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This is the third and final blog in which I discuss a Christian attitude to differences in race (ethnicity), culture and religion.  When it comes to race – embrace!  When it comes to culture – embrace the good!  What about the various religions?  What should our attitude be towards people of differing belief?

Over the centuries the attitudes and actions of people of various faiths have been nothing short of atrocious towards each other – and nothing much has changed.  Today Christians are the most persecuted people in the world predominantly by communism (North Korea is the worst) and radical Islam.  According to Open Doors, “Overwhelmingly, the main engine driving persecution of Christians in 36 of the top 50 countries is Islamic extremism.”  In today’s world we see all manner of persecution enacted upon people of faith by people of faith.  Once again Acts 17 gives us some good insight into what a proper attitude should be.

In these verses Paul the apostle affirms that God is everywhere, that we are all His offspring or children (28-29) and that “he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”  The apostle quotes two famous Greek philosophers (Aratus and Epimenides) in order to point them to Jesus, the one true God.

Aratus in his work entitled Phaenomena 1-5 stated: “Let us begin with Zeus whom we mortals never leave unspoken. For every street, every market place is filled with Zeus. Even the sea and the harbors are full of his deity. Everywhere, everyone is indebted to Zeus. For we are indeed his offspring.”

Epimenides, in his work Cretica, wrote, “They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one. The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!  But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever, for in thee we live and move and have our being.”  Paul uses the poet’s words to introduce the Greeks to the death and resurrection of Jesus.

In the 6th century B.C., when the poet Epimenides lived, there was a plague which went throughout all Greece. The Greeks thought that they must have offended one of their gods, so they began offering sacrifices on altars to all their various gods. When nothing worked they figured there must be a God who they didn’t know about whom they must somehow appease.

So Epimenides came up with a plan. He released hungry sheep into the countryside and instructed men to follow the sheep to see where they would lie down. He believed that since hungry sheep would not naturally lie down but continue to graze, if the sheep were to lie down it would be a sign from God that this place was sacred. At each spot where the sheep tired and laid down the Athenians built an altar and sacrificed the sheep on it. Afterward it is believed the plague stopped which they attributed to this unknown God accepting the sacrifice.

Paul tried to convey to them that the unknown God was the true God, Jesus Christ: the God who created all things and every person.  He then goes on to give a gentle but firm rebuke of man-made religion. It is of “man’s design” and Paul refers to it as “ignorance” that God once overlooked – but no longer!  God is not looking at our religion – He’s interested in relationship.  His desire is that we would “seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”  More importantly God has already reached out to us in the tangible person of Jesus Christ.

Christians are called to a life of love and tolerance towards others.  Jesus told the story of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10) to demonstrate that his people should love, respect, and help people regardless of their race, culture or religion.  But that doesn’t mean that we agree with what others believe or do.  Christianity is not just tolerant it is also exclusive.  Jesus made it clear when he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  Acts 4:12 also states this truth plainly, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  Paul makes it clear as well: “God … commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man [Jesus] he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30b-31).

The Romans thought, “All roads might lead to Rome,” but all religions don’t lead to God.  As a Christian I strongly believe that Jesus is the one and only way.  But that doesn’t stop me from being respectful, kind, helpful and loving towards those who believe differently.  So …

When it comes to race – embrace!

When it comes to culture – embrace the good!

When it comes to religion – embrace the person!

That’s what Paul did on Mars Hill in Athens as he found some common ground with these highly religious people and shared the good news with them.  It would do us well to do the same!

In my last blog I outlined what I believe is a Christian response towards people of different races.  I summarised my thoughts in the statement, “When it comes to race – embrace!”  In this blog I want to answer the question, “What is a Christian attitude toward people of other cultures?”

Acts 17 affirms not just the unity of the human race but also the diversity of ethnic cultures: “From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.”  This refers to God’s original command to the first people to “be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth!”  As groups of people settled in different parts of the earth, not only did different races develop but also distinctive cultures.

“Culture” is defined as “The collection of beliefs, values and customs developed by each society and transmitted to the next generation.”  As we examine the varieties of cultures we find two things:

They’re not all bad. All people are made in the image of God and thus all people reflect that image to some extent through their culture.  Some culture is rich in beauty and goodness.  Of the many things I love about our multicultural society in Australia are all the varieties of food we enjoy from different nations.

In the book of Revelation chapter 21 the apostle John sees visions of the world to come: “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.”  The splendor and glory of the nations refers to the good things that emanate from each of them.  If culture will enrich human life and community in eternity then surely it can do the same now!  We can enhance our lives by experiencing the good in things – the tastes, the sounds, the colour – in various cultures.

The second thing we find when examining other cultures is they’re not all good.  All people are made in the image of God but that image has been marred by disobedience to God.  Because of this some aspects of various cultures are tainted and some of it is just plain evil.  An example of this is female circumcision.  The World Health Organization estimates that three million girls and women a year are at risk of mutilation (approximately 8000 girls per day). This occurs mainly in Africa and in a few countries in the Middle East, Asia and among certain ethnic groups in Central and South America.  Any aspects of a culture that lead to discrimination, alienation, poverty or a denial of basic human rights should be actively opposed.

The answer to determining whether culture is good or bad is to test it.  The Bible encourages us to “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).  So, when it comes to race – embrace!  When it comes to culture – embrace the good!

What about the various religions?  I’ll discuss that next week!

Divisions, wars and disputes often happen in our world because of differences in race, culture and religion. So what is a Christian attitude towards these things?

Acts 17 tells of Paul the apostle’s time in Athens – particularly his discussions at the Areopagus – the place in which the Areopagites, the supreme judges of Athens, assembled. It was on a hill almost in the middle of the city. Many accounts suggest that this was the most celebrated tribunal in the world. Its decisions were distinguished for justice and correctness. This court punished vices of all kinds – including idleness; they rewarded the virtuous; they were especially attentive to blasphemies against the gods; and to the performance of the sacred mysteries of religion. Paul was brought before this tribunal, being regarded as a teacher of strange gods and doctrines and introducing a new mode of worship.

Athens was a city of people from diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. When Athens was incorporated into the Roman Empire it became one of the leading cosmopolitan cities in the world. Paul referred to the Athenians as being “very religious.” This was an accurate statement according to Roman Satirist and historian, Petronius, who said it was “easier to find a god in Athens than a man.”  The city was crammed full of temples, shrines, altars, images and statues. Paul’s response to this multi-racial, multicultural and multi-religious city is a good response for any Christian facing questions or challenges over race, culture and religion today.

Paul affirmed the unity of the human race by recognizing two things: Everyone was created by one God and everyone was created from one man: “He himself gives life and breath to everything, and satisfies every need there is.”  In verse 28 Paul quotes some Greek Poets who wrote, “We are His offspring” – speaking of the entire human race. In a general sense, God is the Father of every person; since He created us we are all His offspring. That means every human being is our brother or our sister. One of my favourite writers, John Stott, put it this way: “Being equally created by Him and like Him, we have an equal right in His sight to worth and dignity, and therefore have an equal right to respect and justice.”  We would do well to remember this as we seek justice for every person, especially those who are unable to fend for themselves, like refugees and the 35 million people in modern-day slavery.

One God created everyone and everyone was created from one man! “From one man he made all the nations that they should inhabit the whole earth.”  British Anthropologist Ashley Montagu wrote, “Concerning the origin of the living varieties of Man we can say little more than that there are many reasons for believing that a single stock gave rise to all of them. All varieties of Man belong to the same species and have the same remote ancestry. This is the conclusion to which all the relevant evidence points.”  This is backed up by the fact that the four human blood types are, in every respect, the same in all human beings regardless of ethnic background.

With this in mind there is absolutely no room for racial prejudice and there is no room for generalizations about races. On this the apostle James wrote these words, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (3:9-10).

The Christian community should be a place that brings heaven to earth, where we enjoy unity together in our faith regardless of racial background with “persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

When it comes to race – embrace!

Next week we’ll discuss a Christian attitude to differences in culture and religion.

The Victorian State election is coming up on Saturday 29 November.  That gives us a month-long political campaign during which we will hear of many promises from all parties that will seek to buy our vote – all with money that we don’t have.  So, particularly as a Christian, what should I consider on polling day?

I’ve heard some well-intentioned (but misguided) Christians say that they don’t vote because they believe in leaving the choosing of a government up to God Himself.  It sounds spiritual but doesn’t take into account that God isn’t registered with the Australian Electoral Commission, and neither is Australia a Theocracy!

Listening to others you would think that God – and Christianity – is always on the side of conservative politics.  But sometimes the “Right” gets it wrong.  That doesn’t mean that Jesus would necessarily be a labor voter either – nor would He always condone voting for a Christian politician. Some politicians who’ve identified as Christian have brought embarrassment on the church and the Name of Jesus by ostracizing the broader community that God loves and Jesus gave His life for.

So, for whom should we vote on November 29?  Let me provide four guidelines for you to consider:

  1. Remember that you’re ultimately voting for your LOCAL member not the person who will become Premier.  Why not contact your local member(s) and ask them two or three questions on issues that concern you? Then vote according to your conscience.  (Mentone Baptist Church is hosting a “Meet the Candidates” evening from 7.30 on Monday 10th November).2
  2. Resist the temptation to criticize your leaders.  That doesn’t mean that we can’t disagree or engage in vigorous debate, but it does mean that we choose not to turn the debate into a personal attack.  Politicians are human beings, they are people, and they are fallible. Most of them are very good people who have a desire to make this state a better place.  The Bible instructs us to respect, pray for and challenge our leaders (see Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Exodus 22:28; 1 Timothy 2:1-4).  When the apostle Peter told his readers to “honour the king” he was speaking of Nero.  He didn’t say they had to agree with him or even like him but they were to honour the position he held.  Let’s resist the temptation to engage in the popular Aussie pastime of pollie-bashing.
  3. Realize that Jesus came to initiate the kingdom of God. He came for much bigger purposes than Australian politics, but that doesn’t mean He is disinterested in our country. He loves Australia; He loves people, He loves His creation. The entire Bible echoes God’s love and concern for people. In Micah 6:8, the prophet reminds us of three things that God wants to see reflected in every life and thus in every nation: “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”  Social justice, mercy and humility feature highly in the will of God for humanity.  Jesus’ Golden Rule is also an important consideration, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).  So our voting should not just be about selfish concerns of personal comfort.  Our vote should support those who will reflect love and care towards the poor, the homeless, the marginalised and the oppressed.  If we were in their place how would we want others to treat us?  Who do you think has the best credentials and policies for managing the economy, developing education & health services, and caring for the environment, the disabled, single parents, the homeless and so on?  I understand that it’s hard to actually work out who will uphold these values the best but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least try.
  4. Access and complete the ABC’s Vote Compass at http://www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/vote-compass/

Vote Compass is an educational tool developed by political scientists. By answering a short series of questions you can discover how you fit in Victoria’s political landscape.  It will tell you which party is right for what is important to you.

I encourage you to prayerfully and intelligently consider your vote on November 29, and appreciate the fact that you live in a country where you get to vote. Make your vote count and show up on polling day.

I recently read with interest about a British Street evangelist, Mike Overd, who is being prosecuted for an alleged religious aggravation public order offence.

According to CharismaNews, the charges follow a complaint to police in Taunton that Overd made a comparison between the perfect life of Jesus and the life of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad. A Taunton police sergeant recently gave an interview to BBC television and a newspaper locally, urging residents to film the evangelist’s preaching as it was alleged that Overd’s preaching was “causing offense.” The officer has also asked local traders to film Overd if they believed he was preaching “offensively.”

Overd insists that when he made a comparison between the perfect life of Jesus and the life led by Muhammad, he did not speak in a hateful way. “It was a simple comparison and it was factual. Muhammad did marry a 9-year-old girl. I have no hatred of Muslims in me at all and only preach the truth of the gospel. Recently a Muslim man came to my defense when I was preaching and a local shopkeeper started to shout at me. The Muslim gentleman didn’t take offense because he said he knew I was simply preaching what I believed and agreed there was no hatred in me. I’ve got this incident on video, and I also have video evidence of the incidents which have led to this forthcoming prosecution.” Overd has been told his case will come to court before the end of this year.

Now in no way do I stand in judgment of Mike Overd (Romans 14:4) but I am intrigued as to why a Christian preacher would use an obviously inflammatory example in his message. He says, “I only preach the truth of the gospel.”  But is that correct? Is a comparison between Jesus and Muhammad actually preaching the truth of the gospel? I think not. It’s also a mistake to judge all history through 21st Century Western eyes.

It’s true that Muhammad married Aisha when she was six or seven years old.  She was nine or ten when the marriage was consummated (according to Sunni scriptural Hadith sources). Muhammad had 19 wives and concubines. Child marriage was not uncommon in many places at the time, Arabia included. It often served political purposes. These days we view this as wrong (and rightly so) but those who lived in other cultures in times past didn’t see it that way.

Muhammad was not unlike some of the great people of faith in the Hebrew Scriptures: Moses, Gideon and Jacob for example. David had at least eight wives (probably many more). Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (this was long before credit cards). When Jesus came along He refocused people back on God’s original plan for marriage:“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Matthew 19:4-5).

Mary was probably pledged to marry Joseph before she turned 13 (the age a child became an adult) and since she hadn’t married him before she became pregnant, she probably wasn’t much older than 14 when Jesus was born.

So, is a comparison between Jesus and Muhammad necessary – or helpful – to preaching the Good News? The simple answer is “no.” The Good News of Jesus is simply that – Good News. That’s what “Gospel” means. It’s good news because Jesus died on a cross to pay the price for all that we have done wrong. He rose from the dead to defeat death and fully pardon all people who place their trust in Him for salvation. The Christian message is a simple message of God forgiving people. It’s a life changing truth and it shouldn’t be complicated with unnecessary illustrations that serve to cloud the good news and repel people who God loves and for whom Jesus died.

Since becoming a Christian at the age of 19, I’ve always loved it when the church expresses its God-given unity. God loves it too!  In Psalm 133 He says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” 

Unity here refers to harmony; the opposite is disarray, confusion and chaos.  I’ve been to churches like that – and workplaces and families. It’s not a pretty sight. But unity doesn’t equal uniformity. “Harmony” is a musical term that refers to different notes being played or sung together. When the right notes are heard together there is harmony and it sounds great. But when the wrong notes are played together you get discord and that sounds like nails scraping down a blackboard.  Unity doesn’t mean that we’re all the same it just means that we “play well together!”

The result of unity is always blessing (something that makes you happy, contented and joyful). The Psalmist says that unity “is like precious oil poured on the head … running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.” Anointing with oil was common on festivals and joyous occasions. In Scripture oil has become a symbol of joy, abundance and fragrance. The abundance of aromatic oil would fill the whole atmosphere with a magnificent aroma. Unity in a church, a workplace or a family brings joy and smells great!

So unity is like oil and it’s also like dew: “It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.”  Mount Hermon is the highest point in Israel (over 2,200 metres above sea level). Mount Zion on the other hand is just a small hill. By implication a big mountain would naturally receive a larger amount of dew than a small hill, but “when God’s people live together in unity … it is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.” The blessing outweighs the size; there is abundance.

It’s there in the place of unity that God bestows or commands His blessing; and it’s a command that will be carried out! You live under the commanded blessing of God when you live in unity with those around you. And so, “if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Rom 12:18).

Unity doesn’t mean that we all agree on everything. It doesn’t mean that we’re all the same. It means that we work through the issues, we choose to love each other despite our differences and we focus on the things we have in common: we are redeemed by the same Saviour; we serve the same Master; we cherish the same hope; we’re looking forward to the same heaven; we’re subject to the same trials, temptations, and sorrows; we have the same comfort and we’re focused in the same direction.

Unity was so important to Jesus that He prayed for the unity of His Church (John 13 and 17). But when we look around at much of the church today, it would be easy to get the idea that Jesus doesn’t always get His prayers answered. Christians in local congregations often have trouble getting along together; to say nothing of reaching across denominational, stylistic and doctrinal boundaries. How tragic this is when we consider the power of unity and love amongst believers:

“That the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)

“To let the world know that you sent me and have loved them …” (John 17:23)

“All men will know that you are my disciples that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Christian unity is the single most powerful key in reaching people with the Good News of Jesus. The world around us is supposed to get an understanding of how much God loves them by looking at the way God’s people love one another. No wonder unity has been so ferociously attacked over the centuries; no wonder it’s so hard to encourage God’s people to gather in unity.

I am under no illusion that this blog will cause the whole church to suddenly unite in answer to Jesus’ prayer; but maybe some of this will be food for thought that will cause us to look again at the power of unity.

 

The world’s going crazy!  Have you noticed?  In all my life I have never seen the world in this kind of mess: from war in Ukraine to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa (scientists are warning that the Ebola virus is likely to reach Europe and Britain in the next three weeks).  Cold war tensions are rising between Russia and the West; there’s civil war in Syria; simmering tensions continue between Palestine and Israel, Pakistan and India, North and South Korea and China & Japan; and, probably the most concerning of all, is the rise of Islamic State.

Just this morning I received this message from a friend who pastors a church in Turkey: “Anti-ISIS demonstrations and provocations by Kurdish groups all over Turkey turned violent today. The demonstrations were broken up by Turkish police in full riot gear using tear gas, pepper gas, pressurized water canons with acid water, etc. One reported dead and many injured and detained. Already martial law declared in some cities.  One of our evangelism outreach teams found themselves in the middle of a mess in Taksim square area and got gassed. They are ok, but a little shaken up.  Last week the Turkish parliament approved a resolution to send troops into Syria.  There is massive military build up along the Turkish-Syrian border as ISIS is now engaged in war with Kurdish militants in Kobani just south of the Turkish border. Everything is setting up for a NATO invasion of Syria and Iraq. Soon NATO-controlled regions will blanket Israel. Could we be headed for Armageddon?  Keep the Christians in Turkey in your prayers.”

Meanwhile, the Taliban group that seeks the overthrow of the Pakistani government (The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP) – has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State and has directed jihadists across the region to help IS set up its caliphate which stretches from northeastern Syria to western and central Iraq, and threatens to take over all of the Levant that includes Jordan, the rest of Syria, Lebanon and Israel.  This group seeks to overthrow by violent means the Pakistani government, which possesses nuclear weapons.

This all comes at a time when Pakistan is facing yet another political crisis that threatens the existence of its democratic secular government. Jihadist groups see this an opportunity to assert their influence.  TTP’s swearing of allegiance to ISIS potentially extends the jihadist groups influence and potential for a caliphate from the Middle East into South Asia.

And of course these things are now no longer just happening “over there.”  We’ve already witnessed firsthand the actions of militants on our own soil and without great vigilance, there’s no doubt we will see more.

None of these events should be a surprise to those who study the Bible.  Jesus made it clear that before He returned we would “hear of wars and rumors of wars … Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places … then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:6-14).

In this prophetic chapter Jesus describes these things as “the beginning of birth pains” and He also gives some good advice to His followers: “see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”  It’s easy to watch what’s going on in the world and be fearful but Jesus encourages us to be faithful.  In Luke’s record of Jesus’ sermon he writes, “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”

The instruction is clear. Many will turn away from the faith or simply grow cold. But the faithful will read the signs of the times and stand firm and strong. As Jesus encourages us, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35).  This is a timely reminder to us all.  It’s so easy to allow our Christianity to become an optional extra.  I hear all the time from Christians how they’re “too busy to gather with believers” or “it’s just not a priority for me at the moment” or “I’ll come soon when I’m free” or “I just sit at home these days and watch on live stream.”  Well good luck with that because as times become more intense and challenging, the gathering of the believers will need to become a greater priority in order to keep our lamps burning bright.  The writer to the Hebrews wrote this two millennia ago: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

 

Pastor Mark Howell put it this way:

In community we can know and be known.

In community we can love and be loved.

In community we can forgive and be forgiven.

In community we can challenge and be challenged.

In community we can celebrate and be celebrated.

In community our joy is doubled and sorrow is halved.

In other words –  “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.”

 

Touching people is a touchy subject today. We hear so much about unhealthy touch in the news – sexual abuse by members of the clergy (people who should be able to be trusted), pedophiles and rapists, domestic violence and sexual abuse in the workplace. The list goes on. Due to these things we become reticent to give healthy touch just in case people misunderstand our motivation.  This is tragic because healthy touch is so important to all of us.

We have a biological need for touch that can be met only in contact with another human being. This was first discovered during the 19th century, when children who had been abandoned at birth and transferred to orphanages died by the thousands. They literally wasted away, despite the fact that they were fed, kept clean and protected from danger. Nearly 100 percent of the infants under the age of one died in U.S. foundling hospitals as late as 1920. What these children lacked was physical contact.

When this connection between life and touch was realised, doctors and nurses in many institutions cooperated in a plan to supply “mothering” for these children. It consisted of holding, stroking, speaking to the infant, and allowing significant periods of cuddling the child, especially at mealtimes. The results were dramatic and immediate. Infant mortality rates dropped within one year of adopting these touching practices.

Rene Spitz explored the development (or lack of development) of institutionalised children.  In the 1945 study involving human babies, Spitz followed the social development of babies who, for various reasons, were removed from their mothers early in life. Some children were placed with foster families while others were raised in institutions. The babies raised in the institutionalised environment suffered seriously. More than a third died.

Other effects of lack of touch include self-destructive habits such as overeating, smoking, nail biting, pulling out hair, self-mutilation, compulsive sex, physical violence and aggressiveness, rape, and other forms of sexual abuse or dysfunction. Over anxiousness, unsatisfying relationships, unwillingness to attend to the needs of others, self-preoccupation, excessive shyness, the fear of reaching out, and the fear of sustained intimacy. The biggest problem that touch deprivation creates, however, is a sense of alienation from ourselves and isolation from others. We see this manifested in things like boredom with, and lack of energy for, life in general, the experience of being out of touch with or disconnected from the world.

Scientists have shown that the amount of body contact in our lives plays a vital role in our mental and physical development as infants and in our happiness and vigor as adults.

Healthy touch:

  1. Helps us deal with stress and pain
  2. Helps us form close relationships with other people
  3. Fights off disease and speeds recovery times from illness and surgery
  4. Slows heart rate and lowers blood pressure
  5. Reduces anxiety
  6. Brings positive changes in attitude
  7. Improves your outlook and helps you be more optimistic

All the various kinds of healthy touch send our brain the physical inputs it needs to make sense of the world. So, along with touching other people and pets, make time to explore different textures and touch sensations such as letting cool sand run through your fingers or taking a warm relaxing bath.

Matt Hertenstein, an experimental psychologist at DePauw University in Indiana has found that a friendly touch reduces stress and increases release of the oxytocin, also called the “cuddle hormone,” which promotes feelings of devotion, trust and bonding.  Oxytocin levels go up with holding hands and hugging and lays the biological foundation and structure for connecting to other people. The surging of oxytocin makes you feel more trusting and connected. And the cascade of electrical impulses slows your heart and lowers your blood pressure, making you feel less stressed and more soothed. Remarkably, this complex surge of events in the brain and body are all initiated by a simple, supportive touch.

Recent studies from England pinpointed an area in the brain that becomes highly activated in response to friendly touch. It’s a region called the orbital frontal cortex located just above your eyes. It’s the same area that responds to sweet tastes and pleasing smells. A soft touch on the arm makes the orbital frontal cortex light up.

Almost 3000 years ago King David wrote, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14). He didn’t know the half of it. Modern science is now discovering how amazing God’s human creation really is and how we best interact with one another.  Healthy touch is a vitally important part of that interaction. Jesus understood and practiced healthy touch. All through the gospels we see Jesus bringing healing to people by touching them. He welcome and embraced children, he demonstrated the full extent of his love for his closest friends by washing their feet, his closest friend John is pictured with his head resting on Jesus’ chest.

I encourage you to look for opportunities to give and receive healthy touch on a regular basis. You’ll benefit and so will others. Love your neighbour as yourself!

According to the XXXChurch website “The scary truth … is that at least 72% of men and 28% of women use pornography.” 

In His book Ashamed No More, Dr. T. C. Ryan lists four reasons why porn use is counter to healthy human sexuality:

  1. Looking at porn is seeing something very personal, very intimate of another person, but it’s not mutual. There is no exchange, and no genuine intimacy. It’s one-sided.
  2. If we are aroused and then climax sexually using porn, we experience a neuro-chemical sequence that is disjointed. Part of the sequence is intensely pleasurable (dopamine) followed by another part leaving us wanting to be held (oxytocin) but we’re alone. We’re not bonding; we’re isolating.
  3. For many this solo, porn-induced neuro-cocktail becomes a preferred experience. We become attached to non-attaching sexual experience. And when we become compulsive consumers, our appetites become progressive. Contentment with healthy intimacy is replaced with soul-starving consumption.
  4. We have to carefully and honestly consider how pornography is produced. People are hurt, used and abused in porn production. There is a correlation between the demands for porn and sexual trafficking. Something beautiful and God-given gets flipped into something evil and destructive. Porn production and consumption moves us from the light and into the darkening gloom of the shadow-life.

The following testimony is from a member of Bayside Church who was addicted to porn for many years and has now found freedom:

I want to share a story with you of my journey through my sexual and porn addiction.

I grew up in a normal middle class home where I had everything I needed.

While in my early to mid-teens I was first exposed to pornography. I found a pornographic video in my father’s draw and out of curiosity I watched it.  Little did I know at that time, but my father had a problem with lust. He used sex as a way of dealing with problems. I grew up seeing a man who would view porn and flirt with other women, and it became an example for me in how to deal with the issues of life.

From this moment on a desire and interest in porn was ignited within me. It was like nothing I had ever seen or experienced before, and it gave me a sense of excitement in my life that I was longing for.

I began to feed my desire for lust and would at least once a week visit the local news agency and steal a playboy or penthouse magazine. I also began to hire out pornographic movies and watch them when my parents were not at home.

My addiction to porn and lust grew to the point where every night before I went to sleep I would view pornographic magazines. It was my drug. At the age of 20 I became a Christian and I thought that my addiction would end, however it didn’t and it only grew stronger once I had discovered the world of the Internet. Now I could access all the material I wanted from the comfort of home without having to walk into a shop.

I was desperate to get help, however many of my church leaders had no idea about how to deal with this issue, some even said to go away and fast for a few days. This didn’t help!

I continued on as best as I could. I would stumble and then get up and sometimes be fine for months at a time. I would then get too confident, let my guard down, and I would be back to square one. My struggle led to an enormous amount of shame and guilt. Even though I continued to struggle, I loved God and was desperate to break free.

During this time I was attending a large church in Melbourne and eventually became a staff member there.  I was living this double life and it was becoming unbearable. Everyone thought I was some great man of God without a struggle in the world, yet I knew that I had this area of my life which was not under control.

My struggle continued and I eventually came to a point where I had had enough and visited my pastor and told him of my struggle. Eventually it was brought before the leadership team and my struggle was made public. It was one of the most humiliating times of my life, yet also the most freeing. I didn’t have to pretend to have it altogether any more.  There was something incredibly freeing about being honest and open. That was the start of my recovery and healing. I had to hit rock bottom before I could heal. I began to become accountable and attended counseling.

I recognised the triggers in my life and avoided those situations in life that led to sin and temptation.

Just after I confessed to my pastor, I met a wonderful lady who has since become my wife. I was upfront with her from the start about all that had taken place and the grace and love that she showed me was just incredible. I couldn’t have done it without her.

It has been over four years since that time and I can thankfully say that I have not succumbed to the pull of porn. I thank God for his grace and forgiveness.

If you find yourself with an addiction to pornography (or any other sexual addiction) you cannot free yourself from it on your own. You need to seek help. First of all share your problem with a trusted, Christian friend (of the same gender) who will pray with you and keep you accountable. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Seek counseling with a good counselor, and utilise the many useful online resources.  Here are two very good ones:

XXXChurch provides many incredible resources, workshops, X3watch accountability software, and online support groups to help you become the man or woman you want to be. Go to www.XXXChurch.com for more information and help.

The Feed the right wolf website is excellent too:

http://www.feedtherightwolf.org

Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman” (Job 31:1). We would all do well to do the same!

There can be a great deal of confusion and questions surrounding divorce particularly for Christians.

The matter of divorce (and remarriage) is a controversial issue for which a number of statements need to be made:

  1. If you are divorced or remarried you are most welcome in this church.  You are not a second-class Christian!
  2. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) – why?  Because it breaks a covenant and causes much pain and hardship.  God has been divorced and knows firsthand the amount of hurt it causes.  Through the prophet Jeremiah God said, “I knew that the kingdom of Israel had been unfaithful and committed many sins, yet I still hoped she might come back to me. But she didn’t, so I divorced her and sent her away” (Jeremiah 3:8).  I’ve never found a person who enjoyed the experience of a divorce.
  3. Divorce is not the unforgivable sin – it is a sin, but it is not unforgivable.  However this should not be used as an excuse to escape from a marriage covenant.
  4. Divorce is not God’s ideal – but then we don’t live in an ideal world.   God’s ideal is marriage to one person for life that is why marriage vows contain the words “till death we do part.”  When questioned about divorce Jesus took his questioners right back to the Book of Genesis, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”  They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”  He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”

The Bible does give three instances where separation, divorce and subsequent remarriage are acceptable, because all three break the covenant of marriage.

1.   The case of unfaithfulness

Jesus said, “whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”  The person who is free to remarry here is the victim of the unfaithfulness not the culprit.  Also, Jesus is particularly condemning the actions of a person who commits adultery, divorces and then marries the person they committed adultery with.  A person must not commit adultery in order to get out of a marriage in order to marry someone else (Romans 6:1).

2.   The case of an unbelieving partner departing

Paul offers the following advice to believers with unbelieving partners in 1 Corinthians 7:12-15, “If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.  But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.” 

3.   The case of violence and abuse

It sickens me the number of times over the years I have heard of pastors, priests, counselors or ministers recommending women in particular, to stay with husbands who are physically, verbally or emotionally abusive.  Ephesians 5:21-33 makes it very clear that submission is to be mutual, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her … husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies … each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”  Love and respect don’t beat each other up! There is no room for abuse in a relationship.”

These three things – unfaithfulness, an unbelieving partner departing and violence and abuse break the marriage covenant.  In most cases …

  1. Separation is advisable (at least a temporary one)
  2. Reconciliation may be possible (with much support, prayer & counseling)
  3. Divorce may be unavoidable
  4. Remarriage is permissible.

When you read the title of this blog what did you immediately think of? Probably gay marriage! But that’s not what this blog is about. I believe there is a greater threat to marriage– a threat that comes from within the church itself.

Over the past few years I have been amazed to see many Christian marriages fail:

I’ve seen a Christian leader leave his wife and kids.

Then there’s the two pastors – who’ve had longstanding addictions to Internet porn and marital unfaithfulness – decide to leave their wives, children and churches.

There’s the wife who just doesn’t want to be married anymore so she leaves her husband.

I know an evangelist in the USA who’s recently been married for the fifth time – and is still in ministry. She invited us to the wedding but we were unable to attend. I told her we’d try and make the next one.

Another well-known evangelist has recently been separated from his wife of 30 years – even though they had been living in different houses for quite some time. This abusive marriage is over but the evangelist is still in ministry of course; the show must go on!

A while ago I heard that the son of an Australia Church leader was getting remarried. This young man had left his first wife because they didn’t really love each other and just weren’t happy. I asked the pastor who was doing the wedding what he thought about the Scriptures concerning divorce and remarriage. He told me he wasn’t thinking about it too much. After all, they are friends and he didn’t want to let them down. “But didn’t Jesus say they would be committing adultery” I asked. I was told, “yes, but they’ll ask for God’s forgiveness and it’ll all be okay!” It’s just that simple!

And these examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Marriage certainly is under threat but the biggest threat is from within the church itself, and the church needs to sort itself out rather than just playing moral policeman to everyone else.

The words of Jesus ring true on this issue: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”(Matthew 7:3, 5)

Of course I am aware that some marriages have no hope of surviving because of infidelity, abuse or someone just walking away; and my heart goes out to people who wanted their marriage to work but found themselves in a situation that was beyond their control. But what I’m addressing here is the undervaluing of marriage by some today who leave marriages because they’re “just not happy anymore.” Christian people who view marriage as a ten-year lease with an option to extend are a bigger threat to the holy institution of marriage than anyone or anything else.

I was shocked yesterday when I heard about Robin Williams’ suicide. Shocked because it was such a sad and senseless way for him to go.  Shocked because he has touched my life by his amazing work. One of my all-time favorite movies is Dead Poets Society. Our family love watching Mrs. Doubtfire. I’ve enjoyed Robin Williams’ work since the early days of Mork and Mindy. Remember Na-Nu Na-Nu and Shazbot? He has given us so much joy in films like Good Morning Vietnam, Aladdin, Patch Adams and more. It’s tragic that a man who gave others joy in life found so little joy in his own.  And he wasn’t alone. There are hundreds of “sad clowns” in the entertainment world: Alan Alda, Owen Wilson & Jim Carrey to name but three.  Have a look at this list of famous people on Wikipedia who suffer from major depressive disorder…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_with_major_depressive_disorder

There are many Bible characters that faced periods of depression too.

According to officials of the Marin County Sheriff’s Department Robin Williams is believed to have hanged himself with a belt in the bedroom of his home near San Francisco. He also had superficial cuts on his wrist and police found a pocketknife near him. His personal assistant found his body. His publicist confirmed that Williams had been battling severe depression.

The tragic passing of Robin Williams brings to the forefront an issue that millions of people struggle with each and every day. Depression is an illness that does not discriminate. It affects celebrities and regular people alike. And sometimes it has deadly consequences. I faced periods of deep depression in my own life in my teens and twenties. Thankfully it’s not something I struggle with much these days.

Last night on Social media I joined many others in expressing my sorrow at the passing of Robin Williams. I wrote, “So sad about Robin Williams taking his own life. This highlights again the very real need for people facing depression to reach out for help.” Several people responded to this statement including a Christian guy from South Africa. He wrote: “Well said Ps Rob…we have to realize that depression comes from the Devil…The word clearly says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. Too many people are not focusing on the word, but rather the negative influence from the world (media, music). We as Christians should reach out in Love and let each person know that Life is a choice and they can at any moment choose that life. The devil has blinded people for too long.”

My response was: “That’s partly true. The verse you quote in context actually refers to false prophets not the devil. Depression needs a holistic approach that includes the Word of God and prayer. Good pastoral care is necessary and oftentimes good medical and psychological care. All of these are good gifts from God.”

The reasoning behind my response is that I sometimes find Christians too simplistic and narrow in their response to major life issues. Just read the Bible and pray and all will be okay! But not even the Bible teaches that is enough to overcome major life issues. For example, James teaches to “confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). Life controlling issues, be they addictions or illnesses like depression, can rarely be overcome in solitude. Pastoral care, counseling and accountability are necessary.

Healing is a gift from God. Sometimes God heals instantly, sometimes gradually and sometimes though the avenue of good medical care. It is not a lack of faith for a Christian to see a doctor. God is not anti-doctors, nurses and specialists.  In fact, He chose Dr. Luke, “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14) to write two of the Bible’s most important books – Luke and Acts. Paul advised Timothy to “use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” He didn’t suggest he just read the Word and pray. In Isaiah 38:21 the prophet Isaiah (upon God’s directive) prescribed a poultice for King Hezekiah’s boil. Ezekiel 47:12 mentions the healing properties God has placed in plants. The Good Samaritan used oil and wine for medicinal purposes (Luke 10:34).

Medical experts and specialists can treat many conditions successfully, diagnose a condition so you can pray more specifically and confirm that healing or recovery have taken place. Of course medical science still has its limitations and it is sometimes when doctors can’t help that God steps in.

The second mistake my friend makes in his statement is inferring that depression is demonic in origin.  It could be but it is dangerous to presume that this is the case every time. Matthew 4:23-24 talks about various categories of illness that Jesus healed: those who were ill with various diseases, suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures – sudden attacks of a particular disorder, and the paralyzed.  Only one-in-five were demon-related disorders. Through prayer, good pastoral care, counseling and medical help the cause of depression can be found and an appropriate response put in place. Some people find healing while others learn to manage their condition with good support. Sadly there are others, like Robin Williams, whose life long struggle ends in tragedy.

If you’re struggling with depression – or any other life controlling condition – please reach out for help. Remember that suicide is permanent. Your problems can be a temporary problem.

http://www.beyondblue.org.au