Category: theological rant

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Gideon was a bit of a Taunter.

I just read Judges 7:1, and was pretty floored by the nickname that Gideon apparently embraces.  The previous chapter translates the name Jerubbaal as “Let Baal contend with him.”

Gideon had just destroyed a pagan altar to the god Baal.  The modern day equivalent might be burning down a mosque and a whorehouse next door to the mosque.  Then he embraces this nickname “Let Baal contend with him.”  Basically, by starting to be called that name, he’s essentially saying “bring it on, fake god.”  Imagine after burning down the mosque (which I am in no way recommending) you start answering to the nickname “Allah can’t touch this” — with all due respect to MC Hammer.

The attitude of courage and boldness here is pretty intense.  While I certainly wouldn’t recommend such a brash approach to people of other faiths as mosque -burning, It does raise the question of why Gideon, Joash, and company were so confident.  That’s why there is a distinction to made between brashness and confidence.  God had spoken to Gideon specifically, telling him to  tear down the altar to Baal.  Knowing God had called him to that specific act of destruction gave him the confidence to embrace the nickname.  A confidence that God is who He says He is is what motivated Gideon here, not some religious vendetta or agenda.

So much of what I do, by contrast, has been an effort to build my confidence.  In high school and college I was the super-Christian “good kid” not because I was confident, but in order to make myself confident.  If I kept all the rules, God would surely love me and protect me and my interests.  My attitude and actions could not have been father from the gospel.  What Gideon does here is completely different from what I did.  He acts based on confidence in who God is.  He’s still scared–the story indicates that he chickened out of destroying the altar during the day–but he is not acting out of the fear, he’s choosing to trust God at His word.

Even today, my default mode is self-reliance and lack of confidence.  I trust in my ability to parent, or to develop ministry partners, or whatever else!  But the gospel, the most amazing news ever told, assures me that even in the face of my doubt, sin, and disobedience, God has already won.  In Christ, I am victorious.  Now, I am free to obey, and even join Gideon in mocking silly religious people that think they can earn God’s favor–with the sincere hope that they will join me in repentance.

What are some ways you can move from fear to confidence in God and his Word?  Comment below.

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Perspective check, 1…2…3?

I got three emails yesterday.  2 of them were people letting us know they are no longer able to partner with us financially–to the tune of -$125 per month. The other was from Piter.

I was too busy wallowing in poor-me-land (or more accurately, trying to evaluate the situation to help to avoid wallowing there, but doing a remarkable job of pre-wallowing) to even read Piter’s email.

I met Piter in 2007, in Korea.  He’s on staff with CCC in Bangladesh.  I remember asking him and friend what the hardest part about being in ministry there was.  Without hesitation, they answered “language barrier.”  They went on to explain that there was no common language uniting the students there, and that even though between the two of them they spoke about 10 languages, they often had trouble communicating the gospel due to language.  They added also how hard that makes it to raise support.  They hardly know any Christians, and the ones they do know don’t speak the same language.  It’s tough to passionately cast vision for a ministry when you don’t speak the language.

After my pre-wallowing session, where I asked the Lord to help raise the financial partners we need and more importantly to help me to fix my eyes on Jesus in the midst of this time, I finally got around to reading Piter’s email.  It was short, and directed us to give to his ministry as we were able.  I followed the link in the email, and learned that currently they (a family of 4) have $300 dollars per month coming in.  And they need $250 more in order to cover their needs.  I’m bad at math, but that translates roughly to a 45% shortfall every month.

I personally could give enough money from our emergency savings right now to cover them for the next 7-8 months.  And I am broke in almost every sense of the word by American standards.  Even in the midst of my financial woes, God is reminding me that all I have is by grace.

Two action points:

  1. I average about 35 visits per day to this website.  On posts where I talk about my son, family, or something funny in the title, I average more hits.  So this post will probably be read by 20 or so individuals. If you gave just 20 bucks a month (let’s call it 2 Pizzas and 3 trips to the Redbox) to Piter and his ministry, he’d have more than enough to reach Bangladeshi students for Christ, without having to devote extra energy and time to raising funds.  Please give to Piter and his wife Mary Beauty now by clicking here.
  2. You clicking the “Like” button right below this line will give your friends the opportunity to help Piter and Mary Beauty.
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Let’s Prove the Numbers Wrong: a look at Fundraising in the Digital Age.

Ken Summerlin had such a good comment on my frustrated post about violence in the name of fund raising that as I started replying to it, I found out that it deserved it’s own post.  Here’s a excerpt of Ken’s comment:

…Unfortunately, telemarketers and political candidates have so abused the phone as a contact medium, that I think we may need to consider surrendering it as a means of unsolicited communication. My wife and I are canceling our home phone service next month for this very reason. Most of our friends and family call us on our cell phones and the majority of calls we receive on our home phone are from solicitors and telemarketers or, at the moment, political robocalls…

…Is using the phone to set up appointments to share about your ministry absolutely necessary? I realize that calling is quicker and less costly than mailing but it may no longer be effective. Could you request an e-mail or snail-mail address rather than a phone number from someone who is giving you a referral? Would it be reasonable to ask the recipient to visit your website or respond to you via e-mail or a phone call if they would like to learn more about your ministry?

Ken, thanks for the comment, and your perspective. It’s a great reminder of what we have to differentiate ourselves from when on the phone. I realize that the phone is less than ideal. That’s why we are trained to not ask for money or referrals over the phone, but to try and get a face-to-face appointment. People just don’t give to causes over the phone, unless they are tricked into it (which you and I have both experienced — the salesman that talks so fast you’ve already confirmed your shipping address before you can tell them you aren’t interested.)

Regarding email: the non-profit industry standard for people OPENING their emails is less than 25%, and the industry standard for people that click on anything in the email is 7%. That means my odds of getting a response of any type is about 1%, and my odds of getting back money are less than that. And believe me, I have tried and found those numbers to be hauntingly accurate, even with people whom I know well. That’s not even counting people that I don’t know.  I have to say something controversial in the subject line just to get the thing opened.

Regarding postal service fund raising: I’ve probably sent over 4000 appeal letters for financial support over the last eight years. And I’ve received back funds from (ball park guess here, but I’ll high-ball it just in case) 20% of those appeals. And I know with a few variations exactly which 20% will respond to a letter. Again, this is with people who know me, most of whom I’ve shared face-to-face my heart for ministry and our need for funds.  And I can count on one hand the number of people that have joined our team on an ongoing basis from an email or a letter in the mail.  Well over 90% of the funds we get from postal service asks are one-time gifts (we call them “special gifts” to avoid the permanence of “one-time.”)

That leaves the phone.  One of the best ways we’ve found to “warm up” the cold call is by using the name of the referrer. “Jim and Judy Moneybags thought you’d be interested in hearing more about our ministry.” Other times we have preceded the phone call with a letter telling them we are going to call.  All of those things help.  Also, as you mentioned, getting someone’s mobile number is a leg-and-a-half up, and increases our chance of getting a face-to-face.

I’d love to prove the numbers wrong.  I’d love to have people click links in my blog posts that allow them to set up ongoing financial contributions (see what I did, there?) or to have interested folks contact me.  But most of the folks I meet with don’t know they are interested in helping out financially until they hear about the desperate need for the gospel on the college campus, and how we propose to trust the Lord to help bring the gospel to the campus.  And they don’t hear that unless I can get a 30-45 minute appointment with them.  And the majority of my appointments are made over the phone, and initiated by me.

Speaking of which, I’m gonna go now and make some phone calls.  If you (not just Ken) have any suggestions for how I might get appointments without the phone, I could not possibly be listening any more intently.  Comment below.

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Ted Haggard and my Sinful Heart.

I’ll be honest, my first reaction when I see that Ted Haggard is starting a new church is bitter judgement.  This isn’t a statement of whether or not he should be doing it, and I honestly don’t know.  It is a statement of the fact that I am so quick to excuse my own moral flaws and so quick to try and nail guys like Haggard to the wall for theirs.  So as Christians, I would challenge us as we approach this issue to do it with our arms and hearts open and aware of our own weakness.  Pointing fingers and throwing mud will just further the stereotype that we have earned of shooting our wounded just before we toss them under the bus.

As I talk about the issues, and discuss the biblical ramifications of him starting this new church, I need to take care to watch my own heart, that I am not stumbling myself.

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An Open Letter To Steve Jobs About Porn on the iOS.

Mr Jobs, I love your products.  I’m typing this post on the most dependable, well-made computer I’ve ever owned, a 2007 MacBook Pro.  And the iPhone 3G in my pocket is easily the greatest phone I’ve ever owned.

I really appreciate the well-publicized stance you have taken against pornography.  As a dad and a Christian, I cannot more emphatically state how great it is to see a man in your position reject the billions of dollars you could be making off of porn, in favor of standing up for children.  Thank you so much.

Here’s why I am writing, though.  Porn is still very, VERY accessible on your iDevices.  There are entire networks of websites out there striving to put out iPhone optimized pornography.  It’s a specific genre of porn, Mr Jobs.  I am sure you are aware of this, and I assume you are not a fan.

I appreciate that your devices “just work” and I know it must take hours of planning to make a device that is accessible to developers without becoming irreparably cluttered with junk apps that tarnish the image of a device that “just works” for so many people.

I dont know if you are aware of services like Covenanteyes.com or x3watch, but those services are excellent for those of us who like the ability to hold each other accountable to not looking at porn on our mobile devices.  Currently, the iPhone versions of those two apps are “Safari replacement” browsers that are clunky, frustrating to use, and easy to circumvent.

The Android versions of those two apps are great, because the developers are given root access to the device.  They are allowed to make an app that isn’t a browser replacement, but runs in the background monitoring what sites are accessed by the device.

I know how against your sensibilities giving root access to the iOS to developers is.  But can we make an exception for an app like CovenantEyes?  I know making an official app that monitors users’ activity would have the privacy advocates screaming.  But I want my privacy invaded by friends of mine holding me accountable for what I look at on my phone.  And it would give parents a way to ensure their kids are being protected, without disabling the internet on the device!

I appreciate your time, and your heart to keep the iPhone porn free.  Now let’s really make it happen.

(if you aren’t Steve Jobs, now would be the time to retweet, forward, “like” and in any other way promote this post. Thanks.)

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