Beta Level

The Essential – Who?
I have a book in my library entitled Without Marx or Jesus by Jean-Francois Revel. Revel was a French intellectual who – quite against the trend in Europe – actually believed and said that American values are both vibrant and truly democratic, while European values are tired and elitist. There is not a whole lot in the book about the “Without Jesus” part of the title, but the “without Marx” part is clearly underlined since Revel was a former Communist and became a libertarian who values American-style democracy even while being a secularist himself. I guess his secularism is the “without Jesus” part.

The contrast of Revel’s title with Jeremy Camp’s famous song Give me Jesus, and with Ann Graham Lotz’ international ministry that goes by the name of “Just Give Me Jesus” couldn’t be greater. So which is it? Can we have a worldview that either gently or forcibly shows Jesus the door? Or, is the attempt to do without him an exercise in futility? Apparently many in both the academic and “chattering classes” believe that Jesus is unnecessary, since they continue to try to create a worldview in which he is either absent or at best marginalized. And they despise those whose worldview considers him central.

But their success is limited says Paul Johnson, the best-selling author of several books including the one I like the best: Intellectuals (Harper & Row, 1988). There Johnson gives proof that those who since the days of Jean-Jacques Rousseau have presumed to “guide” Western minds with the values they deem to be necessary have been colossal failures themselves. Whether you’re talking about Shelly, Ibsen, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Marx, Sartre, or Lillian Hellman, these (and other) self-styled intellectuals have been completely unable to live up even to their own truncated values. Their personal lives turned out to be pathetic in contrast to their vaunted ideologies.

All this is a somewhat fancy way of saying that Jesus continues to be the figure who dominates history, and who without having written a book or traveled more than a few dozen miles from his hometown, in just two millennia has captured the hearts and minds of nearly a third of the world’s population. But why?

That is going to be the subject we explore here at St. Michael’s this fall. In church we talk and preach frequently about Jesus. But as a congregation do we really know him? Or is “our Jesus”, as some would say, a made-up pastiche of sentimental thoughts, borrowed ideas, inherited assumptions and biblical fragments?

Stay tuned, and by all means sign up for the Essential Jesus BETA-level course that we will be offering starting this September (just after Labor Day). This course, like our E-100 course of last fall, will include a sermon series, a daily devotional Bible reading guide (entitled The Essential Jesus by Whitney Kuniholm, who also authored last fall’s Essential Bible Guide we all studied), a Life Group Study Guide, and – on Thursdays twice a month at lunch and suppertime – a series of in-depth expositions of key Bible passages by a team of St. Michael’s teachers you won’t want to miss.

As preparation for the fall, while you are sipping sweet tea on the porch this summer, ask a friend – preferably a secular, non-believing friend – what they think of Jesus as a man. Why do they suppose he has captured the loyalty of billions through the ages and even today? Don’t preach, and don’t expect to get the usual responses. But I guarantee you that what you hear will whet your appetite for this course, and who knows even they might become curious and decide to join you.

~ The Rev. Dr. Peter Moore

BETA-Disciple: Catered Camaraderie

This semester Trish McGuinn and I have led a lunchtime small group for the BETA-Disciple course. Dan Robinson, Janice Waring, Charlotte Coleman, Jane Schachte, Holly Craighead, John Smith, Martha Ann Heyward and Anne Jennings made up this group. In this picture we had Duval Acker and Chuck Scherer who usually met with the supper crowd that also took BETA-disciple this winter and spring. Janice and John are not pictured. Trish and I “catered” with Jersey Mike’s sandwiches with a special treat of Mrs. Hamby’s sandwiches the last lecture day when Peter spoke on “Hope”. The camaraderie this created was amazing.

Trish, John Smith and I had been part of an original BETA E-100 group last spring. We were joined by Martha Ann Heyward, Anne Jennings and Holly Craighead for this BETA-Disciple course. Heidi asked us to lead this second annual—and slightly revised--- BETA-Disciple course. With a group of 10 we were able to have great discussions when we met without Peter and a little time for questions and discussions with him after his bi-monthly talks. Sharing the leadership role made it so much easier although our group never lacked for conversation!

Our group was mixed with ages, and included some who have been in Bible studies for years and some whose journey is not as far along. It was wonderful to share our spiritual and life experiences from so many perspectives.

Where will we go now? Some may move back to their regular groups, but some of us will continue to meet. However, we have all agreed that if Peter teaches we will be there.

~ Eunice Logan

Hitting the Trail: St. Michael’s men explore the quiet of the wilderness

Fifty-five Charleston men from half a dozen churches braved the elements in the Pisgah National Forest April 22-25 in an effort to test their endurance and strengthen their spiritual mettle. Yet another in a series started several years ago by a couple of enterprising young curates eager to find ways of getting to the heart of the men in their congregations, these spring and fall hikes have had an increasingly powerful effect on guys willing to rough it in the wilderness. This spring, I’ve been told, there may be as many as 500 men from Charleston alone trekking up and down the tree-covered hills of Western North Carolina, pondering anew what it is to “be still and know that I am God.”

Our hike was designed for men largely from churches west of the Ashley; but six of us from St. Michael’s and a smattering of other men from downtown churches proved that those suburban guys have nothing on us! Speaking personally, I was frankly afraid that my age might make me a liability; but thankfully I discovered my prior experience hiking on higher peaks in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine stood me in good stead even after a couple of decades of being a couch potato.

After a lot of preparation – including borrowing essential gear from friends and last minute trips to the Backpacker in Mt. Pleasant and Half Moon Outfitters in West Ashley – our group headed off on Thursday the 22nd. Fortunately Sted Dowd’s 6-passenger off-road SUV comfortably accommodated Allen Goehring, Warren Scoville, Burwell Boykin, David Reese and me plus our six backpacks weighing between 30-40 pounds each. At 6 AM in total darkness we sped away up I-26 towards the mountains.

We had packed breakfasts and lunches for three days, plus dried food for Thursday and Saturday nights. But on Friday night, after having survived our first night in the woods and some 15 miles of hiking, our small group of 12 met up with the other 43 hikers that included 7 or 8 “kings”. These men were part of a less stressful parallel adventure. But thanks to their planned presence at our campsite and the steaks, baked potatoes, grilled onions and rolls they served us we pounced on the meal like starving men at a royal feast.

That night we heard rumors of a menacing storm heading our way. State Troopers arrived to warn us to leave the park because of the possibilities of tornadoes and heavy lightning to come. After some prayerful consultation our fearless leaders decided that we should continue on the hike Saturday, but avoid mountain ridges and pitch our tents Saturday night in low-lying valleys. They were wise. By Saturday afternoon it had begun to rain. It was light at first, and then nastily harder as the afternoon wore into the early evening. Then with darkness still an hour or two off, we crawled into our tents, took a couple of sleeping pills, and drifted off to the land of nod. I managed 12 hours of sleep that night while heavenly pyrotechnics illuminated the dark sky and as the skies opened with a series of awesome downpours. Some poor souls shivered in wet tents with damp sleeping bags. Fortunately our crew were dry and rested when dawn finally arrived. On Sunday morning we completed our 30-mile hike with a 2-hour trek out to our waiting cars. Having changed into less smelly clothes, we headed south and east towards Cracker Barrel and an embarrassing riches of comfort food.

So, why all the hype about this semi-annual ritual that seems a flash back to Robert Bly’s mythopoetic men’s movement? The answer lies deep in the psyche of modern men whose lives are a rat race at the beck and call of their cell phones, and whose wildest adventure might be an obligatory errand to the drug store or perhaps a hunting trip cushioned with the comforts of home. One of our men spoke of wanting to listen for the Lord’s voice and to meditate on the grace he’s been given throughout his life. Another spoke of decompression and escape, and his yearning to learn to walk with God. Another told of being grateful for some really deep talks that might not have happened without the hike, and of realizing that “we are not alone” in our walk with Christ. “These hikes are times of healing,” he said. Whatever the needs, these four days were a unique respite from the busyness of our lives, and a chance to encounter God in the outback.

Of course, there is a lot of laughter that happens when our lives are stripped down to bare essentials. Sunday morning I was convinced that an unwanted intruder – perhaps a four-legged rodent of some sort – had invaded my well-covered backpack on the final night. Thanks to the thieving critter my boots had been exposed to torrents of rain and the little beast made off with one of my red wool socks. Others mocked me for my too easy reliance on conspiratorial theories, and asked what a squirrel might possibly do with one red wool sock? Of course the joke was on me when I returned home. There hiding in the very bottom of my pack was the errant sock! How cruel some people can be.

~ The Rev. Dr. Peter C. Moore

New Wine USA 2010, hosted by St. Andrew’s Church, will take place June 24-27 and will feature New Wine Scotland leader, Kenny Borthwick. Worship will be led by internationally acclaimed worship leader/songwriter Vicky Beeching. Vicky will also lead a special seminar for worship leaders. The theme of this year’s conference is Stepping Out. The conference is at St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant.

New Wine USA features teaching by world class speakers, passionate worship, and spirit-filled ministry. There are a series of keynote talks on Thursday evening, and two each on Friday and Saturday. Friday and Saturday also feature seminars, workshops, and outreach opportunities. Sunday includes St. Andrew’s worship service and a closing barbecue at The Citadel Beach House. In addition to Vicky Beeching, our seminar speakers include Andy Piercy who will also be presenting a worship seminar. Peter Moore will address the topic, “Engaging Post Modern Culture.” Dr. Mark Barry (Associate Dean of MUSC Dental School) will talk about integrating your faith into the workplace. Tom & Helen Wheeler (Focus on the Family/American Association of Family Ministries) will explore family dynamics. Other local leaders like Shay Gailliard, Daron Taylor, and Andy Morgan, and Rob Sturdy as well as several others, will also lead seminars.

There are separate areas and programs for preschoolers, children, and youth.. All ages follow the same pattern of worship, teaching, and ministry. Childcare is available for children under the age of three. For more information and to register, please visit NewWineUSA.org or call 843.284.4301 or pick up a brochure in the lobby.

Tool Time Update

Hello Everyone. Just a quick note on a few practical questions about Sunday School.

1. When do Tool Time and Children’s Sunday School end?

The last day of Sunday School for children will be on Sunday, June 6.

The last day of Tool Time (i.e. adult Sunday School) will be Sunday, June 20.

There are two reasons why these dates are different. First, past history has shown that family attendance drops after June 6 as families go on vacation. So, we felt that June 6 was our last day of full participation. This is why the children have been doing two commandments a week. We wanted them to be taught all ten by June 6.

Second, we didn’t want to end the Tool Time for adults early because many adults will continue to attend through the end of the sermon series. So, the clergy lectures on the Sunday scriptures will continue until June 20.

The nursery will be open during this time for children 0-3.

2. Will there be Tool Time and Children’s Sunday School over the summer?

In an effort to give everyone some “sabbath” time, there will not be Sunday School for children, youth, or adults over the summer. They will resume on Sunday, September 12 (the weekend after Labor Day).

Have a great summer!!!

Hamilton+

The Ten Great Freedoms

I want to tell you about the follow up to “Transformed by Love”. The last reading from the Discovery Booklet is Wednesday, March 31. So, starting Monday, April 5 (the Monday after Easter), we will begin a new integrated Bible Study and Sermon Series called “The Ten Great Freedoms”. This study will focus on the Ten Commandments. Here’s why:

As we have rebellious hearts that seek to make ourselves the “god” of our own lives, we tend to see any set of rules as an oppressive restriction. We rebel. We throw off what seem to us to be irrelevant guidelines and act as the masters of our own destiny. At first, we love this “freedom”, but as time goes by we begin to question it. We realize that this “freedom” to follow the unchecked desires of our hearts is actually produces a loss of freedom. We become enslaved to our passions and desires, and we leave a wake of broken lives behind us.

But there is good news. We have a loving God who gives us true freedom through rules. The Ten Commandments grant us this freedom in two main ways. First, our inability to follow these rules reminds us how much we need Christ’s Cross. Every time we violate one of God’s Commandments in thought, word, or deed, it reminds us that Christ has already paid the price for that sin, and we love Him more deeply. We can now live a life that is free from the fear of death and judgment. Second, God gives us these commandments to show us how to live selflessly, and this frees us from the tyranny of our selfish hearts.

So, what does this mean practically? We will focus on the Ten Commandments from Monday, April 5th until Sunday, June 20th . The first week will be an introduction to the Ten Commandments, and each of the following weeks will focus on one Commandment a week. Like the e100 and Transformed by Love, there will be three “layers” of integration:

1. Personal Bible Study: Peter Moore has done an excellent job compiling a list of six readings a week for each “Freedom”. A list of these readings is also published in this Messenger. Unlike the e100 or the Discovery booklet, there will not be commentary for each daily reading. Individuals are also invited to use the Life Group Bible study guide discussed below for personal reflection.

2. Life Group Study: If your Life Group wants to participate in “The 10 Great Freedoms” study, you can do so by purchasing Rob Suggs’ Bible study entitled The Ten Commandments. It is a Bible study booklet that focuses on one of your weekly readings, and I recommend that you use its questions as your group discussion questions. Each booklet costs $8.00, and you need to place your group’s order directly with the Saints Alive bookstore - saintsalive@stmichaelschurch.net. If your group wishes to follow this Bible study, I recommend that each member have a copy of the Rob Suggs’ booklet.

3. Church Wide Study: The “Ten Great Freedoms” will also be the focus of our preaching during Sunday worship. The Sunday sermon will be on the previous week’s topic. For example, from Monday, April 12 to Saturday, April 17, each individual and Life Group can read 6 readings on the First Commandment. On Sunday, April 18, the sermon will be on the First Commandment. It will be our “Freedom of the week”.

There will not be weekly teaching on the Ten Great Freedoms during the week or during the Sunday adult Tool Time hour. The children and youth, however, will be focusing on the “Freedom of the week” during their Tool Time (Sunday School) hour.

Pamphlets listing your daily readings will be available in the Welcome Centers and the Church Office during Holy Week.

~ The Rev. J. Hamilton Smith, Jr.

Lenten Action

Beta Discovery
Bible Readings Now Through Easter
Hundreds of St. Michaelites are currently in a daily Scripture Union Bible reading pattern called Discovery. If you would like to begin being immersed in the Word, pick up your copy for $5 in the Church Office.

“All Are Welcome Bible Study”

The “All Are Welcome Bible Study” was founded in 2007 in response to questions discussed at an Alpha Course. We meet every Thursday from 7:00-8:30 pm in Room 203 of the Belser Building.

Our mission is stated in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. We seek to provide an open forum for a deeper understanding of the Bible. Our outreach includes occasional potluck suppers featuring guest speakers who share their walk with Christ.

Please join us for scripture, fellowship, fun and faith.
No Homework.

Women’s Ministry Gathering
Friday, February 26th
10:00 am to 11:30 am
The Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul, 126 Coming Street, Charleston

Join us for coffee as women of the Charleston area gather for Christian fellowship, prayer and teaching. Learn about upcoming ministry events and opportunities for women, find out how churches in our area “do” women’s ministry, and just enjoy this morning of spiritual refreshment with your sisters in Christ.

The timing of this gathering intentionally coincides with the beginning of the Men’s Conference at Camp St. Christopher. The women’s coffee will address, through prayer and the teaching, some of the issues the men will be confronting over the weekend as well as how to prepare our hearts for their return. The teaching, led by Jeanne Lyles, a Bible teacher and writer who is a member of St. Michael’s Church, is entitled “Choose for Yourselves this Day Whom You Will Serve.” Regardless of whether your husband or sons are going to the men’s conference, we want you to join us!

There is no charge for this event; however, we ask that you reserve your spot. Contact Amy Smith at amywatsonsmith@gmail.com or call her at 843.906.1064 to let us know that you will be coming. Please pass this invitation on to your family and friends as all are welcome.

Blueprint for Victory
Realizing Your Hope and Passion in Jesus Christ the One and Only

A day-long retreat for women to come together to worship, pray and hear teachings geared to ignite each woman’s passion for Jesus, adding abundance to our Kingdom life!

Saturday, March 20th
10am-3:30pm
Carolina Yacht Club
50 East Bay Street, Charleston

Tickets are $28
Lunch and other refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased by calling St. Michael’s Church at (843) 723-0603. If you have questions, please contact Amy Smith at (843) 906-1064.

The speakers will be Jeannie Lyles, a member of St. Michael’s Church (Charleston) and a passionate teacher, speaker and author, and Mollie Sandman, a well known teacher and women’s leader from Bluffton.

Men’s Group Breaks “The Da Vinci Code”

Recently, our men’s group completed a 12-week study of The Books the Church Suppressed, Fiction and Truth in The Da Vinci Code, authored by Dr. Michael Green. This study was very informative and helpful to the members of our group, so we thought that we would share some of our findings.

Through the pages of his best seller, “The Da Vinci Code”, Dan Brown makes many claims about Christianity and the Church, most of which are inaccurate and false. But one claim in particular, if true, would be especially hurtful to the Christian faith, and that’s the one which was addressed in our study: the New Testament as we know it today, is unreliable because the early church suppressed many books that denied the deity of Christ, and instead offered a more feminist view of spirituality. In fact, Brown attempts to elevate the importance of a whole host of “Gnostic” gospels and writings, while at the same time undermining the authenticity and authority of the four apostolic Gospels. He claims that these suppressed writings more accurately reflect Jesus and his teaching, and that their exclusion from the accepted canon simply shows the corruption present in the church from its earliest formation until today. The problem with Brown’s claim is that it isn’t supported by the evidence.

The New Testament in its present form has been accepted since the earliest days of the church. The 27 documents that make it up have all been reliably dated as having been written in the first century, and most of them were written before 70A.D. —the date when the Temple was destroyed. This is almost universally accepted among today’s scholars, a truth that Brown conveniently dismisses. The most important test that the early church had to determine what books or letters would be accepted was authorship. Only the writings of the Apostles, and those who were close to the Apostles, could be considered, since these were men who had been eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, and their writings were guided by the Holy Spirit. These books and letters were widely spread throughout the different churches, and were accepted as authoritative very early on. The “Gnostic” gospels on which Brown bases his arguments, (i.e. Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Judas, etc.), were not written until much later, between the 2nd and 4th centuries, and obviously were not written by the persons to whom the canonical Gospels are attributed. The early church was resolute in rejecting not only these, but many others, since they were neither written by the Apostles, nor reflected the Apostolic view that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. It wasn’t a matter of suppressing opposing ideas, but rather demanding proof of apostolic authority. There is overwhelming evidence, from very early sources, that the canon of Scripture as we know it today, was in place early in the 2nd century, around 150A.D, and was merely formalized at the Council of Nicaea in 325A.D.

The word “Gnostic” comes from the Greek word “gnosis”, which means “knowledge” but might be more accurately translated “enlightenment” in English. Early Gnosticism, broadly defined, recognizes two deities. First is the “Demiurge”, a flawed and evil creator of a flawed and evil material world, who Gnostics often equated with the God of the Old Testament. Second is the “good God,” the Father of Jesus, who sent his Son to show humans the way of salvation from the corrupt, material world. Salvation, under Gnosticism, does not require forgiveness of sins. Instead, it consists primarily of acquiring secret knowledge, or gnosis, known only by a chosen few. It sees the human body as evil, since it was created by an evil god, and only the soul, or spirit, is good. This view leads to the belief that anything done in the body, even the worst sin, is meaningless, since it’s only the spirit that’s important. Gnosticism also claims that Jesus Christ did not have a physical body, but only “seemed” to be physical. This belief destroys not only the humanity of Jesus, but also sees no need for the Atonement. For only if Jesus was both truly human and truly God, does his suffering and death on the cross qualify as a suitable sacrifice for sin. So why do we care about what people in the 2nd or 4th centuries believed? Because, unfortunately, Gnosticism is alive and well in the world today.

There are many prominent people at work today promoting the Gnostic point of view. They teach at reputable universities and seminaries. They hold political office. They are award winning writers and actors. They even hold religious offices like Bishops and Priests. Dan Brown’s novel, regardless of the factual errors and inaccuracies, has given a boost to those who would like to see Christianity defeated, in favor of a new religion where God is not “out there”, but is within each of us and in everything around us. According to him, and others, there’s no reason to worship a transcendent God, but rather we should all look inside ourselves to find spirituality and salvation. Since our bodies are merely material, (and therefore evil), it doesn’t really matter what we do to them, so abusing them with alcohol or drugs, or being promiscuous sexually is no problem. And since these modern day Gnostics believe that God has both male and female attributes, and He dwells in us, then we all have both male and female in us. Therefore, we become genderless, and certainly that makes homosexuality as acceptable as heterosexuality. All these dangerous viewpoints have their origin in the foundational principle that Dan Brown adopts in The Da Vinci Code. If the Bible is unreliable, then we can make up our own religion based on whatever later writings better fit our beliefs. Fortunately, people like Dr. Michael Green have shown us that the reliability of the Bible is solid, and the evidence that it is God-breathed is overwhelming. Therefore, we can place out trust in the fact that salvation is realized through Jesus Christ alone, and his work on our behalf on the cross.

~ Paul Lankau

Why You Should Take Beta Disciple

Beta, Beta, Hot Potato
Beta, Beta, Cool Tomato
Beta, Beta, Life Sustaina
Beta, Beta, Wholeness Maka

Beta Disciple is spiritually, intellectually, and theologically stimulating with a great meal at a great price and no tip. Think wholeness. Bishop FitzSimmons Allison said, “We need winsome Christians.” The Rev. Dr. Peter Moore is winsome and his message is easy, appealing, and a step to wholeness. Praying together with my wife represents a change in my life and it came from Beta. My point is that Beta might be/could be a change point in your life, maybe just a small step toward wholeness. St. Irenaeus (200 AD) said, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” Our journey to wholemess, becoming fully alive, is where God wants us to be.

~ Dr. William Wilson
Participant in both Beta Disciple & E-100

Beta Life Groups

Life Groups meet at different times throughout the week. For more information or if you are looking to join a life group, please contact Heidi - 723-0603.

Men’s Life Groups
Mondays 12:30 pm - Men meet for prayer and study over lunch in Room 204 of the Belser Building

Wednesdays 7:15 am - Men meet for prayer and Bible Study in the Ann Hester Willis Room.

Women’s Life Group
Wednesdays 11:00 am (201) - Women meet for prayer and study.