Dad in the Middle

RAIN FOR ROOTS (A Dad in the Middle Review)

Wayne — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Background

There is a great new album coming out today for younger kids called Rain for Roots. All of the songs on the album were written by Sally Lloyd-Jones the author behind one of my favorite books ever – The Jesus Storybook Bible. The music is performed by Sandra McCracken, Ellie Holcomb, Flo Paris and Katy Bowser. You can buy the album starting today at RainforRoots.com or http://www.bandcamp.com/rainforroots. If you use the special code “inthemiddle” when you place your order, you can save 10%. The digital release also includes a pdf file of a booklet with chords.

My Review

There is lots of good music out their for kids that is Biblically based, and I would add this CD to that mix. It is biblically sound, and it does a great job of putting your focus exactly where it should be – on God! The folksy sound of the album is very different than most of what is out there, and I think it is a welcome addition. The sound theology means you can safely use this album to teach your children biblical truth. The soft sounds means you can also put it on at night and let them fall asleep to the sound of God’s truth. I would recommend this album to people with younger children and those who do preschool ministry. If that describes you, don’t miss your chance to win a free copy at the bottom of this article.

Most of the songs (particularly the Old Testament related songs) follow the same formula – a series of questions about a Bible story answered by God did. It’s an important message – no doubt, and perhaps it sets a pattern for young kids to think “Who did ____? God did!” I think that’s valuable. The New Testament songs follow a pattern of questions followed by the answer “His name is Jesus.” Again, this is an important truth. However from the standpoint of listening to these songs over and over again (something us parents do frequently), it can get a little tiresome. That said, I do appreciate the effort to put God firmly at the center of this album.

Who Is This Album For?

This album would be best for younger kids – preschool and earlier. I think children in the 2-3 age range might like it best. Though some of the tunes are catchy and even older children might find themselves singing them.

A Song-By-Song Review

God Makes Everything: “Yes little one. Yes it’s true. God made them all, and God made you.” That is the clear message of this song.

Doxology: This short little song may be may favorite on the album. It is an a cappella doxology of praise to God. There is just something tender and endearing about this song, and I love the idea of engaging even very young kids in genuine worship of God.

Moses: The message of this song is that God will care for us the same way He took care of Moses. I do have to say that I listened to the Noah song before this one, and they sound all most too much alike. I think in some ways this reinforces the message that God is control (which I love). On the other hand, they sound almost alike.

Noah: I love this song about Noah. Unlike most other stories of Noah which focus on bunches of cute animals and Noah’s obedience, the focus of this song is on all that God did for Noah. The song goes one step further in connecting that protection of Noah to the protection that God offers us in our own lives.

David Beats Goliath: God helped David to beat Goliath. The message of this song is that God will also help “a little child like you.”

God Saves Daniel: God heard Daniel and helped him not to be afraid. This song does not follow the predictable pattern of God did something for an Old Testament character, and He will do it for you too.

Jesus is Born: This song sets out who Jesus is and why He came to earth – “to be with you.”

Jesus Stops A Storm: Based on the story of Jesus calming the storm, this song reminds kids that He will answer when they call.

Jesus Loves Zaccheus: When the song started “Zaccheus was…” I was certain this was going to be another rendition of the popular children’s “wee little man tune.” Instead, this song is actually a nice little song to remind kids that Jesus loves them. It is one of the more upbeat songs on the album.

Jesus Loves Little Children: This song screamed lullaby to me. The message is that God made everything, but you are more important to Him than all of that.

Jesus is Alive: This song encourages kids to celebrate the fact that Jesus is alive!

The Giveaway

The people who made this album have been kind enough to offer one of our readers a chance to download the entire album for free! Enter our giveaway below. Pay close attention, some options let you enter more than once, and several are worth more than one entry! This giveaway will run through next Monday, so get your entries in now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Disclaimer

I was provided with a free download of this album for purposes of doing this review. That did not, in any way, influence the contents of this review.

Monday Morning Prophecy #68 – The Messiah Would Be Called a Man of Sorrows

Wayne — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:55:00 +0000

Introduction

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, but the Old Testament also prophesies that the Messiah would be called a Man of Sorrows.

Old Testament Prophecy

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [Isaiah 53:3 NIV]

New Testament Fulfillment

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” [Matthew 26:37-38 NIV]

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Matthew 27:46 NIV]

He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. [Mark 14:33 NIV]

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. [Luke 22:44 NIV]

Return to the Monday Morning Prophecy index page.

Image courtesy of Abby Reed

Why I Believe the Bible #21A (The Messianic Prophecies of the Old Testament)

Wayne — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:55:00 +0000

In the last installment of this series, we looked at just a few of the non-Messianic prophecies contained in the Old Testament. Today, we want to look at some of the Old Testament Prophecies specifically about the coming Messiah. These prophecies, of course, are perfectly fulfilled in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Indeed, the evidence of these specific prophecies are so strong that they were fundamental in my own journey in coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I was so taken and persuaded by these prophecies, that I have been publishing a series over the last three years (admittedly with some gaps) called “Monday Morning Prophecy.” In this series, which will run weekly through the first few months of next year, we are examining over 100 of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah including their fulfillment in the New Testament. I have already published over 60 of them, and I encourage you to have a look.

Because of that detailed review of prophecies, I will not endeavor to recreate that content here in this article. Instead, I would like to provide a brief overview then examine just a few of those prophecies included in two Old Testament passages. Next week, we will have a look at a famous statistical analysis of the odds of just eight of these prophecies being fulfilled in one man.

The Old Testament includes prophecies about who the Messiah would be. We learn that He would come from the lines of Shem (Gen 9-10), Abraham (Gen 22:18), Isaac (Gen 26:4), Jacob (Gen 49:10), Jesse (Is 11:1-5) and David (2 Sam 7:11-16). We are told where He would be born (Mic 5:2). Various aspects of His life are described:

Teach in Parables (Ps 78:2)
Ride into Jerusalem on a Donkey (Zech 9:9)
Betrayed by a friend (Ps 41:9)
For 30 Pieces of Silver then thrown into temple (Zech 11:12-13 or Zech 1:13)
Rejected by Israel (Is 8:14)
Mocked with lots cast for clothing (Ps 22:18)
Hands and feet pierced (Ps 22)
Given gall and wine (Ps 69:21)
Pierced (Zech 12:10)
Buried in a rich man’s grave (Is 53:9)
Raised from the grave (Ps 16:10)
Would perform miracles (Is 35:4-6)

We learn about His roles, His life, His death and His resurrection and much much more.

Some scholars count upwards of 320 prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament. Let’s have a look at a couple of Old Testament passages. For purposes of this article, I am assuming you are familiar with some of the story of Jesus’ life and will see that story in these passages written hundreds of years before His birth. Let’s start with Isaiah 52:13-53:12:

¹³Behold,my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
¹⁴As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
¹⁵so shall he sprinkle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.

Isaiah 53

¹Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
²For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
⁸By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
⁹And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Read carefully, it is hard (impossible actually) to see anything except the life and death of Jesus in the preceding verses. Another famous section of Old Testament Prophecy is found in Psalm 22. As you read these verses, think about the crucifixion of Christ:

¹My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
²O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
   and by night, but I find no rest.

³Yet you areholy,
   enthroned on the praises of Israel.
⁴In you our fathers trusted;
   they trusted, and you delivered them.
⁵To you they cried and were rescued;
   in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶But I ama worm and not a man,
   scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
⁷All who see me mock me;
   they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
⁸ "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
   let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"

⁹Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
   you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
¹⁰On you was I cast from my birth,
   and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
¹¹Be not far from me,
   for trouble is near,
   and there is none to help.

¹²Many bulls encompass me;
   strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
¹³they open wide their mouths at me,
   like a ravening and roaring lion.

¹⁴I am poured out like water,
   and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
   it is melted within my breast;
¹⁵my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
   and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
   you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶For dogs encompass me;
   a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet— ¹⁷I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; ¹⁸ they divide my garments among them,
   and for my clothing they cast lots.

¹⁹But you, O LORD, do not be far off!
   O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
²⁰Deliver my soul from the sword,
   my precious life from the power of the dog!
²¹Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

²² I will tell of your name to my brothers;
   in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
²³You who fear the LORD, praise him!
   All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
   and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
²⁴For he has not despised or abhorred
   the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
   but has heard, when he cried to him.

²⁵From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
   my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
²⁶ The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
   those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
   May your hearts live forever!

²⁷All the ends of the earth shall remember
   and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
   shall worship before you.
²⁸For kingship belongs to the LORD,
   and he rules over the nations.

²⁹All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
   before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
   even the one who could not keep himself alive.
³⁰Posterity shall serve him;
   it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
³¹they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Taken as a whole and with an open mind, the evidence of Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament is impossible to ignore. Not only does it prove the authenticity of the Bible, it proves that Jesus was who He said He was and is worthy of our worship and obedience.

Return to the Why I Believe The Bible index page.

Good Works (Fruit or Root of Salvation)

Wayne — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

There is much discussion in the world of children’s ministry these days over the issue of values based curriculum. I believe that discussion is an important one to have, and in the end it comes down to how values are taught rather than if they are taught which will determine whether or not a curriculum has the right focus. The whole argument though, is much older than just the current discussion. The argument stems from a misunderstanding of good works that dates back to the time of the New Testament writers (and frankly, well back into Old Testament times).

Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly explains how we are saved:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

We are saved by grace alone, and there is nothing that we do, no good work that we can perform, which merits that grace. It is given to us solely as the discretion of Our God and out of His loving kindness.

However, James (the brother of Jesus) is quick to remind us:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (James 2:14-20 ESV)

Come again? We are saved by faith alone and not by works, right? Absolutely! But, faith without works is dead? You betcha! How can that be? This must be one of those internal contradictions in the Bible that you hear so much about, right? No way. The Bible is inerrant and has no contradictions.

The fact of the matter is, absent a right understanding of good works in the context of salvations, we can become hopelessly confused about exactly how we should live our lives, and why. So, let’s take a few minutes to explore this issue.

The Bible is clear that we are saved by faith alone. In that regard it is unique among world religions all of which have some form of works system in order to gain right standing before their god. In all other religions you must act a certain way, or do certain things, or commit more good acts than bas acts in order to earn the favor of their deity. Christianity stands alone as a belief system which bases salvation on faith alone without any semblance of works.

So, what was James talking about? What does he mean when he says that faith without works is dead? Simply this – after placing our faith in Christ (by grace), an appreciation of all that God has done for us will lead us to desire to live our lives in a way which is pleasing to God. It is worth noting that, once again, it is by God’s grace that we are given the power to do this.

I recently came across a quote from John MacArthur which sets this out better than anything else I have seen. He write in “A 15-Year Retrospective on the Lordship Controversy:”

But, as the Reformers said, while faith alone justifies, the faith that justifies is never alone. Genuine faith inevitably produces good works. The works are the fruit, not the root, of faith.

Distinguishing between whether our works are roots (something we believe will earn us favor with God) or fruit (something done in obedience based on all that God has done for us) is critical to having a fruitful walk with God. Over the next few installments of this series, we will look at a variety of Christian practices or disciplines and try to discern whether we are doing those good works as fruit or root.

Monday Morning Prophecy #67 – The Messiah Would Be Compassionate and Gentle

Wayne — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:55:00 +0000

Introduction

The Old Testament gives plenty of information regarding the nature of the coming Messiah. For examples, the Bible says that the Messiah would be compassionate and gentle. The life of Jesus fulfills these prophecies.

Old Testament Prophecy

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; [Isaiah 42:3 NIV]

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey [Zechariah 9:9 NIV]

New Testament Fulfillment

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [Matthew 11:28 NIV]

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [Matthew 11:29 NIV]

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. [Matthew 12:15-20]

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, If you are willing, you can make me clean. Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said. Be clean!” [Mark 1:40-41 NIV]

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [Matthew 11:29 NIV]

For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. [Luke 22:27 NIV]

…but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! [Philippians 2:7-8 NIV]

Return to the Monday Morning Prophecy index page.

Image courtesy of Abby Reed

Why I Believe the Bible #20B (Non-Messianic Prophecies of the Bible)

Wayne — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:55:00 +0000

Last time we visited this series of 25 Reason Why I Believe the Bible (which admittedly was a while back), we looked at an introduction to Biblical Prophecy. We have divided Biblical Prophecy into three broad categories:

Non-Messianic Prophecy (Prophecy about something other than Jesus)
Old Testament Messianic Prophecy (Prophecy about Jesus found in the Old Testament)
New Testament Messianic Prophecy (Prophecy about Jesus found in the New Testament)

Starting with this installment, and continuing for the next two, we are going to take a closer look at each type of prophecy.

The Bible is full of prophecy. Prophecy was, in fact, one of God’s chosen ways of showing who He was, and arguably the most convincing proof for the accuracy and divine inspiration of the Bible. As we will see in coming installments, the predictions of the coming Messiah prove pretty conclusively that Jesus was who He said He was, but before we tackle those we are going to look at some of the Non-Messianic prophecies of the Bible and their fulfillment in history. This is by no means an exhaustive listing of the prophecy included in the Bible but will give you feel for some of what is included. I have included scripture references so you can look up the prophecies yourself.

The Destruction of Tyre

In the twenty-sixth chapter of the book of Ezekiel (written between 593 and 565 B.C.), we read:

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. And she shall become plunder for the nations, and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD. For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers. He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you. He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots, when he enters your gates as men enter a city that has been breached. With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. [Ezekiel 26:3-14 ESV]

And here a little history lesson on the fate of Tyre (thanks to David Padfield for assembling this information):

After the destruction of Jerusalem and the carrying away of her king Zedekiah into captivity, "Nebuchadnezzar took all Palestine and Syria and the cities on the seacoast, including Tyre, which fell after a siege of 13 years (573 B.C.)" (E. A. Wallis Budge, Babylonian Life And History, p. 50). The inhabitants of Tyre fled to a rocky island half a mile offshore. The walls on the landward side of the island were 150 feet high. "The channel between Tyre and the mainland was over twenty feet deep, and frequently lashed by violent south-west winds. Their fortifications, they believed, would resist the strongest battering-ram yet devised. The city-walls stood sheer above the sea: how could any army without ships scale them? Shore based artillery was useless at such a range." (Peter Green, Alexander of Macedon, p. 248).

On his way towards Egypt, Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) led his Macedonian troops to victory at Sidon and then continued south towards Tyre. Tyrian envoys met with Alexander and assured him that their city was at his disposal. "However, he put their goodwill to the test by expressing his wish to sacrifice at the shrine of Heracles inside the city; for the Tyrians recognized a Phoenician god who was identified by the Greeks as Heracles, and from this deity Alexander claimed descent. Tyrian goodwill unfortunately did not extend so far as to grant him the permission he sought In short, they would not admit him into the city." (David Chandler, Alexander 334-323 B.C., p. 41).

Alexander was tempted to bypass the island fortress and continue his march towards Egypt. He sent messengers to Tyre, urging them to accept a peace treaty. Believing themselves to be safe on their island, the Tyrians killed Alexander’s ambassadors and threw their bodies from the top of the walls into the sea. This act served only to anger Alexander and embitter his troops.

Alexander determined to build a mole to get his troops from the mainland to the island. The mole is said to have been at least 200 feet wide. It was constructed from stones and timber from the old city of Tyre on the mainland. In fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy, the very foundation stones, timbers and dust of the city was cast "in the midst of the water" (Ezek. 26:12).

For a while the Tyrians laughed at Alexander’s project. At first they would row boats across the channel and harangue the Macedonians. Their laughter turned to concern when they saw the mole was going to be completed. The Tyrians ignited a barge and drove it into the first mole. The towers on the mole caught fire and several of Alexander’s men lost their lives. Alexander gave orders for the work to continue, and that the mole itself should be widened and more protective towers be built.

Alexander was able to obtain ships from Sidon, Greek allies and Cyprus to form a blockade around Tyre. When the mole was within artillery range of Tyre, Alexander brought up stone throwers and light catapults, reinforced by archers and slingers, for a saturation barrage. Battle engineers constructed several naval battering rams which smashed through the walls of Tyre. Though courageous, the Tyrians were no match for Alexander’s troops. Over 7,000 Tyrians died in the defense of their island. In contrast, only 400 Macedonians were killed.

The seven month siege, from January to July 332 B.C., was over. "The great city over which Hiram had once held sway was now utterly destroyed. Her king, Azimilik, and various other notables, including envoys from Carthage, had taken refuge in the temple of Melkart, and Alexander spared their lives. The remaining survivors, some 30,000 in number, he sold into slavery. Two thousand men of military age were crucified. Then Alexander went up into the temple, ripped the golden cords from the image of the god (now to be renamed, by decree, Apollo Philalexander), and made his long-delayed sacrifice: the most costly blood-offering even Melkart had ever received." (Green, p. 262).

One historian wrote, "Alexander did far more against Tyre than Shalmaneser or Nebuchadnezzar had done. Not content with crushing her, he took care that she never should revive; for he founded Alexandria as her substitute, and changed forever the track of the commerce of the world." (Edward Creasy, Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, ch. 4).

Other sources record that the Island city of Tyre is covered with water. The fulfillment of this prophecy is clear.

The Jewish Exile

There are numerous prophecies in the Bible of the Jewish exile from the promised land. The following are some of those prophecies with their approximate date of writing included for reference:

Moses – 1450 B.C. (Dt. 28:49-57)
Amos – 760 B.C. (Amos 3, 5-9)
Hosea – 753 B.C (Hos 1:2-8)
Micah – 742 B.C. (Micah 1:2-3:12)
Isaiah – 740 B.C. (Is 7:18-25; 9:8-10:4)
Habakkuk – 612 B.C. (Hab 1:1-11)
Jeremiah – 627 B.C. (Jer 5:1-19; 6:1-30; 7:30-34)

In 722 B.C., the Northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians. Later in 587-586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzer laid siege to the southern kingdom of Judah thereby completing the exile of the Jews prophesied so many years earlier in the Old Testament.

Cyrus to Allow the Jews to Rebuild the Temple

Written in approximately sometime earlier than 700 B.C., Isaiah 44:28-45:3 tell of a coming King named Cyrus who would allow the Israelite to rebuild there temple:

    who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
        and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
    saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
        and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”

    Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,
        whose right hand I have grasped,
    to subdue nations before him
        and to loose the belts of kings,
    to open doors before him
        that gates may not be closed:
    “I will go before you
        and level the exalted places,
    I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
        and cut through the bars of iron,
    I will give you the treasures of darkness
        and the hoards in secret places,
    that you may know that it is I, the LORD,
        the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
[Isaiah 44:28-45:3 ESV]

This prophecy was made some 100 years before the Temple was even destroyed and 160 years before Cyrus was born. Nonetheless, we read in the book of Ezra:

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” [Ezra 1:1-4 ESV]

Daniel’s Succession of World Powers

In Chapter 8 of the book of Daniel, written around 550 B.C., Daniel accurately predicts the unfolding of world powers for the next 400 years:

    In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

    As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

    Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.” [Daniel 8:1-14 ESV]

Unlike prophecies from other sources, the Bible does not leave of guessing about this particular prophecy:

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up. He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.” [Daniel 8:15-26 ESV]

The ram represented the Medo-Persian empire. The goat was the King of Greece – Alexander the Great who conquered the Medo-Persian empire. When he died in 323 B.C., the kingdom was divided amongst four generals. The little horn/king of bold face refers to Antiochus IV who grew out of the four divided kingdoms and ruled as a tyrant.

Conclusion

These are just some of the many non-Messianic prophecies of the Bible which have proven true. Indeed, no prophecy of scripture has yet to be proven untrue – a clear indication of the divine inspiration of the book.

Return to the Why I Believe The Bible index page.

Monday Morning Prophecy #66 – The Messiah Is Eternal

Wayne — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:55:00 +0000

Welcome to a very special Wednesday edition of Monday Morning Prophecy. I would like to say that our Wednesday edition was a clever way to announce to continuation of this dormant series, but it had a lot more to do with forgetting to schedule the post for Monday than anything else. With that said, enjoy this special edition of Monday Morning Prophecy!

Introduction

The Bible explains that the Messiah would not be a normal man with a beginning and end. Rather, the Old Testament indicates that the Messiah would be eternal.

Old Testament Prophecy

When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. [2 Samuel 7:12-13 NIV]

Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’" [2 Samuel 7:16 NIV]

When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. [1 Chronicles 17:11-12 NIV]

I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’" [1 Chronicles 17:13-14 NIV]

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. [Psalm 102:25-27 NIV]

"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. [Proverbs 8:22-23 NIV]

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:6 NIV]

"This is what the LORD says- Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. [Isaiah 44:6 NIV]

"Come near me and listen to this: "From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there." And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me, with his Spirit. [Isaiah 48:16 NIV]

"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. [Daniel 7:13-14]

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. " [Micah 5:2 NIV]

New Testament Fulfillment

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” [Luke 1:31-33 NIV]

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” [Luke 1:32-33]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. [John 1:1-2 NIV]

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” [John 8:58 NIV]

And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. [John 17:5 NIV]

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. [John 17:24 NIV]

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [Colossians 1:17 NIV]

But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. [Hebrews 1:8 NIV]

But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” [Hebrews 1:8-9 NIV]

He also says, “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” [Hebrews 1:10-12 NIV]

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. [Hebrews 13:8 NIV]

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” [Revelation 1:8 NIV]

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. [Revelation 1:17 NIV]

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. [Revelation 1:17-18 NIV]

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. [Revelation 2:8 NIV]

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. [Revelation 22:13 NIV]

Return to the Monday Morning Prophecy index page.

Image courtesy of Abby Reed

13 Ways Dads Provoke Their Children

Wayne — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:18:06 +0000

As parents, we sometimes find ourselves focusing on verses like Colossians 3:20:

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. [Colossians 3:20 ESV]

Unfortunately, all too often we forget the very next verse which says:

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. [Colossians 3:21 ESV]

As parents (and specifically as fathers), God commands us not to provoke our children. This past weekend at church, our pastor preached on this and promised to share a list of 13 ways parents provoke and discourage their kids. As I read the list today I was convicted by a number of those things:

Playing favorites (specifically comparing one child to another)
Being overly critical
Making them feel unwanted
Excessive discipline
Inconsistent discipline
Rules without relationship
Failing to adapts to their current stage of development

At some point in my parenting (maybe as recently as last night), I have been guilty to these to some extent. I am grateful for God’s grace that forgives me and tells me that, in Him, I can do better as a man and as a father. I would encourage you to read the whole list and grade yourself on each item. If you feel led, comment below on where you’ve failed, and let’s begin to hold one another accountable to this command. Here is a link to the complete listing. Thanks to Pastor Steve Benninger of New Life Church Gahanna for putting this together.

The State of the Bible 2012

Wayne — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:24:04 +0000

There is an interesting new report out from The American Bible Society based on a survey conducted by the Barna Group. The study explores American’s beliefs about the Bible, its role in society and its presence in U.S. homes. Some of the findings from the report include:

47% of American adults believe the Bible has too little influence in society today
55% read the Bible to be closer to God, down 9% (from 64%) in 2011
79% believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible but 54% were unable to correctly identify the first five books of the Bible
46% believe the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon are different expressions of the same spiritual truths, 46% disagree
On average, 85% of U.S. households own a Bible; the average amount of Bibles per household is 4.3
36% of Americans read the Bible less than once a year or never while 33% read the Bible once a week or more
Americans’ beliefs about the Bible are highly varied by age. Only 34% of those age 18-27 vs. 62% age 66 and older believe the Bible contains everything a person needs to know about living a meaningful life.

I was also very interested in the report of responses on the influence of the Bible by age group. Have a look at the lower right hand corner of the inforgraphic above. The trends are interesting and should tell those of us who work in children’s ministry something about the importance of teaching the Bible to kids.

You can download a copy of the pdf file containing the inforgraphic shown at the beginning of this article here. Links to the complete report for 2012 and prior reports can be found here.

The Eric Trap – A Video Review

Wayne — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:23:57 +0000

After watching people like Evan Doyle, Christopher Sykes and J.C. Thompson do video reviews, I decided to give it a shot. I wanted to show them what a video from someone old enough to shave looks like. More importantly, I wanted to touch on something I didn’t cover thoroughly enough in my original review: Should someone who is not a vocational children’s pastor read this book?

Here is my video:

The Eric Trap–Video Review

Head on over to my original written review for your chance to win one of three copies of the book. The entries are piling up, so make sure to get yours in today!

The Eric Trap (A DAD IN THE MIDDLE REVIEW)

Wayne — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:55:00 +0000

Keep reading to the bottom for your chance to win a free copy of the book!!!

Collaborative books are all the rage in children’s ministry today, and that’s not a bad thing. It started several years back with Michael Chanley and the Group of 35 when they produced the book, aptly named Collaborate. That was followed by the free e-book What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry. Greg Baird spearheaded another effort which resulted in The Future of Children’s Ministry. Jim Wideman’s 1st Infuse group put together Kidmin Leadership, and the folks at WMNCM produced a follow up to their first offering called What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry – Early Childhood Edition and most recently have produced Nexus: Central Themes in Children’s Ministry.

So, when I found out that Jim Wideman’s Infuse 2.2 group was also putting together a collaborative book, I had mixed emotions. I have the utmost respect for Jim Wideman. Outside of my immediate family, Jim has had a greater impact on my ministry and parenting than any one person I could name. That has come primarily through his books and some limited interactions. I’ve yet to read or hear or see anything that Jim has been involved in that I have not learned from. Over the last few years, I’ve also gotten to know some of the people who have gone (or are going) through Jim’s Infuse program…people like Jenny Funderburke, Sam Luce, Kenny Conley, Spencer Click and others, and I’ve gained a good deal of respect for them as well. In dealing with, and learning from, them I understand Jim’s great pride in them. On the other hand, was this just going to be another collaborative effort….a series of articles by various people loosely based around some theme. Now, don’t get me wrong, the books I mentioned above are awesome. I’ve read them all and learned a lot, and I recommend to them to people frequently. Any hesitation about this book was not based on the quality of those books, but more on an apprehension of getting “more of the same.”

Any hesitation I had was quickly erased. I received an e-copy of The Eric Trap last Tuesday by e-mail. I opened it up just to have a look (at least that was my plan), and I hadn’t put it down before finishing the first three chapters. I finished the rest of the book that evening at my daughter’s softball practice. This book is as captivating as is it informational. The book is based on a week in the life of Eric Newman – a fictional children’s pastor whose life will no doubt make you think, “I’ve been there.” The day-by-day narrative unfolding of Eric’s week is as captivating and entertaining as is it illuminating. Eric faces in one week many of the trials and tribulations that children’s pastors face. From a verbal altercation with a volunteer in a crowded hallway on a Sunday morning, to a glowing lunch with a set of parents, to a humbling encounter with an older mentor to the near collapse of his marriage, Eric faces many of the uphill battles faced by all children’s pastors who fail to focus on the most important things. I understand that the narrative part of the book was written by Kenny Conley and Sam Luce, and they did an extremely good job with it. Good children’s pastors tend to be good storytellers, and Sam and Kenny are definitely that. The story of Eric will pull you in as you relate to his trials, shutter at his mistakes and find yourself hoping the best for him in his journey. More than anything else, this narrative story weaved throughout the book keeps The Eric Trap from being “just another collaborative book” that feels more like a collection of individual blog articles than a cohesive book.

The there is what I will call the “application” part of the book. Each of the narrative of a day in the life of Eric Newman is followed by a chapter from one of Jim Wideman’s Infuse participants. Contributors include Jim Wideman, Craig Gyergo, Kristin Englund, Deanna Hayes, Matt McDaniels and Sherri Epperson. With the exception of Jim, I was not familiar with any of these authors prior to reading the book. Now that I am, I will be following all of them on Twitter. There contributions are clear, clearly heart felt and edifying. While I found myself anxious to get back to seeing what old Eric was up to, the insights and wisdom of these six kept me fully engaged.

I am glad that Jim has begun to have his infuse groups publish these books, and I hope he continues. Jim influence on these guys is readily obvious throughout the book. At times, I forgot who had written which portion of the book as Jim’s wisdom and years seems to shine throughout no matter who was wielding the pen. I think that is a testament both to Jim and these gifted writers. I think this book has the potential to change the landscape of how effective children’s ministry is done, and for that I am grateful. I would be remiss if I did not address one other issue. Who is this book for? It seems clear that the book is intended primarily for those who work vocationally in children’s ministry. That said, I do not fit that description, and I learned a ton from this book. I found the principles not only applicable to volunteer work in children’s ministry but also to life in general. Eric Newman may be a children’s minister, but I think no matter what our vocation, many of us find ourselves falling into the same traps.

That is why I want to put a copy of this book in your hands. Jim and his crew were kind enough to send me three copies of the book. I was planning on keeping one for myself and giving away the other two, but I am so excited to get this book in your hands that I will be giving away three copies. Use the form below to enter our drawing as many times as you wish. There are tons of ways to enter (and some you can do more than once). I hope you will take this opportunity to enter the contest. I don’t think it is too cliché to say that reading this book may change your life – at the very least it will change the way you do ministry.

Oh, in case you missed it, I was provided with a free copy of this book to do this review. As always, that did not influence the contents of this review in any way (now if it had been signed, that would be another story….. )

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Little Praise Party, Happy Day Everyday (A DAD IN THE MIDDLE REVIEW)

Wayne — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:39:27 +0000

ABOUT THE ALBUM

One of my favorite artists, Yancy is at it again with her latest release called “Little Praise Party, Happy Day Everyday!” This album of worship songs for preschoolers had me up and dancing when I listened to it with my kids. From four all the way up to eleven, all of my kids loved this album from start to finish. In addition to having some great worship songs for younger kids, this album also include songs to help preschoolers celebrate specific days like Birthdays, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.

This release is available on CD as well as a Home DVD which includes 11 songs with animated music videos. There is also a Church DVD which includes all 11 videos plus the soundtracks for all songs and mpeg type files to import into your presentation software.

I can’t recommend this resource strongly enough. Go to www.yancynotnancy.com and orders yours today!

THE GIVEAWAY

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Yancy has been kind enough to allow us to give away a ministry combo set which includes the CD and DVD. To enter,

Just leave a comment below letting us know why you want this CD/DVD combo; and/or
Tweet the following message: “I just entered to win a free CD/DVD combo from @stocksohio of the new @yancynotnancy release: http://wp.me/pN5Ju-1nA #kidmin”

I’ll pick a winner next Thursday, April 12, 2012.

REVIEW OF SONGS ON THE ALBUM

Brand New Day…Based on the verse “This is the Day the Lord has made” this song encourages kids to thank God for the days in their lives. It encourages kids to get involved with motions and words. This is easily one of my favorite songs on the album.

Shout!…This catchy song encourages kids to “Shout Out” that they love Jesus and tell other people about it. A great song to teach young kids about sharing their faith.

Go!…This missions oriented song encourages kids to “Go” and tell His story to others.

Love One Another…This song teaches basic biblical principals like loving one another and be kind to each other. It is chocked full of scripture references to plant in your young child’s heart.

Hosanna Rock…Hosanna…Ho…Ho…Hosanna is a catch that you won’t soon get out of your head after listening to this song (and I mean that in a great way). This is a great worship song for kids with active worship (clap your hands, wave your arms, play the drums, etc.) built right in to engage your preschoolers.

One, Two, Three…A song to remind kids that Christ died for us and rose again on the third day. This song will turn your focus to Jesus whether you’re 3 or 103.

The Springtime Song…A perfect song for this time of year, The Springtime Song even includes a reference to an Easter Egg (gasp!). The important part is that it reminds us that the most important thing to remember is that Jesus is alive and He loves us. This would be an awesome song to use in your ministry at Easter time or anytime!

The Dog Song…This is a great preschool song that compares our relationship with Jesus to “an old hound dog.” It sounds out there I know, but it really is a catchy song, and any song that gets a room full of preschoolers barking like a dog is a keeper in my books.

Happy Birthday To You…Tired of the same old birthday song? Check out this ramped up version from Yancy that is sure to please!

Bye, Bye, Bye…This song reminds kids to say goodbye to their fears because God is always with us.

I Like To…Get your kids moving as they jump for joy because Jesus loves us!

Don’t Be A Turkey…I knew this one would be a hit with my own kids before I ever turned it on, and sure enough the first time I played it for them we had to listen to it for about an hour non-stop. Something seemed familiar about the voice on this song, so I looked it up, and sure enough it was written and performed by Yancy’s dad – Jim Wideman.

God Is Good To Me…This song of praise helps kids to remember that God is good to us and encourages them to give thanks for that.

Away In A Manger…This album wouldn’t be complete without a traditional Christmas song for preschoolers.

It’s Christmastime…This upbeat Christmas song is classic Yancy. It will get you moving and grooving at Christmastime!

Love One Another (Lullaby Mix)…This song just about put me to sleep…which is a good thing given that it is the “Lullaby Mix.” Seriously though, the beauty of Yancy’s voice is captured in this toned down version of Love One Another.

I was provided with a free copy of this CD for purposes of this review. That did not in any way influence the contents of this review.

Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-25 to 2012-03-31

Wayne — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:05:00 +0000

The Children’s Ministry Blog Patrol – 2012-03-29 http://t.co/y0RD9Lk9 13:03:08, 2012-03-29
Vote For Jenny Funderburke!!! http://t.co/muhkAoTl 08:02:38, 2012-03-27
Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-18 to 2012-03-24 http://t.co/F6lALlMB 01:17:03, 2012-03-25

The Children’s Ministry Blog Patrol – 2012-03-29

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Happy Birthday @mindmeister #ipad3giveaway http://t.co/NYc5Obrj #

Vote For Jenny Funderburke!!!

Wayne — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Last week, I posted my picks for this year’s 2012 Blog Madness Tournament. I’m happy to say that three of my four picks advanced to this week’s Final Four with only Karl Bastian not making the cut (sorry Karl, I understand Gus was actually campaigning against you). The final four is set, and it’s some hefty competition:

Jason Martin
Jim Wideman
Jenny Funderburke
West Coast CM (Anthony Prince)

So, today marks the official beginning of my “Vote For Jenny 2012” campaign. I said last week that I hoped she wins this whole thing, and this week I am trying to do something about it. I’ve been a fan of Jenny’s blog since it was called something like “Thoughts my Husband is Sick of Hearing” (I’m paraphrasing, but I’m pretty sure it was something like that). Now rebranded “Kidmin Thoughts” and hosted at JennyFunderburke.com, I sincerely believe it to be one of, if not the, best children’s ministry blogs out there. Jenny writes with a knowledgeable, and very approachable, style. I am consistently edified and inspired by her thoughts and stories.

I finally had a chance to meet Jenny in person at last summer’s CMX when she participated in Jim Wideman’s genius bar. Jenny is one of those people who makes you feel like you’re old friends from the moment you meet. She just exudes warmth and friendliness. And, as I found out at CMX, she is also a gifted speaker and presenter. I had already read most of what Jenny writes, but at CMX I had the chance to listen to her do a presentation as well, and it was perhaps the greatest testimony to how engaging she is. Let me preface this with a couple of facts. #1: I am not in preschool ministry (though I do think preschoolers are awesome, and I have one of my own). #2: I am not a momma (though I am married to one). Despite that, I hung on every word of Jenny’s presentation on “A Momma’s Non-Negotiables for Preschool Ministry.” It is the sign of a top notched speaker when they can totally engage you in something you have no personal stake in and you walk away having learned something.

As best I can tell, Jenny is much to humble to promote herself, so I plan to do it for her this week! So, join me in the “Vote for Jenny 2012” campaign. Head on over to 2012 Blog Madness Tournament and vote for Jenny today! Then, spread the word! Grab the graphic above and encourage your “people” to Vote for Jenny too. Let’s make sure that she wins this thing convincingly. Voting ends ~~sometime Sunday~~ Thursday March 29 at approximately 10:00 PM EST, so head over now to vote.

Oh, and do yourself a favor and add Jenny’s blog to your favorite reader!

Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-18 to 2012-03-24

Wayne — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 04:05:00 +0000

Happy Birthday @mindmeister #ipad3giveaway http://t.co/6H46qsyv 09:16:17, 2012-03-24
My Votes for Kidmin Blog Madness 2012 http://t.co/6wsZAXPO 15:34:38, 2012-03-21
Is there a #kidmin chat this afternoon on http://t.co/sgfahDzX? #cmconnect @michaelchanley 11:24:11, 2012-03-20
@dalehudsoncm Like the quote. Afraid these days though that most people name there mistakes "Not my fault" instead. in reply to dalehudsoncm 09:55:57, 2012-03-20

RT @adolan: fantastic guest post from Aaron Reynolds on simple creativity: http://t.co/VaPoyYRZ #kidmin // great article! 09:26:41, 2012-03-20
Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-11 to 2012-03-17 http://t.co/nAUHQfj0 01:04:22, 2012-03-18

My Votes for Kidmin Blog Madness 2012

Wayne — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:32:22 +0000

The Kidmin Blog Madness competition is back again this year. In past years I have campaigned heavily, and successfully, and made it to the Sweet 16 each year. This year, I opted not to campaign and to use that time elsewhere. The Blog Madness competition rolled on without me (go figure), and there are 16 great blogs left in the Sweet 16.

Like previous year, I want to go on record with my picks for whatever they are worth to you! This gets harder and harder for me each year as I get to know more and more of these bloggers personally. In fact, this year I know, have met personally or have interacted directly with 15 out of the 16 finalist, and by all accounts Dustin Nickerson is someone I need to get to know (send me an e-mail Dustin!). That said, I’ve tried to put personal feelings aside and go with who I believe deserves to win this thing.

Here are my picks:

MIDWEST REGIONAL

My pick: Jenny Funderburke

I said in the comments to the competition that “Jenny has one the best and most underheralded kidmin blogs out there,” and I wholeheartedly believe that. I read almost everything Jenny writes, and I learn something almost every time. My apologies to Kenny, Justyn and Lynda who are all deserving, but this year I am pulling for Jenny to win the whole thing.

WEST REGIONAL

My pick: Jason Martin

I met Jason at CMX a couple of years ago, though I didn’t recognize him as “The Jaymart” at the time. In addition to having some adorable daughters, Jason offers keen insights into children’s ministry that I really appreciate. Plus, who doesn’t pull for the underdog? No doubt that Sam Luce and Commander Bill are also deserving, but I went for the upset in this one. Dustin, let’s get on that bribe and maybe next year you’ll get my endorsement!

EAST REGIONAL

My pick: Jim Wideman

This one really needs no explanation. Jim Wideman is widely regarded for his influence and willingness to help others in children’s ministry. I have benefited personally from Jim’s writings both on kidmin and parenting, and for that I will be forever grateful. There are other people in this regional who I would pick to win the whole thing if they weren’t lumped with Jim, sorry to Amy, Greg and Matt (people I greatly admire), but that’s the luck of the drawn (aka Tony’s evil plan).

SOUTH REGIONAL

My pick: Kidologist.com

I admire Karl Bastian for many of the same reasons I admire Jim Wideman including their willingness and passion to spread what they have learned. Recently, I have also enjoyed following Karl’s activities as a father online as well. All of my picks (and many others in the sweet 16) all prove that good godly parents make pretty good kidmin people as well (and vice versa). FYI, I was really torn on this one as Jared Massey (Small Town Kidmin) is also down south. He has a wealth of insight to offer and is a good friend, but he won last year, and no one wants to see a dynasty in the Kidmin Blog Competition. Gina and Anthony are both also very deserving and people I admire.

MY OVERALL PICK: Jenny Funderburke

So head on over to the Kidmin Blog Competition and make sure Jenny wins! Voting for this round ends, and the final four starts, Sunday!

Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-11 to 2012-03-17

Wayne — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:05:00 +0000

I need your votes! Divorce Ministry 4 Kids (15th West), Dad in the Middle (4th East), Kidmin1124 (3rd Midwest) http://t.co/wp1eXDem #kidmin 09:49:50, 2012-03-15
Ultimately, we want to create not just learners, but teachers. @edstetzer – I think this applies to kids too! #kidmin #thegospelproject 16:34:58, 2012-03-14
Wish I could have made my schedule work to go to #thegospelproject webcast today! Excited about the direction of this curriculum. #kidmin 14:41:22, 2012-03-14
Please vote for http://t.co/jVFBSmm1 (15th seed in the West) to raise awareness of this issue! http://t.co/wp1eXDem #kidmin #divorce 11:47:43, 2012-03-14

RT @r_frank: #followfriday @Jetzu @jessemax @WHKids @Ryan_Millard1 @stocksohio @adambayne @JoeMcAlpine #kidmin // I'm late, but thx! 13:25:36, 2012-03-12
Who wants to join our Kidmin 2012 NCAA basketball pool? No fees, just fun and bragging rights! Join now: http://t.co/AqyAdJzC #kidmin 13:14:50, 2012-03-12
It’s Blog Madness Time Again http://t.co/olRs7ljK 11:38:44, 2012-03-12
I'm not going to say that @rogerfields seems quiet this afternoon, but…. #justsayin 16:33:30, 2012-03-11
Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-04 to 2012-03-10 http://t.co/9LDPJsNW 02:28:02, 2012-03-11

It’s Blog Madness Time Again

Wayne — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:36:55 +0000

Every year, my friend Tony Kummer from Ministry-to-Children.com runs a blog madness competition for children’s ministry bloggers that coincides with March Madness. You can find the competition HERE! Each of the last two years, I have campaigned shamelessly and relentlessly for my blog. In the end, it’s a lot a fun as I know many of the bloggers in the competition, and we have a good time competing on a friendly level. Each year, my shameless self-promotion has landed my blogs in the sweet sixteen. This year, I have neither the time nor the inclination to promote my personal blogs. If you want to vote for them, that would be great, but I do not plan to promote them this year like in previous years:

Dad in the Middle – (4th Seed) – Eastern Region

Kidmin1124 – (3rd Seed) – Midwest Region

Divorce Ministry 4 Kids (15th Seed) – Western Region

It would be nice to see all three blogs reach the sweet 16 again (I doubt it will happen), but I would like to ask that you vote for Divorce Ministry 4 Kids. I am not interested in winning the competition, but God has laid ministry to children of divorce heavily on my heart in the last 18 months or so. Part of our mission at Divorce Ministry 4 Kids is to raise awareness of this issue in children’s ministry circles, and this is a great opportunity for people in the children’s ministry field to learn about the ministry, the blog, and most importantly the issue. If you are inclined to support one of my blogs this year, I would ask that you promote Divorce Ministry 4 Kids. Help us to raise awareness about the issues faced by millions of kids each year as they suffer through their parents’ divorce.

Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-03-04 to 2012-03-10

Wayne — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 05:05:00 +0000

@HastenHome What r his questions exactly? in reply to HastenHome 12:09:24, 2012-03-08
@CommanderBill Here I thought you were yellow. #OrangeOnline in reply to CommanderBill 14:22:03, 2012-03-06
If you're watching @OrangeOnline, you should multitask and talk with us on http://t.co/d91rdwB7. #kidmin 14:05:01, 2012-03-06
@Barbaragraves I think that because you do the work of 10 people, you count as at least 5 or 6 viewers. #OrangeOnline in reply to Barbaragraves 13:35:13, 2012-03-06

When it comes to awe & wonder, it seems like we need to be careful to make sure it's directed at God and not the experience! #OrangeOnline 13:31:59, 2012-03-06
Never mind a Super Bowl party, I'm going to @Barbaragraves for the next #OrangeOnline event! #kidmin 13:27:38, 2012-03-06
I kept thinking I was seeing a little boy in the window, then I realized it was Sue Miller's shadow. #OrangeOnline 13:21:59, 2012-03-06
@AmyFentonLee @mattmckee @stephisorange @kmcollister Thanks! I had it earlier but closed my browser. 13:20:21, 2012-03-06
@franktan Thanks Frank. Unfortunately, I have to be selective today. I'll have to keep up with the rest via twitter. in reply to franktan 13:17:01, 2012-03-06
Where is the link to the schedule for today? #OrangeOnline 13:13:55, 2012-03-06
@pastorjaredm @CommanderBill I thought I taught you two better. *sigh* #OrangeOnline 13:11:51, 2012-03-06
I understand @Barbaragraves has agreed to send cookies to everyone watching #OrangeOnline today. That's cool. 13:11:20, 2012-03-06
Why's @mattmckee always gotta be makin' us struggle, yo? #orangeonline 13:05:20, 2012-03-06
RT @SavedSister7: Waving to all my #kidmin friends watching #OrangeOnline! // waving back 13:04:36, 2012-03-06
Watching Orange Tour Online #OrangeOnline #kidmin 13:03:16, 2012-03-06
Facebook has become a haven for passive-aggressive people who aren't willing to tell people in person what they think. You know who you are! 15:54:40, 2012-03-05
@adolan @Barbaragraves My daughter would be proud. Now, my son would chastise me for "trying to be cool," but that's another story. in reply to adolan 15:52:08, 2012-03-05
Wayne’s Weekly Twitter Digest – 2012-02-26 to 2012-03-03 http://t.co/Kn6Jythr 01:11:22, 2012-03-04