Farewell to a Man of Prayer
By John W. Kennedy | January 5, 2009
I attended he funeral of Larry Mather today, a day he and his family fully expected him to be home from hospitalization. But heart surgery doctors didn’t foresee complications before the New Year’s Eve operation. On New Year’s Day, as his family sang the Doxology around his bed, Larry went to his heavenly reward, four days after his 75th birthday.
I didn’t get to know Larry until late in his life, after he and Jo, his wife of 53 years, had moved to Springfield. Mo. By this time, Larry already had retired after pastoring the same Minneapolis-area Assemblies of God church for four decades. But rather than quit serving the Lord, Larry got involved in support ministry. He taught a Sunday school class on intercessory prayer and led an intercessory prayer group at an AG church plant that we attended.
Larry didn’t mind no longer being in the spotlight. He understood the importance of going to the throne of God in the dimly lit prayer room. What my wife, Patty, and I appreciated most about Larry was his humble manner of mentoring others about prayer. He understood that prayer is privileged communication with God. We don’t always get what we want and the person we’re interceding for may not change, but it’s important that we go to the Lord anyway. As Jo said in greeting us before the service, “God is good.”
Through Larry, the Lord taught us lessons in patience, humility and gratitude. And we remember Larry as a faithful encourager. He was a gracious, kind, sweet-spirited man of solid faith — and good-natured humor. A day before the surgery, Patty talked to Larry on the phone. He joked about how he decided to bring in the new year in a Springfield hospital rather than in a fancy Branson resort.
“Jo and I could have spent New Year’s at Chateau on the Lake, but we decided to stay at Chateau at St. John instead,” he said.
Larry, you will be missed.
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Board Games Never Go Out of Style
By John W. Kennedy | December 31, 2008
A strange phenomenon occurred as my family gathered on Christmas to open gifts. Package after package laid at my feet seemed to be the same size. By the time all the wrapping paper had been ripped asunder, half-a-dozen board games surrounded me.
My adult sons bought these gifts for me unsolicited. I suppose it’s only natural. In their younger years I gave them plenty of board games, which provided hours of relatively inexpensive enjoyment. They are a great source of learning, fun and family togetherness. When the brood gathers for holidays, playing board games is certain to be on the agenda.
The fact that I received so many board games is a testament to their staying power. Manufacturers continue to come up with new ways to make games entertaining, relevant and intelligent. The togetherness factor is a key reason games continue to be popular in an age when much other written material struggles to survive. Although people play all sorts of competitive word scrambles, puzzles and trivia games via computer, it’s difficult to match the tangible community relationship level of being hunkered over a board in the living room.
For the record, the new cache of mine is: Million Dollar Password, Identity Crisis, Buzzwords, Origin of Expressions, Trivial Pursuit 25th anniversary edition and Pass the Popcorn. We’ll be gathering again this weekend for more friendly rivalry.
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Touring the JFK Museum
By John W. Kennedy | December 17, 2008
On a recent trip to New England I visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston. Alas, I received no admission discount because of my name, but I did receive some insights that negative campaigns are nothing new.
The interactive museum has wide-screen televisions in different venues showing Kennedy’s nomination acceptance speech, the first debate with opponent Richard M. Nixon and his inauguration speech. Other screens feature Kennedy’s press conferences, plus segments of Kennedy and Nixon trading insults on the campaign trail. Kennedy accused Nixon of speaking and voting on every side of every issue, labeled him a circus elephant and said he was unfit to follow in the footsteps of Dwight Eisenhower. Nixon accused Kennedy of being rash, reckless, uninformed and a liar. Tourists can even watch Walter Cronkite and Huntley & Brinkley delivering election returns from 1960.
Americans had different fears and priorities nearly half a century ago. Instead of a teetering economy and terrorism, Americans worried about beating the Russians in space and the spread of communism on Earth.
I also marveled at the number of Kennedy speeches peppered with scriptural references. He quoted the Bible three times in his nomination acceptance speech, concluding with, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” In his inaugural address, JFK promised the United States would be “faithful friends to spiritual allies” and he ended beseeching the Almighty for “His blessing and His hope.”
Politicians today usually shy away from biblical quotes for fear of offending non-Christians.
Of course we now know that public words of faith didn’t necessarily match JFK’s private conduct. A candidate now can’t utter anything without it being immediately dissected all over the Internet.
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Learning from a Younger Generation
By John W. Kennedy | December 10, 2008
I go to a church where about 80 percent of the attendees are in their 20s. The rap on young adults from people my age often is that they aren’t serious about their faith. I’ve found the opposite to be true.
The 15 or so who gather for a weekly home Bible study really challenge me with their comments. They aren’t just showing up and going through the motions, as I’ve seen many people my age do.
These born-again Christians in their 20s really want to integrate their faith into daily life. It’s refreshing to see them grapple with their faith. If Busters (born between 1965 and 1983) and Mosaics (born between 1984 and 2002) are struggling with something, they let others know it, not as a matter of griping but as a genuine prayer request to be resolved.
At one recent meeting, discussion focused on the angst many feel in purchasing clothing: they want to make sure their apparel hasn’t been manufactured in a sweatshop in a Third World country. Then one young man expressed concern about an oppressive island nation government. A young woman had qualms about toxic and unsafe oil tankers being permitted to operate. None of the issues had ever been on my radar screen, but to these young people they are priority matters.
They don’t want simplistic, pat answers that don’t resolve a real-life problem. There’s no attempt to present a facade.
People my age need to understand this younger generation. A good place to start is David Kinnaman’s book Unchristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity … And Why It Matters.
Kinnaman, president of The Barna Group, points out what young people don’t want from people my age: pontificating, stereotyping their generation, smugness that we know all of life’s answers, hypocrisy and condemnation, to name a few.
Yet, people in their 20s welcome and respect my opinions if I don’t sermonize. All they want is for me to listen to their viewpoints and give them a hearing that is fair.
“Young people are quick to see the holes in what older people say and do,” Kinnaman told me in an interview. 
“A young person who is condemned for outward forms of appearance like tattoos or wearing hair differently sees it as hypocritical for older people to dress up or wear makeup to be accepted by their peers.”
Largely because of generational differences, young people don’t see the world the way I see it. But it’s OK that our worldviews are poles apart. Theirs is a technological world I can barely grasp. They may be more tolerant of “sinners” than I am. If my generation hopes to reach non-Christians of their generation, we need to learn to understand their language, motivations and thought processes. Together we can come to an understanding of what’s really important.
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Getting Around the Big Apple
By John W. Kennedy | December 3, 2008
Recently, at age 50, I made my first visit to New York City. What an adventure!
The massive size of the Big Apple is mind-boggling. With a metro area of 18 million people, it’s roughly twice the size of the Chicago region where I formerly lived.
I watched in the driver’s seat as my 24-year-old son Jesse negotiated traffic, dodging the aggressive taxi drivers and parked delivery trucks. Although he’s only been in Manhattan for a couple of months, he maneuvers the avenues with great aplomb. When he’s not required to drive for work, Jesse takes public transportation.
That such a gargantuan population can move efficiently is testimony to the city’s public transportation system. While there is the usual urban gridlock on the streets and highways, it’s mitigated by the millions riding trains, buses and subways every day. On many subway lines, it’s difficult to find a place to stand, let alone sit.
As someone whose livelihood depends on the written word, I watched in satisfaction as dozens of train riders read a variety of daily newspapers en route from the suburbs. Unfortunately, New York is an anomaly because of its geographical girth. Most Americans don’t have an hour to read material on the way to work — or a choice of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Post or The New York Daily News.
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God’s Protective Hand
By John W. Kennedy | November 19, 2008
As my wife drove south on Highway 65 south of Springfield on a recent Friday afternoon weekend getaway, the left rear tire blew out. (Patty typically drives while I read books.)
Immediately we gave thanks to God, not because I had to change a flat as two lanes of traffic whizzed by at 65 miles per hour, but because we had been spared serious injury that could have taken place had Patty lost control of the auto.
The tire was still smoking as I got out of the car to examine the damage. After I managed to jack the car up, I couldn’t budge any of the five tight lug nuts. I asked Patty to pray for strength. Then the lug nuts all came loose. As I took the tire off, it became apparent that the steel belt had separated from the tread. The tire had multiple gashes an inch or two wide.
I put on the doughnut replacement tire from the trunk and we set out to find a real tire so we could continue on our journey. Providentially, the tire split apart less than 50 yards from an exit in Ozark, Mo., an exit that has a Wal-Mart tire center on the opposite side of the highway. A Wal-Mart that had a new tire installed in less than half an hour. On a Friday afternoon.
In retrospect, we had multiple other reasons to rejoice rather than complain:
— Patty didn’t lose control of the car, going 65 mph.
— The flat happened on a straight stretch of road, which had a shoulder.
— The mishap occurred on a sunny day rather than night (or rather than the deluge and hailstorm earlier in the day.)
— It didn’t blow out when Patty drove alone.
Two weeks later en route to work in the morning dark, a deer emerged from a forested area and ran into the side of our car. The fact that it was such a loud thud and that I was going 60 mph led me to believe the car had sustained heavy damage. But upon inspection, all I could find were deer hairs in the hubcap. The impact didn’t even leave a dent anywhere.
Whenever in an unpleasant predicament, it’s a good idea to ask God for help. Psalm 91:11 tells us, “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
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The Value of Apologizing
By John W. Kennedy | November 13, 2008
Hundreds of Episcopalians gathered in Philadelphia last month for a two-day solemn observance to apologize publicly for the denomination’s role in the institution of transatlantic slavery.
While on the surface this may seem nonsensical — a group of people not directly involved in the sinful behavior apologize generations after the fact — on a deeper level it facilitates healing.
Certainly an apology would be more meaningful if the perpetrators expressed sorrow themselves. Because there is no remorse expressed by those directly involved, the apology loses some if its impact.
Yet genuine heartfelt sorrow expressed over slavery and the awful fallout it caused, is a step in the right direction if no apology has been made for hundreds of years. The benefit is that it will spark hopes of reconciliation and begin to bind up wounds that have festered.
Uttering a sincere “I’m sorry” for wrong behavior is usually a good idea, whether in a church setting, a work situation, a neighbor squabble or a marital argument. Offering regrets can keep a grudge from starting and promote better relations in the future. It’s also scriptural. Jesus taught that God won’t forgive our sins unless and until we forgive others (Matthew 6:15).
A feature article, “The power of confession: Why Saying I’m sorry is a good idea,” will appear in Sunday’s edition of TPE. One of the sources interviewed for the article is Nick Smith, author of the new book I Was Wrong: The Meanings of Apologies.
Smith says at first glance an apology may seem like an artifact of old-fashioned etiquette, but in reality it can be powerful.
“An apology can recognize that we have been harmed, helping us to understand what happened and why,” Smith writes. “The person apologizing accepts blame for our injury and she explains why her actions were wrong.”
Apologies aren’t always easy, but they are necessary, Smith suggests.
“An apology can be so humbling in part because in this precarious moment of self-scrutiny I turn not to my closest confidant but to the person I may be most alienated from on account of my own actions.”
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Court Says Prayer Is OK
By John W. Kennedy | November 6, 2008
A federal appeals court made a sensible decision last week to allow ministers in Cobb Co, Ga., to continue opening county commission meetings with specifically Christian prayers.
The commission invites local clergy to deliver an invocation before meetings. Unsurprisingly, most of the pastors in suburban Atlanta like to pray in Jesus’ name.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued, claiming prayers that call upon “Almighty God” or “Our Heavenly Father” convey that the county is sponsoring “overtly Christian prayers.”
The problem with that thinking is that no county official is invoking God’s name. In addition, non-Christian clergy also recite prayers at times to open meetings. The prayers are merely reflecting the community.
The appeals court, in a 2-1 vote, wisely ruled that government shouldn’t be in the position of editing prayers offered by professional clergy.
“Whether invocations of ‘Lord of Lords’ or ‘the God of Abraham, Isaac and Mohammed’ are ‘sectarian’ is best left to theologians, not courts of law,” Judge Bill Pryor wrote for the majority.
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Christmas in Branson
By John W. Kennedy | November 4, 2008
It may be 75 degrees outside and more than three weeks before Thanksgiving, but it’s Christmas in Branson, Mo. Shows in the musical entertainment capital switch to the season the first Saturday in November, and this year that happened on Nov. 1.
Saturday night I went to see the opening show of the Lennon Sisters and Tony Orlando at the Welk Theater. As former television performers, the Lennons and Orlando all have stage presence and know how to put on a commanding performance. When a group has performed regularly before 30 million people — as the Lennon Sisters did on TV on Saturday nights — they have what it takes to please an audience.
“Da lovely Lennon Sisters” were the most famous regulars on The Lawrence Welk Show on ABC from 1955-68. They later sang each week on TV with Andy Williams and Jimmy Durante. Although Dee Dee and Peggy are now retired, Kathy and Janet sing nightly in Branson, with youngest sister Mimi. The women still have beautiful harmonies.
Tony Orlando also had his own weekly variety series during the mid-1970s with backup singers Dawn. The trio had three number one hits: Knock Three Times, He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) and, most famously, Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree — the second most popular recorded song ever, after only Yesterday by the Beatles.
Even though Orlando hadn’t performed in Branson for a decade, the show went off without a hitch. He did have to borrow glasses from his keyboardist to passionately sing the lyrics to Mary Did You Know?
The show had everything necessary to leave the audience satisfied: a mixture of Christmas favorites and popular hits; an accomplished six-member band; clips from television episodes; great comedic timing; costume changes; lots of energy in singing; the headliners performing separately and together; and self-deprecating G-rated humor.
Family is important to Branson and to these performers. Janet brought out a couple of young grandchildren to sing with her. Orlando had a brother playing in the band and his 80-something mother listening in the audience.
Perhaps the most surprising and pleasing aspect of the show is that these stars, who have listened to the accolades of fans for decades, appeared to be genuinely humbled to be singing about Someone much greater. They made repeated references that Jesus is the real star of the show.
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You Can Go Home Again
By John W. Kennedy | October 28, 2008
Earlier this month I went back to my birthplace of Carbondale, Pa., visiting for the first time since my family moved away more than 45 years ago. We moved before I reached kindergarten. I must confess that I didn’t remember anything upon first seeing the hospital of my birth, the manse I lived in and the church where my father preached.
My brother Dave, who turned 65 this month, accompanied me on the trip. He spent his junior high and senior high years in Carbondale so it truly marked a nostalgic visit for him. Like much of America, northeast Pennsylvania has fallen on tough economic times in recent years. Many of the once-bustling stores on the downtown streets are gone.
When our family moved to Iowa in 1963, the Presbyterian church my dad pastored in Carbondale had 400 attendees. On the Sunday we visited last month, about 100 sat in the pews. The majority of those who remain had been members when my dad left. The beautiful structure — granite exterior walls, multiple stained-glassed windows and a finely crafted wooden pulpit — remains intact. But the dwindling membership has resulted in the church selling the manse a couple of years ago and hiring a part-time minister.
My brother noted that the service hasn’t changed much since 1963. A bulletin lists the order of service; a pipe organ blasts out hymns, which are sung from a hymnal; a robed choir sings an anthem; men in suits and ties somberly distribute communion.
After the service, several parishioners expressed gratitude to us that Pop had been with them through both joyous and difficult times. One fellow told me he had named his son after my dad. Another fondly recalled how Pop had given him his first Bible at age 7. A woman recounted how she cried for days after our family moved away. Indeed, as the accompanying community newspaper editorial attests, many in Carbondale truly appreciated Pop.
Our vacation also allowed us to travel to Otisville, N.Y., where Pop had preached for five years after serving as a chaplain during World War II. My brother has memories of his early elementary school years there. The Otisville church had only about 60 members when Pop preached there, so we didn’t know if it would still be around. But we learned the community is thriving because it’s now considered exurbia to New York City.
The pastor’s wife happened to be outside the Monday afternoon we stopped by and she showed us around. The church has three services, with 200 combined attendees on Sunday morning. The church built a new education wing five years ago and has thriving youth groups. A glance at the bulletin showed how the congregation is striving to stay relevant. Weekly activities include food pantry distribution, a hike for young professionals, an open mike coffee house and a hip hop dance team.
The experiences at both churches illustrated that God’s Word doesn’t return void (Isaiah 55:11). Faithful proclamation of the gospel from yesteryear has yielded fruit today.
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