BACCALAUREATE SERVICE

My granddaughter, Rylie Grace Kerstetter, is graduating from high school in a couple of weeks.  It’s raised a bit of nostalgia in me. 

WARNING!

Old guy thoughts about to be shared!

My graduation from the New Brighton, Pennsylvania High School, took place fifty-six years ago!  Wow! Unbelievable!

Graduating from high school in our culture is still a big deal!  It’s a milestone in moving toward adulthood – a rite of passage! 

In 1969, the culture was much more unified in respect of religion.  All graduates – at that time – looked forward to two opportunities to wear that cap and gown:  first: Baccalaureate, and second: Commencement. 

Both were open to the public.  Both services featured the graduates entering – usually in alphabetical order – in those wonderful caps and gowns!  It was a dual celebration of our accomplishments.

Baccalaureate was a formal service largely planned by the local ministerial association.  It often involved music by the choral and musical departments.  School officials attended, but did not play a role in this service. 

Various local pastors led the service with one designated to bring the message.  Not all students participated, but most did.  In New Brighton, the local Roman Catholic priest participated – which allowed for a whole community response! 

But I must tell you that this service quickly fell by the wayside in the cultural and social changes initiated by the ‘turbulent sixties’. 

My official role as a pastor began in 1976, when I was ordained.  During those early years, I helped plan Baccalaureate services and participated in them.  But, as the years passed, more and more students began skipping this recognition of their accomplishments by the local ministerial group. 

During my time of service in New Middletown, Ohio, [2003-2012] the Baccalaureate service was dying a rapid death.  I recall one of the latter years when only one graduate participated. 

I don’t know of anywhere that even has Baccalaureate services anymore. 

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I don’t mourn the loss of Baccalaureate services, however, I do mourn the loss of spiritual emphasis and unity.  Many have observed the lack of respect for religious institutions and the growing cultural irrelevance of the Bible and its teachings. 

Public ignorance of the content of the Bible has magnified by a power of ten over recent decades. 

From 1997 through 2003, I served on the staff of a fast-growing church in Akron, Ohio.  The Lead Pastor – Brenda Young – had catalyzed growth in this congregation, and invited me to join the team.  She was an amazing teacher/preacher whose messages were relevant and filled with help and hope!  She rarely was out of the pulpit, however, when she was, it became my role to give the message. 

The first time she turned it over to me she gave me a very pointed reminder:

“Hal,

At Cornerstone, you can’t make a reference to a Bible story and expect people to know it.

If you mention Jonah, then you’ve got to tell his story!

You can’t assume that people will know the stories that you know so well!”

This was a wake-up call to me regarding the enormous change that our culture had already experienced!

And guess what, folks?

That conversation took place twenty-seven years ago!  Of course you know that it certainly hasn’t gotten better.  If anything, biblical knowledge has significantly diminished! 

Our current culture is less respectful of clergy and ecclesiastical bodies than ever before.  They consider Christianity to be much ado about nothing!  Christianity now maintains its strength behind its walls with very little vital impact on the culture. 

But we can change this, right?

By being fully devoted followers of Jesus and letting our light shine brightly everywhere and all-the-time!  Are you in?

[If you have three minutes, pray along with John Rich by clicking this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvMQ_xStg9M ]

SURPRISED BY JOY

The renowned 20th century author, C. S. Lewis, describes his journey into faith in his book, SURPRISED BY JOY. His candid - but highly intellectual observations, explanations and illustrations challenge me as I read. I won't pretend to understand it all. However, I am mesmerized by his honesty and transparency.
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The title of the book may be a double-intender. Lewis [1898-1963] married late in life. His relationship with Joy Davidman began as a friendship in 1952, before her divorce in America was completed.  She - like Lewis - was a recent convert from atheism to theism to Christianity!  A friend wrote:  "For Jack (C. S. Lewis) the attraction was at first undoubtedly intellectual. Joy was the only woman whom he had met... who had a brain which matched his own in suppleness, in width of interest, and in analytical grasp, and above all in humor and a sense of fun."

The circumstances of their relationship are a love story of great depth, surprising decisions that were questioned by many of Lewis' friends, and remarkable twists of fate.  In the end, however, Joy became the great treasure of Lewis' life!  It was a romance for the ages!  

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His 'awakening' took place unexpectedly while riding on the upper level of a bus! He suddenly felt himself being offered a free choice. His response: "I chose to open, to unbuckle, to loosen the reign...For the first time I examined myself with a seriously practical purpose. And there I found what appalled me; a zoo of lusts, a bedlam of ambitions, a nursery of fears, a harem of fondled hatreds. My name was legion.""

He writes: "You must picture me alone in that room..., night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet."

He goes on to explain that this initial conversion was not to Christianity, but to theism - the belief in a god. His response was logical: "I started attending my parish church on Sundays and my college chapel on weekdays...I thought one ought to 'fly one's flag' by some unmistakable overt sign."

His humor erupts on this topic: "But though I liked clergymen as I liked bears, I had as little wish to be in the Church as in the zoo." Lewis struggled with the hymns, disappointments and "time-wasting botheration of it all", but persisted.

Finally, he describes his critical moment: "I know very well when, but hardly how, the final step was taken. I was driven to Whitsnade one sunny morning. When we set out I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did. Yet I had not exactly spent the journey in thought. Nor in great emotion. 'Emotional' is perhaps the last word we can apply to some of the most important events. It was more like when a man, after a long sleep, still lying motionless in bed, becomes aware that he is now awake..."

The journey toward faith is as endlessly varied as the people who take it. No cookie-cutter formula can describe it. Neither can the outcome of this journey be reliably predicted. Many snares, pitfalls and diversions line the way. We are free people and there are two options: to fall on our knees or turn on our heels. Either we may seek to conform our desires to the truth, which leads to conviction, or we may seek to conform the truth to our desires, which leads to evasion. But what is important is that WE DO HAVE A CHOICE! 

Make your choice with eternity's values in view!

LUKEWARM CHURCHGOERS ARE NOT CHRISTIANS

That got your attention! 

This is Francis Chan's conclusion in his provocative book, Crazy Love.

He comes to this conclusion based on Revelation 3:15-18, where Jesus declares that because the people in the church at Laodicea are "lukewarm", He will "spit" them out of His mouth! 

[It's chapter five, if you want to re-read his convincing argument.] 

He cites many other scriptures to validate his claim.  He suggests (pp.94,95):

Following Christ isn't something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side.  It is not a label we can display when it is useful.  It must be central to everything we do and are.

...much of the American churchgoing population,...is slowly floating away from Christ.  It isn't a conscious choice, but it is nonetheless happening because little in their lives propels them toward Christ.

The lives of many people who call themselves "Christians" in America lack manifestations of a vital and active faith.

Chan admits that genuinely and wholeheartedly following Christ is hard.  "It's so hard, in fact, that Jesus said the road is narrow and few will actually find it...and fewer still among those who are rich" (p.98).

HAL'S THOUGHTS
I agree with Chan's deductions - and it breaks my heart!

I'm afraid there will be many who will someday say, "Lord, Lord, didn't I attend church regularly;  and wear T-shirts with Christian logos;  and put some money in the offering;  and took Communion;  and was baptized;  and treated most people decently?" 

Matthew 7:23 (NASB)
[Jesus speaking] "I never knew you;  Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."

HAL'S CONFESSION
My life is changing!  God has my attention!  I spend the majority of my time investing in people who already claim to know Christ.  I have not gone into the world to make disciples.  I have opted for comfort and security;  and in doing so, I have become callous and uncaring about a world of desperately lost and hurting people. 

By writing this blog article, I'm not pointing the finger at you;  I'm pointing it at me! 

Watch my life, because I intend to do something about it!  How about you?

COMPROMISE

I believe that compromise is killing the church in America!  Many are currently writing about the fact that Christians are indistinguishable from secular people. 

Essentially, we watch the same movies and television shows.  We dress alike, talk alike, share the same desires, and live the same lifestyles.

The insidious drifting caused by compromise affects us all. 

Yet it is so diificult to discuss this trend without appearing to be legalistic. 

A personal reflection:

• There was a time when I didn't eat in bars;  I now do so without thinking.
• There was a time when I didn't buy on Sundays;  I now do so without thinking.
• I watch television shows now that I would have shut off fifteen years ago.
• I'm disappointed with myself for some of the movies I've sat through.

I also see it around me in family and friends:

• "Christian" couples who engage in premarital sex.
• "Christians" who consume alcohol.
• "Christians" who view pornography.
• "Christians" who use profanities.

This reality impacts the fact that we are closing churches at a record rate.  The percentage of Americans who attend worship continues to plummet.  
Compromise on issues like homosexuality is causing phenomenal membership losses in mainline denominations. 

Nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are now sending missionaries to America! 

What is going to happen in the long run?  Will this turn around?  What will cause it to reverse?  If it doesn't reverse, how will it impact the future of our nation?

Where are the new Christian strongholds?  Who will carry the torch for Christ in the 21st century?