Reverend J. L. Hall

Thank you to the family of Brother J. L. Hall for the privilege of speaking at this home-going service today.  I consider it a high honor to share my personal thoughts about this man who in his unpretentious and unaffected way exerted as much influence on the United Pentecostal Church International as anyone in our storied past.

Let me begin with the most memorable quote from my mother-in-law, Sister Vera Kinzie.  It was in reference to the incredible path of life that she and Brother Kinzie were blessed to walk.  She said simply, “I am so grateful that God allowed us to fall into the hands of good men.”  For me, Brother J. L. Hall was one of those good men.  I am forever indebted to him for inviting me into his realm and letting me sit under his tutelage.  His intimate knowledge of early Oneness Pentecostalism, his comprehensive grasp of our UPCI manual and documents, his love and respect for the English language had a profound effect on me as a minister and official in the United Pentecostal Church, International, and on myself as a person.

As a member of the Board of Publication, I saw the magnitude of the job that Brother Hall was asked to do.  In a very real sense, he was responsible for every printed word that came out of the officialdom of the organization.  He had to give approval for every story or article that was submitted in terms of spelling, grammar construction, doctrinal statements and even innuendos.  He was the gateway to every picture, graphic and illustration that was proposed for any publication.  I was impressed, not only with his proficiency in managing this monumental task, but, more importantly, with the innate sense of responsibility he possessed for the way the world perceived the UPCI.  He protected us from ourselves.

Brother Hall was a towering intellect, but his insistence on excellence was not driven by his educational training, his cognitive processes or perfectionism, if indeed he was a perfectionist.  But, it was his character that set his standard so high, perhaps higher than would have been noticed by most people.  It was his true spirituality that made him seek out truth, and he let the truth of any matter take him wherever it tended and ended up at whatever conclusion it ultimately revealed.  I personally know that sometimes, those conclusions were reached at considerable pain and were not always appreciated by others who had a stake in the opposite view.

One of my most cherished experiences involved Brother Hall and another great mentor of mine, former Assistant General Superintendent, Jesse Williams.  We were serving on a subcommittee that found the three of us alone in a conference room at WEC.  Since they were my elders, I took advantage of the situation to ask a deep, probing question of both of them.  I asked, “What do you think is the most important aspect of your ministry?  What has kept you going in spite of every obstacle that you have faced over the years?”  Without hesitation, both of them said, “My personal relationship with Jesus Christ is, by far, the most important thing in my life.”  I recollect that Brother Hall said further, “I guard my relationship with Christ with everything I have.  I will never let it be jeopardized by any circumstance or person.” 

This is the kind of commitment that has kept this organization together.  I am—we are—the beneficiaries of a man who was a true believer in this Apostolic truth.  Some among us may gain ascendancy in the church through convenience; some merely because the opportunity presented itself; and others by following a course expected of them by tradition.  The life of J. L. Hall grew out of an authentic relationship with Jesus.  This fact is always important, but perhaps never more important than it is today.  In the words of the Apostle Paul,

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”  2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV)

Sister Hall, Ron, Gerald and Diana, thank you for sharing your husband and your father with us.  I hope there was enough of him to go around, although I suspect that you didn’t always feel that there was.  He was one of those special men whom God gifted to have a far-reaching influence.  It is with the utmost respect and admiration that I say I loved him and that he will always live in my thoughts and perceptions, teaching me the essence of true Christianity.

My Tribute to Joe Carpenter

Greatness up close appears ordinary; the majesty of a mountain is often lost to the preoccupied traveler. It is only when the perspective undergoes a dramatic change that the magnitude of one’s blessing or relationship becomes apparent. So it was with the man who now lies in state before us. His unassuming ways camouflaged the greatness of his character. 

You may have known him as Reverend Carpenter, Brother Carpenter, Pastor, Bishop or District Superintendent, and deservedly so. Please indulge me as I refer to him as Joe, because that’s the way I knew him, and he would know that if I called him anything else, I wouldn’t be serious. I loved him; I just didn’t know how much until he left us. 

Philippians 1:19 “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope  that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.“ 

I was eight and Joe was ten when my dad moved our family to Jackson, Michigan. We became fast friends, although I suspect that the real reason he wanted to hang around me so much was because of my sister, Vicky, who, by the way, couldn’t stand him. More about that later.  Joe and I were part of an active youth group. He played the cornet in the orchestra and I played guitar. We both sang in the choir. We played baseball every Sunday afternoon during the summer, back when church didn’t start until 7:30 and we didn’t know about coming early to practice. Joe played the infield, and he had the coolest ball glove because he knew how to oil it and stretch it until it had the perfect pocket to catch a ball. 

Joe knew how to do a lot of things. At sixteen years of age, he installed a complete furnace system in his parents’ home, electrical wiring, ductwork and all. At seventeen, he totally rebuilt the engine of his ’57 Chevy. He was a math and science major in high school and was breezing through Calculus class when I was trying to figure out basic Algebra. His mind seemingly knew no boundaries of abilities or interests, and his formidable intellect allowed him to pivot from the abstract to the concrete without missing a beat. As we both matured, I remember our constant debates over every subject under the sun, whether it was golf, politics, theology or cars. He frustrated me to no end because he always knew what he was talking about.  

What Joe didn’t know, he was willing to learn, and when he learned something, he excelled at it. He worked for a brick mason and earned his trust to the point that he was put in charge of running jobs by himself. I worked for the same man and didn’t make it through a whole summer. My dad was so confident in Joe’s ability that he let him design and implement remodeling projects for the church building. 

The only thing that Joe floundered at was his ability to make an impression on Vicky. He was struck with her at an early age, but couldn’t get out of the shadows of the Larrys, the Chucks and the Jerrys— to name a few. But this only revealed another quality of Joe—his incredible patience. He knew who he wanted, and he was determined to have her. Eventually, his patience was rewarded, and he got his bride at age eighteen. Five years later, he was my best man at my wedding, and he became my golfing buddy, our navigator on countless trips, my ministerial colleague, my fellow General Youth Committee and General Board member and my faithful confidant. Many times, I used Joe as my sounding board, my instant situation analyst, my official opinionator. I always wanted to know what Joe thought about my plans, dreams and projects. His ability to cut through the fat and the spin was worth it’s weight in gold. 

Joe’s brilliance in a wide spectrum of subjects was surpassed only by the integrity of his character. This is possibly illustrated best by reflecting on his given names, Joseph and Daniel. To those of us who are familiar with the Bible, each of these names is significant. There are probably not any two Bible characters whose lives represent more appropriate comparisons to Bishop Carpenter than these. 

Genesis 39:2-6 (NKJV) “The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. 

Daniel 6:1-5 (NKJV) It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.” 

It was said of John, “there was a man, sent from God, whose name was John.” there is no doubt in my mind, and certainly not in the minds of those in Mt. Morris, Imlay City, and the Michigan District, that Joe Carpenter was a man sent from God. Earlier this week, a minister remarked to me that if he ever had to settle down in a single church, he would want Brother Carpenter to be his pastor. I can understand that sentiment. To Joe Carpenter, life was never about Joe Carpenter. It was always about Jesus and others. 

In speaking of duty, honor and country, Gen. Douglas McArthur told a graduating class of cadets at West Point: 

“They teach you to be proud and unbending in honest failure, but humble and gentle in success; not to substitute words for action; not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge; to learn to stand up in the storm, but to have compassion on those who fall; to master yourself before you seek to master others; to have a heart that is clean, a goal that is high; to learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; to reach into the future, yet never neglect the past; to be serious, yet never take yourself too seriously; to be modest so that you will remember the simplicity of true greatness; the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength. 

That was the measure of this man.

To those of us left in the wake of this man’s greatness, do not let the question of “why” overshadow the expression of “wow!” The light of his life has shone brilliantly enough for all of us to see clearly. I see my life better because of his example. I see Jesus better through the life of Joseph Daniel Carpenter.

Oh, yes, I didn’t mention the meaning of his third name, Carpenter. The picture of Jesus as the carpenter, the one willing to get his hands callused and dirty, and still retain his dignity, is the perfect completion to this Carpenter’s son. 

To all of his close friends, Joe cherished you. That’s why, anytime he could, he dropped everything and went on vacations, played golf, or just spent time with you. His friendship was loyal and true. 

To the Michigan District, Bishop Carpenter loved you from Monroe to Three Oaks to the Keweenaw Penisula. In his last days with us, he suddenly exclaimed, “Souls, souls, evangelize!” He wanted this district to grow. It was his mission and he pursued it methodically and intently. 

To the precious saints of Mt. Morris and Imlay City, Pastor Carpenter loved you. You will never know how much he sacrificed for you to see you prosper. When you suffered, he suffered. When you lost jobs or lost loved ones, it devastated him. You were his life. He is going to present you to Christ with great joy. 

Samuel, Joshua and Kelsey, you brought great joy to your Grandpa’s life. Never forget the fact that he loved you.  

Joe and Sherrie, Angela and Jay, Dad not only loved you, he was immensely proud of you. He tried to mute his praise of you to keep from boasting, but you could see the pride in his eyes.  He basked in the light of your successes and accomplishments. You validated his fatherhood. 

Vicky. Even at sixty-five, you could tell that he still couldn’t believe that he was the one who got you to marry him. We’ve all seen the picture of that kiss—no not 46 years ago at your wedding.  I’m talking about just last year in Venice! To say he loved you would be an understatement. You were his queen. Other than Jesus, you were his reason for living. 

That brings us to the open week on his calendar. His date book was filled with appointments and notes on almost every day or week of the year.  As we flipped through it, however, something very strange leaped out at us.  There was only one week that had absolutely nothing penciled in—that was this week, the week in which he passed from this life on Monday, his wake was held on Thursday, and today, Friday, October 7, 2011, his homegoing service.  The only thing I can figure out is that he must have told God, “Well, if you want me to come home, I only have one week free that I can do it!” 

Today, the draftsman is admiring the architecture of paradise. The district superintendent is in awe of the organization of heaven; the pastor is recounting the sheep given to him to care for and the brilliant mind is overwhelmed by the omniscience of God in full display. 

And for me, the travel agent is checking out the accommodations and amenities. First class, all the way! 

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

Goodbye, my good friend. I’ll see you in the morning.

Pastoring in the Twenty-First Century

Common consensus holds that the role of the pastor has changed dramatically in the past few decades.  Despite the belief that the exclusive model for pastoring should be the New Testament church, the ministry has evolved into a functional role that bears little resemblance to the corresponding ministers of the first century.  The level of education, a radically different culture, affluence and the technology available to us today as opposed to the early church make up the more conspicuous differences.  

These changes exist on a sliding scale from benign to malignant, and so we cannot reject them all out of hand.  The critical response is that while accommodating change, pastors need to make sure that the essential nature of pastoring, or shepherding, is not lost.  This possibility looms large when we attempt to stay relevant to the society and culture to which we minister.  Relevancy in and of itself is a valuable asset, but it can also be problematic if it is indexed to popular culture rather than the timeless message of the Bible.  

Cosmetic changes are not necessarily the focus of this discussion, but, since these are the first things that people notice, let’s mention a few of them.  Some ministers no longer stand behind a physical pulpit or lectern to preach.  They sit on a stool set up in the middle of the platform or stage.  They say it removes a visual barrier between the speaker and the audience and gives the sense of the pastor being more accessible and human.  Some wear street clothes instead of the traditional suit and tie, again, to identify with the listeners and establish rapport without the intimidating image of formal dress.  Additionally, the use of elaborate lighting schemes, projection of scriptures on a large screen, use of multimedia displays including video clips to accent or illustrate major points made in the sermon—all of these innovations make our day different from twenty years ago, let alone two millennia.  

But more importantly, pastors today struggle with the function of ministry, both in and out of the pulpit.  Do we lead or follow?  Do we confront or circumvent?  Do we impress or instruct?  Do we give orders or take orders?  Current trends now cast the strong, authoritarian leadership of the past as oppressive or even cultic.  “The Man” has given way to the more collaborative approach of ministry teams.  Many pastors are moving from “one of them” to “one of us.”  Pulpit performance, teaching methods, administrative styles, disciplinary actions—almost every aspect of ministry—is now undergoing change.   The nearly two hundred book collection on leadership in my library speaks to the complexity of this new wave. 

A huge catalyst for this change is that we no longer minister to provincial audiences who have few cultural inputs other than the mooing of the cows and the occasional letter from a cousin who moved a hundred miles away.  Satellite dishes, cable networks, the internet, cell phones and other cutting edge technologies have given them a steady diet of the best of everything that our society has to offer—the best speakers, the best comedians, the best singers, the best actors, etc.  Every aspect of entertainment, education and information are at their immediate disposal.  

This universal exposure to professional performance also extends into the world of religion and church service production.  Technology has enabled church goers to listen to preachers who are very likely to be more poised, polished and knowledgeable than their local man.  They can enjoy music and worship services that far and away eclipse the typical output of the average church.  To consumers in remote areas, audio and visual expertise makes these venues seem light years ahead of their own churches and pastors.  The unintended consequences, however, are that many parishioners fancy themselves connoisseurs and critics instead of simply spiritual hungry people who need to be fed.  This level of sophistication represents a continual challenge to pastors in terms of maintaining the interest of the audience and keeping their loyalty.  We may argue whether or not these are valid or appropriate goals, but it is clear that they are factors in the business of successful pastoring. 

So, what are we supposed to do?  Lacking both the funds and the expertise, we cannot compete head to head with these alternative sources of inspiration.  Actually, a serious study needs to be done that probes at the very heart of it all:  is this the scriptural way to do church?  Have the slick outreach methods of the twenty-first century set the standards for the way the entire church should function?  Should the expectation of all be rated by the few who have the resources to be cutting edge?  These are not “sour grapes” questions motivated by envy or bitterness.  I applaud those who strive to present the gospel in the best and finest way possible.  Not only are they doing their best, they demonstrate to the rest of us that we can do better and be better.  At the same time, we need to be cognizant of the far-reaching ripples that feather out to the extremities of our constituents.  

It is time, more than ever, to return to the basics of our calling and simply do the work of pastoring, with our without the peripherals.  The degree to which we incorporate the cosmetic changes into our ministry style is less important than is our dedication to the job of preaching and caring for people.  In the medical world, a sick person needs to be transported to the best hospital available, regardless of the condition of the ambulance or EMT vehicle.  If it runs, it’s good.  In the church world, anyone who preaches the true gospel is as valuable to the cause of salvation as is his or her most sophisticated counterpart.  As my dad used to say, “Anyone who preaches the truth is a good preacher!” 

• We must not confuse entertainment with anointed preaching.
• We must not substitute stage-worthy performance for substantive teaching.
• We must not equate titillation with truth.
• We must not depend on special effects and multimedia for the genuine move of the Holy Spirit.
• We must not gauge the quality of worship by the genre of our music or the skill of our musicians.
• We must not show we care just by communicating in hip vernacular.
• We must not show relevance just by our casual dress or house of worship décor. 

Can anointed preaching also be entertaining?  Absolutely!  Can substantive teaching also be a stage-worthy performance?  Certainly.  Can lighting, mulitimedia, music, style of communication, dress and décor enhance the move of the Spirit, sincere worship, care and relevance?  Without a doubt.  We must be extremely careful, however, that the criteria by which we judge the intended outcome is not tied to methodology, but to integrity of mission.  Jesus did not come to entertain the lost, but to save them!  Simon the Sorcerer was more into the “wow” factor than the worship factor!  (Acts 8:18).  If we succeed in the outward trappings of the gospel presentation but fail in the real mission of getting people to heaven, then we have failed—royally and miserably. 

I admit that this appeal grows more complicated as each year—or some fraction thereof—rolls by.  The youth of today are much more visual in their acculturation than was my generation.  One needs no further proof of the generational differences than the construction of these three sentences!  Nobody under forty talks or writes like this anymore.  My point is that it is just as wrong for me to equate my style to “the way things ought to be done” as to castigate the present generation for its style.  How dare I say that the way we did church in the sixties and seventy styles represents the only way to do church today? Such intransigence is headed for major disappointment.  My insistence on truth, however, has nothing to do with style of presentation or generational differences.  There are core beliefs that transcend every age.  Truth must be never become the casualty of any attempt at relevance.   

So, preacher, preach the truth!  Preach full salvation.  Preach the oneness of God, prayer, fasting, worship, healing, miracles, discipleship and faithfulness.  Preach modesty and holiness!  Preach about the soon return of Christ for His church.  Preach the Bible as the Word of God.  Preach about giving of tithes and offerings.  Preach about spiritual authority and good works.  Preach love, joy, peace and patience.  Preach unity and humility.  Preach with conviction and commitment.  Do not shun to preach the whole counsel of God. 

Any preacher who truly respects the message he or she represents will strive for excellence and relevance in presentation.  Others may surpass you in ability, but no one must surpass you in sincerity.  If you can do better, but you excuse yourself for some superficial reasons, you must get back on track.  Whatever God called you to be, it was not to be mediocre or complacent!  Let us rise to the highest level that our abilities and resources will allow.  In the end, that’s what God will bless.

Absolutes or Alternatives

“…God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near.”  Exodus 13:17

    “These are times that try men’s souls.”  So wrote Thomas Paine of pre-Revolutionary days.  In our day, we are also tried, not so much by contrast as by confusion; not by clarity of choice, but by a thousand shades of the same color.  We are told that everything is right; we are told that nothing is right. The only absolute is that there are no absolutes. 

    Exodus, the name of the second book of the Bible, means “the way out.”  Between the drama of the Egyptian plagues and the wilderness journeys we find this critical point of decision.  The freshly delivered Jewish nation stood at the Red Sea, still reeling from the events of the past few days.  They didn’t know the way out.  Their entire society had been oppressed by the rulers of Egypt for 400 years.  Few had been within five miles of their birthplace all of their lives.  Now, they were in a quandary.  Which way should they go?  Philistia was the logical direction.  The Red Sea blocked their pathway east, and there was nothing but uncharted wilderness beyond there anyway.  Imagine their shock when God pointed to the Red Sea! 

    The constant quest of every man, throughout all the situations of life, is to find a way to live, a way to make a living, a way to get things done.  We look for a way in, a way out, a way up, a way down, a way around, a way through, a way across, a way by.  Both houses of the United States Congress have a Ways and Means Committee, perhaps the most powerful committees of either house. 

    But things are not always what they appear to be.  That’s why we read that there is “a way that seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  Solomon’s wisdom permeates every venue of life:  from history to hang gliding, from farming to football, from investing to romance, from politics to skullduggery, (pardon the redundancy) and everything in between. 

    In fact, the very phrase “a way” is not benign.  It is charged with meaning throughout the Scriptures.  We even read of it described as “the way.”  “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.” Psalms 2:11-12.  God has a way as opposed to the countless alternative ways.  It is an absolute.

    The implications of this are enormous.  Today’s mood is extremely hostile to anything that exalts one way above any other way.  It’s denounced as bigotry and intolerance.  The preferred term in our culture now is “alternative.”  Alternative lifestyles; alternative selections; alternative philosophies.  The catch is this:  once you legitimize one alternative, then you open the door to a second, a third, a fourth, and so on.  At the same time, you reduce the initial way to simply being an alternative itself.

    Here’s the way it works:  I say that Jesus is the Savior; but you say (for instance) that the ancient god Chemosh is another way to salvation.  If I agree with you, then I have reduced Jesus from an absolute to an alternative.  Human logic, the carnal mind, and the educational communities of our day love this.  Academes are as pleased as punch to see Christianity demoted to the status of just another religion.  The diversity police have that as one of their goals.  Moreover, they would like to eliminate Christianity as even an alternative choice.

    Because there is a plethora of ways that seem right, we must take the task of choosing the way in which we live our lives very seriously.  The scriptures constantly warn us about this struggle.  It is the basis of nearly every Bible story.  Adam and Eve thought the right way led them straight through the forbidden fruit.  Cain was convinced that the way to peace was to murder his brother.  Lot’s right way was the well-watered plains of Jordan. 

    But, how do we determine the right choice?  Do we check it all out first to see what makes the most sense?  Do we see what most other people are doing?  Do we do what seems to be most profitable?  Do we take the path of least resistance?  Does the pain monitor guide our decision-making? 

    I submit to you that the first question we need to ask is, “What does God say?”  Well, God’s way is not the convenient way.  God’s way led Israel in a circuitous route, opposite of the way that made more sense to the travel agents.  God’s way was a wilderness road. It did not factor in comfort, profit, pleasure or human pride.  In fact, more often than not, God’s way is rejected by the majority of people!  “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.  There are many ways that seem right.  But, don’t forget, there is a way that IS right!  Here are five tests:

    The way of obedience to the Word.  The Word of God orders our steps.  It requires obedience.  It is not enough to respect it, revere it, love it, memorize it, use it or feast on it.  We must obey it!  “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”  Romans 6:16.

    The way of submission to spiritual authority.  “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17.  This is not a joyful scripture for the leader.  This is an enormous burden for every pastor because he has to give account, which means he has to bear the responsibility for the leadership he supplies to the church.  But obedience requires submission, and without submission, we are outside the safety of God’s provisions.

    The way of consecration and holiness.  “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.   Holiness is not a mark of suffering, but a badge of honor.  Our attitude towards holiness is often the gauge of our attitude towards God.  That is not an arbitrary statement; that is the result of forty-two years of ministering and twenty eight of those years as senior pastor.

    The way of separation and denial.  “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.   For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” Mark 8:34-35. 

    The way of humility and forgiveness.  “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12.  If the way you choose circumvents the act of forgiveness, you have detoured from God’s way.  God’s way takes you straight through the painful act of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is no ancillary task that you may or may not do on your way to heaven.  Don’t think of it as a nice add-on.  You must go through it.  You will be amazed, however, at the results!  That heavy burden has been draining you and depleting your strength for a long time.  Forgiveness is the way to emotional and spiritual freedom!

    Now, we come to the crux of the entire issue.  God is not sending us into a wilderness of despair to sever our relationship with Him.  He has promised to go with us, but there is something even better than that.  He is not different than the way He designs for us.  He is not separated or disconnected from the way.  Jesus IS the way!  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  John 14:6. With this revelation, it is no wonder that the Apostle Paul said, “That I may know Him, in the power of his resurrection and in the fellowship of his suffering.”  Philippians 3:10.

    We do not choose our way on the basis of convenience, consensus or conformity.  If you don’t care where you’re going, any road will work.  This oneness Apostolic message, however, is not a preference or one alternative among many.  It is absolute truth!  Remember, only those who sincerely contend for this faith are truly tried.  When the dust settles, we have to be on the right road.

The Power of Decision (A Sermon)

Joel 3:9, 12-14
⁹ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
¹² Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
¹³ Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

1 Kings 18:21
²¹ And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

I want to speak to you pointedly today, with as much force as I can muster about an action that all of us take every day, sometimes hundreds of times during our waking hours.  Most of these actions are small and insignificant; others determine the quality and even the length of our lives, and some are once-in-a-lifetime events that cannot be easily reversed, if at all.  Some of these actions made are under pressure; others scarcely rouse a raised eyebrow.  Some cause an outcry of protest; others are met with applause.  I am talking about making decisions. 

The title of my message is “The Power of Decision.”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wrestle with some of the greatest decisions that have ever been made in history?  For example, how was the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima made? In a little publicized historical twist, President Truman did not fully understand the facts. Earlier, he had made it clear to his generals that only military targets were acceptable for the A-bomb. When he received news that Hiroshima had been bombed, he made this statement:

“The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. That was because we wished in this first attack to avoid, insofar as possible, the killing of civilians. But that attack is only a warning of things to come. If Japan does not surrender, bombs will have to be dropped on her war industries and, unfortunately, thousands of civilian lives will be lost. I urge Japanese civilians to leave industrial cities immediately, and save themselves from destruction.”

One wonders that if the President had known Hiroshima was not a military base but a city with 300,000 civilian inhabitants, would he have approved of the bombing? The answer, it seems, is no. (Leo Szilard, USN&WR, August 15, 1960.)

Yet, some argue that, as gruesome as the bombing may have been, many thousands of lives were saved in the long run because it brought an end to our war with Japan. Regardless of the opinions, the decision-making task fell to the leader.

Decision Points is a book written by former President George W. Bush.  The review of the book says, “In this candid and gripping account, President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions that shaped his presidency and personal life.

“Decision Points brings readers inside the Texas governor’s mansion on the night of the 2000 election, aboard Air Force One during the harrowing hours after the attacks of September 11, 2001, into the Situation Room moments before the start of the war in Iraq, and behind the scenes at the White House for many other historic presidential decisions.”

God equipped man in creation with this uniquely human trait.  Animals do not have the cognitive faculties to be able to consciously process decision making.  They act instinctively, as with a built-in, automatic reactionary response to anything that happens in the realm of nature.  Although we may love them and think they are thinking, especially when they look at us with their cute, quizzical expressions, they are really only acting to stimuli in the proximity of their environment. 

If your little poochie turns his nose up at the food you pour into his bowl, it’s not because he’s read the nutritional components on the label and decided that there was not enough iron, riboflavin or protein to warrant wolfing it down.  He is probably acting instinctively to the taste or to his own physical condition.  The ape in the zoo does not say, “This is Friday, I think I’ll eat fish today;” or, “Today is Monday, I think I’ll eat that nice juicy rat I found running around my cage.”  No. Animals don’t decide.  They react to situations around them. 

You, on the other hand, got up this morning and decided you were going to come to church today.  Well, the first thing you did was decide to get up.  You decided what you were going to wear.  You decided what you were going to eat.  You decided if you were going to be early, late or right on time.  You decided the route you were going to take to get here.  You decided if you had enough gas in the tank or you needed to stop and get some more.  Need I go on?  You get the picture.  Hundreds of little decisions had to be made to do something as simple as come to church on a Sunday morning.

Then there are bigger decisions.

Are you going to buy that car?  That house?  Which insurance company are your going to choose?  What cell phone or cell phone plan do you want?  Are you going to take that vacation or do you need to stay home and keep the rabbits out of the garden?  And, by the way, who are you voting for this November?  

Decisions.  They keep coming at you, fast and furious.  School? Which one?  What major?  Doctor?  Surgery?  Medicine?  Treatment?  Join the army?  Job?  Loss of job?  Second job?  New job?  Promotion?  Marriage?  Kids?  Bills?  Loan?  Re-finance?  Home equity?  Lawsuit?  Investments? 

Sometimes we hate all the decisions we have to make.  At the same time, we wouldn’t have anyone else making our decisions for us.  We begin to struggle for the right to make our own decisions before we reach the ripe old age of one.  By the time we reach our late teens, it’s all we can think about.  “Once I get out on my own, I’m going to do it my way.”  “I can’t wait until I can get my own place!” 

Actually, we have elevated this definitely human characteristic to the point of being sacred.  I’m sure you’re familiar with these words:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  It is ironic that the people who are for aborting life call themselves “pro-choice.”  They deny choice to unborn children that they hold dear for themselves.

Four years ago, I went into an attorney’s office in Union City, TN and obtained power of attorney for my mother.  She was no longer capable of making her own decisions anymore, so my sisters thought that I should be the one to take care of her.  I was happy to do it.  Then, a few weeks ago, I was called into the care facility where she live to sign a document.  They call it a DNR.  That stands for “do not resuscitate.” All of a sudden, it hit me that the decision-making power I have over another human being is one of the heaviest responsibilities ever laid on my shoulders: to decide whether or not another human being should live or die. 

Decisions.  “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.”

Today, you are not deciding on dealing with national emergencies or whether or not to send troops into harm’s way.  You may not be facing a decision on whether or not to end someone else’s life.  But you are making decision that will affect your soul and your eternal life. 

One of the most amazing aspects of the way God deals with us is to give us the privilege, the responsibility, the opportunity and the obligation to choose our eternal destiny.  We decide whether or not we are going to obey the Word of God.  We decide who we are going to worship.  Consider for a moment the awesome privilege afforded us.  God leads us to an old rugged cross and tells us to gaze upon the sacrifice of His sinless form as the blood drains away and asks us what we are going to do about it.  We decide if we are going to take salvation seriously or brush it aside as immaterial to living real life in 2011.

Revelation 22:16-17 (KJV)
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Acts 26:28-29 (KJV)
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

There are three things about making a decision that you must understand. 

• You have to know enough before you decide.
• You have to have the power to make the decision.
• You have to accept the consequences of your choice.

 You have to know enough in order to decide.           

Before you make a major purchase, you need to do your research.  Before you choose a school, you need to get as much information as you can.  But, when it comes to your soul, how can you possibly know the best choice to make?  Here it is:  

When you can’t know the circumstances, you have to know your God! 

2 Timothy 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 

Consider the case of Abram:

Genesis 12:1-5
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.  

What does it take to sell out, pull up stakes and leave?  On what basis does a person decide on such a drastic move?  

This is what I think.  Somewhere, back in Haran, Abraham got to be good friends with God.  So, when God called him to leave the familiar and go into the unfamiliar, Abraham said, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I know who’s telling me to go.  I’m walking by faith.” 

Where is God leading you?

Have you got questions?  Faith is the answer to every question.

Faith meets every adversity.

Faith bridges every disappointment and trial.

When you don’t know, read the Word. 

When it’s not in the Word, get to know the Author of the Word! 

You know enough about repentance, baptism, infilling of the Holy Ghost.

You know enough about sin and salvation, the tribulation and the mark of the beast.

You know enough about how to live righteously in God.

You may not have 100% of the information you would like to have, but that will never happen.  God has given you everything you need to decide for Him. 

You have to have the power to decide.

            The fact is, it’s all in your hands.

            No one is making your decisions for you.

            You alone have the control of the reins of your life. 

I want to take you back to the question of Elijah.  “How long halt ye between two opinions?”  If God be God, serve Him.  If Baal be god, serve him.” 

Here was a whole population vacillating back and forth between two choices.  You might think that the reason for their indecision was that they did know what to do.  No.  They had been schooled from birth onward about the one, true living God.  They were Hebrews.  They knew what to do.  They lacked the will to do what they knew to do.  

It is possible that they were so beaten down by the evil king Ahab and his treacherous wife, Jezebel, that they didn’t think they could decide anything for themselves.  It is possible that the worship of Baal that involved the sacrifice of babies thrown into the fire, ritualistic prostitution, and self-mutilation practices that they lived in total fear.  

This is when Elijah stepped out and called for fire from heaven.  If you read the context of the story, you’ll find that God’s true prophets were in hiding from Jezebel.  The servant Obadiah was scared to death that Ahab was going to kill him.  Paranoia gripped the entire nation of Israel.  The amazing thing that happened before God rained down fire from heaven was that Elijah had the courage to say to Ahab and Jezebel, “You’re not going to decide for me and you’re not going to decide for the people of God!  You don’t have that kind of power!”  

How much power are you ceding to the devil today?  It could be that you are stuck in neutral because you don’t think you can choose.  Maybe your habits are saying that you don’t have the right to make your own decisions.  Maybe your friends are telling you that you are too entangled, too sold out, too far gone to even think that you can escape their clutches. 

It is time for you to say to the Ahabs and Jezebels and the false gods that surround you that the chains are broken! You’ve been running scared long enough.  It is ludicrous that you should have to ask your cigarettes if you can stop smoking.  It is ludicrous that you should ask the drugs and alcohol whether or not they will let you alone.  It is ludicrous that you should check with your “friends” whether or not you can serve God. 

Don’t let Satan strip you of the basic human right that God created in you—the power to decide.    

Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV)
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:  

Once you decide, the consequences belong to you. 

Galatians 1:7-8  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  ⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  

Last year, I preached to you about living with your choices.  

“It comes down to this, you can choose your choice, but you cannot choose your consequences.  When you make your choice, you—of necessity—choose the consequences that go along with the choice.  

“You cannot plant one kind of crop and expect to reap another kind of crop.  If you plant corn, you will reap corn.  If you plant potatoes, you will reap potatoes.  Furthermore, if you plant a low grade of corn, you will not reap a high grade of corn.  Well, you say, I would have planted a high grade, but the seed was too expensive.  I’m sorry.  The consequences of the choice are part and parcel of the choice.” 

You may ask, “Now that I have decided to serve God, what ‘s going to happen to me?”  Jesus has the answer to that question: 

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  

So,

You need to know enough to decide.

You have the power to decide.

You own the consequences of your decision. 

The Dangers of Decision-making 

I now want to talk to you about the dangers of making a decision.  Even though decisions must be made, be aware that decision making relieves stress, even if the decision is wrong!  

It has been reported many times that people who have made up their minds to commit suicide appear to be relieved of a tremendous load of stress.  They may even seem happy and content.  Indecision causes stress, so it makes sense that making a decision can greatly diminish stress.  

The power to make decisions means that you have the power to make terrible decisions, decisions that can destroy your life.  Some people consciously decide to enter into a life of crime, or perversion, or immorality, or gross sinfulness.  And, they say that they are happy with their decision.  Sometimes, they actually argue that their decision is the best thing for them to do.  

I may be talking to somebody here today who is contemplating a major decision, a decision that you know is going to hit the people in your world like a bomb.  You say, “I feel good about what I am going to do.”  The temporary feeling of the moment is not enough.  The emotional impact of a decision is not the criteria upon which the decision is judged. 

Finally, there’s one more thing that I want to tell you about a decision.  This is what I find most exciting! 

Do not underestimate the power of a right decision! 

Ephesians 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

There is a power that works in us.

When you exercise your power to decide for God, God activates His power to do the miraculous, lift the fallen, heal the brokenness, and set the captive free. 

When you decide for truth, you will have it.  “He whom the Son hath set free is free indeed.” 

When you decide to obey God, watch what He does! 

Malachi 3:10-11  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.  

God is looking for someone who will decide for revival!

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”  

Your decision is God’s activation signal! 

Years ago, Brother Billy Cole, as a missionary to Thailand, experienced a great revival.  The way it happened over there was unusual in that the altar calls were much different than in the states.  They didn’t have long sessions at the altar, begging and pleading with God for the Holy Ghost baptism.  They simply came and received it.  Brother Cole made a decision.  He decided to take God at His Word.  He began to lead people into repentance, and then praise and worship.  He believed that they would receive the Holy Ghost immediately.  It happened in the Bible that way.  He discovered that it happened in Thailand that way as well. 

Forty years ago, he came to the First Apostolic Church in Toledo when we were located on Jackman Road.  At the close of his message, he asked how many wanted the Holy Ghost baptism.  Twenty-six people raised their hands.  Then, he asked the ushers to set out chairs.  It took time.  It was noisy.  It wasn’t exactly thrilling to see ushers set out chairs.  There was no “Come to Jesus” music filling the sanctuary.  But after everything was in place, he asked for those who wanted the Holy Ghost to come and sit in the chairs and follow some simple instructions.  In a few, short minutes, all twenty-six received the Holy Ghost!  Some of you participated in that service. 

It wasn’t the begging.  It wasn’t the pleading.  It wasn’t the crying.  It was the decision.  There is unbelievable power in making a right decision.  God marshals His forces behind those who decide to take Him at His Word! 

Where are you today?  Are you in the valley of decision?  How long are you going to stay there?  

You know enough to decide.

You have the power to decide.

You can have the rewards of your decision. 

It is time.

Servant Laddership

If you want a picture of servant leadership, I would venture this: Consider the ladder.  The modest, unassuming ladder is an ideal picture of the servant leader.  Call it “servant laddership.”

The ladder does not exist for its own purpose, but only for someone else to take advantage of whatever height and strength it may possess.  Neither does a servant pursue his own agenda.  He has no other vision for his life.  A true servant realizes his full potential only as he assists others in fulfilling their agenda.  A servant leader understands that if he helps others to reach their goals in life, they will invariably help him reach his. 

The ladder achieves its primary usefulness in allowing someone to use his rungs in a climb to the top. The climber does not have the ladder in mind; he needs to reach something totally apart from the ladder.  In fact, he may need to extend his reach beyond the top of the ladder.  A servant has no selfish motives.  He does not insist that he become the focus of any work or project.  The servant leader is only too happy to see someone utilize his abilities for their gain, even if it propels them far beyond his own status. 

A good ladder is built with the strongest, yet lightest material available.  It needs to be carried around with ease, yet support the heaviest loads.  Likewise, a servant makes sure he is up to any task demanded of him and he never makes himself a burden to those who need him.  The servant leader never exploits and robs people of their assets.  Instead, he always wants people to look back and say, “I would never have gotten as far as I have were it not for my leader.” 

The worst thing that can be said of a ladder is that it is rickety.  It must be built right because its structural integrity is vital to the safety of its climber.  A good servant leader understands that his own, personal integrity is key to the success of his followers.  If he falls apart, he causes great harm or loss to others besides himself. 

The ladder must provide secure footing for the climber so that it will not shift unexpectedly when the climber is in a vulnerable position.  The servant leader seeks out the best possible circumstances, even when asked to do the most difficult jobs.  There are some places he cannot go, not to disappoint his followers, but out of regard for their well being.  

The ladder reaches the top first, but only to provide the pathway for the climber to reach the top.  The servant leader does not compete with or become a lord over his followers.  He is there to help people, whether they need his lowest or his highest rung.  

The ladder reaches the top, but always remains securely planted on the ground.  It does not matter how high it reaches if the reaching causes it to lose its footing.  The servant leader does not become so enamored with his own success that he forgets his purpose in leadership.  He realizes that his success is not an end in itself.  It is only good as it relates to the success of his followers.  No leader can claim success if his followers fail. 

The ladder is stored until needed, never losing its strength or integrity while unused.  In fact, after he does his job, he expects to be put back in the closet and kept out of the limelight.  The servant leader keeps his feelings under strict control.  He does not have to be used to maintain his integrity or value.  His sense of worthiness does not depend on the appreciation or gratitude of others, even those he helps the most.  He knows that the work of the climber is the ultimate purpose that is showcased, not the ladder that helped the climber do his job. 

One final thing:  even the ladder needs help sometimes.  Those who are not capable of climbing, can always stand at the bottom and hold the ladder.  The servant leader may find his job taxing from time to time.  He will be eternally grateful for those who find their greatest usefulness in serving the servant.  “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea.”  Romans 16:1.

Meta-Technology: Questions That Have Not Yet Been Asked

Sometimes, I have thoughts that will not quiet themselves until I express them in writing.  I’m not sure what all is implied in the following article, but I had to get it off my chest.  If there is some substance here, maybe someone can take it and run with it.  If not, at least it was an interesting idea. 

The Sarah Palin email boondoggle of 2011 in which a cache of released emails was seized by her detractors who hoped it would be a goldmine of potential politically damaging information ended up as a misguided failure.  In terms of meta-technology, however, it opened up a fascinating field of questions totally unrelated to politics.  In less than two years of her gubernatorial reign, Palin generated a total of 25,000 emails, not including any of her public missives, official documents and speeches.  Assuming that the governor was on the job for 730 days, the 25K number breaks down to just over thirty-two emails per day.  Since it is doubtful that she was on the job for that many days straight, a more realistic number would be fifty emails per day.  If we factor in the additional kinds of communication, it is possible that she (or her office) produced sixty to seventy capsules of information every day.  

To put this into perspective, it is estimated that the complete writings of Abraham Lincoln added up to ten to fifteen thousand items, including political writings, presidential statements and speeches, along with manifold personal notes, letters and telegrams.  The range of time in which his writings were generated spanned the years from 1809 to April 14, 1865, the day of his death.  On that final day, he wrote three notes.   That means that in two years, Sarah Palin produced over five times the volume of communications than one of the most prolific writers in American political history generated in his lifetime!  

If you are trying to make political sense out of this, you are missing the point.  This has nothing to do with politics.  It is a staggering statistic that we who are steeped in technological devices and praxis have not yet begun to address.  The short term impact of technology involves convenience, speed, ease of use and accuracy.  The long term impact, however, is that it is making our perception—and perhaps, even our reality—of life far different than any of us can imagine. 

I propose to begin a new conversation.  If technology enables us to utilize our time beyond our forebears to an exponential degree, the content and quality of the end product notwithstanding, that necessarily makes us more productive.  It also gives rise to this question:  are we living faster and doing more?  Of course.  Silly question.  A question that is not so silly is:  does this increased productivity mean that, in a virtual sense, are we living longer lives?  Wikipedia says, 

“Relativity states that if one were to move away from the Earth at relativistic velocities and return, more time would have passed on Earth than for the traveler, so in this sense it is accepted that relativity allows “travel into the future” (according to relativity there is no single objective answer to how much time has ‘really’ passed between the departure and the return, but there is an objective answer to how much proper time has been experienced by both the Earth and the traveler, i.e. how much each has aged.”  

To illustrate, if a car that travels at a speed of ten miles an hour is compared to a car traveling seventy miles an hour, we would say that the first car only traveled a distance of ten miles in an hour’s time, whereas the second car traveled seventy miles in the same hour.  The constant is the real time, the variable is the distance traveled.  It could be better expressed in mathematical nomenclature, but a bunch of x’s and y’s would freak too many readers out.  I contend that since more was accomplished (i.e. more miles driven) by the second car, then the driver, (again in a virtual sense), lived longer in the same hour as the first driver. 

To carry the car illustration further, let’s say that it is 1871.  The car you are riding in is actually a stagecoach and you are traveling from Detroit to Chicago.  At a reasonable pace of twenty-five miles a day, that was a ten to twelve day journey.  What could you do during that time?  Talk to the other passengers, read a newspaper or book (as you were bouncing along), look out the window, think.  Today, that same trip takes four hours and forty-one minutes (according to MapQuest), plus you can text message (you shouldn’t, but you can), listen to songs or speeches on the radio, talk to any number of people around the world, get stock quotes, turn on your lights and security systems or other electronic gadgetry at home or office, all the while monitoring the performance of your vehicle through your onboard computer.  If you were to do this for ten days, the same time you go from New York to Los Angeles three times while you were continually accomplishing all the other activities.  

If we were to quantify the productivity in terms of an arbitrary measurement that I will call a “unit of activity”, or UOA, we can compare the 1871 trip to the 2011 trip.  In the stagecoach trip, there may have been a total of twenty to thirty UOAs, or 0.3 UOAs per hour.  In the 2011 trip, there could possibly be 125 or more UOAs, or approximately twenty-five to thirty per hour.  That factors out to one hundred times the number of UOAs that took place on the stagecoach.  While all of these numbers are extremely ball park, the comparative figures are still proportionately valid.  The inescapable conclusion is that we are living far, far, far busier lives than our forefathers even dreamed was possible. 

The implications are enormous. 

If the average twenty-one year old in 2011 has one hundred times the experiences that his or her counterpart had in 1871, does this not translate into living to the age of one hundred five in terms of 1871 years?  If that hypothesis holds true, what psychological, emotional and sociological impact does that fact have on today’s “young” person?  We have all heard of children that “grow up too quickly.”  That’s just another way of saying that they have been exposed to too many adult situations while they were still very young.  Is it possible that the cynicism, nihilism and anarchical trends we witness today in those born in the 1990’s is not merely youthful rebellion but a logical outcome of the incredibly fast pace of life to which they have been subjected?  

Think with me for a moment.  If I travel ten times faster than my competitor does, at journey’s end, then I am ten times farther from my starting point or my “roots” than he or she.  So, if a young person in 2011 seems far more willing to ignore the past, contradict legacies, abandon loyalties and cut ties, is it primarily a function of the virtual distance from the starting point that he or she has created by living at warp speed?  Furthermore, is the human body able to withstand the stress levels brought on by this kind of living?  

Several social trends we see today may be the result of this fast pace of living.  “According to Herbert J. Freudenberger, the New York psychologist who coined the term in 1972, “burnout” describes a specific condition. It is an emotional state characterized by an overwhelming and enduring feeling of exhaustion or aggravation. Burnout is a condition that develops gradually as the person’s creativity and effectiveness erode into fatigue, skepticism and an inability to function productively.” (MLJ Coaching International).  This condition sounds much like the way we used to describe old age! 

Another trend is job hopping or career change.  “The notion of continual career switches is repeated in particular by career-management experts, whose jobs involve spending a lot of time with occupation switchers. ‘Based on my experience, I believe the typical person has six to seven careers, and the number is growing,’ says Jeff Neil, a New York City career counselor, in an email.”  (WSJ, 9-4-10).  If you spend what amounts to a lifetime in one career (if that is only five to ten years in real time), then a change is not all that strange. 

Is the high rate of marriage, divorce and re-marriage related to this fast pace?  I think the case could be made.  The same holds true for educational program changes, moving from house to house, state to state, or even country to country.  Changes of clothes, hairstyles, appearances, cars, gadgets, favorite games, rock stars, sports heroes, etc. all figure into living virtually longer lives. 

The questions seem interminable.  Is there as much depth as there is breadth and length to life today?  Are we a culture that is the proverbial “mile wide and an inch deep?”  Are we aging horizontally but remain adolescent in our vertical growth?  Furthermore, is aging uniform across the spectrum of individual personalogical components or do we age in an imbalanced way?  Can we age intellectually but lag behind socially? 

Meta-technology is simply the technology of the technology.  Technological advancement has changed us in such profound ways that the culture has not yet assessed the impact and perhaps will not be able to gauge the change for generations to come.  Marshall McLuhan, the media guru was asked whether the medium is still the message.  His reply was that we have gone from technology as something we do to technology as something we are.  At some point, we do have to understand what has and is happening to us as a whole.  If we don’t, we may destroy ourselves. 

The Human Heart

From time to time, this blog features writings that I find moving or significant to my thinking.  The following piece by Dr. Frank Crane is truly exceptional.  You can find it other places on the net, but if you have never read it, you need to do so now.

The human heart is a wide moor under a dull sky, with voices of invisible birds calling in the distance.

The human heart is a lonely lane in the evening, and two lovers are walking down it, whispering and lingering.

The human heart is a great green tree, and many strange birds come and sing in its branches; a few build nests, but most are from far lands north and south, and never come again.

The human heart is a deep still pool; in it are fishes of gold and silver, darting playfully, and slow-heaving slimy monsters, and tarnished treasure hoards, the infinite animalcular life; but when you look down at it you see but your own reflected face.

The human heart is an undiscovered country; men and women are forever perishing as they explore its wilds.

The human heart is an egg; and out of it are hatched this world and heaven and hell.

The human heart is a tangled wood wherein no man knows his way.

The human heart is a roaring forge where night and day the smiths are busy fashioning swords and silver cups, mitres and engine-wheels, the tools of labor, and the gauds of precedence.

The human heart is a garden, wherein grow weeds of memory and blooms of hope, and the snow falls at last and covers all.

The human heart is a meadow full of fireflies, a summer western sky of shimmering distant lightnings, a shore set round with flashing lighthouses, far-away voices calling that we cannot understand.

The human heart is a band playing in a park at a distance; we see the crowds listening, but we catch but fragments of the music now and again, and cannot make out the tune.

The human heart is a great city, teeming with myriad people, full of business and mighty doings, and we wander its crowded streets unutterably alone; we do not know what it is all about.

The human heart to youth is a fairy-land of adventure, to old age it is a sitting room where one knows his way in the dark.

The human heart is a cup of love, where some find life and zest, and some drunkenness and death.

The human heart is the throne of God, the council-chamber of the devil, the dwelling of angels, the vile heath of witches’ Sabbaths, the nursery of sweet children, the blood-spattered scene of nameless tragedies.

Listen! You will hear mothers’ lullabies, madmen’s shrieks, love-croonings, cries of agonized terror, hymns of Christ, the roaring of lynch mobs, the kisses of lovers, the curses of pirates.

Bend close! You will smell the lily fragrance of love, the stench of lust, now odors as exquisite as the very spirit of violets, and now such nauseous repulsions as words cannot tell.

Nobilities, indecencies, heroic impulses, cowardly ravings, good and bad, white and black — the mystery of mysteries, the central island of nescience in a sea of science, the dark spot in the lighted room of knowledge, the unknown quantity, the X in the universal problem.