Welcome to May, the last month I'll spend in my homeland of Scotland for as far as I can see, God Willing. That's quite the call there, take a step back, read it over, appreciate the magnitude. And continue...
The above room has become home. I've lived with the lads for 2 years now, and it's been a real pleasure. Granted, our antics have calmed down considerably, but this is mostly due to our growing comfort with nakedness. It's not so fun when you burst in on someone in the shower with a group of people when their only reaction is, 'Hey Guys, how you doing?' Where's the fun in that? Flat 32 has been known for quality banter for 3 years now, and it shall continue next year, without me. This would make me sad, if I'd forgetten where I will be.
The past few days have been strange. Yesterday I blitzed a few issues in my dissertation and I'm over half way now. Which is crazy, I basically did a quarter of my dissertation in a day. I also got an email from my supervising professor asking me to attend a debate on the topic of women in ministry. I've grudgingly accepted. I hope to have my paper done by then, the 9th of May. Wow, that's like... 10 days away?! And I never ever want to read the nonsense 'egalitarians' write ever again. Roll on graduation.
My observation today is that it's ironic that much of the practical teaching on 'Biblical Manhood' from Driscoll appears almost impossible for a young man starting out in ministry. Here are the things I'm getting sick of hearing.
'You should be buying a home for the security of your family and good stewardship of your finances'... Excuse me? Even if I was on a salary where I could get a mortgage I'd still be very catious of gambling on the Vancouver housing market right now. For a start, it's not possible, even for a getting a mortgage on a condo you're looking at a 5-10% downpayment, and a minimum income of $60,000 (yes SIXTY THOUSDAND DOLLARS) to even be given a mortgage. This would be to buy a property that there is no guarentee on making a profit on.
'You should start a college fund for your kids now'... with what? I have no money and my wallet's not going to be bursting anytime soon by the looks of things. A college fund for my kids? I'm struggling to get the money together to even buy an engagement ring, to marry a wonderful Christian girl, to have babies with in MANY years. It's not like I wouldn't like to start a college fund.
'The car you drive, is it a beater that you're constantly having to fix yourself? That time could be better spent. Get a car that won't break down all the time'... I mean, where is this money supposed to come from?
I could go on and on with this kind of practical financial practises that Biblical Man are supposed to practise but it wouldn't get me anywhere. I just find it incredibly ironic how difficult it is for me to even dream of any of these expressions of Biblical Manhood currently. Don't get me wrong, some of his teaching on this stuff is great. Mostly because he uses a lot of Piper, Grudem and Moo's work on it. But the financial stuff?
Who knows, maybe it's just another manifestation at my frustration of being 20 years old with life spread out in front of me. Often I just think, 'how do Pastors do it?'. I mean, honestly, how do they do it? Surely I'm not supposed to be up to my neck in debt 'for the Lord', that's simply poor stewardship and would kill my ministry and relationships. Add into the equation ongoing education, downsizing to one income when kids come along, that added expense a child brings... I mean, is it just me... or do you wonder 'how on earth do they do it?!' too?
I'm not doubting God will bring everything together. I know He will. He's not going to stop now. I suppose my ponderings of the day have been,
1. How on earth are there so many Pastors? How do they support their often large families? Are all pastors supposed to have high earning jobs before going into the ministry? How do I, a young, poor, soon to be married man move to the other side of the world (expensive); begin full-time ministry (very expensive); get married and prepare for a family life (very very expensive)?
2. Should this practical teaching be incorporated into the general teaching of what is essentially a Spiritual matter? Surely the importance lies with what you do with what God has provided. God has not provided such wealth and comfort to the vast majority of men, why is this being taught as a practical outworking of Biblical Manhood?
To be honest, I've had to look at the teaching and think to myself, what impact is this having on me? I've anxiously looked at hundreds of properties all over Vancouver, when as painful as it is to admit, buying a place in Vancouver currrently, in a lot of cases, is equal to going to Vegas and putting my money in a slot machine; hardly good stewardship. I've looked at investment funds for putting my kids through college, when I can't pay for a ring, nevermind the appliances and furniture we'll need for a home to live in, for my future wife. This kind of thinking is absurd.
Really, I'll leave this teaching to the Christian suits that work in the city. It's good teaching, if it's being taught to men with sizable incomes that are able to afford such luxuries. I've resolved myself to being content with the fact that I'm trusting God for every cent, and I will contiue to do the same. I'm blessed to have someone beside me that's content scraping by for a few years as we get our feet on the ground, this is normal for any newly weds. There have been lots of questions floating around today. I'll finish with these ones...
Is Driscoll in a dream world when it comes to finances? Has he forgotten that there are young men striving to be Biblical too?
Actually, I'll finish with this...
"Do Not Be Anxious
25"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Jesus, Matthew 6:25-34.
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