Category Archives: Christianity

Bethany’s Blog

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I read a post some weeks ago about the lack of females in the Christian blogosphere.  While I don’t have binders full of them (sorry) I would like to share… one.

Even if you didn’t see Soul Surfer you must be somewhat aware of Bethany Hamilton.  She and her family not only consulted during the production of the film (based on her autobiography) Bethany herself did many of the stunts seen onscreen.  The fame has created an audience she would not have had otherwise, and she thanks God for the opportunity to be a witness.  Hamilton has traveled the world telling her story and doing mission work.  Here is the link to her blog, but I will warn you she averages one or two posts per month.  She was nearly eaten alive by a shark; what’s your excuse?

Believing and Doing

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Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  -Matthew 7:24

Jesus says that everyone who hears his words and does them is like that wise man.  Verse 26 describes the man that hears those same words but does not do them.  (Read the full story here.)  There is a obviously a difference between hearing and doing.  There is even a difference between believing and doing.  Faith is belief in action, and it is the action of the believer that makes all the difference. Continue reading →

Quotable

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The church is a living body and must have working parts.

-Our Daily Bread, A Working Church, Oct. 12, 2012 (link)

Technology vs Relationship

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I have written before on how the church can take advantage of information technology.  Blogs, video streaming, social websites and podcasting are all ways the local church can reach a global audience.  At the same time, your members and community can stay better informed and connected.  Technology can be a powerful tool for sharing the Gospel, but as always there is a danger if used incorrectly.

Discipling: More Than a Podcast Preacher by Jonathan Dodson at 9Marks reminds us that discipleship is relational.  The relationship can be lost if replaced by technology.

The concept is nothing new, but a entire new generation could be subjected to it.  Back in the 80’s, an increasing number of television preachers took their sermons or entire services to the airwaves.  If you were shut in, lived in a nursing home, incarcerated or isolated by geography, the t.v. preacher could be a God send.  For others, watching a Sunday morning broadcast took the place of participating in a local church.  Maybe it was easier than getting up and dressed, or maybe it was about avoiding people, the collection plate, etc.  Weblogs and podcasts are excellent tools for sharing the Gospel, but discipleship is relational.  Jesus preached to multitudes, but he also discipled a group of 12, taught in people’s homes and touched the sick.  The church is a community of believers, and we must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb 12:25).

To Whom Much is Given…

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One of my all time favorite movie lines comes from the 2002 Spider-Man movie.  One of the last things Uncle Ben says to Peter Parker is “With great power, comes great responsibility.”  There is some debate as to the original source.  The quote resembles something FDR wrote about World War II, but he died the day before the speech was given and it is unlikely Stan Lee was familiar with his quote, published many years later.

…

There is of course a resemblance to the parable in Luke 12, in which Jesus teaches us “to whom much is given much will be required.”  The parable is about being ready.  “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”  At age 12, Jesus told his earthly parents that he must be about his father’s business.  We must be about our father’s business; we are told elsewhere to work for the night is coming.  The parable is also about responsibility, the commitment we have to be good stewards.  American Christians in this time period should really contemplate the meaning of those words: To whom much is given, much will be required.

Think about what we have been given.

Continue reading →

Men’s Morning with God

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I met Michael Spencer in 2003 when my wife and I visited the ministry he was a part of.  After joining that ministry, I was introduced to an early morning small group, Men’s Morning with God.  The poster said “bring your Bible and coffee.”  I’m a big fan of both of those things.  We met twice a week at 7 a.m. studying the scripture and praying before work.  I have been involved with other small groups before and since, but I stayed with that particular group for the duration of our ministry in Kentucky.

I thought that particular situation was unique.  There were about 150 people all living within a few miles of each other, ministering together, and all beginning the work day at basically the same time.  Still, our men’s group was never more than 10 or 12 (and sometimes just Michael and I).  I have been blessed to find an early morning men’s group once again.  This morning there were 5 of us.  From different churches, different vocations and with different schedules, this is a group of men that meet at 6 a.m. to read, discuss and pray.  One of those men was a friend of my dad, and one of my teachers back in the day.  Another member of the group went to high school with my brother.  You gotta love small towns.

And I love finding a group of men willing to be up and dressed before they have to be, in order to pray with and for each other.

Three Scriptures on the Incarnation

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Four verses from Philippians, two from Hebrews.  Each describe the voluntary act of Jesus humbling himself to the Father’s will.  Each describe him as smaller, weaker or lower than his original state, and each ends in death.  But as far as we are concerned, his death was his greatest moment.  He tasted death so that none of us have to.  Death that is separation from the body maybe, but not the death that is total separation from God.  And he defeated the one with the power of death, that is the devil.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
(Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
(Hebrews 2:9 ESV)

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
(Hebrews 2:14 ESV)

Continue reading →

The Sinner’s Prayer Debate

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One side of the debate says that the sinner’s prayer is not found in scripture.  Okay, I’ll give you that.  But you loose me on the premise that nowhere is such a prayer commanded nor implied anywhere in the New Testament.  The Apostle’s Creed is not found in scripture, but that is the statement of faith regularly made by many believers.  Each claim is based on scriptural truth.  Below is the sinner’s prayer text, followed by several statements quoted directly from scripture. Continue reading →

The Illusion

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I grew up in the 80’s.  Before David Blaine and Chris Angel there was David Copperfield.  Over the course of several prime time specials he made the Statue of Liberty disappear, walked through the Great Wall of China and escaped from Alcatraz.  Part of his appeal came from his sense of humor and showmanship on stage, but people tuned in to see the “magic.”  The magic of course was really illusion; he wasn’t really sawed in half on stage.  But you know what they say – Seeing is believing.

It is so easy to believe what we see.  Illusion, special effects and camouflage all depend on it.  That very fact can also get us into trouble at times.  We had to see bacteria with a microscope before germ theory really caught on, and there’s an ever-present warning in your side mirror not to believe exactly what you see (objects are closer than they appear).  We all know there is more going on than can be seen. Wind, gravity, magnetism, microbes, radiation, DNA and so on cannot be seen, but we either perceive their effects through other senses or else detect them with scientific devices.  The earth appears flat, and the sun seems to move across the sky from east to west.  Our understanding is no longer limited to what we can see with our eyes; but the tendency to do so will always be there. Continue reading →

The Ten Commandment Problem

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Normally I talk about the commandments being problematic in relation to our ability to keep them.  God knew Israel, and all mankind for that matter, would fail to keep the Law.  What we need is an all sufficient savior.  The commandments have a purpose, but they cannot make a person righteous.  Think of them as a ruler used to measure how far we fall short.  Jesus told the Pharisees they kept the letter of the Law but did not understand the spirit of the Law.  Paul calls the Law a burden we are not able to bear.  Moses was the first person to break all ten commandments; wait for it…

Chaplain Mike of Internet Monk points out a different kind of problem.  Counting the Commandments is about how different traditions number the list.   Continue reading →