A Place In Between

This is my new favorite Preacher

2008-02-11T15:06:00.001-08:00

On Martin Luther King Day

2008-01-21T12:15:00.000-08:00

This was an amazing read. Found it on: http://www.mlkonline.net/christians.html

Paul's Letter to American Christians, November, 4, 1956:

I would like to share with you an imaginary letter from the pen of the Apostle Paul. The postmark reveals that it comes from the city of Ephesus. After opening the letter I discovered that it was written in Greek rather than English. At the top of the first page was this request: "Please read to your congregation as soon as possible, and then pass on to the other churches."

For several weeks I have worked assiduously with the translation. At times it has been difficult, but now I think I have deciphered its true meaning. May I hasten to say that if in presenting this letter the contents sound strangely Kingian instead of Paulinian, attribute it to my lack of complete objectivity rather than Paul's lack of clarity.

It is miraculous, indeed, that the Apostle Paul should be writing a letter to you and to me nearly 1900 years after his last letter appeared in the New Testament. How this is possible is something of an enigma wrapped in mystery. The important thing, however, is that I can imagine the Apostle Paul writing a letter to American Christians in 1956 A.D. And here is the letter as it stands before me.

I, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to you who are in America, Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

For many years I have longed to be able to come to see you. I have heard so much of you and of what you are doing. I have heard of the fascinating and astounding advances that you have made in the scientific realm. I have heard of your dashing subways and flashing airplanes. Through your scientific genius you have been able to dwarf distance and place time in chains. You have been able to carve highways through the stratosphere. So in your world you have made it possible to eat breakfast in New York City and dinner in Paris, France. I have also heard of your skyscraping buildings with their prodigious towers steeping heavenward. I have heard of your great medical advances, which have resulted in the curing of many dread plagues and diseases, and thereby prolonged your lives and made for greater security and physical well-being. All of that is marvelous. You can do so many things in your day that I could not do in the Greco-Roman world of my day. In your age you can travel distances in one day that took me three months to travel. That is wonderful. You have made tremendous strides in the area of scientific and technological development.

But America, as I look at you from afar, I wonder whether your moral and spiritual progress has been commensurate with your scientific progress. It seems to me that your moral progress lags behind your scientific progress. Your poet Thoreau used to talk about "improved means to an unimproved end." How often this is true. You have allowed the material means by which you live to outdistance the spiritual ends for which you live. You have allowed your mentality to outrun your morality. You have allowed your civilization to outdistance your culture. Through your scientific genius you have made of the world a neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual genius you have failed to make of it a brotherhood. So America, I would urge you to keep your moral advances abreast with your scientific advances.

I am impelled to write you concerning the responsibilities laid upon you to live as Christians in the midst of an unChristian world. That is what I had to do. That is what every Christian has to do. But I understand that there are many Christians in America who give their ultimate allegiance to man-made systems and customs. They are afraid to be different. Their great concern is to be accepted socially. They live by some such principle as this: "everybody is doing it, so it must be alright." For so many of you Morality is merely group consensus. In your modern sociological lingo, the mores are accepted as the right ways. You have unconsciously come to believe that right is discovered by taking a sort of Gallup poll of the majority opinion. How many are giving their ultimate allegiance to this way.

But American Christians, I must say to you as I said to the Roman Christians years ago, "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Or, as I said to the Phillipian Christians, "Ye are a colony of heaven." This means that although you live in the colony of time, your ultimate allegiance is to the empire of eternity. You have a dual citizenry. You live both in time and eternity; both in heaven and earth. Therefore, your ultimate allegiance is not to the government, not to the state, not to nation, not to any man-made institution. The Christian owes his ultimate allegiance to God, and if any earthly institution conflicts with God's will it is your Christian duty to take a stand against it. You must never allow the transitory evanescent demands of man-made institutions to take precedence over the eternal demands of the Almighty God.

I understand that you have an economic system in America known as Capitalism. Through this economic system you have been able to do wonders. You have become the richest nation in the world, and you have built up the greatest system of production that history has ever known. All of this is marvelous. But Americans, there is the danger that you will misuse your Capitalism. I still contend that money can be the root of all evil. It can cause one to live a life of gross materialism. I am afraid that many among you are more concerned about making a living than making a life. You are prone to judge the success of your profession by the index of your salary and the size of the wheel base on your automobile, rather than the quality of your service to humanity.

The misuse of Capitalism can also lead to tragic exploitation. This has so often happened in your nation. They tell me that one tenth of one percent of the population controls more than forty percent of the wealth. Oh America, how often have you taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes. If you are to be a truly Christian nation you must solve this problem. You cannot solve the problem by turning to communism, for communism is based on an ethical relativism and a metaphysical materialism that no Christian can accept. You can work within the framework of democracy to bring about a better distribution of wealth. You can use your powerful economic resources to wipe poverty from the face of the earth. God never intended for one group of people to live in superfluous inordinate wealth, while others live in abject deadening poverty. God intends for all of his children to have the basic necessities of life, and he has left in this universe "enough and to spare" for that purpose. So I call upon you to bridge the gulf between abject poverty and superfluous wealth.

I would that I could be with you in person, so that I could say to you face to face what I am forced to say to you in writing. Oh, how I long to share your fellowship.

Let me rush on to say something about the church. Americans, I must remind you, as I have said to so many others, that the church is the Body of Christ. So when the church is true to its nature it knows neither division nor disunity. But I am disturbed about what you are doing to the Body of Christ. They tell me that in America you have within Protestantism more than two hundred and fifty six denominations. The tragedy is not so much that you have such a multiplicity of denominations, but that most of them are warring against each other with a claim to absolute truth. This narrow sectarianism is destroying the unity of the Body of Christ. You must come to see that God is neither a Baptist nor a Methodist; He is neither a Presbyterian nor a Episcopalian. God is bigger than all of our denominations. If you are to be true witnesses for Christ, you must come to see that America.

But I must not stop with a criticism of Protestantism. I am disturbed about Roman Catholicism. This church stands before the world with its pomp and power, insisting that it possesses the only truth. It incorporates an arrogance that becomes a dangerous spiritual arrogance. It stands with its noble Pope who somehow rises to the miraculous heights of infallibility when he speaks ex cathedra. But I am disturbed about a person or an institution that claims infallibility in this world. I am disturbed about any church that refuses to cooperate with other churches under the pretense that it is the only true church. I must emphasize the fact that God is not a Roman Catholic, and that the boundless sweep of his revelation cannot be limited to the Vatican. Roman Catholicism must do a great deal to mend its ways.

There is another thing that disturbs me to no end about the American church. You have a white church and you have a Negro church. You have allowed segregation to creep into the doors of the church. How can such a division exist in the true Body of Christ? You must face the tragic fact that when you stand at 11:00 on Sunday morning to sing "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name" and "Dear Lord and Father of all Mankind," you stand in the most segregated hour of Christian America. They tell me that there is more integration in the entertaining world and other secular agencies than there is in the Christian church. How appalling that is.

I understand that there are Christians among you who try to justify segregation on the basis of the Bible. They argue that the Negro is inferior by nature because of Noah's curse upon the children of Ham. Oh my friends, this is blasphemy. This is against everything that the Christian religion stands for. I must say to you as I have said to so many Christians before, that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus." Moreover, I must reiterate the words that I uttered on Mars Hill: "God that made the world and all things therein . . . hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth."

So Americans I must urge you to get rid of every aspect of segregation. The broad universalism standing at the center of the gospel makes both the theory and practice of segregation morally unjustifiable. Segregation is a blatant denial of the unity which we all have in Christ. It substitutes an "I-it" relationship for the "I-thou" relationship. The segregator relegates the segregated to the status of a thing rather than elevate him to the status of a person. The underlying philosophy of Christianity is diametrically opposed to the underlying philosophy of segregation, and all the dialectics of the logicians cannot make them lie down together.

I praise your Supreme Court for rendering a great decision just two or three years ago. I am happy to know that so many persons of goodwill have accepted the decision as a great moral victory. But I understand that there are some brothers among you who have risen up in open defiance. I hear that their legislative halls ring loud with such words as "nullification" and "interposition." They have lost the true meaning of democracy and Christianity. So I would urge each of you to plead patiently with your brothers, and tell them that this isn't the way. With understanding goodwill, you are obligated to seek to change their attitudes. Let them know that in standing against integration, they are not only standing against the noble precepts of your democracy, but also against the eternal edicts of God himself. Yes America, there is still the need for an Amos to cry out to the nation: "Let judgement roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream."

May I say just a word to those of you who are struggling against this evil. Always be sure that you struggle with Christian methods and Christian weapons. Never succumb to the temptation of becoming bitter. As you press on for justice, be sure to move with dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of love. Let no man pull you so low as to hate him. Always avoid violence. If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in your struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.

In your struggle for justice, let your oppressor know that you are not attempting to defeat or humiliate him, or even to pay him back for injustices that he has heaped upon you. Let him know that you are merely seeking justice for him as well as yourself. Let him know that the festering sore of segregation debilitates the white man as well as the Negro. With this attitude you will be able to keep your struggle on high Christian standards.

Many persons will realize the urgency of seeking to eradicate the evil of segregation. There will be many Negroes who will devote their lives to the cause of freedom. There will be many white persons of goodwill and strong moral sensitivity who will dare to take a stand for justice. Honesty impels me to admit that such a stand will require willingness to suffer and sacrifice. So don't despair if you are condemned and persecuted for righteousness' sake. Whenever you take a stand for truth and justice, you are liable to scorn. Often you will be called an impractical idealist or a dangerous radical. Sometimes it might mean going to jail. If such is the case you must honorably grace the jail with your presence. It might even mean physical death. But if physical death is the price that some must pay to free their children from a permanent life of psychological death, then nothing could be more Christian. Don't worry about persecution America; you are going to have that if you stand up for a great principle. I can say this with some authority, because my life was a continual round of persecutions. After my conversion I was rejected by the disciples at Jerusalem. Later I was tried for heresy at Jerusalem. I was jailed at Philippi, beaten at Thessalonica, mobbed at Ephesus, and depressed at Athens. And yet I am still going. I came away from each of these experiences more persuaded than ever before that "neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come . . . shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." I still believe that standing up for the truth of God is the greatest thing in the world. This is the end of life. The end of life is not to be happy. The end of life is not to achieve pleasure and avoid pain. The end of life is to do the will of God, come what may.

I must bring my writing to a close now. Timothy is waiting to deliver this letter, and I must take leave for another church. But just before leaving, I must say to you, as I said to the church at Corinth, that I still believe that love is the most durable power in the world. Over the centuries men have sought to discover the highest good. This has been the chief quest of ethical philosophy. This was one of the big questions of Greek philosophy. The Epicurean and the Stoics sought to answer it; Plato and Aristotle sought to answer it. What is the summon bonum of life? I think I have an answer America. I think I have discovered the highest good. It is love. This principle stands at the center of the cosmos. As John says, "God is love." He who loves is a participant in the being of God. He who hates does not know God.

So American Christians, you may master the intricacies of the English language. You may possess all of the eloquence of articulate speech. But even if you "speak with the tongues of man and angels, and have not love, you are become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

Interview for Multi-Site Church class

2007-11-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

In fulfillment of my independent study on Multi-Site churches, I interviewed Dr. Jimmy Scroggins, Associate/Teaching Pastor at Highview Baptist Church.

It was a fun time and I enjoyed the results.

I have decided to post the interview here so that I could receive feedback and have dialogue with my fellow future pastors.

Enjoy!

Could you tell me how Highview came to be a multi-site church?

We began doing “Multi-site” 7 years ago, wanting to reach more people in the city. If we are honest, the original campus is not in a great location to reach the city due to its location and was maxed out in every aspect. The idea came up by asking, “What if we just took a group of people from our church here, and started another service at another location?” We chose the east end because it was the fastest growing zip code and there was not a strong “evangelistically minded Baptist church.” A small group in Spencer County joined the church and became a campus which is now at 150 in attendance. Recently, an elderly church in Valley Station voted to become a campus and we started a campus in Sellersburg, IN. We also have a Spanish service in our Fegenbush facilities.

Describe to me how Highview is expressed as a multi-site church.
Is the governing structure of the multi-site church Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Congregational, or some variation and/or combination of these historic church polities?

From their website: “Highview is Pastor-led, Deacon-served, Committee-functioned, and Congregationally approved. The congregation, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, is the most basic unit of church government. Through prayerful submission to God and His Word, members are responsible for selecting their leaders, developing the church constitution, preserving unity and purity in the body, as well as exacting church discipline when necessary.” Highview is a congregation church, where each of the six congregations share committees. Each congregation elects and votes on committee members and these committees make decisions for all of the six locations. See What makes Highview’s six locations one church? for further explanation.

What makes Highview’s six locations one church?

There is one senior pastor with a group of pastor, one deacon body, one budget, and one congregation that is voting. The pastors and committees make decisions. Committees are comprised of representatives from all the campuses, elected by each congregation. The committees are: Finance Committee, Personal Development Committee, Grounds Committee, Nominations Committee, School Committee, By-Laws Committee, Trustees, Treasurer.

Does MS kill the autonomy of the local church?

It depends on whether you define each site as a church, which we don’t. We see each site/campus as a congregation or gathering but they are apart of Highview Baptist Church collectively. The church of Jerusalem was a one church, many locations since day one. It may not look the same as ours today, but it was. This arguement can be used against any large church that has more than one services/gatherings. We already had multiple services, so MS is a naturall progression. Remember, ‘multiple services in many locations” is how we have always thought of MS since day one.

What motivated Highview to go MS?

A desire to reach more people in the city.

What general and/or specific biblical and theological concerns came up and how did you deal with it?

The biggest question we had was: how are we going to handle the preaching? We decided not to do video venue for two reasons: Programmatically, it is expensive to do it well. Theologically, we think that according to 1 Tim 3 that part of the role of the shepherd and one of the tools/resources he has to shepherd is preaching. If we were going to show a video, why not show CJ Mahaney or someone that could preach better than we could. The reason we get up and preach is because we think that it is one of the things that God has called us to do here, for our people and one of the things we are to do in terms of leading and teaching his people is preaching.

Was traditional church planting considered? Why was MS decided?

Highview participated in church planting and felt that they could do it better as Highview due to its credibility and by being MS leverages resources and expertise in an incredible way.

How is each site connected? Is there a sense of community that exists between each site?

Sunday Night Celebration are a business meeting of sorts where everyone from every campus is able to come together and break bread and have baptisms and vote of official business.

How are new leaders identified, selected, trained, and launched into ministry in the church/sites?
No campus is a ‘farm team’ where all the training is done at one site so that they can be put into a better site. We have a ton of Seminary Students, with an unending stream of great talent. We have a pretty intensive internship with Boyce and Southern, where they come to Highview and are involved for 3-4 years and often are offered the position when it opens up. With that said, however, most of the staff has been raised up from within the church and have not come as a result of this internship.

Do you agree or disagree with the general conviction that the multi-site approach is how churches can do a better job of communicating the gospel to people who won’t or can’t come to those churches? Why?

I would not say that it is the BEST way. It is what God has called US to do right now, right here. For Highview, in 2007, it is the best way but it might not be in the future. We’re developing and trying to figure it out and are open to God’s leading in any of these areas. We are not even passionate about defending our position. We are trying to reach people, not develop a model.

If more sites enables your church to be more effective and accomplish its goals and purposes, is there a limit to the number of sites it will launch and, if so, why?

We would not do a campus somewhere else in another city/state. We give to cities for church planting, but they would never be a Highview Campus because they couldn’t gather. A site in another city couldn’t share deacons, can’t share committees, can’t share budget, they can’t gather. There is an aspect of gathering in the local church and if congregations can’t gather they aren’t one church.

What has the adoption of your MS approach cost the church?

I have seven children. Some have more, most don’t. Children cost a lot of money, energy, and effort. And sometimes my wife and I look at each other and say wouldn’t this be so much easier if we just had two? We try to budget for vacation and imagine how much more easier it would be if we only had two. So yea, there are costs but would we trade any of our kids for less cost and an easier time? Absolutely not. There are costs. But we wouldn’t trade any of it.
What’s interesting, and this is what I love about our church, is that no campus except Fegenbush could stand on it’s own and it was the Blue Collar, middle class, two income families here in Fegenbush that bought the land and built the building for the White Collar families in the East End. They bought the land and built the building that is nicer than their that they will never worship in except for a couple of Sundays Nights a year because they wanted to reach more people. So yea, there are costs, but this is what God has called us to do and we enjoy doing it.

Any advice would you give to other churches considering a MS approach?

Each situation is unique, but the one thing I would say is that you have to check your motives. The question you need to ask is, in my opinion, a Great Commission question, and that is, what is the best way for our church to take who we are and what God has given us and reach more people? And if the best way is to plant churches, stay in one location, or have multiple services, that’s what they need to do. The church is not McDonalds and shouldn’t be seen as a Franchise. If MS is done, it should be done because that is what God called you to do.

Can your MS approach develop a maximum Christian?

I don’t know how to answer that. The short answer is of course we already have. The question is; is this the best way to do make the greatest number of maximum Christians? We are making disciples, but I don’t think that it is because we are a MS. Discipleship is a two-way thing; they have to want to learn. Is MS the best way to do it? I don’t see how this model affects that one bit. If we weren’t doing a site in Spencer County, would the 12 families that were previously unchurched, be attending church? I don’t know, but they are more maximally a Christian than they were before. Can churches take credit for the ‘maximum Christians’ anyways? If they become a martyr, can we say it was because we were MS?

Stay Tuned

2007-11-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Still trying to get in the habit of posting more. It is difficult without internet at home.

But for now check out The Perrine's Blog soon for pics from our camping trip to the Red River Gorge.

And check back here in the next few days for a post of my interview with Dr. Scroggins, Associate Pastor of Highview Baptist Church (One Church, Six Locations).

This interview is for my Independent Study in which I am researching the Multi-site Church movement in collaberation with Lifeway Research and Sojourn Community Church.

$5 Books

2007-06-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Attention all, every book on the Desiring God online store will be $5 between June 27-28.

No limits.

Tips for Reading Scripture

2007-06-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

I wrote this as a brief guide for our Community Group's Summer Bible Studies.

I used an interview with Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church, Seattle by Preaching Todaycalled Reflections on Preaching and the overview of the first mark of of a Healthy Church as articulated by 9Marks Ministries

Enjoy!!

Observe
Questions to ask:
"What does the text say?"
"How is Jesus the Hero of this Text?"

To observe the text we need to spend time in the Text and not in Commentaries. The best way to do this without knowing the original languages is to read the passages in different translations. Parallel Bibles are a great tool at this point.
I recommend the Essential Evangelical Parallel Bible; which contains NKJV, ESV, NLT, and The MESSAGE.

Interpret
Questions to ask:
"What does the text mean?"
"How is Jesus the Hero of this Text?"

Here you are just synthesizing your observations, discovering principles, drawing conclusions, and seeking to discover what claim the text lays on your life. This is the point to pull out the resources. God has gifted us first with the printing press and now with the internet. It is now easier than ever to see and hear how Leaders, past and present, have interpreted the text. Some great resources are John Glynn's Commentary and Reference Survey and this site to find free books written by many old geezers.

Apply
Questions to ask:
"How do we resist the meaning of this text?"

Here we are assuming that we will not simply embrace God’s truth. We attempt to predict what objections would be raised by unbelievers and then how will answer them. Here is will cross references will help so that we can see what other passages have to say.

"Why does the meaning of this text matter?"
"What does the text mean for me?"

Here is where we connect everything we have observed to a missional purpose for our lives, families, church and ultimately God’s glory. Driscoll notes that with this, he often connects the Scripture to the character of God, nature of the gospel, the mission of the church, and the quality of lives. Look for concrete ways to obey the claim of the text on your life.

Summer Bible Study

2007-06-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so now it is officially summer and the men of the Community Group are officially reading through Genesis. The biggest reason why I wanted to read through the last half of the first book of the Bible is that in it we hear the accounts of the family of men that God hand picked and used to establish his Kingdom. There is so much that we can learn from these men, but my desire is that we can all walk away with a better understanding of what it means to be a Godly Man.

1 Timothy 3:1-7

1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

In the ESV, 1 Timothy 3 has been titled Qualification for Overseers, but I think that this falsely gives men the assumption that if they do not seek to be an Elder of a church then they should not be concerned with what Paul is saying hear. However, what if we understood these qualifications as extending to all men. Look how Paul puts it, "If anyone aspires to the office...he desires a noble task." ANYONE, that you and me, guys. Why are these qualifications for overseers? Because they are those things that make any man noble, therefore they should be exemplified especially by the elders of our church.

Why am I talking about 1 Timothy 3 in regards to us reading Genesis? Let's think about it, the Jews found their conduct for life from Pentateuch. So, when Paul writes about God's qualifications for the Elders of His church, he is going to be drawing all of them from those men on who God began to build his Kingdom.

If we seek to be Godly men, let's learn from these men of old, and see what God has in store of us in Genesis.

Anybody out there want to join us?

Help me build my Library.

2007-06-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Just click on the any link that I have to a book and I can earn points to the Westminster Theological Seminary Bookstore . (Or you could just click on the link). I guess I should encourage everyone to buy something from them as well.

Thanks.

Please Pray

2007-06-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

So recently, my nearly full 40 gig ipod crashed. That's right, every time you push a button a message appears on the screen which reads, "www.apple.com/ipod/support" or something like that. Anyway's, let's just say that it sucks.

Also, please pray that the Lord will provide me with a new Job. It's not that I am unhappy at my current job. I could go into detail, and I won't, but it pretty much has to do with the goals that Kristin and I have set for the future. I have put my resume on line for an Assistant Store Manager for Starbucks.
My current manager has an interview this week for a Store Manager for Starbucks and if that goes well there is a chance that he would bring me on as the Assistant. Nothing is certain,, but I pray for God to allow for this to happen.

If it does or if it doesn't, Praise be to Him who is good.

summer vacation

2007-05-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

I must say that it has been quite a while since I last posted. So, I am taking my time on vacation as a chance to 'update' my life a bit (blog included).

I have recently come under the conviction that this is the time, more than ever, to prepare my life for the future. This conviction could not have come at a better time because my wonderful wife and I have decided that I take over the finances. But preparing for my future entails much more than our finances. I realize that as we prepare to move to Houston, upon me finishing my B.A. in the spring, this summer is the best time to engineer my life in such a way that God can accomplish what we feel he has called us to.

Kristin will be adjusting our diet to one that is (to the best of our ability) 100% organic and natural and our general health. To help her in this she will be reading
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

I will be utlizing a couple of resources to help engineer our life for not only the future, but the present, everyday aspects of our lives.

The first is
Reverse Engineering Your Life by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church, Seattle.
This lecture has been a life-change sort of thing for me. It is a very practical, gospel-centered approach that 'engineers' your life so that you work on your life instead of within it.

A few of the guiding principles of this are:
Your life is a check book and you write a check every day;
You must see the Macro before you live in the Micro;
To see the Macro you need faith and an imagination;
Count the cost in everything that you do.

I highly recommend everyone to download the audio (from the above the link if you are a pastor, or from here if you want to hear the same material, but delivered to the men of his church.

The second resource is by Ron Blue.
I appreciate this material because it is more than just Financial Management. The goal of the 10 week workbook is to provide "a framwork of financial planning that is both biblical and relevant in our society." One of the key points is to realize that you own nothing, you are simply a steward of God's property.

My prayer is that this week will be a start of a great summer in which God will show me his plans for our future and that I have the conviction to see it through.

father, forgive

2006-06-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

As I come down from a caffeine high I sit and watch what can be called the pulpit of our Countries most popular and influential spiritual leader, yes at 4:00 on ABC nation wide, millions of women (and men) tune in to watch Oprah. Today on her show she has a family that has been changed forever by an upright, highly moral, father that was convicted of bank robbery when one of his own son's turned him in.
This man raised four good men. He was a respected member of the community and yet he admits, after a few years in the pin, that his morals and good character weren't as high and as good as he had had thought.
That was puzzling to Oprah or I should more accurately put it 'interesting.' Is it so puzzling that a good man can commit a federal crime and change the lives of his entire family? His children are upset that he would disregard the welfare of his family. His response was that he dealt with the pressure and stress of life in a bad way and now is suffering the consequences. That is true. I do not doubt that.
What I find 'interesting' is that the response that Oprah and her 'professional counselor' gave. "It is OK to live what you are feeling." In other words, "You have every right to be upset at your father. Be angry. Be upset. Give him the silent treat (as one son is)."
My point is, are the sons, or Oprah, or the rest of us any better than this father who is "praying for forgiveness."?
These men do have a right to be upset they were hurt. But are they to be so selfish to think that they are better than their father because they have not robbed banks?

This makes me wonder if I am just in my anger and discontent with my father. I am just as bad of a person as he is. I to have failed people. I too have broken promises, said hurtful things, and have blamed others when I am at fault.
I hope that these men will come to the realization that their father needs their forgiveness, just as much as my father needs mine.

grace

2006-06-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since my last post. There a numerous reasons why I have been away from blogging. Less frequent trips to the coffee house, work, lack of internet at home, and most of engagement.
I never realized until recently the toll that the stress of engagement has had on me. I have been more whiney at work, more tired, at home and disenchanted with the realities of life.
I do not mean that I am not happy in my engagement. Nor does it mean that I do not feel blessed to have the job that I do. What I mean is that I have failed to have an accurate view of my current circumstances.
In a sinful reaction to the unnoticed stress I have created a facade. I have been telling myself I deserve Kristin, I deserve a great community, I deserve to be the next manager at the 'Starbucks Dowtown Marriott'.
I have failed to realize that I have what I have, not because I deserve it, but because of Grace. And I feel ashamed to have forgotten it at all.

It was God's grace that chose godless men like Noah and Abraham and gave them righteousness. It was Grace that used these men to change the world. It was Grace that built a nation to teach God's law. It was Grace that gave Solomon all of his splendor. It was Grace that birthed the emmaculate child. And it was Grace that opened the tomb. It was Grace that stoned Stephen. It was Grace that blinded Saul on the road to Damascus. And it is because of Grace that we will eat of the Tree of Life.
Grace. Grace. Grace. That is what has put me here. That has given me a wife. That has given me a purpose.
And I pray that you too will remember Grace, because with out we all are a bunch of people doomed to live a life not that special.

yea baby

2006-02-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

I'm engaged!!!

holy crap it's been a long time

2006-01-31T14:13:00.000-08:00

(not that I actually believe that crap is holy)

Well, I am sure that noone has been reading this corner of the blog world since I have not written anything for a few months now, but that is not my fault I promise.

My computer has been in and out of repair for the last few months, and now I have it back.

Anyhow, I'm here and hope to get back into the swing of things now that I will be at the coffee shop due to school.

for all those anonymous people out there

2005-11-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

If you frequently leave comments anonymously and wander why so many of us get angered maybe you should read this excerpt defining a name:

"So what is a name? It is a proper kind of language thingÃ‚—one of distinction and discrimination. It is chosen, conferred and announced. It always belongs somewhere to something. It prefers to register in encyclopedias and directories rather than merely dally in dictionaries. It can travel the world and be understood, like Lexus or Toyota or Airbus. It ignores the rules of grammar to become a Bronte adjective, or it can Houdini itself to be a verb. Names have meanings instead of definitions. They are worn as badges and emblems, touted on banners and signs. They belong to birth and breed, title and tradition.

All the other symbols, signs and sounds in our language are just common words, often chained together, serving a sentence. They are slaves to grammar, clothed by connotation and context, artless when alone, dispensable when not.

In that garment called language, common words are only threads woven together in patterns and pieces. But names, they are the brocade that give it class."

http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/Whatisaname.htm

I really don't understand how anyone can expect us to take anything a person that comments anonymously seriously. You don't even have enough self-dignity and class to leave a name for yourself.

Imagine if you were to receive a letter in the mail. This letter was personal, or confrontational, or was criticizing something you feel compassionate about. But at the bottom of this letter the signature is left as 'Sincerely, Anonymous'.

How would you feel? Angry? Confused? Calused? Indifferent?
I frankly would throw the letter away, because obviously the author didn't respect their own opinion enough to leave their name. And how could I take that seriously?

it's the thought that counts...

2005-11-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

Have you ever received a bad gift then heard the expression; "It's the thought that counts!"?

I have, and I wasn't to happy to hear it at the time. Let me explain and hopefully, we can all walk away from my experience with a better understanding of what it means to put thought into a gift.

My mother has 8 syblings. And each of her syblings has at least 2 children (sometimes more) and many of these children have children. This means that the total sum of presents exchanged each Christmas is to say the least, Massive.

To relieve this problem, we draw names. All adults draw adult names and then they draw a child's name for their children.

My question is, "How was one of two of my Aunts boyfriends allowed into list?" and "Why, Why, Why did he get my name?"

I had a pretty good Christmas morning and after the family dinner of the normal 12 lbs of mashed-tators and turkey we began to open the gifts.

Of course, I really didn't care what I got because it is not the gifts it is the occasion.

But let me tell you what I pulled out of the box after tearing the wrapping off.

(I can't even believe they make these things.)

Drum roll please...

An 8 inch squared, lighted, rotary, Last-supper clock.
Yes, that's right a Last-supper clock that lights up from behind.

total estimated cost: $8

Here's the closest thing I could find on google:

I look up and as always my mother, with all the good intentions of the world asked me what I got. I think that she could see the fumes forming in the fiber of my normal holiday glee. I held it up and showed her. Her face forms a gross look as she tells me, "Well, it is the thought that counts."

Alright, blog readers, here's what I ask of you. Read the description above of my fabulous gift, look at the picture and ask yourself this, "Was there much thought put into this?"

This man barely knows me. All he does know about me is that I go to Bible College and want to be a pastor. Is that all it takes to be counted into the category of those who would hang that on their wall?

Thinking to yourself, "Jeremy goes to Bible College, he's religious, he would love this." Does not count as putting thought into a gift.

What is also funny is that 5 seconds before I open it he says to me, "Now, if you don't like it, your grandmother said she would love to have it. And I would not be offended if you did."

My question to this is; "Why give a gift to someone when you know there is a possibly the receipient would not like it?"

So the lesson from Jeremy Perrine's Christmas '04 Experience is this:
If you want to put thought into buying a gift, actually put thought into it. Takes 5 minutes to call a parent or friend to inquire about your purchase. Don't assume you have the perfect gift. Because you know what happens when you assume?

I hope that you find this story as humurous and educating to read as I did to experience.

Are there any similar Holiday gift surprises that would be worth hearing?

still no G4

2005-10-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

CompUSA or Mac technicians may be the end of me.
At first they told me two weeks for my computer to be returned. However, that was nearly a month ago.

Once my trusty little powerbook is back, you can rest assured that I will be posting anew.
What to look forward to:
1. Anynomous Commenting
2. Putting thought into Holiday gifts, (and what may happen if you don't)

a long over-due rest

2005-10-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a weekend in WV with my girl, Kristin. This was the first time since December I have been able to make it home and boy was it enjoyable. But tomorrow starts another day of Greek and Starbucks. Good night.

romans.14

2005-10-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Romans 14
Principles of Conscience
1Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
2One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.
3The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.
4Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
7For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;
8for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
9For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11For it is written,
"AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD."
12So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.
14I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
16Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil;
17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
20Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.
21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.
22The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.
23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

next up to the plate...

2005-09-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Anonymus Commenting...

(as soon as my computer gets fixed.)

i have been tagged

2005-09-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

I guess the thing to do now is blog tag.
I have to write about 5 things I miss.
1. My Mom and Dad
2. My Sister and Neice
3. My Friends from WV
4. Spider-man Comicbooks
5. a clean apartment.

Can someone explain to me the rules. Do I have the persons I tag write 5 things that they miss, or do I come up with something new?

my two cents on dating...

2005-09-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Now, my mind is dealing with the issue being wrote about in many places in the blogosphere; Dating.

I will start with a little trivia: Did you know that the use of the term 'date' grew in popularity in the 40's and 50's. When out on the town, men would introduce their date, which ultimately referred to the girl that was with whom for the sole purpose of getting something in return. With the wife and kids at home, the man and his date were together with the understanding that he would give her something in return for her company. The exchange may have been money, clothes, or sex, but it was clear that there was no romance or love involved, just an exchange of favors. In the purest essence she was his prostitute.

When I look at our societies use of this word, I don't find much differences. When a male asks a female for a date, he is essentially offering her a dinner or a movie in exchange for her company. There is always something expected, always some kind of exchange in a date.

So, now I have both parties of the sexes uptight at me, right? Well, I am an equal opportunity offender, with no apologies. I see something wrong with this trend.

What do I propose will fix this state of moral bankruptcy in our method of dating?How about, courtship, mentorship, and some sensibility.

I would refer us all to the book of Genesis, the 24 chapter.

1Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, "Please place your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, 4 but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

What this shows me is that we, as young Christians, need to rely on those spiritually more mature and in leadership over us to help us find our husband or wife. They know a lot more of what we need in a spouse then we do. This is also emphasized when the servant went through Laban, Rebekah's brother, to get permission for her hand in marriage. 50 "Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "The matter comes from the LORD; so we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51"Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has spoken."

Now this brings me to the ancient tradition of a dowry. Why did a man, like Abraham, give money to the family of the wanted bride? It is pretty simple actually. A price was paid for a few reasons, 1. For the groom to show that he would be able support the wanted bride. 2. The money was used by the brides family as kind of life insurance policy. If the husband died, it was to be enough to support the bride after his death. 3. It showed that she was worth spending the money on.

Because he didn't have any money, Jacob worked for 7 years as a slave to win the hand of Rachel, and when he was tricked into marrying Leah, he worked for another 7 years as a slave.

Guys at the seminary hear this; if the only dowry you are paying is a cup of coffee or even a dinner, don't expect much for a second date.
Women at the seminary hear this; if a guy isn't willing to work to support you or to show you that you are wonderful, don't call him back. Let him work a little.

Anyways, back to Genesis. And girls, get ready, it's coming your way. (This will be it for now, do to the length of the post) Women, pay attention to what Rebekah does here. 46"She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also'; so I drank, and she watered the camels also." This was not an easy task for her to do. It was actually pretty strenuous and tedious work to draw water from a well, and 7 camels can drink a lot of water. So, the lesson for you ladies, be generous, be kind, even when it takes a lot of effort.

There's a lot more that could be drawn out of this text for both parties, but there is not enough time. It comes down to the fact that we need to get our mature Christians involved in our courtship (because it is not an exchange of gifts). Talk to you pastor and his wife, your parents, your professor, those people that know you well and find out who they think will fit well and what you'll need out of a spouse.

Guys, work hard a pursuing the right girl, not just any or every girl. Isaac got his wife from another country because she was the right one.
Ladies, be generous, kind to the fellows, let them down gently, and don't settle for just coffee.
Guys, pursue.
Girls, be pursuable.

a paper you may not want to bore yourself with...

2005-09-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

So this is an ongoing research that I am doing. Recent conversations have brought it to the forefront of my mind and I thought it a good idea to post it on my new blog.

It concerns my thoughts on the development of a new paradigm for Youth Ministry. I really don't expect everyone to read it, so my feelings will not be hurt if you don't. But if you do, I hope you enjoy and I encourage constructive criticism because it is something that I plan on continuing.

The Life and Ministry of the Puritans as a
New Paradigm for Youth Ministry in the 21st Century

There is a crisis in the churches of evangelical Christianity that can go unnoticed no longer. This crisis is that of the current state of youth ministry and its failures to develop teenagers into mature Christian adults. After developing a brief summary of the cause of this crisis I will propose a solution rooted in the life and ministry of the Puritans as a new paradigm for ministry that will be more productive in developing maturity in Christian adolescents; this will be done by understanding and implementing the Puritans’ concepts of God and his salvation, their teaching and practice of the Christian life, and their doctrine of the church.
On March 25, 1681 Richard Baxter wrote:
If this world consisted of one generation, then to make that generation wise and good would be enough to make it a happy world. But it is not so…It is certain then, that the welfare of this world lieth on a good succession of the several generations…All must begin anew…Oh what a blessed world were it, if the blessings of men famous for wisdom and godliness were entailed on all that should spring from them and if this were the common case.

Baxter had it right. “It is not so!” The current generation of adolescents is not known to be the godliest and if the church continues to fail to heed Baxter’s advice, the welfare of the world will persist to decline in it’s rebellion against God.
Why is it that if a church’s ministry is well attended, it will be considered successful? The successfulness of a ministry should not be based on the number of attendees, but of the growth of the attendees into mature Christians. Jesus’ ministry was not a success because he had a large following. It was successful because it has passed through thousands of years and many generations. This phenomenon is beginning to slow and is evident in the fact that so many of our adolescents fail to take their faith further than High School.
Mark Devries is a seasoned youth minister whose experience and research is apparent in his book, Family-based Youth Ministry. Devries suggests that the intense focus of traditional youth ministries on fast-paced, exciting, attention-getting programs “may, in fact, move teens away from, rather than toward, mature Christian adulthood. ” Devries continues to explain “we can find the primary cause of the current crisis in youth ministry in the ways that our culture and our churches have systematically isolated young people from the very relationships that are most likely to lead them to maturity. ” The relationships he is referring to are those that are established with the adults of the community, not simply the leaders of the group. This isolation occurs, according to Devries, in several arenas of an adolescent’s life. Neighborhoods, schools, social activities, families, and even the church has been structured in such a way to make it convenient for the teen’s life to function with the result of nearly complete isolation from any adult interaction.
This isolation has a disastrous impact on the adolescent. Devries explains that by denying teenagers opportunities to experience maturation through repeated observation and dialogue with adults, we are sending our youth into the adult years “relationally, mentally, and morally unprepared for the challenges of adulthood. ” Devries concludes his synopsis of the crisis of youth ministry by submitting that:
Unless we are making intentional, focused efforts at connecting kids with mature Christian adults in the church (not just their youth leaders), we are more like the vultures preying on kids at rock concerts and less like spiritual leaders praying that their children’s lives would be founded upon the most eternal things.

While Devries’ call to establish the family as being the foundation of youth ministry is a well-needed observation, it is just the first step of developing maturity in the youth of our culture. A family-based ministry is needed as the foundation of a ministry with the goal of developing mature Christian adults. But how can the adolescent observe Christian maturity in an adult if the adult does not have a proper grasp on the concepts vital to the maturity they are supposed to be portraying. These vital concepts are found in Puritan thought, which must be the ‘walls’ of the church built on the family-foundation advocated by Devries.
Most current evangelical churches have reduced their preaching to nothing more than a self-help, feel good, vote-for-Bush message that does little in regards to developing a mature understanding of a God who thunders from Mt. Sinai. Today, Christians are encouraged to remove the essence of faith from the particulars of daily life and relocate it in special times and places. In this regard Dallas Willard asks, “Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment that began our religious life instead of the daily life we receive from God? ”
Christians, teens and adults alike, are no longer taught that their faith defines who they are. If you were to walk into the typical youth group, most likely the teenagers would be able to tell what they are not supposed to do since they are Christians. They know not to drink, cuss, or have sex and that they are supposed to read their Bibles and pray. But do they understand what it means to mortify their sins, Romans 8:13, or to long to be clothed with their dwelling from heaven, 2 Corinthians 5:2? Simply teaching the do’s and don’ts to a teenager does little to develop a faith rooted in Scripture that can be used for the rest of their life. “They need to leave the world of youth, but during their teenage years they are indoctrinated into a culture that functions to maintain their attachment to it. ” Unfortunately, the adults to which they are to look to share this same rules to live by mentality of Christianity.
The Puritans left a great legacy of a deep understanding of God and how his salvation was far more than one particular moment, but was an entirely new life that required a stricter living in pursuit of a life in heaven. It is this legacy that must be revitalized by the preaching within our churches, not just to the youth but also to the entire congregation. To the Puritans, God is more than someone who gives an opportunity of freedom, but one that works in the lives of those he chooses in order to bring glory to his name. It is in the writings of the Puritans that one will find very detailed definition of God and the implications of his salvation for the daily life.
The Puritan written Westminster Shorter Catechism defines God to be “a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. ” This definition allows them to write in the Westminster Confession of Faith of how God establishes the covenant of grace with man, saving them through the mediation of Christ, justifying and sanctifying them according to the will of the Father. Faith is seen as a grace given to the elect that enables them “to believe to the saving of their souls.” This grace “is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts. ”
J.I. Packer explains that for John Owen and most other Puritans, the achievement of Christ on the cross was central to what the gospel was. For them, Christ’s death on the cross did not open the opportunity of saving grace for all but secured it for whom it was designed. Salvation is, as seen by the Puritans, a work entirely based on the will of God. From start to finish and all the things in the middle salvation is owed to God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. There are too many books to be referred to that were written by the Puritans about how God is the author and finisher of our faith.
It is this definition of what God is and the conviction that redemption is his work that allows Owen to address a group of adolescent males with the subject of the mortifying of their sins. In this work, Owen gives an explanation of Romans 8:13 in which he teaches that having saving faith comes with the duty of entering the process of dying to your sins. This is the duty of every believer and is done by constantly weakening the habit of and fighting against the sin that still dwells inside. This biblical mandate was encouraged by all Puritans and fits with their understanding that salvation is not refined to a single moment, but is a process that cannot be secured this side of heaven.
Octavius Winslow is a Puritan protégé who continues this idea of the heavenward journey of every believer with his book Help Heavenward. As Joel R. Beeke explains, “this book provides invaluable help to Christians on their way to heaven, ” and is “a practical handbook on sanctification. ” Winslow understood that the Christian life was to be in pursuit of a heavenly world. The end objective of this pursuit benefits not just the individual but the church as well. Winslow comments that “It is one, and not the least impressive, of the many wise and condescending arrangements of God, that by human agency his Church should be gathered, succoured, and guided to its destined glory. ”
The twenty-sixth chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith also teaches that not only do believers have the duty to participate in the acts of sanctification but also that duty is performed within the context of a community. As opposed to the modern strategy of herding younger believers away from the adults the Westminster Confession claims:
All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by His Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other’s gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.

Believers, young and old, are to “maintain a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God; and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification. ”
A believer has a responsibility in God’s work of salvation in that he is to take the duty of killing his indwelling sin within the realm of the communion he has with fellow believers. As Owen says, “all true disciples [are] to join and unite themselves in some such church as might be helpful unto their love, order, peace and edification. ” Each believer is to help one another in their duties, collectively worshipping God, bringing glory to his name. This is why Thomas Watson can give the exhortation to join together with sanctified persons. “As the communion of saints is in our creed, so it should be in our company…Association begets assimilation. ”
Devries advises “we must not delude ourselves into thinking that we can make teenagers into anything, particularly mature Christians. What we can do is provide a context in which they can, to borrow Eugene Peterson’s wonderful expression, ‘acquire a taste for grace.’ ” This is not done by socializing them into a religious way of thinking, but by teaching, admonishing, and living a godly life before them. They must realize the incredible gift that salvation is and the responsibilities that come along with it and the only way for both parties to capitalize this is by relying on each other.
As I suggested before, we must institute the values of the Puritans, not only teaching God’s redemption and sanctification, but living it out as well. Never will adolescents understand how and why they are to die to sin nor how to live a life in pursuit of heaven if they are constantly being separated from those that are to teach this to them. There needs to be something more then just finding a new way to do youth ministry if we want to see the youth of the twenty-first century effectively grow into mature Christian. For this to happen, there needs to be not only a shift in how the church is structured, but an understanding from each individual of how they are to live in communion with one another.
In a day and age when too often church is simply something that you go to and your religious experience is only for the spiritual side of your life, the Puritan concepts of disciplines and communion may seem only for the right-wing fundamentalists. But how sad is it that even those concerned with the maturation of young Christians fail to realize the necessity of these things. Even they want to dichotomize the church, having to appease the adults by implementing more programs and teaching the youth that the most important thing about God is that he is “good all the time. ”
It is the biblical obligation of the leaders of today’s churches, especially those of the reformed, evangelical disposition, to see to it that the believer is properly equipped to engage in the fullness they have available to them in Christ. The only way that this can be done is by teaching that God is the sole cause of redemption and that with this redemption comes the responsibilities of the believers to join God in the process of sanctification and to join together for the over-all benefit of each other.
This seems like a daunting objective. It may involve completely restructuring the church or approaching what is taught weekly from a different standpoint. It is not, however, entirely inconceivable. One may not be able to consider what this type of ministry may look like but, once again, the Puritans shine as a model. Baxter in his work, Compassionate Counsel to all Young Men, comprehends that “it is most clear in Scripture and reason that there are many special duties, which the elder and younger, as such, owe to each other. ” In this book, Baxter characterizes what a church where young and old unite, learning and growing from each other should look like. He teaches that it is the duty of the elders to be wiser, teaching the younger Scripture, and living an example of a holy life. It is also the duty of the younger to submit, respecting the godly knowledge and life of the wiser. Baxter’s own ministry in Kidderminster was successful in seeing adolescents reach Christian maturity. His success among the youth saw an impact among the elders of the community as well.
Therefore, it is my deduction that it is imperative for the body of Christ to see its recent failure to develop mature Christian adults. There must be a drastic revitalization of what is being taught from the pulpit and how the people understand their faith. The great writings of the Puritans of old must be used to implement this change. God is still thundering from Mt. Sinai and his people must hear him. He has called us to a life more abundantly and we must repent of our negligence and see to it that we engage ourselves in actively seeking this life.

Works Cited:
Baxter, Richard. The Reformed Pastor. Vol. 2 of The Practical Works of Richard Baxter. London, George Virtue: 1846. Reprint, Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 2000.

Devries, Mark. Family-Based Youth Ministry: Revised and Expanded. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.

Harrison, Graham. John Owen’s Doctrine of the Church, Edited by Robert W. Oliver. John Owen: The Man and His Theology. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2002.

Lloyd-Jones, D.M. The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors. Addresses Delivered at the Puritan and Westminster Conferences 1959-1978. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1987.

Owen, John. Sin and Temptation: the Challenge to Personal Godliness. Edited by James M. Houston. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1983.

Packer, J.I. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1990.

Watson, Thomas. A Body of Divinity. rev. ed. Great Britain: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965.

Westminster Confession of Faith. Glasgow: Free Presbyterian, 1994.

Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1988.

Winslow, Octavius. Help Heavenward: Guidance and Strength for the Christian’s Life-Journey. James Nisbet: 1869. Reprint, Grand Rapids, MI: First Banner of Truth Trust, 2000.

cruising to a new sound...

2005-09-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

How much noise do you listen to? How much more music do you listen to compared to your time spent listening to God? If you don't listen to alot of music, how many TV's do you have? Have you ever stopped and thought about how much noise is in you life? Let me give some encouragement through an unknown experiment I put myself through.

I am surprised when I think of how much noise we allow ourselves to be surrounded in. My ipod has almost 12 days of music on it. That means that I can plug it into the wall and it would play music for 12 days straight without stopping. That's a lot of noise. However, if you have talked to me in the past few months you know that I have been listening to a sermon series, on my ipod, that goes through Genesis, preached by Mark Driscoll of Marshill Church, Seattle. This series of sermons has brought many new thoughts and 'way-of-life' changes for me.

Genesis is a powerful book which many Christians overlook. My favorite professor at Boyce brought out how every significant theological doctrine is found by the third chapter of this book that is the first book in our canon (literally meaning measuring stick). But not only that, it teaches us through example about the family of God, by tracing one family God chose out of darkness. The majority of this book sheds light on this family's sin and retribution and challenges many current culture standards though it is 4000 years old.

For example I can point you to the 27 chapter where Isaac marries his lovely wife. Here Driscol pulls out 16 principles of courtship that are drastically contrary to the form of dating that is so widely accepted. Or I could direct your reading to the story of Judah and Tamar and show you how the lack of a father in young females lives lead to sexual promiscuity and prostitution. I could also show you how important the role of a father is in for young men because they could end up so evil that God will strike them dead, like he did to those of Judah.

This books also teaches us about reconciling with broken family members, obedience to God, child rearing, and missions strategy. But ultimately, this first book of the Bible points to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It shows us that in all of our faults and misdemeanors, all of failures and false dreams, we have hope in future of Grace because Christ is seated to the right hand of God.

Did I learn this through reading a massive amount of commentaries? No. Did I learn all of this through numerous hours of classes and school work. No. I learned this in my car, driving to and from work, with no more than an hour a day and for a relatively low cost. I was able to do this by downloading sermons, for free. Granted I have an ipod and it makes it easy for me to store a large amount of just about anything, but blank CD's don't cost much.

The only reason I write about this, is to share the encouragement that I have had in hearing more of God's word. I boast in Christ for what he has taught me through this sermon series and I only want to challenge people to change the background noise that is there only to drown out the whole's in our hearts into something that teaches, rebukes, corrects and instructs us in the way of righteousness, 2 Tim. 3:16. If it sounds weird and abnormal to listen to sermons in your car, I guess that I am weird and abnormal, but let me challenge you with this: Would you rather walk into work with an obnoxious song stuck in your head all day, or would you rather have a verse of portion of Scripture to meditate on?

Revelation 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Isaiah 28:23 Listen and hear my voice;
pay attention and hear what I say.

Jeremiah 13:10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!

What are you listening to?

to download some sermons visit:
www.marshillchurch.org
www.sermonaudio.com

coming soon...

2005-09-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Due to an overwhelming amount of Greek vocabulary, I have not had the chance to update. However, I am currently developing thoughts on what it means to be "counter-cultural" and am preparing to write an entry on this topic. It has been inspired by a sermon on Genesis 41 concerning Joseph in the courts of Egypt.

It would be a good start to for my to hear some opinions on how we, as Christians, are to effectively and lovingly change the culture we are in. What are your thoughts?

I am also planning on helping colaborate YoungLife and Sojourn to reach some of the Highschools in the Highlands. I sincerely ask that you pray for God's direction on whether this is something I am to get involved with and that those that are already involved find blessings and see fruits.

it's all greek to me...

2005-08-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

I am currently taking my first semester of Biblical Greek. Wow-za.

I do not want to simply pass the class for to complete my requirements I want to comprehend it.

Please pray that I can grasp and retain the basics for understanding the language in which God chose to convey his message.

a standard

2005-08-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

As mentioned below, there needs to be a new standard for what men of the faith put in front of there face. (that almost rhymed, cool).

What does this standard look like, or more importantly, how is it practically lived out?

creep

2005-08-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

And I am not talking about the amazing Radiohead song.

What I am talking about is how I feel right now. So, Kristin and I were watching Be Cool last night. I really only enjoy it because of Vince Vaughn's character, the rest of the movie is ok. However, by the end of the movie I can tell something is on Kristin's mind. So, I ask, "what's on your mind?" And she say's, (are you ready guys), "Well, why is it that Christian females are to dress modestly, when Christian males watch movies that have girls with barely any clothes on?" All I could say is that she had a good point all the while wanting to hide under the rock I deserve to be under.

So I ask you Christian guys, this same question; why is it that Christian females are to dress modestly, when Christian males watch movies that have girls with barely any clothes on? Are we not disrespecting our fellow sisters in Christ that actually make the effort to help us by dressing modestly? Are we negating all of our words of appreciation and praise we give them when we watch what is so accepted as standard?

I actually tried to use the excuse that it is unaviodable. We are going to run into it one way or the other. I am such a creep. I brag about how much of a blessing it is that my girlfriend actually cares about modesty, but yet will practically spit in her face by watching movies that promote just the opposite. But, I am thankful that I have someone that will help me see the other side of the fight.

Christan Women, I ask for your help. What are ways that you see that we men can fix the double mindedness that is most of the time not even seen? What is it that we can do to stop saying one thing and doing another? I know that the most obvious answer is to stop watching the movies that contain this material, but is it really that simple when it is so prevalent in our culture? Even PG-13 movies may contain some form of it. How can we encourage you to continue in the fight for modesty?

Christian Men, I ask for your effort. How are we to keep each other accountable in this? What needs to be done to fix this dichotomy? Is this not an issue that has gone on for far to long? When are we going to be the leaders in our community and stop ourselves from tearing down our sisters in Christ?

orange hands and some worthless knowledge

2005-08-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

So my hands are stained orange from deep frying Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Oreo's, and Snickers. Some may wander how this is done, some will not care.

For those of you that do want to know; You first stab it with a stick, a toothpick will do for the Oreo's and Reese's. Then you will freeze them until they are rock solid. This is an important step for multiple reasons. One, it will keep the toothpick inside while you dip it into the batter. Two, because it will keep it from completely melting into one big ball of goo. The next two steps were just mentioned, and are essentially the most difficult and critical.
After you have frozen the delicious morsel, you must dip it into a funnel cake batter. The key is all in the dip. Some don't use picks, but instead carry the morsel with tongs. This makes it messy and ugly because the batter will splatter all over, making the morsel look as if it has multiple limbs protruding from it. To properly dip you must take the toothpick between you thumb and you pointer finger, dunk the entire morsel into the batter, taking special effort to cover the entire thing, then on the uplift you must twirl the toothpick between you thumb and finger to coat the morsel, or else you will have the same result as the tongs, and immediately slide it into the frier. It must be added that some of the tasty morsels, like the Reese's, need help to make the batter coat them properly. You can accomplish this by shaking flower on it before the dip. All that is left is to cook it until it is golden brown and cover it with powdered sugar.

It really is an artform that traces it's roots to Europe. (No Joke!)

It started when a Brit opened a shop, the ChipShop, in Brooklyn. He got known for the Twinkies, but has several other items on the menu. The only difference is that he used a fish-and-chips batter that was less sweet. However, this trend went to the county and state fairs, starting with the Twinkies one year, Snickers the next, Oreo's last year, and Reese's this one.
I know what will be here next year, but I am sworn to secrecy.

opening day

2005-08-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I am working at the Indianapolis State Fair for the next 5 days. Today was opening day and my right, pointer finger hurts. Why? you ask. Because I stood over a deep fryer holding tongs cooking, (are you ready for this?), deep-fried oreos, peenutbutter cups, and candy-bars. For 14 hours.
On one finger I have two blisters and the first joint is swollen from the resistance of the tongs. But the 14 hour days, blisters, and swelling are worth the $100+ a day that I will be making, plus the fact that I do not have any expenses down here at all.
There are no funny stories yet. And there may not be, because I will not be here for 20 days like last year. Then, it wasn't until about day 10 that I started to be a little, well, rude to some of the stupid questions.

One thought I would like to know, and this is something that I really want feedback on; What does it mean to guard one's heart?

micah 7.7-8

2005-08-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD;
I will wait for the God of my salvation
My God will hear me.
Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy
Though I fall I will rise;
Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me.

a new blog for a new season

2005-08-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

So this is the first time I have moved from xanga to post regularly on another provider. Why? A few reasons: 1. Because, my new filtering program does not allow me to access xanga. 2. I feel that it is time to part ways with my former xanga-self. It seems to me to be time to move on. 3. # 2 has alot to do with the fact that I feel I am in a different season in life and need a new, hipper way to express that. Therefore, blogger.

Well then since you do not know much about me, you may wander why I feel that I am in a different season in life.
I wish I had the desire or the words to tell all of my audience of one about who I used to be, but hopefully that understanding will come in time while I share where, and who, I currently am.

The past few month has been quite a shift in weather conditions. I was in what I could call a winter/spring, where I seemed to have dark, cold times of reflection that were followed with a time of rapid growth. I feel that for a long time I never experienced the warmth of summer or a time to reflect on the past in the beauty of fall.

However, now I could say that it feels more like a spring/summer. I have been promoted at a job I love and I am dating a wonderful and beautiful girl I met at church. These two things have put a new day on a long, cold night. I now feel the sun and see the hopes of fall in a distant future.

Currently, at this minute, I sit in the lobby of a Day's Inn in Indianapolis. I am here because for the next 5 days I will be work as a vender at the Indianapolis State Fair. To most peoples surprise this will be a refreshing week.