In Review - Chicago XXX

Here's my latest 'review' - not of a movie like Da Vinci, but of a new record out from the group Chicago. Yes, that's right, Chicago. Formed in 1967 (good year), these guys owned the airwaves in the 1970's with their unique rock-n-roll sound that included a horn section. At one point in time I owned a copy of the first 11 Chicago albums. During the 1980's they sort of fell into a rut of recording sappy little love-ballads and their horns were all but neutered. For the last 10 or 15 years very little has been heard from Chicago, though their former label has managed to continue pumping out compilation albums and holiday recordings.

That is, until last month. Chicago XXX (as in '30', not a parental warning level) hit the stores. The first new studio recording from the band in forever, with this record, on their own label, the guys return to classic Chicago sound and style.

Produced by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flats, I think the world of this disc. It flat out entertains! The songs are well written, and the horn and vocal arrangements remind me of why I loved old Chicago recordings. I highly recommend the record to those of you who remember the Old Days. Buy it. Play it loud! Enjoy.

G.O. 2005: Namibia (pt. 13)

For those of you who began following this series of articles last September thru November, I apologize for the long hiatus. I have about 6-8 more segments to go, I think. Having lost my hard drive last week I’ve lost most of my notes that I’d made for this series. That may well be a blessing in disguise for the moment, however, as I’ve had to revisit my journals and our videos again to rekindle the memories – and what a sweet exercise that has been for me! For those desiring to find this entire series in one location, we will be posting a link in the menu by next week that will contain the entire file. Finally, note that this section entitled No Place To Lay My Head will itself be posted in 3 parts due to length.

No Place To Lay My Head (pt. 1)
On a journey that’s just as He planned…
Although the performance at the Kolin Foundation Secondary School in Arandis had gone extremely well, and our down time at the beach and on the sand dunes had been fantastic, our trip back to Dieter’s wasn’t without stress. Just before we left the coast our team visited an open-air market and one of the dancers, Jaclyn, lost a small pocketbook that contained her passport. Once again, I was proud of our team leaders and our trip veterans, as over the next hour or so in waiting for police to arrive, they made all the right moves. Literally within moments we had people at work on both sides of the ocean working on ‘next steps’, and more importantly, praying! A number of the local merchants were sympathetic to our situation, affording more relational opportunities. At days end, however, now several hours later than we had planned, we headed back to Dieter’s without the passport in hand.

Upon arriving back at Dieter’s the team seemed spent, physically and emotionally. A number of us stood in Dieter’s kitchen trying to decide what to do next. Dieter said, ‘We pray!’ And so we did. A couple of the dancers offered up sentences in the prayer time. In that moment our hearts were united in expectation that God could make a difference. I have to admit, while I knew full well He could, I don’t know that I was expecting He would.

Before we went to bed, Dieter informed me that he had arranged for the girls to dance very early the next morning at a local school. It would only be one song. I asked if Dieter could cancel it, as the team looked beat and I couldn’t see getting them up so early for one song.

I was up very early the next morning, and Dieter found me. “Tate’, I’ve been praying this morning. I made this commitment to the school here in Okahandja that dancers would come this morning. I told God that if our dancers cannot go, I will go and dance myself before I disappoint the students.” I couldn’t believe what Dieter was saying. I looked around and only one dancer - teacher and choreographer Sandi - was awake. Dieter continued, “As I prayed about it, I believe the Lord gave me an idea. Would you allow me to challenge Sandi this morning?” I had no idea what Dieter had in mind.

Watching from a distance I saw Dieter approach Sandi by the fire and place his hand on her shoulder, speaking to her face to face. The next thing I knew Sandi shot out of her chair headed for the dorm. Dieter turned and saw me, shot me a thumbs up, and gave one of his famous “Yesssss!” cries.

The next thing I knew, Sandi, now in one of the dancer’s outfits, and a very tired Diandre (I’m guessing the dancer who lent up her leotard in exchange for being the only dancer to actually come and witness this performance), and a very tired Germaine (cameras in hand) made their way to our vehicles. And just like that we were off.

On the way to the school Sandi went back and forth on what song to dance to, finally settling on the solo she had choreographed for Jaclyn – Nowhere To Lay My Head. Sandi gave one of the most beautiful dance performances I’ve ever seen. As I watched her dance I was tremendously moved, trying to hide my tears from Diandre and Germaine. I wasn’t sure if my emotions were a result of being over tired, still very concerned about the missing passport, or some combination of it all. Then I heard the line in the song that I began this passage with, ‘on a journey that’s just as He planned’ and remembered that this was Jaclyn’s song, and I really choked up. I prayed, “God, You are in control. You love Jaclyn. You know the situation with the passport. You will work it all out. None of this has surprised You.”

We got back to Dieters and many of the team members were still in bed. Those that were awake were stirred by the report that ‘Sandi was performing’. I began planning the next day or so of my own schedule that I imagined would involve finding the U.S. Consulate and faxing info back and forth with the States. Dieter advised that I should meet him up at his house and we would make one last call to the police station at the coast first.

I walked thru the door and Dieter was on hold for the shift commander. Busying myself by pulling Jaclyn’s information from our ‘critical files’ I waited. Then I heard it again, that all familiar “Yesssss!” The shift commander was holding Jaclyn’s passport in his hands.

Along The Way (26/May/2006)

Friday... No news to report from the computer forensics folks on my hard drive, except that they haven't given up yet. I must admit, I'm starting to. If one more person asks me "Didn't you have a back up?" I'm liable to go postal. Can a pastor say that?

Amanda marches in a Memorial Day parade tonight. Let's see, Monday is Memorial Day and the parade is... tonight. Oh well, at least it's an excuse for a little family fun.

I spent the afternoon on the John Deere - no better way to spend a Friday afternoon in my thinking (no I'm not kidding). Although the grass near the road is cleverly disguised as dirt, so I became a man of a darker hew by the time I was done. At least the dust has settled and cars don't have to have their headlights on anymore as they pass.

There's blogging in the air this weekend... feeling a number of posts coming on. Look out world, he's escaped again! Stay tuned.

The Dull Vinci Code

Well folks, I know you've been waiting for this! Here is my review of the Da Vinci Code, book and movie. You see my actual ticket stub from Friday night May 19th to prove that I actually saw it.

Let me be up front with you and tell you that I have yet to complete my reading of the book. I am thru chapter 75 or so. I need to tell you that it is labor for me to read this story. It's just not thrilling me. I literally went to the movie hoping it would fuel more interest in the story for me. So, I'll come back to the book when I actually finish reading it - the update on my opinion so far, ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.

Ah, the movie. I'll begin by telling you that director Ron Howard and actor Tom Hanks breathe a little life into the story for me. Keyword: little. Very little. Having said that, I found myself less than on the edge of my seat throughout the film, a couple of times glancing to my watch wondering how much longer until the end. There were a couple of one-liners added in the screenplay that are not in the book that caused me to smile, and mercifully the screenplay cut a few wordy parts of the book into much shorter sequences. But all in all, this is no blockbuster.

As for the theological concerns, book and movie, I saw what I expected to see. In the book Leigh Teabing proclaims "The Bible is the product of man, NOT God". His character lives in that worldview, as I am sure a majority of the world's real citizens do. There are a number of statements about Jesus that do not jive with the historical records we have outside the Bible. For instance, the story asserts that Jesus was never seen as being Divine until the Council of Nicea in the 4th Century. Quoting the book, "Until that day, he was viewed by his followers as a mortal prophet." The Bible aside, this assertion flies in the face of all legitimate historical record. Jesus claims of Divinity, and His earliest followers belief in that claim stand soundly testified to in history. Lest we forget, it was His claims of deity that infuriated His opponents. Further, the story's recounting of the Council of Nicea, and more particularly the Roman Emperor Constantine's part is severely flawed against sound historical records. Constantine himself is given credit for 'upgrading Jesus' status' in the book, from mere mortal to Divinity, again, seriously at odds with history.

As for the Jesus/Mary Magdalene/marriage/child theory that is at the heart of the story, this didn't surprise me either. These theories have been around forever. The fact that there is no serious historical work to corroborate the theory is why the theory has never gained popular acceptance - not because the church has fought to cover it up, as the story depicts.

The little observations of Leonardo Da Vinci paintings that are supposed to 'reveal the truth' as the story's foundation, I found to be the most fascinating parts of the story. Looking at the famous Last Supper painting, it does appear that there is a woman present; it does appear that there is something suggested in the way the table is laid out and the people are placed; I'd even go so far as to say it is interesting that a 'chalice' shape appears in the center of the art work. Then I'd say, 'so what?' He was an artist, fascinated with Mary Magdalene, painting a picture!

In closing: I am not drawn into the story as a work of literary art. I wouldn't recommend the book or the movie, not because of any theological concerns, but just because the story doesn't grip me. I realize that's an opinion not shared by millions who've loved the book and the movie, so perhaps you will enjoy it. My dad used to assure me as a child, "Opinions are like rear ends son, everybody's got one!"

As for the theology of it all, what do you think? We can discuss it right here. Click comments and join the conversation.

Your Turn Now

What are your thoughts on the text we studied Sunday (1 Cor. 8:1-13)? You can find my notes here or in the right hand menu. You can listen to the audio file of the message here, or in the menu. Click comments and join the conversation!

The Official Buccaneers Blogger?

I've just completed an application to be considered as the official Tampa Bay Buccaneers blogger. My application is now lost among thousands of entries, I'm sure. But I ask you, how many of them are as dedicated as I am? Living in Patriots country and wearing a Buccaneer logo watch? A preacher at that, with a pirate flag adorning my wrist? Showing up all over New England in my Buc jerseys (Bucco-Bruce to Pewter, Selmon to Cadillac, and my own personalized jersey)? How many Bucs blogger wannabees wore Buc colors to Gillette Stadium among 60,000 Patriot fans last December and managed to walk out with pride even though the Bucs stumbled that day? Which blogger out there routinely uses Buccaneer stories and football metaphors in sermons?

So, friends of mine, sound off in the comments here for me. Tell these folks that your pastor is nuts when it comes to the Bucs (and perhaps just in general). Tell them how scared you were when you observed me watching a Bucs game. Tell them how dashingly handsome I am in pewter. Tell them I'll unlock the DaVinci Code for them. Tell them I know more about the word 'but' than anyone else. Tell them that I am 'The Gridiron Guru'! Tell them I write and sing songs! Everything from Peter, Paul and Mary to Kiss! I've written a song about Oprah Winfrey!

Tell them I've got autographed pictures of John McKay, Ricky Bell, and that I once stepped through the front door of fullback Johnny Davis' townhome in Tampa in 1979 and watched him play the organ. Tell them I've visited Lee Roy Selmon's bust in Canton. Tell them I vacation every summer in Black Mountain, NC (hometown of Super Bowl 37 QB Brad Johnson). Tell them I'll be watching the World Bowl and cheering for Jason Nerys and Jared Allen, allocated to NFL Europe by the Bucs. Say it! Say it! AAAARRRRRRRR!

Hey Tampa Bay Online... I'm your guy.

Great Sunday To Start The Week

Thanks to the many who came out for the concert last night. By Faith played a wonderful setlist for us and led us all in a tremendous night of worship in song. In the course of the evening just over $1000 was raised to help the band and their equipment make it to Namibia and back. Thank you to all who gave so generously!

For the Two Poor Pastor's Band part of the evening, Jeff L. was the winner of a $20 gift certificate to MorningStar Bookstore (the certificate is coming Jeff) for correctly guessing artist, title and album of the closing song of our set. If you didn't hear, it was the rock band Kiss, Sure Know Something, off the Dynasty album. Now I'm hoping Jeff walks into MorningStar and proclaims that he won the certificate for knowing about a Kiss record from 1980. I believe that alone could get you disciplined out of some Baptist churches in the south!

My sermon notes from yesterday morning will be posted soon, as will the audio file of the message.

I'm planning to return to a couple of topics this week on the blog that some of you are wondering about - my 'review' of Da Vinci Code, more on the Emergent movement; more on Sabbath observance; a new segment in my Namibia 2005 Summary, and hopefully some other fun stuff.

Last but not least, keep praying about my hard drive situation. This week we take it to computer forensic pros hoping they will take pity on this fool and not want to charge me a ton of money.

For Our Saturday Night Readers

Thanks for checking in tonight as you prepare your heart for worship in the morning. I managed to see the Da Vinci Code last night. Surprise! I will NOT be preaching on it tomorrow! I'm planning to post a review later.

You might give tomorrow's text a read tonight. We'll be considering all of 1 Corinthians 8 in the morning. Along with it you might look at Romans 15 and Psalm 115:4-8 to give you a little broader feel for the text.

Peter and the band (they're actually letting me play tomorrow) have prepared a set of music to lead us into the Lord's presence. It should be a great Sunday.

A couple of extra mentions: First, there was a memorial service at Christ's Church today for a beloved man named Wild Bill Merton. There was a tremendous amount of food left over and Charlie Burns has asked that we use it for a fellowship lunch after the second service tomorrow. Plan on staying for a great fellowship lunch after church. Secondly, please plan on coming out for the By Faith concert tomorrow night at 7pm. I will be opening the concert with some of my original music, then By Faith will share an evening of worship music with us in preparation for their upcoming tour of Namibia. I hope you will plan to be with us tomorrow night!

And I look forward to worship with you in the morning.

INTERACTIVE SERMON EXCLUSIVE

More speculation as to the whereabouts of Pastor Mike Knight has surfaced as the Two Poor Pastor's Band prepares to take the stage without him Sunday evening.

It is widely known that Pastor's Darin and Mike took notice of the hundreds of thousands of website hits artist Tara Leigh Cobble received when she reportedly questioned the faith of one of the world's most influential superstars. Last night during a Two Poor Pastor's Band rehearsal lyrics to a brand new song were heard to mention Oprah Winfrey.

A source, under a condition of anonymity, has confirmed that Mike is in Chicago this weekend. Chicago is the home of Oprah Winfrey and her Harpo Productions Company.

The Two Poor Pastor's Band released this statement this evening:
"We can confirm that Mike is in Chicago and that Darin did write a new song that mentions Oprah Winfrey by name. However, there is no connection between these two things. Darin wishes to assure Ms. Winfrey (and her many lawyers) that he means her no harm, and that he only used her name because it rhymed with other words in the song. He would love to be on her television show, and his blogsite is www.ccnh.org/interactivesermon ."

Duh Vinci on Da Horizon

The countdown is on. Whether you're brave enough to see a midnight showing somewhere tonight or waiting until the weekend, the Da Vinci Code opens tomorrow. Reviews out of Cannes are generally poor. But, with all the hoopla religious groups have stirred, I'm fairly confident it will be a big box office for the film this weekend. And, yes, I will be going at some point.

It won't be because I think the story is great. I'm more than halfway thru the book now (I do intend to finish it before I see the film). So far my appraisal is the same - mediocre mystery novel. I'm just beginning to run into the things Christian groups are so up in arms about, and honestly, I don't think it's as big of a deal as some are making of it. These wild theories have been around for ever with absolutely no historical basis. And, let us not forget, the book is fiction. Here are a couple of interesting quotes:

"This is supposed to be entertainment, not theology." Ron Howard (as in Opie Taylor/Richie Cunningham), Director of the film.

"The movie is full of a lot of hooey." Tom Hanks, Actor in the film.

In answer to the question 'Do you think Jesus was married?' Tom Hanks replied: "I wasn't there."

As you may have heard, Actor Ian McKellan said, "I think the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying 'this is fiction'." While McKellan did say this on the Today show this week, it is taken out of context because McKellan went on to say, "one needs faith to believe Jesus walked on water, and without faith it reads like good fiction. I believe in this movie - not that it is true, but that it is a very good story."

Are you going to see the movie? Want to go together? Let me know.

Along The Way (17/May/2006)

Wednesday... and I'm feeling blue. Yes, the sun is out today and that is good, but the storm clouds of my own stupidity have sewn me in. You may recall that a couple of months ago my hard drive was dying. You may also recall how thrilled I was that Dell sent me a new hard drive. What you probably don't know is that before I installed the new one, the old one came back to life, so I never did do the repair. Well, guess what?

Yup! 5pm yesterday my hard drive went to hard drive heaven (metaphorically, not literally... in fact, I think it really went to...). The bad news continues. The writing project that I've been working on all month - gone. Before you ask - no, I wasn't bright enough to have backed it up.

So, a team of computer gurus have been swarming over the carcass. It started with Germaine... then went to Jim... then back to Germaine... then on to Gaby... now it's on its way back to Jim. All of these fine folks have waded into the deep water of my inaptitude trying to rescue me (gospel like, huh?). Say a prayer for me. Then slap me the next time you see me.

Does Jesus heal hard drives?

INTERACTIVE SERMON EXCLUSIVE

BREAKING NEWS!

One Half of the Two Poor Pastors will open the show for BY FAITH on Sunday night.

It was announced this morning that one half of the Two Poor Pastors, Darin Shaw, will be opening for BY FAITH Sunday night May 21st at Christ's Church of Amherst.

Spokespersons for the band declined to answer questions concerning the unavailability of Mike Knight for this concert. Speculation has swirled since Mike's sudden disappearance from Southern New Hampshire this week, everything from a long distance romance to dealing with the legal issues that have plagued him since the unfortunate stage diving incident during one of his solo concerts last year, has been suggested. All that the 2P2 camp would confirm is that Mike will return in a couple of weeks, and that in the meantime Darin and the 2P2 band will carry on.

BY FAITH, made up of members of the World Famous Christ's Church Worship Band will play a free concert Sunday Night in preparation for their upcoming trip to Namibia. A love offering will be collected during the evening to help the band with trip costs. Plan on coming and bringing friends and family to the concert! Concert starts at 7pm.

Continuing the Emerging Conversation

Continuing a series of articles on defining the emergent movement. Earlier pieces can be found on 5/5 under the titles 'Back to the List' and 'Statement or No Statement?'

Here are the last four characteristics Doug Pagitt (Pastor of Solomon's Porch in Minneapolis, MN) listed in defining the emerging church movement with my comments added.

8. Openness to the "other" - outsider, foreigner, doesn't get freaked out. I like the spirit behind this statement, that where dialogue is concerned, the church should be open to others.
9. Wants the good news of God to change the world and be good news for all creation. Again, I can't imagine believers not agreeing with this statement.
10. Understands community to be an essential part of the Christian life. This is certainly true of my thinking - we were not adopted into God's family to become an island unto ourselves, but rather to be a small part of His whole - and so often this truth is neglected.
11. More interested in the future than fighting the battles of the past - people who are trying to live the story of Jesus in our world in ways consistent to where we have come from. I read something just this morning concerning the prefix 'post'. The person speaking shared that 'post' didn't mean anti or negative or anything like that, it simply meant 'post'. He used the word 'post-pubescent' to illustrate. This word means that a child has gone through puberty and is now an adolescent. This means that they cannot go back to being a child, they are 'post' that threshold. Yet, they are very much affected from having been through that period of life. They are not negative towards it or 'anti' it, just rather they are through it, and to some degree the adolescent that they are now was shaped by it. I think that picture is a good one. When we talk about being post-modern, it is not that we should forget the fact that we grew up in the modern-era church. We shouldn't despise those things. We shouldn't forget or look negatively on those battles of the past - for they have all been an important part of shaping our today. I think that's what Pagitt means when he says 'live the story of Jesus in our world in ways consistent to where we have come from'. I agree.

So what do you think of these four? Are we emergent? Should we be? Is the emerging church movement heresy? Click comments and chime in.

Revisiting Sexual Intimacy in Marriage

This past weekend's study covered 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. You can find my notes for that study here or in the right hand menu. The audio file of the message is available here or in the menu. What have you discovered as you read through the text? Did anything catch your attention? Chime in with your comments. Look for the commentary on the rest of chapter 7 later in the week.

Along The Way (15/May/2006)

Monday... Row, row, row your boat, gently down my street - yes, my street is under water. The police have set up a barricade about 200 yards from our house closing the road to thru traffic. It's an adventure to make it just about anywhere in Amherst or Merrimack from here. I am ready for the sun to return and for the flood waters to recede. This is one of those times, however, when I am thankful not to have a basement!

I'm getting ready to celebrate a milestone. It appears likely that tomorrow this blogsite will go over the 10,000 visitors mark since we put a counter on it in September of 2005. That's roughly 1250 visitors a month, which might not seem like a lot to web pros out there, but it is a tremendous blessing to me. I am very thankful! I only wish I had a way of telling who the 10,000th visitor is, so we could make a big deal about it.

It has been a pretty productive day off for me even though the rain kept me from the outdoor chores I had wanted to complete. It's been a good day for reading and writing. Tonight my daughter Becky and I will enjoy a dinner date.

The sermon notes and message audio for yesterday's service should be up on the site soon. Sorry for the delay. I've heard some feedback on the message, a few who were glad I chose the New Living Translation over the NIV yesterday.

For Our Saturday Night Readers

In preparing your heart to worship the Lord together tomorrow, here are a few things you might consider.

First, the text we will consider together is 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. The whole chapter Paul speaks of the marriage relationship. We will focus on those first 16 verses, but you’d do well to survey the whole chapter. You might also look at a few other passages having to do with marriage, Genesis 2:18-24, Matthew 19:3-9 and Ephesians 5:22-33.

In song, Peter and the music team will lead us in singing of God’s faithfulness and His glory, with songs written by Jared Anderson, Brian Doerksen, Paul Baloche, Chris Tomlin & the hymn writer Thomas Obadiah Chisholm.

We’ll also spend time in prayer giving thanks for Moms! I look forward to sharing in worship with you tomorrow.

What's On My Mind?

You'll be sorry you asked.

Sore ears. Thank you to Dave Warren for his generous gift to allow us to purchase a new wireless, in-ear monitor system for the music ministry. I'm excited at the difference this system will make for us, but a bit nervous about the period of adjustment for our musicians - getting used to having ear-buds in during the services.

Rain. I'm tired of the rains this spring. I really am craving the sun.

Big buts. Of the literary kind not the derriere kind. I'm up to my gluteus in 'buts' in the book of Matthew, trying to get my query done and in the rear view mirror. I'm enjoying it, just wishing I had more time to devote to it. I've fallen a bit behind my desired timeline. (How many references to posteriori can you find in this paragraph?)

Marriage. This is the weekend we tackle 1 Corinthians 7, and I'm looking forward to it.

Moms. It's Mother's Day weekend. The three Moms in my life (my Mom, the Mom to my girls and my Mom-in-law) are on my mind. I'm very thankful for them all. Did you get a gift or a card for the Moms in your life?

Da Vinci. Only 400 pages to go.

Damning Da Vinci

Yes, I am still plodding along in my Da Vinci reading. I've completed 24 chapters. I'm troubled most, so far, about silly little ridiculous mistakes in Brown's writing. For instance, the early part of this book takes place at the murder scene of a very important art museum curator and there are sure to be international cries for answers concerning his death, YET, author Brown sees fit to have all the cops leave the crime scene and has a couple of cryptologists traipsing about the secret signs surrounding his death. Anyone who knows anything about a crime scene knows that a body is not left alone, nor evidence unattended at any time.

Other than the introduction to this 'secret society' that Brown listed as being a 'fact' before the story began (evidence to support this secret society's existence and all of its supposed famous members down through the years is almost non-existent from what I can tell), and the shoddy attention to detail (cops leaving a body at a crimescene unattended), I've yet to cross anything that troubles me.

The Greek Orthodox Church has added their voice to the furor over the book and movie. This article appeared this morning in the headlines. Okay, back to the reading...

Darin-isms (1 Corinthians 6)

Thanks for joining our study thru 1 Corinthians. My notes from Sunday morning's message cover the first 11 verses of the chapter. Click comments and chime in with your thoughts as we study thru the text together.

Picking up where we left off on Sunday morning…

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

In this section Paul turns to another problem facing the church in Corinth having to do with sexual immorality. Much of the content of this brief section will be expounded later in Paul’s letter. The matter of sexual fidelity in marriage will be the subject of chapter 7. The matter of food offered to idols will come up again in chapter 8. The matter of the church being the Body of Christ will be expounded in chapter 12. The matter of Christ’s resurrection will be revisited in chapter 15. The matter of limiting our liberties will recur a few times in the balance of the letter.

v. 12 The statement ‘Everything is permissible for me’ appears to have been a popular phrase in Corinth in Paul’s day. Perhaps it was employed similarly to the way we might here ‘To each his own’ or ‘Whatever works for you’ today. The irony is that as a believer in Christ, this phrase is completely true, with the qualifier that Paul adds: ‘but not everything is beneficial’. Paul promotes a Christian’s liberty in the context of love.

Note the two ‘buts’ in this one verse. They both serve as qualifiers where the application of Christian liberty is concerned. Liberty that would be detrimental to someone (either to the person engaged in the behavior or to others affected by it) isn’t love. Liberty that might lead to enslavement was not love.

A real Darin-ism: This principle in verse 12 is a magnificent marker to steer our spiritual lives. This reminds me of Paul’s admonition to the church at Philippi (see Phil. 4:8) where he said: ‘Whatever things are true; noble; just; pure, lovely, praiseworthy… meditate on these things.’ The point is, those things add to life. We need to exercise our liberties in directions that add to life not take it away.

v. 13 ‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’ appears to be another phrase common in the day. Perhaps they used these phrases to justify their abuses. This one clarifies that food is not only necessary, but eating can also be pleasurable. Again, Paul qualifies the statement with a big ‘but’ – all of this is temporal.

He continues: the body is not intended for selfish indulgence, but to be the dwelling place for the Lord.

v. 14 The eternal prospects of the body are here clarified, standing in contrast with the temporal pleasures of the body’s indulgence in the preceding verses.

v. 15 The fourth ‘Do you not know?’ in this chapter. Again, Paul uses this rhetorical technique to demonstrate that the Corinthian believers should have advanced far beyond this. ‘That your bodies are members of Christ himself’ reminds the believers that the work of the Holy Spirit has joined them to Christ. Paul is laying the foundation for the teaching that follows: it is impossible for a believer to practice immorality without grieving God. Note the emphatic, ‘never!’

v. 16 The fifth ‘Do you not know?’ phrase. Can one who is integrally connected to Christ be united to a prostitute? Paul refers to the Genesis declaration of marriage (the proper context for sexual intimacy between a man and a woman), that ‘two flesh become one’.

v. 17 In contrast (note the ‘but’), one who believes in Christ is one with Christ.

v. 18 When faced with the temptation to indulge in sexual immorality, the believer is counseled by Paul to ‘flee’. This verse places sexual sin in a unique light, differing from all other forms of sin, in that it is a sin particularly against the body.

v. 19 The sixth and final ‘Do you not know?’ of the chapter gives clarity to the previous verse. The reason that sexual sin is a particularly damaging form of sin is that our bodies are desecrated – the temple of the Holy Spirit is desecrated by this sin.

Paul likens our bodies being united to Christ with the covenant between husband and wife, that their bodies do not belong only to themselves now, but are also the property of their spouse. Our bodies, by our union with Christ, are not ours alone.

v. 20 We were bought with the blood of Christ, and therefore sexual immorality cheapens the very sacrifice that was made on our behalf. That being the case, Paul closes with the admonishment: ‘honor God with your bodies’.

Along The Way (9/May/2006)

Tuesday... What a day off yesterday was. I managed to work all day in the yard... and there is still several more days of work to do. I do see the progress, but I am presently wavering back and forth between feeling like I got a lot accomplished and feeling overwhelmed by all that is left to do. What am I talking about? With all the windy weather this past fall and winter, and all the old pines on our property, our yard was completely covered with pine needles and downed branches, large limbs and even downed small trees. So, I set out with a rake, a chain saw and excitement yesterday. Today I am following it up with Icy-Hot and Tylenol. Yes!

Thank you to my friends who stopped by to sit around the fire last night and chat. I managed to stop at the Fire Department and get a fire permit to burn up all of our pine debris. What a hoot! How we managed NOT to burn down my house and catch the woods on fire is a miracle of Biblical proportions. The conversation and laughter was a blessing.

More bills... I went to replace the tire I blew on the car this morning. Amazing how expensive tires are these days. Now, I have four tires, but no money for gas. Ain't life great? I look forward to heaven because we will have no more bills or unexpected expenses.

And tonight, several CCA folks will be attending the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families fund raising banquet. I've been asked to say the blessing as the evening starts and I've been thinking about what to include in that prayer. This is the thought that crosses my mind: I am very thankful for the ministry of the National Coalition... but I wish our world didn't need them. By Faith will be bringing some music to tonight's program. I am thrilled for the opportunities our worship musicians are seizing to be a blessing out in the community. Thank you to all the CCA folks working in front of and behind the scenes with the Coalition's program tonight.

Duh Vinci?

Okay folks, an update...
I'm into chapter four and there's not been a whole lot of anything to grab me thus far. Author Dan Brown is developing the storyline and some characters I assume. Those 'FACTS' listed before chapter one that I mentioned appear a bit sketchy. Most of what I can find on this 'secret order' differs considerably with the 'facts' Dan Brown gives - as far as the names of real historical people who were a part of it, and so on. Also, the sect of Catholicism that is mentioned is strongly opposing the 'facts' given on their history and dogma. So, I'm moving ahead taking all of this with a grain of sand and reminding myself that this is fiction. So far, so good.

Having said that, more of the leaders in the Catholic Church are calling for boycotts and now even mentioning lawsuits. Take a look at this article. I can't help but recall the international furor that erupted about the cartoons which reflected negatively the Nation of Islam and wonder where is the world's sympathy for misinformation about Christianity? Oh well, Jesus said the world would hate Him.

Chapter five... and my nagging issue is still: did he really sell a billion of these at $35 a pop?

Let's Talk About It

We considered 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 this morning. My notes for the text can be found here, or in the right hand menu. The audio file for the message is available here or in the menu. What are the impressions God leaves on your heart as you consider this text? Join the conversation. Click comments and share your thoughts.

For Our Saturday Night Readers

Sorry this posting made it up so late. Shari and I celebrated our 17th Anniversary today so I'm running a little behind.

As you prepare your heart to worship in the morning, keep in mind that we will be worshipping the Lord in observing Communion. The scripture warns that we consider ourselves before we come (1 Cor. 11).

To get an advance read on the text we will consider together, read 1 Corinthians 6:1-11.

Finally, Peter and the band have a great song set prepared for us including a few of the usual suspects, Crowder, Tomlin, Redmon and Anderson. There will be some special music during Communion, and then we will also have a special guest with us closing out both services, Tara Leigh Cobble. I look forward to worshipping with you in the morning!

Doing The Da Vinci

Okay friends, I'm underway.

Thanks Jackie for lending my your copy. My first impression: THIS BOOK LISTS FOR $35! Holy cow! People pay $35 for a fictional book? I'm in the wrong line of work. I've spent $35 on reference books. Fiction? I had no idea. I say, give this guy an A+ for selling a billion of these for $35 a pop, anyhow.

Then I get to the page BEFORE the story begins. A page before chapter one. It says: 'FACTS'. Well, now you know this messes with my head because I'm caused to ask, 'Are these really facts?' They're all about a secret order and a radical sect of Catholicism - two things I've never heard of before.

So, you know what this means? You got it. Toss Da Vinci aside and do a little research. At this rate, I may get through the book before the sequel comes out (which by the way, I read on Drudge today that Dan Brown has announced it). Oh boy, am I having fun?

So chime in on the secret order of... or radical sect of... or paper or plastic... or whatever. Don't let me toil through this alone! Chapter One... 'Once Upon A Time...'

Back To The List

Continuing the discussions over the 11 point list Doug Pagitt suggests defines the 'emerging church' movement (see posting of April 27th), here are the next handful of points and my thoughts on them. Again, are we emerging? Should we be? Should these emerging folks be branded heretics? Sentenced to hard labor in a fundamentalist camp?

4. Committed to loving God, neighbor and even loving enemies in real ways in this world. This is a point that I think all Christians would say they agree with, yet, I don't know that we really aspire to do it. If we're honest, we really love those with whom we have much in common. I think all of Christianity can improve in this area.
5. Deeply connected to the story of God and the Bible. This point resonates with my heart. I look at all of redemptive history as God's story and see my story as a very small part in His epic.
6. Living in the guidance of the Holy Spirit - not culture or understandings. This one is a little hard for me to decipher because living in the guidance of the Holy Spirit can be viewed very differently by different people. Again, all Christians aspire to live Spirit-led lives - we're commanded to do just that. I am guessing the rest of the statement (not culture or understandings) is meant to stand in contrast.
7. Theologically active - thinking deeply about these practices. I love this statement. That's what conversations like this one (yours and my comments on the blog to talking over a cup of coffee) are all about. I was at a retreat this past weekend with a bunch of CCA men. The best part of the conference, for my thinking, wasn't the great workshops and speakers we paid to hear, but rather 6 or 8 of us sitting down to lunch and musing about the sovereignty of God. Now that's great stuff! Why do we do what we do? Who is the object of our faith?

What do you think?

Statement or No Statement: This Is The Question.

For those who like to talk Doctrine and Theology, you'll love this. For those of you who cringe at the hearing of any word ending in 'ology', you'll want to pass. For those interested, let's talk. Click comments and add your thoughts.

Recalling a bit of conversing we shared a week or so ago on the 11 point defining of the 'emerging church' from Doug Pagitt, the Pastor of Solomon's Porch in Minnesota, I ran across this piece today concerning Emergent and a Doctrinal Statement.

What do you think? Should the emergent movement have a doctrinal statement concretely defining their beliefs, or does this article make sense that they should not? What do you think?

National Day of Prayer

The first Thursday in May has been designated a National Day of Prayer by every president since Abraham Lincoln. This year members of several local (Amherst/Milford) congregations will be gathering on the Milford Oval at 7pm for a time of community-wide prayer.

Members of the Christ's Church Worship band will be leading the music during this evening's service and pastors from five or six of the local congregations will participate in leading different sections of the prayer time. The whole service is scheduled to last slightly more than one hour. I hope that you will plan to join us!

Shane, Shane and More

Thursday morning... What a great time last night at the Shane & Shane concert. Having all their cds, I knew I'd love the Shane & Shane part of the evening, but I had no idea who the opening acts were. Well, let me tell you, buy your Aaron Shust cd today from www.aaronshust.com and be blessed! This guy is a worship pastor in Atlanta. His set was wonderful. I bough his cd as I left last night and really think this guy is going to become a household name.

Then there was Bethany Dillon. I've heard her on the radio before and not paid that much attention to her. I will now. Her set was very moving. I've since looked at her website and read a bit of her tour journal - a real teenager trying to figure out her life and faith... while having records at the top of the charts. She closed her set with a brand new tune she just penned that is very similar to the story of Mephibosheth in the bible (go ahead, look it up!). Very moving!

What can I say about Shane & Shane? The harmonies in person are every bit as wonderful as they are on their recordings. Simply amazing. I have a new appreciation for Spam (you had to be there). Their hearts show through the music and that's the part that thrills me most.

Next time these guys are in the area... free up your schedule. It'll be worth it.

Da Vinci Diving

We're a couple weeks away from the expected summer blockbuster film Da Vinci Code release based on the best selling book of the same name. If you haven't heard all the buzz stirring up in Christian circles about it you have had your head in the sand. I'm getting my usual half a dozen emails a week from conservative Christian folks warning of impending theological confusion and disaster.

My impassioned response thus far: 'Yea, whatever.'

I've not overlooked the very basic fact that The Da Vinci Code is fiction. Fiction! As in, this guy had a creative spurt and voila! A bestselling make believe novel.

However, having said that, it does appear that the author has weaved his imaginative tale around a set of historical facts - and that he's altered some of those facts.

So, last night the Board of Elders discussed the possibility of my discussing Da Vinci here on the blog; the book, the movie, my take, your take, etc. One problem: I've never read the book. Guess I need to remedy that. I will be headed to the bookstore today. I'm going to read Da Vinci and publish my thoughts right here as I do (Lord, help the reader of my thoughts!). Finally, I envision a few folks going to see the movie and our offering a little town-hall type conversation about it afterwards.

So, here I go. I hope the story begins 'Once Upon A Time' like every other good fictional story.

So, What Do You Think?

We've made our way through 1 Corinthians 5 now. My notes from Sunday's message can be found here or in the right side menu. An audio file of the message can be accessed here or in the menu. Give it a look or a listen and let me know what God has laid on your heart through chapter 5, or as we've considered any of the first five chapters.

Along The Way (1/May/2006)

Monday morning... What a great morning of worship we shared yesterday. Thanks to Jesse, Lisa, Kevin, Sonciary, John and Dave for leading us in music, Jim and Kirk in the booth, and everyone else who served to make the services a blessing.

It's going to be a great week. A group of CCA folks are planning to take in a Shane & Shane concert Wednesday night in Greenland, NH. If you're interested in going, give the church office a call for more info.

I am looking forward to Thursday evening at 7pm on the Milford Oval for the National Day of Prayer. By Faith (the members of our worship team that played yesterday, and who are preparing to go to Namibia this summer) will be leading that assembly on the oval in song, and people from many of the congregations in Amherst and Milford will join together to pray for our nation. I hope you will plan on being there!

Saturday May 6th is Shari's and my 17th anniversary. My, how time flies when you're having fun!

Next Sunday night, May 7th, we will have Nashville recording artist Tara Lee Cobble with us again at CCA. For those of you who missed her visit last year all I can say is don't miss this one. Jesse and Lisa Andreasen will also be sharing some music that night. It's a free concert, plan on coming and bringing many guests with you.