2015 – When Truth Made a Comeback?

At the beginning of this year, I noted that 2014 may have been The Year of the Lie.  And I resolved to do my part to counterattack in 2015 with the truth.

I think I did a decent job of keeping that resolution.  And I am happy to note that many others were so fed up with lies that they spoke out with the truth or at least backed those who did so.  Like him or not, one big reason Donald Trump is doing well is that he is perceived as telling it like it is, whether it’s politically correct or not.  (Whether said perception is accurate can be debated another time.)

I also noted a year ago that the Big Lie is a frequent tactic of the Left.  But perhaps their lies have become so brazen and so frequent that real Americans have had enough and are fighting back with the truth.  Perhaps 2015 is the year when truth began a comeback in this country.  I certainly hope so.

As for my part, some highlights in truth telling this past year:

I continued to call out “churches” and parachurch organizations for backing evil, including Catholic Charities and InterVarsity.  I’m ecumenical that way.

I continued to tell the truth about our U. S. “criminal regime disguised as an administration.”

I was willing to continence hard questions, such as it is time for a national divorce, whether endemic and tyrannical lawlessness in government will have lawless and ugly consequences, and whether one can be a genuine Christian and remain a Democrat.  (And please do not presume my answers until you carefully read those posts.)

And all that and more in spite of knowing these are dangerous times to be truthful.  I even considered self-censorship.

As I’ve noted, when I began this blog, I did not intend for it to become nearly this political.  I do not intend for it to remain this political beyond 2016 and perhaps beyond the next few months.  But the need of the times compelled me to do my part and tell the truth in the midst of a political culture of lies.

Not unlike Jeremiah, I really hope the Lord finds me something else to do and fast.  We shall see.  But for now I can say, in 2015, however imperfectly, I told the truth.

InterVarsity Backs Black Lives Matter

During my Duke days I was a very active participant in InterVarsity, which chapter was then led by one Mark Dever.  And since then, although I knew InterVarsity was not quite as prone to devour heretics for breakfast as yours truly, I have long been well disposed towards them.

So imagine my shock when they turned their Urbana missions conference into a Black Lives Matter rally.  No, I am not exaggerating.

This is a total and complete lack of discernment and is sadly becoming typical of evangelicalism.  Evangelicals are oh so eager to be The Church of What’s Happening Now that they pay woefully inadequate heed to whether what’s happening now is right or not.

And racism, whether from Black Lives Matter or the KKK is never right.

Now that it is after Christmas Day...

Good morning!  I hope you all had a Merry Christmas Day and are continuing to enjoy the Christmas season.  As us Anglicans know, it’s still Christmas!

But now you might find yourself with the task of saying thank you to all those who were generous to you or to your family.  You might even be feeling a bit awkward if someone gave you a nice gift . . . that is a lot nicer than what you gave them.  Or maybe in the Christmas rush, you flat out forgot someone.  Hey, it happens.  I know.

Well, I am here to help.  My novel Pilot Point makes a great thank you gift or late Christmas gift, both in print and in convenient Kindle forms.  It shows appreciation in a tangible way, especially to Texas-minded or Anglican readers, more than only words can.  (And if you know Texas Anglican readers, what have you been waiting for?)

Now don’t give in to any post-Christmas guilt.  Nobody is perfect, and we all commit our holiday fails.  But if you want to do a little more for your friends and family now that it’s after Christmas Day, my novel is there to help.

And again, keep on enjoying this Christmas season.  After all, the gift of that Holy Child is for all time.

Carols from Kings 2015

The excellent YouTube channel, Collegium Regale, has the music from this years Carols from King's up in playlist form here.  (Unfortunately there are ads.)

In several past years, this channel has the complete Carols from King's up.  I hope it will do so again this year.  But having just typed that, I think found the complete Carols from King's 2015 at the VoicesChoral channel.

Remember this is the made for TV program with a different format than the live Christmas Eve Nine Lessons and Carols service on radio. (Trust me I could be more critical, but I will relent this day.)

Enjoy and have a Happy Christmas.

King’s College Christmas Broadcast Schedule

I know many of my readers make a point to include King’s College in their Christmas celebrations.  For me, Christmas begins just past 9am (Texas time) on Christmas Eve when a lone boy sings, unaccompanied, the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City before the packed Chapel and a listening world.

So for your assistance, I am posting the schedule for the Christmas broadcasts from King’s.  The information comes straight from King’s College itself.

The times below are UK times.  Subtract 6 hours for the Central Time Zone, U. S.  And, unfortunately, Carols from King’s can only be seen on TV in the UK, not in the U.S.  (Please correct me if I am mistaken!)

And for those who have SiriusXM Radio, I think BBC World Service is one of your channels.

Have a Happy Christmas!  

Christmas Broadcast Dates

Daily Service (Choral Scholars)

24 Dec 0945: BBC Radio 4 LW

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

24 Dec 1500: BBC Radio 4 / World Service

Carols from King's

24 Dec 1715: BBC Two

1954: Carols from King's

25 Dec 0235: BBC Four

Carols from King's (repeat)

25 Dec 1100: BBC Two

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (repeat)

25 Dec 1400: BBC Radio 3

A Balanced Response to a Bomb Threat

This week, my last and still much beloved non-Anglican church, Denton Bible Church, received a bomb threat against their Christmas Eve service.

The response of the pastor, Tommy Nelson, is exceedingly well balanced and a good example to follow.  Therefore, I reprint it in full here.

----

Take a knee...

Y’all,

Take a knee.

You’ve probably heard by this time if you watch the news that we have had our first gen-u-ine bomb threat. It came in the mail Monday afternoon from a gen-u-ine super villian. Wouldn’t you know, it came 24 hours after I had boasted of our fair city’s apathy versus Dallas’s tirades.

Anyway, though this letter was not from Lex Luthor, The Joker or even The Penguin, we still must take all threats seriously and we shall. We shall have Christmas Eve as always but you will notice more folks at the entrances with more eyes. People write such threats for two reasons. A hatred toward what you stand for and a desire to disrupt through “terror” (hence the moniker), and also for the delight of their 15 minutes. Someone is no doubt up early this morning watching Fox 4 and chortling over their “beautiful wickedness” (c.f. Wicked Witch of the West).

We don’t yield to fear. We are Christians. We rejoice to be counted “worthy to suffer for His name’s sake.” Death and evil are conquered for us and our God sits supremely on the throne. If it breathes we do not fear it. But like Nehemiah in Nehemiah 4 we will build with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other, with others on the watch. We shall be vigilant until evil loses heart. But stop the work? Who do men think we are? “Should a man such as I flee?!”

So, nothing changes. Come on if you planned to do so. But, make things simple by not bringing a backpack, a package, or some big bulky anything, lest a choir member frisk you or strip search you. Nothing kills the Christmas spirit quicker.

Be praying that God be glorified. See ya.

Tommy

In Praise of the Christmas Season

One of my discoveries when I was becoming Anglican is that Christmas doesn’t end on Christmas Day; it begins on Christmas Day.  (Or to be exact, it begins on Christmas Eve.)  For Christmas is a season that lasts until Epiphany, January 6^th.

And observing Christmas as a season has a lot of benefits.  It takes some pressure off of getting one day, December 25^th, just perfect.  You don’t have to give all your gifts on that one day.  You don’t have to complete your shopping before that one day.  Yes, you don’t have to end up in pre-Christmas gridlock.  You don’t have to get in a mad rush that turns Christmas into an ordeal.

You don’t have to take down the tree the day after Christmas (as my dear Grandma, suffering from post-Christmas let down, usually did).  I keep mine up well into January.  You can keep on celebrating.  And if the first day or two of Christmas is disappointing for some reason, you still have ten more days to make up for it.  Yes, Christmas really is twelve days, from Christmas Day to Epiphany.

I found this out after Christmas 2004.  I wanted to go to an excellent traditional Christmas service that year.  But there was not one that I could find near where I was visiting.  Yes, I enjoyed being with family, but I came home disappointed.

But when I entered my favorite local Anglican church the first Sunday back, there were candles all along the walls, and a manger scene, and Christmas carols.  It made me so happy I got a little teary-eyed.

When I talked to the rector afterward, I remarked that the service was like Christmas.  He immediately replied, “It is Christmas.”

And so it was.  Christmas is not just one day, but a season.  And wouldn’t we enjoy it more if we celebrated it that way.  No having to get *everything* done by Christmas Day.  Less pressure.  Not such a big let down if Christmas Day itself isn’t just perfect.  And getting to enjoy a bit more Christmas at your pace if you like.

And if Aunt Edna turns up her nose at getting a gift from you a few days after Christmas, let that be her problem.  I, like most people, enjoy the surprise of getting gifts a few days after Christmas.

And I like Christmas being a season, not just a day.  That helps me to enjoy Christmas that much more.

May you have a very happy and unrushed Christmas.