"It seems as if it is almost certain . . ." 

It's how Russell Fuller, a PhD from Hebrew Union College, started his first sentence in trying to defend his belief in a literal six 24-hour day creation account from the Book of Genesis. 

It was from one of the videos playing at the Creation Museum in northern Kentucky. I made a quick visit there on my way back from a deputation service in Tennessee back in June 2010. 

As they say, there was an attempt . . .  or should I say, "It seems as if there was almost an attempt . . ."

Here's another response to a student from the first on-line Christian Beliefs course from June 2010. The question was about whether it is okay to just accept what has been traditional taught and believed. Here is my response:

​About your question of whether we should then question all the beliefs we have always known and accepted as true. I'm not sure we need to go back and look at all of our family's or church's beliefs and question them without a good reason to do so. On the other hand, as questions arise, especially as we interact with people from other Christian traditions or other belief systems,  we should not just accept them (or our positions) hands down, but learn to listen carefully, ask questions, not get too quickly scared of uncertainty, and not settle for easy answers. God will be faithful and walk with us as we learn more about Him (and what we believe or need to believe about Him.

I'm cleaning out the email this weekend as the new semester approaches. 

Here is a response I sent to one of my students in the first on-line Christian Beliefs courses taught at MVNU. This was back in July 2010. I believe it was a question about the Nazarene teaching on two works of grace. As follows:

​There are two ways to look at the Christian life:

1) I'll sin everyday but I'm forgiven and will go to heaven anyway (a little on the pessimistic side)
2) I'm a Christian--a child of God--I don't have to sin, but how? (on the optimistic side, but still searching for a better way)

The question of sanctification responds to the second question. As a believer, we don't have to sin, but sometimes we do bad stuff. I have yet to meet a new Christian that didn't struggle with the question "So, why do I keep screwing up even after I become a Christian?"

I think the second work of grace brings about the possibility of the purity of intention as a sort of doorway, a moment where God's grace enters our lives in such a way that we can believe and obey--that we really don't have to sin any more. I can make better choices [because I am aware that they are even a possibility whereas before I had neither real knowledge nor desire to do good]. Instead of relying on myself, I trust wholly in God to give me the power and ability to do what He asks. We have more growing to do, and sometimes, we might screw up again, but we are committed with our whole lives, not just our hearts, to "walking with the Spirit."

Sure, we might stumble, but not intentionally, and we might even really screw up, but we understand the burden of our responsibility to God--the need for forgiving and receiving grace, allowing God to lift us back up.

We also know what it means to live in a way that draws others toward God.

I think the first work of grace allows us to see God for Who He is, and the second work of grace allows us to see ourselves as God sees us.

Occasionally, I get questions about a variety of issues not only from students but from colleagues inside and outside my denomination. Here is an inquiry from a pastor friend that will remain anonymous. I will add that this pastor serves in a geographic area that is still considered largely Christian and fairly strong in terms of Nazarene presence. Even still, there is always a challenge when church folks forget who they are. 

My Response
​
We contribute as a mission giving church through the World Evangelism Fund (WEF). It’s not a tax or tithe imposed on each church but it is a way of showing tangible connection to other churches. There was a time when our local church needed help getting started, and every local church provide for others to get up and running through WEF funds.
 
Connectionalism is the term used to describe the kind of church we became and is derived from our Methodist heritage. Nazarenes are not just independent churches vaguely connected by name or theological tradition. Many of the early Nazarene congregations were Congregationalist, and so we retained a sense of local church freedom to participate without making it a requirement. There some early Nazarene churches that came from an Episcopal system in which a bishop could tell pastors and thus churches how much they were to contribute and excise offerings from local churches.

The Church of the Nazarene is a Connectional church, that is one that is directly connected to every other Nazarene church. We are a global family. The Board of General Superintendents emphasized this point at the last General Assembly. We are a Christian, Holiness, MIssional, and connectional church. We are not left to our own devices (solely independent) or imposed upon by an outside hierarchy (solely dependence). We choose to be a church that is interdependent and interconnected, much like a family. 
 
Think of paying to the World Evangelism Fund as a family plan for cell phones. One plan covers all of us, but we all contribute to it once we have matured. Not all brand new churches and new districts are expected to contribute until they have matured spiritually and organized itself well. Soon they will mature and they will contribute toward the propagation of the Church next door and worldwide.
 
In Benin-Togo, I worked with a budget of $1500 per month that helped me work with a district in which we started with 19 churches and ended up with 250 in four years. Our budget from WEF never increased but God provided in other ways, and the local church learned to support its growth. God gave us what we needed to start through the generosity of a global church family. Within another few years, this district grew to over 1000 churches, divided into five districts. The original district has sent multiple missionaries to other parts of west Africa and its churches pay into WEF just as churches that helped them when it was young. Today these churches now help other churches and districts around the world.
 
I used to tell village leaders as we sought permission to start a church in their village that the local church would not one that is planted by an outside missionary or a “big man” pastor. It is a church that is connected to a global family. When a Church of the Nazarene is started in a new place, it is connected to every other Nazarene church in the world. Every church would pray for and give to all of the other ones. I remember one time, the chief and the elders applauded and hooted when we said these words: "We are a global family, and your village will now be a part of it." I’ll never forget it.

The resurrected Jesus promised, "Remember, I am with you always, even until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 NRSV). We promise by our presence as a local church--the Body of Christ locally expressed-- that we will never be alone and always be remembered by every local church in our global family. 

The Rebel Force Radio podcast has produced ten hours of commentary and reaction to the film. It really shows the extremes of satisfaction and dissatisfaction regarding the film. 
(Click on each one to go to the episode page.)

• Rebel Force Radio TLJ #1 - Initial Opening Night Reaction
• Rebel Force Radio TLJ #2 - Call-in Show
• Rebel Force Radio TLJ #3 - Insights from Filmmakers
• Rebel Force Radio TLJ #4 - Props for Yoda, Canto Bight, Snoke
• Rebel Force Radio TLJ #5 - Polarized Response to the Film

​In light of some of the extreme distress in the fandom, I want to leave you with one of the best moments from The Last Jedi--Yoda's  conversation with Luke on Ahch To.

For all of you that think the canon is being betrayed by J.J., Rian and their ilk, here is a short 30 minute podcast Imaginary Worlds episode on The Canon Revisited. The host Eric Molinsky invites Ben Newman, a rabbi friend, to discuss the expansion of the SW canon. It is sweet to hear them talk about biblical hermeneutics and midrashim in light of the Star Wars Universe (link below).

​​I've always thought there have been religious elements to Star Wars fandom. In the absence of actual religion, people will try to find meaning somewhere else.

For me, Star Wars is not my religion. I don't need it to define my life. I don't take the films or the Star Wars universe so seriously.  I don't need to. I enjoy it, but that's all.

I have seen the film three times: opening night, once the next week, and again last night. 

First of all, nothing brings out the kid in me like the opening crawl and blaring anthem at the beginning of a film in the Star Wars saga. I still watch these films as that kid. It's a swashbuckling Saturday matinee epic adventure for a 21st century audience.

I love it . . . but it's not my religion. I had to learn early on to stop taking it so seriously, man. 

My first viewing, however, left me ambivalent. I loved some things, and I didn't care for some other things. First things first. 

What I loved after the first viewing . . . 

• Seeing the X-wings in action. Poe's opening salvos against the Dreadnought. Dang! This is exactly how I imagined this kind of battle going--a small fighter facing up to the most intimidating warship. This kind of thing is audacious as some X-wings attacking the Death Star. I loved seeing the X-wings engage in dogfights with TIE fighters, skimming the surface of the warship. We also got a taste of this in The Force Awakens and Rogue One.  Never gets old. So, so sweet. 
• Luke. Yes. Nailed it. The initial scenes with Luke reminded me of Yoda in Empire Strikes Back. There he is hidden away in a hermit-like existence. Remember Yoda eating a rat creature? Kind of like seeing Luke milk a sea creature. Bucking the fandom, and being a cranky and depressed old man with no time for admiring fanboys, or in this case, a fangirl. Here is a cocky kid on the Falcon taking out TIE fighters now dealing with being a disappointing "legend" in his own time. His youthful glory of bringing Anakin has now resulted in old age as continuous self-flagellation over the failure with Ben Solo. So true to life, right? Hearing Luke interact with the "old friend" R2, sitting in the Falcon took me back to the OT. The defense-only, Obi-Wan-like duel on Crait with Kylo was just so sweet. What can I say about the scene with Leia and the wink toward Three-P.O. The cocky humor in these scenes is very much what I imagined Luke to be like. In later viewings, I see Luke very much like Obi-Wan in A New Hope and Yoda in Empire Strikes Back. The echoes between these characters are very real, and intentional, I think.
• On subsequent viewings, just love the scenes on Ahch-To. The tension between Rey and Luke was excellent especially their brief fight with sticks that ended with a laser sword. Rey holding the light saber over Luke reminded me of Luke holding a saber over Ben Solo.
• I also just thought the interactions between Rey and Kylo were just so well done. These actors have created some of the most memorable characters in this universe. Their duel (light and dark) against the red guards---dang!!! 
• Kylo. Loved every part of this character. Rian Johnson helped fans root for the guy in scenes with Snoke and his guards that killed Han Solo in an act of patricide. His intense hatred toward Luke at the end, and that duel. Ahh. So sweet.

A great listen for those that loved the film, go to Rebel Force Radio page and listen to their reactions about one hour after seeing the film on opening night (link below):

• Rebel Force Radio - The Last Jedi Review #1