Quickened to Life

That a saving work must first be done in the heart is taken for granted here. The spiritual faculties of the unregenerate man lie asleep in his nature, unused and for every purpose dead; that is the stroke which has fallen upon us by sin. They may be quickened to active life again by the operation of the Holy Spirit in regeneration; that is one of the immeasurable benefits which come to us through Christ's atoning work on the cross.

from The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

Korean Christmas carol promotion draws ire from Buddhists

Leonard Sweet commented on this news story saying, "I love that idea of Christmas Carols as deadly weapons. The New Testament, T.N.T, the story of Jesus's birth is the greatest stick of dynamite, blows your past into smithereens and starts a whole new life, and create a whole new world. It is a deadly weapon for that which oppresses us and suppresses us and keeps us from lifting up our eyes and looking up." https://youtu.be/QTltWCz0yU4

A state-sponsored campaign to promote Christmas carols as a way of stimulating festive spirit among South Koreans has triggered a strong backlash from Buddhist groups in the East Asian nation.

The criticism came as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism paired up with Seoul Catholic Archdiocese, the National Council of Churches in Korea and the United Christian Churches of Korea as well as music services providers to promote Christmas carols throughout December.

The ministry has reportedly allocated a budget of 1 billion won (US$850,000) for the campaign to encourage public gathering places such as coffee shops, restaurants and retail outlets to play more Christmas carols, reported the Korea Times.

Popular South Korean radio stations including KBS, MBC and SBS will play more Christmas carols than before, while music service providers will distribute free coupons so that more people can enjoy festive songs.

The Korea Music Copyright Association is also providing 22 popular carols for free on its website.

Aggrieved over the campaign, the Association of Korean Buddhist Orders announced on Dec. 2 that it had filed a lawsuit for an injunction to stop the government using its budget for the carol campaign.

If the songs, which some people are uncomfortable about, are played continuously through the media, it turns into a deadly weapon

Earlier, on Dec. 1, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, issued a statement to express shock at the government’s official promotion of Christmas carols.

"The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which should be fair and impartial in policies regarding religion, is leading a Christian missionary project on the pretense of comforting people," the group said.

"If the songs, which some people are uncomfortable about, are played continuously through the media, it turns into a deadly weapon, and is nothing more than pollution for those people." 

Christmas carols have become less visible in public places in South Korea in recent times, mostly for economic reasons, the Korea Times report noted.

Under South Korea’s copyright law, some businesses such as coffee shops, gyms, retail outlets and department stores are subject to paying royalties if their shop area is 50 square meters or more. Fees for musical services are also rising.

Media reports say many Koreans complain that amid the gradual disappearance of Christmas carols from public places “Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas anymore.”

In response to Buddhist opposition, the Culture Ministry said it was not supporting a specific religion but intends to promote festive spirit during the year-end season.

About 56 percent of an estimated 58 million South Koreans have no religion, 20 percent are Protestant, 8 percent are Catholic and 15.5 percent are Buddhist, according to government records.

South Korean President Timothy Moon Jae-in is the second Catholic head of state after Kim Dae-jung.

 from UCA News  Korean Christmas carol promotion draws ire from Buddhists - UCA News

Real Confession

There is a big difference between saying, “I’m sorry if I hurt you,” and saying, “I’m sorry I hurt you. I realize now that it was my insecurity that produced such bad behavior. I have really prayed about this, and I believe God is showing me how I can avoid doing that again. Will you forgive me?” Confession at this level is so countercultural for so many reasons that it is hard to know how to begin to talk about it; however, to stop short of confession is to stop short of the deepest levels of transformation.

Barton, R.Ruth. Sacred Rhythms : Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation. IVP Books, 2006.

Authentic Christianity in the Wesleyan Understanding

“Authentic Christianity, in the Wesleyan understanding, is a Christianity of radical transformation.  It has nothing to do with straightening out one’s life, cleaning up damaging addictions, or taking the moral high ground.  These will likely be some of the consequences of that transformation, but they are not the source of it.  Christ alone is that source. When people come to him in repentance and faith they enter a new relationship with God and a new life in Christ.”

 -Daniel L. Burnett, In the Shadow of Aldersgate: An Introduction to the Heritage and Faith of the Wesleyan Tradition, 2006  (quote found in Michael Pasquarello III’s John Wesley a Preaching Life, p. xiii)

DC-Mentality As Seen by Lee Atwater

Lee Atwater (1951-1991), known as a brutal, consummate political strategist and hardball Republican National Committee chair, became a repentant believer and foe of “DC-mentality” before he died of brain cancer.  Before he died, he said, “I acquired more [wealth, power, and prestige] than most.  But you can acquire all you want, and still feel empty. It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. [The leaders of the ‘90s must] speak to the spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society. . . . What is missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart.”

--from A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Café by Leonard Sweet, p. 19

Preach a Better Sermon with your Life

I used to go to a doctor who was obviously overweight and who smoked.  This doctor had heart trouble issues as well. When he would advise me on diet and exercise, I believed what he told me was medically accurate, but I wasn't inspired by any example he was setting. Under his care, I continued to increase in my weight.  Now I go to a different doctor who is slim and does not smoke. Since I've put myself in his care, I've been more inspired to lose weight and keep fit.  The example he has set has helped to motivate me.

That's why this testimony makes sense to me:

"Dr. Furr, a resident of Jackson, AL and the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church lay leader, incorporated a video presentation of his personal account of weight loss and transformation into leading a healthy lifestyle. Furr realized that when his wedding band no longer fit, it was time to make a change. Furr is a family practitioner physician in Jackson and explained that his patients were able to better follow his medical advice by him leading as an example. The video also showed his daily routine of work, family and exercise all blended in an appropriate fashion. He expressed in his address that, "Being or living a sermon is a whole different matter. A part of me had to die so the real me could live. I was desecrating the temple God has given me. I had to decide to BE a sermon." As God tells his followers our bodies are a temple, Furr said, "my personal temple was in disarray." At one point, Dr. Furr was 5'6", 236 pounds. He now proudly weighs in under 175 pounds. He concluded by saying that, "Jesus Christ is the best personal trainer ever."

Furr made a poignant statement in saying, "You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips." Rev. Rurel Ausley, a member of the Alabama-West Florida Conference delegation, commented on Dr. Furr's statement by saying, "Steve masterfully articulated his physical transformation into a spiritual parable for personal transformation in Christ. Inspiring and at times tearing up, Dr. Furr electrified the General Conference and made all of Alabama-West Florida burst with pride."

To see Dr. Furr's video testimony, click here. The full address is archived here. 

Article found here: http://www.awfumc.org/news/detail/756

Mesmerized by Imitation Waterfall

“You cannot follow Jesus and remain the same. The journey itself will change you forever—not only your priorities, but your passions. It alters not only your direction, but your desires. It transforms not only your actions, but your values. It makes you just like Christ and unlike anyone else. It is nothing less than leaving the fake for the real. There is great risk in abandoning the artificial in pursuit of the authentic. Yet if we’ve never known the real thing, it is easy to understand why we are mesmerized with the best versions of the imitation.

Over the years we’ve developed a wonderful friendship with a family in New Zealand. Some of the Crawford clan recently crossed the ocean to enjoy our place here in Los Angeles. I remember when I took them to Downtown Disney. I eagerly brought them to one of my favorite spots, where a miniature waterfall produces a soothing sound as it works its way over rocks into a small pool. I have to admit I was a bit thrown back when Phillip’s response was a somewhat non-responsive, ‘Come to New Zealand, and we’ll show you the real thing.’ What did I expect from residents of Middle Earth?

I realized my appreciation was shaped by the context in which I live. In comparison to a city filled with endless concrete, even a façade of the natural gained my admiration. From their vantage point, even the most beautiful expression possible from the skilled hands of men was inadequate in comparison to the majesty of the awe-inspiring work of God.

As strange as it may seem, to discover what it really means to be truly human, the only one we can turn to is God. In all of our efforts, rather than confess that we have lost our way, we have set the course of our lives on a misdirected view of greatness. We have chosen to build facades and to build them on foundations of sand, which leads us back to where we began.” (p. 34-35) See Matt. 7:24-27

--From Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus