Really… Does Truth Matter? February 8, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Church, Church Life, Theology.Tags: Benny Hinn, Heresy, Orthodoxy
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I hear clips like this one, and realize millions listen to this guy…
Honestly, do we even CARE about truth anymore?
The Great Name of God February 7, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Theology.Tags: Lord's Name in Vain, Ten Commandments
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You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. — Ex. 20:7
Do not misuse the name of the Lord. Do not treat his name lightly. When we come to him we address the most powerful name. He is the One who spoke this world into existence. We come before the Holy. God’s name is not a “comma” in a prayer. His name is great. We serve an amazing God. Let’s not do it lightly. Let’s not do it half-heartedly. Let’s make his name great.
We Don’t Need Apostasy February 6, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Culture, Discipleship/Spiritual Formation, spiritual warfare.Tags: C.S. Lewis, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, Screwtape Letters
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We just need boredom. Our enemy is not interested in our utter rejection of the gospel if we are simply bored with our Christianity.
I ran across this great C.S. Lewis quote from The Screwtape Letters:
If you can once get him to the point of thinking that “all religion is all very well up to a point,” you can feel quite happy about his soul. A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all — and more amusing.
In our entertainment-driven church model (and I think again of that insane use of MMA for “evangelism”) it is a good reminder that Satan will use ANYTHING to take us out. If need be, he will simply make you BORED with Christianity. We will end up looking for the adrenaline rush instead of Christ.
Follow up on Mixed Martial Arts… February 5, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Church Life.Tags: Justin Taylor, Mixe Martial Arts, MMA, New York Times
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The other day I linked to a crazy article about MMA and our bloodlust. Here are some reactions to that same NY Times article.
Hurting the Poor February 5, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Culture, Education, Elections.Tags: Charles Colson, Congress, D.C., school vouchers, Washington
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Usually it’s the Republicans who are bashed for hurting the poor. It turns out the Democrats are equal opportunity cutthroats as well.
Note this:
Once again, politics prevails; the poor and downtrodden are forced to bow before the vested interests. No wonder there’s a surging populist revolt in America. No wonder the ordinary, hard-working American taxpayer is offended by the arrogance of the cultural elite.
We are too often good at talking a good game, and then not following through. Everyone of us. And who gets left out? The poor.
The Truth Just Hardly Matters at Times February 4, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Culture.Tags: ABC News, Peruvian Missionaries, Plane shot down
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This video from ABC shows what has been suspected for 9 years. The Peruvian air force shot down missionaries in cold blood with the CIA watching. The U.S. has known about this all along and did nothing back in 2001. It just gives the rotten feeling that missionaries don’t matter.
Whose Report? February 4, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in spiritual warfare.Tags: Devil, Satan, spiritual warfare, Zechariah
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I am preparing for my Sunday message in 1 Thessalonians. I will be preaching on the devil. Fun stuff.
One of the tactics the enemy uses is deception. We will often believe the lies of the enemy over the truth of God. It’s often because we spend more time listening to the deception instead of the truth. We are more likely to believe the report of the enemy over the Lord’s report.
Whose report do YOU believe?
In Zechariah, the enemy stood beside Joshua the high priest just pounding him with accusations. The symbolism is found in the nasty garments Joshua was wearing. The enemy kept on pounding away.
The Lord stood there as well. The Lord stood up to the lies and said, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?”
Whose report do YOU believe?
The enemy pounds away, but we need to hear the word from the Lord. HIS report is the truth. It is the TRUTH that sets us free.
Marketing and the Church February 2, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Church Life, Culture, Evangelicalism, Evangelism.Tags: Church Marketing, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, New York Times
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I get into debates with myself over what is “marketing” for the church. What “counts” vs. what “doesn’t count,” etc.
But then I read articles like this one and just get sick. The article begins like this:
In the back room of a theater on Beale Street, John Renken, 42, a pastor, recently led a group of young men in prayer.
“Father, we thank you for tonight,” he said. “We pray that we will be a representation of you.”
An hour later, a member of his flock who had bowed his head was now unleashing a torrent of blows on an opponent, and Mr. Renken was offering guidance that was not exactly prayerful.
“Hard punches!” he shouted from the sidelines of a martial arts event called Cage Assault. “Finish the fight! To the head! To the head!”
The author of the article calls it right a few paragraphs later when he says these are “recruitment efforts.”
When we are reduced to using terms (and gladly using them, I might add) like “recruitment,” I am deeply saddened. Especially in a venue like this. Since we do not know our history very well, it may do me no good to say something silly like, “Sounds like Rome and the gladiators to me.”
Something just seems terribly wrong in the American church, and I don’t think it’s me just being old and crotchety.
Monday Thoughts February 1, 2010
Posted by apprentice2jesus in Baseball, Church Life, Culture, Theology.Tags: Bill Mounce, Christianity Today, Culture, Sports, Ted Haggard
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Some great thought-provoking posts and articles are surfacing this Monday.
Bill Mounce over at Koinonia has some thoughts on the Ted Haggard situation. His big question is: “Why was Haggard removed from his church? Why were they not allowed to at least attend?” He readily admits he doesn’t know the entire situation, but he asks the question anyway. I find it a question posed in ignorance. He should have done his homework first. That situation poses several issues, but what did NOT happen was the removal of Haggard from the Body of Christ. He was simply removed from that church and offered other places of healing.
A new book by Barbara Ehrenreich is one of those liberal books that begs the question: “Do you think this is something new?” She pokes fun at the positive confession movement in the Church. We’ve been doing that for years. Yet, she gets to write a book and make money! (Okay, I admit I’m jealous on that count.)
A more lengthy article on Christianity Today’s site focuses on the sports worship of our culture and how the church is not handling it so well. That’s one of those article where I go, “Oh, me!” I love sports. I can’t wait for spring training in baseball. The Super Bowl is only a page turned so I can get to baseball season (with March Madness to placate me in between). Yet, this article painfully hits some things for me I need to face.
