The "A" Word

I had a very long conversation (3 hours) with a pastor friend of mine tonight. We spent a few moments catching up with each other before he began inquiring about my ministry and upcoming banquet. He was excited to hear about all of the great things God was doing in and through Stand for Truth Ministries, but wanted to leave me with a bit of sound advice: “Drop the “A” word.” He went on to suggest that “if you want to effectively reach the “black” church you are going to have to eliminate the term from your vocabulary.” So what’s the “A” word? It’s the word Apologetics.

Now as a disclaimer let me say that while it might be the case that other races face the same challenges when presenting apologetics, our discussion is about me as an African American Apologist and the difficulties I face in presenting Apologetics in the “Black” church.

"Use the word at home and no where else.” After all, he remarks, “at the end of the day, no one goes to heaven by apologetics.” He offered several reasons in support of his point. First, the vast majority of black pastors are insecure and may feel intimidated by having someone like me speak or teach at their church. In his experience, many black pastors find Apologetics to be divisive, undermines their authority and may bring into question their ability to “hear from God.” How you might ask? Well if the pastor as the “head, father, or prophet” of that house (the Church), is unable to elaborate on or reiterate the points of discussion that the apologist brings up, he might find this challenging to his ability to "hear from God" or reveal a lack of knowledge on his part in a particular area or study. He felt that the result of this may cause some to feel like they may lose members and as a result, money.

Secondly, he suggest to me that “no one knows about apologetics and no one cares . . . It’s just not of interest to them.” He went on to say that what people are concerned about today are “real life challenges” such as “gas prices, the fact that my babies are hungry, or that my family member is on drugs, or the fact that I’m about to lose my home.” He wanted me to realize that no one but me was interested in that stuff; it was just a passion of mine. “People don’t care about that stuff Hayes, as long as you are not teaching heresy, love Jesus, teach people to live better, and preach truth, that’s all that matters because (the last point) at the end of the day you don’t need apologetics to get to heaven." I remember a leader once expressing somewhat of the same idea to me when I told him what I was going to school for. He said, "you will be like a car driving in the snow . . . sure your wheels are spinning, but you ain't going anywhere."

Before I give my thoughts, I would really like to hear from you (especially Pastors and Leaders)

Pay As You Go

I happen to catch the new Verizon Wireless commercial, where Cindy runs into her old boyfriend Devin. Cindy says, “Hey Devin, It’s been a long time. I see you have the whole Verizon Wireless Network with you, Mr. Fear-of-Commitment.”

Devin responds, “Well, they came with my pay as you go plan. So I only pay for them when I use them." At this point Devin’s eyes sparkle as if he just reached Nirvana or as if he just received a smiley face from his third grade teacher, and he proudly remarks, “So why buy the whole cow when you can just pay for the days you milk it?” He laughs as Cindy walks away disgusted.

This is Verizon’s pay as you go plan – “forget long term contracts, just pay for the days you use it.”

Okay maybe I’m putting too much on it, or maybe I just think too much, but think on this: Verizon Wireless is number 1 in telecommunications, number 13 in Fortune 500’s annual ranking of America’s largest corporations, and spend millions in the marketing and promotions of their services and products. So believe me, they know what sells. And what is it that they are now betting their stock on? What is it that they are spending millions on to help sell their products? It’s the fact that having “no commitments” is appealing to you. After all, as Devin pointed out, why should you buy the cow when you can just pay for the days you milk it!

Verizon suggest that the days of long-term commitments are gone and what people are looking for today are (in their own words) “pay as you go plans.” Okay, two words: “Elliot Spitzer (I know, I know that was bad but I’m making a point here).” Not everything that looks good is good for you, not everything that makes you happy will make you healthy, and everything that sounds good isn’t always good. I’m not really slamming on Verizon per se, but what trips me out is the clear observation that the Verizon marketing team made about our culture, namely that (generally speaking) we don’t value the idea of commitments. I don’t really need to know your name; don’t really care where you’re from, but if I flipped the bill, just give me what I paid for and keep it moving.

My Mind, My Thoughts, My Heart, My Words

The Moment of Truth

Have you ever lied on an application to get a job? Would you donate an organ to save your mothers life? Would you cheat on your spouse if you know you wouldn’t get caught? These are the kinds of questions participants are asked on the new FOX TV show Moment of Truth.

The rules are simple, answer 21 increasingly personal questions honestly, as determined by a polygraph, and win up to $500,000. Sounds easy enough, just tell the truth, but how hard would it be to tell the truth not only in front of all America, but in front of your closest loved ones including your spouse, relatives and friends?

Up for the challenge this week was Lauren Cleri, a 26 year old hair salon assistant and newlywed of two years. In front of her husband, mother, father, sister and brother, Lauren faced her first question: As an employee of a hair salon, have you ever told a customer that you like their hairstyle when in fact you didn’t? Right away Lauren answers no, the lie detector determines that her answer is true (the audience applauds). However, as the questions got more personal, it quickly became apparent that a moment of truth can produce a lifetime of pain.

• Do you know things about your father that you keep secret from your mother?
• Have you ever took off your wedding ring to appear as if you were single?
• Do you believe you were in love with a former boyfriend on your wedding day?

Yes, Yes and Yes, congratulation you have won $100,000! You are now 3 questions away from winning $200,000 on your way to the $500,000 grand prize! However if you chose to continue the next question will be asked by a special guest. Out comes Frank, Lauren’s former boyfriend. Question number 1 on your way to winning the grand prize (mind you her husband is sitting right there):

• If I wanted to get back together with you, would you leave your husband?
  
  This question gets voted out by her sister and replaced by the following question:
  


• Do you believe I’m the man you should be married to? Yes
  
  Ok two more questions. Question number 2:
  
• Since you been married, have you had sex with someone other than your husband? (What? Do you think they are trying to give money away? It’s all about the ratings baby) answer: Yes

Ladies and Gentleman, here it is, the moment of truth, the reason for this blog and Lauren’s greatest challenge. After destroying her husband, ruining her family, admitting to being a liar, cheater and adulteress who would feed a stray dog before giving it to a homeless person (folks, I’m not making this up) now faces her greatest question. Here it go (ebonics):

• Do you think you’re a good person?

Lauren answers, “Honesty I think I am” (as her father nods away in approval). In the words of Maury “the lie detector determined . . . BUZZZZ! That was a lie. Lauren loses everything! No consolation prize, nothing; just a hand shake and a thank you, now get off the stage and go deal with real life.

Wow is this an episode of Jay Budziszewski’s “Revenge of Conscience” or what? How is it that we can admit to lying, stealing, cheating and ruining the lives of others yet cannot find it in ourselves to admit to being a sinner? How is it that Lauren could proclaim with her lips what she could not deny with her heart? The Book of Hebrews gives us the answer.

The little traitor that cost Lauren the ½ million bucks is what is described in Scripture as the Moral Law written on the heart. The Bible records God saying, "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts" (Heb. 8:10; 10:16). It is by the Moral Law that we discern what is right and wrong. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul writes, "When Gentiles who do not have the law do instinctively the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them" (Rom. 2:14-15).

If we know right from wrong, why do we still behave immorally? Well the Bible teaches us that we suppress the truth in our unrighteousness because we love darkness rather than light. Some might try to defend her by saying that doing bad things doesn’t make you a bad person! Yeah? And committing murder doesn’t make me a murderer! Listen, we can’t fully divorce what we do from who we are. We don’t say “She is an honest girl who happens to lie a lot” no we say you’re a liar! In Lauren’s defense, had she been able to admit to all of those things, and with a straight face answer that she sincerely believed that she was a good person, we might find her to be a bit weird or at least odd (there’s hope for you Lauren).

I guess the thing that trips me out the most isn’t all the stuff she admitted to doing wrong, but the fact that she was willing to tell the truth at the expense of hurting others to win some cash and yet lose it all when she couldn’t be honest to herself. I guess it is true that a moment of truth can bring a lifetime of pain, and in some cases an eternity of torment. The first thing we all have to admit to ourselves is that we are not all that good; in fact we are sinners in need of a Savior.

My Mind, My Thoughts, My Heart, My Words

It's Time

Ok It's up. I have been seeing, reading and hearing so many opinions on topics varying from culture in the world to conflict in the church. Actually it was after yelling at the tv screen with my wife (watching BET's "Meet the Faith") that I decided that it was time to chime in on the conversations. Let's use this blog as an opportunity to talk, share and test all things in light of scripture and hold firmly to that which is good.