I was listening to Kay Arthur this week, going through a study in Philippians... she did one session on this verse:
Philippians 3:2
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision....
Paul is refering not to those outside of the church, but actually to "evil workers" within the church! Those who have "crept in" as Jude describes them. Evil workers? In the Church??? You say, "how can this be?" Unfortunately, it is rampant in the church today. There are many. These are people who profess Jesus Christ as Lord, but in their hearts they do not believe. Secretly they introduce destructive heresies into the church and cause others to stumble.
The order of the day is DISCERNMENT, and the only way to be able to discern is to know what the Word of God (the Bible) says for yourself. I'm not advocating that we be suspicious of every person in the church, but we must be aware of the fact that not everyone who professes Christ is truly a brother or sister in the Lord. Our best defense against this covert type of attack is to be armed with TRUTH. (Ephesians 6:10-17)
Here's a link to the lesson in Philippians if you are interested...
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Precept/archives.asp?bcd=6/25/2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Beware the Pragmatists !!! (*UPDATE*)
The Church we are attending here is in between Pastors so we are having different men from without and within preach each Sunday. This week we had an older Preacher from Oklahoma. He began his Sermon by stating that in seminary he was taught how to "Preach people the Bible". He paused, then continued... "Today I am going to preach the Bible to people".
See the difference?
So often today pastors and church staffs focus on moving people through the doors and not the proclaiming of the Gospel resulting in shallow topical Sunday morning series like (and I kid you not) "Desperate Household's" and "Summer Blockbusters: Come see what this Summer's hottest movies can teach you".
As if Jesus needed a boost from Jack Sparrow and Bruce Willis !!!
*more insanity in the world of "topical" churched....
"The Gospel according to The Police" ... http://www.oakhillschurch.net/component/option,com_magazine/Itemid,22/
it's important to note that Sting, the bassist and creative force behind the band is an avid follower of the work of Aleister
Crowley ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleister_Crowley ) But that's no reason to keep a student of the occults band out
of you're teaching series now is it ?
"The Gospel According to Shrek" ...
http://www.mooreschapel.org/pastor/audio_sermons/The-Gospel-According-To-Shrek.html
Nothing like a flatulant green ogre to bring out the Gospel message !!!
"The Gospel according to Spiderman"
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,678640,00.html
"God on Film" (movies, movies, movies)
http://theconnectionchurch.org/gof/show.html
see the promo....
http://theconnectionchurch.org/gof/about.html .....HAVE A BLAST !!!
What if a church titled a new series after an morally bankrupt pop song? Too late, it's already here...
titled... "Bringing Sexy back" http://www.cornerstonechandler.com/
What depths will the Church go to to make people like our Savior... It's looking like a limbo contest!
See the difference?
So often today pastors and church staffs focus on moving people through the doors and not the proclaiming of the Gospel resulting in shallow topical Sunday morning series like (and I kid you not) "Desperate Household's" and "Summer Blockbusters: Come see what this Summer's hottest movies can teach you".
As if Jesus needed a boost from Jack Sparrow and Bruce Willis !!!
*more insanity in the world of "topical" churched....
"The Gospel according to The Police" ... http://www.oakhillschurch.net/component/option,com_magazine/Itemid,22/
it's important to note that Sting, the bassist and creative force behind the band is an avid follower of the work of Aleister
Crowley ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleister_Crowley ) But that's no reason to keep a student of the occults band out
of you're teaching series now is it ?
"The Gospel According to Shrek" ...
http://www.mooreschapel.org/pastor/audio_sermons/The-Gospel-According-To-Shrek.html
Nothing like a flatulant green ogre to bring out the Gospel message !!!
"The Gospel according to Spiderman"
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,678640,00.html
"God on Film" (movies, movies, movies)
http://theconnectionchurch.org/gof/show.html
see the promo....
http://theconnectionchurch.org/gof/about.html .....HAVE A BLAST !!!
What if a church titled a new series after an morally bankrupt pop song? Too late, it's already here...
titled... "Bringing Sexy back" http://www.cornerstonechandler.com/
What depths will the Church go to to make people like our Savior... It's looking like a limbo contest!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
"Simple Church" or another Smoke Screen?
Came across an excellent article by Paul Procter this morning on yet the latest trend in the Church industry. I wonder why Jesus decided to make disciples instead of forming a team of analysts? That Jesus, if only he had a Willow Creek, Saddleback, Granger or a Catalyst conference to attend and shmoozemingle... we'd actually have a wide road instead of this stodgy narrow one.
Paul Proctor
August 8, 2007
NewsWithViews.com
Well, it seems the mad scientists of the church growth movement have once again emerged from the laboratory of the living dead with yet another chia pet project for the jaded masses. The latest concoction they've come up with is something called "Simple Church."
Apparently, after a decade or so of injecting the "body of Christ" with every conceivable church growth hormone known to man, church leaders have determined that, in light of the plummeting numbers, it is now time to go cold turkey and ditch all of that junk we were sold and told we had to have to succeed in the 90s and try something new.
I wonder if any of them are offering refunds on their old books, programs, DVDs and conferences? And, what do we do with all of our Plexiglas podiums, disco balls, food courts and state of the art worship venues we went millions of dollars in debt for? Is Bono still in vogue and do we get to keep those big screens and sound systems for future concerts, videos and games or are they on the chopping block as well? Maybe they could rent them out to finance this new venture.
Is it possible that our debt-heavy economy has finally forced some of today's over-indulgent mega-churches into corporate downsizing for the sake of survival and they're just calling it "Simple Church" in an effort to save face? Or could it be that so many customers, I mean Christians, have been lost to bibles-only home churches that the Southern Baptist Convention had to make its play for that market with a few Simple Church products and services in order to snag the strays and keep them coming to the CGM trough?
Whatever the case, Lifeway Christian Resource's employee communications editor, Kelly Davis Shrout, who evidently prefers to go by the name "Kelly Davis," authored an article last year about a book her boss co-wrote with Eric Geiger on the subject of Simple Church. Lifeway is the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention and Thom S. Rainer is its president and CEO. The June 5th 2006 piece titled, Rainer, Geiger Offer Simple Concept Of Discipleship In New B&H Book, began this way:
Look at Apple's iPod or Google's Web site. Consider Southwest Airlines or Papa John's Pizza. What do these successful companies have in common?
A commitment to simplicity.
Simplicity is in. Complexity is out. So contend Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger in their new book, Simple Church, released June 1 ['06] by B&H Publishing Group.
Funny how ecclesiastical fashions change with the seasons, isn't it? - Swinging to and fro above the brethren like the Sword of Damocles. And what should we make of churches that chase the world here and there like the paparazzi pursuing Paris Hilton to capture and copy every cute, cunning and controversial pose?
Why follow the Living Word of God when corporations we've come to love and trust like Apple, Google, Southwest Airlines and Papa John's Pizza know the way to the Promised Land of Simple Success?
The Lifeway article continued with this:
A new revolution toward simplicity has impacted how individuals respond to information. And the movement toward simplicity also affects how churches minister to their congregations, according to the authors.
Based on thorough research and 400 case studies, Rainer and Geiger provide evidence that church leaders who have designed a simple biblical process to make disciples are effectively advancing the movement of the gospel. "Simple churches are making a big impact," they write.
In light of the corporate templates already cited, one can only imagine what LifeWay's idea of "biblical" might be. Are we to assume that this puff piece Mrs. Shrout put together for her boss's book is about an effort to "make disciples" for Jesus Christ? If so, why then is our Lord never mentioned in the article?
Maybe a better question would be: Whom are they endeavoring to make disciples for? - Because what I'm seeing exalted in her comments again and again is not a Person, but a process. And, frankly, there's so much ambiguity in the piece about that 4-step process, (clarity, movement, alignment and focus) it's hard to make any real sense of it, which is ironic considering the book is about simplifying.
Moreover, when did Jesus ever commission us to design and promote a process that advances "the movement of the gospel?" - and what exactly does that phrase mean anyway?
Were we not called to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ - to simply preach and teach the Word of God - serve one another in love and humility - proclaim the good news by obediently following the Holy Spirit's leading, like the Apostle Paul - sacrificing ourselves even unto death for the cause of Christ regardless of the "impact" or "movement" we may or may not see with our envious eyes?
Mrs. Shrout goes on to write:
Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Geiger, executive pastor of Christ Fellowship in Miami, offer church leaders the ethos behind designing a simple process of discipleship.
"The concept of simple church is not the latest fad or methodology," said Rainer. "It is a philosophy of ministry that causes churches to focus on those ministries that really matter."
Yes, of course - if it were just "the latest fad or methodology," it would be viewed as cheap, temporal and of little or no eternal value, wouldn't it? But instead, Mr. Rainer calls it a "philosophy."
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." - Colossians 2:8
Wouldn't that include the rudiments of the business world?
So, what ever happened to focusing on Jesus Christ and His Word? If our focus is to instead be on "ministries that really matter," just who determines which ministries really matter, LifeWay's president and CEO or his co-author, Eric Geiger, one the "coaches" for hire at simplechurch.org, aka, Ministry Advantage?
If you go to their website you will see some of the same infamous names we've come to know and avoid over the years - like Willow Creek Association's chairman of the board, Bill Hybels and The Leadership Network's own founder and chairman, Bob Buford - both church growth kingpins who, along with others listed, heartily endorse the Simple Church concept and Ministry Advantage.
On the Ministry Advantage website you'll find such unbiblical practices and principals promoted as "personality and behavioral assessments" and how to reach your "maximum redemptive potential," not to mention those eye-catching charts and grafts over in their Rai$ing Re$ource$ section.
It should also be noted that under the subtitle "Origins and Influences," Wikipedia, the Internet encyclopedia, describes Simple Church this way:
Sociologically speaking, simple church could be seen as a subset of Emerging church[8] (although many in the simple church movement would not see themselves as part of emerging church[9]), a phenomenon rising from the conversation between Christianity and the culture and worldview of postmodernism. Many in the emerging church movement would consider simple church to be represented in expressions such as house church and unique gatherings like Church in a pub.
If Simple Church is indeed a subset of the Emerging Church, which many view as an offshoot of the church growth movement, then it only further validates the contention of some that they all come from the same unbiblical origin, and though often appearing to be unrelated, are ultimately heading in the same heretical direction.
Near the end of Mrs. Shrout's LifeWay article, she quotes Eric Geiger as saying:
"This book is not about how we as pastors make our lives easier…it's about designing a process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth so their lives are transformed."
But, what process can men possibly design to replace the work of the Holy Spirit? And just how can a church "transform lives" by imitating Papa John's Pizza? Does the Word of God instruct us to be transformed by the principles and processes of the business world? On the contrary:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:2
Whatever you might think of the Simple Church concept, this Lifeway article by Mrs. Shrout says nothing about preaching Christ crucified or feeding the Lord's sheep, but only promotes another book, program and process designed by men who are focused on Results & Relationships rather than repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
In my opinion, what we have here is not regeneration, but only regurgitation.
"As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." - Proverbs 26:11
Paul Proctor
August 8, 2007
NewsWithViews.com
Well, it seems the mad scientists of the church growth movement have once again emerged from the laboratory of the living dead with yet another chia pet project for the jaded masses. The latest concoction they've come up with is something called "Simple Church."
Apparently, after a decade or so of injecting the "body of Christ" with every conceivable church growth hormone known to man, church leaders have determined that, in light of the plummeting numbers, it is now time to go cold turkey and ditch all of that junk we were sold and told we had to have to succeed in the 90s and try something new.
I wonder if any of them are offering refunds on their old books, programs, DVDs and conferences? And, what do we do with all of our Plexiglas podiums, disco balls, food courts and state of the art worship venues we went millions of dollars in debt for? Is Bono still in vogue and do we get to keep those big screens and sound systems for future concerts, videos and games or are they on the chopping block as well? Maybe they could rent them out to finance this new venture.
Is it possible that our debt-heavy economy has finally forced some of today's over-indulgent mega-churches into corporate downsizing for the sake of survival and they're just calling it "Simple Church" in an effort to save face? Or could it be that so many customers, I mean Christians, have been lost to bibles-only home churches that the Southern Baptist Convention had to make its play for that market with a few Simple Church products and services in order to snag the strays and keep them coming to the CGM trough?
Whatever the case, Lifeway Christian Resource's employee communications editor, Kelly Davis Shrout, who evidently prefers to go by the name "Kelly Davis," authored an article last year about a book her boss co-wrote with Eric Geiger on the subject of Simple Church. Lifeway is the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention and Thom S. Rainer is its president and CEO. The June 5th 2006 piece titled, Rainer, Geiger Offer Simple Concept Of Discipleship In New B&H Book, began this way:
Look at Apple's iPod or Google's Web site. Consider Southwest Airlines or Papa John's Pizza. What do these successful companies have in common?
A commitment to simplicity.
Simplicity is in. Complexity is out. So contend Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger in their new book, Simple Church, released June 1 ['06] by B&H Publishing Group.
Funny how ecclesiastical fashions change with the seasons, isn't it? - Swinging to and fro above the brethren like the Sword of Damocles. And what should we make of churches that chase the world here and there like the paparazzi pursuing Paris Hilton to capture and copy every cute, cunning and controversial pose?
Why follow the Living Word of God when corporations we've come to love and trust like Apple, Google, Southwest Airlines and Papa John's Pizza know the way to the Promised Land of Simple Success?
The Lifeway article continued with this:
A new revolution toward simplicity has impacted how individuals respond to information. And the movement toward simplicity also affects how churches minister to their congregations, according to the authors.
Based on thorough research and 400 case studies, Rainer and Geiger provide evidence that church leaders who have designed a simple biblical process to make disciples are effectively advancing the movement of the gospel. "Simple churches are making a big impact," they write.
In light of the corporate templates already cited, one can only imagine what LifeWay's idea of "biblical" might be. Are we to assume that this puff piece Mrs. Shrout put together for her boss's book is about an effort to "make disciples" for Jesus Christ? If so, why then is our Lord never mentioned in the article?
Maybe a better question would be: Whom are they endeavoring to make disciples for? - Because what I'm seeing exalted in her comments again and again is not a Person, but a process. And, frankly, there's so much ambiguity in the piece about that 4-step process, (clarity, movement, alignment and focus) it's hard to make any real sense of it, which is ironic considering the book is about simplifying.
Moreover, when did Jesus ever commission us to design and promote a process that advances "the movement of the gospel?" - and what exactly does that phrase mean anyway?
Were we not called to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ - to simply preach and teach the Word of God - serve one another in love and humility - proclaim the good news by obediently following the Holy Spirit's leading, like the Apostle Paul - sacrificing ourselves even unto death for the cause of Christ regardless of the "impact" or "movement" we may or may not see with our envious eyes?
Mrs. Shrout goes on to write:
Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Geiger, executive pastor of Christ Fellowship in Miami, offer church leaders the ethos behind designing a simple process of discipleship.
"The concept of simple church is not the latest fad or methodology," said Rainer. "It is a philosophy of ministry that causes churches to focus on those ministries that really matter."
Yes, of course - if it were just "the latest fad or methodology," it would be viewed as cheap, temporal and of little or no eternal value, wouldn't it? But instead, Mr. Rainer calls it a "philosophy."
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." - Colossians 2:8
Wouldn't that include the rudiments of the business world?
So, what ever happened to focusing on Jesus Christ and His Word? If our focus is to instead be on "ministries that really matter," just who determines which ministries really matter, LifeWay's president and CEO or his co-author, Eric Geiger, one the "coaches" for hire at simplechurch.org, aka, Ministry Advantage?
If you go to their website you will see some of the same infamous names we've come to know and avoid over the years - like Willow Creek Association's chairman of the board, Bill Hybels and The Leadership Network's own founder and chairman, Bob Buford - both church growth kingpins who, along with others listed, heartily endorse the Simple Church concept and Ministry Advantage.
On the Ministry Advantage website you'll find such unbiblical practices and principals promoted as "personality and behavioral assessments" and how to reach your "maximum redemptive potential," not to mention those eye-catching charts and grafts over in their Rai$ing Re$ource$ section.
It should also be noted that under the subtitle "Origins and Influences," Wikipedia, the Internet encyclopedia, describes Simple Church this way:
Sociologically speaking, simple church could be seen as a subset of Emerging church[8] (although many in the simple church movement would not see themselves as part of emerging church[9]), a phenomenon rising from the conversation between Christianity and the culture and worldview of postmodernism. Many in the emerging church movement would consider simple church to be represented in expressions such as house church and unique gatherings like Church in a pub.
If Simple Church is indeed a subset of the Emerging Church, which many view as an offshoot of the church growth movement, then it only further validates the contention of some that they all come from the same unbiblical origin, and though often appearing to be unrelated, are ultimately heading in the same heretical direction.
Near the end of Mrs. Shrout's LifeWay article, she quotes Eric Geiger as saying:
"This book is not about how we as pastors make our lives easier…it's about designing a process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth so their lives are transformed."
But, what process can men possibly design to replace the work of the Holy Spirit? And just how can a church "transform lives" by imitating Papa John's Pizza? Does the Word of God instruct us to be transformed by the principles and processes of the business world? On the contrary:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:2
Whatever you might think of the Simple Church concept, this Lifeway article by Mrs. Shrout says nothing about preaching Christ crucified or feeding the Lord's sheep, but only promotes another book, program and process designed by men who are focused on Results & Relationships rather than repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
In my opinion, what we have here is not regeneration, but only regurgitation.
"As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." - Proverbs 26:11
Saturday, August 4, 2007
"Say Hello to my little friend !!!"
This brown Tarantula is apparently the guardian and custodian of our Fruitless Mulberry tree in the front yard. He lives in the PVC pipe that runs down into the root mass for watering. I would say that he is approaching 4 inches in diameter. We will see how long this photo stays up as Amber is not only afraid of spiders but even photos of Spiders.... go figure!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
MacArthur addresses relativism....
Video is strange in the opening moment... you were warned!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAgeQjdqA58&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAgeQjdqA58&mode=related&search=
True Love Warns
(from SliceofLaodicea.com)
"It’s time that we were reminded of love’s desire to warn. Those who reject God’s clear commands in the Scriptures, but who still want to be considered Christians, like to paint vivid images of those who believe the Word as unloving bigots. Let’s expose that dangerous mythology for what it is.
If someone is going off a cliff, the most loving thing in the world is to warn them. Only the callous would call out, “we love you, we really, really love you. It’s okay that you’re going off a cliff if that’s what you think is best!” It’s the one who truly loves who will cry out with the loudest voice, “Watch out! There’s danger ahead. Eternal danger. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy and the false church who don’t care for your soul! Jesus saves. Run to Him and find safety!”
That is our heart’s cry today for every person trapped in the slavery of sin, whatever that sin may be. Why do we call out in love? Because once we were running off that cliff, too, and God’s grace saved us from an eternity in hell."
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save!
***********************************
Jude 1:20-23
20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
"It’s time that we were reminded of love’s desire to warn. Those who reject God’s clear commands in the Scriptures, but who still want to be considered Christians, like to paint vivid images of those who believe the Word as unloving bigots. Let’s expose that dangerous mythology for what it is.
If someone is going off a cliff, the most loving thing in the world is to warn them. Only the callous would call out, “we love you, we really, really love you. It’s okay that you’re going off a cliff if that’s what you think is best!” It’s the one who truly loves who will cry out with the loudest voice, “Watch out! There’s danger ahead. Eternal danger. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy and the false church who don’t care for your soul! Jesus saves. Run to Him and find safety!”
That is our heart’s cry today for every person trapped in the slavery of sin, whatever that sin may be. Why do we call out in love? Because once we were running off that cliff, too, and God’s grace saved us from an eternity in hell."
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save!
***********************************
Jude 1:20-23
20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
Friday, July 27, 2007
"A Renegade's Guide to God"
The International version...
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=406598587a66f02584ac
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=406598587a66f02584ac
BOYCOTT ISRAEL !!! .... er... or maybe not....
Good article by Pat Boone.... yes, THAT Pat Boone.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/7/16/94944.shtml
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/7/16/94944.shtml
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The Gospel of Satan
“The gospel of Satan is not a system of revolutionary principles, nor yet a program of anarchy. It does not promote strife and war, but aims at peace and unity. It seeks not to set the mother against her daughter nor the father against his son, but fosters the fraternal spirit whereby the human race is regarded as one great ‘brotherhood.’ It does not seek to drag down the natural man, but to improve and uplift him. It advocates education and cultivation and appeals to ‘the best that is within us.’ It aims to make this world such a comfortable and congenial habitat that Christ’s absence from it will not be felt and God will not be needed.”
- A.W. Pink
- A.W. Pink
Thursday, July 19, 2007
"Velvet Elvis" - Rob Bell
It's funny how the Church has always seemed to be waiting on "the next big thing" (as opposed to realizing the next big thing is.... oh... I don't know... Christ's eminent return?) As if we had no direction or mandate until we were seeker sensitive, "Purpose Driven", and now "Emerging" (oooooh!!!) Though this specific book has been around for a couple of years now, the author is being considered somewhat of our knight in shining armour, saving Christianity from itself I suppose. The Christian Culture tends to promote the idea of tolerating authors/ preachers/ evangelists error while embracing their truths (Seriously folks, is there any other explanation for Benny Hinn???) The same goes for popular new authors like Bell, Donald Miller and Brian McLaren to name just a few. When are we going to learn to appraise everything we are taught by holding it up to the light of God's final Word and to promptly dismiss false teachers?
The reviewer (from the link below) hits the nail square on the head with his assessment of today's typical Christian leadership (both Modern and Post-Modern)...."The driving question is “what will work?” rather than “what has God said?” Of course these pragmatic church leaders tend to pick things up at the ever more popular annual leadership confrences, and the spotlight moves from "He" to "We" and from "His" to "Our". Mankind and his efforts become deified and God becomes humanized in the modern and progressive chuches. See for yourself and read the symantics at the bottom of the opening page of Pastor Bell's Church's website Mar's Hill . This guy is not alone, all across America as I type church staffs busily huddle around either "works" or their cleverness (or the cleverness of the prototype church in the next state over) instead of a Bible. The popular cart before the horse observation amongst the Emergents is that Christians don't act like Jesus. We don't act like Jesus because we are'nt discipled and we don't "make Disciples".
Here is what I consider a balanced and rather thorough review of Rob Bell's popular book.
The reviewer (from the link below) hits the nail square on the head with his assessment of today's typical Christian leadership (both Modern and Post-Modern)...."The driving question is “what will work?” rather than “what has God said?” Of course these pragmatic church leaders tend to pick things up at the ever more popular annual leadership confrences, and the spotlight moves from "He" to "We" and from "His" to "Our". Mankind and his efforts become deified and God becomes humanized in the modern and progressive chuches. See for yourself and read the symantics at the bottom of the opening page of Pastor Bell's Church's website Mar's Hill . This guy is not alone, all across America as I type church staffs busily huddle around either "works" or their cleverness (or the cleverness of the prototype church in the next state over) instead of a Bible. The popular cart before the horse observation amongst the Emergents is that Christians don't act like Jesus. We don't act like Jesus because we are'nt discipled and we don't "make Disciples".
Here is what I consider a balanced and rather thorough review of Rob Bell's popular book.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Paul Washer "Modern American Christianity"
This has made it's way around the web during the last year or so. "Church", as it tends to function today, has become little more than an exercise in marketing/branding, or worse, in some cases the vine of post-modernism is choking out any breath of objective truth. In any case, we thought it would be appropriate to allow our friends a breath of fresh air.
The Preacher, Paul Washer (HeartCry Missionary Society)
Prepare to be convicted.
audio
video
Don't have time to listen now? To download the MP3 of this or other Paul Washer Sermons follow the link below.
(look for "Modern American Christianity")
Paul Washer Sermons
The Preacher, Paul Washer (HeartCry Missionary Society)
Prepare to be convicted.
audio
video
Don't have time to listen now? To download the MP3 of this or other Paul Washer Sermons follow the link below.
(look for "Modern American Christianity")
Paul Washer Sermons
Monday, July 9, 2007
Sunrise in Texas...
Jud took these pictures of the sunrise yesterday morning... we just had to share them!
Psalm 113:2-4
Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Moving....AGAIN???
Well - just a little bit I guess. We found a house!!! We'll close the end of this month. We are really excited to have found a house that is a great fit for us. We can't wait to move in and at last be settled...and completely unpacked too!
It has been so amazing how God has moved and worked in our lives through this whole process...from both of us getting jobs in the same week, to finding an apartment when there were none available and now to have found a house, when to be honest, they are scarce around here - houses sell really fast once they are put on the market here, so it makes it difficult to get one. We both feel so blessed!
We are still visiting churches and are praying to find a church home soon. We are also in prayer about our ministry as well - we both have a real burden to work with youth in this area. We are living in a time in history and in a culture that doesn't value knowlege of the TRUTH, let alone living by it. It is our hearts to equip young people to know how to study God's Word, so they can know Truth and by that knowledge, they will be able to discern Truth from the error that is so rampant today. Please be in prayer for God's direction in our lives and ministry.
God bless you all and keep in touch with us when you can!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
settlin' down
Today marks the begining of our third week in Borger. For some odd reason it is overcast this morning? The typical day here features AMAZING panoramic skies with seemingly perfect clouds and the deepest blues at the apex. I think we brought the drought in from Nashville, it has'nt rained since we arrived, but prior to us getting here they had been having a sort of monsoon season. Amber is in her second week of work and really enjoying that and I am begining the process of cleaning and purging the closets in the Art Dept at the High School and Middle School. We have started swimming every evening at the Frank Phillips Activities Center. I almost forgot how much I love to swim. The first day in I hopped right in only to emerge to the scowls of the lifeguards. I noticed some bubbles coming to the surface in front of me... then realized they were'nt mine :) I was in a part of the pool that scuba divers were training in. I'm glad I saw the bubbles first before about ten feet away where the "frog man" emerged !!! There would have been a clean up in lane 5 !!!!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Miles & Miles of Texas...
Well Everyone - it's official we are relocating to the Texas Panhandle town of Borger on Tuesday of next week (6/12)! It is pretty crazy how things have just fallen into place for us there. The Lord has clearly opened doors for us and we are so thankful for these exciting, new opportunities. Amber will be starting her new job on June 18th at Frank Phillips College in Borger, TX. She will be serving as assistant to the Dean of Students and as Office Manager for the Student Services Office there. Her job will involve event planning as well, so she is excited about that.
Jud has been offered a teaching position in Stinnett, TX - he will be teaching middle & high school art there. This summer he will spend time working towards his teaching certification through an alternative certification program called iteachTEXAS. He will also spend the summer preparing for the school year, as well as working on his own artwork. The TX Panhandle area is full of great subject matter for his art, so he is excited about the possibilities there.
Although we are thrilled about this new adventure, we are sad to leave our home here in Nashville. We will miss our family and friends here tremendously, but we do hope and pray everyone will stay in touch! I know we will be back to visit often! We'll be updating the blog as often as we can - so feel free to post here or email us at:
afriendofdiscernment@hotmail.com
Keep us in your prayers as we make this cross-country move, and as we begin our new jobs - please also pray that we find a good church home...
Jud has been offered a teaching position in Stinnett, TX - he will be teaching middle & high school art there. This summer he will spend time working towards his teaching certification through an alternative certification program called iteachTEXAS. He will also spend the summer preparing for the school year, as well as working on his own artwork. The TX Panhandle area is full of great subject matter for his art, so he is excited about the possibilities there.
Although we are thrilled about this new adventure, we are sad to leave our home here in Nashville. We will miss our family and friends here tremendously, but we do hope and pray everyone will stay in touch! I know we will be back to visit often! We'll be updating the blog as often as we can - so feel free to post here or email us at:
afriendofdiscernment@hotmail.com
Keep us in your prayers as we make this cross-country move, and as we begin our new jobs - please also pray that we find a good church home...
Friday, May 11, 2007
Moving??
So, it's been a little while since we updated the blog... a lot has been going on.
It has been a rather interesting year for the Eptings...one in which we have experienced a lot of changes and transitions. We now find ourselves anticipating another transition... we will likely be relocating to the Lone Star State of Texas within the next few months.
Jud has applied for an alternative teaching certification program in Texas (iTeachTexas.com) and will be starting that process very soon. He has also applied for numerous art teaching positions in Texas, New Mexico & Colorado. There are a handful of Texas schools in particular that have shown interest. More specifically one in the Texas panhandle area. Although it will be difficult to leave Nashville, we welcome this new adventure.
Keep us in your prayers as we prepare for our move, new jobs, etc. We'll keep everyone posted via the blog as often as we can.
It has been a rather interesting year for the Eptings...one in which we have experienced a lot of changes and transitions. We now find ourselves anticipating another transition... we will likely be relocating to the Lone Star State of Texas within the next few months.
Jud has applied for an alternative teaching certification program in Texas (iTeachTexas.com) and will be starting that process very soon. He has also applied for numerous art teaching positions in Texas, New Mexico & Colorado. There are a handful of Texas schools in particular that have shown interest. More specifically one in the Texas panhandle area. Although it will be difficult to leave Nashville, we welcome this new adventure.
Keep us in your prayers as we prepare for our move, new jobs, etc. We'll keep everyone posted via the blog as often as we can.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Day 10 - A GRAND day, indeed!
Sunrise on the Grand Canyon...absolutely breathtaking...
Amber looking down on the canyon at sunset...
It is difficult to find adequate words to describe the beauty of the Grand Canyon, in fact the photo above probably says it best. We'll post more about our Grand Canyon adventure later, for now, enjoy the photos....
Here's the web address again:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/AlbumMenu.jsp?UAUTOLOGIN_ID=685332115109&view=1&page=&sort_order=&albumsperpage=
(type Amber's email: afriendofdiscernment@hotmail.com, then the password "roadtrippin" to view more pics)
Get Your Kicks on Route 66!!
Day 9 took us from L.A. on historic Route 66 through the Mojave Desert to Arizona....The highlight had to be the stretch of old, OLD Route 66 that picks back up somewheres North of Needles, California to Kingman, Arizona. Amber warns that one must load up on Dramamine before hopping on this portion of road. It was last paved in the early 50's and has more curves than a room full of snakes! Along this stretch we came upon Oatman... apparently the TRUE "Jackass Junction" (apologies to New Mexico Jackass Junction). We also came across a working Gold Mine and an abandoned one that was tempting Jud to explore.
The locals in Oatman are friendly....VERY friendly!!!
Copy and paste the link below to your web browser to view photos from day 9. Type in Amber email: afriendofdiscernment@hotmail.com, then the password "roadtrippin" to check out the pics....
http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?UAUTOLOGIN_ID=685332115109&collid=685332115109.595645025109.1174235710831&page=1&sort_order=0&navfolderid=0&folderid=0&ownerid=0
Day 7 & 8 - Hello to Hollywood!
Jud, Amber & Jeremy at the Hollywood sign....
So, we hadn't planned on going any further west than the Grand Canyon, but Amber received a text message from her friend, Jeremy in L.A. (he had been following our blog), with an invitation to come to sunny California (actually it was kinda smoggy :-) )....we couldn't resist! So we got to spend a couple days catching up with our friend and seeing the sites in L.A. Day 7 we spent at the Reagan Presidential Library - it was wonderful! If you've never been, you should check it out... it is located outside of L.A. in beautiful Simi Valley, California. The view is spectacular and the museum itself is quite amazing too.
Day 8 we visited the Getty Museum in L.A., then headed to Santa Barbara to catch a boat and go whale watching. The boat took us along the coast of Santa Barbara as we followed the migration of the gray whales. We got to see 3 whales, probably would have seen more, but visibility was low out on the water. It was Amber's first time on a boat out in the ocean, so that was a real treat. I think we enjoyed seeing the sea lions the best - they are really cute little guys.
Here's a link to more photos from days 7 & 8. Copy and paste the address into your web browser, enter Amber's email: afriendofdiscernment@hotmail.com, then the password "roadtrippin" - to check out the photos....
http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?UAUTOLOGIN_ID=685332115109&collid=685332115109.953605025109.1174235710832&page=1&sort_order=0&navfolderid=0&folderid=0&ownerid=0
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Link to photos from days 5 & 6
Today we made our way to Arizona - one of the big highlights was Saguaro National Park...click the link below to view more photos of the Sonoran desert...
http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=685332115109.234752115109.1173977920045&page=1&sort_order=0&navfolderid=0&folderid=0&ownerid=0
(We aren't able to get this up and running as an active link, but you can copy and paste into your browser window to view the pictures....enter Amber's email address: afriendofdiscernment@hotmail.com, and the password is "roadtrippin")
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Update....
Since last we visited, either blogspot.com or our ourselves have forgotten how to load images. Our plan is to revisit (in photographs) days 5 & 6, and however many days this problem occurs, at the end of the trip.
On day 5 we wound our way across the Southwest from Deming, NM through Silver City (which was a let down), into the Border town of Douglas, Arizona, the copper mining town of Bisbee, then Tombstone... which is basically a gift shop.... with really bad actors running all over the place calling each other out for gun fights. Each and every "historic" building now sells stuff like, shot glasses, salt water taffy, magnets, hot pink feather boa's ???, and t-shirts that defy any measure of tastefulness. We spent the night at Warren and Tricia Hatcher's on the western side of Tucson after seeing the eastern portion of Saguaro National Park at sunset. What or where is Saguaro you might ask? Saguaro is probably the most stereotypical image of a cactus that will come to your mind when you think of the Southwest. They can grow up to 60 ft tall and commonly live to be over 150 yrs old. They sprout "arms" or branches at around the age of 85. They are exclusively found in a rather narrow band that runs across Arizona's portion of the Sonoran Desert. At dusk we caught some great views of the vast airplane graveyard on the eastern outskirts of Tucson as we headed in to visit the Hatchers. The Hatchers were very gracious to open their beautiful home to us for the night. They are both native Mississippians and thier oldest daughter Melanie is married to my cousin Eric Randle. We really enjoyed our visit.
Alright, this is where our plans changed. Day 6 was to have us heading north towards the Grand Canyon. A text message from an old friend of Ambers from about day 2 has lured us out to visit Los Angeles for two days then looping back to the Grand Canyon. We couldn't leave Tucson without a visit to the western portion of Saguaro National Park and the Desert Museum. We were totally not expecting what happened on our way up to the park yesterday morning... a mountain lion ran across the road in front of our car!!! I talked to a guy later that morning who had live there his whole life without seeing one! This was just the start of what would be an amazing day. First, Saguaro National Park is a MUST see, both the East and West portions. Then the Desert Museum... I would have to rate this up there with places like the Smithsonian, The Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, The Getty (Which we are visiting tommorrow), The Biltmore in Asheville, NC and the Bill Cody Museum of Western Heritage in Cody, Wyoming. The Desert Museum is 90% outdoors taking advantage of a generous strip of land adjacent to Saguaro West. Equal parts Botanical Garden and Zoological park totally concentrated on Sonoran Desert life. This place is AWESOME!
Well, I am typing this from a house our friend Jeremy Daniel shares with a room-mate in or very near to Hollywood. We made it in last night easily. No nightmare traffic... in fact I only had to hit the brakes on the off ramp. The staggering part of L.A. (this is my 3rd visit, Amber's 2nd) isn't so much in a sprawling skyline but the vast area Greater Los Angeles covers... @ 90 miles North to South and just about the same East to West.
Thank GOD I'm a country boy!
Hopefully today we will see the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Santa Barbara. Tommorow "The Getty" is on tap.
More later.
On day 5 we wound our way across the Southwest from Deming, NM through Silver City (which was a let down), into the Border town of Douglas, Arizona, the copper mining town of Bisbee, then Tombstone... which is basically a gift shop.... with really bad actors running all over the place calling each other out for gun fights. Each and every "historic" building now sells stuff like, shot glasses, salt water taffy, magnets, hot pink feather boa's ???, and t-shirts that defy any measure of tastefulness. We spent the night at Warren and Tricia Hatcher's on the western side of Tucson after seeing the eastern portion of Saguaro National Park at sunset. What or where is Saguaro you might ask? Saguaro is probably the most stereotypical image of a cactus that will come to your mind when you think of the Southwest. They can grow up to 60 ft tall and commonly live to be over 150 yrs old. They sprout "arms" or branches at around the age of 85. They are exclusively found in a rather narrow band that runs across Arizona's portion of the Sonoran Desert. At dusk we caught some great views of the vast airplane graveyard on the eastern outskirts of Tucson as we headed in to visit the Hatchers. The Hatchers were very gracious to open their beautiful home to us for the night. They are both native Mississippians and thier oldest daughter Melanie is married to my cousin Eric Randle. We really enjoyed our visit.
Alright, this is where our plans changed. Day 6 was to have us heading north towards the Grand Canyon. A text message from an old friend of Ambers from about day 2 has lured us out to visit Los Angeles for two days then looping back to the Grand Canyon. We couldn't leave Tucson without a visit to the western portion of Saguaro National Park and the Desert Museum. We were totally not expecting what happened on our way up to the park yesterday morning... a mountain lion ran across the road in front of our car!!! I talked to a guy later that morning who had live there his whole life without seeing one! This was just the start of what would be an amazing day. First, Saguaro National Park is a MUST see, both the East and West portions. Then the Desert Museum... I would have to rate this up there with places like the Smithsonian, The Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, The Getty (Which we are visiting tommorrow), The Biltmore in Asheville, NC and the Bill Cody Museum of Western Heritage in Cody, Wyoming. The Desert Museum is 90% outdoors taking advantage of a generous strip of land adjacent to Saguaro West. Equal parts Botanical Garden and Zoological park totally concentrated on Sonoran Desert life. This place is AWESOME!
Well, I am typing this from a house our friend Jeremy Daniel shares with a room-mate in or very near to Hollywood. We made it in last night easily. No nightmare traffic... in fact I only had to hit the brakes on the off ramp. The staggering part of L.A. (this is my 3rd visit, Amber's 2nd) isn't so much in a sprawling skyline but the vast area Greater Los Angeles covers... @ 90 miles North to South and just about the same East to West.
Thank GOD I'm a country boy!
Hopefully today we will see the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Santa Barbara. Tommorow "The Getty" is on tap.
More later.
Monday, March 12, 2007
more Day 4
We had a great visit yesterday with our friend Joni Autrey and her family in Riudoso. We went to First Baptist Church with her family yesterday morning - it was a great service...very encouraging! It is so awesome to know our dear friend is in such a Holy Spirit filled church! At the end of the service one of the members stood up and gave this word from 1 John:
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." - 1 John 3:1-3
The view from Joni's Kitchen.
Us with Joni (Sierra Blanca Peak in the distance)
roadside view between Tularosa and Alamagordo
They must like these birds in the southwest (Alamagordo)
There is truth in Alamagordo!
Our faithful mule.
To describe how vast the White Sands are, you could fit the states of Rhode Island and Delaware within them.
It is in the southwest, particularly White Sands, that we discovered Amber's Native American name....... "Half Moon"
Yes, Amber is happy.
roadside view between Alamagordo and Las Cruces.
Sangre de Christo Mountains (Las Cruces is on the other side)
looking back at the Sangre de Christos from the Las Cruces side.
Joni's parents told us about this restaurant in Las Cruces, La Posta, and it was awesome! The building itself is over 200 years old and is known to have been Billy the Kid, Kit Carson and Pancho Villa's old stomping ground...check it out next time you're in Las Cruces! The enchildadas and salsa are fabulous!
Obligatory Pirahna from La Posta..... this is would be why we didn't order fish.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Day 4
We are in Ruidoso visiting our dear friend Joni Autrey and her family. Ruidosa is incredibly beautiful and Joni's house is amazing with a stunning wrap around view. We peaked out our window before sun rise and the view sent me scrambling for the camera.... forgive the blurry quality... we like to think of it as "atomosphere"
Notice Joni's almost appropriate streetname, these are mule deer.
more pictures later.... we are headed for White Sands National Monument then Las Cruces.
Notice Joni's almost appropriate streetname, these are mule deer.
more pictures later.... we are headed for White Sands National Monument then Las Cruces.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
But Wait... there's more...
Visiting a place like Carlsbad Caverns can be quite a heady experience. The whole hike down I was shaking like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Not because I was cold or afraid of the dark.... no, I was in such awe of this place. The time of reflection and pause would soon come to an end. Our innocence would be shattered ....forever.
For those of you who have been to the caverns.... since the cafeteria in "The Big Room" was remodeled in 1968... you might know how odd the situation is. The decor is "Fred Flintstone meets Battlestar Gallactica," apparently the choices of food used to be much greater... now they feed their captive audience strange little cold sandwiches.....nasty. Then you are seated in a room of the cave with other tourists just as bewildered by the whole experience as you are.
Our story picks up here. We are forcing down these makeshift meals with a wide assortment of people...mostly young families and bikers, save for the table of little old ladies just behind and to the right of Amber. The relative silence of the moment (mind you, the Rangers warn you to talk in a low voice inside the cave) is suddenly broken by a...well...extremely loud belch. For a moment, I thought it must have been one of the bikers...then my eyes caught one of the little old ladies who had a startled look on her face (see exibit A below). This was followed by spontaneous laughter from her two friends...and Amber..............and me.
Exibit A (we caught up to the perpetrator a bit later on the tour...she's the one in sea-foam green)
For those of you who have been to the caverns.... since the cafeteria in "The Big Room" was remodeled in 1968... you might know how odd the situation is. The decor is "Fred Flintstone meets Battlestar Gallactica," apparently the choices of food used to be much greater... now they feed their captive audience strange little cold sandwiches.....nasty. Then you are seated in a room of the cave with other tourists just as bewildered by the whole experience as you are.
Our story picks up here. We are forcing down these makeshift meals with a wide assortment of people...mostly young families and bikers, save for the table of little old ladies just behind and to the right of Amber. The relative silence of the moment (mind you, the Rangers warn you to talk in a low voice inside the cave) is suddenly broken by a...well...extremely loud belch. For a moment, I thought it must have been one of the bikers...then my eyes caught one of the little old ladies who had a startled look on her face (see exibit A below). This was followed by spontaneous laughter from her two friends...and Amber..............and me.
Exibit A (we caught up to the perpetrator a bit later on the tour...she's the one in sea-foam green)
Hey.... There's a NEW Mexico?
This is the beginning of our day in Van Horn, Texas looking North
wait... not until Amber gets her bean. Here we have Amber outside the Blue Quail Coffee Shop with gracious owner Paul Blankenburg. Amber was very pleased with her coffee. Stop in and visit Paul the next time you are in Van Horn!
We spotted one of the locals (a javalina), Jud tried but failed to run this little guy down!
First look at the Guadalupe Mountains...Texas Hwy 54
Closer look at the mountains of Guadalupe National Park...you are looking at El Capitan.
Obligatory....yes...
Overlook from the Welcome Center at Carlsbad Caverns N.P. From the elevation this photo was taken at, you drop down into the cave to nearly the level of the plains below...
This is the beginning of a steep, hour and an a half hike down to the bottom of the cave, also known as "The Big Room"
Going down....
looking back...
"Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings." - Psalm 36:5-7
Unfortunately, we weren't able to get many photos while in the cave...even with the flash, it was just too dark - even so, photos could never do it justice. You'll have to see it for yourself. We were blown away!!
They called this rock formation (above) "Lion's Tail"
Cool neon in Carlsbad....
and "Land of the Sun" in Artesia, NM....
driving into Ruidoso... notice the snow on the peak in the background.
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