Fred, I'll take your challenge ... but not yet.

While it's still fresh in my mind, I want to write about the guests we had at our staff devotions today -- Pastor Howard, Luther and Howard's mom.

Howard and Luther both have dramatic testimonies of the Lord saving them from the grips of drug and alcohol addiction and are involved in a ministry to bring the hope of the gospel to people with the same struggles.  Luther sang several songs that he has written, and Howard shared a devotion from Romans 5.  He did a great job of putting Romans in its historical context (the utterly godless lifestyle of Rome that Paul describes in Romans 1 is very reminiscent of life in the US today!), and the great contrast that God's peace is to that chaotic and destructive lifestyle.

If you remember, Paul starts Romans 5 by applying what he's been teaching thus far:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

I loved that reminder: We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith.  And we have hope and can persevere because the Spirit is there working in and through us.  What a powerful truth that we can't hear enough! 

A few other things have stuck with me from what Howard shared (besides his infectious humor):

• The gospel is so radical, so transformative!  I loved how passionate Howard was about the work Christ is doing through him in the lives of the people he serves ... he is a relative newcomer to our ministry, and he is just overflowing with excitement for the way that our materials and training have transformed his ministry.  Since he does a fair number of drug and alcohol interventions, he said he's seen some serious conflict -- we're talking people coming to meetings with guns and knives!  But it's the same Scripture and the same biblical principles that we use in any conflict, and he sees God working in peoples' lives in tangible ways.
• Like Paul in Romans 5 and following, Howard challenged us to think about areas in our life where we are not applying the gospel, where we haven't been crucified with Christ.  So I extend that challenge to you: where are you living as though Christ did not die and rise again?  Are there areas in your life where you are acting out of unbelief, whether through doubt or rebellion?  Do you have anything in your life today where you are holding onto something (your own glory, something that brings you comfort) in such a way that it minimizes Christ's death and resurrection?  Heavy stuff ... but to recognize this, repent and turn to Christ is so freeing in the end!
• Howard concluded by telling us about a miracle that we were witnessing right before us!  He is driving through Billings in the process of moving his mom from California to live in his city and work alongside him.  While he was living in rebellion from God for many years, he also made his parents' lives miserable, capping it off by stealing everything his parents owned and selling it to support his drug habit.  Now, because of God's grace, their relationship -- especially the trust between them -- has been restored.  He has gone from robbing his parents blind to being the executor of her estate.  What a beautiful picture of grace; it brought tears to my eyes to see them joyfully anticipating his mom spending her last days serving the Lord alongside her prodigal-come-home.

Thanks, Howard and Luther, for encouraging us and sharing yourselves with us!  May the Lord give you safety as you travel and may he continue to bless the work you are doing for his Kingdom.

 UPDATE: Thanks to Jerry for the picture of Luther, Sherylynn Laich (PM Director of Training), Nancy (Howard's mom) and Howard.

I just saw the latest 9 Marks newsletter, and by golly, it's all about unity in the church! So thanks, 9 Marks, for your work on this (and for gift-wrapping a topic for us here at Peacemaker Ministries to interact with).

The topic is "Living Together as a Church", and here's the list of articles included:

Class 1: Introduction: Unity, God’s Goal for the Church
Class 2: Church Membership: The Context for Unity
Class 3: Preaching: The Foundation of Unity
Class 4: Corporate Prayer: God’s Power Creates Unity
Class 5: Church Government: Godly Authority Fostering Unity
Class 6: Fellowship: Building a Bond of Unity
Class 7: Discontentment: A Test of Unity
Class 8: Church Leadership: Submission for the Sake of Unity
Class 9: Church Discipline: Preserving God-Glorifying Unity
Class 10: Encouragement: Safeguarding Unity in Holiness
Class 11: Serving and Giving: Sacrifice for the Sake of Unity
Class 12: Worship: Praising God in Unity
Class 13: Corporate Evangelism: A Harvest of Unity

Here's a link to the online version: Living As A Church - 9Marks
Sound interesting to you? It does to me, too. In fact, it sounds so interesting that I'm going to challenge each of my fellow Route 5:9 bloggers to comment on one of these articles in the next week. If we can't find something to talk about in this, we'd better just hang up our keyboards! So Molly, Jeromy, and Jerry, the gloves have been thrown down. Let's see what you've got!

It seems like educational choices are a perennial hot issue among Christians these days -- I know that even though I don't have kids yet, I've still been caught up in some of the swirl of this debate at my church and others.

Josh Harris, Senior Pastor of Covenant Life Church, recently addressed this issue at a congregational meeting. He posted the video and some comments on his blog, and I wanted to post his video here as well. What a pastoral approach -- to address the issue in the first place, and then to call his congregation to serve and honor one another as each parent seeks (in ways unique to God's call on their family) to "train up their children in the way they should go."

Here was my favorite quote from the video:

"There can be a perception that there are three different camps [home school, private school, public school] ... and in the midst of that we can lose sight of the fact that there's only one camp we're a part of, and that's the saved by grace camp."

And here's the video. It's about 5 minutes long, but it's worth watching -- good counsel for everyone, regardless of whether we have kids or not, and where we stand on these issues:

Kenneth Samples at Today's New Reason to Believe just completed part four of a five-part series entitled "Does Christian disunity invalidate the truth claims of historic Christianity?" He opens this way:

"I once heard a skeptic ask the following provocative question:  “Why should I seriously consider Christian truth-claims when Christendom is so deeply divided?” I smarted when I heard this question because there is some painful truth in the skeptic’s point. Disunity amongst believers does at times hurt the Christian church’s witness to an unbelieving world (John 13:34-35)."

Here's a quick overview, in Sample's words, of parts 1-3:

In the first three installments of this series I have made three basic points in response to this challenging question concerning Christian disunity. While agreeing that disunity does exist and that it to some degree hurts the Christian witness to the world, I have argued: (1) Historic Christianity possesses an abiding unity in essential beliefs, values, and worldview orientation. (2) Having a variety of Christian denominations emits positive features that contribute to the health of the various Christian theological traditions. (3) Disunity in the Christian church is due to the fact that human nature is sinful (itself a biblical truth).

In part four, Samples offers two ways that Protestant Christians can promote harmony within their ranks-

1. Finding common ground: "...Churches that share common beliefs and practices should focus on these similarities and use them to bring about greater accord. This might be a challenging step, but it is nevertheless a significant one."

2. Rejuvenating traditions- "...I am suggesting that before Christians add one more denomination or nondenomination to the long list of churches, that they prayerfully consider joining a historic Protestant church. And if it needs reinvigorating, then dedicate yourself to this important task..."

I don't agree with everything Samples asserts in these posts, but I hope you can find time to peruse his thoughts. Samples adds an intelligent voice to the important discussion about Christian unity as a reflection of God's glory.

This morning on the ride to work I was thinking about the Lord's Prayer.  Don't be fooled-  I don't usually dwell on such things.  Last Wednesday, for example, I spent my morning commute contemplating the trout I was going to catch on the river that afternoon, Thursday was a spiritual meditation an the nuances of the NFL Draft, Friday was a theological reflection on how to keep the neighbor's cat out of my kid's sandbox...you get the idea.

But this morning the Matthew 6 prayer came to mind. And this morning I found myself reciting it through the lens of reconciliation.  Through this lens, the Lord's Prayer becomes a step-by-step understanding of how we become reconciled to both God and each other:

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us ot into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
[For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen. ]

We could write a book about the way the Lord's Prayer reflects a heart of reconciliation.  Instead, here's a simplified "reconciliation" paraphrase, straight out of the SJT (Standard Jeromy Translation):

God,
Your will be done.
We need your provision in this conflict.
Forgive our sinfulness as we try to forgive our fellow sinners,
 and keep us from the trappings that so easily ensnare our hearts in this matter.
Only you have the power to change our hearts. To you be the glory.
Amen.

I was cleaning off my desk at work last week (an archeological expedition in itself) when I came upon a copy of an essay by Andree Seu entitled "The Thing We Won't Do." Andree writes:

"Forgiving is the hardest thing you will ever do...

"I asked a few people if they'd ever forgiven anyone, and what it felt like. They gave me answers so pious I knew they'd never done it. I am at the present moment in the maw of temptation, and I can tell you there is nothing exalted about this feeling, this one-two punch to the gut that comes when you even contemplate forgiving, which is as far as I've come."

I wish the whole thing was available to you online--it's that good--but the best I could find is a version in the World Magazine Archives, which requires a subscription.

But even if all you ever get to read is the excerpt above, it's a really good reminder of how easy it can be to talk about forgiveness, to think about forgiving, or to exhort others to forgive, but how hard it is to actually do. Forgiveness is the right way, but it is the hard way. Only his grace gives us the ability to go beyond contemplating forgiveness and to actually forgive.

Sharon just passed on to me a blog that tells a story of conflict ... It's actually pretty painful to read, given how much frustration and injustice the speaker has experienced.  Not only were Amy and her husband in conflict with someone over a business deal, but Amy admits that she and her husband were often at odds about how to address the situation, and her anger unjustly spilled out against her husband.

I'd encourage you to read her whole post -- it's not long, it's humbly written, and it contains some great insights.  To whet your appetite, here's her closing paragraph:

When I was thinking about telling this story, I planned to tell you in detail about how right I was, but in the end, I chose to tell you how wrong I am. It’s not something I’ve overcome; it seems I find myself fighting daily the need for justice in everything from headline crime to a stolen parking spot. Sometimes it’s not about winning, but about letting go.

Ministry friend Tim Voorhees just sent Ken some very insightful guidelines for email communications.  Ken wrote to our staff: "I commend them to you as an example of biblically-informed wisdom that all of us can benefit from." 

I agree with Ken, and wanted to pass them on to you all here.  They are also available at www.e-mail10commandments.com/

1. Confirm that you are interpreting facts accurately to guard against emailing interpretations of the facts that others might find unfair or untrue. (Heed the 9^th Commandment; see, e.g., Exodus 23:1, Ephesians 4:25.)
2. If you have doubts about facts, meet with wise counselors and/or the potential reader(s) of your email to find spirit-led words for communicating the message concerning disputable facts or questionable motives. (Keep in step with the Spirit and do not provoke; see, e.g., Galatians 5:25-26. Be like Jesus and try to understand the temptations that caused the listener to do that which offended you; see, e.g., Hebrews 2:17-18. Do not impugn motives; see, e.g., 1 Corinthians 4:5)
3. Do not copy others on emails unless you are certain that the email is true, fair, and necessary. Be especially careful not to blind copy emails to people who might form judgments based on incomplete information or emotionally-charged statements. (Do not sow discord; see, e.g., Proverbs 6:19.)
4. Do not send emails with negative policy directives unless earnest efforts have been made to discuss the directives in person and each negative directive points to a positive alternative. (Follow the example of our Lord, who always showed positive alternatives. Use affirming language; see, e.g., Ephesians 4:29, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:25, etc.)
5. Exercise care when using email to develop or mandate new policies regarding emotionally-charged issues. (See how Paul empathized with the target of his communications, as in the book of Philemon, before suggesting solutions. Think before you write; see, e.g., 1 Corinthians 14:20. Focus on issues rather than people; see, e.g., Titus 2:7-8)
6. If responding to a negative email, keep emails brief and gentle. (Be quick to listen and slow to speak; see, e.g., James 1:19. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger; see, e.g., Proverbs 15:1)
7. Do not assume that the person reading your email knows that you trust, respect, and value (at least some things about) him or her. (If you are writing about a negative issue, heed the wisdom of Apostles Paul and Peter who start letters about even the most egregious sins with warm and affirming language.)
8. Pray for wisdom about using logic to base your position on spiritual truths expressed with spiritual words. (See, e.g., John 1:1, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 Peter 4:11.)
9. If you send an email with incorrect information or information sent to the wrong person, make a Biblical apology. (See http://covenant.net/Articles/Confession.mht and the related verses in Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:8-9, Luke 15:11-24, Luke 19:1-9, and Eph. 4:22-32.)
10. Practice the Golden Rule. Ask how you would feel if receiving the types of emails that you send to others. Seek to uphold email standards that, if practiced by everyone in the Christian community, would show a desire to maintain the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. (See, e.g., Ephesians 4:3 and Matthew 7:12.)

If you're interested in more suggestions for writing emails that will help you to keep the peace and not stir up conflict, we have a great article on our website about that very subject: Keeping the Peace - Writing Email that will not Stir up Conflict.

My wife and I had a pretty big conflict yesterday. (Ironically, it was related to peacemaking! Go figure.) You can read her take on the situation over at her blog.

I don't have too much to add, but it got me thinking... why is it that two people who have been steeped in peacemaking for the last 8-10 years (we teach on it, write on it, read about it, or think about it pretty much every day) can STILL have such a heated disagreement?

There are all sorts of "rules of peacemaking" that we both know inside and out (like the 7 A's of Confession that Tara talks about in her post). But quite frankly, they didn't matter at the moment. 

I am quite sure that we both felt that the argument was AT LEAST 90% the other person's fault. (It's amazing how that happens!) And I wasn't in any mood to take ownership of my perceived 10% responsibility. My understanding of how I was supposed to own 100% of my contribution to the conflict (no matter how small) just didn't matter at the moment.

I had the words of our pastor echoing in my head from our last Sunday School class (on marriage, no less). He exhorted us men to be the "chief confessor" and show our leadership by leading our families toward reconciliation. Even though I thought about these things, again, it simply didn't matter at the moment. 

So my problem, as it is for all of us, was that of unbelief. In that moment, while I knew all these good things, I really didn't believe them. From a pragmatic standpoint, I didn't believe that acting differently would make the situation go better. But at that moment, I ultimately didn't believe that the reality of Christ's death and resurrection and ongoing work in Tara's life (and my own) would make any diffence in that situation. The gospel didn't mean much to me right then, and it showed in my speech and actions.

God was gracious to help us eventually work through it, but in the end, we could only fall on his mercy. "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

I've been thinking for some time about what "Peacemaking 201" -- that next level of learning about peacemaking -- looks like. What are the things Christians should learn and study that aren't contained in The Peacemaker? I think that's a valid question and that there are a lot of interesting issues that we as individuals and churches should grapple with. But my experience yesterday shows me that Peacemaking 201 is really just the lab course for Peacemaking 101. Day by day, I need to keep learning to apply the basic truth of Peacemaking 101 -- that the gospel of Jesus Christ affects how we relate to one another.

I don't think I'll be graduating any time soon.  

Last week I had the privilege of sitting under the teaching of incredibly gifted speakers at the 2008 Together for the Gospel (T4G) Conference in Louisville, KY. Each speaker stayed true the title of the event: they joyfully proclaimed the common ground that all believers share in the gospel and gave a delicious foretaste of the oneness that all Christians can find in the love of Jesus Christ.The speakers' inspiring messages covered a wide spectrum of gospel-grounded topics related to core doctrines of the faith, racial reconciliation, radical Christian sacrifice, and sustaining the pastor's soul. All of these messages are available for free online at http://www.t4g.org/08/media/ (just right click on "Download" after each talk and indicate where you want to save the file on your computer). If I had to put the talks in order, I'd suggest starting with John Piper, Thabiti Anyabwile, and C.J. Mahaney. Then be sure to enjoy Ligon Duncan, John MacArthur, Mark Dever, R.C. Sproul, and Albert Mohler as well. Every talk is worth listening to.

As good as the messages were, what most of us enjoyed even more was the love and mutual respect the speakers showed for one another in the panel discussions that followed each keynote. Seeing men from such a wide range of denominational and theological perspectives deferring to and humbly affirming one another as they discussed the practical applications of the gospel, gave us all a foretaste of the unity we anticipate one day in heaven.

I also enjoyed many wonderful times of fellowship (read "meals") with many pastors who have partnered with us for years. Another highlight of the conference was the countless conversations I had with people who just walked up to me and briefly mentioned how much our ministry has changed their lives or how much their people are enjoying going through our materials for churches. I lost track of the number of times people said, "If it were not for your training, my marriage/church/ministry would not have survived." Of course we all know it was God's grace inspiring and working through our materials that made the difference. But it was an enormous encouragement to be reminded of how God continues to work through PM to help people love and live out the gospel more fully.

Please bless your soul by taking advantage of the free downloads of these messages, which illustrate the wonderful togetherness we all have in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.