College Students and the Church, Practical Advice

This past year I attended three different churches. From about January to May, I attended Sycamore Reformed Presbyterian Church in Kokomo while in school at Taylor University. From about May to September I was at my home church, 2nd Reformed Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. Finally, I was at McKinnon Reformed Presbyterian Church in Melbourne, Australia, from about October to December.

In the last couple years, I have heard from various RP pastors the idea that church members ought to move close to church so they can be involved in the life of the church. (A legitimate and important exhortation.) Being a young person, I move around a lot and so it's hard to follow this advice. In the last five/six years, I haven't stayed in the same living situations for more then about 9 months. This is characteristic of most young adults.

Where Does that Put us Young People in the Church?
Churches normally don't do well with people who move around a lot. It takes time to get to know people, meet their needs and invest in their lives. When after a couple months of hard work, all that work seems to go to waste when you move.

To answer the question, young people, like myself, have a major role to play in the church, even if we aren't there for more then a couple months. We are called to be an example to the rest of the congregation in speech, life, love, faith and purity. (1 Timothy 4:12) The role of the young person is to be an example to the congregation, even if he/she is only there for a couple weeks or months.

Below, I outline some practical suggestions I have discovered over the last five years that have helped me. (And no I don't think I've done a good job of following my own suggestions.)

1. Be at church on Time and EVERY Week 
This one can be very hard when you live about 40 minutes away from school, and you were up late studying in the library. (interpretation: on facebook in the library) Regardless, do what it takes to get there on time. If you can't show, make sure someone in the congregation knows you're not. Believe it or not, people notice.

2. Talk to People 
It's really awkward at first, especially if you're the only person there your own age, but it's vital that you go up to people and talk to them. Ask them questions and act like they're a human being even though they may be a half century older then you or are the equivalent of creepy little aliens since they're an endangered species on college campuses. I.E. Little kids.

One a side note, It was really hard for me to remember people's names at church because I saw normally saw them once a week. In between that time, I saw and talked to hundreds of people. Members easily get squeezed out of the young person's memory. Hence, write people's names down. (I never did that...)

3. Pay Attention to the Church Schedule and ATTEMPT to Attend 
I know time is valuable, but even if you don't plan on attending all church events, the least you can do is go to the pot luck dinner. You'll get free food, good food, and people will begin to realize that you're not there to feel holy, but want to be involved in the church. (I failed miserably at this one.)

Even if you don't go to any events, it'll give you feeling for where the church is at and how you can pray for them.

4. Smile and Praise God 
You're at church in the body of Christ. Rejoice and be glad even if you haven't slept for a couple days. (I frowned a lot... I get an excuse since I was a serious philosophy student.)

Note: it may be beneficial to write out our theology of church on Sunday. Basically answer the question, why do you go to church?

5. Don't fall Asleep during the Sermon! 
Guilty as charged. Even if the sermon is the most boring lecture you've heard in your entire life, don't you dare fall asleep. Do whatever it takes: pinch yourself, bring a drink or take notes. I personally took notes, even when I didn't care or disagreed with the pastor. (Sorry Pastor York, Pastor Johnston, Pastor Faris, Pastor Hart. It hasn't happened to often.)

6. Be An Encouragement 
Churches go through hard times. Having a young person who regularly attends can be huge. Just attending can be a great encouragement. It could also mean taking on a more formal role or simply talking to people.

Conclusion
In conclusion, remember that you are an example to the church so it's vital you play a part, even if for a little while.

In the next couple days I'll write something on how the church can help young people. Many of these thoughts are just starting to come up. So thoughts and suggestions will be great.

note: Part II is now up! 

Is Jesus Against Religion?

The youtube hit sensation, Jefferson Bethke's, "Why I hate Religion but Love Jesus" is an interesting poem. It certainly is moving and thought-provoking. It's hip and beautiful. I enjoyed it. It convicted me. I think Bethke says some extremely important things regarding our King. If more evangelical Christians wrote this type of poetry we will be better off. Yet I came away with a bad taste in my mouth. It doesn't seem that Bethke is furthering the kingdom of Christ. I came away thinking Bethke is limiting Christ's kingdom.

Bethke hates religion. He's clear about that. He loves Jesus. He's clear about that. Bethke is placing Jesus in opposition to religion. He uses Jesus' many debates against the Pharisees and others as his Biblical basis. What is what is wrong with this poem?

Jesus, the God-man, was a religious man. He followed the Old Testament laws perfectly. This is why he is a perfect sacrifice for us sinners, He fulfilled the law. Bethke takes Old Testament Judaism and frames it in the context of modern Christianity. Using this picture, he bashes and tears modern Christianity down using Jesus' words.

Instead of making religion under the realm of our Lord's throne, Bethke rejects it. He fails to realize that Jesus never threw away religion. He fulfilled it perfectly. The law (religion) was fulfilled by Him so we don't have to try. That's the beauty of Jesus. Now all can come to the Father in purity and holiness, including religion! No tax collector. No prostitute and no pharisee is rejected. Even on the cross he said "forgive them for they know not what they do." Ethke doesn't forgive them. He hates them.

If only Ethke had focused just on Jesus on this poem. If only he had let Jesus take his hate and turn it into love then this poem could not only preach the Gospel to those who don't find the Gospel in the visible church, but also to those who are in the visible church but are lost. We must never ever forget that Jesus' love conquers all and everything comes under his sovereign throne. That's the beauty of Christ's kingdom, and religion is not exempt. I hope Bethke keeps writing but, more importantly  I hope he realizes that Jesus' love reaches beyond what we are able to imagine because He is King and Lord over all!

Kevin DeYoung has written a detailed review of the poem. I haven't read it carefully so can't comment on what DeYoung says.

A Pre-review of Mark Noll's Latest Book

I'm taking a break from writing letters to philosophers today. If you have suggestions for who I might write to, please leave a comment. I'm trying to go in a chronological order and focus on those I've been told by those above who are important.

Mark Noll and "Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind"
Currently I'm reading Mark Noll's most recent book, "Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind." I believe those who were disenchanted with/by "Scandal of the Evangelical Mind" will be enchanted with this read. I haven't finished it, but so far the book is true to cover's description.

Noll tries to lay the beginnings of a path for evangelical scholarship based on the Bible and guided by the creeds. The first couple chapters are theoretical, and I haven't gotten into the chapters where he claims to lay out some practical guidelines. Noll has made a sign that evangelicalism has the potential for a strong intellectual backbone, but those who call themselves "evangelical" need to consciously work their scholarship through the lens of Christ. (Noll's thesis.) Hopefully, it doesn't remain just a sign.

Letters to Philosophers, Augustine

Dear Augustine,

Before I really talk to you, I must explain to those who are snooping around on the internet with nothing better to do why I'm writing you. It doesn't seem you ought to be on a list of letters to philosophers. Some would say you are more of what they now call theologians. I know, aren't theologians supposed to be philosophers too? Well they split the degrees so you can be a theologian and not a philosopher. You've probably guessed that theology has gone downhill, good guess.

Well, on to talking to you about your writing. First I want to say, City of God is awesome, it's like an encyclopedia of totally awesome thoughts. Second, Confessions appears to be out of this world. Did you read the Bible a lot before writing it? It seems like you did.

We need to talk about this whole Plato thing. Thanks to you, a lot of platonic thought has entered into Christian theology. I'm not saying it's all bad, but boy, this physical world does have value, perhaps even equal with the non-physical. I know that God as a being is non-physical, but what about Jesus, man. He's got a physical body, and we're supposed to be like him. I think that says something about the importance of the body. That Plato stuff, shouldn't have sniffed it so strongly, it made you a bit high, metaphorically speaking. If you did burn books to get a better understanding of those dudes, that explains why we're missing a lot of Greek literature.

So why is Hippo, Hippo? Did you guys have hippopotamuses there? Your just war theory is a bit odd. I don't think you've been involved in a war before. Okay, yes you had the Muslims knocking loudly at your door when you died, but you came up with your just war theory, I assume, before all that happened. Come on man, war is terrible stuff. You seem like a utilitarian when you say violence is justified if it brings peace. Oh wait, utilitarianism isn't evil. You don't even know what that is, Jeremy Bentham ring a bell? I didn't expect so. I won't explain it, it takes erasing your concept of justice, I think.

To conclude, you're a really humble guy. You didn't even want to become bishop of Hippo, not that I would either. I mean come on, Who'd want to be in charge of the spiritual welfare of a some place called Hippo, sounds fat. Anyway, they made you a doctor. I know, I know, no one asked you, just like when they elected you bishop. The church is just really mean about those things.

Sincerely,
David Pulliam

p.s. I meant the visible church...

Open Letters to Philosophers, Aristotle

Dear Aristotle,

I'm sorry Plato didn't let you be the head dude of his academy. I know that really stinks, but hey you got to tutor Alexander who sent you cool stuff form the east, and you started your own academy. Though, I hate to admit it, Plato's Academy is much cooler then yours. It was the form of which yours is based on.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I think it's awesome how you influenced Thomas Aquinas. Without him, and you, we wouldn't be a very clear religion. I don't mean to say that we are wholly clear, but I think it's clear what I'm trying to get across. Thanks for all those arguments for the existence of God. I'm sorry to say Kant hated them and now a bunch of guys think you're arguments are worthless. I think they have some merit. Stinks you couldn't argue from your arguments to Jesus being God though. Those are one of those "mysterious" things we Christians have. Bummer you lived a couple hundred years before him. Does that mean you're in hell? Let me know because I've been wondering about that people like you and Plato. By the way, there is a dude who wears cool glasses who claims people like you might be transferred from hell to heaven. He says it's because love wins, but that might mean all the guys who wanted to kill you at the end of your life would be in heaven too. Hopefully they wouldn't try to kill you there. Anyway that's just a small unimportant side note about where you might be right now.  

Man, I know you wanted to improve on Plato's forms, but sticking them in particular physical objects is really not as cool as saying they are out there somewhere, and we have to ascend to them by crawling out of a hole in the ground. Other then that, thanks for giving us science and dude your theory of causation rocks. I don't care what Hume says, the way you explain causation causes my world to rock!

One thing I really appreciate about you is your virtue. Not your personal virtues, but the virtue theory you put forward. If it wasn't for your virtue ethics man, I don't think I would still be in philosophy.  Eudaimonia is so important for our well-being man. You hit it on the spot there!

By the way, your political theory is very smooth, and it works better then Plato's, a bit more moderate you know. Please come back and help us out with this family thing. Yeah you said family is the core of society, but a lot of people don't think so anymore They think they can just divorce and society won't reap the consequences or anything. It's a big bummer. There are a bunch of loonies who think that we can just do whatever we want, and it won't effect anyone else, quite dumb. They call it the private sphere of life and distinguish it from the public sphere. Don't try wrapping your head around that distinction, it just doesn't make real sense.

You should know, we're still collecting specimens and analyzing stuff. Science has "progressed" quite a bit though it has lost its teleological foundation. I know, how can it progress then, that's what I've been wondering.

Sincerely,
David Pulliam

p.s. It's okay you lived the last year of your life at your Mom's house. A lot of guys are doing that now.

Open Letters to Philosophers, Plato

Dear Plato,

Thank you for using Socrates in your dialogues. Thank you for being a totally awesome writer. The Republic rocks my socks. Without you, western philosophy would not be what it is. Having you in the picture makes it awesome.

Your concept of the forms was pretty cool, but it really stunk that you caused a dichotomy between the physical and spiritual. Western Christianity has struggled since because you. We are really glad that you helped out Augustine a lot so don't take it too hard that we think the physical and spiritual are of equal value.

Interesting answer to the problem of universals. You showed those sophists their spot. Your allegory of the caves rocks my world. I'm not going to say it was perfect, but yeah pretty cool. I even made a drawing of it in high school because it was so cool. (Not really, my teachers forced me to. You would be in tears if you found out the state of our education today.)

Your view of politics is pretty cool, but some really awful people took that idea and distorted it. We're still reeling from it 70 years later. Something else we're reeling from is this stupid problem given by some guy named Gettier. He hasn't written much about it though but a lot of other people have. It really is a stinker of a problem. Could you help us out? It screws up your definition of knowledge, basically saying your definition is insufficient, otherwise known as a bad definition. Could you please help us out?

By the way, justice is still being argued about. Some people just don't like the idea and so don't use the word anymore. Don't ask me how they can logically come to the conclusion that justice doesn't exist.

 We are just as just as your society. Sorry to disappoint you there. We also do a good job of listening to the mob. We even have a government kind of like yours in the Republic but not quite. It mixes your concept with the Athenian model. Please don't hold it against us. I know democracy killed the most awesome teacher in Europe. Money and power play a role in our government and a lot of non-philosophical guys run the country. Not many philosophers have been president. (A president is similar to a philosopher king, but he has a couple "checks" on his power, thank goodness. I thought you believing philosopher-kings could have unchecked power was the same as letting the mob rule. We've tried to "moderate" things. Your pupil Aristotle had some good things to say you know.)

I'm sorry your got a bit bummed at the end of your life.

In closing, I want to let you know Whitehead thinks that the rest of us are just a footnote to your writings. I know you didn't have footnotes in Athens. Google "footnotes" and you'll figure it out. Just don't spend too much time on google because it'll make you think shallowly, like those poets you hate.

Sincerely,
David Pulliam

Short Blankets + Tall People = Misery

It's cold, and your blanket is too small. It's a terrible situation. Short people rarely deal with this problem. It's a curse on us taller people. It happens when you arrive at a "friend's" place and stay the night on their coach. At the last minute you ask for a blanket and they toss you something that you don't even look at until you lay down.

As you pull the warm snuggly blanket up to your chin, you feel the ghostly awful chill of the room air pinching your feet. It's a terrible feeling, usually easily resolved by getting another or larger blanket, but your host has already gone to bed. What do you do? There are a number of ways to deal with this dilemma that do not include rudely awakening your tired host.

First, try stretching the blanket. Ripping it will defeat the purpose of stretching it so don't put too much effort into this strategy.

Second, curl up in a small ball. This will work if the blanket is wide enough, but often it is not. In those cases, try not to move so at least the blanket can drape over your body.

Third, Periodically during the night simply switch from having the blanket snuggled up to your chin to covering your frozen toes. Attempt this last strategy when the former two have failed. It assumes you'll be awake for the whole night anyway so while you're awake you might as well as limit the pain as best you can.

In conclusion, having a blanket too small for your body is more then an inconvenience to your sleep. If you do not have a proper blanket, it is best you get a new one even if that means being rude to your host.

Thanks Pastor James Faris for his sermon on Isaiah 28. Verse 23 was the inspiration for this post. "The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you."