Josh Howes

Our visit to Northpoint Community Church

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:20:00 +0000

On our way back from vacation, our family stayed in Atlanta so that we could attend Northpoint Community Church yesterday. I've listened to Andy Stanley for several years now and I have witnessed our church (Southeast Christian Church) copy many of Stanley's methods and sermon ideas. I think Andy Stanley is one of the best preachers in the country and I have been curious what is was like to experience the Northpoint typical Sunday. Now I know and I liked it.

We arrived at about 10:15 as the 9:00 service was letting out. My first impression was how easy it was to get into the parking lot. I figured we would have to wait a while since we were so early. When we pulled up to the church, I at first thought that we might be at one of the satellite churches since it wasn't very big. Southeast is a massive church and it is very intimidating in size. Northpoint is essentially a one story building. The auditorium is the tallest part of the building being a 2-story section but it doesn't stand out. We parked right up front and went inside.

The main entrance takes you into a large hallway that feeds all of the different areas that your family will need to go. There is the main East Auditorium to the right, Waumba Land (Preschool) to the left, and Upstreet (Elementary) straight ahead at the end. The hallway meanders around to the right past the East Auditorium where you can access the West Auditorium and The Attic (Middle School). All of the individual kids' areas are colorfully decorated in themes and give you a feel that you are entering a different world.

We stopped at the guest help desk and got a brochure and headed back to Upstreet to check things out. We were greeted by a volunteer that was very helpful. She handed us off to an Upstreet volunteer who got our elementary kids checked in while she headed over to the East Auditorium to reserve seats for us. Once we got the kids checked into Upstreet, we headed to The Attic to drop off our middle schoolers. The Attic was definitely geared to the Starbucks generation with lots of couches and "hang out" areas stationed around the stage and main floor. With them checked in, we headed over to our reserved seats.

Most of the service was conducted in the East Auditorium but the West Auditorium also broadcasted the service on the screens. The East Auditorium has a small balcony and will hold about 2700 people. The West Auditorium has no balcony and will hold about 2300 people. Not what I expected from the 2nd largest church in America considering Southeast will hold about 9000 people. Regardless, we had a seat down front where we could choose to watch the band and speakers live or on the two large screens flanking the stage.

About 5 minutes before 11:00, and announcer began talking about their summer series and began to do a short biography of Tom Petty. Afterwards, the band played Free Falling. That caught me a bit off guard. My immediate thought was that if our band tried that at Southeast we would lose about 2000 members overnight. But I thought it was cool and not a bad idea to fill the time before the service began. However, at 11:00 the announcer came back on and began talking about the summer series and how to request your favorite '80s song via twitter for next week. He then began to do a bio on Bon Jovi. When he finished, they turned out the lights, turned on the show lights and jammed out to Livin' on a Prayer. Now I'm thinking that this is a church way out of the box.

Following the concert, a female emcee came on stage and proceeded with a greeting and some announcements. She then turned the floor over to a male emcee in the West Auditorium to make a few more announcements while they showed them both on a split screen talking to each other. I felt at this point like I was on Good Morning America or something similar. This did not feel like church. After announcements the band played a couple of worship songs which led into their two baptisms.

In order to be baptized at Northpoint, you have to make a baptism video that is played prior to your baptism. It's a short video a couple of minutes long that talks about your journey and ends with your profession of faith. Then the camera is turned on to the baptistry where the pastor says a few more things about you and then baptizes you. There is a lot of cheering because the audience feels like they know you at this point since you have shared your story with them. It is a really unique way of presenting baptisms and I personally liked it a lot. I wish we would do this. It takes up precious time but it really does show you that these people are real people with real problems and is very powerful.

After the baptisms and offering (no communion), the preacher took the stage. This week the sermon was given by Rodney Anderson who leads Buckhead church (satellite). The sermons was about the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector both going to the temple to pray. It is a contrast of prayers. Anderson is an excellent preacher and this sermon was particularly good. I was disappointed that Andy Stanley wasn't preaching but I was pleasantly surprised with Rodney Anderson. I got a kick out of the fact that he didn't use any notes (inside joke). Once Anderson finished his sermon, he said thank you and dismissed the service (no alter call).

A few takeaways. One - the atmosphere was very casual. Everybody on stage wore jeans - even the preacher. You would be very out of place if you wore a tie to church there. I believe that kind of atmosphere is very inviting and breaks down some of the barriers that keep people from going to church. Just come as you are because we do. Two - Jesus is front and center. The entire service was very Christ-centered and they made it very clear that their goal is to get you in a relationship with Jesus. I especially enjoyed the sermon because it focused on the simplicity of Jesus. The main point was that God hears our prayers because of Jesus and nothing we do earns God's ear. I encourage you to listen to the sermon (http://northpointministries.org/messages). Third - traffic was a breeze! Wow we could do so much better than we do at Southeast. We got on campus in about 5 minutes and got off campus in about 10 minutes. Fourth - if you attend Southeast, you are spoiled! Our facilities are so awesome. Northpoint doesn't even begin to compare with our sanctuary, atrium, the Block, fitness, etc... If I hear anyone complain in the least little bit about any of our facilities (other than traffic), I will lose it. We are plain and simple spoiled rotten!

All in all, Northpoint is a fantastic church and I can see why so many people attend. They use the satellite methodology much more effectively than Southeast and it allows them to keep each campus from being so massive. The service is definitely more laid back than I expected but in some ways I liked it better. I missed not having communion and the alter call but I really enjoyed the baptisms and the sermon was fantastic. You should check it out the next time you find yourself in Atlanta on a Sunday.

Free Indeed

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Hey Church! Listen up because I want you to hear me clearly on this one. Today is Easter. Today is the day Jesus walked out of his own grave, conquering death, and proving to the world that he was who he claimed to be - God in the flesh. But you, Church, know that already. That's not the part I want you to hear. This is the part. Jesus loves sinners. Yeah you read that right. Jesus loves sinners.

Now on the surface you may know that is true. But in your heart of hearts, do you really believe that? Yes I am talking to you. Do you know deep down that Jesus loves sinners? I don't mean the petty sinner that stumbles on the path of righteousness. I mean the adulterer. I mean the prostitute. I mean the compulsive liar. I mean the professional thief. I mean the murderer. Jesus loves sinners.

Now why would I say that today and why would I address this to the Church? Because today is the day that Jesus set you free and you, Church, are found sitting in your prison cell wondering when the sinners will wake up, confess their sins and join you there. I have discovered something profound that I want to share it with you. Get over yourself Church and be free. You are no better than anyone else. Look at your divorce rate, your abortion rate, your charitable giving rate and compare it with the world. See? What makes you think you are better than them? You certainly don't act any better. The only real difference between you, Church, and the world is that they sin and enjoy it. You sin and keep it locked deep down inside so that no one will find out about it and then declare yourself better than everyone else. So you stay locked inside your little prison of guilt and shame hoping to do better next time while the world mocks you for doing so.

Let me tell you a secret. They can see through you. You're not really hiding anything. And it's not very attractive. Do you realize that Jesus was very attractive? He was a magnet! People flocked to him from everywhere. Why? Because he told people how sinful they were and told them to be ashamed of themselves and join a church? NO! Because he loved sinners - and he didn't condemn them! He forgave them! He was real with people. Real sinners fell at his feet to confess their sins because they could be real with Jesus and he never condemned them. He showed compassion, gave them hope, forgave them, and they followed him.

Church, this is our opportunity of a lifetime. We are no better than the world. We sin all the time! Quit hiding it! Tell the world that we are no better than them. But then tell them that we have a hope. Tell them that we have a peace that passes understanding. Tell them that we are free indeed because Jesus set us free. We are not weighed down by our sins anymore because Jesus paid for them on the cross. Quit trying to get better. Just follow Jesus. Jesus will love you whether you get better or not. The world needs someone to tell them that the only difference between you and them is freedom - freedom given by grace.

Now Church, come out of your self-inflicted prison, and enjoy your freedom. You are free to live because Jesus set you free. And do you know what else? Jesus loves sinners. Good thing, isn't it?

One, Not Everyone

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:26:00 +0000

I am a very big fan of Andy Stanley. He recently did a stand-alone sermon about doing for one what you can't do for everyone. If you missed it, I have reposted it here so that you can listen to it. I pray that you will be given the wisdom to know what to do with what you hear.

Podcast

Live a Praying Life - Lesson 4

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Lesson 4 of our now 5 week series on prayer. What is faith? How does faith affect your prayer life? How do you get more faith? Faith is the key element of prayer. Have a listen.

Lesson 4
Lesson 4 Slideshow

Live a Praying Life - Lesson 3

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Lesson 3 of our 6 week series on prayer. Just a note that if you would like to dig deeper into our study on prayer, much of the material we are going over can be found in the books and bible studies by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. This week we review the process of prayer. In a nutshell, if you want to have more prayers answered, you need to have the heart of God. How do you do that? It's a process. Have a listen to this week's study.

Lesson 3
Lesson 3 Slideshow

Live a Praying Life - Lesson 2

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:05:00 +0000

Lesson 2 of our 6 week series on prayer. The spiritual realm is reality. The material realm is an image of that reality. Prayer is essential for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Prayer first affects the spiritual realm. Then when the time is right, the material realm displays the effect of that prayer on the spiritual realm. Got it? If not, have a listen.

Lesson 2
Lesson 2 Slideshow

Live a Praying Life

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:57:00 +0000

How is your prayer life? Do you have prayer time or a prayer life? Do you want a prayer life? If not, would you like to want a prayer life? Prayer is essential. It is the connection we have with God. It is our lifeline. Prayer is also the means in which God's will becomes reality in the material realm. In the first lesson of our 6 week series on prayer, we ask the question, "Can you change God's mind?" Because if we can't change God's mind, then why pray? Or is there another reason to pray?

Lesson 1
Lesson 1 Slideshow

Relational Resolution

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Tony Gore concludes with part 2 of Relational Resolution: Resolving More Than Conflict

Lesson 2

Relational Resolution

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:14:00 +0000

Recently we were pleased to have Tony Gore teach two lessons on Relational Resolution: Resolving More Than Conflict. Tony is a counseling minister at Southeast Christian and has a heart for Christians building strong relationships with each other. Please download part 1 of 2 and begin building stronger relationships.

Lesson 1
Notes Part 1
Notes Part 2
Slideshow

Why Worry? Part 2

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:33:00 +0000

We continue our lesson on worry. Why do we worry? Ultimately, because we don't trust God. Can you overcome your desire to be in control?

Lesson 2
Lesson 2 Slideshow

Why Worry?

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:45:00 +0000

Do you really believe that God knows what you need and will provide these things for you? If so, then why do we worry? Maybe it is your genetic disposition to worry. Or maybe it is something you learned from a parent. Or maybe you just have to be in control. Whatever the reason, the Bible is very clear that we are not to worry. We can't even add one day to our life by worrying so what does it really accomplish. Join us as we try to conquer worry in this two week series.

Lesson 1
Lesson 1 Slideshow

Open Lines

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:12:00 +0000

I opened the floor up to the class to ask me any question that they have concerning the Bible. We discuss four of them. Question 1: What are the 3 most common challenges atheists have to the Bible’s authority and how do we answer them? Question 2: If the Bible never contradicts itself, why do we have scriptures that show once saved always saved as well as the other side of the coin? Question 3: When we are praying to God should we rebuke the devil? Question 4: What about Judges 11?

Podcast
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Angels & Demons: I See Angels

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Do you really believe that there is a spiritual realm? Okay. Okay. You will see an angel someday. You may have already seen one and just don't know it. It's not a matter of if you will ever see an angel, it simply is a matter of when. In this final lesson, we talk about the times that angels appear in our lives. I hope you have enjoyed this series. And I hope you can finally answer my question. Do you really believe?

Lesson 5
Lesson 5 Slideshow

Angels & Demons: Angels 101

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:38:00 +0000

Do you really believe that there is a spiritual realm? Yes, I know I've asked that question four times now? But do you? Angels seem easier to believe in than demons. They are on our side. They are here to protect us and help us in times of need. But if you believe in angels, you have to believe in demons. After all, a demon is simply a fallen angel.

In this lesson, we learn the basics about angels. What is their purpose? Where do we fall in relation to angels? Will we become angels when we die? Who is the greatest angel? What does an angel look like? I will tell you several stories of encounters with angels. Give a listen.

Lesson 4
Lesson 4 Slideshow

Angels & Demons: Halloween

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Do you really believe that there is a spiritual realm? If so, why mess with Halloween? To many of us it just seems like harmless fun right? Halloween is a Satanist/Occult worship holiday. Is that a day we Christians should celebrate? Scripture says that we should have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. Is celebrating their holiday consistent with Scripture? But it's just harmless fun and I'm going way over the top right? I mean all we are doing is dressing up like superheros and asking our neighbors for candy right? How does that violate Scripture? Scripture also says to abstain from all appearance of evil. It's up to you to decide if it's harmless fun or the celebration of everything evil. As for me and my house, ...

Lesson 3
Lesson 3 Slideshow

Angels & Demons: Demons 101

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:02:00 +0000

Do you really believe that there is a spiritual realm? I will ask you that question before every lesson in this series. Because if you really believe, then this series isn't so difficult for you. But if you have doubts, then some of this stuff is just too out there and it's all a big hoax. What do you REALLY believe deep down inside?

In Lesson 2, we study demons. The podcast of this lesson is not available so I have posted "The Keeper" audio that we listened to in class. As you listen to this demon converse with a human, what do you think? Hoax? Reality? The Bible records many instances where Jesus and his disciples drove out demons. Can people still be demon possessed today? If not, why not? Where did the demons run off to in the last 2000 years? If so, why wouldn't this audio be real?

The Keeper
Lesson 2 Slideshow

Angels & Demons: The Spiritual Realm

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Do you really believe that there is a spiritual realm? Scripture says that our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the spiritual forces of the heavenly realm. Do you really believe that? If so, then everything we deal with goes back to the spiritual. When you have a bad day, is it possible that demons orchestrated a rough day for you? If you are sick, are you being spiritually attacked? If you sin, were you tempted by your flesh or by a demon? If you spoke to a stranger today, was it an angel in disguise? The answer to all these questions is not yes but it's not no. It's a definite maybe if you really believe that there is a spiritual realm.

In Lesson 1, we will set the stage for the next four weeks. What we believe about the spiritual realm affects our daily actions. How we react to a situation is very dependent on our view of the spiritual realm. And why would God create Satan and his demons anyway? Maybe you shouldn't even ask that question.

Lesson 1
Lesson 1 Slideshow

Tony Snow

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Cancer's Unexpected Blessings
When you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change.
Tony Snow | posted 7/20/2007 02:30PM

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages—in my case, cancer.

Those of us with potentially fatal diseases—and there are millions in America today—find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence What It All Means, Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the why questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is—a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this—because of it—God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life—and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many nonbelieving hearts—an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live—fully, richly, exuberantly—no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease—smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see—but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance and comprehension—and yet don't. By his love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

'You Have Been Called'
Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter—and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."

There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived—an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tinny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing though the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.

There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue—for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us—that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us partway there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two people's worries and fears.

Learning How to Live
Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.

I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was a humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity—filled with life and love we cannot comprehend—and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it.

It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up—to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place—in the hollow of God's hand.

Permanent Vacation: What Do We Need to Take Care of Before We Leave?

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:57:00 +0000

The title of this lesson is secret code for Evangelism. If Heaven and Hell are real and you know how to avoid Hell and get to Heaven, don't you have an obligation to tell everyone you meet? Mark Cahill is, in my opinion, the leading spokesman and motivator for Evangelism today. Instead of podcasting our lesson this week, you should listen to Mark's lesson. Click the link below to be inspired and convicted to evangelize the lost.

Mark Cahill - Awake
Lesson 4 Slideshow

Permanent Vacation: Who Else is Going to Be There?

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:53:00 +0000

Ever wonder if you will recognize your loved ones in Heaven? Ever wonder if you will dance with the angels? Ever wonder if you childhood pet will be there? In this lesson, we discover who will be in Heaven with us. We also discuss in detail what the angels are like and I make an argument for our pets going to Heaven.

Lesson 3
Lesson 3 Slideshow

Permanent Vacation: What Should We Pack?

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:45:00 +0000

Ever wish you could snap your finger and have a new body? One that was in shape, felt no pain, and could do all the things you remember it could do when you were a kid? Jesus promised us new bodies for eternity. We will discuss our new bodies in this lesson and find out what we are going to do in heaven.

Lesson 2
Lesson 2 Slideshow

Ever Wonder What Happened to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence?

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:36:00 +0000

A NOTE ON THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
by Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., Heritage Foundation

"...we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

(Each year information about those who signed the Declaration of Independence is circulated, not all of which is accurate. The following note is based on research in several established sources, which are noted below.)

Fifty-six individuals from each of the original 13 colonies participated in the Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. Pennsylvania sent nine delegates to the congress, followed by Virginia with seven and Massachusetts and New Jersey with five. Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and South Carolina each sent four delegates. Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, and North Carolina each sent three. Rhode Island, the smallest colony, sent only two delegates to Philadelphia.

Eight of the signers were immigrants, two were brothers, two were cousins, and one was an orphan. The average age of a signer was 45. The oldest delegate was Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, who was 70 when he signed the Declaration. The youngest was Thomas Lynch, Jr., of South Carolina, who was 27.

Eighteen of the signers were merchants or businessmen, 14 were farmers, and four were doctors. Forty-two signers had served in their colonial legislatures. Twenty-two were lawyers—although William Hooper of North Carolina was "disbarred" when he spoke out against the Crown—and nine were judges. Stephen Hopkins had been Governor of Rhode Island.

Although two others had been clergy previously, John Witherspoon of New Jersey was the only active clergyman to attend—he wore his pontificals to the sessions. Almost all were Protestant Christians; Charles Carroll of Maryland was the only Roman Catholic signer.

Seven of the signers were educated at Harvard, four each at Yale and William & Mary, and three at Princeton. John Witherspoon was the president of Princeton and George Wythe was a professor at William & Mary, where his students included the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson.

Seventeen of the signers served in the military during the American Revolution. Thomas Nelson was a colonel in the Second Virginia Regiment and then commanded Virginia military forces at the Battle of Yorktown. William Whipple served with the New Hampshire militia and was one of the commanding officers in the decisive Saratoga campaign. Oliver Wolcott led the Connecticut regiments sent for the defense of New York and commanded a brigade of militia that took part in the defeat of General Burgoyne. Caesar Rodney was a Major General in the Delaware militia and John Hancock was the same in the Massachusetts militia.

Five of the signers were captured by the British during the war. Captains Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, and Arthur Middleton (South Carolina) were all captured at the Battle of Charleston in 1780; Colonel George Walton was wounded and captured at the Battle of Savannah. Richard Stockton of New Jersey never recovered from his incarceration at the hands of British Loyalists and died in 1781.

Colonel Thomas McKean of Delaware wrote John Adams that he was "hunted like a fox by the enemy—compelled to remove my family five times in a few months, and at last fixed them in a little log house on the banks of the Susquehanna . . . and they were soon obliged to move again on account of the incursions of the Indians." Abraham Clark of New Jersey had two of his sons captured by the British during the war. The son of John Witherspoon, a major in the New Jersey Brigade, was killed at the Battle of Germantown.

Eleven signers had their homes and property destroyed. Francis Lewis's New York home was destroyed and his wife was taken prisoner. John Hart's farm and mills were destroyed when the British invaded New Jersey and he died while fleeing capture. Carter Braxton and Thomas Nelson (both of Virginia) lent large sums of their personal fortunes to support the war effort, but were never repaid.

Fifteen of the signers participated in their states' constitutional conventions, and six—Roger Sherman, Robert Morris, Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer, James Wilson, and George Reed—signed the United States Constitution. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts attended the federal convention and, though he later supported the document, refused to sign the Constitution.

After the Revolution, 13 of the signers went on to become governors, and 18 served in their state legislatures. Sixteen became state and federal judges. Seven became members of the United States House of Representatives, and six became United States Senators. James Wilson and Samuel Chase became Justices of the United States Supreme Court.

Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Elbridge Gerry each became Vice President, and John Adams and Thomas Jefferson became President. The sons of signers John Adams and Benjamin Harrison also became Presidents.

Five signers played major roles in the establishment of colleges and universities: Benjamin Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania; Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia; Benjamin Rush and Dickinson College; Lewis Morris and New York University; and George Walton and the University of Georgia.
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Charles Carroll were the longest surviving signers. Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Charles Carroll of Maryland was the last signer to die—in 1832 at the age of 95.

Sources: Robert Lincoln, Lives of the Presidents of the United States, with Biographical Notices of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (Brattleboro Typographical Company, 1839); John and Katherine Bakeless, Signers of the Declaration (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1969); Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-1989 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1989).

Permanent Vacation: What's the Weather Like?

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Heaven. The word alone sparks a mental image in just about everyone. A boring place. A blissful place. An imaginary place. An all-inclusive place. An exclusive place. A real place. We will explore over the next four weeks what the Bible says about heaven. After all, isn't that where the idea came from in the first place?

Calling heaven a permanent vacation may seem a bit simplistic and maybe not completely accurate. But we need to prepare for heaven in many ways the same way we prepare for a vacation. What's the weather like? What do we pack? Who else is going to be there? What do we need to take care of before we go? Whether it is a vacation or your final destination, you ought to know something about it and you need to know how to get there.

Lesson 1
Lesson 1 Slideshow

Nature of God: When God Says No

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:25:00 +0000

A child dies of cancer. A husband has a sudden heart attack. A drunk driver kills a teenager. Why? We pray to God everyday for God to protect our loved ones. And then one day something terrible happens. Why didn't God protect them? Why didn't he answer our prayers? This is the discussion of this last lesson in the Nature of God series.

Lesson 4
Lesson 4 Slideshow

Nature of God: Knowing God Through His Names

josh@aspen-traditions.com (Josh Howes) — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:05:00 +0000

God's names throughout the Bible tell about each aspect of his nature. As a Christian, you also bear his name. The whole world watches how you act to see what the God you serve is like. Do you live each day with that in mind? Are you giving those around you a reason not to follow Christ? Remember, you wear his name. What are you going to do with it today?

Lesson 3
Lesson 3 Slideshow