Redeemer Announcements

Especially for my Redeemer family.

Here are some things I want to share with you.

TONIGHT (July 26) – 6:30 – 8 PM.

Craig Miller, author, speaker and clinical therapist, coming to Redeemer!

Sunday Sept 9th, 5:30-7:30

Topic: Improving your Spiritual and Emotional Health

You will learn:

• Why people struggle with issues such as: fears, anxiety, ADD, depression, confidence, defiant behaviors, relationship with God, and more
• How God heals these issues for children, adults, and the whole family.
• How you can pray for healing

Demonstration of healing prayer. 

For over thirty-seven years Craig has been ministering and counseling in church, medical, and mental health settings. He is a licensed Christian therapist and co-founder of Masterpeace Counseling in Tecumseh, MI (see, www.mpccd.com). And his website: www.insightsfromtheheart.com

‘FINGER OF GOD 2” PREMIERING AT REDEEMER: This is Darren Wilson’s new film. Darren grew up at Redeemer, and we remain thankful for how God is using him to spread the message of God’s love and power. Sunday night, Sept. 30. 7 PM. To view the trailer go HERE.

ANNUAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT REDEEMER! For the last two years the Holy Spirit Renewal Ministries Women’s Conference has been held in Dayton. In 2019 we will be hosting it. We are working now on dates and speakers. More information TBA.

REVIVAL AND MISSION – God is leading us to focus here. This Sunday morning!

PICNICS IN THE PARK: This Friday, July 27, at “the Big Slide Park!” It’s located off o Stewart Road right behind Bluebush Library! Come play with us from 10:30-noon! Pack a lunch or a snack and your kids!

TWO EVENTS ON SAT., AUG. 25: The wedding ceremony of our son Josh to Nicole Cloud (RSVP please!); and One Night – 6-10 PM, see here.

ONLINE GIVING TO REDEEMER’S GENERAL FUND + MISSIONARIES can be accessed HERE.

Blessings to you all this day!

Drink Deep From the Fountain of Living Water

Monroe

In 1946 A.W. Tozer wrote these words:

"In this hour of all-but-universal darkness one cheering gleam appears: within the fold of conservative Christianity there are to be found increasing numbers of persons whose religious lives are marked by a growing hunger after God Himself. They are eager for spiritual realities and will not be put off with words, nor will they be content with correct ‘interpretations’ of truth. They are athirst for God, and they will not be satisfied till they have drunk deep at the Fountain of Living Water." (Tozer, A.W. ; The Pursuit of God, Kindle Locations 25-29)

These words capture my heart today, and the hearts of my community of Jesus-followers.

We want to know God and be known by God.

We desire to live and breathe in the presence of God.

We are beginning this morning by abiding in Christ, and intend to abide in Him throughout the day.

We want, we need, God as a living experiential reality, and not as a mere religious theory to be discussed.

We hunger and thirst for God.

We expect to be wielded by God today in His redemptive mission.

Power Corrupts: The African Big Man Syndrome

Detroit Metro Airport

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor..., But when you are invited, take the lowest place...

Luke 14:7-10

When I returned from my trip to Kenya my mind was consumed with all things Africa. Where to begin? I immediately read Peter Paris's (Princeton and Harvard) The Spirituality of African Peoples. I saw Richard Dowden's Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles in the Nairobi airport, kindled it, and read it on the flight home. I'm going to connect Dowden and Paris re. the "Big Man syndrome" in Africa, its rootedness in African monarchical society, and the idea of "regal authority" ascribed to African American pastors. And, sadly5 exemplified in some American pastors.

Dowden writes: "Africa's one-party states increasingly became one-man states - the Big Man. All tyrants suffer from the same apocalyptic monomania. In the late twentieth century Africa provided some of the most spectacular examples." 

Dowden quotes Blaine Harden's description of the classic African president:

"His face is on the money. His photograph hangs in every office in the realm. His ministers wear gold pins with tiny photographs on the lapels of their tailored pinstriped suits. He names streets, football stadiums, hospitals, and universities after himself. He carries a silver-inlaid ivory mace or an ornately carved walking stick or a flywhisk or a chiefly stool. He insists on being called 'doctor' or 'conqueror' or 'teacher' or 'the big elephant' or 'the number-one peasant' or 'the wise old man' or 'the national miracle' or 'the most popular leader in the world'. His every pronouncement is reported on the front page. He sleeps with the wives and daughters of powerful men in his government. He shuffles ministers around without warning, paralysing policy decisions as he undercuts pretenders to the throne. He scapegoats minorities to shore up popular support. He bans all political parties except the one he controls. He rigs elections. He emasculates the courts. He cows the press. He stifles academia. He goes to church." (Kindle, 901-6)

The Big Man is above other people, and likes to show it. He has escaped ordinary life. These are taken as signs that he is extraordinarily blessed by God. And, rarely (says Dowden), are the Big Men interested in anything African. The only African presence in the Big Man's mansion are his servants. (Ib.)

Ugandan president Idi Amin "became the stereotype of the African dictator." (K 482-86). "He created some spectacular new honors and orders for Uganda - and awarded them to himself. Simple Idi Amin became His Excellency Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada, President of Uganda, Conqueror of the British Empire, Victorious Cross, Member of the Excellent Order of the Source of the Nile, Distinguished Service Medal, State Combat Star, Long Service and good Conduct Medal." (K, 496-504).

Dowden says Mobuto Sese Seko, who ruled Zaire (now the Congo), was the "ultimate Big Man." "He gave himself a string of titles that outdid even Idi Amin. His name means 'The Cock that Covers all the Chickens', and his full title read, 'Father of the Nation, Guide, Helmsman, Chief, Messiah the All-Powerful Warrior who Goes from Conquest to Conquest, Leaving Fire in his Wake'." (K, 922-30)

All of this has a context, of course. When the British and French colonial powers departed Africa, the newly formed "nations" were left vulnerable to dictatorships. The West (especially the U.S. and Russia and the "Cold War") propped up these dictators. And, "dictatorship was not exclusive to Africa in the Cold War." (Dowden, K, 930-34) Dowden does a nice job situating all of this in the broader context, to include historical tribalism and the global situation.

The transcultural, transtemporal human context of the African "Big Man syndrome" gets expressed in British historian Lord Acton's famous statement, “All power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The Judaeo-Christian narrative warns us throughout that pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18), and that God is opposed to the proud (James 4:6). 

Regarding Jesus and the gospel stories, I have found Joel Green's explanation of honor-shame cultures and how Jesus inverts them (as expressed, e.g., in Mary's song) helpful. "Kings" and "rulers" just flat-out receive more honor and deserve more honor than peasants and expendables and everyone else, at least according to the subhuman kingdom of darkness. Jesus turns this upside-down. One would expect, then, Jesus-followers to be non-self-aggrandizing.

The Big Man syndrome in Africa is deeply undergirded by its rootedness in a monarchical society. The one, supreme deity is "creator of the community and all of its societal structures... [I]n monarchical societies the sovereign was thought to rule in accordance with God's favor... As God's paramount priest the monarch represented the authoritative moral, political, and religious center of the tribal community." (Paris, K 837-44) African kings had an authority that placed them "at the ritual apex of their people's socio-moral order." (Ib., K 844-50) The king was supposed to have "exemplary moral integrity because a direct correlation existed between his character and the community's well-being." (Ib., K 850-56)

Paris, following W.E.B. DuBois, argues that "the spirit of African kingship was transmitted to the clergy, whome the community viewed as their primary leaders embued with charismatic powers." (Ib., K 862-68) "African American clergy often enjoy a regal lifestyle not unlike that of traditional African kings. That is to say, because of their office, they enjoy immense social status in the face of very limited material benefits." (Ib., K 874-80) This has left some of them "vulnerable to corruption." (Ib.)

The spirit of African kingship significantly contributed to the Big Man syndrome. Monarchically ordered societies would seem to produce more corruption and devastation than communally-ordered societies, where power (authority; exousia) is distributed. For example, in Christianity, the early Christian community and, more recently, Anabaptist communities.

While in Kenya at the pastor's conference I shared about power (dunamis) and authority (exousia) in relation to being a pastor-leader. All authority belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28). Jesus confers authority upon his followers (Luke 9, 10). 

One must constantly remember the real source of authority as Jesus. Otherwise one might take on the Big Man syndrome with its regal lifestyle and resultant corruption. As we have seen and continue to see, this possibility is not limited to African presidents and African American pastors. Sadly, some of today's Christian leaders might be described as follows:

His face is on TV. His associates wear the finest clothes. 

He loves to associate with people of power. 

He insists on being called 'pastor' or 'doctor' or 'teacher' or 'evangelist' or 'prophet' or 'community leader'. 

He sleeps with other men's wives and daughters. 

He shuffles ministers around without warning, paralyzing policy decisions as he undercuts pretenders to the throne. 

He bans all viewpoints except his own. 

He spins things in his favor. 

He has his hands on the money. 

He stifles learning. 

He controls the worship services. 

He "leads" the church.

Self-Exaltation is Bad; Humility is Good

Our back yard

Humility is the foundational attitude of the Jesus-life. 

Philippians 2:8 reads: being found in appearance as a man, Christ humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 

Our English word "humble" derives from the Latin humus, which means "earth," or "soil." It came to mean, in the Latin word humilis, "low." Such as in the movie "Get Low," which is about the morphing of a proud man into a humble man.

In the Jesus-life self-exaltation is bad, humility is good. Jesus said, For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 

A person with a humble heart gets low, gets below, gets beneath God and others. Only a person whose heart is humble can be a servant like Jesus was. Only a non-self-exalted person can exalt the Lord, since this requires placing the Lord above one's own self. This defines the locus of the ongoing spiritual battle between darkness and light.

Thomas Merton writes: "A man who is not stripped and poor and naked within his own soul will unconsciously tend to do the works he has to do for his own sake rather than for the glory of God. He will be virtuous not because he loves God but because he wants to admire his own virtues." (Seeds, 106-107) 

The recognition of one's spiritual poverty is good. Everyone is spiritually destitute; not everyone recognizes it. Such recognition is the beginning of real humility, and transformation.

This is not about "getting humbled." Everyone gets humbled; not so many become humble. Pride, arrogance, and shame (which is pride's evil twin) are hard conditions to break. Merton writes: "every moment of the day will bring [the proud person] some frustration that will make him bitter and impatient and in his impatience he will be discovered." (107)

The proud person has planned to do "spectacular things," so as to be seen by others. "He cannot conceive himself without a halo. And when the events of his daily life keep reminding him of his own insignificance and mediocrity, he is ashamed, and his pride refuses to swallow a truth at which no sane man should be surprised." (107)

So, I see that: 

·                The universe does not revolve around me

·                I need help

·                I am troubled inside

·                Outward accomplishments and outward appearances cannot cure what lies inside me

·                What knowledge I do have is infinitesimally small compared to the knowledge that is to be had (I'm nowhere near as smart as I might have thought I was)

·                I am not better, and therefore more loved, by Christ than other people. In fact, the love of God is not measured by "better."

·                I am not to measure myself by other people, but by Christ

·                I am not God's gift to mankind, but Christ is

Pride is the Engine of Mediocrity

My back yard

Everyone would do well to read some G.K. Chesterton in their lifetime. Chesterton was a brilliant writer who influenced, among others, C.S. Lewis. 

Humility, reasoned Chesterton in his book Orthodoxy, generates things; pride prevents growth. John Dickson writes:

"Chesterton argued that human pride is in fact the engine of mediocrity. It fools us into believing that we have “arrived", that we are complete, that there is little else to learn. Humility, by contrast, he said, reminds us that we are small and incomplete and so urges us on toward the heights of artistic, scientific and societal endeavour." (John Dickson, Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership, Kindle Locations 1158-1161)

How to Defend Your Faith with Gentleness and Respect

At the root of America's cultural crisis is confusion and rejection of authority. (For just one of countless examples, see here.)

God's calling on my life includes equipping the followers of Jesus to give reasons for our hope and belief in God, in Jesus, in the authority of Scripture, in all we believe. 

On July 26 at Redeemer I will share how I have learned to do this, with (hopefully!) gentleness and respect. 

6:30 - 8

Childcare provided.

But give reverent honor in your hearts to the Anointed One 

and treat him as the holy Master of your lives. 

And if anyone asks about the hope living within you, 

always be ready to explain your faith.

1 Peter 3:15

(Passion Translation)

(734-242-5277)

johnpiippo@msn.com

Leaving Show Business in Search of Political Depth

Maumee Bay State Park (Ohio)

Linda and I were having breakfast, watching "The Megan Kelly Show." Her guests were the co-hosts of "American Ninja Warrior." We have watched it, and admire the athletes who compete on these outrageous obstacles. The co-hosts are OK, too, except that the one guy's primal voice sometimes irritates me. (I am, perhaps, envious?)

On the Kelly show the three began discussing American politics. This, I quickly reasoned, is a waste of my time. The man with the primal voice was expressing his political opinions. Why was he allowed to do this, since, as a TV personality, he possesses no special political acumen? I might as well be listening to a clanging, albeit ninja-like,  cymbal.

I have moments of despair when it comes to American politics, and the cult of personalities who are famous, not for their special wisdom and insight, but simply for being famous. Welcome to the Age of Show Business. (See Neil Postman's works here.) Welcome to Panem.

Looking for some lifelines, I googled "best books on American politics." I found an article in The Atlantic: "A Reading Guide for Those in Despair About American Politics." That's me!

I was encouraged to see that one of the contributors was Princeton's Robert George. When George writes, I read it. He is a brilliant legal scholar, and a follower of Jesus. George recommends Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom, by Ryan T. Anderson. I've read it. Everyone should read it.

George also recommends Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith, by jurisprudential scholar and philosopher Francis Beckwith. I've already read Beckwith's brilliant Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice. Everyone should read this! But I had not read Beckwith's Taking Rites Seriously.

I ordered it for my Kindle, and showered in it over the past two days. I told Linda, "This book is incredible!" 

George comments,

"This book demolishes what is left of the formerly ascendant idea that sound political theory and constitutional interpretation require a relegation of religion to the private sphere and its banishment from the public square in which issues of politics and policy are debated by citizens of a pluralistic democracy.”

Yes it does.

The Prostitute Who Loved Much

Dragonfly, clinging to the white aluminum siding of our house 

Long ago, in another place, I knew a woman who did not love. She was judgmental towards people, including me. She acted above us. She had the gifts of criticism, finger-pointing, correcting others. I never heard her admit she was wrong about anything. As for the rest of us lowerlings, we were very, very wrong.

One time I asked her, "We are followers of Jesus. Jesus told us to love one another. Can't we just love one another?"

I see her sitting before me, non-responsive. She loved little, seemingly not at all. I wondered, had she not experienced her own massive need for the forgiving, merciful, gracious love of Jesus?

Longer ago, on the far side of earth, a prostitute was standing behind Jesus. She was weeping. She lowered herself to her knees, and began wetting Jesus' feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. 

Why?

Because, she thought, Jesus might be able to forgive her sins, which were many. 

Those who come to grips with their own inherent sinfulness  have compassion towards people. They love people, a lot. 

Jesus explains this reality to his disciples. He says, 

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven

— as her great love has shown. 

But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 

Then Jesus said to her, 

“Your sins are forgiven.” 

Luke 7:47-48

I often think of how much I have been forgiven of, especially when I take communion. Most of what I have been forgiven of is deeper than my awareness. Christ has forgiven me of more than I could ever know.

Jesus is saying, the more awareness of God's mercy and grace that has been given me, the less I will despise, and the more I will love; the less I will judge, and the more I will relate to.

The woman who did not love lived in oblivion to her own failure. The prostitute who grieved over her failure became the woman who loved much.

***
My two books are:

Leading the Presence-Driven Church

Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God

I am currently writing...

How God Changes the Human Heart

Technology and Spiritual Formation

Then, Linda and I will co-write our book on Relationships.