In the company I keep (Baptist churches in the Southeastern United States) it is a common feature of every pray to end with the words “in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.” Whether you invoke the name of Jesus at the beginning or the end of prayer, it’s probably something you do or have heard done even if you are not fully aware of the reasons behind it. We should address our prayers to the heavenly Father in the name of Jesus, but it is important to understand why and not just keep repeating words because we’re supposed to. Continue reading
Author Archives: Clark Bunch
Shoutout to Blog Friends
Every week there are two or three new followers (and I’m sure as time goes by followers drop off the radar but I don’t get alerts from WordPress about those). I have noticed The Master’s Table pop up on a few blogrolls recently and wanted to give a shoutout to those blog friends and perhaps you might want to visit them as well.
She calls herself Writerwannabe and blogs at hometogo232. I believe we first crossed paths at the Inspirational Christian Blogs website but can’t say for sure; I’ve been asleep since then. You will find encouraging words, scripture quotes, poems and generally uplifting sort of posts on a regular basis.
Evelin blogs at EvelinTampobolon, in both English and Indonesian. Her blogroll includes several Christian and inspiration websites. Shoutout and thank you Evelin.
Finally I’d like to introduce you to a new blog friend that is really an old friend in real life. Miriam was a 6th grader when I when met the Waslewski family in 2003 (that’s her dad Mike on the surfboard). She recently graduated from Asbury University and will be traveling to the mission field in Northern Ireland. She has started a blog and will be sharing her new adventures as a missionary soon.
Book Review: We Will Be Landing Shortly
The full title is We Will Be Landing Shortly: Now What? The front cover plainly identifies it as “the spiritual musings of Mike Hamel.” The author is working through some things and is very transparent about that. His thought process is done on paper and at times he offers more questions than answers.
Mike Hamel has been through a lot, and the effects of tragedy have shaken his faith. He hasn’t lost it but after a lifetime of religious faith and pastoral vocation it doesn’t come as easy as it used to. After surviving three bouts with cancer, cancer treatments, a major car accident and seven surgeries, he was prepared to deal with his own mortality. Then suddenly and without warning his wife of 37 years died of a heart attack… on Thanksgiving Day. One section of the book is a collection of journal entries beginning that day and continuing over the next 12 months. Hamel is a writer’s writer and works through his thought process on paper. I sometimes do the same thing but then he publishes his for the world to read! Continue reading
And Then Jesus Said…
Yesterday I suggested (in this post) that the people reading Newsweek magazine were not the same people reading Al Mohler, Daniel Wallace, etc. I drew the conclusion that some people would make a decision without giving Christianity a fair shake. Jesus himself may not have replied in so many words, but here is a very timely Coffee with Jesus comic strip that just cannot wait until the next Happy Monday post:
Click the image to view full size.
Coffee with Jesus copyright/produced by Radio Free Babylon.
The Bible According to Newsweek
By now you have heard about Newsweek magazine and their take on the Bible. Kurt Eichenwald, normally a contributing editor of Vanity Fair, levies a scathing criticism not only of the scriptures but also the evangelical Christians that believe in them. The entire piece is an attack on the faithful, or as Eichenwald seems to see them, anyone stupid enough to still believe. There have been many well-worded responses from the Christian perspective and I will not endeavor to write another here. Southern Baptists may have read Al Mohler’s response, cited many times in this Baptist Press article. I recommend this post by Daniel Wallace, linked to last week on Twitter by Bible Gateway. Wallace offers a very systematic, well thought out and scholarly response to not just the content but to Eichenwald’s methodology.
But here is my take – no matter how many thoughtful responses are written are by Christians, the damage is done.
Epiphany
If you’ve ever heard someone say they’ve had an epiphany, what they mean is that they have discovered something unexpected. It happens suddenly, not over a period of time, and the revelation must of be something of great worth. The January 6th Epiphany on the Christian calendar commemorates the day the wise men discovered Jesus. Epiphany is the celebration of finding something worth finding.
2014 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 52,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 19 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Inspired by Ivan
With Christmas Day behind us (and Thanksgiving, and Halloween) many people are getting their New Year’s resolutions together. The guilt of too much festivity is usually the first thing on our minds as we contemplate turning over a new leaf or two in the coming year. Will 2015 be your year to a) loose the weight b) quit smoking c) read the Bible d) ____________? What usually happens is that thousands of Americans buy gym memberships the first week of January and then go once or twice. The read the Bible in one year people often make it to the middle of February; Genesis is pretty exciting, the Levitical priesthood ordinances not so much.
All Shook Up
Praying for a politician running for re-election. Celebrating with a brother whose son finally came to Christ. Receiving a praise report from a member who had surgery. Hearing how the Lord used a particular sermon I preached to change a life. Meeting a little girl who begged her parents to talk to the pastor. Receiving an update on a sick member. Ministering to a new resident of the city who is looking for a church. Thanking a faithful volunteer for his faithful but often unnoticed service.
These encounters were not part of my office schedule from last week. They were opportunities I had by shaking hands after church this past Sunday.
Please continue reading The Pastoral Ministry of Shaking Hands by H.B. Charles via Church Leaders .com
I have read a couple of articles at churchleaders.com and browsed seveal others and decided to add that site to the list of Useful Links in the right-hand sidebar. The site is for any person in a church leadership role. Under the Find Your Ministry tab you can choose from senior pastor, worship leader, youth leader, small group leader and outreach.
Merry Christmas
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
Clark Bunch here, stepping out of character for just a moment and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Van Til is a fictitious character and The Master’s Table is merely the title of this website. So from our real family to yours, have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and may God richly bless.
The Master's Table 