Because I said so

Read and Share Bible - The Story of Christmas

2009-11-14T17:24:00.003-06:00

I received a copy of Read and Share: The Story of Christmas from Thomas Nelson Publishing free for review the other day.

Overall, I felt the book did a respectable job telling the Christmas story at a level that children could understand it. I have minor quibbles with what was omitted to make the story fit their needs, but nothing of theological significance. The wording is such that preschool age children could easily follow along if you read it to them.

The authors stick to the Biblical story line of the birth of Christ, starting in Luke 1:5 with the birth of John the Baptizer and finishing with Matthew 2:23 where Joseph, Mary and Jesus return from their exile in Egypt. The artwork is very simple, but in a warm and friendly way that most children would enjoy. The authors presented a clear message and I would recommend this book. I liked the story presentation well enough that I am even planning on using it during worship services at my church this coming Christmas!

With the book comes a bonus DVD is the best part of the book. The DVD is the videos of six stories from the life of Jesus. These come from the larger series of the Read and Share DVD Bible - Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4. I watched the segments, and quite frankly was sucked right in. Even as an adult. Even as a pastor. The book is a condensed version of the story told in the videos, but the video tells the story much better. While I recommend the book, I really recommend the videos. If you have young children you are trying to share the Bible with, this is a great set of tools to aid you in that process.

Hosanna Lutheran in Lakeville speeding up their exit from the ELCA

2009-11-11T23:39:00.002-06:00

I'm afraid this is just the tip of the iceberg. It will be interesting to see if any whole synods choose to move - conservative places like South Dakota for instance. I know I have family members who are very conflicted over the direction the ELCA is going (a large portion of my family is ELCA, I spent my first 19 years in an ELCA church for the record).

From the Star Tribune today:

Lakeville church speeds exit from ELCA

The second-largest Lutheran congregation in Minnesota has decided that it is not going to wait any longer to withdraw from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) over the denomination's August vote to permit gay preachers.

The second-largest Lutheran congregation in Minnesota has decided that it is not going to wait any longer to withdraw from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) over the denomination's August vote to permit gay preachers.

In his November newsletter to the members of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Lakeville, the Rev. Bill Bohline said that the church is going to scrap its original plan to wait six to eight months before taking action. Hosanna was one of the first Twin Cities churches to speak out against the August vote.

"What has become clear to me is that we have been preparing to leave the ELCA for some time," Bohline wrote. The church board will meet next week to map out its exit strategy, with the goal of severing its ties to the ELCA on or before Dec. 15, he added.

With an average Sunday attendance of about 4,500, Hosanna is second in size among ELCA churches only to Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Legislation Protects Women and Girls From Sex Traffickers

2009-11-10T17:00:00.000-06:00

Gov. Don Carcieri (R.I.) signed legislation closing a loophole that made indoor prostitution legal in the state — essentially a "welcome mat" for sex traffickers. The three bills included in the legislation end Rhode Island's status as the only state that allowed indoor prostitution (brothels) statewide. It is legal in some counties in Nevada. The legislation also extends rights to women and girls who are victims, giving the police the tools to intercede and interview victims and to be able to put them in touch with social services. Victims are often arrested, imprisoned and then coerced back into the sex trade. A provision was added that says no victim of trafficking can be convicted of a prostitution offense. The legislation also prohibits minors from working in strip clubs. [CitizenLink.com, WBZ.com]

More on the Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life

2009-11-09T22:04:00.001-06:00

Planned Parenthood Director Quits

2009-11-09T12:57:00.000-06:00

A Planned Parenthood^® director has resigned from a Bryan, Texas, clinic after witnessing an ultrasound-guided abortion. Abby Johnson, 29, said she had a "change of heart" and knew it was time to leave after she watched a fetus "crumple" as it was vacuumed out of a patient's uterus in September. "When I was working at Planned Parenthood, I was extremely pro-choice," said Johnson. But, after seeing the internal working of the procedure for the first time on an ultrasound monitor, "I would say there was a definite conversion in my heart ... a spiritual conversion."

Speaking of her bosses, Johnson said, "Every meeting that we had, [it] was, 'We don't have enough money, we don't have enough money — we've got to keep these abortions coming.' It's a very lucrative business and that's why they want to increase numbers." She also noted that her bosses told her to change her "priorities" and focus on abortions, which made money for the office at a time when the recession left them hurting.

Planned Parenthood petitioned the district court to issue a temporary restraining order against Johnson and against the Coalition for Life, a pro-life group with which Johnson is now affiliated. "We regret being forced to turn to the courts to protect the safety and confidentiality of our clients and staff. However, in this instance, it is absolutely necessary," said Rochelle Tafolla, a PP spokeswoman. Johnson said she had no intention of releasing any sensitive information about her former patients at the clinic.

Without a doctor in residence, Johnson's clinic offered abortions only two days a month, but the doctor could perform 30 to 40 procedures on each day he was there. An estimated $350 for each abortion could net the branch up to more than $10,000 a month. Johnson said, "Ideally, my goal as the facility's director is that your abortion numbers don't increase because you're providing so much family planning and so much education that there is not a demand for abortion services. But that was not their goal."

A hearing is set for Nov. 10 to determine whether a judge will order an injunction against Johnson and the Coalition for Life. [FoxNews.com]

Things you will NOT see in my church...

2009-11-07T12:05:00.001-06:00

Gimmick Brings in Church Attendees

The Lighthouse Church of All Nations in Alsip, Illinois, has raffled a combined $1,000 to attendees in their three Sunday services over the last month. Not surprising, the attendance has dramatically increased from 1,800 to 2,000.

"I make no bones about that [i.e., being gimmicky]," says Rev. Dan Willis. "But, if I could get someone who would not normally come to church, why not?" For Willis, reports the Southtown Star, the cash is a mere carrot to get you through the doors. By sowing the seeds of responsible personal finance, he hopes to create a few converts.

To pique interest, several weeks ago, Willis hung a silver lockbox from the ceiling above the pulpit. "What's in the box?" was written on a nearby sign. When the first service of the series rolled around, Willis opened the box and $100 bills spilled out. He explained his plan: One lucky person would win $250 at each of the two Sunday services. If a special theme played during the service, the prize would double to $500.

He speaks from the perspective of someone who's been there. While trying to build the church from a tiny storefront 32 years ago, he maxed out 23 credit cards. "Here I was trying to do God's work and I had all these lines of credit open. God gave me a plan and I became completely debt free, other than my home mortgage." To help his members resist the temptation of easy credit, Willis placed two shredders at the front of the church and more than 500 credit cards were fed through the machines in a three-week period.

The raffle has been a small part of the sermons. The topics that Willis addressed during this series included avoiding debt; the budgeting process and the wisdom of living on a spending plan; tackling debt by paying down the credit cards with the highest interest first; and the value of savings.

Rev. Willis is pleased to say that he's had positive feedback from his congregation and the income of the church has increased. But, he's convinced that, if he had taught this message eights years ago it wouldn't have worked. "We were too prosperous. It was a different time." Now, he says, rarely a day goes by without someone looking for help from their numerous benevolent ministries.

A proud day in a father's life

2009-11-06T22:27:00.001-06:00

I taught our son Justice something new today - the fake fart noise. I can't wait until we can unleash the armpits!

Maine Rejects Same-Sex "Marriage"

2009-11-06T16:52:00.000-06:00

By a margin of 53 percent to 47 percent, the voters of Maine on Tuesday repealed a state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed. Maine becomes the first state in which residents reversed the state government's decision to allow same-sex "marriage." In every single state — 31 in all, including Maine — where the idea of same-sex "marriage" has been put to a popular vote, it has been defeated.

Five states have legalized same-sex "marriage" — starting with Massachusetts in 2004, followed by Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Iowa — but all did so through legislation or court rulings, not by popular vote. In contrast, constitutional amendments banning same-sex "marriage" have been approved in all 30 states where they have been on the ballot.

Maine's legislature voted in May of this year to allow same-sex "marriage," but an opposition petition campaign put the legislation on hold pending Tuesday's vote. [OneNewsNow.com, FoxNews.com]

Andy Stanley - The Principle of the Path

2009-11-05T16:22:00.002-06:00

I received a copy of Andy Stanley's newish book "The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be" a while back to review. Thomas Nelson Publishing gave me this copy (free!) to review. It has taken me a while to read through this, not because of the book but because of my busy schedule and some other reading I needed/wanted to do.

I have read and listened to most of what Andy Stanley has put out in the last 10 years, so I went into this book with some preconceptions. This book was NOT what I expected, but it was good in a very different way.

Andy Stanley has put together what I would call a great framework for life in this book. It is written in his easy to follow and understand style. Essentially, this is Andy's self-help guide for how to live life. How to have success and peace of mind at the same time, which is important because one often costs the other.

I think the great thing Andy Stanley always bring to the table is clarity, and in this book that is still the case. He basically tells you much of what you already know, but he clarifies it, and somewhat systematizes it so that you can move forward in your life. His point is we have the ability to control and change the path we are taking in life. We don't accidentally arrive at our destination. But we do have to be active in shaping that path, in spite of temporary obstacles in our lives. Our choices shape our path.

I would recommend this book to anyone needing some clarity in life. I see it as especially useful to someone in a transition point in life, or someone looking for motivation. A recent college grad, an person unexpectedly unemployed in today's economy, someone thinking of getting married - they all could benefit from the the clarity that Andy Stanley provides.

$130 Million church building!

2009-11-04T14:16:00.002-06:00

From WFAA.com:

By SHELLY SLATER / WFAA-TV

Plans unveiled for downtown Dallas megachurch

DALLAS — First Baptist Church Dallas announced plans Sunday to build a $130 million state-of-the-art campus in the middle of the downtown Dallas arts district.

It is expected to be the largest expansion in the modern history of a congregation with roots dating back 140 years in Dallas.

The 1.5 million square foot campus includes a new 3,000-seat worship center, a six-story education building, more than 500 parking spots and an acre of green space with a fountain.

The entire project would be certified green.

Church leaders have already raised $62 million for the expansion, and because the economic downturn means construction costs are down, the church estimates it can save $1.30 for for every dollar spent.

First Baptist's current sanctuary, which dates back to 1890, will be preserved.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert is a member of the church and supporter of the expansion. He said this will further revitalize downtown Dallas and is another way to urbanize and attract people to the city's center.

If all goes well, the church says construction will begin next fall and will be complete by 2013.

To see more on this build, including visuals, go to First Baptist Church of Dallas' web site. In just a brief browsing of their web site, I find it interesting that in the culturally/ethnically diverse city of Dallas that all the top level leaders of this church are white. Just sayin'. I'd love to see their budget now, and then 10 years from now to see just how/if this huge capital investment pays off for them, as that is a mind blowing about of money on a facility. I hope it does.

Nearly One in Four is Muslim

2009-11-04T09:04:00.000-06:00

According to a study released last week by the Pew Research Center^®, the global Muslim population now stands at 1.57 billion, which is almost 25 percent of the world's population. Islam, which is practiced in 232 countries and territories, is the world's second largest religion behind Christianity, which has between 2.1 and 2.2 billion followers. The report also revealed that roughly 2.3 million Muslims live in the United States making up 0.8 percent of the population. Click here for the full report.

From the Pastor's Weekly Briefing

Memorialize Your Pet's Ashes

2009-11-03T08:55:00.000-06:00

As if cat ladies weren't creepy enough...

Gina Ambriati, Salina, New York, has a unique service that she offers to pet owners in mourning. She arranges to have an animal cremated, and then seals some of the ashes in a custom-made stuffed animal, often one similar to the deceased pet. The idea for the business — Beloved Pets by Gina — was born from her own experience after her dog, Mugsy, died. She and her husband thought they would never be able to hug their dog again. Overcome with grief, she had the idea to put his ashes inside of a stuffed dog that sat on the back of her couch. "It was like God answered my prayers," Ambriati said. "I could hold him again." [Syracuse.com]

Conservatives Are Top Ideological Group

2009-11-02T08:52:00.001-06:00

A recent Gallup^® poll found that conservatives continue to outnumber moderates and liberals in the American populace in 2009. The data is based on 16 separate Gallup surveys conducted from January through September of this year, encompassing more than 5,000 national adults per quarter. Americans who describe themselves as "very conservative" or "conservative" make up 39 to 41 percent. Between 35 and 37 percent call themselves "moderate," while those calling themselves "very liberal" or "liberal" has consistently remained between 20 and 21 percent. Changes among political independents appear to be the main reason the percentage of conservatives has increased nationally over the past year. The 35 percent of independents describing their views as conservative in 2009 is up from 29 percent in 2008. Click here for full report. [Gallup.com]

(From FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

The History of Halloween

2009-11-01T17:45:00.002-06:00

This is a really well put together set of thoughts on Halloween. This comes from Mars Hill Blog.

This is a post from the Lake City campus pastor, James Harleman, that originally appeared on the Lake City blog.

Let’s just confess: I like to dress up. As a drama geek in high school and an actor in college theater, it was inevitable. My wife and I even met in a production of Brigadoon, so wearing costumes – even a kilt – is not really that strange to us. Our wedding reception was a masquerade ball, and our Tenth Anniversary party year has a Venetian Carnivale theme. ANY excuse to wear curious or atypical garb has an allure (as the pictures in the post will attest to).
Obviously then, our participation with a holiday like Halloween becomes a necessary conversation. WILL we participate? If so, HOW will we participate? Every year, we ask congregants at Mars Hill Church to do the same. The following examination provides good fruit for discussion, discernment, and decision-making on this second-hand issue.

It’s the time of year when leaves die and trees turn to skeletons. The garden stops providing. An evening stroll changes from bright sun and chirping birds to dark night and the howling wind. As Halloween approaches, the fact that we begin to consider death and ghost stories is not inherently pagan. It’s human. It’s what we do with those thoughts that matters.

The issue of Halloween and whether Christians should observe this holiday invariably rises from the grave each October. More to the point, most Christians do observe it, but differ in the level of participation or acceptance of it. Evangelist Jack Chick, for instance, the man famous for “Chick Tracts” naively depicts Halloween as a night when ancient Celtic Druids raped and sacrificed virgins, leaving carved pumpkins on the doorsteps of households that gave up their daughters (never mind the fact that pumpkins were a New World plant exported and only grown in Europe recently). Other Christians offer the opposite but equally naive defense of “it’s no big deal”, sending their kids out to eat candy and legitimize American obesity statistics.

Halloween has a long and complex history; following the meandering chain linking a pagan harvest festival to toddlers dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is not simple. Christian and secular historians keep finding layers of revisionist history that try to wrap the origins of this holiday up in a nice little bow (perhaps so it can go under the Christmas tree? The decorations come out early enough). Before addressing the Christian’s response to this holiday, let’s look at what little we do know.

Halloween 101
Ancient Celts celebrated a holiday called Samhain (essentially “end of summer”), where they would extinguish their hearth fires and host large ceremonial bonfires, sacrificing animals and crops. This didn’t occur on October 31 but around the same time, depending on the phases of the moon. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of a season where the people would be dependent on food stores and shelter from the elements. Superstitious Celts associated winter with death and thought that the season’s transition was marked by the close proximity of spirits; they believed this thin veil would help their Druid priests make prophecies, enabling them to survive the harsh winter. There is an accrued mythology that Druids also wore masks on this night and went from door to door, but historical evidence does support this theory; it seems more like creative fiction manufactured to explain the evolution of modern customs. While not a bad educational supplement, something is not history simply because it appeared on the History Channel.

The name of our present-day holiday, Halloween (or “All Hallows’ Eve“), actually stems from a celebration for saints formed by the early church. A celebration day for all saints emerges in church history as early as the 4th century, but it was originally set in May or the day following Pentecost (some records suggest this also paved over a similar Roman day of the dead). It was the Germans who initially shifted the custom to November 1st, and whether or not this had to do with the practices of the Irish Celts is questioned by historians to this day.

In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III universally changed the date to mirror the German date in conjunction with the consecration of the chapel in St. Peter’s. “All Hallows’ Day” or “All Saints’ Day” would later become a day not only to recognize official Catholic Saints, but also to commemorate the dead and visit the cemetery to reflect on family or friends who had passed away.

Several hundred years later, November 2nd would become “All Souls’ Day” in Catholic tradition. All Hallows’ Eve simply marked the night before, much like Christmas Eve. A focus on cemeteries and the dead had as much to do with Catholic as Celtic traditions, and the accrued traditions and superstitions are a mixed bag stretching up into our own early American immigrant traditions of harvest festivals, and the way Mexican culture turned All Saints’ and Souls’ Days into the “Day of the Dead” festival.

Despite myth and folklore imposed in retrospect on this holiday, recent study reveals that trick-or-treating is a fairly new convention that didn’t become significant until 1930 in the United States. Europe and other countries co-opted the practice, caught up in our merchandising and global influence. Forms of costumed begging have existed for centuries in Christianized Europe, called “mumming” or “guising” and usually involve singing or performing a short play in exchange for food or drink. Wassailing is another grand tradition of singing and going from house to house.

One of the closest similarities we find with a loose connection to trick-or-treating appears in the Middle Ages on All Souls’ Day (November 2nd), where the poor would go from home to home and offer prayers for those in purgatory in exchange for food. However strong evidence suggests that childish mischief and vandalism on the 30th and 31st in early 1900s America (particularly vicious in Detroit, where October 30, the day before Halloween, became known as “Devil’s Night”) gave rise to organized evening activity to make actual treats replace the increasing abundance of tricks.

If Christianity did not successfully pave over this holiday (much as Christmas paved over the Roman Saturnalia), Americana certainly did. This has been punctuated visibly with our indigenous pumpkin replacing the original “Jack-O-Lantern”, originally an Irish turnip. If Halloween itself was a pumpkin, however, there would truly be nothing left to carve. The seasonal change has been celebrated by pagans and Christians for centuries, taking on the customs of a dozen cultures along the way. Its present incarnation receives disdain not only from many Christians but also from professing witches and wiccans. The former feel that it’s intrinsically tied to satanic beliefs and the latter group sees it as a distorted mockery of their beliefs.

One of the most interesting anecdotes I found in researching the history of Halloween is that the one activity many churches do engage in at replacement events like church “Harvest Festivals” is perhaps the one most easily linked to paganism: bobbing or “ducking” for apples was actually a divination ritual related to love and fertility.

To Trick or Not to Treat?
Even if we ascribe church origins to Halloween, the holiday does differ from Christmas. Some will offer that the week in December when we commemorate Christ’s birth was once a Roman festival celebrating Saturn, and may have even involved both gift-giving and evergreen decor. They make the case that Christmas is compromised by paganism just like Halloween. They will also mention that most Christians call the day Jesus rose from death “Easter“, which has roots in pagan fertility rituals (hence the rabbit and those horribly delectable Cadbury Cream Eggs).

As Christmas and Easter have overrun and co-opted various trappings, however, there is for Christians a clear, central focus on Jesus’ incarnation. Halloween may not be inherently evil, but it also has no central, specific focus on the Lord we love. Whether we see Halloween as pagan practices, Catholic traditions, or good old American, candy-coated commercialism, none of these offers great inspiration to participate.

At Mars Hill Church, we don’t believe in the deities worshipped by the Celts or the rituals used to appease or summon them. We do, however, recognize that there are evil spirits that confuse and lead people astray from relationship with the one true God. We recognize that the Bible calls all Christians “saints” and we don’t believe in the Catholic extra-biblical concepts of sainthood or purgatory. Many of the ideas and rituals that have contributed to the Halloween mish-mash aren’t congruent with our beliefs. However, setting aside times to remember or honor those we love that have passed away (hopefully to be with our Savior Jesus) is not a bad idea. On a less somber note, wearing Spider-man costumes, making funny faces on vegetables, and engaging in neighborhood activities where one can both give and receive hospitality is not something we oppose. Fictional fantasy tales of monsters and elves even scary ones are not wholly inappropriate either, whether punctuated on this particular weekend or sprinkled throughout the year in classic tales from authors including Tolkien and Lewis. We regard Halloween as a second-hand issue and ask that every Christian examine their response to the modern-day Halloween celebration in our culture.

Some members of Mars Hill opt to avoid Halloween altogether because portions of its mixed up history prick their conscience. Others see it as a truly americanized holiday, not specifically Christian but essentially “American” like Thanksgiving or Presidents’ Day, and have no conscience issues participating. Others still draw various lines in between; some don’t go out and actively participate, but remain in their homes and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters so that they can offer hospitality to their neighbors and community. Others gather together to hold festivities that exclude the more overtly creepy or questionable elements.

For those who have shunned Halloween because they were simply told it was evil, or for those who have participated and never bothered to weigh its appropriateness, your pastors would encourage the employment of godly wisdom, discernment, and a sense of our shared mission as Christians. Our abstinence or participation in regard to Halloween should not be derived from fear, misinformation, or pressure but rather from a sincere love of Jesus; every response to our culture and its festivals is a way to point to the God we love and serve.

Lastly, for parents, don’t forget that gluttony is a sin. Be careful not to force your kids to learn this the hard way: lying on an altar of plastic wrap and tin-foil, holding their bulbous stomachs. If you participate in Halloween, it might be the perfect time to introduce the concept of moderation.

Another Halloween Fact:
October 31st is also “Reformation Day“, commemorating the day in 1517 when Christian reformer Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses challenging the doctrine of penance, the authority of the pope, and the usefulness of indulgences. Dressing up the kids like Reformers and handing out doctrinal challenges, however, might not be the wisest form of cultural engagement. The period outfits are cool, though.

Student Allowed to Wear Anti-Abortion T-Shirt

2009-11-01T13:48:00.000-06:00

On the day President Obama addressed the nation's school children in September, a middle school student in Pennsylvania wore a T-shirt with the message, "Abortion is not Healthcare." A teacher subsequently sent the boy to the principal's office, where he was asked to turn the shirt inside out because it might offend other students.

The student's father, William Boyer, filed a lawsuit against the West Shore School District, alleging that his son was unfairly censored by school officials. The lawsuit also claimed that the district's dress code and student expression policies were unconstitutional, and that the censorship of religious speech violates the first and 14th amendments to the Constitution.

On Monday of this week, a federal judge approved an agreement between the district and the student which allows him to wear the anti-abortion T-shirt, at least temporarily. Under the agreement, the district will permit students to wear anti-abortion and religious T-shirts and will not enforce the portions of its "dress and grooming" and "student expression" policies that are being challenged by Boyer. According to The Houston Chronicle, the district may still enforce policies that "restrict student expression if it will cause a substantial disruption, is offensively lewd or encourages the use of illegal drugs or alcohol."

The district and the child's lawyers have until Jan. 15, 2010, to come to a final agreement. If they do not, the issue could go to trial. [Chron.com, ydr.inyork.com, USA Today]

(From FotF's Pastor's Weekly Briefing)

As a random, but somewhat interesting aside, when you Google "Pastor's Weekly Briefing" I come up as the #1 result, higher than the actual place that provides them! Odd.

Halloween = Satan?

2009-10-31T11:39:00.003-05:00

I got this in my inbox from someone at Focus on the Family today - What do you think? Is Halloween redeemable, or should we just walk away? Do you know anyone who fell into the grips of Satan from participating in Halloween? Hmm...

Halloween has become a major unofficial American holiday. Researchers at Hallmark Cards report that 65 percent of us decorate our homes and offices for the annual event. It is second only to Christmas in retail spending at about $5 billion, and it is the third biggest party day of the year in the U.S.

The treat ends there for many thoughtful Christians, however, who understand a very troubling reality. Halloween is the high holy day for real witches and pagans, not just a night of "pretend." Several hundred thousand American pagans, Druids, and witches celebrate Halloween as a holy day called Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") or Shadowfest, a 2,000-year-old Celtic festival held to honor Samhain, the lord of earth. Pagans considered it to be the end of "life" (summer) and the beginning of "death" (winter).

Although today's pagans don't roam in black or bloody garb, snatching children, they nevertheless gather to sing ritual songs and chant ancient prayers, most of which were condemned by the early Christian church. Some still put out food offerings for the dead.

Halloween is still the primary festival celebrated by those who follow Satan, but most of our culture has absorbed the festival by embracing its supposedly innocent customs. In fact, modern witches, warlocks, pagans, and Satanists have long used the holiday as a "hook" to present their belief system as a fascinating, even benevolent religious alternative.

Certainly, for Christians to shun Halloween and other pagan practices is to swim against the cultural tide. But redirecting Halloween celebrations for our children and ourselves is one of the easier ways we can take a quiet stand.

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft" (Deut. 18:10).

My friend Jeff has a good take on all this (in my opinion) on his blog Rurality Bytes.

Whitehouse.gov gets an overhaul

2009-10-26T12:23:00.001-05:00

The White House web site got an overhaul and was recently moved onto open-source software called Drupal. Fast Company has an interesting article about the change. My only thought is that there is too much content on the front page, but I like the look and the simple color scheme.

The States of Marriage and Divorce

2009-10-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

A new report from Pew Research Center^® — the 2008 American Community Survey — offers the most detailed portrait yet from the U.S. Census Bureau of marriage and divorce statistics at the state level.

Results from the report show that, in the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma, men and women marry young — half of first-time brides in these states were age 24 or younger on their wedding day. Results also revealed that these states have above-average shares of women who divorced in 2007-2008, as well.

However, in Massachusetts and New York, their residents marry late — half of ever-married New York men were older than age 30 when they first wed. These states also have below-average shares of men and women who divorced in 2007-2008.

About 6 percent of Texans who have ever been married have wed three times or more. That is similar to the national average (5%), but well below the leaders in this category — the neighboring states of Arkansas and Oklahoma — where about 10 percent of all ever-married adults have had at least three spouses. In New York and Massachusetts, just 2 percent of ever-married adults have been married at least three times, placing them at the bottom on this measure among the 50 states.

Several states in the Midwest and Mountain regions have among the highest shares of men and women who are currently married. In Idaho, 58 percent of men and 56 percent of women live with a spouse. In Iowa, 56 percent of men and 53 percent of women do. In Utah, 56 percent of both men and women are currently married. At the opposite end, only 47 percent of men in Alaska are currently married, as are 48 percent of women in that state. In Rhode Island and New Mexico, 48 percent of men are married. Among women in Rhode Island and New York, 43 percent are.

Looking at divorced adults, 13 percent of Nevada's men and 16 percent of its women fit in that category, as do 12 percent of Maine's men and 15 percent of its women. They are among the states with the largest shares of currently divorced residents, a distinction they share with Oklahoma.

The number of divorces within the previous 12 months per 1,000 women tends to be high in states where women marry young, such as Oklahoma and Idaho. But, the same link is not as strong for men: Alaska and Wyoming, for example, are among the top states for recently divorced men, but they are not states where men marry especially young. Click here for the full report. [PewResearch.org]

Supreme Court Keeps Names on Ref. 71 Petitions Private

2009-10-22T23:14:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered the names and addresses of Ref. 71 petition signers in Washington State to be kept private. Ref. 71 will allow voters to decide if the state should expand domestic partnerships to be marriage in all but name. Personal attacks were seen in California last year after voters approved Prop. 8 — the constitutional amendment that defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Names of petition-signers there were released to the public. Lawyers for Washington have argued that the state's Public Records Act demands names be released. Homosexual-activist groups were also pushing for the names. "The Supreme Court took a large step forward in protecting the rights of citizens who support a traditional definition of marriage to speak freely," said James Bopp, lead counsel for Protect Marriage Washington. "No citizen should ever have their personal property destroyed or receive death threats for exercising their right to engage in the political process." [CitizenLink.com]

Reggie Dabbs tonight at Waseca Junior High!

2009-10-21T13:26:00.000-05:00

Today, October 21st, the Waseca and Janesville Ministerial Associations are providing a day of assemblies in Waseca and Janesville, bringing in youth specialist, Reggie Dabbs to speak to our students.

Reggie has an incredible personal testimony. His school assemblies focus on choices—those we make and some that seem to be made for us, and how our response to them will shape our lives. In the evening rally, Reggie will build on that theme, presenting students with the greatest choice they will ever make: to choose to follow Jesus.

- We need people who are willing to pray with students who respond, choosing to commit their lives to Christ, or to reaffirm their commitment to Him. (A 15-minute training session for these volunteers will be held at 6:30 p.m., just before the Rally.)
If you want to be part of the prayer team or are willing to pray with students, contact Pastor Howard Lundeen (507.835.2235; pastorhoward@cccefca.com).

We need adults who are willing to serve - Setting up/serving pizza and pop from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. that evening, and helping with clean up. If you can help in this area, contact Pastor Zach Marino (507.835.2235; pastorzach@cccefca.com).

If you have questions, or would like more information, please contact Pastor Brad Wickersheim (507.833.1082; pastorbrad@wcamn.org).

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Schedule:
8:00 a.m. Assembly at Waseca Junior High
10:00 a.m. Assembly at Waseca Senior High
1:00 p.m. at JWP
Pizza & Pop
6:15 - 6:45 p.m.
Waseca Junior High Commons
Evening Rally
(everyone is welcome to attend)
with Reggie and the Band
7:00 p.m. in the Waseca Junior High Gym

That's My King by Dr. S.M. Lockridge

2009-10-21T13:00:00.002-05:00

S. M. Lockridge video clip:
The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews. He is a King of Israel. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of heaven. He’s the King of glory. He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. That’s my King! I wonder… do you know Him?

My King is a sovereign King; no means of measure can define His limitless love. He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son. He's a sinner's Savior. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology! He's the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior! I wonder if you know Him today.

He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and beautifies the meek. I wonder if you know Him.

He is the key to knowledge. He is the wellspring of wisdom. He's the way of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. Do you know Him?

Well, His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous, and His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you. Yes! He's indescribable. He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get him off your hand. You can't outlive Him, and you can't live without Him.

Well, the Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him!

Yes! That's my King! That's my King!

Atheists Suck at Being Atheists - Washington Post

2009-10-20T14:04:00.000-05:00

Originally found HERE.

Atheists Suck at Being Atheists
by Pastor Douglas Wilson

From the perspective of a Christian, the refusal of an atheist to be a Christian is dismaying, but it is at least intelligible. But what is really disconcerting is the failure of atheists to be atheists. That is the thing that cries out for further exploration.

We can understand a cook who sets out to prepare a reduction sauce, having it simmer on the stove for three days. But what we shouldn't get is the announcement afterwards that he has prepared us a soufflé. The atheistic worldview is nothing if not inherently reductionistic, whether this is admitted or not. Everything that happens is a chance-driven rattle-jattle jumble in the great concourse of atoms that we call time. Time and chance acting on matter have brought about, in equally aimless fashion, the 1927 New York Yankees, yesterday's foam on a New Jersey beach, Princess Di, the arrangement of pebbles on the back side of the moon, the music of John Cage, the Fourth Crusade, and the current gaggle representing us all in Congress.

If the universe actually is what the materialistic atheist claims it is, then certain things follow from that presupposition. The argument is simple to follow, and is frequently accepted by the sophomore presidents of atheist/agnostic clubs at a university near you, but it is rare for a well-published atheistic leader to acknowledge the force of the argument. To acknowledge openly the corrosive relativism that atheism necessarily entails would do nothing but get the chimps jumping in the red states. To swallow the reduction would present serious public relations problems, and drive Fox News ratings up even further. Who needs that?

So if the universe is what the atheist maintains it is, then this determines what sort of account we must give for the nature of everything -- and this includes the atheist's thought processes, ethical convictions, and aesthetic appreciations. If you were to shake up two bottles of pop and place them on a table to fizz over, you could not fill up an auditorium with people who came to watch them debate. This is because they are not debating; they are just fizzing. If you were to shake up one bottle of pop, and show it film footage of some genocidal atrocity, the reaction you would get is not moral outrage, but rather more fizzing. And if you were to shake it really hard by means of art school, and place it in front of Michelangelo's David, or the Rose Window of Chartres Cathedral, the results would not really be aesthetic appreciation, but more fizzing still.

If the atheist is right, then I am not a Christian because I have mistaken beliefs, but am rather a Christian because that is what these chemicals would always do in this arrangement and at this temperature. The problem is that this atheistic assumption does the very same thing to the atheist's case for atheism. The atheist gives us an account of all things which makes it impossible for us to believe that any account of all things could possibly be true. But no account of things can be tenable unless it provides us with the preconditions that make it possible for our "accounting" to represent genuine insight. Atheism fails to do this, and the failure is a spectacular one. Nor does atheism allow us to have any fixed ethical standard, or the possibility of beauty.

It does no good to appeal to the discoveries made by science and reason, for one of the things that reason has apparently brought us is atheism. Right? And not content to let sleeping dogs lie, reason also brings us the inexorable consequences of atheism, which includes the unpalatable but necessary conclusion that random neuron firings do not amount to any "truth" that corresponds to anything outside our heads. This, ironically enough, includes atheism, and so we find ourselves falling out of the tree, saw in one hand and branch in the other.

Contrast this with the Christian gospel -- God the Father is the Maker of heaven and earth. He sent His Son to be born one of us; this Son died on gibbet for our sins, as the ultimate and final human sacrifice, and He rose from the dead on the third day following. Having ascended into Heaven and taken His place at the right hand of His Father, He sent His Holy Spirit into the world in order to transform it, a process that is still ongoing. Now obviously, this is a message that can be believed or disbelieved. But the reason for mentioning it here includes the important point that such a set of convictions makes it possible for us to believe that reason can be trusted, that goodness does not change with the evolutionary times, and that beauty is grounded in the very heart of God. Someone who believes these things doesn't believe that we are just fizzing.

You can deny that this God exists, of course, and you can throw the whole cosmos into that pan of reduction sauce. And you can keep the heat on by publishing one atheist missive after another. But what you should not be allowed to do is cook the whole thing bone dry and call the crust on the bottom an example of the numinous or transcendent. Calling it that provides us with no reason to believe it -- and numerous reasons not to.

Might be looking for a new laptop

2009-10-19T21:09:00.003-05:00

My laptop is on its last legs. I bought it a long time ago while in Seminary in 2oo5! So it comes as no surprise that it does things like take 15 minutes to boot up, runs poorly when it is working, and is temperamental besides. The screen blinks off and on randomly, and it is noisy. But I can't complain, as I've used this computer an incredible number of hours. It has flown to Cancun Mexico, Florida, Denver a half dozen times, Philadelphia, Boston twice, plus Seattle. The list of miles it has traveled in a car are nearly countless. And I carried it to class every day for a handful of years. I did upgrade the RAM about 2 years ago, and I regularly try to create room on the hard drive by moving stuff to external storage, but one of these days, it isn't going to turn on. I get occasional and random disk problems too. So my church is looking at getting me a new laptop so I can continue to work :-) Below I have put together my current thoughts on what I am looking for, and am open to suggestions.

Operating System - Microsoft Windows 7. Just say "no" to Vista.

CPU - an Intel Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.0-2.4GHz. No to all AMD processors, they are HORRIBLE for video editing/processing

RAM - 4GB+ of RAM. RAM isn't that expensive, but trying to be cheap here is like cutting out part of your lungs - you can still breath, but just not as well as possible. Windows 7 will be able to utilize more than 4GB of RAM, so anything over 4 is a bonus.

Screen - minimum of 15.4 inch screen, bigger is a real bonus, but not over 17 inches. My wife's 17 inch screen is beautiful, but my current 15.4 screen is livable. No 14.1 inch screen please.

Hard Drive - 320GB is probably the minimum with 7200RPM, and 500GB is preferred. Hard drives are very cheap, so you don't save much by getting a smaller one. It seems the stuff we store grows at the same rate that hard drives do, so you can never have too much hard drive it seems. A reasonable (and possibly good) option is to have an second external hard drive. I don't think I need a solid state drive. I'd suggest avoiding the 5400RPM hard drives as they are 25% slower, which is like trying to think after a night out drinking, your brain doesn't operate at full speed.

Optical Drive - DVD RW of some sort. I don't need Blu-ray or anything like that, just something that will burn DVD's.

Wi-Fi - 802.11n Wireless as well as Bluetooth. I use Bluetooth regularly to connect my cell phone to the computer to synchronize calendars and contacts.

Keyboard - I prefer keyboards without the number pad, but unfortunately many laptops are now adding that in. I can live with it, but given 2 identical computers I'd choose the one without the number pad. This is because A) I like having my hands centered on the computer screen when I type and B) I never use number pads, not even on desk tops. I don't do much data entry where I need to do 10-key. I don't need an external keyboard, or a docking system.

USB - at least two USB2.0, and 3 or 4 is even better.

Battery - more cells is better, but I wouldn't spend a bunch extra for an extra 40 minutes of battery life. The reality is that laptop batteries don't last that long, and it's not that often I am very far from electricity.

Mouse Pad - I prefer ones with the side scroll bar, and I don't need/want the little button on the keyboard that looks like an eraser (I think Lenovo is the only one this is an option on still).

Computer Bag - my current computer bag is 6 years old and falling apart. If we invest in a new computer, we should get something that will safely carry it. I prefer the backpack style as they are more comfortable and utilitarian than the case style. The messenger bag style is acceptable too.

I don't care a whole lot about specific brands as long as they are a name brand so there is someone standing behind the product if it should fail. I've had HP, Compaq, and Dell and all served me well. Lenovo is the old IBM and is good, and Sony is fine as well. Acer is supposedly making some good computers too, and I'm sure there are others out there.

At this point I have no preference on sound cards and video cards, nor special speaker options. I don't think I need HDMI output. I'm indifferent to having a card reader. A remote control is a nice feature, but not a necessity. I don't need a fancy computer like the Alienware ones, or Apple's Macs for that matter. I am not a huge fan of the super smooth/shiny laptop screens that show every finger print and dust particle. I can live with one but prefer the more matte looking screens.

Software

Microsoft Office 2007 - I regularly use Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook. I also use Publisher from time to time (our membership certificates are Publisher files for instance). I don't use Access, OneNote, Groove, FrontPage, or InfoPath.

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate & VideoStudio Pro X2 Bundle - This is what I have been using to edit videos for church, as well as photos for things like the church directory and the web site. I'd LOVE to have an Adobe Suite, but it is RIDICULOUSLY expensive and I could never justify that cost with how little I would use it. The Corel software is the "good enough" solution. I'd be open to other software if someone has suggestions. We did purchase this bundle for our own computer, and thus far, it has worked flawlessly. The tradeoff is that you don't get lots of powerful options to do higher end editing. Again, not a big concern on my part at this point in our church's life/needs. Right now this bundle is on sale at Amazon.com for $69.99, but I'd want to find out if it is compatable with Windows 7 before purchasing it. And honestly, I don't need the Paint Shop Pro component of this bundle, it is just a nice add-on when looking at how little more the bundle costs than just the VideoStudio by itself. I can use GIMP to edit photos if needed, and that is free.

Something to convert files to Adobe's .pdf format would be nice. I don't even know what is out there, Shawn P probably knows better than I do.

Many of the other programs that I use are free downloads, like the audio extractor I use to rip audio from our video to post sermons on the church website and Podcast feed for iTunes. I use Audacity to edit my sound files, and that is free as well.

That is everything I can think of at this point, but if you see something I overlooked let me know.

Update on Black & Decker Firestorm 18V Batter/Charger issues

2009-10-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

A while back I wrote that I suspect that my charger for my Black & Decker Firestorm 18V cordless drill had died. In searching the web, I found a couple of interesting things related to this. First, the original Black & Decker chargers are junk. If you let a battery get too low, it will fry the charger when you try to recharge. It burns out the circuitry. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but that's what happens. The very thing it is supposed to do actually kills it. So I killed my charger, thereby creating a large black and orange paperweight if I didn't find a work around solution. I have the old "post" style batteries, and those chargers aren't made any longer, or so I was told.

The solution was simple, elegant, and incredibly effective. Upon searching the web, I found that the Dewalt Charging system for their 18V cordless drills are the same as the Black & Decker - meaning their batteries are the exact same dimensions. Meaning one battery can fit and charge in the other's chargers. But it gets better.

The DEWALT DW9116 7.2-Volt to 18-Volt Pod Style 1 Hour Battery Charger is amazing in how it works! It fits my batteries perfectly, and within an hour my batteries were fully charge and ready to turn screws, saving me about $100 on a new drill set. But not only does it charge my batteries, but it is a smart charger. It can detect when a cell is not working properly and can then condition it. It also senses when the battery is full, and it stops charging it, or keeps it on a trickle charge so it doesn't burn the battery out. The only, and I do mean ONLY drawback to this new charger is that it doesn't fit into my drill case. But that is a small price to pay for a functioning tool! Consider me very happy with DeWalt, and less than impressed with Black & Decker.

Barefoot Contessa – Outrageous Brownies

2009-10-18T15:55:00.002-05:00

Note: I added 8 extra ounces of Ghiradelli Double Chocolate dipping chocolate to the melting mix for a smoother mouth feel. I milk chocolate over dark chocolate, and to lighten this brownie you can also leave out the instant coffee to reduce the intense dark flavor. I also don't use nuts in my brownies, I really don't like walnuts, and prefer my brownies nut-free. While these are good brownies, my favorite all time brownie ironically comes from a box - Ghirardelli Chocolate Brownie Mix, Double Chocolate, 20-Ounce Boxes.

Outrageous Brownies by Barefoot Contessa:

Ingredients
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Outrageous Brownies Copyright 1999, The Barefoot Contessa CookbookThis was adapted from a recipe for chocolate globs in the Soho Charcuterie Cookbook.