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Christian Living

How to Praise the Lord

Sometimes words and phrases evoke emotions in people beyond what they mean. A friend recently blogged about how the word “worship” has a negative meaning for her.

Although understanding what she meant—and empathizing a bit—I didn’t think too much more about her post until a while later when I recalled my own issues with the phrase “Praise the Lord!”

Honoring God is a good and right action. Affirming God’s goodness and provision is both biblical and warranted, something I do often—though not as frequently as he deserves.

However, I’m quite sure the actual words “Praise the Lord!” have never passed my lips.

For I cringe every time I hear it, not because of the words themselves or the meaning behind them, but because of my baggage that I’ve tied to those who use—and abuse—the phrase “Praise the Lord.”

The spontaneous reaction I have to that phrase is disdain.

Some People Exude a Fake Faith

Those with pretend perfect lives, no hardship, and a perpetual smile. They get a flat tire and the first thing out of their mouth is “Well, praise the Lord!”

Now I understand the importance of not walking around with a perpetual frown. But life isn’t always good.

Bad things do happen. And while I have confidence God will somehow, at some time, turn everything icky into something better, I stop short of proclaiming, “Praise the Lord!” at the first sign of trouble.

Then there are the thoughtless who use it to fill the space between sentences and to insert whenever their thoughts pause as they search for their next words.

More than once, I’ve mocked preachers for doing this:

“Open your hymnals, praise the Lord!…to hymn number 113, praise the Lord, where we’ll sing the first, third, and fifth versus, as Sister Marquette—praise the Lord—plays the organ. Now everyone rise—Praise the Lord!—and sing….” Ick.

Get me out of here. I wish I was exaggerating, but I’m not.

Last are those who spout this platitude with mindless repetition. They say it more often than I utter “um,” “well,” and “so.” (Sometimes I do this all at once, as in “Well, um, so….”)

No matter what is said, these folks respond with “Praise the Lord.” And no matter what they say, they tack on “Praise the Lord!” to the end.

Sometimes they even say it when it makes no sense. Someone asks, “What’s the price of gas?” and they respond with, “Well, praise the Lord!” Then when asked why they said, ‘Praise the Lord?’ and they deny ever doing so.

I’m so scarred by this that even when people say, “Praise the Lord” at the right time and for the right reasons, I still shudder.

Yes, we do need to celebrate God, but instead of just saying, “Praise the Lord!” let’s actually do it in a way that truly honors him.

Can I get an Amen?

(Here I share my thoughts about “Amen.”)

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Should Churches Pursue Excellence in All Things?

A phrase I hear from time to time at churches is to do all things with excellence. Other churches don’t speak this directly, but they do understand it.

One reason for this may be pure, to give God our best. Or the motive may be practical, to provide a quality program for an increasingly entertainment-minded public.

Relating to all aspects of a church service, from greeting, to ushering, to taking the offering, and so forth, excellence applies more readily to the sermon and most specifically to music. Let’s frame our discussion on music.

While the first motivation of giving God our best is laudable and the second reason of quality programing is understandable, there are three downsides to this well-intended mindset.

Talent is Elevated

When excellence is the focus, talent becomes key. A musician’s spiritual condition is a lessor concern or even ignored.

Some churches even recruit talent from anywhere they can find it, regardless of a person’s faith or lack thereof, disregarding his or her lifestyle or priorities.

The result is a music performance instead of musicians who lead the church in worshiping God.

Lessor Talent is Dismissed

Every artist knows that there will always be someone more talented. When that person comes along, the musician of lessor talent is downgraded to backup status or simply discarded.

The result is people whose hearts are right with God and who have a desire to use their God-given talent to worship him, being rejected because a higher level of excellence is now possible.

Consumerism Results

Excellence feeds into the American desire for quality. This changes worship into performance. If people attend a church because of its excellence, they will just as easily leave it for one that is even more excellent.

They become church hoppers, looking for what best entertains them and gives them what they want; they are church consumers. God and faith become the casualty.

In my 52 Churches adventure, I visited churches that pursued excellence in all things. Although they entertained me, it was harder to encounter God there.

However, at the churches that did the best they could with whatever they had, the focus moved away from performance towards the true worship of Almighty God, who they elevated to his rightful place.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Raising Puppies and Kids

Last month I wrote about our grandpuppy Zane, our daughter and son-in-law’s eight-pound bundle of delight. Zane, however, is not our only grandpuppy. Our son and his wife, also have a dog, Maximus Decimus Meridius. Max for short.

Max is our first grandpuppy, a beautiful Husky. At three years old, he’s actually no longer a puppy, but a full-grown adult – though at times he still acts like a free-spirited pup. Exuberant may best describe him and at times, impetuous, too.

Last Christmas these “cousins” met for the first time.

Zane, at a fraction of Max’s height and weight, was understandably cautious. Although Max likes to play rough, he somehow knew he should be gentle with Zane and held back. It wasn’t long, however, before Zane’s confidence grew.

He’d scoot up to his older and bigger cousin, taunt him, and then make a hasty retreat to where Max couldn’t follow. We had an amusing time watching their antics.

Both dogs are well loved and cared for but have been raised differently. One graduated from multiple puppy classes, enjoys carefully selected toys, and is sometimes doted upon.

The other, although not lacking needed care and attention, has enjoyed a less structured life and has parents that are more tolerant.

I wonder if our kids’ present puppy-rearing styles portend their future child-raising tendencies.

When I shared this wondering with a friend, she recoiled in alarm. Her care for her dog today, she hopes, is quite different from what will be her care for her children tomorrow.

Although interesting to ponder, this is more of an academic question for me.

Regardless of how our future grandchildren are raised, we will love them unconditionally, just as we equally appreciate both our grandpuppies, despite their differences.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Should You Ever Take a Vacation From Church?

Today in the United States, a three day holiday weekend (for Labor Day on Monday) effectively marks the end of summer. As I anticipate going to church, I know I’ll see fewer people there.

I’m bothered over the low attendance. And I’m bothered that it bothers me.

Growing up, only two things kept me from church. If I wasn’t deathly ill or in the hospital, I was at church every Sunday. My parents wouldn’t have it any other way.

Their fervor instilled in me an unwavering habit of Sunday church attendance.

So, it troubles me to see others who view church as just one of many options for a Sunday morning, even on a holiday weekend.

However, I’m also troubled over my legalistic dedication. After all, Jesus came to set us free from the law. Going to church out of a guilt-produced obligation, certainly isn’t free.

I shouldn’t judge others for their freedom to skip church, which is really what I’m doing. Yet, I also know the Bible says to not give up meeting together.

I think the right attitude is this: we do indeed have the freedom to take a vacation from church, but if church is truly all he intended it to be, why would we want to?

[Romans 8:2 and Hebrews 10:25]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Thoughts on Issues of Race

Are We the Same or Different?

I’m so excited to guest post on a friend’s blog—and I hope you’ll find it worth your time to read it! (To make it easier, I’ll try to keep things short.)

It won’t take long for you to notice that my writing style is different from Grace’s. She writes as the free spirit she is, full of passion and spilling her heart without hesitation—or reservation. My writing is…

read the rest of my post.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Why Can’t Christians Get Along With Each Other?

It’s a shocking stat, but there are 42,000 Christian denominations in the world!

Yes, the church that Jesus started is currently divided into 42,000 factions. Notice I didn’t say Jesus’ churches (plural), but Jesus’ church (singular).

How do I know Jesus intended there to be only one church? Quite simply because he prayed we would be one, just as he and his father are one.

Jesus even said why he wanted us to be as one: so that the world would believe. Succinctly, our unity maximizes our witness.

The implication is our disunity—our disagreements that have divided us into warring denominations—serves to weaken our witness.

Our divisions and petty squabbling over theology and tradition, lessen who we are, what we stand for, and why we’re here.

Oh, how our disunity must grieve the God we claim to serve.

As Christians, why can’t we all get along? That’s what Jesus wanted and that’s what he prayed for. Let’s ditch our divisions and unite for the sake of Jesus—so that the world may know.

Our factions and denominations don’t matter, Jesus does.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Beware of Spiritual Incest

When at a business convention, I once spouted off a grand sounding idea, but it was really a bad suggestion that warranted immediate rejection.

Yet I proclaimed it with passion and the air of authority (I had just finished speaking on the subject, and this new added thought added to the discussion).

I presented my spontaneous brainchild with logic. The person I said this to, nodded his comprehension.

Intellectual Incest

However, before the convention was over, several people approached me to discuss this same thing. I doubt we all had the same notion at the same time.

I’m quite sure it was my one bad idea, merely recirculated within a tight group, with no one questioning its wisdom.

I later labeled this phenomenon as intellectual incest: reproducing a bad idea within a close group of like-minded thinkers, who blindly accept it as true.

Spiritual Incest

The same can occur in a close group of like-minded spiritual thinkers. I’ll call this spiritual incest. I see it happen often. One person shares an insight or experience with their inner circle.

Everyone accepts it as reliable, without scrutinizing its validity or testing its wisdom. When this happens, people are misled and unhealthy conclusions result.

I recently blogged about theological silos: the natural tendency of people to surround themselves with others who hold to the same spiritual perspectives.

An unhealthy progression of this is spiritual incest. It’s easy to spot by listening to the words and phrases used.

A localized dialect of Christianese emerges.

Theological Incest

A bit harder to notice is when this creeps into our theology. It occurs easily enough when a respected leader makes a passionate statement, sounding wise and maybe even backed up with a sound bite from the Bible.

This moves into heresy, but most don’t realize it. The close-knit faith community reproduces this one bad idea, blindly accepting it as fact, but it’s really spiritual incest.

We need to beware of spiritual incest.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Do You Live in a Theological Silo?

In farming, a silo is a tower used to store grain.

The business world, however, turned silo into a metaphor, such as information silos or organizational silos, symbolizing assimilation and isolation.

These business silos function as a repository of information or power—hoarded and not shared, either by plan or by practice.

With silos, there’s an inner circle, with everyone else kept at a safe distance.

Most organizations, including churches, have silos. Many churches also have theological silos. A theological silo, usually the product of a homogenous faith community, holds to a certain set of beliefs as sacred and non-negotiable.

These may include explicit baptism beliefs, how someone becomes a Christian, a certain understanding of the end times, the role of the Holy Spirit today, a particular stance on a societal issue, and even which version of the Bible to use.

(One historical silo occurred over the requirement for men to wear neckties to church.)

Those who agree with the beliefs of the silo are invited in (usually only after they prove themselves worthy), whereas all others are kept at a distance or even shunned.

Historically, denominations formed around theological silos and then later became silos themselves, often exclusive, closed-minded, and dogmatic to a fault.

Jesus desired unity; he prayed we would be as one. Let’s tear down our silos and embrace one another—especially those who are different—just like Jesus did.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Puppy Therapy

Last week our daughter came over for the day. Her intent was not so much to see us but to enjoy our air conditioning. Being pregnant and midway through her third trimester, she had added reason to seek relief from the heat.

She didn’t come alone, however, bringing with her Zane, an adorable bundle of energy and delight. Zane, our kids tell us, is our grandpuppy.

In three plus decades of marriage, my wife and I have never had a dog. She is allergic and so is our daughter. Zane, however, is a mix of hypoallergenic breeds (I didn’t know there was such a thing), so it’s all good.

When they arrived, I hugged my daughter and played a bit with Zane. Then I went back to work. Awhile later, Zane showed up in my office, carrying his favorite toy. He wanted to play.

I didn’t need much convincing. Puppy love is so much more inviting than article editing.

At eight pounds, the pup carries a lot of spunk. We soon engaged in a robust game of tug. Eventually, he wearied of the sport and trotted off. Did I mention how cute he is?

He repeated this throughout the day, providing a welcome interruption to my toil. Sometimes he showed up with a new plaything, other times just to be petted, and once or twice for me to merely acknowledge his existence.

Now I understand why animal lovers like to have their dogs at work, especially when their office is at home. Although Zane is too rambunctious to curl up at my feet, I do envision him doing so when he grows older.

I also had a talk with him, explaining that in a few months, I wouldn’t be paying him as much attention, instead focusing on his new baby brother. Though I’ve mentioned this before, I’m not sure he comprehends it.

I didn’t accomplish as much work as I wanted, but it was a good day—a really good day. Puppy therapy can do that.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Should a Christian Community be Homogeneous or Heterogeneous?

It’s fun to be in the company of likeminded individuals. It’s comfortable to hang out with people similar to us. But are fun and comfortable, necessarily good things? Do they promote personal growth and advance understanding?

Being with people like us?—uniform or at least similar in perspective—is a homogeneous experience. The opposite of homogeneous is heterogeneous. A heterogeneous community is diverse, comprised of dissimilar people.

They might look, talk, dress, or act differently. Perhaps they hail from distinct neighborhoods, cultures, or even countries. They could be rich or poor or somewhere in between.

They might embrace diverging priorities, worldviews, political alliances, or (gasp) even hold to an alternate theology.

How comfortable are we spending time with people who view God differently than we do? Will we bask in a diversity of perspectives or cringe over perceived heresy?

One of the things I learned from visiting 52 churches in a year is the grand variations in Jesus’ family.

Our vastness and distinctions are beautiful. I’m delighted to have had the experience— and I miss it now that it’s over.

I’ve heard that if two people agree on everything, than one of them isn’t needed. We must apply this to church. How can our faith grow if everyone agrees on everything?

Most churches today are homogeneous, but I think we should be heterogeneous. We need to embrace, pursue, and celebrate diversity in our faith communities.

I learn the most from those whose ideas and understanding differ from mine—or even contradict them. It’s not always a fun or comfortable place to be, but I think that’s where Jesus wants us—and where he would be.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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