We Care about Different Credentials

A Letter for the Church Today (4)
A Study of 2 Corinthians 10-13

2 Corinthians 11 is one of the most important chapters about ministry in the New Testament. In addition, it reveals information about the Apostle Paul — details about his work and sufferings — that is not recorded anywhere else. It is significant for the subject of ministry precisely because of those details and what Paul makes of them.

To briefly review, we are taking a few Sundays to look at 2 Cor 10-13, a section of Scripture in which Paul engages in an all-out effort to protect and save the church at Corinth from a group of intruders: “ministers” who have come to town and are threatening to tear down all that Paul built.

This message to the Corinthians contains one of the most personal and impassioned messages of pastoral concern in the NT. What is at stake? The very life and faith of the church.

I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (11:2-3 NRSV)

The situation has put Paul in a dilemma. The “super-apostles” who were winning over the Corinthians were high-powered and impressive. They “boasted” of their credentials, their polished presentations, their spiritual power, and their effectiveness in drawing crowds. When the church pointed to Paul as their spiritual mentor, these interlopers did all they could to tear him down in their eyes. Paul was put in a difficult situation. He didn’t believe that apostles were the sort of people who should commend themselves and advertise their accomplishments in order to impress others. But if he simply let his opponents ruin his reputation, the congregation would surely be led astray. 2 Cor 10-13 is his “defense,” his “boast” that answers the self-exalting rhetoric of those smearing him.

  • In 10:1-6, he introduced this defense by saying, “We use different tools” than those who are trying to remake you in their image. As Christ’s apostles, we no longer conduct ourselves “according to the flesh” — the ways of the world system are not the ways by which we operate any longer. Instead, it is “the meekness and gentleness of Christ” that guides us.
  • In 10:7-18, Paul asserts, “We are not out to make a name for ourselves.” He refuses to play a game of “spiritual one-upmanship” and focuses their attention back on the fundamental calling of a true apostle and the specific vocation God gave him.

Today, we come to chapter 11, where Paul begins his actual boast, undercutting all the so-called “credentials” on which his opponents were relying.

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Another Look: Choose Joy

Originally posted in February 2010

NOTE FROM CM: On this week of Super Bowl activities here in Indianapolis, we’ve been featuring posts with a sports theme. One sportsperson that impressed me many years ago was Tim Hansel (1941-2009) — not because of his accomplishments, but because of the way he faced his sufferings. This re-post tells his story.

• • •

Tim Hansel was a strong, risk-taking, all-out-effort kind of guy. He climbed mountains and led wilderness expeditions. One day, on the way back to camp after climbing on the Palisade Glacier with friends, his foot slipped and he fell a long distance down into a crevasse, landing directly on his back on the ice. Amazingly, not only did he survive, but he soon arose and climbed out with his buddy, who was sure he had just witnessed his friend’s death. Together, they completed the hike back to camp.

Hansel reported that he became quite sore and that he had this funny sense of feeling shorter than before. With medication, he was able to sleep that night and, although he had a bad headache the next morning, he completed the eight-mile hike back to his car and drove home. He decided not to tell his wife about the fall. She soon found out anyway. The next night his body came out of shock and he awoke sweating profusely, delirious, in agonizing pain.

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Saturday Ramblings 2.4.12

Welcome to the Superb Owl version of Saturday Ramblings. Yes, we are still waiting for the NFL to declare InternetMonk as the official blog of pro football. Until then, we cannot refer to the big game this weekend by its proper name, so we will go with the suggestion of one of our own writers, Adam Palmer, and call it the Superb Owl. This year it’s played in Chaplain Mike’s backyard in Indianapolis. (And the backyards of Damaris Zehner, Craig Bubeck and Lisa Dye as well. Hey, it takes a lot of room to play football!) The Superb Owl will feature the annoying Giants of New York taking on the even more annoying Patriots of New England. Will you give me a little bit of your pre-Superb Owl snack-making time for some stories that we didn’t get to this last week? Fasten your seat belts, iMonks. This is one jam-packed Ramblings. We’ve got a bit of everything for you today. So pour yourself another bowl of Sugar-Coated Chocolate Bombs, turn down SportsCenter’s Superb Owl preview show, and get ready to ramble ramble ramble!

Let’s start with one of the most bizarre circus acts I’ve seen since Billy Sunday slid home safely to Heaven. “Bishop” Eddie Long—leader of a megachurch in Atlanta and accused sexual molester of boys/young men—was exalted from commoner to king this week. Yep. Really. You can watch the whole thing here, or a shorter and funnier version here. Meanwhile, this theologian points out no fewer than 27 errors in the crowning of Long as a king. And as you can imagine, many Jewish leaders are a bit upset at how all this played out. This whole ceremony is so crazy that I don’t even know where to begin. If I didn’t laugh at it all, I would puke. Please tell me this was just a bad episode of a cancelled sitcom I stumbled upon…

Ramblings corespondent Adam Palmer was a busy beaver this week, pointing out four stories for your reading enjoyment. Before we wade into Adam’s stories, I suggest you take some time to read his blog. Written by both Adam and Michelle, this barely scratches the surface of these wonderful followers of Jesus. Be sure to read about their upcoming Group Hug America tour. Oh—Michelle has one of the best female singing voices I’ve ever heard in my life. And Adam can usually figure which end of the guitar to hold. Just sayin’…

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An Inside Look at Sports and Faith

Tom Rust is a friend of mine who loves Jesus and loves sports. Twenty years ago, he found a way to unite his two loves when he became the host of a syndicated radio program called Face to Face. Here is a description of the program from their website:

“Face to Face” is a radio program which focuses on Christian athletes. Professional and college athletes from all walks of life are interviewed, and talk about both their sports experiences and their love for Jesus Christ. All interviews are done in person, and have a warm, friendly feel rather than the hard interrogation of a typical interview. Over 300 athletes have been involved since the show began on one station in the fall of 1992. Face to Face is a thirty-minute show heard weekly on many stations. There is also a two-minute vignette of many athletes heard daily on some stations.

Tom Rust has worked in radio since 1984 as a play-by-play host and color commentator on high school sports broadcasts in Columbus, Indiana. He was also involved with Youth for Christ for 27 years. Most recently, he directed the local Youth for Christ chapter in Columbus, leaving that post in 1998. Tom and I met and got to know each other on mission trips to India in the late 1990’s. For a couple of years, he served as chaplain for the Indiana University basketball team, and I invited him to speak to our men’s group at church about his experiences there.

Bill Eakin, long time worker with Youth for Christ and member of the Face to Face board, describes how the ministry is growing:

Tom on mission trip to DR

Tom continues to grow the ministry. His passion, perseverance, and faithfulness have enabled Face to Face to flourish. Consider the ministry:

  • More than twenty stations share the testimony of Christian athletes.
  • The website at facetofaceradio.com has nearly 20,000 hits a month, and reaches people around the world 24/7.
  • Tom’s personal ministry with athletes, coaches, and sports officials provides encouragement, personal counsel, and spiritual direction for his “congregation”.
  • Tom’s speaking ministry is expanding and includes high school chaplaincies to sports teams, and involvement in professional sports chapels, seminars, churches, and many other opportunities.
  • His writing ministry includes a monthly sports related column on the Faith and Fellowship page of the Columbus Republic newspaper, as well as a blog distributed by e-mail.

One thing I admire about Tom’s work is that he cares personally for athletes in all levels of sport, deals directly with them as human beings and brothers and sisters in Christ, and seeks to serve them as an encourager and friend. This is not a high-profile ministry, out to make a name for itself by becoming attached to big name stars. Much of it is behind the scenes. It involves personal interviews and encounters, Bible studies, chapel sessions behind closed doors, and person-to-person discipleship. Tom works with athletes the way the Apostle Paul worked with craftsmen and shopkeepers, the way military chaplains work with soldiers, the way all good missionaries and pastors operate — in the realm of the I-thou relationship. His ministry is not called “Face to Face” for nothing.

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Some Music Observations

I am a music man. Always have been. I remember listening to my mom’s Elvis and Buddy Holly 45s on an old portable record player. (If you didn’t understand a word I just said, go ask your grandparents for an interpretation.) The first album I remember owning myself was Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron by the Peter Pan Singers. (I think I still have it somewhere.) As I grew my tastes evolved toward more mature flavors. In Dayton we had WVUD-FM, an “underground” station from the University of Dayton that played “album tracks,” not just the Top 40 hits. I quickly passed from Three Dog Night and the Guess Who to Hendrix and Zappa. It was about the time I was reaching my teen years I realized that if everyone else was listening to an artist, I probably had no interest in them.

Some of those that made big impressions on me in my teen years included the James Gang, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, George Harrison, and Jethro Tull. Sure, they had some radio hits, but most of what I liked of theirs could only be found on their albums. I bought very few singles. I wanted to hear an album in its entirety to hear what the artist meant to convey within that work. (WVUD had a show on each evening called “Wax Museum,” where they played an entire album side, took a short commercial break, then played the other side. They started the whole thing off with a 1000 hz tone so you could calibrate your recorder! Oh that wicked college station!)

To this day I am still very much a contrarian when it comes to music. Well, ok, books and movies and restaurants as well. If everyone else is listening or watching or reading or eating it, I don’t usually want anything to do with it. (And I wonder why I don’t have that many friends…)

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St Bridget And The Groundhog

In the United States, the 2nd of February is Groundhog Day. And while it is a great day of rejoicing, especially if it is a cloudy day and Mr. Groundhog doesn’t see his shadow. On the liturgical calendar, however, it is Candlemas (the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, the Presentation in the Temple of Jesus) and the last day of Epiphany.  It comes on the heels, at least here in Ireland, of St. Bridget’s Day, February 1st, the start of Spring: not astronomical spring, which does not begin until the Vernal Equinox on March 20th/21st, or meteorological spring, which begins on March 1st.  Officially, we won’t have Spring until March (whether or not the groundhog is scared by his shadow), but traditionally, Spring begins on and around St. Bridget’s Day, as in the famous poem “Cill Aodáin” by the blind poet Raftery which begins:

 

Anois teacht an Earraigh

beidh an lá dúl chun shíneadh,

Is tar eis na féile Bríde

ardóigh mé mo sheol.

Ó cuir me i mo ceann é

ní stopfaidh me choíche

Go seasfaidh mé síos

i lár Chondae Mhaigh Eo.”

Now with the springtime

The days will grow longer

And after St. Bride’s day’

My sail I’ll let go

I put my mind to it,

And I never will linger

Till I find myself back

In the County Mayo.


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D.A. Carson on Genesis 1-2 and Science

One of the teachers I respect most in the Church is Dr. D.A. Carson from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Don was one of my primary NT professors when I was in seminary and he spoke at my installation service when I became pastor of a church in Waukegan, IL. One of my most satisfying moments as a student in seminary was when I received back a paper from Dr. Carson with the comment, “Thoughtful and careful” written on it. For that is how I see his approach to Scripture, the faith, and life in the church. He is Reformed and a Baptist — two things I am not — and yet I find I keep coming back to his writings because of their insight, fairness, and propensity to focus on matters that are central, not peripheral.

Recently, Don Carson wrote a fine book designed to introduce the Great Story of the Bible, called, The God Who Is There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story. In the light of this morning’s discussion on John Polkinghorne’s view of the Genesis stories as “myth,” I want to share something with you from Dr. Carson. Now, mind you, you won’t find too many people more conservative and more committed to a rigorous Reformed theology. And yet, as you read the following summary of the genre of Genesis 1-2, you will see a thoughtful and careful recognition that this inspired material is more than a literal reporting of historical events. I’m sure Carson wouldn’t like the word “myth” because of some its associations, but what he says here comes very close to my own understanding of what “myth” (or “true myth,” to use Polkinghorne’s phrase) is, when speaking of the genre of certain Biblical texts.

But that is the subject of another post. For today, I would like you to consider what Dr. D.A. Carson says about the relationship of the Bible’s early chapters to science and the issue of genre.

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The Blessings of Boredom

NOTE FROM CM: Though Damaris’ post is not about sports, it does address our culture of entertainment and “hyperstimulation” in which sports plays a part. As an example, having spent hours in the Super Bowl Village over the weekend, I can safely say it was a sensory extravaganza — all stimulation all the time. What’s more, I noticed that few showed any awareness of the pandemonium. Vanity Fair got nothin’ on us.

• • •

The Blessings of Boredom

“In an era of hyperstimulation it can be difficult for people to realize that enlightenment comes not by increasing the level of excitement, but by moving more deeply into calm. There is a kind of monotony that is not boredom but paves the way for a more profound experience.”

That quotation leaped out at me from a book called Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina, by Michael Casey. It expresses well something I’ve thought as a child, a teacher, a writer, a parent, and a Christian: Boredom is a blessing. From what we call boredom, as from dirt, great things can grow.

Not all cultures complain about boredom, or even seem to have a concept of it. I never knew anyone to complain specifically of boredom in Liberia, for example, although people would wander away from something they didn’t find interesting. After seven years in Kygyzstan, I never found a Kyrgyz word that meant “boredom.” The Kyrgyz can say something is not interesting, or that they are not interested in it – they can curl up and go to sleep in the middle of a party without self-consciousness – but their language can’t express the pervasive state of being that is modern Western boredom. Nor do I recall much description of boredom in Classical or Medieval writing.

Here and now, however, people seem to devote vast amounts of energy to fighting off boredom. According to Merriam Webster, boredom is “the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest.” Most people these days would take it further and define boredom as nothing stimulating to be doing right this minute. A hundred years ago teachers might define their greatest dread as an epidemic disease, or the stove-heated schoolhouse burning down; teachers today labor breathlessly to make their classes interesting, amusing, and stimulating – to prevent weariness and restlessness. Parents used to worry about their children’s health and moral growth; parents today worry about scheduling activities for every waking moment their children are not in school. Early printers were concerned to make their books accurate and blot-free; printers today cram every page with multicolored images, side-bars, fancy fonts, even scratch-and-sniff patches and motion-activated music recordings. Boredom seems to be the worst thing out there.

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