Five Views on the Economy

Posted on January 3, 2008

Today NPR’s Morning Edition hosted five U.S citizens in order to raise the question of how economic issues factor into their voting for this year’s election. Ranging from Florida to California voters shared their concerns and hopes. When asked “Will we be able to leave the country in better shape to the next generation?” answers ranged from a pessimistic no to an optimistic yes.

This Morning Edition struck me as valuable for several reasons. One, we got to hear locals talk fairly reasonably about voter issues from five different perspectives. This healthy dialog was refreshing in the midst of so much political spin this time of year. Two, asking the penetrating question about what state we will leave our country in for our children was very thought provoking. Will we? What do you think? Three, serious concern over national spending/debt was expressed. Iraq is no small player, but debt is from years of overspending. What can we do about this?

Finally, when listening to a voter and small business owner from Jackson, FL I really appreciated his balanced optimism. He thinks we can do better for our posterity but that it will require hard work. His concern about debt was good and he voiced reservation about his candidate—Huckabee—delivering on promises. Realistic. Good.

And then I heard him tether his hope for the U.S. to God’s special favor for our country. He said: “For some reason God still has his hand on this country.” On what basis are we to believe that God “has his hand on this country” more than any other? Should we anchor economic hopes on these kind of theological commitments? Does God give preferential treatment to America? To be sure, this voter did add a voice that is uncomfortably strong in American politics—“God is on our side.”

Is God a politician, Republican or Democrat? Does he have his sovereign hands on this country more than any other? It seems that theological issues are inevitably connected with economic issues, regardless of how we answer these questions. We are citizens, Christian or non, and we have a responsibility to care for our posterity. To do something not only about the economy, but also about the environment, the poor, and the spiritual and moral fabric of our communities. The five views on the economy was a good piece. Here’s to more of them!

Questioning Evangelism

Posted on January 2, 2008

9 Marks provides a review of Newman’s two books (Questioning Evangelism & Corner Conversations) that are very helpful reading for church planters.

Family Devotions with Unattentive Kids

Posted on December 29, 2007

Dr. J. Ligon Duncan answers some practical questions about how, what, and why to lead family devotions with little, inattentive kids:

My own answer is you start family worship as soon as possible, as soon as one is married, and continue it after children come along, no matter how young the children are (and the younger the better). The point is not for the youngest children to be able to comprehend (or even to sit still during it!). The point is impress upon them, by paternal example the priority of God and his word in all of life. They learn this, even if they comprehend nothing in the reading, praying and singing, simply by seeing a father pausing day after day to read the word with his family.

An excerpt from his book Give Praise to God (P&R):

“Now there is a whole host of practical questions and problems that come to mind once we determine to begin family worship. How long should it last? It should be regularly brief, as little as 10 minutes when the children are very young. Gradually, it will run a little longer as they grow older and conversations strike up. Don’t kill it by trying to go too long. Pace yourself. Regularity and repetition is the key. When should we do family worship? When it works – morning/breakfast, suppertime or bedtime are the three most common times.

“… There are dozens of potential hindrances: a lack of discipline, a lack of sense of the importance of family worship, a lack of experience of family worship in one’s own upbringing and more.

“But above all, there is the enemy of idealism. You have this picture of a Puritan family sitting around the table attentively and reverently reading the whole book of 1 Chronicles at a sitting, singing half the Psalter from memory, and praying for ninety minutes, and then you look around your table and your wife is rolling her eyes, your two-year old is throwing left-over spaghetti around the kitchen, your eight-year old is making faces at her sister and your teenager would rather do calculus. Don’t let the gap between the ideal and the reality stop you! Those unattentive children will grow up and thank you for persevering, and the memories of a father who loved them enough to make that kind of an effort will etch a permanent affection in their hearts.”

HT: SS