Lots-o-Links 12.7.07

Al Mohler is writing about how more and more hotels are not putting Gideon's Bibles in their drawers (BP picked it up).  While I like the idea of knowing that it's there for those who need it, I think Mohler overstates his case...

...there will be no Bibles available in those hotel rooms when travelers need them, and that is a tragedy by any measure.

A "tragedy?"  9/11 was a tragedy.  Pearl Harbor was a tragedy (the awful event we remember today AND the movie).  Abortion is a tragedy.  The Bears are a tragedy.  Some hotels not carrying Bibles?  Not so much.  Sure it means culture is changing.  Sure it means that some travelers who may have picked it up won't have it readily available.  But where was that ever the main ministry to people staying in hotels anyway?  It was a bonus that a few people are now eliminating.  People are the front line of ministry, not books.

Ben Arment is encouraging us to strip.  He's also continuing to reveal a killer conference line-up for the Whiteboard Sessions.

Dever and Ferguson lectures on preaching.

CNN interview with Gabe Lyons...

Ariel Vanderhorst interviews church planter Hunter Beaumont (dude I met at Reform & Resurge Conference in Seattle).

Publishers Weekly reviews Tim Keller's The Reason for God.

Joe Thorn on Leadership Development, Suburban Evangelism, and his new laptop.

Comments

[Joel]

Steve,

The Baltimore Orioles . . .now there is a tragedy!

[bjnotbk]

Maybe the tragedy is that more and more hotel owners and people in general see God's word as irrelevant or Christianity akin to every other religion? I agree wholeheartedly with you Steve that people are the front line of evangelism.

I have traveled quite a bit and I always look for the Bible out of habit. Lately I have found the Book of Mormon in the drawer.

Do you think that having the Bible in the drawer gave/gives some believers a false sense of evangelism?

[Joe Thorn]

No one is asking me, but I'd say that I don't think bibles in drawers gives believers a false sense of evangelism as it relates to themselves. I just found the amped up language about this unfortunate turn in some of our hotels - almost funny.

Look, I wish there was a bible in every hotel room, but I think we'd get an even better % of people reading the bible is we put one in every bathroom (at least every men's bathroom). I guess you'd have to rubberize it or something, and that's kind of gross. But guys often sit and want to read. You chain a bible to the toilet paper dispenser and the thing would get more play than the ones in hotel rooms.

Anyway, it's a post-Christian culture. This creates some problems and results in some unfortunate changes (like the anti-hotel bible-movement), but I also believe that as our culture comes to grips with the reality that this is NOT a Christian nation it will afford us greater opportunities to highlight the true gospel and Jesus Christ in contrast to the years of religious presumption of those who adopt the title (Christian) without any thought, faith, or sacrifice.

[Steve McCoy]

Agree Joe.

BJ, I would say it's not a tragedy, but a reality. We need to stop writing "tragedy" articles about what we are losing in our post-Christian culture and focus on what we should be doing. And what we should be doing is NOT primarily to thank hotel management when they DO have Bibles in the rooms. Too many evangelicals and culture warriors (basically almost all SBC'rs) are expending (think "wasting") their energy trying to bail out the Christendom boat.

[spence]

I agree, overstated. But for a good bathroom Bible check this out www.theoutdoorbible.com

[Steve McCoy]

Awesome Spencer. I'll send one to Joe. :)

[Brad Williams]

Steve,

I am saddened by the fact that some hotels are refusing to allow Gideon Bibles into their rooms. I agree with you and with other commenters that this is simply indicative of where our culture is. It may also be true that some believers get a 'false sense of evangelism' by simply giving money to the Gideons. But truly, do we actually know how much good has been done through these Bibles?

On the cultural angle, I'm not certain that it is good to simply shrug and say, "Oh well, this is a post-Christian, post-evangelical culture. Bibles in hotel rooms aren't that big of a deal anyway." While I agree with Joe that some of the talk is overblown, it is also a grand opportunity for Gideons to engage with the hotel powers that be about Christ and the Scriptures.

As for the 'tragedy' language being overblown, it could be a bit. I would say it is a grief. It makes me sad. Not that I think that we should form picket lines or boycotts to force Bibles into hotel rooms, rather, I grieve at the hardness of heart that leads to such rejection of God's Word. That's the real tragedy here.

[Brad Williams]

BTW, that was a good interview. I demonstrate my ignorance here, but what exactly is that show? My favorite quote was when the guy said something to the effect of, "If Christians would just act normal and be friends" then they might be more effective in reaching people. Too true, too true.

[Jonathon]

I read the Mohler article and he did a good job of balancing what he was saying. He made mention numerous times to the cultural shift away from Christianity.

I also know a few Gideons and anytime the Word of God is shut out of a place it is a tragedy. According to the apostle Paul "faith comes from hearing and hearing by they Word of God." It is not me sharing the gospel that saves, it is God working through the gospel. Whether that be me sharing it or someone picking up the Word for themselves and reading it.

I want to balance my comments as well. I don't think we need to go boycott those hotels that don't distribute the Bibles, we just need to get out and engage people with the gospel ourselves. It is sad that an avenue that was once effetive is slowly dying off.