLOGY)

Vestimentology (as far as I know I made that up) is the study of the theology of clothing.  Clothing, like food (see the last blog) is one of those essentials in life that every person is concerned with… except nudists, I suppose.  Food and clothing are tied together many times in Scripture and have a similar feel as to our attitudes towards it… with one exception. 

Food + Clothing in the Bible: Genesis 28:19-22, Judges 17:10, 2 Samuel 12:20, Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:23, James 2:15.  In these passages and in many more, clothing is tied with food as an essential part of life.  Since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, clothes have been a part of the life of human beings (Genesis 3:7, Genesis 3:21).  Clothing is an essential covering for the human bodies.

There is one exception when it comes to clothing that is not always associated with food.  Clothing can be seen and often is seen as a status symbol.  I suppose food could be as well which is why only certain people eat at Ruth Chris Steakhouse or splurge and hit up the Olive Garden.  Yet, clothing more than any other can symbolize status.  This is why street gangs have for years opted for certain clothing or colors to symbolize their unity.  This is why school uniforms are so popular in many school districts.  This is why many companies opt for uniforms or a particular dress code.  Status.  The “ooh look at me” factor.

Key words in Scripture when looking at clothing: clothes (169x), clothing (52x), Armani (0x), jewelry (13x), rings (42x), sandals (28x), robe(s)(ed) (107x), cloak (51x), tunic(s) (22x), hat (0x), adorned (9x), wear (45x). 

So what does the Bible say?

Jeremiah 4:27-31 “This is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.  ²⁸ Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back."  ²⁹ At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no one lives in them.  ³⁰ What are you doing, O devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why shade your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.  ³¹ I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, a groan as of one bearing her first child-- the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, "Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers.”

Notice in these verses above that in the midst of a disaster, the people of God were concerned with clothing, makeup, and jewelry rather than their own lives.  The importance of clothing and accessories can be exaggerated in our lives.  For some reason, Gilligan’s Island popped in my head as I think about the ridiculousness of Mr and Mrs Howell in need of the finest things on a deserted island.  I think about people who refuse to leave their homes and possessions in the middle of great storms because they prize those things almost over their own lives.  I think of all the men who have to pack two extra suitcases for an overnight trip. 

Ezekiel 16:10-19  “I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.  ¹¹ I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,  ¹² and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.  ¹³ So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.  ¹⁴ And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.  ¹⁵ "'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.  ¹⁶ You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur.  ¹⁷ You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.  ¹⁸ And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them.  ¹⁹ Also the food I provided for you-- the fine flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat-- you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign LORD.” 

Here is where the theology of clothing comes to the forefront in this passage and in many others (for example Matthew 6:19-21).  Notice that God is speaking and it was HIM who blessed the people of God with fine clothes, jewels, and other costly items.  Those things were seen by God as a blessing from Him to them.  Yet, they used these items for status.  They ended up using these items for sin and “trusted” in those things rather than in God.  They used the fine jewelry they were blessed with for themselves and for idols.   Verse 18 says clearly that the embroidered clothes they owned became an idol themselves.  I love that at the end of verse 19, God says to them… that IS what happened. 

1 Peter 3:1-5 (echoed in James 2:1-5)  “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,  ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  ⁴ Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.  ⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands…”

The New Testament also weighs in on the clothing issue.  In the Apostle Peter’s day (and the Apostle Paul’s day) certain clothes meant certain things.  Wearing your hair in a certain way meant you were a prostitute.  Ladies inviting men would wear certain sandals which imprinted messages on the ground.  Colors of cloth indicated royalty or social status (Mark 15:17-20, Luke 16:19, Acts 16:14).  Even a certain type of ring indicated you were a slave or a free person.  Peter states matter-of-factly that as a Christian person, our worth and status come from the inside and from our relationship with God.  The importance of an individual rests not on their clothing, but on their worth as an individual in God’s sight.

So what is a proper theology about clothing (vestimentology)?  I think vestimentology and culinology go hand in hand in many respects.  They are both essentials in life.  They are both needed blessings from God for each one of us.  Both are seen as worthy endeavors when sharing with the poor.  Yet, vestimentology adds the additional thought that clothing can lead to a great sense of self importance (pride) which can lead to sin.  This self importance can lead to…

… judging others as less than you because they don’t measure up fashionistically

… spending money you don’t have to look the part that is fake or shallow or deceptive

… the attitude that clothes and accessories are more important than other “actually important” things

… dressing in a way to lure/seduce the opposite gender

… clothing and shopping being an idol

A proper vestimentology would keep clothes in their place, enjoying them as a direct blessing from God, sharing them when you are able, but not allowing clothes to become an idol.

Some Suggested Action Steps for a Proper Vestimentology (theology about clothing):

*  Look in your closet/drawers and see if there are still clothes with tags on them.  If so, you probably have an issue with excess.

*  Ask yourself (be honest): Do you buy things because other people have them?

*  Watch your attitude as you seek to share clothing with others, not making them feel like they are poor, less than you, or in desperate need of your fashions because they don’t measure up.

*  Do you refuse to shop at Walmart because it is beneath you?

*  Go through your closet/drawers and give away clothes that you do not need.

*  Look for ways to hand down clothes within your family and extended family instead of always buying new.

*  Pray that you would keep your “stuff” in a proper perspective in your life.

Troy

Associate Minister

Up Next…

THEOLOGY OF POSSESSIONS

THEOLOGY OF MEDIA

THEOLOGY OF WASTE (THEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT)

THEOLOGY OF SPENDING

THEOLOGY OF STRESS

Through My Eyes: Student Life Camp with Bayshore

Hello everyone! This past week I was in Toccoa, Georgia for an amazing week with Bayshore and their youth group at Student Life Camp. Not only did we have fun on the way up, we also served the Lord, had a fantastic speaker and an amazing worship leader. 

We set out on our adventure at 7 o’ clock Sunday morning. Too early!!! We arrived in Atlanta that evening and visited World of Coke. I made sure to try Speitze (Mezzo Mix, which is the most popular drink in Germany and my dad's favorite.) Then we ate at The Varsity. It wasn’t anything to write home about, except I’m writing home about it. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriot hotel over night (nice!). On Monday, we drove on to Toccoa to begin camp.

So there we were, all 40 of us ready for Student Life’s Mission Camp. Tom, Bayshore’s youth minister, separated us into three groups for 3 different missions’ sites: 10 of us at the local YMCA cleaning and volunteering for the summer camps, 10 of us painting a fence at a low income housing place, and 20 of us working on mulching a trail at Henderson Falls. I was one of the lucky 20 that was working on the mulching. Five hours a day for the next 3 days, I mulched, I sprayed too much bug spray, and filled wheel barrels with dirt. After we finished the work for the day, we were lucky enough to have the best water fall to play in. It was right across the trail and we would all go down and have a blast playing in the water (well, I only went in once, on the last day). On the last work day, everybody from the 2 other mission sites from our group came and played in the water fall with us. Good times…

Jeremy Kingsley was our camp pastor (think Jon Acuff’s older brother - they look like they are related too…). Jeremy has a story for pretty much everything. What he does best is tell stories to illustrate what he is teaching. Whether it is he threw an oatmeal cream pie at his teacher, or he was telling us about secret guy school, Jeremy always had an amazing way to say the point through a story. He made it funny at times, and even once, he cried on stage. He taught me about God’s kingdom and ROTC. R is rely; O is obey; T is trust; C is cling. We can always rely, obey, trust and cling to God. Look this guy up! He is awesome.

Tom said “our group couldn’t help but be enamored with the worship leader” in his sermon Sunday (I was at Bayshore, cause I was sharing about the experience with their church.)  He couldn’t have said it better...

Our worship leader was Aaron Keyes. When I looked this guy up, I couldn’t help but think “He isn’t going to be as good as Chris Tomlin, or David Crowder Band…and I have worshipped with both of them!” On the second day, when I was still kinda iffy about Aaron, Tom said to me “Aaron radiates peace.” The very next time we had worship, I looked for what Tom was talking about. Five minutes into my search, I saw what Tom meant. Every single session, I would see different things. Peace. Love. Passion. Aaron just brought God into the room everywhere he went. That same week, his trailer got broken into and 20,000 dollars worth of stuff was stolen. And he still radiated Jesus.

He is also a walking Bible. Tom was telling a story about how in the Youth Group Leader Meeting one day, Aaron gets up and starts by saying “You know what this reminds me of? Exodus 17 when the Israelites are under attack….” And all the youth ministers are just like “Yeeaaahh….” as they flipped through their Bibles searching for the story. If you start a conversation with Aaron, I’m pretty sure he could just pull a verse out, no matter what you’re talking about. It’s insane how much he memorized. He would just say these long verses during worship, know it by heart, and we all would just be in awe. Well, I would be anyways.

One thing that I LOVED that this camp did was focus on the Compassion program (which I will tell you more about in my next blog)….what is really amazing, though, is that on the trip, our group started sponsoring 12 children from all over the world. ISN’T THAT AMAZING?!?!

Through my eyes….Student Life camp isn’t just a camp…it’s a way to change your life.
Abby 

The 7 Experiment: Theology of Food: Culinology

My wife has been going through a Bible Study called The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker which has really engaged many of the ladies of my church and also 7 other churches that have joined in this particular study.  I thought that was pretty cool myself… as a Restoration Movement minister whose Christian heritage claims it wants unity among all believers.  Anyway, as usual, she and I talk over the study at times, she asks me questions, I offer my opinion, we debate, we laugh, and we generally enjoy the studies together even though I am very much on the outside.

This particular study is not one that centers on one particular Bible passage, but rather centers on the idea (this is my take on it) that American Christians are consumed with consuming and it can and often does get in the way with our relationship with God.  The study has allowed us to talk about some things about the Christian faith that most of the time are left unsaid… some with good reason… others need to be talked about.  Whether the ladies of her study realize it or not, I get asked a lot of questions about their study through her and some by them directly.  I thought I would put together a few thoughts to help answer some questions I have heard about the different areas of the social experiment in the study.

My concern with any of these areas is: “What does the Bible actually say?”  That should be a key for us in any subject we tackle in the Christian faith.  Our perspectives and attitudes should be informed by Scripture and then we need to align ourselves with it where we differ from God.

THEOLOGY OF FOOD: CULINOLOGY

I remember a few years ago that McDonalds was on the hot seat for their massive supersized meals.  It was a sign of the early 2000s.  Everyone had survived Y2K and we all wanted was to celebrate with massive amounts of sodas and French fries.  It’s not every year that the apocalypse happens without a hiccup… unless you count the 2012 one, too.  Anyway, food seems to be at the forefront of our lives.  Drive down any street in America and you will most likely hit some kind of establishment that serves food.  I remember taking a road trip in college through Texas where every single town had a Dairy Queen.  Not all the towns had stop lights or running water, but they all had at least one Dairy Queen!  TV markets food through commercials.  Movie theaters market their snack bar with whimsical finesse.  Even sports venues have a ring around the field full of vendors with food.  Food is everywhere!

So, what does the Bible say about food?  What am I supposed to think about food? To be honest, there are key words to look for and think about when looking at food in the Bible.  Some key words: food (317x), harvest (96x), glutton(s)(y) (7x), starve(ation)(ing) (9x), drought (8x), supplies (18x), meat (91x), vegan (0x), cook(ed) (22x), eat (514x).

Numbers 11:4-6 (talked about in Psalm 78:12-35): “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!  ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost-- also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.  ⁶ But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"

Psalm 111:3-5: “Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.  ⁴ He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.  ⁵ He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.”

Proverbs 22:9 (echoed in other passages like Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Proverbs 25:21, Luke 3:11, Acts 6, James 2:15-17): “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”

Ecclesiastes 9:7: “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.”

Romans 14:13-23 (also in Genesis 9:3-4, Acts 10:11-16): “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.  ¹⁴ As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.  ¹⁵ If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.  ¹⁶ Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.  ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,  ¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.  ¹⁹ Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.  ²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.  All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.  ²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.  ²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.  ²³ But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

1 Timothy 6:6-8 (spoken about in Matthew 6:25-27): “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

Honestly, I tried to narrow down the passages for you to read so you won’t get bored with my blog.  As you can see from the list of key words about food, the references about food and food-type thoughts could go on for days!  Yes!  The Bible does talk about food… so what do we see when it comes to food in the Bible?

I think we can notice several principles about food that can be helpful for us in our walk with God.

First, notice in Numbers 11 and Romans 14 that food can be a source of sin or temptation in our lives.  The word “gluttony” is framed as a sin in the Old and New Testaments and is something looked down upon along with over drinking.  Food, in Romans 14, can even be a stumbling block for someone’s faith.  Now I realize the Apostle Paul is speaking specifically about purchasing meat sacrificed to pagan idols, but I think the principle of watching what you eat and how it effects those around you remains (Romans 14:20). 

Second, notice food can be a source of blessing from God and something that we can enjoy from Psalm 111 and Ecclesiastes 9.  It is a proper thought to have that anything you eat, serve in your home, purchase at the store, or order from a restaurant menu is provided to you by God Almighty.  To paraphrase a President, “You didn’t make that.”  God gives food the ability to grow.  God provides you a job with which to purchase food from your earnings.  God is the source of your ability to go out to eat.  These things are a blessing from God and can be enjoyed.  For example, my mother-in-law’s cheesecake is a blessing straight from Heaven’s kitchen.  Now, looking at Numbers 11 and Romans 14, it is possible to enjoy food far too much, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a good meal while praising God as the source from whence it came.  I also would add to this thought, that 1 Timothy 6 encourages us to be content with what is given to us.  It should not be a stressor that you can’t afford to go out to eat, but rather celebrate that you can make a meal and enjoy it at home. 

Third, Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Luke, Acts, James, and so many other passages in the Scriptures commands us to share food and provisions with others.  This is not a suggestion or an inkling or a maybe-ifn-you-want-to statement.  Sharing with the poor is a command from God and is something that pleases Him.  I believe the key here is out of the blessing and enjoyment God has given you, you then should share with others.  In John 12:8, Jesus Christ says “you will always have the poor among you…” and James 2 echoes the thought that when we see someone in need, we should help if at all possible for this pleases God (who gave it to you in the first place).

So what is a proper theology about food?  We’ll call it “Culinology” (I looked and didn’t find a fancy name).  A proper Culinology rests on the three principles above and has at its core a profound sense of thanksgiving to God for all that He provides and the necessity to share with others who are poor.

Some Suggested Action Steps for a Proper Culinology (Theology about Food):

* Pray before your meals (meaningful prayers, not rote ones) and teach your children/grandchildren to do the same.

*  Skip some meals going out to eat and give the extra money to a local food pantry.

*  Do a personal inventory to see if you are overeating or undereating or if you have an eating disorder.

*  Investigate what fasting is and how this can be a beneficial spiritual discipline in the Christian life.

Troy Borst

Associate Minister

Up next…

THEOLOGY OF CLOTHING

THEOLOGY OF POSSESSIONS

THEOLOGY OF MEDIA

THEOLOGY OF WASTE (THEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT)

THEOLOGY OF SPENDING

THEOLOGY OF STRESS

Through my eyes: Bigstuf & Lake Aurora

Hey guys! I have had a FULL couple of weeks! This week is probably the first full week I have been home since my summer began. Today’s blog is going to be all about Bigstuf and camp at Lake Aurora!

So my first summer adventure I went on was Bigstuf! Bigstuf (if you don’t know and haven’t read any of my blogs before..) is a Christian  conference that is held in Daytona and Panama City for High School and Middle School students. Youth Groups from all over the country come to worship with the best of the best and listen to some of the most sought out speakers in America. This year was the 25^th Anniversary of Bigstuf!

This year’s theme for Bigstuf was Reality. We learned many things from various speakers. Jon Marc Comer was a preacher from Portland who talked about being followers of God and how to face reality with our faith. Jon Acuff, who is the blogger (like me!) of Stuff Christians Like, talked about our voice of fear. Bob Goff, the author of the book Love Does, talked about how your dreams can become a reality. He told a story about how he asked his kids a question. “What would you do if you had one minute with a world leader.” One of his kids says “Invite him to a slumber party!” I don’t know about you, but a slumber party sounds ridiculous. Bob goes on and he talks about how they mailed every single world leader on this earth and they end up getting 29 yeses to go to the slumber party. Bob and his kids travel around the world meeting all these world leaders and how his kids interviewed every single world leader. At the end of each interview, his kids would give the world leader the key to their house. The whole time I was thinking “This dude is nuts! He is craaaaaazy!” But Bob Goff had some pretty cool stories.                                      

Now the worship was pretty amazing. Phil Wickham was the worship leader again this year. We got to have Rend Collective lead worship, David Crowder was there (And I didn’t know he was as southern as he actually is…he is pretty southern.) and he was awesome!!

Ok, the Skit Guys were hilarious. Let me tell you, I haven’t laughed so hard in my life…they do half improv, half script. I would look them up if I were you. On YouTube. Right now. The two skits I recommend you watching is Little Billy: Zaccheaus and Hurting Help Line. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. I promise you will not be wasting your time.

One person is planning on giving their life to Christ, and I know I have said it a million times, but my good friend and fellow writer Bryce Buckland is doing that in a few months. So yay! Thank you Phil Wickham…your singing did the trick.  

Ok! So the Sunday after Bigstuf (So like 2 days..) I went to go Transform my self at Lake Aurora. I have gone for 7 years and every year, I always make new friends and learn new things. This year, we learned about sin, mercy, service, and sacrifice. It was a good week and even though I am not really a minimalist, I can survive. It’s a good camp, so if you don’t go, your missing out! That’s all for now!

And I am serious about the Skit Guys thing. You will be hooked.

Through My Eyes….Bigstuf and Lake Aurora are the places to be this summer and all the summers for the rest of my life (well….until I age out any ways..) 

Abby