Doctrine Tree
Aug 30, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Thinking
//NOISE: Dick Kaufman teaching
I found a little bit of wireless, so hopefully this will post. If not, I’ll post it later. David Fairchild gave us a great diagram that fit with my message last week. Thought I’d share it here. Let me know if you need more explanation. Click on it for a larger image:
Sign of the Day
Aug 29, 2006 Uncategorized
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Read the top line.
Quote of the Day 2
Aug 29, 2006 Quotes
//MOOD: My Ears Hurt
//NOISE: Scott Thomas Talking
“The Church at Corinth was a mess! Paul should have poisoned the communion wine and called it a good day. Instead, he called them to a holy lifestyle.”
- Scott Thomas
08-29-06_0925.jpg
Aug 29, 2006 Uncategorized
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“Virtually all the great evangelistic challenges of the New Testament are basically calls to plant churches, not simply to share the faith.” - Tim Keller
My Window
Aug 29, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Great
//NOISE: Nothing
Here’s the view out my window this morning:
Pray for me today. We’re just getting to know these guys and figuring out if there is a good way to partner together.
BTW, here’s the conference I am at: Church Planting Boot Camp
And here’s the sponsor: Acts 29.
True Beauty
Aug 28, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Great
//NOISE: Coley and Ethan playing Transformers
I think I need this.
Congrats, Kiefer
Aug 27, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Elated
//TIVO: Emmys
Congrats to Kiefer Sutherland for winning the best actor Emmy and 24 for the Best Drama. We never doubted it for an instant…
…or you would have had us killed.
BTW, did anyone else notice who was notably missing when the cast got on the stage?
Point of Clarification
Aug 27, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Thinking
//ITUNES: Spiderman Theme from the album “Babalu” by Michael Buble
OK, let me say that this weekend was a blast. It was good to dive back into teaching, especially the book of Titus, which I was very excited about. Dan’s band also did an amazing job and it was so fun to tell that church that we are going to be ordaining Dan in a few weeks and adding him to the pastoral team.
Something weird happened this weekend, though. If you weren’t at Riverview this weekend, this may not make any sense. So, you can skip this post if you wish.
Dan mentioned to me after the Saturday night message that I had inadvertently said that those who were insisting on circumcision for salvation in Crete “didn’t take Scripture seriously.” Well, that is definitely not true: if anything they were radically committed to the Bible. They just took part of it (the Old Testament) as stronger than the writings by Paul and the message of Jesus. They were wrestling with how to apply this new faith in light of their Jewish upbringing.
So, I made sure that I didn’t say that in the other services, but I think I flipped it too far in the other direction. I off-handedly said a few times (can’t remember in which services) that both the Legalists and the Ungodly in Crete were Christians. I’m not so sure that is true either.
This all came flooding into my head during the last service when I was teaching on this passage:
Titus 1:15-16
Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.
The reason this struck me was the word “unbelieving.” It literally means “without faith” or “without belief.” That made me wonder if the people he was talking about were Christians or not.
I read different commentators and they have different opinions on this.
So, let me clarify:
Both the Legalistic and Ungodly people that Paul was referring to in Titus were in the church. That doesn’t necessarily mean they were Christians because every church has both Christians and non-Christians in it. And people who are Legalistic or Ungodly but claim to follow Jesus are a barrier to those around them who are not Christians. Because non-Christians see these people in the church and assume that they represent Jesus.
There are, therefore, 4 barriers (not just 2), Legalistic Non-Christians, Legalistic Christians, Ungodly Non-Christians, Ungodly Christians.
There is one thing we are all called to be: Godly Christians (or as I said this weekend “Razor’s Edge Christians”).
Hopefully this makes sense. I figured I’d post my thoughts on the blog first, so I could get comments from those of you who were there this weekend. Then, I will clarify everything next week to make sure everyone understands what I meant to say.
Good Parenting
Aug 27, 2006 Uncategorized
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Matching
Aug 27, 2006 Uncategorized
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Elephant
Aug 26, 2006 Uncategorized
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Nice Hat
Aug 26, 2006 Uncategorized
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Elephant Poop
Aug 26, 2006 Uncategorized
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If you look closely, you will see that the elephant pooped while my kids were riding it. I had been telling them I was hoping for this very thing for the entire half hour they were in line. I was so proud.
Picture
Aug 24, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Accomplishing
//ITUNES: Flashdance by Deep Dish
So I have had this image sitting on my desktop for a long time. I can’t even remember where I got it, but I have always thought I would use it for a teaching illustration. Alas, I never have.
I figured it’s kinda a teaching unto itself so I would just post it here for y’all.
Nice
Aug 23, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD:
//ITUNES: Try Not To Breathe from the album “Automatic For The People” by R.E.M.
While searching for a wireless headset for my office (yes, I am getting an office…more on that later), I searched EBay. The best part was the description of the page EBay served out:
Quote of the Day
Aug 23, 2006 Quotes
//MOOD: My Eyes Hurt
//ITUNES: Perfect Blues from the album “Sticks and Stones” by The Seventy Sevens
“If we do not lead the lost to salvation, nothing else we do for them, no matter how beneficial at the time, is of any eternal consequence. Whether a person is an atheist or a theist, a hooligan or a model citizen, a criminal or a policeman, a sexual pervert or a paragon of virtue, a brutal tyrant or a gracious benefactor—if he does not have a saving relationship to Jesus Christ, his destiny is hell. Whether he is a militant proabortionist or a militant antiabortionist, if he is not saved, he will spend eternity apart from God. It makes no difference whether a person goes to hell as a policeman, a junkie, or a judge. The end is the same.”
- John MacArthur
Excitement
Aug 23, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Great
//ITUNES: Best I Ever Had by Vertical Horizon
Today has been a blast.
Michigan State is back in full swing, and we are swinging with it.
There is this cool vibe around Riv as the campus staff come in and out and get ready. The kids ministry is ramping up. We’ve gone back to five services. There is just this excitement in the air right now.
It’s fun and I just felt like posting about it.
That’s all.
Philippians
Aug 23, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: A Bit Tired
//ITUNES: Ammunition from the album “The Beautiful Letdown” by Switchfoot
Philippians
Author
Paul (while he was in jail)
Intended Audience
The Church in Phillipi
Theme
Paul wants the church to stand firm and unified in the face of persecution. He also wants them to face whatever they need to face with joy.
He uses Jesus as the ultimate example of someone who lays down his life joyfully for others and then he encourages us to follow his example.
Random Thoughts
Steve did a great series on this book. You can download his teachings here.
Fake VW Ad
Aug 23, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Nice
//ITUNES: Bang And Blame from the album “Monster” by R.E.M.
OK, I know this isn’t politically correct, but it’s hilarious anyway.
alt.church
Aug 23, 2006 Uncategorized
//MOOD: Excited
//ITUNES: Disturbance At The Heron House from the album “Document” by R.E.M.
OK, so I am seriously excited about this weekend. We are launching the new series on Titus that I have been talking about. It’s a seriously cool book and I am ready to go.
I know what you are thinking, though.
“Gee, Noel, I wish there was a nifty online way to invite people to church this weekend.”
Well, lucky for you, you can click here and use our online form to invite all your family and friends. Just another public service from you friends at Riverview.
