The Easy Way

"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."
(1 Corinthians 4:1).

Wouldn’t it be nice if Paul, in the above scripture, were referencing himself and a few followers? Sure would make it easier to do this church thing. Pick out a few folks to carry the load for us as we sit back and enjoy the ride without any responsibility to our faith. How easy would that be? Well, I have some bad news folks; there is no easy way. We are not allowed as Christians to choose a few folks to be religious on our behalf. It’s not allowed for us to divide our time so that an hour here or there belongs to God while the rest of our time belongs to us to do with as we please.

To be a Christian means that we have to stand up and be counted on our own…to be known every day and in everything we do; that we are the ministers of Christ and the stewards of the mysteries of God. This Advent three is called Joy Sunday. The reason is simple: as Christians we realize that the Church exists forever and that we have eternal life by God’s Grace. We are also called to give praise to God in Christ by an entirely dedicated life of on this earth - by action and by being good stewards of the gifts we have been given.


If you remember anything I write about remember this; what makes us Christians is that we are washed in the blood of the Son of God made man, and that blood was shed for us on a cross. So as we look with Joy towards the manger this Advent 3, keep in mind we do so in the shadow of the cross. It may be easier to celebrate Christmas without that shadow but it is only half the story. Is it inconvenient sometimes to be a Christian? Yes, the easy way is to be Christian only when it suits our purpose. But, it falsely represents who we are and waters down the Gospel. There are enough churches in the world already who have taken the easy way.


We expect our bishops, priests, and deacons to be godly men, to preach God’s Word to us, to administer the Sacraments, and to lead us in our prayers, but we don’t want them leading our lives for us. So guess what, being a good steward means that we don’t give up reading the Bible, saying prayers, or doing good works ourselves on our own.


Every Christian, in every walk of life, is meant to be the hands that carry out the will of God given in the Scriptures. Look at it this way; a mystery is a truth that can only be known if God reveals it. A steward is someone who protects and preserves what belongs to his master. So, we are supposed to preserve the “mysteries that God has revealed,” because it belongs to God and not to us. The easy way is the notion that we have a responsibility to attend church when it suits us and no more…to give when it suits us but not to the point that it takes away from our own wants and desires.


The Good News of the revealed mysteries from God is that they always lead to the promise that if we make the effort to be good ministers and good stewards, we have the gift of eternal life. And living forever with Christ is worth all the effort.


Be a Faithful Steward,

Bishop Ian

The Second Sunday in Advent

"BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen." (Collect for Second Sunday in Advent 1928 BCP pg 92)

Advent 2 for most 1928 prayer book Anglicans has always been called "Bible Sunday.” No, it’s not the day we decide to bring bibles to church and parade around the sanctuary. Rather it’s because The Collect, which dates from the Reformation, asks for God's grace that we might"...read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest..." the sacred scriptures. At that time, Thomas Cranmer, (First Archbishop of Canterbury under Henry the VIII), issued a decree that an English Bible should be placed in every church. One of the great things about the Reformation was the desire of the leaders to give the Bible to the people. The problem? Most of the people couldn’t read. So, the bible became the reading primer of the day. Imagine that in today’s modern public schools.

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning: that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)

In the epistle appointed for Advent 2, St. Paul refers to the Scriptures, meaning the Old Testament. There was no New Testament at the time since Paul was busy writing some of it. In doing so he was revealing the truths of the Old Testament, arguing that they always point to Jesus.

Christianity is a religion of revelation. Essentially, what Jews and Christians believe is clear in what God revealed to us in his word. I get asked all the time what’s the difference between traditional orthodox Episcopalians, and the liberal humanist church. When asked about their beliefs, most liberal humanists (or atheists) would say, "I think" or "I feel…” Any good traditionalist worth his salt would reply to the same question, 'But, the Bible says this about it...' Big difference - yes?

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, calls Jesus, "a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." Paul is telling the Romans that Jesus is the promised Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. But he also points out those revealed promises are for all men.

There use to be a time when the church actually taught that it was a good thing to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Scriptures. The present attitude found in so many modernist parishes is the notion that the church has out grown scripture in favor of well, anything else.

My challenge to each and every person who reads this blog is for you to read the Bible on your own every day. Look at the Psalms and Lessons index at the front of your prayer book; it’s a great place to start. The whole idea of a Bible study is to keep you strong as you go through this life. You will soon discover that there is something even better for you in the next.

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning: that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)

Be Comforted,

Bishop Ian

Walking in the Light

Today is Advent 1, the beginning of the season of Advent and the starting point of the new ecclesiastical year. What makes today different from the secular New Year’s Day is that there is little of the typical "out with the old, in with the new."

If anything, our Christian Advent is a promise of more of the same. We plan to read the same lessons and to say the same prayers in this new year that we did in the year past, and for almost two thousand years before that. Even our New Year’s resolutions, found in this morning’s excerpt from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, are the same old resolutions that Christians have made every year since that glorious year so long ago when our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.

So are we in a rut? The secular world (which means literally, "the world of this age") would say we lack imagination and our religious observances are boring because we have no plans to change what we believe and what we hope for from year to year.

Advent promises us otherwise. The Latin Adventus means simply a coming, but the Church uses it to refer to two comings of the same Divine Person: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On Advent Sunday we look back to the pinnacle of history, as far as the purposes leading to the conception and birth of the Son of God, made man by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary. When Jesus Christ shed his Blood on the Cross and offered his life before his Father’s throne, all sins were redeemed - completely bought and paid for. The victory of God in Christ over the world, the flesh, and the devil was accomplished once and for all, and all anybody had to do, then, now, or a thousand years from now to share in that victory, is to confess his sins and to submit to Jesus Christ his Son.

That was the First Coming of Jesus Christ. We lived under God’s judgment, and the terms of the salvation of mankind were made as clear as they could possibly be. All the history that has followed that First Coming, however great or small, ties up all the loose ends like the end of a novel.

The Second Coming represents no change in plans on the part of God, no surprise ending, no new thing at all, with the exception that Jesus Christ will announce the end of human struggles and the beginning of eternal blessedness for the resurrected and redeemed. This is the true "world without end." This is the eternal reality; a changeless God whose rule cannot be overturned.

In our prayer book, words like “day-spring” are used to describe Advent. Day-spring means the dawn, and the first coming of Jesus Christ was the dawn of salvation upon the world. The Second Coming isn’t the sunset part of the story, but the second dawn that puts an end to the darkness of sin and of Satan’s legions.

Today in church, as we lit the candle of hope, we were assured of the same sunrise, the Light of Christ in the manger, and the Light of the world when he comes again. Our calendar reminds us every year of the reality and trustworthiness of the promise of light in Advent. The Light has come. The Light will come again. And when that light comes, we must belong to it or endure an eternal darkness. With our new Church year, we begin again the lessons, prayers, and discipline that will prepare us for light eternal.

Be walking in the light,

Bishop Ian

Thanksgiving Blessings

I have heard it over and over again. “I have nothing to be thankful for. I hate my job. My children are disrespectful. My family is constantly at each other’s throats and spending time with them seems more like a recipe for disaster than a joyous event to be celebrated. While others around me seem to be so happy, I am miserable.”

As clergy, we hear it all the time, and if this sounds like you…well, you are not alone. Yes, we live in a fallen world with a fallen economy. The bottom line? Life is tough and it’s not hard to find the negatives in our lives. Robin and I just had a fantastic visit with Casey, John, and the triplets. Yes, triplet babies. I am so impressed with John and Casey’s thankfulness for the gift they have been given in these babies. Difficult? You bet. Are they worn out each day? Sure who wouldn’t be; yet despite the difficulties of having three babies and only two hands they are working it out. Let’s face it no one escapes difficulties, we are all struggling with something. Despite what we are dealing with we need to remember to,

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The media bombards us with images of what the good life should look like - dictating what our homes should look like, (just look at the home style magazines), what we should wear, what car to drive - a BMW or a Mercedes if you are successful. We pay huge sums to enroll our kids in all types of extracurricular activities and run ourselves ragged driving them here and there.

Wouldn’t you love to spend Thanksgiving Day at Martha Stewart’s farm with her recipe for the perfectly cooked turkey and trimmings; then sit at a beautifully decorated table with people who love, respect, and appreciate one another?

If we buy into this marketing hype we believe that we don’t measure up, we are not successful enough, or are not blessed enough. The truth is we have become so addicted to the comfortable life, it has become nearly impossible to even recognize the blessings in our lives, those which are much more prevalent than we often realize. We miss these blessings because we focus on trying to gain and acquire more of the stuff we think we want. Do we even really know what we want?

We are rarely taught to be thankful. We are a spoiled, ungrateful nation. Few of us are immune. I sometimes fall prey to this attitude myself. But it is at these times that I must remind myself of what God told Paul;

“My grace is sufficient.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

If more Christians would believe that, take it to heart and truly live it, their lives would be blessed beyond measure. They already are; they just don’t realize or accept it. What greater gift is there than the sacrifice of Christ dying on the cross for us insuring our eternal life? If we would simply accept this fact, our lives would look different. We would live more peacefully and we would have grateful hearts giving thanks for the simplest of things and enjoying the sometimes mundane activities of everyday life.

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17)

The recipe for happiness such as a big house, an expensive car, extravagant vacations, a dream job, and the money to support it all, suddenly does not seem nearly as important. Our focus begins to shift from the noise of the world as we begin to find joy in the basics of life. For me, it was seeing the babies smile for the first time and holding them after a feeding and feeling them fall asleep on my shoulder. I got to do a bike ride from Old Town Alexandria to Mount Vernon with my son-in law, John. I was in awe as the heavy clouds periodically gave way to allow the sun to peak through the trees as I rode along the Potomac River. It was a reason for celebration. If we stop to look at these things we begin to recognize and acknowledge the blessings that God bestows upon us every day.

“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6).

It’s human nature to fear losing what you have worked so hard for. Perhaps you measure yourself by society’s standards of success, yet deep down you know that it would take very little for the world as you know it to topple. Our lives are always at risk of destruction. We are not exempt from life threatening illnesses. Even Christians lose jobs and homes. The bigger problem is that we think we have control over such things, and we are prone to try and overcome every obstacle by ourselves. That merely adds to our frustration and desperation and in the end we become part of the, ‘I am miserable club.’

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Giving thanks is a daily exercise in faithfulness. The point of Thanksgiving Day in our prayer book is to give thanks to God for his blessings on our land and its fruits. It is also a reminder that we need to thank God for the things we have to be grateful for...not just for the obvious things like food, but for the thousands of fortunate moments, and the multitude of blessings that we receive each year. Make thankfulness an everyday habit. It's a skill that will benefit you throughout the year.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

This Thanksgiving I pray you will accept the greatest gift of all.

Be Thankful,

Bishop Ian

Advent - The Forgotten Season

As any good Protestant Episcopalian knows, Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas. Those of us who cut our teeth on the 1928 Prayer Book could tell you that Advent is supposed to be a "little Lent." However, if you ask most Protestants what Advent is, the answer may be something like, “isn’t that something the Roman Catholics do?” Advent is fast becoming the forgotten season in just about all Protestant Calendars. It’s the same old story, Halloween is over, and in an instant the stores are transformed with festive Christmas decorations. We hear the sound of jingle bells and Muzac versions of carols; even the scent of spices and pine fill the air of every mall and shop. We are inundated with commercials and print ads about the gigantic sales that await us on “Black Friday.” It’s like Thanksgiving has become the holiday where we carb up the night before for the marathon shopping safari that awaits us in the retail jungle. The twelve days of Christmas have become the last chance to get the gift shopping done rather than the days from Christmas to Epiphany.

Let’s face it; none of this has anything to do with preparing our hearts, looking forward to Bethlehem or our Savior’s return. Advent calls us to consider who we are as Christians and to prepare ourselves to celebrate our savior’s birth and to prepare our hearts and minds for His coming again.
Our Prayer Book lectionary provides us in Advent with a huge selection of scriptures from the prophet par excellence, Isaiah. Beginning with Advent 1 and daily through Advent 4, I encourage you to read and contemplate these scriptures as part of your Advent keeping.

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that we must be in right relationship with God, particularly in times of distress.

“Lord, you are our Father; we the clay, you the power, we are all the work of your hands.” (Isaiah 64:7)

Isaiah was speaking at a time when the people were not following the ways of the Covenant. His words are also relevant to today: the coming of the Messiah will be a time, not simply for salvation, but also for judgment. What do we have to show as a church, and is there need for repentance? Can we stand before our risen Lord when He comes in glory and say that we have been good and faithful servants?

For Christians it is Christ who “brings good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to those in prison.” (Isaiah 61:1-2.)

This Advent, remember the kingdom as we prepare our hearts to hear and proclaim this good news constantly. It is part of our Christian experience to read and mark this liturgical season so that our own hearts can continue to be strengthened and healed. We need truly to hear the voice of truth and to proclaim it always. As Christ heals us, so He also sends us out to complete the mission He gave to His disciples. The child born in Bethlehem enters a world still very much in need of its savior.

Be in preparation,

Bishop Ian

Remember Our Veterans

Veterans Day is among the numerous federal holidays which you find on most calendars, but it is not like the other federal holidays which give us a three day weekend.

This day, we will remember, has its roots when in the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect. Although this was not the official end of World War I, this day marks the official end of hostilities between the warring nations.

In order to honor this day, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 to be Armistice Day, a day to honor "the heroism of those who died in the country's service." In 1954 after World War II, Armistice Day was officially changed to Veterans Day, in order to honor all American veterans of all wars. Because of the historical significance of the 11th of November, it was decided to celebrate this day every year regardless of what day of the week it fell on.

Every year on Veterans Day a ceremony is held at Arlington National Cemetery beginning with the laying of a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier followed by a parade and speeches to thank those who served in the armed forces. Communities across the nation hold their own celebrations with parades, the playing of taps at local cemeteries, and Veterans dinners.

Every Vet has a story, and it is important that one take the time to listen. One of them is about a young man who trained the pilots who flew P-51 Mustangs in WW2. Another is of a man in a tin can off the Korean coast standing watch in the freezing cold during the Korean War. Then there is the man who served in Vietnam who still today can barely speak about it. Or how about the old man who works bagging groceries who helped liberate the Nazi death camps, and wishes his wife were still alive to hold him when he is awakened by the nightmares reflecting that time. There is the young army vet fresh home from Afghanistan who is putting on his ribbons and medals for the Veterans Day parade with a prosthetic hand. There is the Iraqi war vet who sits on the corner with a sign begging for work. Then there are those of us who served war efforts right here at home.

Many times the bravery of those serving in our military, past and present, is overlooked. November 11th is a great day to honor the veterans in our community whether by volunteering, listening, or just saying thank you. These brave souls fought for the safety and freedom of the nation and deserve to be thanked for their service to America. Every veteran has a story; take time to listen and to say thanks. I want to say thanks to my father in-law, my dad, and my friend, Dan. And, also to Fr. Stephen DelSignore, who in a special way continues to offer God’s grace to those who served and those who remember. If it were not for the dedication and sacrifices of our veterans, we would not be able to worship as we believe.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen. (Page 42, The 1928 Book of Common Prayer)

Be proud,

Bishop Ian

Loving Your Neighbor

The Ten Commandments are the rules God gave us as our guide to living in a society. Then, Jesus comes along and leaves his disciples with another commandment that He called “new.”

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13.34)

There are plenty of examples in scripture of Jesus’ love for those who where the social outcasts and great sinners of his day. As a result of their encounter with Him, many knew love for the first time. Yet the word love is probably one of the most misunderstood and misused words in the modern world. I remember a third year seminary project, part of which was to ask teenagers in the churches we were assigned to, this question: What is love? Many of them referred to love as a “feeling.” These kids were Christians but they never referred to any aspect of love from a biblical perspective. As for Jesus’ love, scriptures show that His reaction to sinners often times was to correct the problem and set them free. His love was an action.

The word love is used often in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament. But, let’s face it; love is difficult to accurately define. So, I decided to get technical and look it up in the dictionary. When love used as a noun in an abstract way such as, “baseball was Bob’s first love,” the word goes beyond the senses. When love is used as a verb it’s often describing a relationship to someone and something; “Ian must be madly in love with his wife, Robin, as they are constantly holding hands.”

As people moving through life quickly, we tend to limit the meaning of love to human emotions, but when we view love as an action, we are tested as to the truest definition of what it means to love. As Christians we are called to be more than a people who love; we are called to be a people who love and act. We are called to help with our hands, to forgive with our hearts, and to nurture all who are in need.

“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” (Proverbs 10:12)

The apostle Paul brilliantly describes love in 1 Corinthians 13. He defines love as that which, "hopes all things, endures all things and never fails." (My paraphrase). Wait a minute, did he say, “love never fails?” Why would Paul describe love in that way? Let’s look at it this way. In our culture we define love as: affection, approval, attraction, and so on, but without Jesus they will all fail at some point. When Paul says that love never fails he is talking about divine love. The love of God never fails. Let’s face it, the love we have for one another fails to a greater or lesser degree, unless it is tied to Christ.

Jesus issued the commandment to love one another; the roots originating in the Old Testament with the commandment to, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus issued this commandment because love was a principal that He lived and died for. To love one another as Jesus loves us shows evidence of our new spiritual birth and continued growth. Remember just how pure Christ’s love is; he even prayed for the ones who murdered him as he hung there on the cross.

"We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers.” (1 John 3:14)

Love is inseparably connected with all other aspects of the Christian life. Love is the light that shines through and separates the darkness. It is how we as Christians must be seen in this world. Love always comes before mercy and gives the faint hearted patience to finish the race. Love is the main spring that gives the believer courage and strength to follow God. Even when the sin is so wretched that we struggle to find anything to love, we may find that it is only through the love Christ has shown us in our own lives that can we find strength to love the sinner.

We must love God in response to His love for us, and we are to love each other as a result of our love for God. We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; “for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” (1 John 4:19–21 )

Be found loving…

Bishop Ian

Why Should We Obey Our Parents?

"Honor your father and mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12).

Why should we obey our parents? Notice at the end of this Commandment it says, "… so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12)

So not only live long, but it also says, "In the land your God is giving you." He is not only talking about individuals; He is talking about society because when the family unit breaks down, the society breaks down too.

Take a look around you. Respect for parents and family is certainly something we have lost sight of in our culture. I'm going to be incredibly un-PC right now and say that many of the Baby Boomers that became parents created a generation of spoiled children. It’s been my observation that as a result of this spoiling, many of today’s parents spend more time trying to negotiate with their children than establishing who is in charge in the first place.

The best they can come up with after the negotiations fail is more idle threats, ridiculous bribes, or the ever popular, “time out." Heck, just the sound of my dad's footsteps coming down the hallway used to shut us kids right up. I understood as a child that my Dad was in charge, so was my Mom. Let’s face it, in many ways they still are. But, it wasn’t just fear of punishment that kept me on the straight and narrow, I was learning to respect their authority, and that began developing in my earliest years.

The truth of the matter is the breakdown of family values in this country is one of the greatest battles we face as a nation. The sad fact is that five out of every six births are to unwed mothers. We have become a nation of wounded souls giving birth to wounded souls. Is it any wonder that so many kids today can barely read, pass a test, or say no to drugs and alcohol? Did you know that the majority of violent criminals are teenagers?

It has been rightly observed throughout history that the family is the backbone of society. It always has been the first building block to a successful society. Our very existence as a safe and loving community is dependent upon the success of the family.

Nobody cares more for our personal well being, outside of our parents, than God. Healthy families produce healthy people, and a healthy nation. I also want to point out that scriptures say nothing about an “age of maturity,” a time when you suddenly are free from respecting and honoring your parents. Growing from childhood to adulthood is not a time of moving spiritually away from your family. Your family is eternal, and honoring them has eternal as well as earthly consequences.

A healthy family is the place we learn about life. We learn things about living together as a family and as a society. Family life is the path to a great deal of life’s lessons. You want to know about conflict resolution, financial management, love, acceptance, failure, success, communication – you name it – your family should be the place to go.

Sadly, the world today looks at families in a different light. For many, the family just isn’t important and too often God isn’t important either. Yet we are all born with this primal need to know who we are. Our very nature craves being loved by the two people called mom and dad. If we lose that connection, our identities blur and it weakens not only ourselves but our nation – and yes, our connection to God.

Yes, there are some very imperfect parents – abusive, absent, and substance addicted, but the commandment has no “clauses” that excuse our responsibility to honor them. Even though their actions may have brought us pain, they have after all, brought us into this world.

"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." (Colossians 3:20).

Do you want to know how to please God? Read his commandments to us. Obey them – not just a few – but all of them. Obeying and honoring your parents pleases the Lord. As I mentioned, even if they aren’t particularly lovable, the commandment has no exception clauses, and no expiration date as to our responsibility to it.

Honoring your father and mother is never more apparent than when you have children of your own. Suddenly you understand what you owe your parents. And then you take all the good they have given to you and pass it on.

Be Honorable,

Bishop Ian

Remembering the Sabbath

Life can get pretty busy at times. As the hours pass, you channel your limited supply of energy into work, relationships, activities, and service. All worthwhile endeavors, but don’t forget to save time and give yourself a rest.

God gave us the example of rest by stopping on the seventh day of creation.

And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. (Genesis 2:2)

Instead of encouraging us to beat our tired bodies into a stressful wreck, God sets the precedent.

Look at commandment #4: “Remember to dedicate the Sabbath day.” (Exodus 20:8)

Isaiah followed with this reminder: “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.” (Isaiah 58:13)

Enjoy it, but don’t pursue my interests? Think it sounds like a paradox? It is. We should embrace a discipline in our lives that ultimately leads from work to rest. We refocus our hearts, re-energize our spirits, and reorder our lives around God by setting aside time to rest our souls. True Sabbath-keeping is far more than an ancient, outdated rule; it’s also more than a vacation from work. Confused? I thought so.

Sabbath’s Purpose ~

Jesus proclaimed, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27)

He shattered the idea of rules for the sake of rules, emphasizing that the Sabbath is not about blind legalism. As we have seen in our Gospel readings for Trinity 16 and 17, Jesus broke many Sabbath rules by healing and meeting needs, He revealed God’s love for people over practice.

In Hebrew, the word for Sabbath, Shabbat, literally means to cease or to stop. Look at it this way… In Sabbath-keeping, we take this day to stop and honor the creator and remember our humanity. Unlike God, we cannot work without stopping. We need rest.

Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. (Deuteronomy 5:12)

Deuteronomy on the other hand, commands us to observe the Sabbath as it was originally a time to observe or celebrate God’s freeing His people from the yoke of slavery. In a similar way, we observe Sabbath because we’re not forced to toil every day as those in captivity. We are free to rest.

When we celebrate Sabbath, we are declaring that we are more than our work. Our lives are not dollar signs nor are they our endeavors, no matter how noble. Work ceases to define us because through spending time with God, He redefines us as His children.

Let’s face it, most of us don’t live the 'prairie home companion' life. Our priorities get out of whack. A day for Sabbath rest also helps us to reorder our lives around God, not ourselves. Sabbath is a day “to the Lord your God,” (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14). In observing the Sabbath, we are both giving a gift to God and imitating Him. We recognize that it’s God’s world, and we need to stop our interfering.

In my opinion, that’s what’s missing from a Christian Sabbath - a true cessation from work and the world, a time wholly set apart for worship. I think we have lost that sense of the point of Shabbat, is to reorient our lives toward God.

I think what’s important is to remember that before we keep a Sabbath day, we need a Sabbath heart. To have a Sabbath heart, means we reflect on who God is. Our prayer book worship reminds us of our dependence on Him for salvation and even our every breath. The reason for structure and liturgy in our worship is to keep us focused that our worship is a spiritual observance, not a ritual.

OK, I know what you’re thinking; "this Sabbath stuff sounds great! But seriously Bishop Ian, I have five deadlines, a boss breathing down my neck, a relationship going south, a mortgage payment, kids that don’t do homework, etc. There’s no time to rest."

I get it, but the Sabbath is more than a nice idea. So, start with this simple exercise; learn to stop. Cease doing what you have to do, and do what you need to do for your soul’s health - that is the basic meaning of Shabbat. Enjoy a day without a to-do list. Honor God through a Sabbath. Refrain from housekeeping, worry, and problem-solving. Avoid those things that might distract you from soaking up the presence of God. Try to avoid the topics of work and money in your conversations.

The idea is not to barricade yourself from the world, but it is to center your entire being on experiencing joy in the presence of God. The goal of Sabbath-keeping is to spend time enjoying God so that you may know Him and love Him more. All else is secondary.

Be a Sabbath-keeper,

Bishop Ian

What is Truth?

I have been having an email conversation with an individual regarding Christianity and my opinions regarding my belief in the scriptures; The Word of God as truth. So then came the question, "What is truth?"

It’s a very simple question. Of course, answering it isn't so simple. We can offer definitions like, "Truth is that which conforms to reality, fact, or actuality." But this definition is not complete because its definition is open to interpretation and can be used in a wide variety of ways. What is reality? What is fact? What is actuality? How does perception affect truth? We can spend all day asking one question after the other which leads to another and we end up getting half an answer. It’s like throwing a ball against a wall. It must get half way there, and then half way of the remaining distance, and then half of that distance, and so on. But, an infinite number of halves in this scenario never make a whole.

The ball-against-the-wall scenario simply illustrates that defining and redefining things as we try to approach a goal and actually prevents us from getting to that goal. This is what philosophy does sometimes as it seeks to examine truth. It sometimes clouds issues so much, that nothing can be known for sure.

But, even though it is true that an infinite number of halves do not equal a whole, we can "prove" that it does by simply throwing a ball at a wall and watching it bounce off. Trust me I checked out my theory with a college math professor I have coffee with once in a while, and he claims the ½ exercise it is a mathematical truth. The problem with my inquisitive friend is that the answers aren’t always lock step with just the “truth” per se, but in its application. The problem applied to asking the ultimate question, “So what is Truth,” becomes an exercise in verbal gymnastics.

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ," (Col 2:8 ).

In order for truth to be defined properly, it would have to be a factual and logical. Simply put, it would have to be true. So let me do a little twisting of your noodle by addressing what truth is not. Truth is not error. Truth is not self-contradictory. Truth is not deception. Yes, I know, I am way ahead of you, it could be true that someone is being deceptive, but the deception itself isn't truth.

My friend looks at things as relative to the next, all points of view are equally valid and all truth is relative to the individual. If it works for you then it must be “truth.” If this were true, then it would seem that this is the only truth relativism would have to offer. But, the problem with this kind of thinking, as it is in reality, relativism isn't true for the following basic reason. If what is true for me is that relativism is false, then is it true that relativism is false? 1) If you say no, then what is true for me is not true and relativism is false. 2) If you say yes, then relativism is false. Relativism seems to defy the very nature of truth; namely, that truth is not self-contradictory.

So here’s the deal. If there is such a thing as truth, then we should be able to find it. If truth cannot be known, then it probably doesn't exist. But, it does exist. For example, we know it is a true statement that you are reading my blog.

Is there such a thing as something that is always true all the time? Yes absolutely. For example, I wrote about Stephen Hawking who claimed that gravity not God started the universe. Basically, I wrote that the “universe cannot bring itself into existence." This is an absolutely true statement. In order for something to bring itself into existence, it would have to exist in order to be able to perform an action. But if it already existed, then it isn't possible to bring itself into existence since it already exists. Likewise, if it does not exist then it has no ability to perform any creative action since it didn't exist in the first place. Therefore, "Something cannot bring itself into existence," is an absolute truth.

This is a truth found in logic, but there are truths that are not logical by nature. It is true that I love my wife... a lot. This isn't logically provable via gravitational influences and formulas and logic paradigms, but it is true. So I can say that truth conforms and affirms reality and/or logic.

Is this what relativism does? Does relativism confirm to reality and logic? Actually, yes - relatively speaking. Is there an absolute right or wrong way regarding which side of your head you should part your hair, if you part it at all? So to answer my friend, there are relative "truths" that are different for different people. But, these are relativistic by nature. As an example; people drive on the right side of the street in America and on the left in England. I like to watch science fiction and not musicals. Some may say snow is better than rain, etc. These things are relative to culture, individuals, preferences…not God.

It boils down to this, if there is such a thing as truth apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we by nature are looking for something greater than ourselves, something that transcends culture and individual inclinations. To do this is to look beyond ourselves and outside of ourselves. In essence, it means we are looking for God. God would be truth, the absolute and true essence of being and reality who is the author of all truth. If you are interested in truth beyond yourself, then you must look to God.

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." (John 4:23)

For the Christian, the ultimate expression of truth is found in the Bible, in Jesus who said,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (John 14:16)

Of course, most philosophers and skeptics will dismiss His claim, but for the Christian, He is the mainstay of hope, security, and guidance. Jesus, who walked on water, claimed to be divine, rose from the dead, and said that He was the truth and the originator of truth. If Jesus is wrong, then we should ignore Him. But, if He is right, then it is true that we should listen to Him.

The eyewitnesses wrote what they saw. They were with Him. They watched Him perform many miracles, heal the sick, calm a storm with a command, and even rise from the dead. Either you believe or dismiss these claims. If you dismiss them, that is your prerogative. But, if you accept them, then you are faced with decisions to make about Jesus. What will you believe about Him? What will you decide about Him? Is He true? Is what He said true?

Truth always conforms to reality. The truth is, Jesus performed many miracles and rose from the dead. So my friend is asking the wrong queston. The truth isn't about "what", it's about "who."

Be grounded in reality,

Bishop Ian

Resistance Training

As Christians we often act surprised when the good things we try to do don’t go according to plan. Big or small, it’s annoying to say the least and devastating to some depending on the situation.

“He shall wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, crying out or pain, for the former world has passed away. (Rev 21:1-5).”

OK, this is the end of the story. John is speaking of a new heaven and earth where God reigns unopposed. The problem is that we’re still in the story, living in the old heaven and earth where there is yet plenty of opposition to Christians and the Lordship of Jesus.

Remember the story of Paul in Lystra? He has just been “raked over the coals,” yet in an effort to strengthen the souls of the disciples following him, he encourages them to continue in the faith.

“...and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14: 22)

Look at what Paul had just come up against.

"But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead." (Acts 14:19)

Paul can speak from experience, having been stoned nearly to death, beaten with rods, jailed, shipwrecked, and bitten by a poisonous snake. When he and his companions came into Macedonia, he says;

“...our bodies had no rest but we were afflicted at every turn – fighting without and fear within.” (2 Cor 7:6).

Following Christ is not a cake walk folks. God provides, but he does not necessarily provide comfort and convenience. Simply put if we never experienced resistance, we’d never grow. I ride a bike as many of you know. I am an endurance rider. It’s about going the distance at a steady pace. There are training exercises I do to expose my already sore muscles to a greater resistance in an effort to increase strength. I push against the pedals in a high gear until my muscles burn to the point of failure. I do sprints in the short training runs so I have the strength to go the distance on the long rides. No pain, no gain.

“...count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2)

Like I said, endurance riding is about distance at a steady pace. James is telling us that spiritually, God doubles as our personal trainer by increasing resistance from time to time. Resistance may come from inside our own churches as well as outside. So how do we deal with fellow Christians who being difficult? The Lord gives us a commandment; to love one another as he has loved us. (John 13: 34) Remember, Jesus had just washed the disciples’ feet, and Judas had responded to this act of love by slipping out into the darkness to betray his master.

So metaphorically are we to wash the feet even of those who annoy us, or worse, betray us? This does not mean always agreeing with them or acquiescing to their wishes. But we are to love them, and lay our lives down for them. Granted, this is not a natural response. It is natural for us to love those who love us, agree with us, and think like us. We resist loving those who we dislike. And that’s the point. We are no longer limited to what comes naturally, we must strive to love when it’s difficult as well.

The death and resurrection of Christ has spread God’s supernatural love upon the earth. We have become “sharers in the divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4), and we know from John that the nature of God is love (1 John 4:8).

It is a very painful experience to love those who don’t like us or may even wish us harm and we resist, yes there’s that word again. Yet, scriptures tell us we are to love one another so that our joy might be full. But that’s not the main reason. The world needs to know that Jesus is different from the many false prophets and phony religions that constantly come and go.

So how will the world know that Jesus is God the Son?

"I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." (John 17:23)

Good stuff! But what does the world see when it looks upon those who call themselves his disciples? They see division, bitterness, and hypocrisy that eats away at the fabric of faith. Soon all that is left to present to the world as evidence of Jesus’ love are nothing more than filthy rags.

If we are to make a difference, if we are to present the Gospel and be disciples, then we are going to be tested, and we are going to have trials. We are going to have resistance added to our daily lives to increase our strength and our faith. Sometimes it is going to leave us spiritually sore.

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1: 6-7)

Be Strong,

Bishop Ian

The Silent Majority

Jesus, the founder of the Christian faith, was being questioned by the Jewish authorities regarding a tribute tax to Caesar. Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Mark 12:13-17 (The same passage appears, slightly modified, in Matthew 22:15-22 and Luke 20:20-26).

For the most part Christians have based their attitudes toward government on this passage. The accepted theology here is that Jesus' statement establishes two separate realms, Caesar's and God's, and that people should render to each what they ask for in their respective realms. This passage has come to be understood as recognizing the existence of two distinct authorities, one spiritual and the other political. The establishment of a separate Church and State was established here in America. With it came the freedom to practice a religion without government intervention.

But much of Islam has no such distinction. Muhammad was a religious and political leader, the Prophet and the head of state. Under his successors, the caliphs, Islam grew into a huge empire and world religion. Islamic sharia, or Holy Law, deals with power, authority, and political philosophy. Specific applications differ among Islamic nations. In an extreme example of this spiritual political blend, Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini once said, "Islam is politics or it is nothing.”

With this mindset, many Muslims believed that the Western world and the United States became infidel invaders; imperialist bullies who desecrate Islamic states by force. European colonialism, Western imperialism, and U. S. policies are at the heart of all the Jihads of recent history. Many Muslims deplore the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. America and Israel often are seen as collaborators trying to destroy Islam.

Especially disturbing to the Muslim radicals is the Western world’s relationship with rulers of Saudi Arabia -- Islam's Holy Land -- whom they see as warped by greed, graft, and moral corruption. One Saudi diplomat noted after 9/11, "What shocks me most is why they hit America and not us."

But they did hit America, and radical Islamic views of politics played an important role. In the aftermath of 9/11 much has been said about Islam and its growing influence on the western world. Most Americans can’t wrap their head around a religious state and given what most of us see in the Muslim world, Islam is anything but a “Religion of Peace.” Sharia Law is as foreign to us as was Jesus’ statement to the people he spoke to regarding Caesar’s Coin.

These Islamic laws in practice are brutal to the western observer; they are barbaric, and what makes it even more disturbing is it is mainly levied against women and children. Let’s face it, we in the U.S. are loathe to see Sharia Law instituted here no matter how many times the so called “moderate Imams” tell us how peaceful their religion is and how tolerant the west must be.

The simple fact is that the radicals rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the radicals who march shouting, “Death to America”. It is the radicals who wage any one of 50 wars worldwide. It is the radicals who systematically slaughter Christians, Jews or anyone else who aren’t them. It is the radicals who bomb, behead, murder, and honor-kill. It is the radicals who take over mosque after mosque. It is the radicals who zealously spread the doctrine of stoning, physical abuse, and mutilation. It is the radicals who teach their young to kill and to become suicide bombers. The hard, quantifiable fact is that the peaceful majority including Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the Western World, the 'silent majority,' say nothing.

Communist Russia was comprised of people who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill 70 million people.

The average Japanese prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by swords, shovels, and bayonets.

I have a brother. He isn’t born of my family, yet I love him and consider him as such. He is a man who spent his youth under the thumb of the communist party in the days of the USSR. He watched as members of his family disappeared for having a viewpoint that differed from the party. He, with others, could say nothing without fear of it being repeated to the authorities; the authorities who were always looking for the next example of what would happen to those who were in non-compliance with the law. The basic premise was that if you aren’t one of us, you must be one of them. My “brother” is a Jew from the Ukraine… a man of God, a scholar of the Book, a man of peace. He is also a Rabbi. He has seen what happens to the silent majority.

Lastly, I was asked recently to participate in an interview offering my opinion on the proposed Quran burnings in Gainesville. I declined the offer; they weren’t looking for an educated viewpoint. They wanted to pick a fight. But I will ask this question. Does burning the Quran change what is written in it? How about the Bible? Yet, everyone from the Pope to Barrack Hussein Obama are bending over backwards to appease radical Islam because some “pastor” gets it in his head to BBQ the Quran. Once again the Muslim World is out burning U.S. flags and threatening death to all Christians; Imams telling the people in the name of their “religion of peace” that they are obligated to kill all Americans on sight.

Let’s be honest here. There is never going to be a way the Western world can appease radical Islam. There will always be something else that they find offensive.

If you want to silence the rising voice of radical Islam, know what’s in your Book first. Be able to defend the Christian Faith first. Once you do that, burning any other religions book will be irrelevant.


Be that Voice,

Bishop Ian

How Original

How original; scientists claiming that creation is the product of random acts of gravitational forces, and well… compressed gas. According to Stephen Hawking, the laws of physics, not the will of God, provide the real explanation as to how life on Earth came into being. The Big Bang, he argues, was the inevitable consequence of these laws, “because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.”

Unfortunately, while Hawking's argument is being hailed as controversial and ground-breaking, this is old news folks. For years other scientists have made similar claims, maintaining that the awesome, sophisticated creativity of the world around us can be explained by simple physical laws such as gravity. But then Stephen Hawking said it so it must be true. But then where did gravity come from?

For me, as a Christian the laws of physics and science only reinforce my faith in an intelligent, divine creator. The more I understand science, the more I believe in God because of my wonder at the depth and sophistication of creation. The very reason science flourished so vigorously in the 16th and 17th centuries was precisely because of the belief that the laws of nature, which were then being discovered and defined, reflect and point to the influence of a divine law-giver. Here, in the 21st century, almost every scientist in the world will be the first to tell you that they don’t need God to explain the universe. That’s a problem because it’s two different sides of the same coin.

The basic difference between science and religion is this. Science is about explanation. Religion is about interpretation. Science takes things apart to see how they work. Religion puts things together for us to see what they mean. They are different pursuits for the same purpose.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things,and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4.11

God consistently throughout Scripture wants to be known and acknowledged as the Creator of all things. Isaac Newton said that, "He is want to be called Lord God, Universal Ruler."

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2

I am always skeptical when a guy like Hawking shows up with a controversial opinion about the existence of God or the lack thereof. It’s the old Science vs. Religion debate that has gone on for centuries and is always a media crowd pleaser. As a guy with a background in media, I know it is a fundamental law of PR that anything as controversial as the God-science debate is a sure fire source of publicity. That kind of PR is always welcome when one has a book to sell.

What would we do for entertainment without scientists telling us, with breathless excitement that, “God did not create the Universe,” as if they were the first to tell the world about it? Stephen Hawking is the latest, but certainly not the first.

For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. Isaiah 45:18

Be in awe,

Bishop Ian

Why Use A Liturgy?

It’s an interesting question and one I was asked recently by an individual who thought that liturgical worship was unbiblical.

He was surprised to discover that we liturgical Christians take our cues from the Bible. It comes from the worship mandated by God in the Old Testament in what is called the Deuteronomic Liturgy. It describes how God wanted the temple set up and how we are to worship Him.

One of my grievances with contemporary worship is that the focus easily falls on the self/individual instead of on God. Not only is the corporate character of worship lost, but the goal and purpose of worship is lost. Many contemporary praise and worship songs focus more on one’s feelings, hopes, desires, etc. than on God. It’s been my observation that what is called contemporary worship is most conducive for the people rather than what is most glorifying to God.

The contemporary service literally rises or falls on the individual and his or her sermon. It becomes a 45 minute lecture complete with graphs, charts and handouts. But this is not the model of worship Scripture gives us. What I see happening is that the contemporary pastor has forgotten that worship is not the same as teaching. We need to return to authentic forms of worship, we need to re-learn how to worship again.

Liturgy is the form and content of the worship of the early, ancient church. It includes the Psalms, creeds, hymns, and verses used by the earliest Christians. It exists and has connected us as God’s people throughout time.

In the liturgy we recite the Kyrie, “Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy,” which has its origins in the Hebrew Hosannah. It was later used by the ancient Greek Christians and was standardized by the fourth century. The Gloria in Excelsis was derived from the angelic hymn used to announce the birth of Jesus. All of the major components of the liturgy, including the Eucharistic prayer, find their origins in Jewish, Biblical, or very early Christian worship.

Liturgy also invites participants to worship God holistically with body, mind, and spirit. It’s an invitation to worship more fully. Our intellects may be engaged by a sermon or teaching, but in contemporary worship our bodies usually are not. Participants should not be mere spectators. In a liturgical worship environment, one’s body and senses are fully engaged. Your body participates along with your mind and spirit through the physical acts of kneeling, rising, and coming forward to the altar. The senses are engaged through visual means in art, candles, symbol, and through the hearing and singing of music, as well as through taste and touch in Communion. All of these invite us to lift up our hearts, minds, and bodies to God in praise, adoration, and worship.

A part of worshipping God holistically with our bodies is something we all hear at the liturgy to “offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the Lord” (Romans 12:1).

Our faith is an incarnation faith. (Incarnation is the embodiment of the spiritual in a material form.) Christianity is focused on a person: Jesus Christ who is God Incarnate. It’s God’s way of speaking through people and the prophets, God communicating to us through the scriptures, and through Jesus Christ himself, the ultimate incarnation. Liturgy allows us to take this incarnation experience and utilize it fully. We are called to be open to God’s touch and message and can expect to see it in the beauty of creation, and in the rhythm of worship; in water, bread, wine, or in the radiance of a candle flame - a God who graciously comes to us in these ordinary, earthly ways - just as God came to us in God the Son.

Be Liturgical,

Bishop Ian

Sacred Ground

Over the last few weeks the rights of Muslims has dominated discussions regarding the building of a mosque at Ground Zero in New York City. The whole issue rests not so much with the building of a mosque but it has become a human rights debate regarding the treatment of Muslims here in the US. We are somehow “racist” for opposing the building of this Muslim Cultural Center when it is clearly inappropriate. Those openly critical of Islam are sometimes dubiously slurred as racists, regardless of what their true views on race may be. In fact, Islam is not a race; Islam has nothing at all to do with genetics. It is an ideology – a set of beliefs about individual behavior and the rules of society. Neither are Muslims a race of people. In fact, there are Muslims of all races. So criticizing Islam is not racism. There is no such thing as "anti-Muslim racism" any more than it makes sense to pretend that there is "anti-Christian racism," "anti-Methodist racism," or "anti-Capitalist racism."

Ground Zero in New York is truly sacred ground. A mosque being built on the spot is not the symbol of healing for a nation. It picks the scab and is more a “Victory” monument for radical Islam despite what the Muslim and political leadership claim. Not one of the Imams engaged in this project have come out against the atrocities committed there on 9/11. In fact they blame the US and its policies towards Muslim nations as the reason this occurred. It’s our fault and we got what we deserved. But is that all there is to the story? While left wing human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International (which even went the politically correct route of appointing a Muslim Secretary General) have jumped in to the business of protecting the rights of Muslims in the West with both feet. Yet very little attention is paid to the rights of Jews or Christians living in Muslim countries. Try building a Christian church or Synagogue in Saudi Arabia, or Yemen, or Iran. While Muslims incessantly shout about their rights in Europe, America and Israel, it might be a good idea to take a look at how non-Muslims are treated in Muslim countries. As much as 90 percent of Dubai is run by foreign guest workers who slave away for the Emirs. As much as 40 percent of Saudi Arabia consists of foreign guest workers and is built on the foreign oil companies they seized, built by American and British oil workers, serviced by Asian and African laborers. Many have their passports seized and are housed in little more than slave labor camps. Keep an eye out on who funds the Ground Zero Mosque as many of the organizations clamoring for the rights of Muslims in the West are either Saudi fronts, such as CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations), or Saudi funded, such as Human Rights Watch.

Until the Muslim world gives the same rights to non-Muslims as to Muslims, the same rights to women as to men... Muslims have no right to make human rights demands of anyone else. When religious minorities can live in peace and security in the Muslim world, only then can Muslims issue demands to non-Muslim countries.If Muslims abroad were treated as they treat others at home, they would enjoy few rights, they would be murdered at random and their attackers let off with a fine, their children would be seized to be converted to another religion and their women would be jailed for not complying with local customs. Instead, Muslims enjoy legal equality in their host countries, even as they spread the poison of an Islamist ideology that calls for the murder of non-Muslims - sometimes acting on it. Times Square and Fort Hood are good examples.Despite all the talk about hate crimes against mosques, Muslims abroad have committed far more violent attacks on other people's houses of worship, than have been committed against theirs. Muslim rapes far outweigh any rapes of Muslims. Muslim terrorist attacks on non-Muslims far outweigh any terrorist attacks carried out against Muslims.

Yet the politicians and the media go out of their way to appease the Muslim leadership with the endless barrage of "Religion of Peace" propaganda. Yet, we have the squealing by Saudi front groups crying about the fate of Muslims living high on the hog in America, while spinning their favorite anthem of, “Death to Everyone Who Isn't Us.” Perhaps before Muslims here in the US complain about their rights, they should first begin honoring the rights of non-Muslims here and in their home countries. The Qur’an places an enormous distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims that is hard to miss. Believers are loved by God, whereas infidels are hated to the extent that they are tortured for eternity (3:32, 4:56) merely for not believing. Muslims are told to shun unbelievers (3:118), who are called “helpers of evil” (25:55), “wicked” (4:160), “fond of lies” (5:42) and compared to the worst of animals (8:55, 7:176, 7:179). Members of Islam are told to be merciful to each other, but ruthless to those outside of the faith (48:29). Violence is also sanctioned against those who defy Islamic rule (8:12-13, 9:5).

So, if Muslims were a race, Islam would not only be a racist ideology, but arguably the most hateful and destructive in history. It is bad enough that hundreds of millions of people have been killed in the last fourteen centuries by divinely sanctioned Jihad and slavery, yet here they stand espousing religious supremacy and racial superiority ready once again to build a mosque on top of the blood and ruble of a place considered “Sacred Ground” by the families and friends of the victims of 9/11. A place their “Religion of Peace” helped to destroy.

Building a “Muslim Cultural Center” at ground zero is the wrong place. It always will be.

Be Informed,

Bishop Ian

Being Good Enough

When a good person dies, you will always hear someone remark, “Well if anyone’s in heaven, its Grandpa Joe, He was such a good man. He was so good you know; he’d give you the shirt off his back.” Or how about, “She’s in heaven now; she was such a good and kind person.”

Well, OK, who wouldn’t want to have a funeral like that? Imagine an alternative one with everyone standing hand-in-hand at Aunt Bessie’s graveside service with the rousing chorus of, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, offered as the recessional hymn.

There are many people who were good in life and have left a wonderful legacy to their family and friends with great memories for those left behind. Still, is being good, good enough? Now that’s a good question. When you consider the length of eternity it’s pretty important to understand how to get into heaven. And if goodness does it, exactly how much of it do you need for the Golden Ticket?

If you die young and haven’t had much chance to chalk up a lot of “good” what happens then? Since we have all done some bad stuff in life, does it cancel out whatever we have done that’s good? Then, are we looking at scales to see which has the greater weight? What happens if we do good but with bad motive? Are we ever good enough?

The truth is that no one is good enough on their own to get into heaven. Heaven is the home of Almighty God who is holy and pure and perfect. How can any of us rightfully stand in his presence?

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6).

Uh Oh! There it is in black and white. According to Isaiah, being good isn’t good enough. Now what? Being stuck for eternity in the depths of the hoary underworld with Satan and all his minions? Is there any other way?

According to the Bible, God bypassed our good because it wasn’t good enough and made a better and easier way to spend eternity with him. How about if someone who really is good stands in for us? How about if we get in on somebody else’s Golden Ticket? That’s exactly what happened.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

God the Father sent Jesus, God the Son, to take the punishment for our sins so we could get into heaven on His goodness.

Look at it this way; imagine standing before the throne of God and being asked to justify your life. “How do you plead; guilty or innocent”? Tough one, eh? If you plead innocent you are a liar because we are all guilty by our very sin nature. But then if you plead guilty you are condemning yourself to eternity in H.E. double hockeysticks. Here’s the deal, as a Christian you always Plead the blood! It is the blood of Jesus, God the Son that secures heaven for any of us.

Well gee Bishop Ian; if being good doesn’t secure heaven does it have any value? Absolutely; doing good is our legacy if we have accepted the righteousness of Christ and become his disciples. Look again at the verse above, and then check out the one below.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Certainly we are supposed to do good every chance we get and we will receive rewards in heaven (though not heaven itself) based on our good works while we lived. Being good extends the kingdom of God here upon the earth and as His disciples we are all called to that service.

No one wants to think of a good man or woman being anywhere after death other than heaven. I understand that. But the real question is: when he or she is before God to give an account of their life; whose goodness are they standing on? What about you?

Be Standing with Christ,

Bishop Ian

Santa Claus is Suing the Pope

Have you seen this? No kidding, a guy named Thomas O’Connor, a 63-year-old Lake Tahoe man, who legally changed his name to Santa Claus (no middle initial) in 2005, is suing the Pope. The article reveals that he was recently elevated to the title of missionary bishop in the Apostles' Anglican Church, an ecumenical Christian denomination based in Ohio and Michigan. On behalf of the many children sexually abused by priests, his mission is to, “explore and utilize a variety of legal means,” the statement read in part, "to hold the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope and the Vatican, accountable for the suffering of many thousands of vulnerable children at the hands of clergy, straight and gay, young and old, celibate or not."

I know, it sounds like an episode of “Boston Legal.” The jolly old elf shows up at Denny Crane's office with a naughty and nice list with the Pope at the top, and a big bag of coal for all the Roman Catholics in the world. Fuming mad, Denny Crane takes the case and strikes a blow against the church and saves the suffering children.

Don’t get me wrong, like many of you I am appalled at what happened to these children at the hands of those clergy and it was an abomination. Every child deserves to be nurtured, protected and loved. We are called to condemn these actions and every Christian including Roman Catholics have. But here’s the problem. The article says ‘his mission’ is "to hold the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope and the Vatican, accountable..."

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

The Bible tells us that God wants us to be wise when we deal with people in the name of Christ. Folks, Santa suing the Pope is perhaps the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Instead of calling for prayer for the victims of these crimes he calls for litigation.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Colossians 4:2-4 )

What did the Apostle Paul do to make sure that he would be wise to those outside the family of God? He devoted himself to prayer, and he asked others to devote themselves in prayer for him. In other words, Paul understood that it was absolutely vital to first go to God about the people before he went to the people about God.

A wise person once said, "Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess." This is a man who is trying to be someone he isn’t and doing it in the name of Christ, as an Anglican bishop. It’s dumb… It’s moronic… It brings no glory to God and makes all of us “Anglicans” appear foolish.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses it saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." (Matthew 5:13)

On the next episode of Boston Legal, The Easter Bunny sues the major candy companies for making children fat.

Be wise, be salty…

Bishop Ian

Perfect Conditions

"Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap."
(Ecclesiastes 11:4)

This verse is basically saying that if we wait for the perfect conditions to do something we will most likely never get anything done because those perfect conditions never arrive. So what do we do? Take a leap of faith, just a little one, trusting that God will guide and provide.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

I just got back from a week in Manchester, Vermont. Two granddaughters were being baptized and many family members were there for the occasion. Many of the family work on Wall Street and were lamenting the current financial situation and recession. It wasn’t that they had no reason to complain as we are indeed in a bad fiscal situation, not just in America but all over the world. Some spoke of current conditions and what needed to take place to allow for growth while others stated it was time to buy gold, guns, and prefab bomb shelters. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no perfect condition available in anyone’s opinion to remedy the current financial issues of the day.

Everyone is looking for the perfect condition to make decisions or to make a forecast for the future. It’s Human Nature; the problem is that we are expressing faith in those conditions rather than in God. Now understand, I am not saying that we blindly barge forward and completely disregard all logical thinking. God has graciously given us a mind that he expects us to use in a sensible way. However, I think you will agree that very often we can allow our sensibility to create all kinds of excuses for not taking the step of faith that honors God.

Writers of the Old and New Testament remind us often that we need to honor God first, and then move forward. “Well you are a Bishop; you’re supposed to have that kind of faith.” Yes the clergy are supposed to set the example but we alone are not the torch bearers of faith for everyone else. To find faith we must trust, to trust we must know God, to know God we must give up self and serve Him who gave us life.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10 )

Will your faith be tested? Of course it will, but take the step anyway. Will you meet with opposition that will challenge your commitment? Of course you will, but take the step anyway. Will you meet with negativity that will question your sanity? Of course you will, but take the step anyway. We honor God when you show trust in God. The families of our two granddaughters’ had faith enough to know they needed to be baptized. That was a small leap of faith.

We had a great time Vermont; we had good weather, good food, and good fellowship. It is always a joy for Robin and me to wander such places as these. Realize that God gave us these beautiful places to play in. If we are faithful in this life, think of the beauty and love He will give us in the next. Fulfill the purpose you have been created for and bring glory to God....you will not be disappointed!

Be of good faith…

Bishop Ian

Space - the Forgotten Frontier

I don’t often go off on tangents in my Blog. But there are exceptions. Here’s one of them.

NASA's new mission: Building ties to Muslim world.

This was the headline I read on AOL as I ate my breakfast. It was one of those double take moments. I thought, ‘maybe it’s an acute case of dyslexia or my computer juxtaposed a story’.

Nope, as I read on I was horrified (and I don’t use that term lightly) to discover that the new NASA administrator, Charles Bolden, had been given three tasks by President Obama. He was quoted from an AL Jazeera interview no less. “He (Obama) wanted me to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math; he wanted me to expand our international relationships; and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering." You can’t make this stuff up. NASA’s foremost mission is to make Muslims feel good? I mean the President does realize that the “S” in NASA stands for “Space,” right???

I grew up with astronauts as my heroes. I love astronomy, and I’ve read every book I could find about the space program, and by the astronauts who flew the missions. I’ve seen “From the Earth to the Moon” six times. And now, I wake up to read that the new mission of NASA is to make the Muslim world feel good about their contributions to science, math and engineering? What are we talking about here, two or three guys, who like the Germans of WWlI, escaped fascism and were given an opportunity to build a space program in the confines of freedom and liberty here in the US?

They can’t seriously be trying to give the warm fuzzies to the guys in Iran - those same guys who are trying to come up with a guided missile delivery vehicle to blow up Israel are they? Maybe NASA can have a class on how to build a better IED. "Hi kids. Wanna see science? Today we are going to make an explosive device from common household items." It’s…well, lunacy.

The writer from the Washington Examiner goes on to say, “Obama's proposal stunned U.S. space heroes Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan -- the first and last men to walk on the moon -- who, along with Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, made a rare public statement denouncing the plan as a "devastating" scheme that "destines our nation to become one of second - or even third-rate stature."

Look, even John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, who later became a Democratic senator and an Obama supporter, chimed in on the president's plan to rely on the Russians to ferry American astronauts to the international space station. "We're putting ourselves in line for a single-point failure ending the whole manned space program."

I was 6 years old when Glenn orbited the earth. I remember following every mission, from Mercury to Apollo. I was 13 when Armstrong walked on the moon, and I was 16 when Gene Cernan closed the hatch on the Lunar Module and flew home. I stood on the bridge of the USCGC Hammer anchored near Titusville, FL and watched as the last Apollo mission left Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the Apollo-Soyuz mission with Deke Slayton, one of the Original 7 Mercury Astronauts, and he was flying his first mission into space. Every launch and every mission I ever watched always left me with one word, WOW! It was a huge source of national pride, not just for me but for most of the nation.

In 1997, I retired from active ministry in the Episcopal Church and went to work at a national TV network in Washington DC as one of the Post Production Supervisors. I bought a small townhouse in Baltimore and commuted to Washington’s Union Station everyday. It was a late night and I was waiting to take the last MARC train - the 10:15 back to Baltimore. There were three of us in the terminal area, when two spry elderly people came and sat next to me. He looked at me smiled and said; “How are you tonight young man.” It was John Glenn, and his wife Annie. It was another one word moment - I was sitting next to Mercury Astronaut John Glenn!!!. WOW…

He was taking the train to NYC to do one of the national morning TV shows before heading back to Florida. He was training for his trip back to space and he had just spent the evening with President Clinton.

I worried about being intrusive especially with a living legend so I congratulated him on his upcoming flight and I thanked him for his service and I told him how I remembered his first flight even as a young child of 6 years old. I rambled on about how he and the others had inspired me to get a telescope and study astronomy and learn about rockets and space. He smiled, stood up and shook my hand and said, “Young man, I am glad to hear you say that. I get asked all the time why I am doing this, and that is the reason - that’s it right there, what you just said, the reason I’m going back up, to inspire young people to start looking up again.”

Now c’mon folks, NASA for the last 50 years has been about Space. When NASA put John Glenn into orbit and landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, the whole world went, WOW. They have done things in their fifty year history that made people; ordinary people like me from all over the world look up again and say WOW.

We have a president whose vision of America’s greatness lies in our humility, rather than the greatness we have achieved as a nation. Nothing embodied that greatness like the accomplishments of NASA. Making Muslims feel better??? Yes, I thought, WOW, when I read the article. It wasn’t the good kind of WOW factor. This is politics, the worst kind; NASA deserves better. America deserves better. All of mankind, who NASA has inspired for fifty years, deserve better.

Be Inspired,

Bishop Ian (boldly going where I haven't gone before)