Politics Kills Preachers

Preaching and politics often don't go well together.

Although there have been many pastor's sons make it to the Oval Office, there has never been a preacher or pastor who has become president. The closest was James Garfield (former Civil War general who followed Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, and Hayes). He was 18 when he was born again and did some preaching before entering politics. He reportedly said that he "stepped down from the pulpit to the presidency" (I've not been able to confirm this quote) and was from all accounts a committed Christian, which caused him to hate the mistreatment of blacks both before and after the abolition of slavery. Unfortunately he is one of the forgotten presidents due to his short tenure since he was mortally shot just four months after his inauguration. But that's not what I mean by the title of this post.

Specifically, I'm talking about John the Baptist (I'll call him John Baptizer, since the Baptist denomination is something entirely different and hadn't yet been founded. You'd be surprised how many people are confused by this!). John Baptizer was the Billy Graham of his day, drawing multitudes of people out to the wilderness of the Jordan River to hear him preach fiery sermons of repentance and life change. He was a beloved celebrity to everyone except the religious elites (who did not appreciate his message), including soldiers, tax-collectors, and every-day people of Israel. Even King Herod regarded him highly. He thought John "to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him." (Mark 6:20).

Salome and John the Baptist's Head by Bernardino Luini. This
painting was once believed to be the work of Leonardo da Vinci.
Note the different expressions on the faces.

If John's desire was popularity (it wasn't), things were going pretty well...until he delved into politics. He made the mistake of opining on Herod's skanky marriage to his brother's wife (who happened to also be his niece). Evidently, the Herod family was pretty close. Inbreds, even. Yick. Apparently, this convoluted and immoral arrangement was concocted in order to bolster an image of bloodline-legitimacy to placate the Jews so the Herods could stay in power. And it was by a thin, brittle thread that Jewish sensitivities were kept tamped down. The Herods (vis. Herod Antipas and Herodias—there are several more in this crazy, intertwined, family tree!) knew this, and when John Baptizer started meddlin' he had to be silenced. No one wanted him shut down more than Herodias, whose ambition was unquenchable! She was a woman you did not want to offend. [For a great look at Herodias and the whole Herodian dynasty, read this great blog post.]

This is a problem with good preachers: they want to make the Word relevant. They feel the need to speak to what is on everyone's minds, correct the big obvious hypocrisies, make examples of flagrant public offenders. Why do they do this? Because they really believe God's Word speaks to real life. And because they present their message as weak if it does not speak to what people know is wrong. In effect, they feel they show their God to be weak. And when it comes to powerful people who are wrong, they fear they show their God to be less powerful than the people living in sin. For a man of God, that is anathema.

So John Baptizer did it. He was no doubt being asked by many what he thought about the Herods and their illicit, power-pragmatic, incestuous relationship. He did it in typical John Baptizer style. He gave God's opinion...forcefully. That's what killed the greatest man who, formerly, had ever lived.
What was he supposed to do? What were his options? He could have said, "I'm not going to weigh in on politics." In which case, he would have been seen as a coward, or at least would have allowed open sin and hypocrisy to continue unchallenged, and the people who heard about it would have been confounded. He could have pacified Herod and justified his bad behavior or at least say, "I really don't know what's actually going on." To do that would have been perhaps beneficial for him. He could have really made some good friends in high places and, no doubt, secured for himself a small fortune.

Yet, to compromise or to ignore Herod's sin would have secured a fate worse than death. John would have been forgotten. Because he would have proved himself not to have been a true prophet of God. We would not even know his name. Even worse (yes, if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears, it still falls), he would have been judged by God himself. This is FAR worse than mere decapitation.

Today, preachers have the same choice, and the stakes are almost as high. It's hard enough in our hyper-sensitive world for a Christian to know how to handle political conversations, but for those of us who are leaders in the Christian community, its treacherous!

Preachers can "die" (figuratively—they are marginalized or not taken seriously) when they weigh in truthfully on the sin of public figures—particularly those figures who are loved by media and culture—especially political figures. Their heads may not end up on literal platters, but they can be considered no less grotesque and be no less silenced. But it is better than any alternative: compromise or turning a blind eye. While this alternative may result in a preacher's worldly honor and advancement, compromise results in the discarding of his influence and usefulness by God for the Gospel. That's a fate worse than death. I have friends and acquaintances who have placated the powerful or popular and have compromised doctrinally, missionally, and evangelistically. I pity them.

So preachers should, I think, speak to the issues on people's minds—especially the evils in the news. And that includes those in the political realm. Yes, it's risky. But to quote Paul again, "am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10). True men of God say with Peter and the apostles, “We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). This requires courage that we may speak truth and tactfully call out sin when necessary.

But there are those who go way too far in speaking out about political issues and politicians. I've already witnessed some this political season. Here are some ways preachers can unnecessarily lose their heads:

1. When preachers become obviously partisan. Yes, political parties have platforms. Yes some issues have moral/ethical/biblical implications/consequences, so it can be tricky to know when to speak and when to remain silent. There are clear matters like abortion, homosexuality, and religious liberty. But there are issues that are not so cut-and-dried. How we deal with poverty, how we deal with the alien, or taxation policy, military might, and so many more. There is simply no clear biblical stance on some of them. To promote a political party is (in effect) to endorse it's platform—all of it—AND its reputation AND its representatives. I know some ministers whose devotion to a party (I know some on both sides) seems to outweigh their devotion to God! Not cool. Preachers, let your hearers determine their affiliation. It's not a primary issue. Yes, I'm registered to a political party but few in my body know which one. I've considered registering as an independent. But I do have political leanings and wish to participate in primaries as a Christian citizen.

2. When preachers endorse a particular candidate. I've been burned on this. I've let it be known in elections past that I liked a certain candidate only to end up with mud on my face when that candidate turned out to be someone different than I thought. That was a long time ago when I was new in ministry. Now I wince when spiritual leaders endorse candidates. They seem to be putting their faith in man. I've considered what I would do if an elder at Providence ran for public office. Would I campaign for him? My answer is "no." That's not to say I won't advise him or encourage him as a friend, pastor, and fellow believer. It is to say I can't publicly advocate for and persuade people to vote for a certain person. Primarily, that's because I am an advocate first for Christ. I campaign for him. I will not allow anything to interfere with this first priority of a pastor.

3. When preachers confuse devotion to Christ with devotion to country. The two are not the same and they are not equal priorities. Am I patriotic? Yes! I would lay down my life for my country. But I would not lay down my faith—my relationship with Christ—for my country. I am first a citizen of heaven and a child of God. That's my highest allegiance. The two allegiances are rarely in conflict, practically, and I pray they will never be. But there are scenarios where they could be. What if you're doing missions in a country with which America is at war? What if a preacher's patriotism causes someone who is turned off by patriotism to miss the gospel? What is the effect on an international person living in the USA who may misunderstand or disagree regarding Americas status as "God's country" or "the greatest country in the world" or "uniquely blessed by God" (all things I've heard preachers say). This doesn't mean you don't believe in America or in American exceptionalism. It means you want to be "all things to all people, that by all means [you] might save some" (1 Cor. 9:22). It means if you are going to boast it will not be out of pride in your country. As Paul said, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (2 Cor. 10:17).

4. When preachers are persuaded or blinded by factors other than biblical truth. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of historical examples I could use. A vast majority of preachers in the south preached in favor of the institution of slavery before the Civil War. A majority of German pastors would not stand against Hitler (and many supported him). Recently, Jerry Falwell Jr. made some controversial remarks to the students of Liberty University (the largest evangelical Christian university in the world), removing campus gun restrictions and encouraging them to carry. He said, “If more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in and killed them” (sic). He concluded by saying, “Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here.” Really? I just can't find that in the Bible. And I've heard all the arguments. Instead, we Christians exist not to "end those Muslims" but to save them. That does mean love. That may mean martyrdom. Yes, I want strong military and law-enforcement to do their biblical job to "bear the sword [not] in vain." Yes, I love the Constitution and I believe in the right to bear arms (I got a conceal/carry permit before hiking for a month with my son in the rockies in case we were attacked by a bear or cougar or something). But in order to "teach them a lesson"? Hmmm. Sometimes "conservative" needs to take a back seat to "Christian." On the other end of the ideological spectrum, radical liberals like Father Michael Pfleger, Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and many more lesser-known leaders are ubiquitous, who go to great lengths to proliferate a victimization culture, while ignoring or shifting the blame for wrongs like absentee fatherhood, sexual immorality (including that of some of them!), runaway abortion rates, substance abuse, laziness, and lawlessness of many kinds. No matter how hard they may try, the Bible does not support their message. Instead, the Bible teaches personal responsibility.

5. When political correctness affects the way we interpret Scripture. Once again examples abound. It seems many politicians use Scripture to support their agendas (rather than letting their agendas be informed by Scripture). Bill Clinton regarding Prov. 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (KJV). Not only did he conveniently use an antiquated and inaccurate translation, it's wrongly interpreted to mean a "political vision for a country." Instead, it literally means, "Where there is no prophetic revelation, the people cast off restraint." Quite different. Essentially, "Where there is no Bible, the people are unrestrained and do wrongly." George W. Bush reportedly used a reference about Gog and Magog to convince the president of France to support the war in Iraq. Wrong circumstances and context altogether. I'm not sure I know exactly what Gog & Magog are, but I know it's not Iraq or Arabs or Muslims in this era before Christ's return. Not even close. Or what about Barak Obama's frequent use of Genesis 4:9, "Am I my brother's keeper?" to suggest that we should raise more taxes for government entitlement programs. Not necessarily! And that's not what Cain was opposing when God asked him the whereabouts of his (dead) brother.
While it's perhaps understandable that politicians would misrepresent the Bible, it's not understandable—or acceptable—for pastors! We simply can't do this. Paul wrote young pastor Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). I've witnessed too many preachers who have twisted their Bibles to say things to fit a popular or political narrative.

Let's not lose our heads unnecessarily. Let us faithfully execute our office as if it is the most important office in the world. I believe that's exactly what it is. There are times to speak out where the Bible speaks. There are times to keep our opinions to ourselves where it doesn't. That way, our credibility only grows, because it is bound to God's. When we do speak we will speak with the authority of God. And if our heads end up on platters, it will not be in vain, it will be for the glory of God.

Parenting Leaders

My kids and my godly and active 98-year-old grandmother. She still
plays the organ for her church. Talk about a woman who has made a
 difference! I am so thankful for her example and faithfulness to God.

I want to do everything I can to grow a strong family. This is my number one responsibility. If you're in a family, it's yours too. As a believer, I live to bring glory to God by making disciples. If I don't do that at home, what does this mean? I don't want to waste my life and I want my family to make a difference. Darla and I are raising our kids to be world-changers in their own ways, however God wants them to do that. Parenting is a huge challenge and we're not out of the woods yet! I recently told a friend that one probably shouldn't write a book about parenting until one's own kids are adults in order to be able to prove the strategy works. Ultimately, as with all other things, "it is God who works in us..." (Phil. 2:13), so we can't take any credit at all. It is with prayer and fear that I write (and preach) this! God please have mercy and provide grace to lead my family to walk in your ways.

We're currently walking through the gospel of Luke as a church. Of course, Jesus is the subject; and Luke's perspective on him is unique. Among other reasons, he's the only gentile Bible writer. He's also a keenly observant doctor, and a great story teller to boot.

Luke chapter 2 gives us the only inspired look at Jesus' childhood. That's it! Yeah, there are some apocryphal legends written much later…but none are reliable. And yeah, we can make some assumptions (some do)…but it’s conjecture. Here's everything we know about Jesus' childhood:

Luke 2:41-52 (ESV)

⁴¹Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. ⁴³And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, ⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” ⁵⁰And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

This passage isn’t so much overlooked, as it is missed in it’s intent. So many times growing up, I heard this story in Sunday school, along with the aid of felt boards and coloring pages. The focus was usually on the point that someone made a mistake. Must have been Mary and Joseph 'cause Jesus didn’t sin. Well, that’s not what it’s about. 

The PRIMARY reason the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record was to show that Jesus–from age 12–understood who he actually was: the unique, begotten, Son of God. To claim to be God’s Son is to claim to be God. Throughout Jesus' life on earth he insisted he was the Son of God. The Jews understood that this meant Jesus was equating himself with God: "He was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God" (Jn 5:17-18).  This often made the Jews try to kill him, and that’s ultimately why they did. Luke records this in chapter 22 (NASB): 

^66…the Council of elders of the people assembled…saying, ⁶⁷“If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; ^…& they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” & He said to them, “Yes, I am.” ⁷¹Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

That's the main thing Luke wanted us to know. Jesus claimed to be God. Because he was. He knew it from at least age 12. When he told Mary that she should've known he'd be in HIS Father's house, he wasn't using a metaphor, as in "God the Father of us all." He used a first-person singular possessive pronoun. "MY Father's house" (emphasis mine). "God really is my very Father and I am his literal Son."

There is a SECONDARY reason we have this story: 

The Temple is significant to God. This is a big deal and it is something that we don’t “get” today. Jesus was drawn to the temple, because the temple was, is (during Jesus' day), and will be important in God’s plan. When Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem, he went to the most logical place—God’s house—the central place of Jerusalem and the very reason they journeyed there for the Passover in the first place. Even more the temple was the center of earth for activity related to God. If one wanted to worship, seek, learn about or interact with God, this was the place to be. The temple pointed forward to Christ, it was the center of much of his ministry activity, and it's where he will return one day. There's more that I mentioned in the sermon and you can hear it here if you want. We will see more of the temple's role as we continue in Luke.

There is a TERTIARY (a third priority) reason I believe God revealed this story, and it happens to be the point that many feel is the most practical–and that's why I'm posting about it. It's what got the most discussion after the services. Several people asked for me to make it available. Here it is.

The home is key in the formation of a leader. We get a very honest snapshot of the family in which Jesus grew up. There are seven observations I made from Jesus’ family that I want to incorporate in my own family, and I encourage you to do so too. 

1. Devotion. Jesus was a part of a devout family that didn’t miss the passover and other customs of the faith. They made worship & religious observance a priority.

• Is your family marked by spiritual devotion? Is this your priority/identity? 

2. Community. Jesus’ family was well connected in their community of family, friends, and neighbors. All of this was faith-centric. So much so that Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was in the band of them traveling together back to Nazareth. 

• Are you committed to building deep friendships and relationships with people who are positive influences? Where do you go for that? This doesn’t just happen. Relationships must be pursued. This is hard for Americans—we must see the importance of community and take initiative. Small groups, MANday Night, Engage, and many more opportunities exist at Providence.

3. Trust. There was apparently a lot of trust and freedom. Jesus was probably always in the right place and they didn’t become alarmed until a day after leaving Jerusalem. Now, all ended up ok, no one was at fault. If anyone, the parents should have made sure to check on him! He did the right thing by going to the one place they should known he’d be. Observation: they had a trust in him that resulted in freedom. 

• Trust begets freedom which begets more trust… This goes both ways. Kids, show yourselves honest and trustworthy, and parents will give more freedom. Parents, trust but verify and reward with freedom. Your job is to make disciples of your kids, unleashing them into the world to make a difference. That means parenting is in many ways the act of releasing. Catch them doing good. Sometimes let them fail. Point it out in love. Give them the privilege of consequences. Praise like crazy when they show character, honesty, trustworthiness. We brag & nag way too much about performance, not character!

4. Understanding Scripture. He was amazingly well-versed spiritually and engaging even as a pre-teen. No doubt his home was Bible-CENTERED. This is something a kid must have a hunger for themselves. And you can kindle the fire.

• Demonstrate a sincere love for the Bible. 

-Let them see you read it. -Let them hear you quote it -Let them see you live it out.

-When they’re young, read it to them. Discuss its meaning. (Jesus Storybook Bible)

-When they’re older take them to get their OWN Bible. (We spend hundreds on phones/games/clothes, let’s spend dozens on the greatest book..that changes lives.) 

-Encourage time alone with God. But NEVER force-feed or make this negative. 

-Don’t let someone else be the primary source for their Bible training. If they go to private school, let them teach you—you learn with them!

-Always talk about having a biblical worldview. And demonstrate having it. 

5. Learn from Mistakes. His parents didn’t communicate or check on him as they should have. They panicked, worried, and fretted as most parents do. They seem to shift the blame on him a bit. But Mary obviously “got it” later. She told Luke about it. She treasured it!

• You’re going to make mistakes. Utilize them! Don’t over-react or think you’ve doomed your kids. God has grace! He used imperfect parents to sharpen his Son, he will use you. Get over your mistakes and laugh about them later!

6. Obedience. After this episode, Jesus was submissive to his earthly parents. And his parents (Mary at least) told Luke about his full and complete obedience, in spite of the fact that he was God's son (read: "God in the flesh"). Imagine parenting THAT kid! 

• Like Jesus, submit to your parents! Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. " Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land" (Eph 6:1–2). Until you’re independent, you’re under God’s command to submit. Unless they ask you to do something that God has forbidden, you only need to obey. You never get too old for this principle. The kind of submission may change, but you are always their child. Honor them! There are exceptions, but in virtually all cases, no one loves you more! This principle of obedience to parents has been ignored by our culture. 
Parents, it is important for you to be strong early. Kids need parents! You’ll have opportunities to be friends later (and much more so if your kids learn obedience).

7. Continued growth. You never finish growing. You never arrive. You can always be a better parent, just as you can be a better person. Your family isn't static. It's either getting healthier or growing toward dysfunction. Your kids aren't stuck in place, they're growing closer to Christ or running from him. 

• Never stop learning! Never quit. Never take a break. Always make things better. Always ask God to help you do your best. He will. Even the bad times will be used for his glory and your good.

The home is totally under attack in so many ways big and small. Fight for it. This is where leaders are made. Once again, there are no accidents with God. He wanted his Son raised in a spiritually-devout, community-connected, trust-based, Bible-centered-and-literate, authority-honoring, continually challenging/improving family, preferably with a mom & a dad. He went to great lengths to make this happen. Mary & Joseph were normal people who had challenges but had to make it work. You are too. You can too. Don’t buy the world’s lies about today’s new definition of family. In Jesus’ home there were important supports for spiritual growth. These are things that you can have in your home. This is how leaders are formed. This is how world-changers are forged.

Hear the whole message here from January 3, 2016 entitled, The Truth of Jesus' Childhood.

Laurel-Snow Falls and Friends

Went on a little hike today with some of our favorite folks. The Zelem family is in the same season-of-life that we are, and with all the kids still home for the holidays, we finally got to get together to go do something fun.

This is EZ (my affectionate nickname for Evan Zelem) making rock climbing
look easy (pun intended) as he does most everything it seems.

We met to eat at a restaurant in Dayton, TN, and drove the short trip to Laurel-Snow Falls Pocket Wilderness.


Darla and I have done this hike before. It was a couple of summers ago. It began nice; families swimming in the creek, the path was wide, the sky was blue. We started in shorts and Chacos. Then the wind blew and the sky quickly grew black with clouds. Thunder. Pouring rain. Darla was all about trudging through, so we did. And what a reward! The falls are just awesome. We returned covered in mud and soaked to the bone.

Today's hike was different. Beautiful weather, albeit a little on the nippy side. We followed the trail to Laurel Falls which is rocky and muddy in places. It's an interesting hike with big rock formations, caves, and the remains of a coal mine and coke production from over a century ago. This has left "coked" coal cinders and pig iron remains lying around. There are also some great old stone walls and pylons. It seems there was a old water reservoir here and the old pipe remains prove it. There's even an old coke oven or mine entrance that you can walk in and see for yourself. All this historical stuff is great. Combined with the larger-than-your-house-sized boulders that are ubiquitous on this trail makes you feel at times you feel like you're in a scene in a Lord of the Rings movie. There's lots to see and do, and the first mile or so of the hike is very easy.


On down you must either cross a ravine with the creek (difficult on this day because of the amount of water) or take the mangled foot bridge that has been hit by a falling tree (probably not safe to cross, but we did anyway!).

After the bridge, the trail gets a little hard to follow. You can wind around all kinds of obstacles and there really aren't good trail markings. But with our faithful Beagle and trusty Labrador (actually, they were useless. It was Darla who kept us going in the right direction!) we were able to navigate through holes, up hills, and over boulders to stay on the trail.

Truly, this is a hike you should give yourself more time to enjoy. Our kids were constantly tempted to explore caves, streams, rocks, and spur trails. Everywhere you look there are opportunities for discovery. I only wish we would have had more daylight for exploring more–especially the higher overviews that we didn't have time for.



You know, every trail has this effect on me, but this one especially does: I can't help but ponder God's creative genius. From the many different types of features and formations to the plant variety to the way human activity (destruction? progress?) once abandoned is so quickly absorbed and even turned into something more beautiful! It's pretty amazing, really.


Then...the reward! And picture time!

 This waterfall is pretty impressive. Of course pictures never do things justice, but you can see Drew in the red on the left at the base of the cliff (little red speck about 1/3 up from the bottom of the picture) to get a feel for how huge it really is. What's not visible is the cascade that continues on down the stream bed. I bet it is pretty awesome after a week of sub-freezing weather. Note to self: come back later this winter.


Here's the compulsory family picture! I've got to say, I love these folks! Of course my family, but I'm speaking of the Zelems. This is a family that is humbly committed to Christ. For me they are the kind of people that remind me that there really are those who will do the right thing no matter what trials or setbacks come. I can't say enough good about them. I only wish we could spend more time together.

After the hike we were hungry again! The little place we went for lunch was good, but it wasn't filling. It's time for Cracker Barrel! That's a regular post-adventure place for the Sparks clan to eat, and all seemed to like the idea (after some discussion about going to Waffle House waned). Yes, Cracker Barrel had the huge fireplace blazing, and we got the big table right in front of it! Perfect!

Feeding Birds

I really only have one person for whom to buy Christmas gifts. She basically takes care of the gift-buying for all others (with my occasional input, of course). I have to badger her to find out what she wants for Christmas, because for the first couple of months I begin badgering, she says, "I don't want you to get anything." Yeah, right. Truth is I WANT to get her gifts, and I really want her to be happy–maybe even surprised! This is a great challenge for me. If it were just one main gift, that would be hard enough. But of course I need to get a card, and there's all the little stocking stuff (that's the hardest of all for me)! And I also need to find little fun less expensive gifts.

This Christmas, I did pretty well and I feel really good about myself! In the "little fun less expensive gifts" category, I got a couple of vintage-looking, mason-jar-like bird feeders (and a bag of birdseed) to hang on our hummingbird feeder hooks.

Darla loves watching and feeding the hummingbirds, but they're only around during the warm months. I thought she'd also get a kick out of watching different kinds of birds in the winter. I even got her a Backyard Birding magazine! The gift was a hit! My immediate worry, however, was: will any birds come use the feeders? Turns out, they LOVE it. I am watching them have a feeding frenzy right now as I type. I'm also enjoying learning about what all these little guys are. Here are the ones that have been on the feeders just the last 30 minutes this morning:


• Carolina Chickadee (shown here)

• Red House Finch (shown here)

• Tufted Titmouse (shown above on the deck rail, and below on the feeder)

• Carolina Wren

• Red-bellied Woodpecker

• Northern Cardinal

• House Sparrow

Until just now (when I looked them up) I didn't know the first four of those seven species existed! Birds (of the non-huntable variety) have never been an interest of mine. I guess now I'm officially an old geezer. Truth is, we should never stop discovering and learning more about God's creation. It gives us more motivation and opportunity to praise him and be in awe of his wisdom.


Of course these pictures are not very good.

I'll try to add some better ones later.

Addition:
Today I was able to identify some new birds:

• Pine Warbler (a yellowish bird that is now a dominant fixture at the feeders, picture below)

• A grey bird with a white underside and a black mohawk (I think it is a White-breasted Nuthatch).

• Dark-eyed Junco (a little round dark grey bird with a white underside)

I didn't have a clue about any of those last three until looking them up. Ok, I'll admit it. I'm officially an old man now. I kinda like bird-watching.

Update (1/6/2016):
I was inside studying today while lots of bird activity was going on at the feeders. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow and heard a loud thump outside. I got up thinking one of the birds had hit the window. But on the deck with a Pine Warbler in his talons was a Broad-winged hawk! I grabbed my phone and snapped this picture before he flew off with his prize into the woods for a mid-day snack.

I've got to say, it was pretty cool to watch. Yeah, there was a little regret deep down that we had created a cafeteria that provided easy-picking for the hawk, but that's nature. Hey, hawks need to eat too!

Update (1-9-2016)
Just saw a Downey Woodpecker on the feeder.

Update (1-20-2016)
We had a couple of Rufous-sided Towhees and a big Dove visit the feeder today and stay a while. The Dove stubbornly gorged out on seeds ignoring all the attempts of the other birds to spook him away.

Here's a picture:

You can see a female Cardinal and a House Sparrow waiting in line for the hungry dove to finish. As you can see, today we have snow, which has only made the feeders more popular.

That's fourteen different species of birds (most of them new to me) that have come to the feeders in less than a month. That's pretty cool. Watching them reveals to me God's creativity on display in the beauty, diversity, and harmony of these different species.

New Year's Eve...parting thoughts

New Year's Eve is a holiday that's puzzling for me. Don't get me wrong, we had a great time tonight—as we usually do—but after the proverbial ball was dropped and everyone started heading to bed, I was left pondering.

Banjo's BBQ was in Spring City, but has since moved 
to Dayton, TN. Great food and folks.

Our night was really fun. We were invited to Banjo's BBQ in Spring City to hear some live music and eat BBQ cooked by David, the owner. Great guy, great place, fun times. I was chuckling to myself the whole time because virtually the whole crowd consisted of baby-boomers listening to baby-boomer music (Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, stuff like that), and being, well, baby-boomers. So funny (at least to me—a buster who grew up in the shadow of the generation that sucked all the air out of every room before our arrival)! I would probably offend some people if I gave specific examples of what I mean. But everyone was very nice and made us (Darla, Drew, Dara, and I) "a part of the family." The BBQ everything (turkey, chicken, ham, butt, ribs, and more by Dave) and trimmings (brought by the attenders) was fabulous!

We left Banjo's around 8:30 and headed back to Knoxvegas where we were invited (along with the rest of our elders & families) to the home of one of our elders over for a New Year's Eve gathering. Good times. This really was like being with family. We came in fashionably late. The wives and daughters were all in the living room, the sons were all eating in the dining room, and the dads were all outside around the fire ring. So appropriately segregated! Of course, after greeting everyone, I went outside to hang with the guys. We talked about politics, business, cutting wood, and told stories of when we were younger. SO quintessential—all of it! And so great. I really did relax and enjoy our time together.

We stayed until about 11:30 and came home. We turned on the TV to watch the obligatory ball drop. But first, we were summarily treated by the network we were watching to a parade of cultural rot, beginning with a long commercial celebrating how far we've come as a country together—by making gay marriage legal, by protesting various police wrong-doing, by showing symbolic sympathy to Paris terror victims without becoming judgmental towards Muslims, etc.—all pictures given to us while hearing a man's voice making a speech. The voice turned out to be that of Bruce Kaitlyn Jenner, whose videoed image was revealed at the climatic end of the ad, showing that he/she had been the one speaking all along. Applause. Next was an advertisement for a sitcom glorifying more degradation. Next (or so) a mock "public service announcement" urging people who may have had one too many...to drink one more. Then the ball drops. Auld Lang Syne. Followed by Ray Charles' rendition of America the Beautiful. Then a rock band singing about more depravation. And I'm caught in a contemplative whirlpool.

I know, call me an old fogey. I'd like to think that I'm one who wants people to really experience joy and happiness to the fullest! To engage in and/or celebrate what God calls sin is joy-robbing self-destruction. God will be glorified. According to the Bible, we can share in his glory or bring him glory as he makes examples of us (like Pharaoh and many once-enviable-now-pitiable others).

Yes, it has been quite a year. We've got a presidential race heating up and a nation in a mess. We're watching our culture change at a stunning pace. What will 2016 bring? God knows. And God actually controls it. That's why we must pray.

So, before going off to bed myself, I prayed for the new year.

• That God will have mercy on us and give us revival. That he will overcome evil with good.

• That he will cause Christians to be uncompromisingly distinct and loving (rather than hypocritical, judgmental, and entitled).

• That he will bless Providence Church by helping us pay our facility debt this year so that we can do ministry and missions like never before and that he will raise up leaders at Providence.

• That he will help me to crave him more, spend more time in private prayer and communion with him, be a more effective disciple-maker and teacher of his word, and be a better husband and dad.

God, I ask that you do all this in 2016.

Old-School (and Cheap-Skate) Oil Finish Wax Waterproofing

A couple of weeks ago Darla found a cotton jacket at Target on sale for $19. She got it for me. I really like it. It only needed a little "customization." I sewed a couple of extra buttons on the sleeves so I had the option to make the cuffs a little tighter around my wrists and I replaced the big white drawstrings around the waist and hood with black leather string and bronze string stops.
Then I wore it the next day. It rained and I got completely soaked! Like, the water was immediately sucked into the jacket to my skin! Not cool.

Now, I'm a big fan of Filson stuff (even though I can't afford it!), and had a small can of Filson Oil Finish Wax that came with the backpack that I got as a gift, so I applied the whole can to my new jacket hoping to make it look and perform more like a Filson Tin Cloth jacket. It sucked it up as it had the rain, and the jacket wasn't even half finished. Uh-oh. After calling every place in town that sells Filson stuff, I found one more can. The jacket sucked it up too. I needed one more. Filson didn't even have any. I found a can on eBay and waited almost two weeks to get it. Finally the jacket was adequately covered. I put it in a trash bag then into the dryer and it came out great! I mean, I absolutely love it. It's a little darker and less yellow-orange colored (a good thing), and it feels more meaty. Costs: Target jacket - $19. Two cans Filson Oil Finish Wax (in addition to the one I already had) - $24 (that's right--the wax cost more than the jacket!).

Sorry, the only shot I have is this of the family a couple of days before Christmas.

I still got a deal: a (now) virtually waterproof jacket that looks great and will last much longer than it would've untreated for $43. Not bad! But the whole time I was treating that jacket, I'm thinking, "There's got to be a cheaper way to do this." An internet search for "Filson Oil Finish Wax recipe" gave some good leads. I combined some of them and ended up making my own version.

The Sparks' Oil Finish Wax:

1 pound block of paraffin wax (got mine at Food City, $4) I think I'll use 2 pounds next time.
3 cups linseed oil (Lowes, $3)
2 tablespoons turpentine (Lowes $0.50)
8 oz. Howard Feed-N-Wax beeswax & orange oil wood polish (half the bottle, bought at Tractor Supply, $7)
A new paint can, a stir stick, and a cheap 2-inch paint brush (Lowes, about $5).

All together this makes almost 2 quarts of oil wax for a grand total of $15 (not counting can, stick, and brush). That means I get MUCH more waterproofing treatment for half the cost (if you include the cost of the can of Filson stuff I already had). According to my calculations, the Filson treatment costs $3.45 per oz. The Sparks homemade treatment costs $.45 per ounce ($.39 if I use an additional brick of wax as I plan to do next time). That means the Filson Oil-Wax costs almost 9 times more expensive per ounce!

So I needed to perform a test. I have an old upland hunting jacket that I wear rabbit and quail hunting. It is light brown and orange (the light brown parts are cotton), and doesn't perform well in briars or rain. I also have a tan heavy canvas bag with a shoulder strap that used to be my work/computer bag that I bought online for about $20 from China several years ago. I now use it to carry hunting stuff (shells, extra clothing, water, dog collars, etc). Perfect for a test.

Here's how it went:
I made a double boiler (a big pot about 1/3 filled with water and the new paint can--remember this stuff is flammable. Handle with care!) and I slowly melted the ingredients in the can and stirred the liquid. While the wax solution was still hot, I brushed it on pretty heavily. Then, as with the Filson wax, I put them in a trash bag and into the dryer for an hour.

The result? The bag has a much more coarse and loose weave, which sucked up the wax and really didn't change the appearance that much. It is a bit stiffer and will stand up by itself now. I haven't tested it in the rain. It also smells a bit stronger than the jacket. I'm a little concerned that if I go somewhere and pack clothes they may smell like it. I'll try to update when I use the bag later. I'm very happy with the jacket. I can't wait to try in out in the briars and the rain. It looks great. It smells a bit strong of linseed oil and maybe a hint of turpentine. But it's not too offensive, and the smell is fading with each day.

Update:
I went rabbit hunting last week in the rain, which gave me a great opportunity to test my jacket. Here's my review:
1. It looks great. The oil-wax makes it look more expensive and rugged in my opinion. The jacket wrinkles in the elbow where it bends. I'm thinking it's going to gain patina and look better with use. The material is a little darker, but not that much. I like it.

The jacket...before.

2. It really feels more hardy and tough. I foresee this treatment making this old jacket last a long time.
3. It is much more briar-resistant and hitchhiker (cocklebur, beggartick, sticktight, burdock, and other stick-to-your-clothing seeds) resistant than the jacket was previously. Notice, I didn't say "briar- and hitchhiker-PROOF." But it is much more so than before.
4. It is not as breathable as before. But it doesn't let the wind cut through either. I'm actually good with this. I'm more prone to get cold (especially during rabbit season) than get hot. And it's still breathable--it seems it is as much as my Gore-Tex stuff.

The bag and jacket...after.

5. It is almost water proof. I hunted for several hours in various degrees of drizzle and rain. I did not get wet underneath. At first the rain and water from trees & brush beaded up and rolled off. As the day went on I noticed it looked like it soaked in the fabric a little. I thought that was bad, but it wasn't. I think the cotton fibers are so filled with oil-wax they can't hold any liquid. It seems to work much like wool, with even some wicking ability. After the hunt, my pants and socks were wet, but only the collar of my shirt was wet. That means I will probably have to get a different hat to wear hunting in the rain. The old baseball-style hunting cap just doesn't have enough coverage. I think I understand the Filson tin-cloth hat thing now a little better! Hmmm...maybe I can make one of those too!
Would I do anything differently? As I previously mentioned, I think next time I will double the amount of wax I used. I think that may make the fabric a little stiffer (e.g. last longer) and even more water-resistant.

Quick Trip to Stinging Fork Falls

When the kids are home, we want to spend as much time with them as we can. Hiking is a family favorite, and a little trail near Spring City called Stinging Fork is one of our favorites. We first go by Banjo's BBQ, a great great great little place! Everything we've had there is fantastic. The owner is a believer and does a great job.
Stinging Fork is a little creek that grows when there's been some rain. This is important because there is a cool waterfall at the bottom of the hike. Here are a couple of pictures.

 Here's the overlook. Of course the picture doesn't do it justice. There is a cliff face to the left across the ravine. Unfortunately, Dara couldn't join us today. She's slaving away at Chick-fil-A.

Click the above picture so you can see it larger. I'm telling you, I didn't modify this picture at all. The water is really this clear and blue. There are icicles along the trail when the weather's been cold. We love coming in the winter. There are hardly ever anyone else on the trail.

We are so blessed to live in East Tennessee where God's creative work is on such display. I am grateful for these folks with whom I can share it. A good day.

Christmas Tree Time!

Dara got this t-shirt for me for Christmas! Perfect.

Yep. It's that time again! When the Sparks family turns Griswold!

It's getting harder to get all the kids together, but the great Annual Sparks Christmas Tree Adventure is always a big deal! Drew came up from Georgia and Duncan from Jefferson City and we jumped in the dirty Wagoneer to go find a tree. After eating at a Mennonite market on the way, we pointed the Wag toward Whitetop Virginia, just a few miles away from the northeastern "tip" of Tennessee. There was no snow this year as has happened before, but it was still awesome!

I think the Wagoneer was MADE for this kind of family memory. Who cares if it sucks down a couple of tanks of gas on this glorious day? It's worth it!

Our old friend Charlie has had some health problems, but we found him at the local store. He's in his 80s now, and still takes care of us!

Over the years, there some patterns have emerged that reoccur almost every year. One is the fact that campaigning ensues as the hunt for the perfect tree commences. Everybody wants to find the Sparks Family Christmas Tree. I think our kids took pictures with three or four different trees only to have the tree vetoed for another one. We usually walk several acres trying to find one, and we usually end up pretty near the barn where we started! Sparky and Mo also get in on the hunt (actually, they're just looking for yummy deer and rabbit poop. It's disgusting.)!

Then there's the horseplay that always seems to happen. Thankfully this year no one got hurt or mad!

Once the tree is found, I get on hands and knees and cut it down. 

Then there's the get it on the Wag and take lots of pictures part. 

This year Drew wanted to buy a tree for his dorm room. Interesting for a guy who often complains about how poor he is! But hey, it's Christmas! 

Both trees loaded on the Wag gets lots of attention! And when five adults and two dogs get out, conversations galore! People really dig the tree-toting Wagoneer, especially when we tell them about our tradition.

Chasin' Rabbits

I am about making disciples. There is NOTHING more exciting and rewarding than watching people grow spiritually. That's what I live for. However, there are times when I need to not think about anything serious. And God is good with that. He wants us to enjoy simple things, good things he has created. Beautiful things. Even things of the physical world.

One of the things in this world that are entirely pleasant for me is rabbit hunting with Mo. I totally relax. I totally soak in the beauty of creation and consider with wonder his grace and power. Mo and I don't kill many rabbits, but we both love it like crazy. Mo is a tough little dude. He never stops. As soon as he sees me with hunting pants on, he starts shaking and whining in anticipation. When we arrive to where we will be hunting, he can hardly stand it. I have to fight him to get his collar on. He will go full speed with his nose to the ground as long as I will stay out there with him. I love this dog! Here are just a few pictures from some hunting in the last couple of weeks:

Pictures don't do this scene justice. Mo is working this hedge like crazy, nose going full speed. In the midst of this is the amazing beauty all around. The Tennessee River is to my left (not pictured).

I have so much fun chasing Mo as he chases rabbits. It's a good time. We both enjoy a good cold drink after hunting hard.

On the List of Things I Like

Some of the things people like are curious to me. They are as different as we are—indeed they are a part of our individuality. "Things I like" is a subject we all enjoy discussing! I was at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago and a young couple at the table next to mine were talking rather loudly so that I could hear their conversation (I don't usually eavesdrop!). They must have been on a first date, because all they talked about was stuff they liked. Funny.

I like cutting firewood.

I can't really figure out why! It's hard, it makes you stink like chainsaw smoke and sawdust, it's kind of dangerous, it takes a lot of time, and I'm sore for two or three days afterward! Maybe it's some weird, Freudian, childhood psychology thing. I've been cutting wood since I was a kid. My family always had a fireplace and heated our home with wood. My dad worked my tail off cutting, splitting, and stacking wood. It wasn't always fun then, but I loved being with him and the men with which we worked. Manly stuff: loud chainsaws, big trees falling, cool tools (axes, wedges, mauls, and trucks), and lots of opportunities to prove one's strength made it strangely enjoyable. He would teach me how to recognize different types of trees and how to work on saws and how to "read" the logs and use proper techniques in order to split them with less difficulty. There were also many opportunities for my dad to compliment my strength and hard work (which he did more often than I deserved), which is important for a boy's confidence.

I must confess: there were times that I despised cutting wood. Like the time when I was 14 when my dad had me cut and carry lots of big oak logs up the steep ridge on which we lived...one log at a time...in the heat of the summer...by myself. I remember crying at one point from frustration and exhaustion when the log I was wrestling up the hill got away from me and rolled 50 yards straight down.

I definitely love the end result. There's nothing more comforting and romantic than a fire on a cold day. I love the smell, the crackle and hiss of the burning wood, the flickering glow of the flames, and the direct heat. Nothing chases cold away like that. On some dark winter nights I find myself fighting to stay awake in order to enjoy the fire a little longer.

A beautiful day for cutting wood. This is a trailer load of oak logs.
The Wagoneer is a workhorse! The Jeep 4wd and 360 V8 were 
made for this!

But maybe it's the peace I find while focusing on the task of cutting wood that's the best thing of all. My job requires a lot of meeting, sitting, emailing, reading & studying, making decisions, and planning. I do very little physical work--and I miss it. Don't misunderstand. I LOVE my job. But it's emotionally and intellectually taxing. Sometimes it's just downright draining. I'm an extravert and love people, but I find that the older I get the more I appreciate time alone. Only, often when I'm alone I get sucked into doing emails and phone calls and studying.

But I like getting outside in the woods. Cutting wood occupies my mind and my body. I find I'm not thinking about people's problems and the world's troubles and leadership strategy or sermon series. I'm thinking about my Stihl chainsaw, that tree, the perfect cut, split, and stack. How can I get as much wood on the trailer as possible without losing any on the journey or blowing a tire. There's a real sense of accomplishment when I finally get that wood stacked under my deck. I'm ready for winter. I've been a provider. Now to enjoy.

I'm always on the hunt for wood. Not just any wood—I'm a bit of a firewood snob. I prefer oak, hickory, and beech. Walnut, ash, cherry, and hard maple are ok, too. But I will not waste time and effort on soft maple, sweet gum, poplar, sycamore, locust (burns great and long, but stinks), birch, bradford pear (holds too much water), elm, hackberry, boxelder, pine (and other evergreens). Finding a big oak tree that has fallen and getting permission to take the wood is like hitting a little jackpot for me!

The Meaning of a Man...Standing for the Samaritan Woman

We talk about manhood a lot at Providence Church. We feel the need to do this because it seems manhood is under attack—or at the very least there is an attempt underway to redefine what it means to be a man. I'm convinced we find the ultimate expression of manhood in the man, Jesus Christ. In his life and teaching, he shows us a man is one who exhibits integrity, discipline, humility, and courage. At Providence we have a successful once-every-month meeting called MANday Night to discuss these four "cornerstones." It takes us two years (24 monthly meetings with a lot of great food) to unpack all four. MANday Night has been exported to churches in different states and countries indicating that the need to remind guys about what it means to be a man is great in other places as well.
For more about MANday Night, contact john@providencechurch.com who can tell you when the next meeting is at Providence (usually the second Monday night of each month) along with menus, the topic, and notes for past meetings.
The subject of MANday Night and men came up during a radio show for which I was asked to be a guest. Andrew Wood, Director of Hope Resource Center, interviewed me in part about the church's role in the Abortion battle and how Christian men in particular should be engaged. You can hear the show here.

I was surprised at the number of texts and emails I received after the show aired—some from men, some from women. It seems there is a hunger for a biblical definition of godly male leadership to those facing the fallout of abortion. Courage regarding abortion and other social ills is not shown by yelling and believing the right things in the face of a politically correct culture. Courage is best shown by reaching into the culture, going behind enemy lines, as it were, and showing kindness to those who have believed the lies and are facing the consequences. Because that's what real men do. We don't just talk. We act. We rescue. We risk. We care. We LEAD.
Listen to the show and consider how God wants you and your church to be redemptive like the early church was in addressing cultural sin and its consequences. 

The Taboo Subjects

We've all heard some form of the saying, "there are two things one should never discuss: religion and politics."
There's a lot of truth to that adage. Discussing them is a great way to kill a friendly conversation and make enemies. I have to ("get" to?) talk about religion all the time...it's my job! But even I stay as far from discussing politics as I can (except for with my closest friends and family). One reason is because I'm in the business of influence. Even though I do have strong feelings about some issues that have political ramifications, and even though I'm a news junkie and read quite a bit about political issues, it could—no, it would—hurt my influence on many people if I wade often into subjects of politics. I've learned this lesson the hard way. Few matters cause people to be more defensive than ideology—particularly when one's own ideology is being challenged. For example, homosexuality has become political. There was a time (not long ago) when one could have a discussion about it with someone without being labeled and written off as an extremist. Abortion...same thing. Immigration...ditto. Racism... unions... healthcare... guns... marijuana... the Middle East... tax issues... voting laws... Do I need to continue this list? I'm not talking about discussing whether someone should be a Democrat or Republican (a toxic issue to be sure). I'm saying that you can't even discuss issues without offense because they have become so politicized—particularly with millennials. I've never seen such an easily offended generation. Comedians like Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld say so. They won't even perform on college campuses any more. I've witnessed this extreme sensitivity first hand. Recently a college-aged person marched up to me after a sermon, visibly shaking, accusing me of xenophobia and bigotry against hispanics because I mentioned a story in the news of a frequently deported illegal immigrant with a criminal record who had killed a young woman in San Francisco! I didn't even mention his race or country of origin! Yeesh!

It seems being offended is the new moral high ground. People can feel superior over others if they are outraged at someone's insensitivity. It is the new piety. I can share the plight of a victim if I express indignation over their victimization. Then I can vicariously become a victim, too! And THAT is virtual sainthood to the typical millennial.

But the presidential race has just begun. And there's no incumbent running. That means candidates in both parties are spending ridiculous amounts of money to be noticed. This means debates, TV ads, and non-stop media coverage of the horse race will be served to us ad nauseam. Because of it's ubiquity, people are going to want to talk about it. WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN TO DO? You will no doubt have incognito ideologues on both sides of the political aisle asking you coded questions designed to peg you. Once you're pegged, you are labled and influence is virtually impossible. Even more, you will be tempted to rant on Facebook and other social media or on a blog like this one.

Usually we are left with two options: 1. Jump full in and get politically involved and passionate about a political solution, candidate, party; or 2. Disengage entirely.

I've always believed there must be another option.

There is.

I just read a great blog post entitled, "4 Principles for Political Engagement as a Christian." I don't think I could have written one myself that I agree with more. Take some time and read it. It's important that Believers have a well-thought-out strategy for their own involvement in politics. In the post, Jared C. Wilson combines biblical testimony, Christian History (who else, but Augustine?), and common sense to guide the Christian through the tumultuous waters in which we find ourselves these days.

I would only add one additional principle that Wilson touches on but doesn't say outright: Sincerely live out your faith for all to see. One thing that Christians have generally failed to do over the last several decades is to genuinely practice Christlikeness—no, I mean to really live like Jesus and practice his principles! Turn the other cheek, take the load the extra mile, love your enemies, have compassion on the beaten man, forgive 70x7, get up before dawn and go to a solitary place to pray, give your wealth to help the unfortunate, stay up late into the night helping the hurting, open not your mouth to defend yourself, seek and save the lost, don't worry about what you will wear, show meekness, humility, poverty of spirit, boldness to speak truth to hypocrites, and be willing to die for people who hate you. In this way we, "let [our] light[s] shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). When we live like Christ, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit-filled life, we become a sweet fragrance that can draw even the most jaded, easily offended, vicariously victimized millennial to Christ. Paul said, "against such [a lifestyle], there is no law" (Galatians 5:23), including any "laws" of political correctness. The big problem is, many Christians don't look like Christ. Generally speaking, they themselves can act entitled, be easily offended, and seem holier-than-thou. They don't tip well, don't treat people kindly, and look the other way when someone is in need. They are products of our cultural Christianity, and share it's primary doctrine: God exists to make me happy. This is, of course, a bastardization of our faith. It is a false gospel. Even worse, it is subversive to the true Gospel.

In a strange way, the fact that we are living in a post-Christian America has helped me to see these shortcomings in myself. God, change me. Let me be more concerned about looking like Christ, than looking for a political solution that can make Christians a political majority.