j1724

2009-08-11T10:43:00.002-07:00

Just finished Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck's book, Why We Love The Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. It was so encouraging I'm going to start it again. If you think community is hip and church is uncool, and you want to walk away. Read this book. Here is an excerpt (pgs. 226-227)

So I guess this is my final advice: Find a good local church, get involved, become a member, stay there for the long haul. Put away any thoughts of revolution for a while and join the plodding visionaries. Go to church this Sunday and worship there in spirit and in truth, be patient with your leaders, rejoice when the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, bear with those who hurt you and give people the benefit of the doubt. While you are there, sing like you mean it, say hi to the teenager no one notices, welcome the blue hairs and nose-ringed, volunteer for the nursery once in a while. And yes bring your fried chicken to the potluck like everyone else, invite a friend to church, take the new couple out for coffee, enjoy the Sundays that click for you, pray extra hard on the Sundays that don't and do not despise the "the day of small things" (Zechariah 4:10)

Well, I Wonder If You Know Him

2009-04-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Horrifying

2009-04-03T07:57:00.002-07:00

Are video games just video games? Some of cultures brightest minds are wanting to change how we view reality. Virtual reality in the future may become virtually reality. How do followers of Christ respond?

Grace vs Performance

2009-03-31T08:29:00.003-07:00

I found this blog at Resurgence. I had to share it. I think it describes our church. Thanks for making our church a community of Grace. It is a privilege to be your pastor.

What is the opposite of a community of grace? And I came to the conclusion that it's a community of performance. Communities of performance may talk a lot about grace, but they value performance—Christians who have it all figured out, churches that run smoothly, meetings that are accomplished. And so they communicate that what matters is that you perform well.

So is your community a community of performance or a community of grace? Try these diagnostic tests:

Communities of Performance

* The leaders appear to have it all figured out
* The community appears respectable
* Meetings must be a polished performance
* Failure is devastating, because identity is found in ministry
* Actions are driven by duty
* Conflict is suppressed or ignored
* The focus is on orthodox behavior (letting people think they have it all figured out)

Communities of Grace

* The leaders are vulnerable
* The community is messy
* Meetings are just one part of community life
* Failure is disappointing but not devastating, because identity is found in Christ
* Actions are driven by joy
* Conflict is addressed in the open
* The focus is on the affections of the heart (with a strong view of sin and grace)

In performance-oriented churches, people pretend to be okay because their standing within the church depends on it. But this is the opposite of grace. Grace acknowledges that we're all sinners, all messed up, all struggling. And grace also affirms that in Christ we all belong, all make the grade, all are welcome.
What Does a Community of Grace Look Like?

Imagine such a church for a moment. Here's Andrew: he sometimes uses porn because he struggles to find refuge in God. Here's Pauline: she sometimes has panic attacks because she struggles to believe in the care of her heavenly Father. Here's Abdul: he sometimes loses his temper because he struggles to believe that God is in control. Here's Georgina: she sometimes has bouts of depression because she struggles to believe God's grace. When they come together, they accept one another and celebrate God's grace towards each other. They rejoice that they are all children of God through the work of Christ. And they remind one another of the truths each of them needs to keep going and to change. It's a community of grace, a community of hope, a community of change.

Men and Woman!

2009-03-17T13:48:00.003-07:00

This is so TRUE!

Growing Gospel

2009-03-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Great words from John Piper:

Here is a simple exhortation that I have been trying to implement in our family:

Seek to see and feel the gospel as bigger as years go by rather than smaller.

Our temptation is to think that the gospel is for beginners and then we go on to greater things. But the real challenge is to see the gospel as the greatest thing—and getting greater all the time.

The Gospel gets bigger when, in your heart,

* grace gets bigger;
* Christ gets greater;
* his death gets more wonderful;
* his resurrection gets more astonishing;
* the work of the Spirit gets mightier;
* the power of the gospel gets more pervasive;
* its global extent gets wider;
* your own sin gets uglier;
* the devil gets more evil;
* the gospel's roots in eternity go deeper;
* its connections with everything in the Bible and in the world get stronger;
* and the magnitude of its celebration in eternity gets louder.

So keep this in mind: Never let the gospel get smaller in your heart.

Pray that it won’t. Read solid books on it. Sing about it. Tell someone about it who is ignorant or unsure about it.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel.... For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

A Daughters Poem A Grateful Dad

2009-02-11T11:23:00.005-07:00

My youngest daughter Corianne, wrote this poem for a school project. It brought a very grateful dad almost to tears. It is exciting as a dad, to watch God work in the lives of those I love. Please read to the end.

I’m long and curvy

Deep and wide

I hold a lot

Do a lot

Think a lot

Over think

Go deeper

I use my brain and my heart—

Maybe, too much

I hold every type of flower

Bright Reds, blues, yellows, greens, pinks

They aren’t organized

Some 2 feet

Others, 6 inches

The outside eye jumps from one to another

I’m random\spastic\crazy\loud

If I’m accidentally nudged

I’ll tip over and recover

If I’m knocked over purposefully

I’ll shatter

I can be glued back together

Never hold a grudge

But there will be a crack

I’m glass

Although I get shattered, dehydrated, and grow wild things

I have faith that there’s someone who will

Pick me up and glue me back together with love

Fill me up when I’m dry

Trim and replace my contents

No matter how:

Stubborn I am

How dry or dirty my water gets

How thorny and ugly my plants grow—

I love and trust God

I watch and take in the world around me

It helps my flowers thrive

And kills them

They soak up the sun when I’m in a window

Try to block out the darkness

Dirt finds its way to nestle between the petals of my flowers

Observing, I must be careful what I take in

Sometimes letting my guard down

I’m not perfect

When I’m happy, you’ll see my flowers

Sad or mad—my emptiness

Fake flowers fill me up when emptiness sets in

All for the sake of others

But the falsehood doesn’t go unnoticed

I wear my heart on my sleeve

I’m clear

Usually blooming

I try to brighten rooms around me

I smile

I would gladly give my flowers away

To make another happy

I’ll empathize, sympathize

Cry or break

At the sight of another

I hurt easily, care lots

Half full, never half empty

Usually full of blooms

Here for the One that placed me here

Used to brighten rooms

My creator, gardener, filler,

My cornerstone, my base,

Whatever I am or how I look

I am His Glass Vase

Rick Warren

2009-01-20T09:25:00.006-07:00

Bully! Pulpit News has exclusively learned that embattled California preacher Rick Warren is vowing to offer a prayer that invokes the name of Jesus at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on January 20th. According to those in attendance, Warren recently told congregants at his church in Orange County, CA that he would indeed invoke Jesus' name in his much anticipated prayer and asked for their prayers.

Warren's prayer and whether or not he would invoke the name of Jesus has been the subject of media speculation with some fellow preachers urging him to use the name while others favoring a strict church/state separation have urged him to offer a less sectarian prayer such as the ones offered in previous invocations including those of Rev. Billy Graham. Warren had previously refused to confirm or deny his intentions, telling the Associated Press, "I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray."

At the 2001 inauguration of President George W. Bush, two ministers, The Revs. Kirbyjohn Caldwell and Franklin Graham came under fire for invoking Jesus' name and the pair were sued by atheist Michael Newdow. The suit was later dismissed. Newdow filed a similar lawsuit in federal court to stop Warren from doing so at the Obama inaugural but the the suit was also rejected. Previous inaugural prayers by Graham's father Billy, though making obvious inferences to Christ, never made a direct reference.

Bishop Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church's only openly gay Bishop is scheduled to open inaugural festivities today with a prayer of his own. In contrast to Warren, Robinson told NPR that he would address his prayer to "the god of our many understandings," adding, "my intention is not to invoke the name of Jesus but to make this a prayer for Christians and non-Christians alike."

The common Christian practice of invoking the name of Jesus, often at the end of a prayer, is based on several Bible passages including the Gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 24, in which Christ is quoted as saying: "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive that your joy may be full."

Warren's spokesperson told Bully! Pulpit News: "The invitation by President-elect Obama to give the Inaugural Invocation was extended to Dr. Warren as an Evangelical pastor, and his prayer will be consistent with that calling." Source: http://www.Bullypulpit.com

Wingsuit

2009-01-09T08:29:00.002-07:00

I want a wingsuit. Watch the whole video. It's wild! Some day in heaven that will be me!

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Couture

2008-12-30T10:19:00.005-07:00

No one athlete has inspired me like Randy Couture. Couture is a Greco-Roman wrestler and a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. As well as being a member of the UFC Hall of Fame, Couture is the only athlete to have held championship titles in both the heavyweight an light heavy weight divisions of the UFC. What impresses me the most about Couture is his HUMILITY, his kind-heartedness combined with a fierce, rugged competitivness. Because of the way he conducts himself both in and out of the cage he has drawn millions of fans his way as well as brought credibility to the controversial sport of MMA.

This Christmas I was given his book, Becoming The Natural -My Life In And Out of the Cage. In the final paragraph of chapter one he wrote this: "Years later, as an Ultimate Fighting Championship icon entering the last fight of my career, it felt like I had the entire world's attention. But, as a young boy, I would have traded that all to have one particular man notice me." That one man was his dad. WOW!

How easily dad's (me included) forget the HUGE IMPACT we have on our kids, both good and bad. A gentle reminder for all us dads. Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged (Col. 3:21). Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord (Eph. 6:4)

Wayward Children

2008-12-26T10:51:00.002-07:00

Abraham Piper is the son of Pastor John Piper. Recently, I read a post from him regarding his rebellion from his parents and God. It spoke volumes to me so I to want share it.

Many parents are brokenhearted and completely baffled by their unbelieving son or daughter. They have no clue why the child they raised well is making such awful, destructive decisions. I’ve never been one of these parents, but I have been one of these sons. Reflecting back on that experience, I offer these suggestions to help you reach out to your wayward child. For the full article click HERE.

Money

2008-12-02T11:17:00.004-07:00

Mike Bullmore was a professor of mine while I was in Seminary. He now serves a church as the Senior pastor. Recently, he preached a message from 1 Corinthians 16. Here are the highlights. Warning: What you are about to read may be detrimental to how you think about giving.

Our giving should be a planned priority.
Our giving should be proportional to our income. Give obediently, generously, and sacrificially. Cf. C. S. Lewis: “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusement, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our giving does not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say it is too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot because our commitment to giving excludes them.”
Our giving should be marked by prudence. It should be transparent, above board, and marked by integrity. For example, a church’s giving should have public accountability.
Our giving and our teaching about giving should be simple and straightforward. No pressure, no gimmicks, no excessive emotion. Simply put: don’t waste your money; rather, use it for God’s purposes and for his glory.

World AIDS Day

2008-12-02T09:31:00.002-07:00

The 1st of December is World AIDS Day. It is the day when individuals and organizations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. For a multi-media presenatation of what it is like to have AIDS as a child in Africa, click here.

A1689-zD1

2008-11-25T12:24:00.006-07:00

Scientists with the aid of the Hubble Telescope have discovered a galaxy which they named A1689-zD1. They believe A1689-zD1 to be one of the first galaxies. This galaxy is 13 billion light years away. A light year is how far light travels in 365 days. A light year equals 5.8 trillion miles. What this means is, galaxy A1689-zD1 is 13 billion times 5.8 trillions miles away. A number so big we can’t even get our minds around. Now, according to some scientists the universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old. What does all this mean? It means the light from galaxy A1689-zD1 has spent all of time itself getting to us. FEELING KINDA SMALL?

Think of this-if there were no God, we would be lost in the cosmos. A product of chance, insignificant, without meaning or purpose. But, GOD IS! The beauty and the enormity of the universe declare it. "The heavens (A1689-zD1) declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1

How do we fit in? Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from YOUR father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than any sparrows."

Isn't is staggering to think that God can manage galaxy A1689-zD1 and billions like it and still have the energy and time for what is small. God has time for us. He has time even for each hair on our heads.

Fight

2008-11-18T11:57:00.009-07:00

Willpower, scary negative arguments or threats-even from Jesus won't work to fight sin. We need to replace sexual sin with longings for what is actually beautiful. A few years ago, John Piper wrote some strategies for fighting sin in our minds. They are an acronym, ANTHEM. Here is a summary:

A - Avoid temptation as much as is reasonably possible.

N - Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds.

T - Turn your mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction.

H - Hold the promises and pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until they push out the other images and ideas.

E - Enjoy Jesus. Sin cannot keep its appeal when it is compared to the pleasure of knowing Christ.

M - Move into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors.

Read the whole article HERE

John Piper

2008-11-13T17:25:00.002-07:00

No one person has shaped my life like John Piper. I've read just about everything he has written. I quote him more than anyone else on Sunday Mornings. I respect his life and ministry greatly. But, I have to admit I got a huge kick out of a YouTube video that is floating around that pokes a little fun at him. I think he even got a hoot out of it. Check it out below!

Expelled

2008-11-11T12:22:00.004-07:00

"Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" is a controversial independent film hosted by Ben Stein, which promotes intelligent design. (Intelligent Design asserts that because of the complexity of the universe and other livings things that an intelligent designer best explains why things are, and not some undirected process such as natural selection). Lor and I watched the film recently and give it an enthusiastic four thumbs up. I did not know what to expect, and was somewhat skeptical considering my bent toward the action adventure genre and not documentaries.

The film makes considerable use of vintage film clips to convey it's message and Stein provides narrative for the film. Throughout the film Stein visits a sequence of universities to question scientists and professors on both sides of the debate between evolution and creation. The film makes it very clear their is a widespread persecution of educators and scientists who promote intelligent design, and a conspiracy to keep God out of the nations laboratories and classrooms

Stein says this, "It's not just the scientists who are in on it. The media is in on it, the courts, the educational system, everyone is after them."

After watching the film I couldn't help feeling frustrated. Stein and so many others (myself included) just want intelligent design a hearing at the table. Let both sides make their case and then go where the evidence leads. What are the evolutionists afraid of? What ever happened to the freedom to express ideas? Watch the movie and you decide. If nothing else I promise it is 2 hours of engaging entertainment.

Ben Stein RC Sproul Interview

2008-11-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

j1724

2008-11-04T15:13:00.004-07:00

Few verses in the bible have altered the course of my life like John 17:24. This verse answers life's most important question. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE?

"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 (Jn 17:24).

There it is! What life is about! You and I exist to see the glory of Christ. In other words we are meant to see, savor and spread Jesus infinite worth and value. All meaning and purpose is wrapped up in those 4 simple words. You see, God the Father has delighted in Jesus the son for all eternity (John 14:26), and now, you and I are meant to share the same inexhaustible pleasure in the son, that the father has. If you miss this, you've missed the point of life.

Those 4 words literally turned my life around. The mind-blowing reality of Christianity is this: Jesus died to save sinners AND to give us eyes to see. For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, " made his light shine on our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Following Christ is a journey to know, enjoy, and treasure that which is most enjoyable-namely Jesus.

two ways to live: the choice we all face

2008-10-14T10:07:00.037-07:00

Two Ways To Live www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wt is a memorable summary of the Christian gospel. Or to put it more accurately, it is the Christian gospel including some of its necessary presuppositions and background.

In the New Testament, the word 'gospel' usually refers to the proclamation of Jesus Christ crucified. It is the announcement that God's kingdom has arrived in the person of his Son, the powerful Messiah, who inaugurates his worldwide reign by dying and rising again so that repentance and forgiveness can be preached to all nations. This Jesus Christ now rules at God's right hand, from where he will come again to judge.

In other words, Jesus himself is the focus of the Christian message or 'gospel'. However, Jesus does not arrive in a vacuum. He arrives as the culmination of God's plans, and their outworking in history. He comes and dies and rises, "according to the Scriptures". He arrives in the context of all that God has already revealed about himself and humanity.

All this is part of the background or 'worldview' that the biblical authors took for granted, but which many modern (or postmodern) people do not share. If we are to know and tell the gospel in a world where these basic assumptions about God and human guilt are no longer shared, or even common, then we need to fill in some of the rest of the story. We need to provide some of the background.

This is what Two Ways to Live seeks to do. It fills in some of the wider story of the Bible, some of the biblical theology, so that the message about Jesus makes sense. If you want to see the Two Ways to Live Gospel presentation you can do so below.

Why Blog?

2008-10-09T13:40:00.008-07:00

I confess it's the last thing I wanted to do. It's hard enough keeping fresh every Sunday. My wife questioned by sanity. "Do you really want to be responsible for writing something EVERY WEEK?" But then I bumped into a web post--6 Reasons Pastors Should Blog. Here is a quick take on that post. Why Pastors' Should Blog... 1)... to write. Writing has value for thinking. If you strive to write well, you will strive to think well. 2)...to teach. A blog is a perfect place for 30 second nuggets of truth that can't be shared in other venues. 3)...to recommend. Blogs are great places for for suggesting and recommending. 4)...to interact. It is a great way to stay abreast of people's opinion's and questions. 5)...to develop an eye for what is meaningful. A blog nurtures a habit of looking for insight and wisdom and value in every situation, no matter how mundane. If you live life looking for what is worthwhile in every little thing, you will see more or what God has to teach. 6)...to be known. A pastor is far more then his ideas. He is a husband and a father, someone's friend and other people's enemy. People need some access to you as a person. A blog is one of them.

So there you have it. I'm in! I'm officially part of the blogging world. YAHOO!