If you asked different people, you'll get different answers. To some it is where those intolerant people meet. Some say it is where superstitious people worship an old fashioned religion. Others see the church as the building where they worship God. What is the church Biblically?
The word church is derived from the Greek work ecclesia. The word has the idea of "called out to an assembly." It was a word used to describe a town meeting. Biblically, the church were the ones called out by God. We tend to think of the church as a building or organization. It is actually an organism or a body. The church is the body of Christ.
Originally the church was divided into regions. Each city or district of a city had a local assembly. Denominations did not occur until after the reformation. Denominations occurred over divisions over free will versus God's sovereignty, church versus state and other issues. Today there are churches of all kinds. Today even non-Christian groups, like Scientology, call themselves "a church".
The church was meant to be an assembly of God's redeemed people. It was where they gathered for prayer, worship, fellowship, reading from the Bible, preaching and commemoration of the Lord's Supper.
What is the perfect church? It is a church where God is glorified. It is a church that seeks to please God. It is a church that pleases God in everything they do. It is a church that does things God's way. It is a church that reads, believes, and obeys God's word.
He won the straw poll?
Every year the Conservative Political Action committee or cpac ends its convention with a presidential straw poll. No one expected that this person would win the poll. It was not anyone who was considered in the top tear. It was not Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty , Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabe. It was Texas Congressman Ron Paul.
Ron Paul is a libertarian leaning politician. He became a folk hero during the 2008 campaign. He was not considered a serious contender. He is pro life. He supports the legalization of drugs, opposes the war in Iraq and the overall war on terror. He supports the paleo-conservative view that the Monroe Doctrine should still be the bases of U.S foreign policy. He believes that the old world should not interfere in the new or vice versa.
Paul is not liked by the republican party Establishment. He was disliked by rush, hanity and Laura Ingram. Why did Paul win this straw poll? The tea party came in droves to this years cpac. The views of the tea party are more in line with the views of Ron Paul.
Ron Paul is not going to be the 2012 republican nominee! Even if he did., the party elders would probably defund the race. This could split or end the republican party. This could be a repeat of the Wilson-Taft- Roosevelt race. I don't see Him getting that far.
I agree that the President should follow the Constitution and ask Congress to declare war before sending troops into combat. I believe that the War on terror was a just war, I don't believe that the war in Iraq was. I don't believe that marijuana should be legalized.
Ron Paul's victory is a non story. Paul's people are good at organizing there people. They are not good at organizing anyone else. During the 2008 primary, they were to able to get there people out to the debates. The audience would frequently vote for him as the winner of the debates because they were his people. They were true believers. It is a good P.R victory !that is all.!Ron Paul is a good guy but he will not be President.
Ron Paul is a libertarian leaning politician. He became a folk hero during the 2008 campaign. He was not considered a serious contender. He is pro life. He supports the legalization of drugs, opposes the war in Iraq and the overall war on terror. He supports the paleo-conservative view that the Monroe Doctrine should still be the bases of U.S foreign policy. He believes that the old world should not interfere in the new or vice versa.
Paul is not liked by the republican party Establishment. He was disliked by rush, hanity and Laura Ingram. Why did Paul win this straw poll? The tea party came in droves to this years cpac. The views of the tea party are more in line with the views of Ron Paul.
Ron Paul is not going to be the 2012 republican nominee! Even if he did., the party elders would probably defund the race. This could split or end the republican party. This could be a repeat of the Wilson-Taft- Roosevelt race. I don't see Him getting that far.
I agree that the President should follow the Constitution and ask Congress to declare war before sending troops into combat. I believe that the War on terror was a just war, I don't believe that the war in Iraq was. I don't believe that marijuana should be legalized.
Ron Paul's victory is a non story. Paul's people are good at organizing there people. They are not good at organizing anyone else. During the 2008 primary, they were to able to get there people out to the debates. The audience would frequently vote for him as the winner of the debates because they were his people. They were true believers. It is a good P.R victory !that is all.!Ron Paul is a good guy but he will not be President.
Enchanted: A Movie Review
Enchanted is a Disney movie that is a combination of animation and live action. It starts out pretty common. A prince falls in love with a young maiden named Jazelle. Almost instantaneously they fall in love. His mother, the queen, does not want that to happen. She casts a spell and sends Jazelle to our world.
In our world she meets a lawyer and his daughter. The man is a divorce lawyer. He believes that the world is cruel and nothing lasts forever, especially love. While the prince goes to our world to find her.
At first I did not want to see this movie. It appeared to be another chick flick. There is a lot of romance, but it is very funny. One of my favorite scenes is when Jazelle sings while she cleans. Suddenly a bunch of animals come and help. It seems to that someone who was also involved in Spaceballs might have helped in the production.
This movies has some suggestive themes but there is not a lot of sexually explicit scenes. Unlike most Disney movies, it is not really a children's movie. It gets pretty scary at times. I did not like the scene where the queen morphed into a beast. For the most part I really like it. This is a good movie for husbands and wives to see together because it has something for everyone. She'll love the romance and he'll love the zany humor.
In our world she meets a lawyer and his daughter. The man is a divorce lawyer. He believes that the world is cruel and nothing lasts forever, especially love. While the prince goes to our world to find her.
At first I did not want to see this movie. It appeared to be another chick flick. There is a lot of romance, but it is very funny. One of my favorite scenes is when Jazelle sings while she cleans. Suddenly a bunch of animals come and help. It seems to that someone who was also involved in Spaceballs might have helped in the production.
This movies has some suggestive themes but there is not a lot of sexually explicit scenes. Unlike most Disney movies, it is not really a children's movie. It gets pretty scary at times. I did not like the scene where the queen morphed into a beast. For the most part I really like it. This is a good movie for husbands and wives to see together because it has something for everyone. She'll love the romance and he'll love the zany humor.
Evan Bayh
On Monday, to much surprise, second term US Senator, Evan Bayh, a democrat from Indiana, announce that he would not seek re-election. Monday was a few days before the filing deadline. Everyone thought he was going to run. Although Bayh was leading in the polls, he only lead former GOP House Member John Hostetter by 5 points. It would not be a totally uphill battle, but there was a possibility of him being vulnerable. He was not the most vulnerable Democratic senator. After Scott Brown won the special election in Massachusetts, Bayh said things that made me suspect he might not run. I posted on Facebook and Twitter my speculation that he might not run. In 2007, I imagine that McCain won the nomination and picked Sarah Palin as his VP. Unfortunately, I did not tell anyone about this and cannot prove it. To avoid this from happening again, I posted my speculation about Bayh, just in case.
I first heard of Bayh in 2000. In Fox News, Dick Morris suggested him as a potential Vice Presidential nominee. I remember thinking, "Who the heck is Evan Bayh?" Bayh is the son of Birch Bayh. The elder Bayh served in the Senate until 1980 when he was defeated by Dan Quayle. The younger Bayh served as governor of Indiana from 1989-1997. Bayh was elected to the Senate in 1998, replacing outgoing Senator Dan Coats. Bayh was on the short list to be vice president for Gore, Kerry, and Obama but was passed over every time. He ran briefly for the presidency in 2008. He is the former head of the Democratic leadership conference. This was the group that produced Bill Clinton. He is fairly moderate.
Bayh's departure gives another Senate seat that the Republicans can pick up. Several Republicans are now looking at the race, including Former Senator Coats. Mike Pence considered running but will stay in the House. he wants to run for the leadership of the Republican Party in the House. Is this the end of Bayh's political career or simply a lull? Is this the last Democratic Senator to retire before the 2010 election? We'll see.
I first heard of Bayh in 2000. In Fox News, Dick Morris suggested him as a potential Vice Presidential nominee. I remember thinking, "Who the heck is Evan Bayh?" Bayh is the son of Birch Bayh. The elder Bayh served in the Senate until 1980 when he was defeated by Dan Quayle. The younger Bayh served as governor of Indiana from 1989-1997. Bayh was elected to the Senate in 1998, replacing outgoing Senator Dan Coats. Bayh was on the short list to be vice president for Gore, Kerry, and Obama but was passed over every time. He ran briefly for the presidency in 2008. He is the former head of the Democratic leadership conference. This was the group that produced Bill Clinton. He is fairly moderate.
Bayh's departure gives another Senate seat that the Republicans can pick up. Several Republicans are now looking at the race, including Former Senator Coats. Mike Pence considered running but will stay in the House. he wants to run for the leadership of the Republican Party in the House. Is this the end of Bayh's political career or simply a lull? Is this the last Democratic Senator to retire before the 2010 election? We'll see.
My Kids
I have three boys. They are all very unique. They all have different personalities. None of them are just like me or just like Emily. Some characteristics are quintessential Emi and others are me.
Daniel is my oldest. He is Mommy's little helper. He does not like to get up in the morning, just like me. He is usually the last one to get up. Like me, he likes CDs, or as he calls the CEs. While I prefer DC Talk and Lincoln Park, He like "If you're happy and you know it" played a thousand times. He likes things organized, just so, just like me. Daniel loves to play with cars. He is very funny. You never know what he's going top say next.
Bobby is the middle kid. He has just learned to walk. He is learning to talk as well. His favorite phrase is "I like." He is our mischievous one. Like Emily, he is up earlier than everyone else. He likes cars like his brother, but his brother tries to regulate which toys he plays with. As a fundie, I'm ashamed to say it, but he's a great dancer. He is the only one in our family that has rhythm.
Tommy is our littlest one. His personality is still developing. He is a big smiler. He has gotten really big, really fast.
When I was growing up, I was an only child. The closest I ever had to siblings was my two cousins. I enjoy watching my kids interact. I enjoy seeing how Bobby looks up to Daniel and Tommy looks up to Bobby. I bet some day they'll read this. I wonder what they'll think.
Daniel is my oldest. He is Mommy's little helper. He does not like to get up in the morning, just like me. He is usually the last one to get up. Like me, he likes CDs, or as he calls the CEs. While I prefer DC Talk and Lincoln Park, He like "If you're happy and you know it" played a thousand times. He likes things organized, just so, just like me. Daniel loves to play with cars. He is very funny. You never know what he's going top say next.
Bobby is the middle kid. He has just learned to walk. He is learning to talk as well. His favorite phrase is "I like." He is our mischievous one. Like Emily, he is up earlier than everyone else. He likes cars like his brother, but his brother tries to regulate which toys he plays with. As a fundie, I'm ashamed to say it, but he's a great dancer. He is the only one in our family that has rhythm.
Tommy is our littlest one. His personality is still developing. He is a big smiler. He has gotten really big, really fast.
When I was growing up, I was an only child. The closest I ever had to siblings was my two cousins. I enjoy watching my kids interact. I enjoy seeing how Bobby looks up to Daniel and Tommy looks up to Bobby. I bet some day they'll read this. I wonder what they'll think.
Joy: Missing Ingredient in Christianity
Something seems really off. One camp says we need to tone down our doctrine and love and accept everyone. The other side goes overboard with doctrinal purity. Do we really need to rail against Tinky-Winky, Harry Potter, DaVinci Code and Twilight? The non-Christian world knows more about what we're against than what we're for. We appear to be against everything. Rob Bell observed that if you have a really cool trampoline, you don't argue over the trampoline, you invite others to join it. We are doing way more arguing than inviting. I recently heard about a brand new pastor who apologized for the previous actions of the church. I think that is a start.
How do we solve this problem? Do we abandon doctrine and focus only on love? What does Jesus say we should do? In Revelations 2, Jesus confronts the church at Ephesus for forsaking their first love. He does not tell them to give up their doctrinal stand but commends them for their stand. He says to keep holding their firm stand, but return to your first love. We've lost the joy of our salvation. We need to fall in love with Christ again.
Why have we lost that joy? We are going through the motions. Like Martha, we're careful and troubled about many things. We have taken our eyes off Christ. We need to get our eyes back on Christ. We need to find joy in Christ again. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
How do we solve this problem? Do we abandon doctrine and focus only on love? What does Jesus say we should do? In Revelations 2, Jesus confronts the church at Ephesus for forsaking their first love. He does not tell them to give up their doctrinal stand but commends them for their stand. He says to keep holding their firm stand, but return to your first love. We've lost the joy of our salvation. We need to fall in love with Christ again.
Why have we lost that joy? We are going through the motions. Like Martha, we're careful and troubled about many things. We have taken our eyes off Christ. We need to get our eyes back on Christ. We need to find joy in Christ again. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
Thre Preseidential Candidates Whose Laste Names Start with "P"
The following are a list of presidential candidates that were not mentioned in a previous post.
Tim Polenti, Governor, Minnesota
Until recently, Polenti had been, for the most part, a political unknown. He was accidently elected governor in 2002 when Jesse Ventura decided not to run for a second turn. He was barely reelected in 2006. He was on the short list for running mates for John McCain, but was passed over in favor of Sarah Palin. His strengths are the fact that he thinks for himself. He does not always tow the party line. He supported importing prescription drugs from Canada, which President Bush did not allow. In the past he has supported ethanol as an alternative fuel. His weakness is his electability. He's never exactly been "Landslide Tim." Just winning his home state will be an uphill battle. If he were to be elected vice-president first, he would be in a far better position to be president. Were he the nominee, I would definitely vote for him.
Rick Perry, Governor, Texas
Perry because governor of Texas in 2001. He replaced George W. Bush who resigned to become president. The democrats desperately tried to unseat him in 2002, but they failed. He was reelected in 2006. Perry carries a lot of baggage. He was Bush's protege. Democrats will accuse him trying to bring back the Bush years. He is a bit of a pragmatist. In 2006 he ran on a platform against illegal immigration. Once he got elected, he backtracked. He supports mandatory inoculation against sexually transmitted cervical cancer. At a tea party, he said that while Texas is not ready to succeed from the Union it may become necessary one day. He is not my first choice for president. Were he the nominee, I would probably vote for him, but I hope I don't have to.
David Portais, Commander, Central Command
General Portais has been suggested as a potential presidential candidate. He is considered by many the man who turned things around in Iraq. Before taking over at central command, he commanded the forces in Iraq. He was in charge of organizing the troop surge. He could run on a platform of national defense. America has had a long history of electing war heroes as president. Usually, generals do get elected president, but not always. General Westmoreland, who commanded troops in Vietnam failed to get the nomination in 1968. Portrais was a commander in Iraq, and unpopular war. He made prove to be a better vice-presidential candidate at this point. A concern I have is that I don't know any of his stand on social or fiscal issues. All we know is about his war record. I would be interested in a Portrais run.
Tim Polenti, Governor, Minnesota
Until recently, Polenti had been, for the most part, a political unknown. He was accidently elected governor in 2002 when Jesse Ventura decided not to run for a second turn. He was barely reelected in 2006. He was on the short list for running mates for John McCain, but was passed over in favor of Sarah Palin. His strengths are the fact that he thinks for himself. He does not always tow the party line. He supported importing prescription drugs from Canada, which President Bush did not allow. In the past he has supported ethanol as an alternative fuel. His weakness is his electability. He's never exactly been "Landslide Tim." Just winning his home state will be an uphill battle. If he were to be elected vice-president first, he would be in a far better position to be president. Were he the nominee, I would definitely vote for him.
Rick Perry, Governor, Texas
Perry because governor of Texas in 2001. He replaced George W. Bush who resigned to become president. The democrats desperately tried to unseat him in 2002, but they failed. He was reelected in 2006. Perry carries a lot of baggage. He was Bush's protege. Democrats will accuse him trying to bring back the Bush years. He is a bit of a pragmatist. In 2006 he ran on a platform against illegal immigration. Once he got elected, he backtracked. He supports mandatory inoculation against sexually transmitted cervical cancer. At a tea party, he said that while Texas is not ready to succeed from the Union it may become necessary one day. He is not my first choice for president. Were he the nominee, I would probably vote for him, but I hope I don't have to.
David Portais, Commander, Central Command
General Portais has been suggested as a potential presidential candidate. He is considered by many the man who turned things around in Iraq. Before taking over at central command, he commanded the forces in Iraq. He was in charge of organizing the troop surge. He could run on a platform of national defense. America has had a long history of electing war heroes as president. Usually, generals do get elected president, but not always. General Westmoreland, who commanded troops in Vietnam failed to get the nomination in 1968. Portrais was a commander in Iraq, and unpopular war. He made prove to be a better vice-presidential candidate at this point. A concern I have is that I don't know any of his stand on social or fiscal issues. All we know is about his war record. I would be interested in a Portrais run.
Musical Monday: The Cathedrals
This is part of a new series called Musical Monday. Due to my busy schedule, it may not happen every Monday, but if there is a post on a Monday, it will deal with a musical issue.
The Cathedrals were a Southern gospel group. The Cathedrals performed for almost fifty years. The group did go through some changes in its years. Two members were replaced by younger singers. The two original remaining singers were Ray Payne and George Younce. The group dissolved in 1999. Shortly after the end of the group, Ray Payne died. George died in 2006. The group Signature Sound was formed by member Ernie Hass. They performed one final going away concert with Bill Gaither. The Cathedrals went away with a bang. They still had the same enthusiasm that characterized the group.
I am not a big fan of Southern Gospel. It is just not my style of music. Growing up in the 1990s, I really like Contemporary Christian music, especially Christian rock. I first learned about the Cathedrals from a friend. He had the "Farewell" CD. I quickly came to love it. It is the only Southern Gospel CD I own.
The "Farewell" CD includes songs like "This Old House" and "Noah Found Grace," which has questionable theology but is a fun song. I love trying to hit the high note at the end of the song. My two favorite songs on the album are "Sinners Saved by Grace" and "Champion of Love." My only complaint about the CD is that Sandy Patty steals three tracks. In two songs, they are joined by the Statlers and the Oakridge Boys.
I am sad that I came to the Cathedrals late. It is better late than never. They are a fun group. If you are interested in getting into Southern Gospel, I would recommend starting with the Cathedrals.
The Cathedrals were a Southern gospel group. The Cathedrals performed for almost fifty years. The group did go through some changes in its years. Two members were replaced by younger singers. The two original remaining singers were Ray Payne and George Younce. The group dissolved in 1999. Shortly after the end of the group, Ray Payne died. George died in 2006. The group Signature Sound was formed by member Ernie Hass. They performed one final going away concert with Bill Gaither. The Cathedrals went away with a bang. They still had the same enthusiasm that characterized the group.
I am not a big fan of Southern Gospel. It is just not my style of music. Growing up in the 1990s, I really like Contemporary Christian music, especially Christian rock. I first learned about the Cathedrals from a friend. He had the "Farewell" CD. I quickly came to love it. It is the only Southern Gospel CD I own.
The "Farewell" CD includes songs like "This Old House" and "Noah Found Grace," which has questionable theology but is a fun song. I love trying to hit the high note at the end of the song. My two favorite songs on the album are "Sinners Saved by Grace" and "Champion of Love." My only complaint about the CD is that Sandy Patty steals three tracks. In two songs, they are joined by the Statlers and the Oakridge Boys.
I am sad that I came to the Cathedrals late. It is better late than never. They are a fun group. If you are interested in getting into Southern Gospel, I would recommend starting with the Cathedrals.
Christian Exclusivism
The Oxford American Dictionary defines exclusive as "not including, excluding, omitting, ignoring, barring. Christians are accused of being exclusive because they believe that Christianity is the only way to heaven. They believe that anyone who does not believe that is excluded from heaven and is doomed to hell. This view is believed by fundamentalists and evangelical churches. Is it wrong to believe that the Bible is the only way to heaven?
Contemporary society would say it is wrong. They would say that is insensitive and offensive. If the Bible is not the word of God and Jesus was just a man, I would agree. If the Bible is true, then it has every right to say it is the exclusive truth. In the past all religions believed that they were the true religions. What good is a religion if it doesn't. The purpose of religion is to give answers to life's ultimate questions. Religions were not meant to be a social club.
What does the Bible say about itself? In John 14:6 Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but by me." Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." The Bible teaches exclusivism. Why believe the Bible? The Bible prophesies King Cyrus be3fore he was born. Many people who were the scum of the earth were transformed by the Bible. John Newton, a slave trader, after his conversion championed the cause of abolition. Chuck Colson, Nixon's hatchet-man became a compassionate preacher. The apostle Paul was a murderer and persecutor of Christians. After his conversion he became a beloved saint.
Does it matter? In the Star Trek Next Generation episode "Rightful Heir" a clone of the Klingon founder said it did not matter if the real Kayless returned as long as his teachings had good morals. Paul said if the resurrection of Christ is false, "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:16) Verse 19 says we are people most to be pitied. The truth of the gospel is what comforts us and energizes us. If the Bible is not true then it is silly. In that case we are fools.
Because we have seen God working in our lives and others' we have seen that the teachings of the Bible makes sense. We are sure that mankind is totally depraved. We see our own sinfulness and need of a saviour. We know that it is true. We are exclusivist. If the Bible is true we have to be.
Contemporary society would say it is wrong. They would say that is insensitive and offensive. If the Bible is not the word of God and Jesus was just a man, I would agree. If the Bible is true, then it has every right to say it is the exclusive truth. In the past all religions believed that they were the true religions. What good is a religion if it doesn't. The purpose of religion is to give answers to life's ultimate questions. Religions were not meant to be a social club.
What does the Bible say about itself? In John 14:6 Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but by me." Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." The Bible teaches exclusivism. Why believe the Bible? The Bible prophesies King Cyrus be3fore he was born. Many people who were the scum of the earth were transformed by the Bible. John Newton, a slave trader, after his conversion championed the cause of abolition. Chuck Colson, Nixon's hatchet-man became a compassionate preacher. The apostle Paul was a murderer and persecutor of Christians. After his conversion he became a beloved saint.
Does it matter? In the Star Trek Next Generation episode "Rightful Heir" a clone of the Klingon founder said it did not matter if the real Kayless returned as long as his teachings had good morals. Paul said if the resurrection of Christ is false, "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:16) Verse 19 says we are people most to be pitied. The truth of the gospel is what comforts us and energizes us. If the Bible is not true then it is silly. In that case we are fools.
Because we have seen God working in our lives and others' we have seen that the teachings of the Bible makes sense. We are sure that mankind is totally depraved. We see our own sinfulness and need of a saviour. We know that it is true. We are exclusivist. If the Bible is true we have to be.
My Favorite Band
My favorite band of all time is the Christian rock band DC Talk. DC Talk consists of Toby McKeen (Toby Mac), Kevin (Max) Smith, and Michael Tate. There are two suggestions as to where theter name came from. There song, "Wehn DC Talks" suggests that the DC means Decent Christian. Others say it i because they grew up in Washington, DC.
As a child, I had never heard of Christian rock. In church we sang the old hymns and, every once in a while, a Gaither chorus. My first exposure to Christian rock was when older Christians were opposed to it.A Pentecostal friend told me to give them a chance and lent me a DC Talk tape. I loved it. My mother was not so sure. At first she did not want me to listen to it but came around eventually.
DC Talk's first big album in the Christian world was "Free at Last." It was mostly rap with a little bit of rock. It included their classic song "Say the Words" and covers of "Lean on Me" and "Jesus is still All Right." Their biggest and most influential album was "Jesus Freak." Many of the songs on this album got airplay on secular radio stations and videos were on MTV. This album was mostly rock with rap. It was one of the biggest albums in contemporary CHristian music history. It was a beginning of more alternative music in CCM. It helped end the era of Amy Grant and Ray Boltz. Not long after, we would see Audio Adrenaline, Third Day, Cutlass, and other alternative bands enter the Christian world.
Even though DC Talk is edgier than previous Christian groups, it still has a great message. In the song "Jesus Freak," it talks about wearing the insult "Jesus Freak" as a badge of honor. The song "In the Light" talks about daily walking in God's light. While there are some songs that are questionable, most are very Christ-honoring.
The next album was "Supernatural." it got away from the rap and was just rock. It was almost soft rock. Toby Mac did not like it. The group released a greatest hits album called "Intermission" then took a break. Toby Mac went solo and has gone back to his rap/rock origins. He has been the most successful. Michael Tate got a band called Tate. Tate has had some success. Kevin Max attempted a solo career which really did not go anywhere. He is now touring with Newsboys as a replacement.
No none has surpassed DC Talk for me. I still love listening to their music. It has been ten years since they went on their "intermission." I am ready for them to reunite. With Toby Mac's success and Kevin Max now with the Newsboys, it seems unlikely. I can still hope.
As a child, I had never heard of Christian rock. In church we sang the old hymns and, every once in a while, a Gaither chorus. My first exposure to Christian rock was when older Christians were opposed to it.A Pentecostal friend told me to give them a chance and lent me a DC Talk tape. I loved it. My mother was not so sure. At first she did not want me to listen to it but came around eventually.
DC Talk's first big album in the Christian world was "Free at Last." It was mostly rap with a little bit of rock. It included their classic song "Say the Words" and covers of "Lean on Me" and "Jesus is still All Right." Their biggest and most influential album was "Jesus Freak." Many of the songs on this album got airplay on secular radio stations and videos were on MTV. This album was mostly rock with rap. It was one of the biggest albums in contemporary CHristian music history. It was a beginning of more alternative music in CCM. It helped end the era of Amy Grant and Ray Boltz. Not long after, we would see Audio Adrenaline, Third Day, Cutlass, and other alternative bands enter the Christian world.
Even though DC Talk is edgier than previous Christian groups, it still has a great message. In the song "Jesus Freak," it talks about wearing the insult "Jesus Freak" as a badge of honor. The song "In the Light" talks about daily walking in God's light. While there are some songs that are questionable, most are very Christ-honoring.
The next album was "Supernatural." it got away from the rap and was just rock. It was almost soft rock. Toby Mac did not like it. The group released a greatest hits album called "Intermission" then took a break. Toby Mac went solo and has gone back to his rap/rock origins. He has been the most successful. Michael Tate got a band called Tate. Tate has had some success. Kevin Max attempted a solo career which really did not go anywhere. He is now touring with Newsboys as a replacement.
No none has surpassed DC Talk for me. I still love listening to their music. It has been ten years since they went on their "intermission." I am ready for them to reunite. With Toby Mac's success and Kevin Max now with the Newsboys, it seems unlikely. I can still hope.
Jesus at 2000, A Review
This book was edited by Marcus Borg. This book is a compilation of a symposium called Jesus at 2000. It was sponsored by the Jesus seminar and most of the writers are members of the seminar. The Jesus seminar is a group of scholars who do consider themselves Christians. They attend mainline denominations and disagree with key doctrines of the faith or redefine them to make them more palatable.
My first encounter with the Jesus seminar came ten years ago. A program by D. James Kennedy presented this group. They are well-respected by the news media and are the go-to people whenever a story about Jesus surfaces. This is the first book that I have read that they wrote.
The symposium is held on the subject of Jesus. They do not believe that the Bible is totally true. They reject a virgin birth. They believe that the pre-Easter Jesus is very different than the post-Easter Jesus. They believe that the gospels includes two accounts of Christ. The first account is the voice, what Jesus actually said. The second is community, the things the community has said about Christ. They do not believe that Jesus claimed to be God. They believe that four gospels present an evolving view about Christ. They believe that the gnostic gospels give clues to Jesus' life. They believe that this method has allowed them to be Christians again. They can respect Christ but don't have to believe that he is God or that he is the only way to salvation.
I read the book because I was interested in what liberals believe about Christ. The book gives little facts to back up their claims. They have a "we know this is true" attitude. This book does give a glimpse into alternative thinking about Christ. It is an interesting read but I don't know that I'd recommend it. It definitely did not convince me that Jesus was not God and the Bible was not true.
My first encounter with the Jesus seminar came ten years ago. A program by D. James Kennedy presented this group. They are well-respected by the news media and are the go-to people whenever a story about Jesus surfaces. This is the first book that I have read that they wrote.
The symposium is held on the subject of Jesus. They do not believe that the Bible is totally true. They reject a virgin birth. They believe that the pre-Easter Jesus is very different than the post-Easter Jesus. They believe that the gospels includes two accounts of Christ. The first account is the voice, what Jesus actually said. The second is community, the things the community has said about Christ. They do not believe that Jesus claimed to be God. They believe that four gospels present an evolving view about Christ. They believe that the gnostic gospels give clues to Jesus' life. They believe that this method has allowed them to be Christians again. They can respect Christ but don't have to believe that he is God or that he is the only way to salvation.
I read the book because I was interested in what liberals believe about Christ. The book gives little facts to back up their claims. They have a "we know this is true" attitude. This book does give a glimpse into alternative thinking about Christ. It is an interesting read but I don't know that I'd recommend it. It definitely did not convince me that Jesus was not God and the Bible was not true.
Michigan is America
Newt Gingrich is active in crafting Republican politics. Sarah Palin is very public. The one potential candidate we see very little of is Mit Romney. Romney has not however, gone away. He is very active behind the scenes. I believe Romney may be the best hope to retake the presidency in 2012. Can he win? What will be his strategy? This is what I think his strategy might be.
Romney was born and raised in Michigan. His father served as governor there. In 2008, Romney won the Michigan primary. His platform was on improving the economy there. Republican voters were fired up. It was one of the few times in the 2000 election that Republicans were enthusiastic. Unfortunately, after this primary his campaign ran out of steam.
Michigan is a state in trouble. It has experienced a bad economy. Detroit, once the capital of industry, is not a ghost town. Many referred to Michigan as part of the rust belt. Michigan is America. Many states are experiencing what Michigan is going through. Pennsylvania and Ohio are going through this. These are states that Republicans have not been able to win in quite a while. But these states could be the key to a Republican victory. Instead of a fifty state plan, Romney needs to come up with a one state plan. There is one state he needs to win: Michigan.
Is it wise to focus on just one state? Yes, if it is Michigan because Michigan is America. As the old song says, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. If Romney combines winning Michigan with Bush's strategy of winning the South and the Midwest, the Bible belt, this could be a winning strategy. Some would ask, can he win the Bible belt, since he is a Mormon. That is why he might pick someone like Sarah Pail as his VP. If Romney focuses on improving the economy, he could have a shot at winning.
Romney was born and raised in Michigan. His father served as governor there. In 2008, Romney won the Michigan primary. His platform was on improving the economy there. Republican voters were fired up. It was one of the few times in the 2000 election that Republicans were enthusiastic. Unfortunately, after this primary his campaign ran out of steam.
Michigan is a state in trouble. It has experienced a bad economy. Detroit, once the capital of industry, is not a ghost town. Many referred to Michigan as part of the rust belt. Michigan is America. Many states are experiencing what Michigan is going through. Pennsylvania and Ohio are going through this. These are states that Republicans have not been able to win in quite a while. But these states could be the key to a Republican victory. Instead of a fifty state plan, Romney needs to come up with a one state plan. There is one state he needs to win: Michigan.
Is it wise to focus on just one state? Yes, if it is Michigan because Michigan is America. As the old song says, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. If Romney combines winning Michigan with Bush's strategy of winning the South and the Midwest, the Bible belt, this could be a winning strategy. Some would ask, can he win the Bible belt, since he is a Mormon. That is why he might pick someone like Sarah Pail as his VP. If Romney focuses on improving the economy, he could have a shot at winning.
The Tale of Two MacDuffs
In Star Trek The Next Generation episode "Conundrum" the Enterprise crew's memories are erased. Suddenly out of no where we see Commander Macduff. It turns out that he was an alien pretending to be human. His species was at War with a nearby world. Neither species had the technology to defeat the other. He hoped to convince the Enterprise crew that they were at war with his enemy. The Enterprise weaponry would allow him to win that war.
In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth was told that he could only be killed bu a man who was not born of a woman. In the story, that man was Macduff. He was born by Cesarean. He eventually did kill Macbeth.
When I first saw "Conundrum" I was not that familiar with Macbeth and had never heard of the character Macduff. When I read Macbeth, the minute I saw the character of Macduff, it made me think of the Star Trek character. I wonder if the writers of Start Trek had the Shakespearean Macduff in mind when they created this man.
There are similarities and differences between the two characters. Macduff of Star Trek was an alien pretending to be a human where Macduff of Shakespeare was a man not born of a woman. Macduff of Macbeth was the hero of the story. He was the only one who could end the dictatorship of Macbeth. On Star Trek, Macduff was the villain. He was trying to manipulate the crew into ending his war. Star Trek tries to incorporate other literature into his stories. It routinely makes references to other works. This may be one of those examples.
In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth was told that he could only be killed bu a man who was not born of a woman. In the story, that man was Macduff. He was born by Cesarean. He eventually did kill Macbeth.
When I first saw "Conundrum" I was not that familiar with Macbeth and had never heard of the character Macduff. When I read Macbeth, the minute I saw the character of Macduff, it made me think of the Star Trek character. I wonder if the writers of Start Trek had the Shakespearean Macduff in mind when they created this man.
There are similarities and differences between the two characters. Macduff of Star Trek was an alien pretending to be a human where Macduff of Shakespeare was a man not born of a woman. Macduff of Macbeth was the hero of the story. He was the only one who could end the dictatorship of Macbeth. On Star Trek, Macduff was the villain. He was trying to manipulate the crew into ending his war. Star Trek tries to incorporate other literature into his stories. It routinely makes references to other works. This may be one of those examples.
Stupid Stories of 2009
Here are, in my opinion, the oddest, weirdest, overblown, bizarre stories of the year. Some are funny, some are sad, some are mysterious, but all are worthy of note.
#10 Mark Sanford
Governor Sanford of South Carolina had refused to take the stimulus money. One weekend, he goes missing. Every one wonders where he went. His staff releases a statement that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. A few days later he winds up in an airport saying he was in Argentina. He had been visiting his mistress. This basically ruined his political career. I was very disappointed in Sanford, since I had considered supporting him for president.
#9 Indianapolis Colts Throw the Game
It was the Colts versus the New York Jets, Colts had 15, Jets had 3. Head coach Brad Childers benched quarterback Paton Manning and all of the best players. The Jets ended up winning that game. Childers felt that his players needed to get rested up. The Colts had a perfect season but the coach felt it was better to lose some game than to not win the Super Bowl. As a Jest fan, I was happy they won, but not this way. It was a hollow victory.
#8 Jon and Kate Goslin
Those two had a reality show simply because they had eight kids. They last decade could be defined by it's reality shows. People were fascinated by how a big family lives. Several scandals developed about this family, including infidelity by Jon and the over controlling personality of Kate. You could blame the network, since this was pure exploitation to begin with. It is reminiscent of the old circus with the bearded lady. Jon and Cate were not victims because they agreed to it. The only victims are the kids.
#7 Janet Napolitano's Comment
She wanted to be Attorney General but was offered Secretary of Homeland Security instead. This cabinet department was created after the 911 attacks. It's primary purpose was to protect the country from Islamic terrorism. Napalitano said we need to also focus on returning veterans, pro-life, pro-enforcement of immigration laws, those concerned with China, and those concerned over the US' declining roll in the world as potential terrorists. After this statement we feared that she was turning this agency into a group that hunts down political enemies. While she backtracked her comments, this revealed her worldview.
#6 Tiger Woods
On Thanksgiving night Tiger was injured in a car accident. This incident revealed that Tiger was not the clean-cut guy we thought he was. For the time being, his career seems to be over. It was over-covered by the media. It almost appeared that the media wanted to cover up other stories. During this time President Obama was dragging his feet on the issue of sending more troops to Afghanistan. At the same time, a story broke revealing that scientists may have manipulated data on global warming. It seemed that coverage was to distract the American people.
#5 Michael Jackson
When Michale Jackson died, it was like a humanitarian had passed away. In recent years, Jackson had fallen from grace. Now, suddenly, he was considered a great man. The funeral was advertised to be this big event. At the funeral, there were more reporters than there were attendees. His death was a media driven event.
#4 Climate gate
Just before the climate conference in Copenhagen, there were reports that the Climate Research Institute at East Anglia University had cooked up numbers to make it look like the earth was hotter than it really was. This story was ignored by mainstream media. Right wingers like Rush Limbaugh claimed it proved global warming was a hoax. Does that mean that we should drill in ANWR? Does that mean that we should stop recycling and abandon new technologies? Because the media did not cover it, we did not get to debate those issue and we don't know what this really means.
#3 Miss California
At the Miss USA Pageant, Miss California was asked her thoughts on gay marriage by Perez Hilton, a gay activist. Her answer was that she felt that marriage was between a man and a woman. It was a politically correct answer. Perez wouldn't accept it and black-balled her. Christians everywhere were outraged. Even Sarah Palin got into it. As it turns out, Miss California was not quite as moral as believed. But why are Christians supporting other so-called Christians participating in a beauty pageant anyways? This was a non-story.
#2 Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin had been seen as an up-and-comer in the Republican party. She appealed to social conservatives. She made several blunders this year. She took a statement by David Letterman way out of context. She made a mountain out of a molehill. In July she resigned for no apparent reason. She has written a book which is riddled with historical inaccuracies. Even with all of this, she could still end up being the GOP nominee in 2012.
#1 Captain Sullenburger
A plain is hit by a bird and almost crashes into the Hudson. The Captain was able to land the plane safely into the Hudson River. It was called the miracle on the Hudson. He was on the cover of every magazine and was often mentioned. Every time there was an incident involving a plane, Sullenburger came up. There was moment by moment coverage of his return to the air. The media tried to milk this for all it was worth.
#10 Mark Sanford
Governor Sanford of South Carolina had refused to take the stimulus money. One weekend, he goes missing. Every one wonders where he went. His staff releases a statement that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. A few days later he winds up in an airport saying he was in Argentina. He had been visiting his mistress. This basically ruined his political career. I was very disappointed in Sanford, since I had considered supporting him for president.
#9 Indianapolis Colts Throw the Game
It was the Colts versus the New York Jets, Colts had 15, Jets had 3. Head coach Brad Childers benched quarterback Paton Manning and all of the best players. The Jets ended up winning that game. Childers felt that his players needed to get rested up. The Colts had a perfect season but the coach felt it was better to lose some game than to not win the Super Bowl. As a Jest fan, I was happy they won, but not this way. It was a hollow victory.
#8 Jon and Kate Goslin
Those two had a reality show simply because they had eight kids. They last decade could be defined by it's reality shows. People were fascinated by how a big family lives. Several scandals developed about this family, including infidelity by Jon and the over controlling personality of Kate. You could blame the network, since this was pure exploitation to begin with. It is reminiscent of the old circus with the bearded lady. Jon and Cate were not victims because they agreed to it. The only victims are the kids.
#7 Janet Napolitano's Comment
She wanted to be Attorney General but was offered Secretary of Homeland Security instead. This cabinet department was created after the 911 attacks. It's primary purpose was to protect the country from Islamic terrorism. Napalitano said we need to also focus on returning veterans, pro-life, pro-enforcement of immigration laws, those concerned with China, and those concerned over the US' declining roll in the world as potential terrorists. After this statement we feared that she was turning this agency into a group that hunts down political enemies. While she backtracked her comments, this revealed her worldview.
#6 Tiger Woods
On Thanksgiving night Tiger was injured in a car accident. This incident revealed that Tiger was not the clean-cut guy we thought he was. For the time being, his career seems to be over. It was over-covered by the media. It almost appeared that the media wanted to cover up other stories. During this time President Obama was dragging his feet on the issue of sending more troops to Afghanistan. At the same time, a story broke revealing that scientists may have manipulated data on global warming. It seemed that coverage was to distract the American people.
#5 Michael Jackson
When Michale Jackson died, it was like a humanitarian had passed away. In recent years, Jackson had fallen from grace. Now, suddenly, he was considered a great man. The funeral was advertised to be this big event. At the funeral, there were more reporters than there were attendees. His death was a media driven event.
#4 Climate gate
Just before the climate conference in Copenhagen, there were reports that the Climate Research Institute at East Anglia University had cooked up numbers to make it look like the earth was hotter than it really was. This story was ignored by mainstream media. Right wingers like Rush Limbaugh claimed it proved global warming was a hoax. Does that mean that we should drill in ANWR? Does that mean that we should stop recycling and abandon new technologies? Because the media did not cover it, we did not get to debate those issue and we don't know what this really means.
#3 Miss California
At the Miss USA Pageant, Miss California was asked her thoughts on gay marriage by Perez Hilton, a gay activist. Her answer was that she felt that marriage was between a man and a woman. It was a politically correct answer. Perez wouldn't accept it and black-balled her. Christians everywhere were outraged. Even Sarah Palin got into it. As it turns out, Miss California was not quite as moral as believed. But why are Christians supporting other so-called Christians participating in a beauty pageant anyways? This was a non-story.
#2 Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin had been seen as an up-and-comer in the Republican party. She appealed to social conservatives. She made several blunders this year. She took a statement by David Letterman way out of context. She made a mountain out of a molehill. In July she resigned for no apparent reason. She has written a book which is riddled with historical inaccuracies. Even with all of this, she could still end up being the GOP nominee in 2012.
#1 Captain Sullenburger
A plain is hit by a bird and almost crashes into the Hudson. The Captain was able to land the plane safely into the Hudson River. It was called the miracle on the Hudson. He was on the cover of every magazine and was often mentioned. Every time there was an incident involving a plane, Sullenburger came up. There was moment by moment coverage of his return to the air. The media tried to milk this for all it was worth.
Republican Presidential Candidates
In 2008, the Republican candidate was defeated in a close race. The party was demoralized even before the election. Who has the ability to restore the party? Let's look at some of the potential presidential candidates.
Bob Corker, US Senator, Tennessee
Aside from being a US Senator he was also a former mayor of Chatanooga. Corker was narrowly elected to the senate defeating Harold Ford Jr. He is fairly conservative. He has said he is interested in running. The problem is that he has no name recognition outside of Tennessee. He has a lot of potention but he is still not even a rising star yet. I really don't think Corker is the guy who will rebuild the party.
Joe Scarborough, Former Congressman, Florida
He is a former congressman and now the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC and has his own radio show. Although he is pro-life and conservative on many issues, he has moderated his views so that he won't get fired from a liberal network. He has angered people in the GOP establishment at times. I am intrigued by Scarborough, but not sure I would support him.
Neut Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House, Georgia
He is a jack-of-all-trade, being a politician, professor and history buff. While he was generally liked by conservatives he is divorced and remarried. Many object to his cozy relations with the Clintons. He frequenty visited Hilary when she was in the Senate. He was a guest at the Obama White House. Dick Morris worked both for Gingrich and for Clinton at the same time. He is a bit of a political opportunist. If he were the nominee, I would support him, but it is not my first choice.
Gary Johnson, Former Governor, New Mexico
His views are very similar to Ron Paul. He is a big supporter of legalization fo drugs. He is pro-choice but believes that the abortion issue should be decided by states. I am not ready to support him but would look closely at him were he to run.
Ron Paul, Congressman, Texas
He is a libertarian and has quiter a following with libertarian minded people and independent evengelicals. Pau does not have what it takes to be president. Shoudl he be president? Maybe, but that's not how it works. He does not have the ability to put together a winning coalition.
Mike Huckabee, Former Governor, Arkansas
He was also a Baptist minister. When he ran in 2008, he had the support of many evangelicaqls who felt they did not have a voice with the other candidates. Huckabee was one of the few Republicans who recognized that Bush was unpopular and distanced himself from him. In straw poles, Huckabee had come out on top. It has recently been revealed that the killer in Washington state had been pardoned by Mike Huckabee. This may have killed any chance he has of being president.
Jim Demint, Senator, South Carolina
Hs in the Senate. the leading conservative voices in the Senate. He has been a key opposition leader to many of Obamas p[ropgrams. His views are very saimilar to mine on many issues. I would definietly consider supSOuth DHIM IF HE RUNS>
John Thune, Senator, South Dakota
He shocked everyone when he defeated Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle. Like Demint, he has become a key conservative leader. There are rumours that Thune is the candidate that the Obama administer does not want to run against. The only downside is that he is from a small state. I think he is an impressive candidate.
Sarah Palin, Former Governor, Alaska
When she was picked to be McCain's running mate, no one knew who she was. She quickly won the hearts of many conservatives. Everyone else was very puzzled by her. She was conservative, independent and a little quirky. I really like her at first. I did not like that she decided to speak out on every issue. Many times she spoke out on issues she did not have all the fact on, such as the Miss California incident. I think she should have served out her whole term as governor. I don't think she is ready to be president. I could accept her as a vice-presidential candidate. Michael Savage believes that only a Romney/Palin ticket can beat Obama in 2012.
Mit Romney, Former Governor, Massachusetts
He is a businessman, and was the head of the Utah Olympic Committee. I think Romney may be the best hope for the Republicans in 2012. He is an expert on finances and the economy. Romney won the Michigan primary by running on the economy. Economy is what voters are concerned about. If he can convince voters that he is better for the economy that Obama he has a chance. Conservatives are concerned by the fact he is a Mormon and some believe he is not conservative enough, He was pro-choice and switched to pro-life just before he announced his candidacy. Romney has been around but not annoyingly so. He takes interviews occasionally but does not blitz his presence. I think he has the potential of being the next Ronald Reagan. While I am not totally on the Romney bandwagon, I am close to it.
Bob Corker, US Senator, Tennessee
Aside from being a US Senator he was also a former mayor of Chatanooga. Corker was narrowly elected to the senate defeating Harold Ford Jr. He is fairly conservative. He has said he is interested in running. The problem is that he has no name recognition outside of Tennessee. He has a lot of potention but he is still not even a rising star yet. I really don't think Corker is the guy who will rebuild the party.
Joe Scarborough, Former Congressman, Florida
He is a former congressman and now the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC and has his own radio show. Although he is pro-life and conservative on many issues, he has moderated his views so that he won't get fired from a liberal network. He has angered people in the GOP establishment at times. I am intrigued by Scarborough, but not sure I would support him.
Neut Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House, Georgia
He is a jack-of-all-trade, being a politician, professor and history buff. While he was generally liked by conservatives he is divorced and remarried. Many object to his cozy relations with the Clintons. He frequenty visited Hilary when she was in the Senate. He was a guest at the Obama White House. Dick Morris worked both for Gingrich and for Clinton at the same time. He is a bit of a political opportunist. If he were the nominee, I would support him, but it is not my first choice.
Gary Johnson, Former Governor, New Mexico
His views are very similar to Ron Paul. He is a big supporter of legalization fo drugs. He is pro-choice but believes that the abortion issue should be decided by states. I am not ready to support him but would look closely at him were he to run.
Ron Paul, Congressman, Texas
He is a libertarian and has quiter a following with libertarian minded people and independent evengelicals. Pau does not have what it takes to be president. Shoudl he be president? Maybe, but that's not how it works. He does not have the ability to put together a winning coalition.
Mike Huckabee, Former Governor, Arkansas
He was also a Baptist minister. When he ran in 2008, he had the support of many evangelicaqls who felt they did not have a voice with the other candidates. Huckabee was one of the few Republicans who recognized that Bush was unpopular and distanced himself from him. In straw poles, Huckabee had come out on top. It has recently been revealed that the killer in Washington state had been pardoned by Mike Huckabee. This may have killed any chance he has of being president.
Jim Demint, Senator, South Carolina
Hs in the Senate. the leading conservative voices in the Senate. He has been a key opposition leader to many of Obamas p[ropgrams. His views are very saimilar to mine on many issues. I would definietly consider supSOuth DHIM IF HE RUNS>
John Thune, Senator, South Dakota
He shocked everyone when he defeated Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle. Like Demint, he has become a key conservative leader. There are rumours that Thune is the candidate that the Obama administer does not want to run against. The only downside is that he is from a small state. I think he is an impressive candidate.
Sarah Palin, Former Governor, Alaska
When she was picked to be McCain's running mate, no one knew who she was. She quickly won the hearts of many conservatives. Everyone else was very puzzled by her. She was conservative, independent and a little quirky. I really like her at first. I did not like that she decided to speak out on every issue. Many times she spoke out on issues she did not have all the fact on, such as the Miss California incident. I think she should have served out her whole term as governor. I don't think she is ready to be president. I could accept her as a vice-presidential candidate. Michael Savage believes that only a Romney/Palin ticket can beat Obama in 2012.
Mit Romney, Former Governor, Massachusetts
He is a businessman, and was the head of the Utah Olympic Committee. I think Romney may be the best hope for the Republicans in 2012. He is an expert on finances and the economy. Romney won the Michigan primary by running on the economy. Economy is what voters are concerned about. If he can convince voters that he is better for the economy that Obama he has a chance. Conservatives are concerned by the fact he is a Mormon and some believe he is not conservative enough, He was pro-choice and switched to pro-life just before he announced his candidacy. Romney has been around but not annoyingly so. He takes interviews occasionally but does not blitz his presence. I think he has the potential of being the next Ronald Reagan. While I am not totally on the Romney bandwagon, I am close to it.
When Discernment Goes Bad
We live in a time in American Christianity where there are Christian books, music, DVDs, Bible studies, you name it. They are independent, not answering to any church. Many of these are not necessarily doctrinally correct. Using Romans 14 and Matthew 18:1-2, people say we have no right to judge other ministries. A back lash has ensued and ministries committed to discernment have arisen. They seek to expose false doctrine. Many targets for discernment are the word of faith movement, emergent church, seeker sensitive and mega-churches. Several ministries like Jan Merkell's "Understanding the Times" and Todd Freole's "Wretched Radio" seem to major in discernment ministries.
Discernment is designed to call attention to teaching that is not line with orthodox Christianity. The problem is, many times it becomes personal. What appears to be a blatant act of blasphemy may just be a misunderstanding. What began as a well-meaning call to doctrinal purity may turn into character assassinations.
There is a difference between intended heresies and misunderstandings. No Christian has doctrine totally right. We all have our pet issues that, if insulted, we take personay. We must make sure our motives are right. We must correct error in love, not hate. At times Jan Merkell and Todd Freole come off as hateful. Exposing false doctrine should be done out of love for the truth, not to destroy. Too many times, mountains have been made out of molehills.
How do you deal with false doctrine without being hateful? Matthew 18 says that if you are offended with a fellow believer, you go to that person and discuss it with them in private. If he fails to listen to you,. you go back with one or two witnesses. If he still won't listen, then you take it to the church. If he won't listen to the church then he is to be considered an infidel. Because of geographical differences and corporations make it difficult to do this. But that does not give us licence to attack others on a radio program. To many times discernment is an excuse to attack. Some ministries exist with the express purpose of exposing false doctrine. We must not become MacArthyists looking for heretics under every bush.
I write this because I am very disturbed by this trend of discernment to become hateful. We do need to stand for truth, but it must be in a godly way. The Roman orator Cicero said that in time of war the law falls silent. Although Christianity is under attack from all sides, the Bible must not fall silent but influence all we do.
Discernment is designed to call attention to teaching that is not line with orthodox Christianity. The problem is, many times it becomes personal. What appears to be a blatant act of blasphemy may just be a misunderstanding. What began as a well-meaning call to doctrinal purity may turn into character assassinations.
There is a difference between intended heresies and misunderstandings. No Christian has doctrine totally right. We all have our pet issues that, if insulted, we take personay. We must make sure our motives are right. We must correct error in love, not hate. At times Jan Merkell and Todd Freole come off as hateful. Exposing false doctrine should be done out of love for the truth, not to destroy. Too many times, mountains have been made out of molehills.
How do you deal with false doctrine without being hateful? Matthew 18 says that if you are offended with a fellow believer, you go to that person and discuss it with them in private. If he fails to listen to you,. you go back with one or two witnesses. If he still won't listen, then you take it to the church. If he won't listen to the church then he is to be considered an infidel. Because of geographical differences and corporations make it difficult to do this. But that does not give us licence to attack others on a radio program. To many times discernment is an excuse to attack. Some ministries exist with the express purpose of exposing false doctrine. We must not become MacArthyists looking for heretics under every bush.
I write this because I am very disturbed by this trend of discernment to become hateful. We do need to stand for truth, but it must be in a godly way. The Roman orator Cicero said that in time of war the law falls silent. Although Christianity is under attack from all sides, the Bible must not fall silent but influence all we do.
My Writings
There have been questions about whether I actually wrote the post about styles of preaching. One commenter implied that it was really Emily that wrote it and I took the credit. Another person said it was cut and paste and not an original post by me. Let me assure this was to cut and pasted but was my own thoughts. There was some criticism that it could have had more information. Maybe it could have. The purpose of that post was to be a survey of preaching styles not an exposition. The purpose was to expose readers to different styles of preaching.
I am a bad speller, I admit it. I am bad at punctuation and grammar. I have never been diagnosed with any learning disability such as dyslexia, but there is a good chance I may have some sort of learning disability. The teachers at the elementary school I attended wanted me to be tested by the state for learning disabilities. My Dad was a proud man who did not want to accept that his son might have a learning disability and was paranoid of the government. He refused to let me be tested. To combat this problem all of my papers at school and blog posts are typed by Emily. I write out the posts on paper, then dictate it to her. For a while I wrote my own blog posts. My blog is just for fun. I enjoy writing and like to have my thoughts out there. It was originally intended for friends and family. I am glad other people are reading it though, but I do not like that people are reading it to pick my life apart. I do not like these accusations.
I hope what I have said will be taken to heart. I appreciate this opportunity to set the record straight.
I am a bad speller, I admit it. I am bad at punctuation and grammar. I have never been diagnosed with any learning disability such as dyslexia, but there is a good chance I may have some sort of learning disability. The teachers at the elementary school I attended wanted me to be tested by the state for learning disabilities. My Dad was a proud man who did not want to accept that his son might have a learning disability and was paranoid of the government. He refused to let me be tested. To combat this problem all of my papers at school and blog posts are typed by Emily. I write out the posts on paper, then dictate it to her. For a while I wrote my own blog posts. My blog is just for fun. I enjoy writing and like to have my thoughts out there. It was originally intended for friends and family. I am glad other people are reading it though, but I do not like that people are reading it to pick my life apart. I do not like these accusations.
I hope what I have said will be taken to heart. I appreciate this opportunity to set the record straight.
Types of Sermons
There are several types of preaching. Some are more effective than others. We will examine some of these styles.
Expositional
Expository preaching is when you take a book of the Bible and you preach through the book verse by verse. You start at chapter one verse one and go all the way to the end of the book. Proponents of this method say that the Bible is not meant to be preached with random verses but is a complete work. You do not start in the middle of the last book in the Lord of the Ring stories and then jump to chapter one of the first book. While you can take a verse out of context for this method it is harder. Rick Warren does not like this method and says it is only for church people. his is my favorite style of preaching. I think it is very effective. Proponents of this method include: John MacArthur, John Piper and the Calvary Chapel movement.
Exegetical
This is when you preach through two or three verse. It relies heavily on the Greek and Hebrew. it contains a lot of word studies and word definitions. It also includes the cultural analysis of a word used. Unlike expository it is usually stand alone messages, not preaching through a book.
Topical
This is the most popular style of preaching right now. Each message is a stand-alone, one-time event. These messages include a single topic like love. Rick Warren says it is a better method for reaching the unsaved or seekers.
Textual
Textual is when you basically stick to one text. It is usually a standalone message. It's not verse by verse. You might start at verse 6, go back to 3, then jump to 10. It is not as extensive as expository or exegetical and it can be topical.
Narrative
It's not necessarily a preaching style. This method was introduced by New Tribes Mission when witnessing to tribal people. I as been adopted in the US. It has the idea of starting with creation and working your way to Christ. The aim is to hit on the big points. It aims to create a foundation. It is an excellent method for Sunday Schools, Bible studies or midweek service.
Gospel Preaching
All preaching should involve some kind of presentation of the gospel. Some passages are harder than others. The purpose of preaching is to communicate the gospel.
Expositional
Expository preaching is when you take a book of the Bible and you preach through the book verse by verse. You start at chapter one verse one and go all the way to the end of the book. Proponents of this method say that the Bible is not meant to be preached with random verses but is a complete work. You do not start in the middle of the last book in the Lord of the Ring stories and then jump to chapter one of the first book. While you can take a verse out of context for this method it is harder. Rick Warren does not like this method and says it is only for church people. his is my favorite style of preaching. I think it is very effective. Proponents of this method include: John MacArthur, John Piper and the Calvary Chapel movement.
Exegetical
This is when you preach through two or three verse. It relies heavily on the Greek and Hebrew. it contains a lot of word studies and word definitions. It also includes the cultural analysis of a word used. Unlike expository it is usually stand alone messages, not preaching through a book.
Topical
This is the most popular style of preaching right now. Each message is a stand-alone, one-time event. These messages include a single topic like love. Rick Warren says it is a better method for reaching the unsaved or seekers.
Textual
Textual is when you basically stick to one text. It is usually a standalone message. It's not verse by verse. You might start at verse 6, go back to 3, then jump to 10. It is not as extensive as expository or exegetical and it can be topical.
Narrative
It's not necessarily a preaching style. This method was introduced by New Tribes Mission when witnessing to tribal people. I as been adopted in the US. It has the idea of starting with creation and working your way to Christ. The aim is to hit on the big points. It aims to create a foundation. It is an excellent method for Sunday Schools, Bible studies or midweek service.
Gospel Preaching
All preaching should involve some kind of presentation of the gospel. Some passages are harder than others. The purpose of preaching is to communicate the gospel.
YouTube Sensations
YouTube was just named website of the decade. It has changed the way we view media. Some have suggested it will one day replace television. It has also had a profound impact on Christianity. Any time you want you can watch Todd Bentley kick an old lady in the stomach for Jesus or watch Word of faith teacher Robert Tilton preach with fart noises in the background. Seriously there are several Christian teachers who present their messages on YouTube. But YouTube is largely unregulated and anyone can post. This has created a mixed multitude. Let's examine a few of these sensations.
Paul Washer
Paul Washer is a frequent speaker at churches. He is in the reformed tradition and believes in Lordship salvation. He comes off as harsh at times as he rejects easy believism. He rejects conventional wisdom. He hates when people use the verse "I stand at the door and knock" out of context. He once talked about the churches obsession with pop culture which was followed by applause. He responded with "I don't know why you're clapping. I'm talking about you." If you think he is all mean with no compassion he is not. His testimony is full of tears. Before he was saved he lived a life full of sin. When asked why he preaches so forcefully his response is "He saved me." Although he tends to be pretty conservative, he did once speak at a reformed rapper convention.
William Lane Craig
Christan apologist who has debated the Jesus seminar. He is interested in discernment issues. He is opposed to seeker sensitive, word of faith and the emergent church. He has also defended Washer and MacArthur who have been accused of heresy.
Andrew C Bain
He is opposed to Lordship salvation and apparently is opposed to Calvinism. His video's attempt to expose Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, MacArthur, Piper Washer and others as heretics. His videos tend to be very mean spirited. Many do not take him seriously.
Stephen Andersen
He is pastor of the fundamentalist, KJV only church, Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. He is not connected to Bob Jones or Howles Andersen and is opposed to Bible colleges. He opposes Christian rock, president Obama, contraceptives, Billy Graham, lordship salvation and women in pants. He is known to have bad hermeneutics. He takes verses way out of context. He once used a verse about pissing on the wall to speak of gender rolls. He was recently arrested on trumped up charges. He is aligned with Alex Jones. Many of his views I disagree with but he does say some good things.
The Anti-Paul Movement
YouTube has become the home of a pro-law form of Christianity that merges the Jewish law into New Testament Christianity. They believe that Paul is a false prophet who taught a different gospel than Jesus. They teach that Jesus taught faith plus works. There is not an organized anti-Paul movement, but various people would fall into this camp. To them Pauline epistles are not true scripture. They believe Acts was written by Luke to validate Paul's ministry but do seem to accept the gospel of Luke. They say Paul uses too many personal pronouns and they do not like his disregard to the law.
Conclusion
One must be careful when looking at YouTube. Anyone can post on YouTube. We must be Bereans at all times. We must check what is said with the word of God. Many videos on YouTube can be a blessing but all must be taken with a grain of salt. We must be Bereans with everything we read see and hear.
Paul Washer
Paul Washer is a frequent speaker at churches. He is in the reformed tradition and believes in Lordship salvation. He comes off as harsh at times as he rejects easy believism. He rejects conventional wisdom. He hates when people use the verse "I stand at the door and knock" out of context. He once talked about the churches obsession with pop culture which was followed by applause. He responded with "I don't know why you're clapping. I'm talking about you." If you think he is all mean with no compassion he is not. His testimony is full of tears. Before he was saved he lived a life full of sin. When asked why he preaches so forcefully his response is "He saved me." Although he tends to be pretty conservative, he did once speak at a reformed rapper convention.
William Lane Craig
Christan apologist who has debated the Jesus seminar. He is interested in discernment issues. He is opposed to seeker sensitive, word of faith and the emergent church. He has also defended Washer and MacArthur who have been accused of heresy.
Andrew C Bain
He is opposed to Lordship salvation and apparently is opposed to Calvinism. His video's attempt to expose Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, MacArthur, Piper Washer and others as heretics. His videos tend to be very mean spirited. Many do not take him seriously.
Stephen Andersen
He is pastor of the fundamentalist, KJV only church, Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. He is not connected to Bob Jones or Howles Andersen and is opposed to Bible colleges. He opposes Christian rock, president Obama, contraceptives, Billy Graham, lordship salvation and women in pants. He is known to have bad hermeneutics. He takes verses way out of context. He once used a verse about pissing on the wall to speak of gender rolls. He was recently arrested on trumped up charges. He is aligned with Alex Jones. Many of his views I disagree with but he does say some good things.
The Anti-Paul Movement
YouTube has become the home of a pro-law form of Christianity that merges the Jewish law into New Testament Christianity. They believe that Paul is a false prophet who taught a different gospel than Jesus. They teach that Jesus taught faith plus works. There is not an organized anti-Paul movement, but various people would fall into this camp. To them Pauline epistles are not true scripture. They believe Acts was written by Luke to validate Paul's ministry but do seem to accept the gospel of Luke. They say Paul uses too many personal pronouns and they do not like his disregard to the law.
Conclusion
One must be careful when looking at YouTube. Anyone can post on YouTube. We must be Bereans at all times. We must check what is said with the word of God. Many videos on YouTube can be a blessing but all must be taken with a grain of salt. We must be Bereans with everything we read see and hear.
Books I've Read Recently
These are reviews of books I have read this past year.
Vintage Jesus by Mark Driskol
Mark Drisko is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Community Church in Seattle Washington. This books deals with major issues about Jesus. It is part of a series dealing with issues of Christianity. At times this book is very humorous with several references to pop culture. At times it is pretty standard, but at other times it is fascinating. He as a chapter on how Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. That chapter is simply amazing.
My Rating: 4+
Claiming the Center by Jack Rogers
Jack Rogers is a leading voice in the Presbyterian church. He believes in including everyone in Christianity. He believes we need to accept the views of liberal and fundamentalist as equally valid. He says that those who believe in the Deity of Christ and those who don't are valid Christians. This book does offer good insight into how the religious right developed. His information is sound. It is his conclusions that are wrong. This really explains how we got here religiously.
My Rating: 2+
Wake Up America by Tony Campollo
Written in 1991, Campolo discusses how America and the American church has become very materialistic. He believes we must follow Jesus' words and feed, clothe and love the poor. He believes that the words of Christ supersede the writings of Paul. He suggests that Christ's call to protect the poor may even override Romans 13, which deals with relating to governments. I dislike a lot of it, but some of it I found helpful. One of the most astonishing things is that he opposes text criticism.
My Rating: 2
Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur
This book sent shock waves through the evangelical world. Too many Christians professed but did not live like it. The church accepted these professions at face value. MacArthur wrote this book hoping to correct this error. This book talks about how true Christians live a consistent life of obedience to Christ. He tells how Jesus said it would be hard to follow him. He details how the Bible teaches this all through scripture. It is a must read.
My Rating: 5
Absolutely Free by Zane Hodge
This is a book attempting to answer The Gospel According to Jesus. In order to balance my reading, I decided to read a counterpoint to MacArthur's view. Hodges has an easy believism view. He says that just because a person doesn't live a Christian life, that does not mean he is not saved. He says we have no right to doubt any one's profession. He says all you have to do is believe. He separates discipleship from salvation. He even questions whether the verse in Corinthians about examining oneself is even for us today. He quotes hymns as evidence.
My Rating: 2
Missions in the Old Testament by Walter Kaesar
Dr. Kaesar suggests that God's goal for humanity has always been, "I shall be their God and they shall be my people." After the fall, God's goal was to restore that relationship. He says that Israel was to be a priest to bring about that restoration to the planet. He says that even though Israel failed to do that, that does not negate what they were supposed to do. At times he went overboard. But most of what he is saying I believe is valid. It really opened my thinking.
My Rating: 4+
Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren
He gives his strategy for church planting. He tells how churches must seek to fulfill all five purposes of the church, which are": worship, service, fellowship, evangelism, and discipleship. He believes we must fulfill felt needs first. He is opposed to verse-by-verse exposition because he says it is only for church people. He believes in verse with verse exposition, aka topical preaching. It does, however have some good insight.
My Rating: 3+
Common Sense by Glenn Beck
The Fox News host has rewritten Thomas Paine's manifesto. He believes there is a plot by politicians of all political parties to divide us. He believes that these people only care about their own power. This book includes Common Sense by Thomas Paine. He comes off as a universalist. It is an interesting book.
My Rating: 4
Vintage Jesus by Mark Driskol
Mark Drisko is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Community Church in Seattle Washington. This books deals with major issues about Jesus. It is part of a series dealing with issues of Christianity. At times this book is very humorous with several references to pop culture. At times it is pretty standard, but at other times it is fascinating. He as a chapter on how Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. That chapter is simply amazing.
My Rating: 4+
Claiming the Center by Jack Rogers
Jack Rogers is a leading voice in the Presbyterian church. He believes in including everyone in Christianity. He believes we need to accept the views of liberal and fundamentalist as equally valid. He says that those who believe in the Deity of Christ and those who don't are valid Christians. This book does offer good insight into how the religious right developed. His information is sound. It is his conclusions that are wrong. This really explains how we got here religiously.
My Rating: 2+
Wake Up America by Tony Campollo
Written in 1991, Campolo discusses how America and the American church has become very materialistic. He believes we must follow Jesus' words and feed, clothe and love the poor. He believes that the words of Christ supersede the writings of Paul. He suggests that Christ's call to protect the poor may even override Romans 13, which deals with relating to governments. I dislike a lot of it, but some of it I found helpful. One of the most astonishing things is that he opposes text criticism.
My Rating: 2
Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur
This book sent shock waves through the evangelical world. Too many Christians professed but did not live like it. The church accepted these professions at face value. MacArthur wrote this book hoping to correct this error. This book talks about how true Christians live a consistent life of obedience to Christ. He tells how Jesus said it would be hard to follow him. He details how the Bible teaches this all through scripture. It is a must read.
My Rating: 5
Absolutely Free by Zane Hodge
This is a book attempting to answer The Gospel According to Jesus. In order to balance my reading, I decided to read a counterpoint to MacArthur's view. Hodges has an easy believism view. He says that just because a person doesn't live a Christian life, that does not mean he is not saved. He says we have no right to doubt any one's profession. He says all you have to do is believe. He separates discipleship from salvation. He even questions whether the verse in Corinthians about examining oneself is even for us today. He quotes hymns as evidence.
My Rating: 2
Missions in the Old Testament by Walter Kaesar
Dr. Kaesar suggests that God's goal for humanity has always been, "I shall be their God and they shall be my people." After the fall, God's goal was to restore that relationship. He says that Israel was to be a priest to bring about that restoration to the planet. He says that even though Israel failed to do that, that does not negate what they were supposed to do. At times he went overboard. But most of what he is saying I believe is valid. It really opened my thinking.
My Rating: 4+
Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren
He gives his strategy for church planting. He tells how churches must seek to fulfill all five purposes of the church, which are": worship, service, fellowship, evangelism, and discipleship. He believes we must fulfill felt needs first. He is opposed to verse-by-verse exposition because he says it is only for church people. He believes in verse with verse exposition, aka topical preaching. It does, however have some good insight.
My Rating: 3+
Common Sense by Glenn Beck
The Fox News host has rewritten Thomas Paine's manifesto. He believes there is a plot by politicians of all political parties to divide us. He believes that these people only care about their own power. This book includes Common Sense by Thomas Paine. He comes off as a universalist. It is an interesting book.
My Rating: 4
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