Slappy Christmas and other thoughts

You must read Gene Edward Veith's article on the historical St. Nicholas. It is interesting, enlightening, and funny.

I've been thinking more about the megachurches closing on Christmas. While I am not judging individual decisions to attend or not attend, it is really interesting to me that the Chicago Tribune, CNN, ABC News, etc (all obviously using the same source) ...hardly defenders of traditional Christianity... seem shocked by this decision to close. When was the last time you saw a theologian from Gordon-Conwell seminary quoted prominently in a mainstream media outlet? I think even our "foes" want to see the Church of Christ standing firm and not bowing to the popular culture.

Ben Witherington has great posts on this as well, here and here. A commenter on his blog actually makes a good point that it is not only the large churches, and of course, not all large churches will be closing!

There's a fine line in all of this between seeking God's will and doing what He commands and becoming pharisaical and following the traditions of men. But Jesus didn't set aside the commandments, He fulfilled them. And this whole thing has had the very positive effect of making me want to revisit some of our family's decisions and even non-decisions (lack of really thinking about it) on what is benefical to us on the Sabbath. After all, the Sabbath was made for man, and He uses it for our benefit when we obey Him. God has been using some very difficult and provoking circumstances and people in my life to make me want to be very serious about holiness. "Be holy as I am holy."

Now...if only Barbara Walters had used a theologian from Gordon-Conwell, or better yet, from Westminster, for her "Heaven" documentary. But no...but that's another subject, and I won't go there...I promise!