Vader
May 17, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:. Motivated
.:itunes:. All I Want by The Lightning Seeds
OK…this image from w j o e l s m i t h had me laughing outloud this morning. Bravo.
Rev. Jerry Falwell has Died
May 15, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:. Not really
.:itunes:. Now I Am Different by Aimee Mann
I’m not going to comment on Falwell’s death, except to say that like him or not, he was a Christ-folower and one day those of us who follow Jesus will join him in eternity. Enjoy the after-life, JF, see ya in a bit.
What I do want to comment on is the coverage on Salem-News.Com. Here’s a blip from the website (emphasis mine)
Falwell was one of the first people to create the multi-million dollar industry of “mega churches”. He founded the Moral Majority and became the most well-known face of the “religious right” in the 1980s. He said he found Jesus in 1952, and politics in 1979. He is known as “the father of the political evangelical movement.”
He was outspoken, mostly against women’s reproductive rights and against homosexuality. His statement after 9/11 about the event being punishment for abortions and homosexuality brought on perhaps his most public apology.
This is what I was talking about a couple weeks ago. It’s the word spin where you use terminology in a negative way to slam someone instead of using more neutral language that is either agreed on or is the terminology your opponent uses. This particular article jumped out at me because:
1) It implies that “mega churches” are all about the almighty dollar.
2) They used the politically charged “reproductive rights” phrase to talk about abortion and it seemed like an inappropriate dig on someone who just died.
OK…back to my message prep.
Will and Monaca are Engaged!
May 14, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
and so we celebrated with the best champaign Holt has to offer. It was almost $5 a bottle.
Church Planting
May 14, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Challenged
.:itunes:. Hung My Head by Johnny Cash
Scott Thomas from Acts 29 just posted regarding misconceptions people have about them. The post is really good, but the best part is his closing comment:
Network leaders are all praying about a church planting movement but we aren’t seeing a movement in North America. I believe it is because of egos and logos. We want to be famous at the expense of Jesus (egos) and we want to take credit for what our organization has accomplished (logos). All church planting networks must take their personal agendas and lay them at the cross in repentance and for His glory. Through the gospel, we must pray together, work together, resource each other, promote the message of Jesus and let Him get ALL of the credit.
Comment Subscription
May 13, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:. 2.0
.:itunes:. Alone by Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
I am testing a little new Plugin that seems to work over at the Jack Bauer Torture Report. It should allow you to subscribe to the comments on posts that interest you.
Let me know if you have any problems with it.
[UPDATE: I am having problems getting this to work with my template...I'll work more on it later.]
[UPDATE #2: Thanks to web genius Matt for hacking the plugin and making it work for my site. You should be good to go now!]
Body Worship
May 12, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Thanks to Dave for this amazing “Body Worship” video by none other than Stephen Colbert.
Little Buddies
May 12, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Brett watched two of my boys and Dan’s kid yesterday while we had meetings. He took a bunch of cute pictures, which you can see here: little buddies. This is my favorite (click on it for a larger version.
Quote of the Day
May 10, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:. Spectacular
.:itunes:. Dirty Hair Breakfast by Steve Burns
“There’s a huge difference between propaganda and art…if we try to market God like an infomercial, it makes God seem less real.” – Brian McLaren
Bait and Switch Evangelism
May 9, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:. Sunny
.:itunes:. Fall to Pieces by Velvet Revolver
MondayMorningInsight.com reported on this story of a Bait and Switch evangelism technique:
Evangelical Christians have distributed thousands of copies of an anti-Mormon DVD, packaged to look as if it comes from the Mormons. 500,000 discs have been mailed, with 200,000 more waiting. The disc’s packaging says “He Is Risen!” on one side with the names of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, on the other side…
This struck me because of the amount of evangelism I have seen with a similar thread.
One example I am intimately aware of is taking a survey that’s really not a survey but a way to start a conversation. Then, once the conversation gets going, you drop the survey and share the Gospel.
This bugs me because the person you are surveying is led to believe that you are asking them questions for some kind of study. That means the whole thing starts out with (and I know it’s a strong word) a lie. Not a good way to share the message of truth.
Now with that said, I am not denying that some people become Christians through methods like these. I also don’t think that those who use these methods are bad people, they just don’t see how this contradicts the message they are trying to communicate. The ends don’t justify the means.
Here are a few passages that speak to this:
1Corinthians 2:1-5
When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
Now as someone who spends time crafting “clever and persuasive speeches,” this passage is a good reminder. It is God and his power that saves, not Noel and his mouth. That exactly what Paul reminds us of in the next chapter:
1Corinthians 3:5-6
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
God made it grow. Our job? Plant and water. How?
1 Peter 3:15-16
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
This is evangelism 101. Live a good life that is so hopeful that people will want to know about the source of your hope. Then, gently and respectfully tell them about Jesus.
OK…off my soapbox now.
Shrimp On A Treadmill
May 9, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
.:mood:.
.:itunes:. It Is What It Is (What It Is) by Adam Again
The best part of this video is the comment from Certified RANDOM:
This is the best use of “The Final Countdown,” since a magician named Gob ruined what was left of the Bluth family name.
