David Whiting Live

I Hate Living in a Fallen World (bad news)

I received some very bad news this week. One of my very closest ministry friends, Patrick McGoldrick, has been diagnosed with ALS. I have learned more about ALS in the last couple of days than I knew in the last couple of decades. The current average life expectancy from diagnosis is two to five years - although 25% of those diagnosed live longer than five years.

Patrick and Dena have been important and influential friends in our lives. When I was a youth pastor, I had no closer youth pastor friend than Patrick. Twice a year we hung out together for a week at a time through our youth ministries. We even went on the same mission trip together with our students one year (2000). I grew up with Dena and our families were close friends - so she and I have known each other most of our lives. Patrick and Dena were also our primary influencers on our view of parenting. We watched them parent their first child and told each other, "I don't know what they are doing, but we are going to parent like that!" And we asked a lot of questions and they influenced us in a huge way. Although in recent years, we no longer see each other every year - Patrick is still a close, dear friend and my heart is breaking for him and Dena. and their two great kids!

I also find myself overwhelmed by how much I hate living in a fallen world. I hate that we live in a fallen world where disease comes to those who love God. I hate that we live in a fallen world where death separates families. I hate that sin doesn't just impact the sinner. Sin that entered the world through Adam impacts all of us. And it is painful that my friends, Patrick and Dena, are living such painful consequences of living in a fallen world.

I am experiencing a lot of sorrow this week over this news, but not as one with no hope. I have a great and eternal hope! And so do my friends Patrick & Dena! But this week... I'm just sad.

 

The Most Effective Method to Stop Abortion

I've been told that the most effective method to stop abortion is showing the mother an ultrasound of her baby. That makes sense. Any mom or dad that has seen their child in the womb knows it is a moving, unforgettable experience.

Compass Care (our local pro-life organization), in my opinion, is on the cutting edge of strategies for helping moms make good choices. And they need some help from pregnant moms!  To help convince pregnant women to not have abortions, they need to do more training of their nurses on how to do ultrasounds. So - if you are in your first trimester, want to help stop abortions, and want to receive a free ultrasound - get in touch with Compass Care.

They didn't ask me to post this - I just think this is an amazing way to get involved in a great ministry and be blessed at the same time.

 

Politics, Protests and Boycotts - a GREAT video!

A couple of Sundays ago - I taught on FOUNDATIONAL POLITICS. (you can see or listen to it HERE). I spoke about my frustrations of Christian boycotts.

It is interesting that just recently the "boycotting" tool often misused by Christians was used by the pro-homosexual community to keep the CEO of Starbucks (Howard Shultz) from speaking at the Willow Creek Leadership Conference. Willow Creek is one of the largest churches in America and is pastored by Bill Hybels (who tends to draw a lot of criticism from those inside and outside the Church).

The pro-homosexual community had only 717 people sign a petition to boycott Starbucks if their CEO speaks at Willow Creek Church. The petition declared Willow Creek to be an anti-gay church. But the petition was enough to cause the CEO to cancel his speaking engagement at the Leadership Conference.

There is SO much I can say about it, but what I really wanted to point out is the great way that Willow Creek responded to Shultz and to the organizers of the petition. 

It would be worth 7 minutes of your time to watch how a godly leader responds to controversy from non-Christians.  Listen CLOSELY! What a great response! I love what he instructs the attenders of the conference to do!

 

As always, if you receive this by email - click on the title above to see the video, or click HERE.

 

Technology & the Church

I came across some statistics that surprise me, and make me wonder: "What implications does this have for the Church?"  Here are a few that I found most interesting:

• There are 5.3 billion mobile subscribers (that's 77% of the world population).
• Within 5 years mobile will overtake PC as the most popular way to get on the web.
• In 2011 over 85% of new handsets will be able to access the mobile web.
• $240 billion worth of bills will be paid by mobile phone (called m-payments) in 2011.
• M-payments are expected to reach over $1 trillion by 2015.

Some churches ignore technology (Amish); most are just a few decades behind; and some pay close attention yet aren't driven by technology. That is who we want to be.

I can think of several implications for the Church. What about you?

The BEST Billboard EVER!

Is this the BEST billboard - or what?  Of course, it is based on the reality that Jesus didn't return as Harold Camping was CONVINCED He would...

Maybe not the best ever... but the best one I've seen in a LONG, LONG time!

 

Rochester - #1 in the nation for buying a home!

Did you see the newspaper last week that said that Rochester is ranked #1 in the nation to purchase a home? Forbes magazine did the ranking based on the following factors: colleges and universities, the affordability of housing, the unemployment pictures compared to other parts of the nation, and the quality of local schools.

The last three years - the cities to ranked #1 were Houston, Denver and Boston.

The next three in this year's list?

• #2 - Pittsburgh
• #3 - Utica, NY
• #4 - Oklahoma City

I love living in Rochester - even with all of you who complain about the weather... and with you who will immediately think of the reasons Rochester SHOULDN'T be rated #1. :)

Here's a link to the original article: Click HERE

Do We Celebrate Bin Laden's Death?

I've been asked a few times in the last couple of days about how we should think and feel about Osama Bin Laden's death.  I hadn't even thought about it until I saw video on Monday morning of people celebrating and cheering outside of the White House and that just didn't sit well with me. I was happy that we "got him."  But to see Americans cheering and flag waving over his death didn't sit right with me.  Since then, I've seen some good articles and blogs on it, and was thinking about writing my own.  But when I read what John Piper wrote - I decided just to re-post it.

You can read it HERE, but I've re-posted it below...

IS GOD GLAD OSAMA BIN LADEN'S DEAD?
May 02, 2011 by John Piper

God’s emotions are complex—like yours, only a million times more. Right now, your emotions about bin Laden are not simple, i.e. not single. There are several, and they intermingle. That is a good thing. You are God-like.

In response to Osama bin Laden’s death, quite a few tweets and blogs have cited the biblical truth that “God does not delight in the death of the wicked.” That is true.
                                   
It is also true that God does delight in the death of the wicked. There are things about every death that God approves in themselves and things about every death that God disapproves in themselves.

Is God Double-Minded?

This is not double talk. All thoughtful people make such distinctions. For example, if my daughter asks me if I like a movie, I might say yes or no to the same movie. Why? Because a movie can be assessed for its 1) acting, 2) plot, 3) cinematography, 4) nudity, 5) profanity, 6) suspense, 7) complexity, 8) faithfulness to the source, 9) reverence for God, 11) accurate picture of human nature, etc., etc., etc.

So my answer is almost always “yes, in some ways, and no in other ways.” But sometimes I will simply say yes, and sometimes no, because of extenuating circumstances.

Here is why I say God approves and disapproves the death of Osama bin Laden:

In one sense, human death is not God’s pleasure:

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? . . .  For I do not pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. (Ezekiel 18:23, 32).

In another sense, the death and judgment of the unrepentant is God’s pleasure:

Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. (Ezekiel 5:13]

[Wisdom calls out:] Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you. (Proverbs 1:25–26)

Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her! (Revelation 18:20)

As the Lord took delight in doing you good . . . so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. (Deuteronomy 28:63)

We should not cancel out any of these passages but think our way through to how they can all be true.

God is Not Malicious or Bloodthirsty

My suggestion is that the death and misery of the unrepentant is in and of itself not a pleasure to God. God is not a sadist. He is not malicious or bloodthirsty. The death and suffering considered for itself alone is not his delight.

Rather, when a rebellious, wicked, unbelieving person is judged, what God has pleasure in is the exaltation of truth and righteousness, and the vindication of his own honor and glory. (For further discussion of God’s heart in judgment see the section in The Pleasures of God called “How Is God Like George Washington?”, pp. 147–149.)

When Moses warns Israel that the Lord will take pleasure in bringing ruin upon them and destroying them if they do not repent (Deuteronomy 28:63), he means that those who have rebelled against the Lord and moved beyond repentance will not be able to gloat that they have made the Almighty miserable.

God is not defeated in the triumphs of his righteous judgment. Quite the contrary. Moses says that when they are judged they will unwittingly provide an occasion for God to rejoice in the demonstration of his justice and his power and the infinite worth of his glory (see also Romans 9:22–23).

A Warning

Let this be a warning to us: God is not mocked. He is not trapped or cornered or coerced. Even on the way to Calvary he had legions of angels at his disposal: “No one takes my life from me; I lay it down of my own accord”—of his own good pleasure, for the joy that was set before him.

At the one point in the history of the universe where God looked trapped, he was in charge, doing precisely what he pleased—dying to justify the ungodly like you and me.

(Adapted from The Pleasures of God, pp. 66-74.)

A Painful Movie You NEED to See (and it's about YOU)

I recently watched the documentary "Jesus Camp" - and I think you should see it.  It is short (84 minutes) but very sobering. I don't want to say too much, but I believe it would be a good use of your time.

I wouldn't have your children watch it. There are no swear words, sexual innuendos, violence, or "adult" situations.  But I still wouldn't have anyone under 18 watch the movie.  After you watch it, maybe we can talk about why.  The reason I say it is about you is because THIS is what many lost people think about believers.

After you watch it - there are several things worth talking about:

• When people far from God watch this documentary, what did they think of Christians?
• Is it possible that this IS what your neighbors think of you?
• What feelings did you experience watching "Jesus Camp"?
• Was that the Holy Spirit working in those children? Or what it intentional or unintentional manipulation? Or was it something else? 
• How common or uncommon do you think this type of activity is?
• When the children were speaking of current issues, what were you thinking? Were they really speaking for themselves, speaking what they were told, or mimicking what they have heard?
• What do you think is the PROPER way to teach your children on current issues?

If you want to see if your local Rochester library carries it - click HERE and scroll to the bottom.

If you click on the JESUS CAMP picture above - it will also take you to the library website to find where you can borrow the video.  I'd hate for you to pay to rent it - if you can help it.

Old Spice Ads - Why They "Work"

Have you seen the creative OLD SPICE ads over the last few months? The best known ad uses quotes like:

• "Hello, ladies! Look at your man - now back at me - now back at your man - now back to me..."
• "the man your man could smell like"
• "I'm on a horse."

When I first saw that commercial - I thought it was hilarious. And I saw it several times until I finally didn't pay close attention to it.  If you are wondering what in the world I'm talking about - you can see the commericial HERE.

I used to have a youth sermon that I regularly delivered (mostly at camps) about how Satan will chase after us with three temptation:

• Possessions
• Pleasure
• Pride

During that talk, I would mention how commercials sell their product through four primary means:

• You WANT this (possessions - this "thing" will make your life better)
• You will LOVE this (pleasure - it makes you happy or sexy)
• You NEED this (pride - people will look up to you; it gives you dignity and status)
• COMEDY (commercials often use comedy PLUS one of the other three to sell their product)

BUT - the OLD SPICE commercials often try to use all four... selling possessions, pleasure, and pride - with laughter.

Does it work?

Between May and June of 2010 - Old Spice sales went up 107% during a commercial push of their products. That's amazing success!

Satan's stategies still work. People "buy in" and even companies recognize how effective it is to "sell" happiness through possessions, pleasure and pride.

Why I Hate Politics

One reason I hate politics... You can't win your enemies to Christ. You can only win your friends. Politics creates enemies.  If I am a strong proponent of a party - I am alienating half of the people I want to win for Christ.

Politics mean nothing to me. Christ means everything. And changed lives is why I do what I do. 

Views on politics isolate and polarize potential friends. That is why you will never see a political sign in my yard or a [political bumper sticker on my car. That is why I will never tell you who I voted for. If there are biblical issues, I will address them (abortion, etc...). I hate political ads. I don't care if the Democrats stay in power or the Republicans "win back" the House or Senate. None of it will win people to Christ. Neither party will change the world. Only the love of Christ will do that.

But I will never win my enemies to Christ... just my friends. That is one reason I dislike politics.