Posts Tagged ‘Study’

Newer Entries »

Learn By Copying First, Then Creating

December 26, 2013

I’ve had several days with the grandkids over the past five weeks. They are old enough, especially the oldest who is six, to start playing with a little more sophisticated toys.

Have you noticed how some of the “creative” toy companies have come out with more structured toys? Specifically Legos. You used to get a box with maybe a couple of examples on the lid and then you just let the kid start creating. Now, there are specific toys. I’ve been helping Wyatt build Nijagas (or something like that–I’m afraid that I’ve lost touch with kid culture).

Originally I’d have had a negative attitude about such structure. But I’ve discovered that he’s learning some tremendous lessons that are appropriate to his age.

He is learning to follow instructions on how to build something. In so doing, he’s learning about the different types of blocks and what they do. As he masters these, then, if he is so inclined, he’ll move on to creating his own masterpieces.

Every artist I’ve ever studied has begun by mastering all the techniques that came before. The great ones then extend the practice by adding their own insights and techniques.

Leaders study other leaders. Practice what they learned. Study some more, and become eventually great leaders.

Even spiritually. I think a lot about the very short scene we have about Jesus’ life where he was 12 (which was “older” than today’s 12 in developed nations) and studying with the greatest teachers at the time in his culture. Even Jesus didn’t just drop in a spiritual master. He was human, too, and had to learn. He was just predisposed to focus on the right questions.

That is the value of learning and practicing the traditional spiritual practices. You practice, and practice, and practicce.

Almost no one is born a master craftsman or spiritual guru. But we can all become a master at something. Just by spending 15 minutes first thing in the morning developing the practice of study and meditation will, over a lifetime, bring you to spiritual maturity.

Start by learning the basics and copying someone or something good. Then add to the practice and become a master–even a spiritual master.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Attitude, Disciplines, Learning, Study | Leave a Comment »

We Are Not Entitled

November 20, 2013

My wife came home from a volunteer service talking about a conversation she had with a woman from the area. Someone who knows my family, I guess.

The woman was complaining about everything. Just from one thing to another. She talked about how her daughter had limited career choices because of policies coming from Washington. “There is no financial reason to become a doctor because of Obamacare.” How not everyone who wants to cannot attend college. “We’ll be just like Europe where they have to take a test to get into college.”

And there was more. So my wife came home with questions.

People have been complaining about lack of financial incentives to become a medical doctor for at least 20 years. First it was liability insurance, then payments from insurance companies. Frankly, if anyone tells you they know everything about Obamacare, they are lying. I don’t think a single person is in existence that can understand complex legislation that makes it through our Congress. Especially a Congress person. Especially someone who gets their information from a neighbor or TV news.

I put all her comments together and thought two things. One, she would be one of those people who says, “I’m entitled to my opinion.” Second, she is among the many in America who believe they are entitled to happiness and anything their heart desires. Heck, there are even people who think they are entitled to opinions on Scripture without ever having studied it. Do you know people who cite Bible verses that aren’t even in the Bible? Happens all the time.

Sorry to break this news, but we’re not entitled to our opinions—unless they are based on facts and deliberate reasoning. And faith. In fact, we’re not entitled to anything.

Paul, writing in Romans, begins by telling us that we are all sinners and not entitled to anything except going straight to Hell. Then he reasons from the facts of his Scriptures and Jesus’ life and teachings. And he concludes there is no hope except for God’s grace.

With God’s grace, we have the freedom to live a good life. We have the freedom to become a disciple of Jesus, living in service to others leading them to discipleship in their turn.

Take TV news. Last night at my birthday dinner at Subway after our Yoga class, my wife points to the TV displaying a suicide and attack on his father and asks, do we really need to know that?

Exactly. We fill our minds with useless junk and then want to spout meaningless opinions on topics of which we have no knowledge.

We are not entitled. We are expected to partake of God’s grace, study His words, become disciples and guide others toward becoming disciples. I don’t think you’d like it if you got what you deserved.

Be careful with negative talk that will turn people off and ruin the opportunity to teach them about a life of freedom in Jesus.

Tags:,
Posted in Living | Leave a Comment »

God is the Same Forever

November 11, 2013

I have been reading Genesis and Exodus with a small group this year. It’s easy to see how misconceptions arose from partial readings of the text over the years. But when you read the entire text and digest it, there are many interesting things to absorb.

Abraham and his progeny were not the only followers of the One God throughout that time. Abraham met others occasionally—note Melchizedek for one. So did Moses. It was just that one tribe was singled out to be the torchbearers for God. Let’s just say there were mixed results.

God was far more merciful than some teachings would suggest. God was also then, as now, intolerant of sin and worshiping of objects as gods.

God’s message to the people through his prophets changed somewhat as the social and cultural circumstances changed. When Moses was trying to forge a people out of the group of former slaves, God was concerned about keeping them pure—uncorrupted by those surrounding peoples who worshiped a number of other Gods. Therefore, he ordered them not to conquer a city and intermingle with the people. He rightly perceived that especially the women would bring their gods into the households of the Hebrews and corrupt the worship of God.

By the time of the prophets after David and throughout the time of the Babylonians and Persians, the world was becoming multi-cultural and the Hebrews had to learn to live in a more hostile world where they were not a dominant force in the land. By the time of Jesus and the early church, it was accepted that the world was multicultural and that Christians needed instruction on how to live in such a world while maintaining their moral practices.

I guess I’m thinking about this because I was brought up on a theology that the “Gods” of Old Testament and New Testament are different. That, of course, is an untenable position. God is God—never changing since before the universe was created and after the universe has passed away.

God does speak to people in the context of their environment. Our societies have become ever more complex. Population keeps growing. We travel and mingle with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds more today than ever before. God’s message to his prophets necessarily changes to give answers to different questions.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Study | Leave a Comment »

Study Bible Commentators With Discernment

October 25, 2013

The professors, especially in the humanities but also in science and math, told us what someone wrote about someone else. So there were always about two layers of separation between the student and the text.

One of my more embarrassing (for an introverted geek anyway) episodes was when a philosophy professor was quite off track discussing the Theory of Relativity. You see, I had been studying Einstein’s thought experiments that led to the breakthrough and then the math that he worked out as a proof. So, it was on my mind. I raised my hand and began to explain what he was attempting to talk about.

“Would you like to teach this class, Mr. Mintchell?” Professor Dr. H asked. I should have said yes some of my classmates said later. But he shut me up. But at 19 years old, I already was unhappy with living in that separation from the text.

Hal Lindsey was a popular theologian in the early 70s with his gift for story telling while attempting to interpret the Bible. I read The Late, Great Planet Earth and thought it was interesting, if a bit flawed in its understanding of politics. Then I read his next book which was a commentary on Hebrews. I kept thinking there was something wrong. So, I got out my 8-translation New Testament and read the book again testing his translation with those of many scholars. I have no idea where he came up with his translation which neatly fit his theology, but it didn’t match any I had.

I really like reading new commentary on the Bible. But I always keep mine close by to double check translations and context. Just like when Malcolm Gladwell began a passage with “some scholars think”, you need to be careful and not believe everything you read–even this.

And go back to the source text often.

Tags:,
Posted in Christianity, Study | Leave a Comment »

Explain Things to a Six-Year-Old

October 15, 2013

I am at another conference. All these conferences feature a keynote speaker–an author, an astronaut, a professional speaker, a motivational person. The person speaking right now is a “futurist.” While researching a book, he ran across a quote from Albert Einstein who said that if you cannot explain your theory in terms a six-year-old can understand, then you are a fraud.

Boy, do I ever run across this problem with people explaining theological concepts. People try to explain the Trinity. OK, just about impossible to make that understandable. People try to explain Jesus, the teachings of Paul, how we should live, and many other concepts. When they are through talking, no one understands anything new.

Karl Barth was a theologian who wrote thousands of pages. His work on the book of Romans was extensive. He wrote thousands of words explaining what Paul wrote in a few hundred.

But…when asked toward the end of his life to sum up his work, he said, (or sang) “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

That is the explanation that a six-year-old can understand.

Do you make things too complex?

I know people who take a simple project and, by the time they finish explaining the project it is so complex that no one can understand.

I have actually built a career trying to explain complex technical ideas into words that any educated person (my audience) can understand. Microsoft people have complemented me on my ability to explain embedded operating systems and programming to a general engineering audience.

The point is to challenge you to think about your beliefs and learning and then explain them in understandable terms. Perhaps the exercise of thinking through your beliefs will cause you to throw out prejudices and half-truths and come to reality–the simple truths.

Hint–study Jesus as an example, not Paul. Jesus could go directly into the heart of the matter. Paul–he was a highly educated man. He used 100 words when 5 would work better.

Tags:,
Posted in Thinking | Leave a Comment »

Avoid The Inoculation Theory of Learning

August 19, 2013

My 6-yr-old grandson was in town for his first overnight a couple of weeks ago. We told him we were going to church on Sunday. He asked why. ” Your grandpa is singing,” was one answer–which didn’t impress him. “To learn about Jesus,” was the next answer. He said, “I already know that.”

I see this attitude often. I have taught and mentored kids and adults to become soccer referees for over 20 years. Most take the entry level class and think they should immediately start working top level games, and, oh by the way, I really don’t need to return for additional training year after year.

Many years ago I ran across a quote. I don’t remember its entirety any longer. The concept remains. People think of education like being inoculated from a disease. You get a little injection of it, then you’re immune for life.

Continual learning

The thing is that life requires of us to keep learning. One reason is that we need to learn new things simply to survive. We learn about new dangers–why we should watch carefully at intersections for cars running stop signs, why we should buckle seat belts, why we should be careful of the influx of coyotes in the neighborhood.

We also need to learn in order to grow. Early in my life, I was a baby. I just reacted to stimuli. Then I went through all the stages of growth that developmental psychologists have described so well. At every stage you may think you are mature, but you aren’t. Years later you look back and think about how poorly you handled a situation that today you’d handle much differently.

That is why one of the most important Spiritual disciplines is study. Read from the Bible or other thoughtful writing every day. This weekend I was leading a discussion on the first part of Exodus. I’ve read it before. I saw the movie when I was a kid. There are insights I just picked up yesterday. You never stop learning.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Disciplines, Study | Leave a Comment »

Open Eyes to Dynamics of Life

September 25, 2010

Sorry not to post for a while. I had a thigh muscle pull bad enough to land me for an overnight stay in the hospital followed by a couple of weeks on a narcotic pain killer. While I realize there exists a minor literary tradition of writing on spiritual topics while on drugs, that’s not my style. On top of that, I had a magazine to get out (no rest when you publish monthly), a special project newspaper for a conference coming up next week, and then my long-time boss, mentor and friend passed away last Wednesday. It’s been a month that tries my balance, to say the least.

But a couple of weeks on your back give you time to contemplate. At the same time my wife was reading some of those hate emails that circulate the Internet. Me, I just delete unopened. She? She reads every one, to the bottom, then gets upset. I tell her that a good way to maintain emotional and intellectual balance is to pare out things from your life that unnecessarily cause distress. (There are life events, of course, that confront you that must be met, but that’s another matter.)

Back to my wife’s reading and the subject of my last post–like many people my age, I started meditating in the late 60s. I’ve explored paths, had experiences. I combine practice with reading. The thing that has consistently amazed me during my reading the ancient spiritual masters for 40 years is that they write very little about prayer or meditation techniques. They write about the person. Where do all the passions originate? How do you overcome them? How do you live your life? It’s not a method or a word to memorize. It’s all about how you live, where you focus.

So, I deal with many Christians who have memorized a few verses from the Bible. Some of them, though, when I observe how they live, how they interact with others, what their attitude toward others is, I wonder.

Allow me a metaphor. I am a soccer referee and instructor of referees. I’ve noticed two types of referees. One type is “book smart.” They are dissatisfied with anything less than 95% on any test we give. They know every law or rule and every interpretation–in their head. But, put them on the pitch (field) to actually do refereeing, they fail at any tough contest. Like life, soccer is a dynamic game. It has flows of activity. There are many nuances. Sometimes it’s a matter of perspective or flow of the game that determines what is a foul and what is called. A good referee at this higher level knows the written laws thoroughly. That is only the start. The key to success is to develop a feel for the game, relate to the players, move the game along within the boundaries.

Some Christian traditions have developed a formula: accept Christ + read Bible + attend church religiously = go to heaven. Oh, by the way, judge other people based upon what you’ve read and whether they agree with you. It’s the “know the law” type of religion. Sounds a little like the Pharisees to me.

There is another way, much more ancient than that, which says something like, recognize Jesus, develop a living relationship with God through Jesus, read the Bible to deepen your knowledge and follow the two commandments Jesus gave us–love God, love people. (Love as an action verb, not an emotion.) That’s my tradition. I wish I could do it as well as I can say it.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Living, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Spiritual Fitness and Endurance

August 29, 2010

I have refereed soccer for over 20 years. Along the way, I’ve been privileged to work some pretty high-level games. In order to be successful, I had to continually train my body and my mind. Part of training the body is to have the endurance to still be running at the end of the match along with the players and not be so tired that you begin to make poor decisions (mind).

People ask me about the spiritual life. Is it one burst of enlightenment? Or, is it believing in a set of words? Baptists (among others) emphasize the importance of decision. Some think that once you make the decision for Christ, then you’re pretty much done. Nothing else to do.

The answer to all of that is pretty much “no” or “there’s more.” Paul often uses the metaphor of athletic training when speaking of the spiritual life. Just as it is necessary to train your body and mind to be fit to be a soccer referee, you must train your body and mind to be fit for the spiritual life. How do you train? You train your mind by study–study the Bible; study scholars who study the Bible and help explain terms the original languages and the like; study writings from spiritual masters; and, most of all think abut what you’re reading. You train your body by working to avoid sins of the body–sexual, alcohol abuse, and the like. You also train through the discipline of prayer.

James makes a similar teaching at the beginning of his pastoral letter–you gain endurance by living through trials.

Once you decide for Jesus, the spiritual life begins in earnest. Begin training now.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Christianity, Living, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Temptation

July 20, 2008

Continuing in my study of Luke. After a brief history of John the Baptist and his message, Luke focuses on his main subject–Jesus. Jesus meets John at the river where he is baptized and has a spiritual experience. He then proceeds to the wilderness to contemplate his new insights and probably his upcoming ministry when he is tempted by the devil.

This is a well-known, and usually forgotten, aspect of spiritual life. Almost inevitably after a moving spiritual experience–whether at camp, during prayer, at an event such as an Emmaus walk–temptations are shown to you. Some are quite subtle and you may not recognize them. Others are more bold, but nonetheless powerful. In the time of Luke, the spiritual force that tempted people was given the name translated as the devil. We don’t use that term very much today, but the spiritual reality is quite real. Into your head pop visions of “entertaining” or “fun” things. They can be so powerful that you begin to fixate on them. These emotions (as we often call them today) can be sexual or other relationship-destroying urges. It may be alcohol or drugs to help maintain the high. It may be a fixation on things rather than people. It may be a fixation on self instead of others. Whatever, these are powerful agents and must be dealt with by prayer and by seeking the help of a spiritual guide. Notice that Jesus quotes Scripture to the devil. He learned what God wants through study. That in itself is a great guide to us. But, beware just memorizing Scripture. In the final temptation, the devil quotes Scripture to Jesus. But He sees the fallacy of interpretation in the quote and one-ups the quote with another that more truly reflects the will of God.

So, be alert to temptations that seem to pop from nowhere into your consciousness. Learn the Bible–and how to interpret what God really means. Stay focused on God–and you’ll continue in the life.

–Gary Mintchell

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Newer Entries »