Act Like a Man

A classic song by Isaac Watts entitled "Am I A Soldier of the Cross" has captured my attention while reading a biography of D.L. Moody. This song is rooted, according to Watts, in 1 Corinthians 16:13; "Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong." (HCSB). 

I'm captured by this song mostly because of its reflective strength within my spirit. The First and final verse (isn't that how hymns are supposed to be sung?) speaks to the duty of proclamation upon the follower of Christ.

v.1  Am I a soldier of the cross,

       A foll'wer of the Lamb?

       And shall I fear to own His cause,

       or blush to speak His name?

v.4 Sure I must fight if I would reign,

       Increase my courage, Lord:

       I'll bear the toil, endure the pain

       Supported by Thy Word. 

Was Isaac Watts writing this song to men? When I look at the Scripture text he claims to have used as background text, it does seem to fit that this is a song written to men. So if that is the case, men, 'act like a man' and be a soldier of the cross.

I mean no disrespect at this point (or at any point for that matter) but where are the men in the church in America? This song was a favorite of D.L. Moody and seems to have been a regular theme of this second great awakening in our land. Leave the song aside and look at the Scripture again and look at the landscape of our churches today. Paul was not telling women to 'act like a man.' Where are most of the men? Who's doing the teaching? Who's leading the music? Who's taking up the offering? Who's meeting the needs of the orphan and widow? Who's doing the preaching? Who's going on mission? Are we soldiers of the cross? I'm praying (like others I trust) for a fresh awakening in our land, I'm calling out the call to the men in our church to stand up and 'act like a man.' There is an equal need to call out the women to act like a woman; however, this is not a article about if a woman could or should, this is an article calling out the men. (at this point, I do wish to express my awareness that there are men doing these things with brave boldness, and I do not wish to diminish the courageous behavior of women, I'm simply raising the question.)

(SIDE NOTE: I enjoyed reading Isaac Watts' explanation of why he wrote songs, he was tired of the ones being sung in his day (this was met with opposition) so he wrote new ones that were fresh.)

Administrative Committee Meeting

The Administrative Committee of the Utah/Idaho SBC will be meeting Thursday and Friday (2/19-2/20) in Salt Lake City.

Please pray as they begin the journey of exploring resumes concerning open ministry positions within the UISBC.

Ski and Share is March 13-15 Contact the state office for more information. 801.572.5350

Herding Crowds or Authentic Follower of Christ?

Dear Utah/Idaho SBC,

Have you discovered yet how short and precious each day is? (I'm discovering this every day.) How much of your day gets chewed up on superficial things? I've been reading biographies of missionaries from the 1800's and early 1900's and find myself silenced by the preparation of a past era of the church and how she prepared herself to die well. She produced (like she still does today) followers of Christ ready to give themselves without hesitation to God.

Someone in the past must have spent time teaching followers how to die well. Will you join me in praying for a generation in the church prepared to die well? Pray for a generation that will be real with God and real with man. Pray for a generation of young men who will take hold of life and turn off their TVs and abandon the stuff that keeps them mediocre. Pray for young women who will be attracted by God's glory over the attention a guy gives her because of her clothing. Pray with me for both, that their emotions will no longer be dictated for them by this present age, but rather directed by God Himself who has promised He will never leave them or forsake them. Pray with me for authentic followers and fewer herding crowds.

O, for an awakening; an awakening in this land that will grip the attention of the world, An awakening that is heard from the silent prayer closet of a pastor praying and rightly dividing the Word of Truth. An awakening that shakes the sleeping out of their slumber.

When I look at this generation of young people I am both joyed and troubled. Joyed because this day calls for authentic followers of Christ, and they are among us. Troubled because more and more, in their attempt to be individuals, are looking more like the world than a follower of Christ. The real follower of Christ in this generation will have to stand by himself while his friends gently row their boats down an easy going river unaware of the present danger of the deadly waterfall just ahead. There is too much chatter and noise to hear the roar of the danger to know how near death is. Ironically there must be nothing more lonely and silent than dying without Christ. The masses may have things and stuff that are shiny, expensive, and loud but how lonely and tragic the day that will be when they die Christless. Pray for a generation of young people who will be still and know that God is God.

21 Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose. Phil 1:21 (MSG)

Are we disciplining our youth to hear God's voice or follow after the latest church fad? Have we taught them what it looks like to abandon the attractions of this world or have we simply taught them the skills of sounding spiritual? Will they inherret from us non-profit organizations we call 'churches' or are they watching us follow with abandon a supernatural God? Will our annuity accounts keep us secure for an unknown day or will we finally live like sojourners in a foreign land? Are we ready Utah/Idaho Southern Baptists? If not, let's ready ourselves now! In the getting ready don't we become the sweet smelling aroma of Christ to a tragically superficial world?

Unplugging my TV and going to the prayer closet; because I need God more than this world!

Paul <><