Gendercide

Gendercide is the newly coined term for the selective killing of people of one sex.  Most often it refers to the practice of nations which encourage for cultural and/or for governmental reasons the aborting or killing upon birth their daughters in the hope of having male children instead.  Usually we think of this atrocity occurring in nations such as China and India, where their practice of gendercide is well documented.  These nation’s gendercide practices have led to a birth ratio of 6:5 males to females.  Some of the more obvious long-term consequences of gendercide are falling birth rates, national aggression, increased crime,  polyandry, and a heightened sex slave trade.

Yet this practice does not only occur outside the borders of the U.S.  As the organization Protect Our Girls has been revealing, increasingly abortion is being used in our country for gender selection.  This week videos shot in Austin, Texas, and New York City by Live Action show Planned Parenthood counselors helping undercover reporters, posing as pregnant young women, work through the steps of a gender specific abortion.  You can see the video of the Austin interaction below (go to the links in this paragraph for the other video).

What is so chilling in watching these reports are not the graphic images (there are none) or the explicit language (again none is present).  Rather, it is seeing the two women counselors speaking so friendly and reassuringly about safety even as they are discussing the murder of unborn girls.   Who is truly being “anti-woman” here?

Surely Christians will debate over the ethics of these women reporters posing as something they are not.  Yet before condemning them, it would be good to remember that Rahab’s faith and Corrie Ten Boom’s courage employed dealing crookedly with those bent on taking human life.

Sermon Fit for a Child’s Mind

This past Lord’s Day I preached a children’s sermon.  Twice.  One was for the little ones in our congregation.  Then a few hours later I used the same message, with a slightly different application, in the afternoon chapel with the folks in the dementia unit where my mom lives.

In some ways, the contrast in audiences could not have been greater.  In the morning I was surrounded by little ones with fresh faces, tidy clothes, and squirmy bodies.  In the afternoon gathered round me were the aged with dulled expressions, slept-in and spilt-on clothes, and tired, worn out bodies.  The morning group’s minds needed filling with new lessons perhaps never heard, while the afternoon group needed minds filled with old lessons now forgotten.  Clearly, both groups needed a lesson fitted for a child’s mind.

A Graduation Reminder

Last night Sycamore Covenant Academy had a graduation service for five young people.  Through both smiles and tears (including this dad’s), these godly young people sang Christ’s praises, spoke of his grace in their lives, and posed with their parents on each side as their picture was taken.  The evening was a wonderful reminder of the high calling of Christian parenting and the church’s duty to encourage and disciple families in sending their children out prepared to advance Christ’s kingdom.  Our academy’s battle cry is Sicut Sagitae (“Like Arrows”) as in the spirit of Psalm 127:3-5 they have been readied, aimed, and now are being released to bring Christ even into the gates of His enemies.

Fellow blogger and pastor Jared Olivetti gave an excellent commencement address.  Choosing as his theme the Scriptural phrase “Bought with a Price,” he reminded the graduates that our earthly achievements are to reflect our Redeemer’s crafting hand behind them.  To listen to this fifteen minute message (Way to be concise also, Jared!), click  2012 SCA Graduation Message.

The Unwavering Principle

Drive out of my Indiana town in any direction and, before it is out of sight in your rear view mirror, you immediately encounter farmland stretching out before you.  With this sunny spring, every field seems to be filled with rows of tiny seedlings.

Undoubtedly, the farmer who planted them recognizes the small plants on his land for he knows what seeds he planted.  Where corn was planted, corn is growing.  The same is true in the other fields, be it beans or watermelons.  Each plant joins the others to tell the same story.  You reap what you sow.  You can see this principle in every field, in each direction, every year, in each season.

If only we could see it spiritually.  If only instead of driving by those fields unfazed, each plant had a tongue to cry out the lesson so many need to hear.

Church Architecture

Rebecca VanDoodewaard at The Christian Pundit has been doing an insightful series on the architecture of churches, especially their sanctuaries.  She shows how the architecture reflects the theological viewpoints of the congregations as they worship. I highly recommend them.

The next time you visit a church, or even worship in your own sanctuary, play a little Sherlock Holmes.  Take a few moments and look at the structure of the sanctuary in light of these insights.  You may be able to tell more about the congregation than you realized.

Here are five articles with their themes:

Ecclesiastical Architecture 1 (An Overview)

Ecclesiastical Architecture 2 (The Pulpit)

Ecclesiastical Architecture 3 (The Communion  Table)

Ecclesiastical Architecture 4 (The Baptismal Font)

Ecclesiastical Architecture 5 (Choir Loft & Instruments)

Another Curmudgeon on the Youth Culture

In the book of Proverbs, a father tells his son there are two females vying for his attention: Woman Wisdom and Lady Folly (see Proverbs 9).  It is somewhat like the old Dating Game Show with just two contestants.  Wed yourself to the first, he tells him through those first nine chapters, and you will have understanding, favor with God and man, a crown upon your head, length of life, a satisfying wife, and peace of days.  Join yourself to the latter and immaturity, ridicule and heartache, ruin, adultery, a plundered home, and a shortened life will be your reward. Sure seems these days many are picking Contestant #2.

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Jonah Goldberg, editor of National Review Online, in an interview gave what one has called a “curmudgeonly rant”  about the youth culture (hence this post’s title).  It’s a little strong, but it is rather refreshing to hear someone say things such as “we are all born idiots” and “the fact that young people think socialism is better than capitalism is a result of what sociologists call ‘their stupidity.’”

Using the Psalms as They Are Meant to Be Used (Michael LeFebvre)

I asked Michael recently if we could feature a chapter of one of his books here at Gentle Reformation, and he graciously agreed. This article is taken from chapter five of Singing the Songs of Jesus by Michael LeFebvre, published by Christian Focus Publications, Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland (www.christianfocus.com) and is used with their permission.

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Nails are efficiently designed for what they do. With the forceful swing of a hammer, your nail will sink through one board and secure it to the board behind.

Screws, likewise, are well-designed for their purpose. Although similar to the nail in many ways, the screw has the added feature of spiraled thread running up its shaft, and a notched head. But the screw’s distinct design requires a distinct action. It must be turned into the surface with a screwdriver, not pounded like a nail. For the screw to function at its best, it must be used according to its design.

The same is true of the Psalms. The ancient hymns of Israel (the Psalms) are as different from modern hymns as screws are from nails. Not only do the Psalms lead us in praise in the train of our Mediatorial King, but they also lead us in a very different ‘method’ of praise than modern church songs. Although the Psalms serve in generally the same capacity as modern hymns (to praise God), they are different in how they function within the heart as they stir that praise of God.

Congratulations, Dr. Williams!

The news is out!  Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary professor C. J. Williams successfully defended his dissertation to earn his PhD from the Baltimore Hebrew Institute of Towson University.

We congratulate our fellow blogger and hope we get some tastes of his work on David’s mighty men around here some time!

Animal Lessons

As you read through the Scriptures, over and over imagery from the animal world is used to teach.  From the Proverbs encouraging us to go to the ants to learn diligent work (Proverbs 6:6-11); to the Psalmist or Paul telling us wicked persecutors are like dogs (Psalm 59:14-15; Philippians 3:2); to our Lord telling us to look to how His Father feeds the birds so we will not worry (Matthew 6:26), the Scriptures are packed with animal lessons.  Indeed, the Lord squeezed four creatures into one sentence when He taught His followers, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as shrewd as serpents and as gentle as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

Have you ever pondered that the Lord not only designed the animals for naturalistic functions such as pollinating plants or providing you with food and clothing, but to be an intentional, constant reflection to you of spiritual lessons?  

A Picture of This Momentary Marriage

Having studied John Piper’s This Momentary Marriage with friends at church, having seen the video below on Tim Challies’ site, and knowing so many marriages need the grace and strength of God in order to shine forth Christ, I had to share the story below.  As Challies quotes Piper: “I tremble with the glad responsibility of introducing you to Ian & Larissa Murphy in this video. Tremble, because it is their story and so personal. So delicate. So easily abused. So unfinished. Glad, because Christ is exalted over all things.”

Be touched, weep at the humility, and pray for like grace to be shown to you and others.

Treasure Seekers

Recently I asked in a post, “What is the heavenly treasure that Jesus promises?”  In a discipleship lesson with two young men, I had asked them this question.  My motivation was to get them to value the treasures of heaven over and above earthly treasures, to better help them put off sin and live to righteousness.

In the post, I had encouraged readers to respond to this question.  The post received some nifty answers.  Here are a few quotes that capture their essence:

The Gospel & Sexual Orientation

Last summer in a post called “The Gay Mirage,” I witnessed to the frustration of the homosexual lifestyle.  The thirsty lust of this sin will never be satisfied, for its promises of happiness are illusory.  Those trapped in it need to be called to the real waters that Jesus provides.

At the time I promised to make known at first opportunity an important work that some brothers were doing on this topic, most notably our fellow blogger Dr. Michael LeFebvre who served as editor and authored much of this work.  The book, entitled The Gospel & Sexual Orientation, is now available to be pre-ordered at Crown & Covenant Publications.  Here is their review:

I Will Remember

Just sent the short letter below to the congregation here.  

I thought others might like to join us in giving thanks.

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Dear Saints,

It has occurred to me this week that today is the twentieth anniversary of our first public worship service held on April 26^th, 1992, in Kokomo.

The previous Lord’s Day, April 19^th, our mother congregation in Lafayette had a sending service.  Pastor Dave Long preached on “The Resurrection and New Beginnings,” and spoke on how the risen Lord sends out His people to proclaim the gospel across the globe.  Several of the elders there gave us charges, and then the 22 people (Tom & Susan Dinkledine Family, David & Jerri Faris Family, Paul Faris, Matt & Karen Parman Family, Barry & Miriam York Family) were sent off with prayers and tears.

The next week we met at the former YWCA building on Sycamore Street as a mission church and conducted our service.  Forty-seven people attended as I preached on “Why We have Been Sent” from I Corinthians 2:1-5 regarding preaching Christ crucified. A number of those folks that day were friends and family members, as our average attendance was 35-40 for quite a while.  In those days we had one children’s class and a sermon application class for adults, with Fellowship Lunch every week.  We worshiped at the YWCA until we moved to our present location in January of 1999.

Thought I would share my reflection of thanksgiving today with you.

“I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.” –Psalm 77:11

In His Love,

Barry

Musings on Humility

When it comes to fasting, there are only two types of practices:

Those who fast out of religious duty to feed their pride,

or those who fast from sincere discipline to feed their souls.

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Heard today that questions end with a little mark that looks like a fishhook.

Those called to be fishers of men need to learn well how to wield them like their Master did.

Often the fish need to be drawn out rather than being demanded to jump  in the net.

Skewered Twice?

Though one of my fellow bloggers had written about it, it was not until recently that I read the book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose.  While telling an out-of-town friend recently that I was reading about the famous Easy Company paratroopers, he informed me one of the main characters, Floyd Talbert, had been from my town of Kokomo.   Since I still have not seen the miniseries where this is made more clear, I researched and learned the interesting tale about Talbert.

From landing by parachute near Utah Beach on D-Day to fighting in the Battle of the Bulge to being one of the first ones to reach Hitler’s  Eagle’s Nest mountain hideout in Berchtesgaden, Talbert had many incredible adventures.  He was considered to be one of the finest soldiers in the company.  The main hero of Easy Company, Major Winters, said that there was no one he would rather have on a mission beside him than Talbert. Yet there is one particularly unfortunate incident about Talbert for which he was immortalized.