Children: Don't Smoke Crack!

Every now and then something surfaces in the news that can be a lesson to us all. Here's just such a lesson. Don't do drugs! If you do, you may find yourself... naked and in the mouth of a 12 foot aligator at 4 in the morning?

Technorati Tags: Aligator, Drugs, Just Say No!

Monologue To Dialogue... From Song?

This past weekend's audio and sermon notes are available for you. We concluded a four week mini-series on Ecclesiology - the Study of the Church - with a consideration of what it means to be 'Apostolic'. I hope that you found the series of studies thought provoking. Weigh in with your thoughts. What has God impressed upon you concerning your understanding of the church this past month? Help me turn the study from monologue to dialogue.

This coming weekend begins out observance of Advent, or the season in which we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior. If you're like me, I find myself more amazed each year at how fast Christmas arrives. If I don't intentionally slow myself down to enjoy this season, it will bowl me over. So, I welcome Advent.

This year I am planning to outline our studies each week utilizing old Christmas Carols and corresponding Bible texts. I hope that you will plan to make the most of our Advent series this Christmas season.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Ecclesiology, Advent, Christmas Carols

Yo! Adrian!

By now you've started seeing the television commercials. The sixth (and presumably final) installment of Sylvester Stallone's 'Rocky' saga is due in theatres just before Christmas.

I remember when Rocky came out in 1977. I loved the film. Something about the downtrodden character and his date with destiny touched my heart as a ten year old. When Rocky 2 came out I was visiting my sister in New York and we went to see it the night it opened. For years I've felt that those were two of the better films ever made from a story standpoint. Then over the next several years we had to endure parts 3, 4 & 5. With each one I became more disappointed. Honestly, when I heard that there was a 'final' chapter coming, I was skeptical. He had already fought a professional wrestler (3), the Soviet Empire (4), and his own protege (5). Who was next? Anna Nicole Smith? The Dixie Chicks? Perhaps Rocky would move to Afghanistan to train for a fight with Al Queda's boxing champion.

Then I learned that Sylvester Stallone is seeking to promote this film, to some extent, through the church as having spiritual overtones. Give this article a read and let me know what you think. What do you make of this?

Technorati Tags: Rocky Balboa

More Thought Provocation & Discussion Fodder

Headlines that have caught my attention this week include 'How The Imams Terrorized The Airliner', regarding the Muslim men removed from a USAirways flight last week among passenger and crew fears of their behavior. Give the article a read. Would you have been afraid? Were they treated unfairly?

Madonna, the Material Girl's material failed on network TV this past weekend. Finishing fourth in her timeslot (among the four networks), the program was a bust. What's interesting to me is that there was such a call among the Christian community to write and call local affiliates to voice their displeasure, which led to the offensive 'crucifix' scene to be censored out of the broadcast, when in the end, no one but Madonna's family and friends appear to have tuned in anyway. Did you decide not to tune in out of protest, or because you're not interested in the least in Madonna?

In case you haven't heard, the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with the NFL's most accurate kicker Mike Vanderjagt (you really should read my NFL Blog, The Pigskin Preacher) yesterday. Here's something I ran across this morning written by a Cowboy fan with a sense of humor. Good stuff!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Terror, Madonna, Vanderjagt

Thought Provocation & Discussion Fodder

You Tube, and viral video sites like it, is changing the world we live in. A few weeks ago it was Ted Haggard's confession-lite and the interviews with his accuser. Last week it was the comedian Michael Richards and the tirade seen around the world. Then there is this story: a teacher caught on film in the middle of a classroom tantrum. Do you think this voyeuristic world is a better place now that everyone is armed with video and camera phones?

Hurricane Season ends Thursday. Do you remember all the doom and gloom forecasts? 'Worst season in history expected!' 'At least 17 KILLER Storms!' 'Global Warming!!!!' Oops. 9 storms in all, and only 3 of them saw landfall anywhere. Barring a last minute barrage, this will go down as the quietest Hurricane Season on record. Global warming? How about Global Whining?

The Colossians Remixed Forum has new updates. Give it a visit. Check in on the conversation.

Technorati Tags: Viral Video, Global Whining, Colossians Remixed, Virtual Small Group

For Our Weekend Readers

I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving, and are enjoying the long weekend.

Because so many folks are out of town and visiting with family, we've cancelled the Saturday evening service this weekend, and are going with only the 10AM worship service on Sunday. I hope that isn't an inconvenience for you.

Shari and the music team have a great set of songs prepared to lead us into the Lord's presence and to praise Him from the bottom of our hearts. There are a few new arrangements of great old hymns on the list, as well as a couple of newer favorites.

If you like taking an advance look at the Bible texts we will consider, visiti Matthew 22:34-40 and 28:18-20. You will recognize these texts as 'The Great Commandment' and 'The Great Commission'. We'll be wrapping up our study of Ecclesiology by considering the mission of the church, or (borrowing from the Nicene Creed) the fact that the church is 'Apostolic' in its function. In light of these texts we'll consider the term 'missional'.

I look forward to gathering with you to worship the Lord on Sunday morning!

One more thing. As the 5th Annual CCA Turkey Bowl was contested on Thanksgiving (yes, my team won), we will be handing out our MVP trophies on Sunday morning. See you then.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Ecclesiology, Missional, Great Commandment, Great Commission

Weekend Rewind

The audio file of last weekend's message and my notes are available for you here and in the right hand menu. If you missed the services, give the message a listen. Give the notes a read. What are your thoughts on 'the church catholic'?

We studied thru 1 Peter 2:4-10 primarily. We looked briefly at Matt. 12:30 and Mark 9:38-41 also. What are your impressions of those texts?

As we made our way thru 1 Peter 2:4-10, we passed over two rather controversial phrases. For time constraints I avoided mentioning them on Saturday and Sunday, but promised to touch upon them here on the blog. In verse 9, Peter refers to believers as 'a chosen people'. In Greek the word is literally 'an elect people'. What do you make of that word? What do you make of the end of verse 8, where we read 'They stumble because they disobey the message - which is also what they were destined for.' Let me know your thoughts. Help me articulate this message.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, 1 Peter 2:4-10, Ecclesiology, catholic, Unconditional Election

Colossians Remixed Virtual Small Group

Greetings Colossians Remixers. I've almost completed my Darinsims, Observations and Questions for chapter 3. I believe they will be up this evening on the forum. I noticed that several of you haven't chimed in on chapter 2, so I'm planning to watch the scehdule this next week, around Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season trying to be sensitive to everyone's schedules. Check out the forum here, or find the link in the right hand menu. Check in tonight or tomorrow for my chapter 3 thoughts.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Virtual Small Group, Colossians Remixed

For Our Weekend Readers

In preparing your heart for worship together this weekend, give the Apostle's Creed a review. Pay particular attention to the line 'I believe in the holy catholic church'. What does that mean?

We're continuing our study of ecclesiology - the study of the church - and this week we will look at the fact that the church is indeed catholic in its organization (noting it is ONE in its nature, HOLY in character, CATHOLIC in organization, and APOSTOLIC in its mission, using those four words from the Nicene Creed as our outline). This weekend we will be looking through 1 Peter 2:4-12, so you may want to give that a read. You might also give Matthew 16:13-20 a look.

Kathy and the music team have a great set of songs ready to lead us into the Lord's presence and to celebrate His goodness to His church, including a little Chris Tomlin, Aaron Shust and a few more standards.

Whether I see you this evening at 5:30pm or tomorrow morning at 10am, I look forward to worshipping the Lord with you!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Ecclesiology, catholic, Apostle's Creed, Nicene Creed, 1 Peter 2:4-12

More Thought Provocation & Discussion Fodder

Well, there hasn't been much response (on the blog or in person) to my last segment of TP&DF posted on Wednesday. Perhaps everyone is busy getting ready for Thanksgiving. But, as you know of me, I can carry on a conversation all by myself! Some of the best conversations I've had have been completely contained within my own skull... so, here are some more thoughts and my own conversations. Weigh in if you like.

Mark Driscoll's response to all the furor stirring concerning his comments on the Ted Haggard fall is a great read. Just when I think Driscoll has lost it, he comes back to make a great lesson out of it all. Perhaps that's a doorway the Lord has given him in ministry - drop a hand grenade and then help people clean up the mess, and God brings some redeeming results our of it all. I like this response. What do you think?

What is the world coming to? By now you've learned that hundreds of people spent days at places like Walmart waiting to get the first PlayStation 3 units as the new video game system went on sale at midnight last night (this morning). I've even heard some CCA folks were at our Walmart since Wednesday. I love you guys... but I don't get it. Did you hear all the news items this morning about this madness? In Connecticut gunmen robbed people waiting in line. In Ohio, theives robbed a store of several units. And the units which sold for between $500 and $600 in stores, is being sold for upwards of $2500 on eBay today! Nope, that's not a typo. Now, if the folks at CCA were camping out to buy units at $500 to turn around and sell on eBay at $2500... then I hope they'll be tithing on the profits. Did you camp out at Walmart? What have you ever camped out for (concert tickets, perhaps)?

Saw the cover of O.J.'s new book today on the web. Check it out. Don't you just love how the 'If' is in the same color as his jacket, and therefore almost invisible, while the 'I Did It' is in red and stands out. Priceless... like Bruno Magli shoes. Anyhow, here's an article on Drudge about the publisher of the book. The last few days the furor has been 'Why would anyone publish this?' Are you kidding me? $$$$$$$$! The book isn't out yet, and it's a best-seller. So, hop in your Bronco and make a slow drive to the local bookseller... get in line. Camp out, anyone?

Technorati Tags: Mark Driscoll, Ted Haggard, Playstation 3, O.J. Simpson

I'm A Friend

Earlier in the week I listed 'Friend of Missional' as the W.O.W. (Website of the Week). As I've been thinking on the statements there, they've grown on me. I've determined that I am a Friend - so you'll notice the the new banner in the right hand menu. Give it a click and visit the site.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Missional, Friend of Missional

Thought Provocation & Discussion Fodder

Here are a few things that I've run across today that I found thought provoking (or just plain caused me to scratch my head). Give them a look and chime in with your thoughts.

Scot McKnight had this to say about Brian McLaren. Just so you know, I've read Generous Orthodoxy and all three books in the New Kind of Christian trilogy. I enjoyed them all. I was also impressed with McKnight's comments. What do you think?

While we're at it, have you read Generous Orthodoxy? A New Kind of Christian? What did you think?

O.J. is back in the news. Apparently his new book hits the shelf soon. It's entitled 'If I Did It'. Is there anyone in America who doesn't KNOW that he did it? Give this piece a read. My thoughts: I think O.J. should get himself a marketing deal with Isotoner Gloves, Bruno Magli Shoes and Buck Hunting Knives. I also wonder about his profit on the book. Will it go to the victim's families since he was found liable for their murders in the Civil trial? What do you think?

Mark Driscoll never fails to excite folks when he sounds off. Have you read his thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the Ted Haggard story? Here's a clip: "Most pastors I know do not have satisfying, free, sexual conversations and liberties with their wives. At the risk of being even more widely despised than I currently am, I will lean over the plate and take one for the team on this. It is not uncommon to meet pastors’ wives who really let themselves go; they sometimes feel that because their husband is a pastor, he is therefore trapped into fidelity, which gives them cause for laziness. A wife who lets herself go and is not sexually available to her husband in the ways that the Song of Songs is so frank about is not responsible for her husband’s sin, but she may not be helping him either." You can find the whole article here. As you might have imagined, there's been more fuss over Mark's comments than Ted's fall. Maybe he did 'take on for the team'. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Generous Orthodoxy, New Kind of Christian, O.J. Simpson, Ted Haggard, Mark Driscoll

The Character of the Church

My notes from the weekend's study of Isaiah 35 and our consideration of positional and practical holiness are here, and an audio file of the message is here, or both can be found in the right hand menu.

Help me turn monologue into dialogue. What are your thoughts on the text? Positional and practical holiness? The Character of the Church?

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Isaiah 35, Ecclesiology, Holiness

Colossians Remixed Chapter 2

Those of you reading through Colossians Remixed together (and even those who are not but would like to look in), I've updated the forums with some thoughts on chapter 2 - Colossians and Disquieted Globalization.

The conversations are off to a great start. Dive in.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Colossians Remixed, Targums, Truth Incarnate

W.O.W. (Website of the Week)

This week's WOW is a simple site that I found to be a thought provoking read. Give it a visit sometime and decide if you are a 'friend of missional'. Then drop a comment here: What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Missional, Friend of Missional

Did You Just Call Me A Kum Ba Yah?

Just the other night a young JFITM (that's Jesus Freak In The Making for all you fundamentalist types) asked me what the song 'Kum Ba Yah' was all about. Of course, I hymned and hawed about the words meaning 'Come by here', muttered under my breath something about Hebrew, Gulah or Afrikaans, and then picked up a guitar and serenaded her. It was such a powerful God-moment, I wouldn't be surprised if she had an epiphany right then and there. In fact, it was so powerful an experience, I'll bet she's singing the song in her head still tonight!

I ran across this piece that speaks to the origins of the song. Give it a read. Then join me and my new JFITM in a chorus. All together now... Kum ba Yah, my Lord; Kum ba Yah!

Technorati Tags: Kum Ba Yah, Come By Here, Jesus Freak, Hound of Heaven

For Our Weekend Readers

As you prepare your heart to gather as the church and worship the Lord, consider the character of the church - the church is holy. What does that mean? If we say that the church is holy, and that you and I are the church, what does that say about us? If you'd like an advance read, take a look at Isaiah 35.

Mike and the worship band have a great set of music ready to help us focus on God's holiness, our want of holiness and our being wholly His. (I've also just given you clues as to what songs we will sing this weekend!)

I hope that you will consider the Saturday evening service this weekend. Remember we start at 5:30pm. Our Sunday morning service begins at 10am. Whether tonight or tomorrow, I look forward to worshipping the Lord with you!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Isaiah 35, Ecclesiology, The Character of the Church

People-People, Machine-People & Landscape-People

My friend Richard often provides thought provocation for me. Whether its ‘original Richard’ or it comes from the well of all the reading he’s done and conversations he’s had over the years, stuff comes out of his mouth that causes me to think.

This morning it was the observation (his or borrowed, I don’t recall) that we live our lives interacting with others in basically one of three categories – as people-people, machine-people or landscape-people.

People-people are those folks that we interact with relationally. Machine-people are the people who we interact with only as they serve us – the gal who took your money at Dunkin Donuts this morning or the guy who serviced your furnace last week. Landscape people are the people who are all around you, that you don’t interact with – the lady standing behind you in line at Dunkin Donuts or the guy in the car next to you at the light.

This has been thought provoking to me. I’ve been thinking through my encounters with others. Who are my people-people? Who do I view as machine-people? Which of the machine-people should I really be working to engage as people-people? How can I make more out of my encounters with the machine-people in my life? Wow! There are landscape people all around me! In my life, have people moved back and forth between these different categories at different times?

Eh, just thought provoking stuff for me this morning. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Culture, Evangelism, Missional Living

What's On My Mind

Inside my head - it is a scary place to be.

Election Returns - I confess I am a little more than mildly interested in politics and this mid-term election has me engaged. I cannot wait to see how things go tonight. I'm praying about it. Of course, I got out and did my part. I hope you did!

Preacher/Governor - On my NFL Blog this morning I announced my write-in-candidacy for Governor of NH (any state, really). Do you suppose anyone who reads my football blog will actually vote for me? I may be in for a job change, eh? I mean, how many votes would it take to become Governor of, say... Idaho?

Ted Haggard - I'm not so surprised he (or any Christian) fell. I, like every other believer, know myself to be 'prone to wander' away from God's goodness, as a great old hymn confesses. What has perplexed me about the situation is that Ted allowed himself to become a most visible and leading voice against the very behavior he appears to have been practicing. I imagine that I would be quite content to keep my mouth shut in matters that approached my own sinful struggles... hoping someone would change the topic. What? Me? Who? No comment.

This Blog - I'm wondering if I ought to write something on the whole Ted Haggard story here - a Pastor's perspective perhaps, or if we've heard and seen more than enough.

Sally Long - I just saw her over at the Voting Precinct. Sally serves our community in so many ways. I'm proud to know her. Thanks Sally!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Election 2006, Ted Haggard, Local Hero

Get Out And Vote!

Pastor says 'Rock the Vote!'

Get out and do your part.

Colossians Remixed... LIVE!

Welcome to our virtual small group. The beauty of this thing is that you can show up in your underwear, and no one will know. You can show up right after a supper of chili and garlic cloves and no one will care. Isn’t that great?

We’re reading the book Colossians Remixed together. Follow this link to our forums! There’s info on the book available in the menu there. We are reading a chapter a week and discussing it. You can click ‘Join the Discussion’ and set up a name and password to join us.

We’ll start with just a few ground rules.
1) Please be nice and courteous – because I’m really nice and courteous, and my mom told me to only play with nice people.
2) Please try to stay within the range of topics in the different threads. If you want to start a thread entitled ‘My cat just coughed up a melon sized hair ball’, great! Just don’t share that revelation in the middle of my thread entitled ‘What the heck is a homogeneist?’ Okay?
3) Please read with us. Visit as often and comment as often as you can. Let’s run with this.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a bowl of chili, some garlic, that old ratty bathrobe of yours and let’s consider Colossians Remixed!

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Virtual Small Group, Colossians Remixed

This Ain’t Your Mama’s Small Group!

Greetings Globalized, Post-Modern Pilgrims. It’s almost time to wade into our discussion of Colossians Remixed. Later today we will have the framework in place for a bulletin board designated to our conversation in place. That means that I have a few more hours to bring my technical abilities (still deeply entrenched in pre-modernity) up to speed.

Look for the launch – my comments, a few questions, and the dialogue on the preface and chapter one to begin tonight at 10pm.

In the meantime, you’ve got to love a chapter that repeatedly uses words like homogeneity, don’t you?

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Virtual Small Group, Colossians Remixed, Homogeneity

For Our Weekend Readers

A plethora of images and concepts exist when one tries to define 'the church'. In considering the nature of the church it is helpful to have a foundation upon which to start - a foundation that has been agreed upon by all believers as a starting point. So here it is: The church is 'one, holy, catholic and apostolic' in nature. That was the conclusion of those gathered at early Church Councils at Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon (4th and 5th Centuries) and that has been pretty much unanimously accepted by the church ever since.

I'm going to pull a change out of the hat this weekend. I'll explain the reason for the change during the services. Tonight and tomorrow we're going to consider Ecclesiology - the Study of the Church. If you'd like to read ahead, consider Acts 2:42-47.

Mike has a gentle worship music set including tunes by Aaron Shust, Chris Tomlin and a handful of cherished hymns planned, one that I expect will be a real blessing. Come, planning to commune with the Lord and one another.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Acts 2:42-47, Ecclesiology

Calvinism's TULIP pt. 8

Another go-round on the 'L'.

By way of review, the doctrinal assertion Limited Atonement states that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the elect and that the extent of His atoning work ends there – His blood was not spilled for the sins of those who reject Him.

The other side of the argument would state that Christ’s death upon the cross was designed to include all mankind, whether or not they believe. To those who come to saving faith (belief in Christ as their Savior) the blood of Christ is redemptively applied and to those who do not believe, it is not.

Let me begin this segment of our consideration by pointing out that most of historical Christianity seems to have held this latter view prior to the time it became an issue – around the time of the Reformation. Looking for writings by the ancient church fathers on this topic will leave you disappointed. Augustine alone seems to have sounded a bit of a ‘limited atonement’ chord, but even that is disagreed upon. It is during the 16th century that we first see this debate in Christian history.

Let me further concede that a huge hurdle for those holding to a view of limited atonement is the common understanding of words – the Bible says that Jesus died for all. How many ways can you define ‘all’? For my thinking, you understand ‘all’ to mean ‘all’ unless you have a compelling reason to narrow its definition – to say ‘all the football players’ or ‘all the people who eat pizza’, for instance. (*I use those examples because we will be eating pizza and playing football in heaven as the elect, I have no doubt… in fact Audio Adrenaline wrote a song about it a decade ago!)

Take a look at Isaiah 53:6, 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 2:1-6, 4:10, and Hebrews 2:4. Can you make sense out of narrowing the scope of those statements? Do a quick word search (those of you with nifty Jesus Freak software) on the word ‘world’ in John’s gospel. Do you find even one place where its scope is narrowed to refer to a select group or people?

(Darinism Alert) Here’s my take: People on both sides of the argument are trying to preserve an important distinction.

Calvinists touting Limited Atonement are striving to uphold the assuredness of salvation and God’s particular will in saving (revisit Unconditional Election). Thus, salvation really does become the volitional work of God – there will be none lost for whom He had shed blood, due say, to the church’s ineptitude in communicating the gospel or reaching the ends of the earth.

Those who hold a General Atonement view are also striving to protect what is vitally important – the integrity of the Word of God, when we’re told that Christ died for the sins of mankind, and that the gospel is to be offered to ‘every creature’ on earth.

So, what do you think? How, if at all, does either view affect your heart or effect your manner of following Christ? I’m interested to hear from you.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Calvinism, TULIP, Limited Atonement

Tough But Edifying?

In my CBS study and 'It's In The Book' this week we considered passages in Mark's Gospel that included 7:24-30. I've found that passage both very difficult and very edifying. Why don't you take a glance at it and let me know what you think. I'll chime back in later with my thoughts.

Technorati Tags: Interactive Sermon, Mark 7:24-30, Syrophoenician Woman

Scandal And The Church

You've likely seen the news this morning of the latest scandal to rock Christianity. This morning there is a report that the head of the National Association of Evangelicals and Senior Pastor of a mega-church in Colorado, Ted Haggard, has been paying for trysts with a gay escort. I'm hoping that its all a political smear, as the accuser has ties to gay-marriage initiatives and Haggard and the NAE are leading voices against it. But, the news reports look very grim. Here's the story. Join me in praying for all the folks involved. This is a sad world in many ways.

Technorati Tags: Ted Haggard, National Association of Evangelicals