I’ve thought some more on what Christ centered means, and wish I could say this to every preacher everywhere: Preach the gospel. Are you preaching on the Law being given to Moses? Great; just make sure to mention how Christ fulfills the Law and the Prophets, and perhaps include Paul’s statement that the Law is like a tutor to him. Teaching from Job? Be sure to include “I know my Redeemer lives,” before you’re finished. The story of how God deals with fallen man is the central thematic element that runs through the entire Bible. Continue reading
Author Archives: Clark Bunch
God honoring, Christ centered
I don’t know how well that shows up on your screen in the banner. Is that just a slogan? Well, sort of. When creating a wordpress page, you’re asked to write a title, and then a brief description of what your blog is about. “God honoring, Christ centered” is there as much as anything to remind me what I’m doing here. What does it mean? Now that my friend is the right question. Continue reading
A Look Back: Read my blog – or not
I first began blogging in February of this year. Let’s be honest; I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. A lot of those first few posts were bad, but not all of them. It was okay, because there wasn’t really anyone reading my blog either. I’ve been going through the archives, and found a couple of gems. In response to another blog I read, I drew an analogy between blogging and gardening, and described how they’re both types of therapy for me. Unless you’re one of about 4 people, this isn’t a repost for you; enjoy it for the first time.
I just read a post on Internetmonk entitled “10 Reasons I Don’t Read Your Blog.” I just couldn’t say everthing I wanted to in the comment box. Then I remembered: I have blog. Perfect. Continue reading
When it rains, it pours.
Here’s a useful illustration you’re welcome to. Or perhaps just a funny story.
There was a family watching anxiously as floodwaters came up around their home. They had a great deal of faith, however, and trusted in God to save them. As the water came up into their yard, a 4-wheel drive truck pulled up to their house, and told them it was time to evacuate. “God will take of us,” was the father’s reply, and the truck moved on to help other families in that same neighborhood. As the waters came into the first floor, the family moved upstairs. A boat came up to one of their windows, and warned that the water would continue to rise. “God will provide,” was the only response the father would give, and finally the rescuers moved on to search for others in need. At last the family climbed onto the roof, and a helicopter tried to pick them up. After much argument with the reluctant family, the helicopter moved on as well. The flood water continued to rise, and all the family members drowned. As they stood before God, the man was confused and distressed. “I told all of those people that I trusted in you to save us. Why did you let us perish in the flood?” God replied “I sent you a truck, a boat, and a helicopter. What else did you want me to do?”
Even when opportunity knocks, we must open the door.
Leaps of Faith
Remember those team-building seminars that had you fall backwards into the arms of your co-workers? That trust fall activity was about building trust and forming community, etc. The video below is something like that, but a lot more fun to laugh at.
Let me give you all the background first. In the Sunday a.m. service, I preach a straightforward, classic sermon on faith. Genesis 15 and Luke 8 were used as the main texts, and other examples from the Old and New Testaments were illustrated briefly. In the first text, Abram’s faith was counted to him as righteousness, and the second is the story of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. I explained that faith was more than believing, it was about trust. Faith causes us to act. In the Sunday evening service, I read the many examples of how people of faith took action found in Hebrews 11. Then we did the fun stuff.
Each of the volunteers was taken out of the room and kept in isolation, being brought back in one at a time. What they were told was that after being blindfolded, we would be raising them up 5 or 6 feet, and asking them to jump. I told each to have faith that we would be providing for their safety, and they wouldn’t get hurt if they took the leap of faith. In reality, they were never more than about 6 inches off the floor. They could feel the sensation of movement, while at the same time I’m kneeling down. In all the times I’ve done this, I’ve never had a kid not jump. Most fall (as do our 3 people of faith in the video), since they expect to drop several feet to the floor.
How is abortion not killing babies?
Kurt says:
Enough with this nonsense already!
The abortion “issue” is the biggest scam the GOP has ever come up with.
Think about it. If republican politicians and religious leaders truly thought we were killing babies, abortion would be stopped in an instant.
I’m a religious leader, and I think we’re killing babies. We have been doing so legally in the U.S. since the early 1970’s. Continue reading
Barack Obama on abortion
I don’t normally blog politics, but I’m not the first religious blogger to pick up on this story, either. As far as I know, Randy Alcorn (author of Eternal Perspectives) may have been the first blogger to post on a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. On June 5th, the Journal carried a story about Gianna Jessen, a woman who survived an abortion attempt. Continue reading
My “Spiritual” Birthday
I didn’t forget about it. It’s been a busy week, and I just didn’t have a chance to share it with you. On June 19, 1988, I knelt at the alter and was adopted into the family of God. That was 20 years ago. Continue reading
VBS begins; ideas for Outrigger Island
UPDATE: This post was written in 2008. The Lifeway VBS theme for 2009 is Boomerang Express, and you can link to their site here.
Ever since I first mentioned Outrigger Island, I’ve been getting about half a dozen hits a day from search engines looking for ideas; how to decorate, time saving tips, how to plan activities, etc. Well first off, as promised, here is a pic of me in a grass skirt doing the hula. Below are several more pics taken from our first night, and some ideas that maybe you can borrow for your VBS.
(click any photo to enlarge)
In addition to supplies from Lifeway, we bought decorations like these grass skirts from Oriental Trading Company. I’m not running ads for them or anything, but they sell stuff cheap in bulk, and can ship quickly if you’re in a hurry.
A plastic backdrop can quickly decorate any room.
Limbo is cheap, easy to set up, and authentic Hawaiian.
For little kids, try playing volleyball with a beach ball instead.
Decorate your tables for the full luau effect.
The Biblical Exegesis of a Renowned Atheist
“Christians seldom realize that much of the moral consideration for others which is apparently promoted by both the Old and New Testaments, was originally intended to apply only to a narrow defined in-group. ‘Love thy neighbor’ didn’t mean what we now think it means. It meant only ‘Love another Jew.'” -Richard Dawkins
You see friends, what you have here is one of the world’s foremost anti-theists, what Becky Garrison describes in her book as “the new atheists.” Richard Dawkins not only believes there is no God, he thinks religious faith is dangerous and a threat to our society. Continue reading
The Master's Table 