The World As We Know It

There is a country song by Mark Wills entitled “19-something”, in which he talks about growing up in the 1970’s and 1980’s and all of the nostalgia that defined that era.  I was born in the mid 70’s, so I can’t really identify with a lot of what he’s saying as much as the “40 something” crowd would.  But when he gets to the verse about the 80’s, something in me clicks.  Memories flood through my mind.  He mentions that “a space shuttle fell out of the sky and the whole world cried”, referencing the Space Shuttle Challenger.  This week marked the 25^th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, and just last night I was telling my son about where I was when it happened, ( this very thing reminding me of times my grandpa would tell me where he was when he heard about Pearl Harbor, Kennedy, etc…).  I had stayed home sick from school that day, and my grandma’s black and white TV was interrupted by breaking news about the shuttle disaster.  These sorts of things mark a young man, not as a detriment, or a building block, but simply marked… a point of reference that I will forever point to.  Mark Wills references Pac-Man, Star Wars, Elvis, baseball cards, bell bottoms, 8 track tapes, skating rinks, black Trans Ams, big hair and parachute pants, to name a few.  All of these things stir memories for anyone who can remember back that far.  Pastor Paul Mooney made a statement once that “the music that you will consider the greatest music is that which was popular when you were about 15 years old.”  I thought about this and was astonished to find how true I find this to be. They say smell triggers memory more than any other sense.  I would argue that music is a close second.  My extent of secular music listening extends only to smooth jazz and Bossa Nova, but I will hear songs occasionally from my teen years and think “they don’t make music like that anymore.”  I really feel this way, but I have to acknowledge that much of it is misplaced nostalgia.  I wouldn’t want to go back, but those years were an incredible time in my life.  It’s easy for me to say the world was a better place then because I had little responsibility or forethought of life, you spend those years living in the moment.  I often wonder if this is the reason why those who are seasoned in years look back fondly at the 40’s and 50’s with yearning to go back.  The golden era, they say looking back at an Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver generation. I wonder if they yearn for those days not because Andy Griffeth was sheriff, but because it reminds them of a life much simpler as a kid, as a teenager, as a young adult.  A time of their first car, their first kiss, their first fill in the blank.   I will be the first to admit that there is certainly an enormous appeal to that era.  I myself am almost infatuated with the history of the post war generation.  1945-1965 had to have been a great time to live in.  Or was it?  It certainly was if you were white.  I seriously doubt very many blacks or other minorities look back to the 50’s and think “I wish I could have lived back then.”  The 1940’s were one of the darkest decades in the world’s history.  Yes, I am drawn to the Kennedy era cool, the fashion, the style, the naïve optimism. But I also know that the chaos of the late 60’s, the rebellion, the rape of traditional values, did not occur overnight.  While Ozzie and Harriet were living happily ever after, the seeds of our destruction were being sown.  They came to fruition in the late 60’s, the growth fueled by an unpopular and very political war.  Fortunately for America, the nonsense of this movement was paralyzed by the fact that a lack of drive was the nature of the beast for the average hippie.  Within a few short years the thrust of the movement had died.  It was a failed social experiment, one that future generations should study with trepidation.

 

The fact is that the world as we knew it is much, much different.  I’m not saying it’s all negative.  From a glass half full perspective, I see good in the world that did not exist as a whole a few short years ago.  We live in one of the few nations on this planet that gives absolute opportunity for anyone to be anything they desire to be, provided they are willing to pay the price.  I firmly believe that ANYONE with a desire to be a millionaire could do so.  There are much loftier goals in life to aspire than to make money however, and all of those goals are possible, if you are willing to pay the price.  We are a free people… free to worship as we choose, free to express ourselves, free to live anyway we choose.  With this freedom comes a great deal of inefficiency and laziness, but out of it also arises greatness.

 

Technology has dramatically changed the world as we know it.  We by default think of computers and the internet, but other things have greatly improved because of technology.  The average Ford or Chevy has more luxury that a Lincoln or BMW had just a few years ago.  Technology has shrunk the world, it has leveled the playing field, the earth truly is flat.  Yes, you too can have Grey Poupon.  Mom & Pop retailers can compete head to head with a big box store, and the lone dissenting voice can have the same platform as the masses.  The internet has become the great equalizer.  I highly recommend the Jeff Jarvis book “What Would Google Do.”  It will open your eyes as it has mine to the revolution that is the internet.  In many, many ways this connectivity has created choices, options, and variety.  We have only begun to scratch the surface on what this connected lifestyle will do to and for society.  For the first time in modern history, such economic principles as ‘supply and demand’ are being called into question by a whole new set of marketing rules that for the first time are being made possible because of this linked up world.  Of course these principles will always have their place, but companies are making fortunes not only ignoring them but hedging their bets against these concepts.  It’s a mad mad world, and only those who are on the leading edge of the curve are qualified to profit in it.

 

On the other hand, technology certainly has its limits.  I am a huge critic of Facebook and social networking.  Not so much that I have a problem with it as much as I don’t “get it” on the same scale that the rest of the world does.  I have a theory that Facebook thrives off of two base principles of humanity.  One, that people are narcissistic, that is they LOVE to talk about themselves. And two, that people that voyeurs, they love peeking inside the lives of other people.  It is this 2^nd concept that explains the addiction to it, people are nosey.  They are voyeurs, peering unnoticed into the lives of those closest to them.  I know this because like you I do it also.  I have no desire to have a page of my own, to post my latest farmers market find, but I do enjoy looking through the peephole to see a glimpse of those who I already connect with on a regular basis.  The thought however occurs to me that all I see through that peephole is what that person wants to show… nothing is truly discovered.  Facebook allows people to project an image of themselves that may or may not be true.  I am highly entertained by all of the people who are constantly spouting Scripture or some wise axiom or motivational quote when in reality I have never seen this person be so positive in person.  The social network isn’t evil, it isn’t wrong, it is simply one dimensional.  My greatest issue with all of this is that it is a substitute.  People are substituting screen and keyboard and widgets in place of viable, warm, human relationships.  I decided sometime ago that in the big picture of life I would pursue three things.  First, relationships.  A relationship with Christ first, then with family, then with a lost and dying world.  Second, I would pursue beauty.  Whether it be art or music or nature, I would look for beauty in this dark world.  And third, (the one that has never defined me), I would pursue adventure.  A spontaneous road trip, a road less traveled, a new experience, or a new way of doing things..  None of these things can be accomplished through technology.  Does it have it place? Absolutely. Can it solve our fundamental challenges in life?  Never. The World As We Knew It is dead.  Somewhere in our lifetime we crossed a threshold, a point of no return.  The knowledge of man has changed our society, our world, our lives.  There’s no going back, so embrace the positive, repel the negative, and through God’s grace live a fulfilling life through authentic relationships, beauty, and adventure.

(In a future post I will address technology and its role, potential, and limitations in the church today. )

Recommended Reading List

In my previous post I talked about the importance of reading. Here are some of my favorite books that have had an impact on my personal life and/or ministry. I realize everyone’s interests are different, but these books are in my opinion at the top of the list. Not all of them are by Apostolic authors so I do not endorse any views in these books that may contradict fundamental doctrine. However most of these books written by secular or non-Apostolic authors do not deal with any doctrinal subject matter. I have listed them in no particular order of importance, other than the first book. I will only keep one reading list on this blog, so if I add any books in the future they will appear on this edited post. As always, thanks for reading…

The Family

1. A Father for all Seasons by Bob Welch- This book stands alone to me among all other books besides the Bible. It has impacted my life in ways that I couldn’t even describe. My mother bought me this book for Christmas 2001. My son had just turned one year old. I don’t know how long it sat on the bookshelf untouched, probably a couple of years. When I started to read it, the book changed my life. There are a lot of parenting books out there that try to teach us how to do it. This book is a man telling us stories about his father and stories about his two sons in a way that only Bob Welch can write. I don’t know a lot about the author, other than he is not a preacher but a newspaper columnist from Eugene Oregon. This book is primarily for fathers who are raising their son, but a book that everyone should enjoy reading. I sat in restaurants reading this book and would have to stop reading it because I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Gentlemen, you owe it to yourself to get this book. It may be ordered online at bobwelch.net .
2. Bringing up Boys by James Dobson- A true how to book on parenting, I learned a lot from this book that I could apply to my own role as a parent. Any of Dr. Dobson’s books on the family are worth reading.

Bible Study Material

1. Thompson Chain Reference Bible- still hard to beat it for pure study.
2. PC Study Bible- I’ve tried Quickverse, but Study Bible has a much better user interface.
3. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Facts
4. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
5. The Tabernacle by William Brown
6. The Pentecostal Home Study Course
7. Any of Crawford Coon’s Christian Development Course, Pastor John McKinnies introduced me to this tremendous material.

Christian Living

1. When Ye Pray by Joy Haney
2. Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman
3. When Ye Fast by Joy Haney

For the Ministry

1. The Flesh of God by J.T. Pugh- if there is a more relevant book to the ministry today I haven’t found it. Bro. Pugh gives us what the Church is and what our Purpose is more clearly than anything I’ve ever read. A true must read book.
2. The Wisdom and the Power of the Cross by J.T. Pugh- this was a hard read for me because it was pretty deep, but it is a must read for every preacher. Both of these first two books should be a required reading for young ministers.
3. Effective Pastoring by Bill Lawrence- I don’t agree with everything he has to say, the Baptist form of church government differs from ours, but plenty of good solid advice to Pastors.
4. The Best of Vesta Mangun- A written version of some of her best messages
5. Any of David Bernard’s books including- The New Birth, The Oneness of God, God’s Infallible Word.
6. For Preachers Only by J.T. Pugh
7. I being in the Way by Harold Kinney- Written by a missionary, one of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read.

Publications

1. Perspectives Magazine by Indiana Bible College- Usually a feature story on a Church, plus lots of good articles and insight, my personal favorite Apostolic publication.
2. The Pentecostal Herald- I would not list it just on the merits of it being the official organ of the UPCI. It has improved tremendously the last few years, and now has great articles in it every month.
3. PC World Magazine- If you own a computer, this one is worth subscribing to, lots of tips and downloads to help you keep running smoothly.

Success Literature

1. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey- The standard by which all other success literature should be measured. It is a life changing book if you will apply it. Every leader and preacher should read and reread this book.
2. First things First by Stephen Covey- It doesn’t do the book justice to call this a time management book, but it gives you an idea of what it is about. An excellent book, I recently had a well known and successful pastor from the South tell me this book changed his life, it was enough of an endorsement for me to go out and buy it.
3. Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove- Andy Grove is the former chairman of the board for Intel and was the driving force behind what made Intel what it is today. The book centers around Strategic Inflection Points, which you would have to read to understand. He made me a believer that any leader in order to be successful long term must understand Strategic Inflection Points in their particular field.

   There are many other books that I have enjoyed, but these are a few that I believe can make a difference in your life…

The Power of Reading

I am going to in future posts be reviewing and recommending books that have had a powerful impact on my life, and there are several. Before I begin those posts, I want to talk about the power of simply reading. Some may think that in an age where multimedia, High-Def TV, and interactive websites abound, that reading may well be on its way to becoming obsolete. I seriously doubt if this will ever happen. I don’t anything more powerful or enjoying than sitting down in a quiet room and simply reading. How many times have you heard someone say, “Yes I saw the movie, but the book was much better.” When you a read a book, especially a novel, your imagination goes to work. I’ve often thought that 10 people could read the same book and the scenery and characters are all different in each person’s mind. I try to always be reading a book. I usually will have the book with me in my car and read it in a restaurant, a waiting room, or wherever I find myself with extra time on my hands.

I highly recommend that you have a variety of books that you read. Everyone will be different, but let me give you examples of the kinds of books that I read. First of all, the Bible must be at the center of all your reading. It is not a book, but THE book. My two favorite parts of the Bible to read are the Epistles in the New Testament and the stories in the Old Testament. But you must read all of the areas of Scriptures at some time. It is important to have balance in your Bible reading. Apart from the Bible, I read books on Apostolic Doctrine, Church history, and Church Leadership. I also read motivational books such as Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” I would highly recommend this book, it is life changing. I am currently reading Stephen Covey’s book “The Eighth Habit.” All of his books are excellent. One of the books on my list to read for this year is Dr. Dobson’s book “Bringing up Boys.” I will eventually have a post of all my recommended books. Biographies and autobiographies can also be excellent reads. I purchased this week a biography of Andy Grove, who wrote the book “Only the Paranoid Survive”, a must read for every leader. I don’t read a lot of novels, but have thoroughly enjoyed Louis L’Mour and John Grisham novels.

The thing that I believe makes reading so powerful is that you are tapping into someone elses mind, harnessing and gleaning their wisdom and life experiences. They have thought about what they are going to write, they have revised and edited it many times, and you are awarded the final product of what they consider to be their best. I have tried to listen to books on tape, but have found that my retention rate is much higher when I actually read the book. I believe to be well read is one of the highest achievements of life. It is amazing that if you will simply read the books, how many times in conversation with someone else that you can pull from your mind something that can be added to the conversation. If you are a preacher, this is doubly true. I don’t know how many times in my preaching that something will come to me that isn’t in my notes that I will use in a message, something that I had in my mind from a book I had read. Starting now, purpose in your mind that you are going to give yourself to much reading. If you have children, encourage and help them to read. It is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures.