Here's a set of recent press articles detailing the reaction to the passage of Proposition 8 in the state of California (which is trying to preserve the definition of marriage as being only between a man and a woman - you know - like God intended).
And it would seem that those asking for tolerance of their "lifestyle" aren't exactly being too tolerant themselves. What do you think?
So Much for Tolerance
The Aftermath of Prop 8
'Mormon Scum': Gay Marriage Backers Focus Anger On Church
Mormon Church In Orangevale Vandalized In Wake Of Prop. 8 Vote
White Powder Sent To Mormon Temples In Utah, LA
Video: Bill O'Reilly Talking Points
Cross-Bearing Elderly Woman Attacked by Gay Marriage Supporters, May Press Charges
UPDATE: Here's some recent commentary from the Christian blogging world:
Undermining Democracy
Retaliation against the other side
November 14, 2008
October 28, 2008
What Is Your Vote Worth?
It's coming down to crunch-time! Some of my friends have already voted and I plan to soon. How about you? Do you know why this election is so important? No, it will not challenge the sovereignty or alter His plans. But He has raised up this government and used the lives of millions to shape our country and give us the privilege to vote. Please don't waste your opportunity.
That's why my post today is to help bring the main issues into focus before you vote. The first article comes out of Massachusetts and it details the changes in that state that have already come to pass due to homosexual influence. And same-sex "marriage" isn't even legal there yet!
PLEASE! Take some time to read this first article to feel what this issue will do if it's allowed to spread like a cancer across our country:
That's why my post today is to help bring the main issues into focus before you vote. The first article comes out of Massachusetts and it details the changes in that state that have already come to pass due to homosexual influence. And same-sex "marriage" isn't even legal there yet!
PLEASE! Take some time to read this first article to feel what this issue will do if it's allowed to spread like a cancer across our country:
What Same-sex "Marriage" Has Done To MassachusettsThis next article is by Randy Alcorn on the abortion issue and how it effects his vote:
It's far worse than most people realize
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/marriage/effects_of_ssm.html
Commentary: I'm Not Voting For A Man, I'm Voting For Generations Of Children And Their Right To LiveAnd here's a video that's being promoted by Focus on the Family for some, odd reason ;-):
by Randy Alcorn, guest columnist
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000008537.cfm
Online Video Calls On Christians To Get To The PollsPray for our country. Pray without ceasing. Pray that God's will would be done and that no matter what the outcome, we will live each and every day to glorify Him and learn to enjoy Him forever.
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000008532.cfm
October 21, 2008
Deeper!
Lydia and I visited a LARGE church near Atlanta this past weekend. It was the First Baptist Church of Woodstock. It's large enough to be called a mega-church but luckily it's lead by a godly man, Pastor Johnny Hunt (who now happens to be the president of the SBC), who keeps his eye on Christ, and preaches the Word and the TRUE Gospel! We were here about two years ago for the Transformed conference and coming back to a familiar venue was almost refreshing in itself.
Take a look at this ginormous building:
This 3-story building is huge and it's just one piece in the overall campus. The area set aside for just the children's playground equipment is larger than most church properties! There are many other buildings which house dozens of classrooms, many conference rooms and chapels, and even gym and other recreational/sport areas.
Gotta love these signs adorning all of the entrance door side panels:
And then you step inside and it practically takes your breath away due to its size. But this is what I love to see the most:
Here are some more inside pics of the rotunda surrounding the main auditorium:
Then stepping inside you are greeted by two floors of chairs that can seat approximately 7000 people and a not so small stage:
Why were we there? For the Deeper Conference, of course!
Anyone who knows me understands the impact that Ray Comfort and The Way of the Master (WOTM) have made upon my Christian walk. Words are simply not enough to express how they have helped me to grow over the years and this conference was the pinnacle of glorifying God and preaching the Gospel! The purpose of this conference was simply to take Christians deeper into their walk; to preach, teach, edify, inspire and encourage.
The speakers at this conference included Ray Comfort (founder of Living Waters, The Way of the Master TV and radio programs, and author of over 60 books and dozens of Gospel tracts), Kirk Cameron (co-founder and lead in the TV program not to mention his awesome work in Fireproof), Todd Friel (host of The Way of the Master Radio [WOTMR] program and "Wretched" TV program), Emeal Zwayne (Ray's son-in-law, pastor and executive vice-president of Living Waters), Paul Washer (missionary, church planter & the closest equivalent to a modern-day Apostle Paul that I know of), Pastor Johnny Hunt, Marshall Foster (president and founder of Mayflower Institute), and Ken Ham (president and founder of Answers in Genesis).
And our worship time Friday night and Saturday morning was led by Scott Krippayne (who my wife forced me to buy three of his albums they were selling there - luckily she doesn't know that he has 8 others or I'll need to hide the credit card).
We arrived for Friday's session around noon at it actually began at 1pm. We did not leave until 10:30pm! And it was awesome! When you have such godly men who are glorifying God with their words, preaching Scripture rightly and lifting up the Gospel, you can't help but be energized, encouraged and challenged. And the time just FLIES by! Saturday we got there just before the doors opened at 8am. The first speaker started at 9 and we left to go home a few minutes before 5:30pm.
Here's what we saw and heard on Friday:
Ray Comfort opened the conference with "Gethsemane - The Missing Link to the Cross." As expected, Ray preached on evangelism. And while many see him as abnormal for continually praying for lost souls, handing out gospel tracts and open-air preaching, Ray says this should be the norm for true Christians. We should have the same compassion for the lost as God did for us. But our pride gets in the way. We are more worried about the reaction of men than disobeying God. And for that, we'll have sinners in Hell who will wonder why the Christian never shared with them the words of eternal life instead of being left to an eternal death. The Great Commission by our Lord and Savior is to go and make disciples. And we can not have someone to disciple until we get them people saved first.
And during the course of his talk, he talked about an experience he had as a pastor when he rushed to a hospital to stop a woman from having an abortion. The child was born and years later, whenever he looks at that beautiful child, Rays makes the emphatic statement that he will never vote for a man who would condone the killing of babies in the womb! Praise God!
Here's a picture of me and Ray just before he went on stage (he still gets a bit nervous and I enjoy leading him through some calming Bible verses):
Emeal Zwayne's talk was "Mind Matters." This was some very convicting preaching as it pointed out our lack of love for God and how, as Christians, we have given up our calling to have an influence on our culture (which very much tied into what Ray just preached). Emeal told how his family has a vision statement which hangs in their living room and reminds them of their daily duty to serve Christ in all that they do. Lydia and I will be doing the same!
Pastor Johnny Hunt is quite the character! Thanks to Way of the Master Radio I've heard plenty of Hunt's sermon snippets. This man knows how to bring the Word! His talk was on the sufficiency of the Bible. Talk about a message many of today's churches need to hear!
Paul Washer talked on the "Essential Truths of the Cross" and "The True Gospel Call." These were our favorites. Pastor Paul is about the most humble, quite and godly man you will probably ever meet. But give him a chance to preach Christ and Him crucified and watch out! Give him a microphone to talk about a godless American culture and you'll see sparks fly! What an incredible blessing it is to hear him preach, and sit under his teaching and even conviction! There's plenty of him to see on GodTube.com. I would strongly suggest talking in all you can of Mr. Washer and what he has to say. And if you get a chance to see/hear his testimony, tell me you can do it without shedding a tear and I'll tell you that you have no heart!
Here's a pic of brother Paul bringin' it:
Kirk Cameron gave one of the longer talks (as well as handling the two teen breakout sessions to teach them practical evangelism skills) on basic apologetics. While it's important to stick to the conscience and Gospel when witnessing, we need to be ready to give a defense of what we believe for those who are truly seeking answers (contrasted against those who have no interest in what we have to say and are just looking to fight and lead us down rabbit trails). A little bit of preparation and memorization will do wonders to help give credibility to your witness and convince people that you know what you're talking about.
The past "Growing Pain" himself:
We finished off the night with great time of worship thanks to Scott Krippayne on the piano!
Saturday's sessions gave us even more great things...
After the welcome message, we got off to a rousing start with a time of worship thanks to Scott Krippayne who led us through some of his songs as well as some very old hymns! Paul Washer was also there to read selected Bible passages.
Todd Friel gave two talks on the supernatural aspect of the Bible. One talk was about Biblical Covenants and the other was about the "scarlet thread" which is woven throughout the Bible. It linked Christ in the Old Testament shadows of His coming to His life and fulfillment of prophecy in the New Testament. Wow!
After his talk, I met up with Todd and gave him some feedback so that he could be even better in his afternoon session:
And after his talk, Todd lead us in a time of communion through the Lord's Supper. What a time to reflect on our walks with Christ, ask for forgiveness and cleansing, and to do so with a body of fellow believers over 2200 strong while going through parts of the Athanasian Creed!
Marshall Foster gave two talks on how God has and is working through history to transform our world, spread the Gospel, and chart the rise and fall of nations. It was amazing to sit back and listen to this knowledgeable man go back through time and, by recounting historical events (most of which have been lost to modern-day history books), show how God has worked people, places and things for His glory, and how we are to be a part of what He is doing now in our nation. While no man can predict future events, it is clear that America is waning and China is rising in both Christianity and world dominance.
Ken Ham gave two great talks that gave us lots to think about. His first session talked about the need for a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-11 and how it forms the foundation for all the rest of what we believe. He showed how departing from Biblical knowledge leaves us with man's folly and why it explains so much that is wrong with our church and culture. His second session was on how the Christian and non-Christian (specifically the scientific community) have access to the same facts but we choose to interpret them VERY differently which leads us to VERY different conclusions. Using a Biblical point of view, the Bible and science can be easily reconciled but the same can't be said for approaching the Bible from man's perspective and limited knowledge.
Lydia and I will be working to arrange a "field trip" for our church to visit the Creation Museum in Kentucky. This is one of those "must sees" for every Christian family!
And finally, Todd, Ray and Kirk worked together in the closing session to plead with everyone in the audience to make something happen after leaving this conference. While such happenings are great for encouraging and inspiring people, they will have ultimately failed if people don't take what they have learned and applied it to their walks in service to Him. Todd begged us to go home and for each of us to start our own ministry. We need to find out what our skills and spiritual gifts are, go to God in pray and ask for wisdom, read our Bibles and seek out counsel from godly and wise people close to us. As the apostle James stated so well, we need to be doers of the Word and not just hearers. Amen!
Most of the talks were recorded on video and we decided to buy this DVD set which was given to us only minutes after the last session concluded. Talk about efficient!
First thing on Monday's Way of the Master Radio program, Todd stated that he was already missing everyone. He made the comment that this type of worship and fellowship was just a small taste of what Heaven will be like. Amen to that!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone at Living Waters, WOTM, etc. and FBCW both in the spotlight and behind the scenes for helping to make this go so well and showering us with so many blessings! Great is your reward in heaven!
So listen up followers of Christ! Deeper is already planning to come back to Woodstock in September 2009. Block off your calendar now and Lydia and I will be sure to let you know when to sign up. You'll be glad you did and likely never be same! Soli Deo Gloria!!!
Take a look at this ginormous building:
This 3-story building is huge and it's just one piece in the overall campus. The area set aside for just the children's playground equipment is larger than most church properties! There are many other buildings which house dozens of classrooms, many conference rooms and chapels, and even gym and other recreational/sport areas.
Gotta love these signs adorning all of the entrance door side panels:
And then you step inside and it practically takes your breath away due to its size. But this is what I love to see the most:
Here are some more inside pics of the rotunda surrounding the main auditorium:
Then stepping inside you are greeted by two floors of chairs that can seat approximately 7000 people and a not so small stage:
Why were we there? For the Deeper Conference, of course!
Anyone who knows me understands the impact that Ray Comfort and The Way of the Master (WOTM) have made upon my Christian walk. Words are simply not enough to express how they have helped me to grow over the years and this conference was the pinnacle of glorifying God and preaching the Gospel! The purpose of this conference was simply to take Christians deeper into their walk; to preach, teach, edify, inspire and encourage.
The speakers at this conference included Ray Comfort (founder of Living Waters, The Way of the Master TV and radio programs, and author of over 60 books and dozens of Gospel tracts), Kirk Cameron (co-founder and lead in the TV program not to mention his awesome work in Fireproof), Todd Friel (host of The Way of the Master Radio [WOTMR] program and "Wretched" TV program), Emeal Zwayne (Ray's son-in-law, pastor and executive vice-president of Living Waters), Paul Washer (missionary, church planter & the closest equivalent to a modern-day Apostle Paul that I know of), Pastor Johnny Hunt, Marshall Foster (president and founder of Mayflower Institute), and Ken Ham (president and founder of Answers in Genesis).
And our worship time Friday night and Saturday morning was led by Scott Krippayne (who my wife forced me to buy three of his albums they were selling there - luckily she doesn't know that he has 8 others or I'll need to hide the credit card).
We arrived for Friday's session around noon at it actually began at 1pm. We did not leave until 10:30pm! And it was awesome! When you have such godly men who are glorifying God with their words, preaching Scripture rightly and lifting up the Gospel, you can't help but be energized, encouraged and challenged. And the time just FLIES by! Saturday we got there just before the doors opened at 8am. The first speaker started at 9 and we left to go home a few minutes before 5:30pm.
Here's what we saw and heard on Friday:
Ray Comfort opened the conference with "Gethsemane - The Missing Link to the Cross." As expected, Ray preached on evangelism. And while many see him as abnormal for continually praying for lost souls, handing out gospel tracts and open-air preaching, Ray says this should be the norm for true Christians. We should have the same compassion for the lost as God did for us. But our pride gets in the way. We are more worried about the reaction of men than disobeying God. And for that, we'll have sinners in Hell who will wonder why the Christian never shared with them the words of eternal life instead of being left to an eternal death. The Great Commission by our Lord and Savior is to go and make disciples. And we can not have someone to disciple until we get them people saved first.
And during the course of his talk, he talked about an experience he had as a pastor when he rushed to a hospital to stop a woman from having an abortion. The child was born and years later, whenever he looks at that beautiful child, Rays makes the emphatic statement that he will never vote for a man who would condone the killing of babies in the womb! Praise God!
Here's a picture of me and Ray just before he went on stage (he still gets a bit nervous and I enjoy leading him through some calming Bible verses):
Emeal Zwayne's talk was "Mind Matters." This was some very convicting preaching as it pointed out our lack of love for God and how, as Christians, we have given up our calling to have an influence on our culture (which very much tied into what Ray just preached). Emeal told how his family has a vision statement which hangs in their living room and reminds them of their daily duty to serve Christ in all that they do. Lydia and I will be doing the same!
Pastor Johnny Hunt is quite the character! Thanks to Way of the Master Radio I've heard plenty of Hunt's sermon snippets. This man knows how to bring the Word! His talk was on the sufficiency of the Bible. Talk about a message many of today's churches need to hear!
Paul Washer talked on the "Essential Truths of the Cross" and "The True Gospel Call." These were our favorites. Pastor Paul is about the most humble, quite and godly man you will probably ever meet. But give him a chance to preach Christ and Him crucified and watch out! Give him a microphone to talk about a godless American culture and you'll see sparks fly! What an incredible blessing it is to hear him preach, and sit under his teaching and even conviction! There's plenty of him to see on GodTube.com. I would strongly suggest talking in all you can of Mr. Washer and what he has to say. And if you get a chance to see/hear his testimony, tell me you can do it without shedding a tear and I'll tell you that you have no heart!
Here's a pic of brother Paul bringin' it:
Kirk Cameron gave one of the longer talks (as well as handling the two teen breakout sessions to teach them practical evangelism skills) on basic apologetics. While it's important to stick to the conscience and Gospel when witnessing, we need to be ready to give a defense of what we believe for those who are truly seeking answers (contrasted against those who have no interest in what we have to say and are just looking to fight and lead us down rabbit trails). A little bit of preparation and memorization will do wonders to help give credibility to your witness and convince people that you know what you're talking about.
The past "Growing Pain" himself:
We finished off the night with great time of worship thanks to Scott Krippayne on the piano!
Saturday's sessions gave us even more great things...
After the welcome message, we got off to a rousing start with a time of worship thanks to Scott Krippayne who led us through some of his songs as well as some very old hymns! Paul Washer was also there to read selected Bible passages.
Todd Friel gave two talks on the supernatural aspect of the Bible. One talk was about Biblical Covenants and the other was about the "scarlet thread" which is woven throughout the Bible. It linked Christ in the Old Testament shadows of His coming to His life and fulfillment of prophecy in the New Testament. Wow!
After his talk, I met up with Todd and gave him some feedback so that he could be even better in his afternoon session:
And after his talk, Todd lead us in a time of communion through the Lord's Supper. What a time to reflect on our walks with Christ, ask for forgiveness and cleansing, and to do so with a body of fellow believers over 2200 strong while going through parts of the Athanasian Creed!
Marshall Foster gave two talks on how God has and is working through history to transform our world, spread the Gospel, and chart the rise and fall of nations. It was amazing to sit back and listen to this knowledgeable man go back through time and, by recounting historical events (most of which have been lost to modern-day history books), show how God has worked people, places and things for His glory, and how we are to be a part of what He is doing now in our nation. While no man can predict future events, it is clear that America is waning and China is rising in both Christianity and world dominance.
Ken Ham gave two great talks that gave us lots to think about. His first session talked about the need for a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-11 and how it forms the foundation for all the rest of what we believe. He showed how departing from Biblical knowledge leaves us with man's folly and why it explains so much that is wrong with our church and culture. His second session was on how the Christian and non-Christian (specifically the scientific community) have access to the same facts but we choose to interpret them VERY differently which leads us to VERY different conclusions. Using a Biblical point of view, the Bible and science can be easily reconciled but the same can't be said for approaching the Bible from man's perspective and limited knowledge.
Lydia and I will be working to arrange a "field trip" for our church to visit the Creation Museum in Kentucky. This is one of those "must sees" for every Christian family!
And finally, Todd, Ray and Kirk worked together in the closing session to plead with everyone in the audience to make something happen after leaving this conference. While such happenings are great for encouraging and inspiring people, they will have ultimately failed if people don't take what they have learned and applied it to their walks in service to Him. Todd begged us to go home and for each of us to start our own ministry. We need to find out what our skills and spiritual gifts are, go to God in pray and ask for wisdom, read our Bibles and seek out counsel from godly and wise people close to us. As the apostle James stated so well, we need to be doers of the Word and not just hearers. Amen!
Most of the talks were recorded on video and we decided to buy this DVD set which was given to us only minutes after the last session concluded. Talk about efficient!
First thing on Monday's Way of the Master Radio program, Todd stated that he was already missing everyone. He made the comment that this type of worship and fellowship was just a small taste of what Heaven will be like. Amen to that!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone at Living Waters, WOTM, etc. and FBCW both in the spotlight and behind the scenes for helping to make this go so well and showering us with so many blessings! Great is your reward in heaven!
So listen up followers of Christ! Deeper is already planning to come back to Woodstock in September 2009. Block off your calendar now and Lydia and I will be sure to let you know when to sign up. You'll be glad you did and likely never be same! Soli Deo Gloria!!!
September 29, 2008
Fireproof Followup
Well, the time finally came Friday night; the night I'd been waiting for since last November when I learned that Alex and Stephen Kendrick, the men behind Flywheel and Facing the Giants, were working on a new movie for Sherwood Pictures (the media outreach ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA where Alex and Stephen are associate pastors). The movie was Fireproof and I was NOT disappointed!
Considering that the budget for Flywheel was $20k and Facing the Giants was $100k, Fireproof upped the ante once again to $500k. And it showed. This film looked and sounded great. It was an all volunteer crew. Even Kirk Cameron, who is worth millions, worked for free because he so believed in this project and wanted to see God and His institution of marriage lifted up. And for the Truth to be told.
The movie was mostly one of anguish in which the two key characters are trying to live their lives and find contentment outside the will of God. But there were also many funny moments just like in the previous Kendrick movies. The key theme is one of marriage and what it takes to make it work successfully and all for the glory of God. As fallen sinful creatures, we all need help in this department since we are incapable of doing it on our own, regardless of what our flesh and society may tell us. And this is the journey that Kirk Cameron's character Caleb Holt must go through. His marriage would have no doubt burned into ashes quickly had it not been for Caleb's parents who got saved a few years back.
They have been praying for their son's marriage but now it's time for them to step into the battle to render aid before it's too late. And what an influence parents have in the lives of their children! It is paramount when they are growing up but it does not stop after they move out on their own. That's exactly what we see; a father who knows the Lord and will do whatever it takes in time, effort and heartfelt talks to get his son to see the Truth.
While I had many favorite scenes in the movie, my favorite favorite ;-) had to be when Caleb was sitting in the campground and his father asks him how Catherine has been reacting to his attempts at reconciliation. As Caleb tells his father how she despises him, hurts him and rejects him effectively spitting in his face, his father has slowly circled around to lean against the cross. He then asks his son if that reminds him of anything. And that's when Caleb comes smack up against his rebellion towards God. He denies that he has been rejecting the God who gave him life but his father disagrees. Dad presses home the point that God loves him and has given him all that he has. But Caleb can't give true love to his wife because he doesn't have it to give. That's where my heart broke because it reminded me and the life I lived before He graciously reached out and saved me from the brink of an eternity without Him.
There's plenty more I could talk about. One issue I had with the film was this above scene and its presentation of the Gospel. The father did lead Caleb though the law and showed him how he stood guilty before God, how it would condemn him to Hell and that no good works would come even close to bribing the Judge to think differently. Caleb needed Christ as we all do. Where the writers dropped the ball, I feel, is that they did not explicitly talk about repentance. The Bible is VERY clear in that REPENTANCE and FAITH are needed for Biblical salvation. Now, in a later scene, Caleb does admit that he has asked God for forgiveness and maybe that will be enough for some to "connect the dots" but I would have preferred that it happened back in the campground scene.
Speaking of connecting the dots, have a read over these two commentaries from the people over at Breakpoint (the web site presence of Chuch Colson's ministries):
On another topic, for those interested in the music from the movie, it is available on iTunes and includes songs from Third Day, Casting Crowns, John Waller and more. There are also several books that might pique your interest:
And here's some of the latest press articles:
I was happy to see the box office numbers for the opening weekend. Fireproof took in $6.5M. Compare that to the opening weekend for Facing the Giants which took in $1.3M and topped off at $10.1M after 15 weeks. Looks like we can expect to see more from Sherwood and the Kendrick brothers. Praise God!
To everyone who has seen this movie, I'd like to hear about what you thought about it so comment away!
Considering that the budget for Flywheel was $20k and Facing the Giants was $100k, Fireproof upped the ante once again to $500k. And it showed. This film looked and sounded great. It was an all volunteer crew. Even Kirk Cameron, who is worth millions, worked for free because he so believed in this project and wanted to see God and His institution of marriage lifted up. And for the Truth to be told.
The movie was mostly one of anguish in which the two key characters are trying to live their lives and find contentment outside the will of God. But there were also many funny moments just like in the previous Kendrick movies. The key theme is one of marriage and what it takes to make it work successfully and all for the glory of God. As fallen sinful creatures, we all need help in this department since we are incapable of doing it on our own, regardless of what our flesh and society may tell us. And this is the journey that Kirk Cameron's character Caleb Holt must go through. His marriage would have no doubt burned into ashes quickly had it not been for Caleb's parents who got saved a few years back.
They have been praying for their son's marriage but now it's time for them to step into the battle to render aid before it's too late. And what an influence parents have in the lives of their children! It is paramount when they are growing up but it does not stop after they move out on their own. That's exactly what we see; a father who knows the Lord and will do whatever it takes in time, effort and heartfelt talks to get his son to see the Truth.
While I had many favorite scenes in the movie, my favorite favorite ;-) had to be when Caleb was sitting in the campground and his father asks him how Catherine has been reacting to his attempts at reconciliation. As Caleb tells his father how she despises him, hurts him and rejects him effectively spitting in his face, his father has slowly circled around to lean against the cross. He then asks his son if that reminds him of anything. And that's when Caleb comes smack up against his rebellion towards God. He denies that he has been rejecting the God who gave him life but his father disagrees. Dad presses home the point that God loves him and has given him all that he has. But Caleb can't give true love to his wife because he doesn't have it to give. That's where my heart broke because it reminded me and the life I lived before He graciously reached out and saved me from the brink of an eternity without Him.
There's plenty more I could talk about. One issue I had with the film was this above scene and its presentation of the Gospel. The father did lead Caleb though the law and showed him how he stood guilty before God, how it would condemn him to Hell and that no good works would come even close to bribing the Judge to think differently. Caleb needed Christ as we all do. Where the writers dropped the ball, I feel, is that they did not explicitly talk about repentance. The Bible is VERY clear in that REPENTANCE and FAITH are needed for Biblical salvation. Now, in a later scene, Caleb does admit that he has asked God for forgiveness and maybe that will be enough for some to "connect the dots" but I would have preferred that it happened back in the campground scene.
Speaking of connecting the dots, have a read over these two commentaries from the people over at Breakpoint (the web site presence of Chuch Colson's ministries):
Making Marriage 'Fireproof' (the paragraph of interest comes near the end)I REALLY can't understand Mark Earley's comment, "And, in my opinion, the movie’s step-by-step presentation of the Gospel was a little over the top." I was flabbergasted when I read a week ago and still am in a state of confusion trying to explain that one. Even worse was that second commentary by Zoe Sandvig which makes about as much sense. Apparently it's impossible to make a good film if you are completely clear about the Gospel. Guess we should just leave that to the Bible and not bother to express it any other way. Pah-leeze.’Fireproof’ Storytelling
On another topic, for those interested in the music from the movie, it is available on iTunes and includes songs from Third Day, Casting Crowns, John Waller and more. There are also several books that might pique your interest:
Fireproof (the novel based on the screenplay; I've read it and it contains more info)Either you or someone you know will likely find the Fireproof My Marriage web site helpful.
The Love Dare (in its 4th printing & ranked 28th on Amazon)
Fireproof Your Marriage Study (DVD)
Fireproof Your Life (I'm looking forward to reading this next)
Preparing For Rain (I'm just about done with this and it's very good)
Still Growing (Kirk Cameron biography, I've read this and it's good as well)
And here's some of the latest press articles:
'Fireproof' Opens, Offering Hope For Troubled MarriagesIn closing, if you haven't seen this movie, go see it! If you have, be sure to tell everyone you know about it to try and convince them to see a wholesome movie that might unbeknownst to them may very well help their marriage or give them the Truth of the Gospel.
'Fireproof' Makes Hollywood Premiere
REVIEW: If You See One Movie This Year....
Director Recounts Making Of 'Fireproof'
I was happy to see the box office numbers for the opening weekend. Fireproof took in $6.5M. Compare that to the opening weekend for Facing the Giants which took in $1.3M and topped off at $10.1M after 15 weeks. Looks like we can expect to see more from Sherwood and the Kendrick brothers. Praise God!
To everyone who has seen this movie, I'd like to hear about what you thought about it so comment away!
September 11, 2008
Waging War
My personal morning devotions are currently taking me through the New Testament and today's chapter of study was 2 Corinthians 10. Bearing in mind the title and purpose of this blog, verses 3 through 5 leapt off the page at me:
Jews in the NT were well accustomed to warfare. From the time they set foot in the Promised Land until the time of Christ, they were intimately familiar with the things of war. The nation of Israel started off by having to fight the pagan armies that surrounded them and later, they had to put up with being the captives of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks and in NT times, the Romans. And while, on the surface, they were battles in the physical realm it was simply a facade for what's been going on between Good and evil since the Fall.
Although those of us in the US know little of real war, we as Christians can not afford to be so naive.There's something much larger than ourselves at stake! Two sides are battling for control even though the final outcome is certain. And it's simply not an option to sit on the sidelines or say that you're neutral (not even the Swiss)! If you're not actively maturing in Christ and growing yourself in Holiness with His help, you are unwittingly playing into the hands of His opponent.
The sad realization is that even though some of us are on God's side, we appear as though we are on Satan's. Most of us live such small lives and dream of such paltry things. Those in the church and those who lead it have lost the vision. We have been sucked up by the culture and grown fat, lazy and dumb. We don't know how to defend our faith. We are too timid to give a reason for the hope that is within us. We spend so little time in the Bible that true wisdom eludes us. And because of this we are ill-equipped to "destroy arguments ... raised against the knowledge of God"
We are told to "take every thought captive to obey Christ" yet how are we to do this when we do not have the knowledge of God's truth to do so? We are bit dim bulbs in the darkness when we should be shining as bright beacons, much like the bright lighthouse that warns sailors lost in storms at sea. We are told to renew our minds and that's done by immersing ourselves in the Scriptures so that we can understand what God's will is for our lives; to make ourselves more holy by conforming our thoughts, words and deeds to the will of Christ.
But instead we are immersing ourselves in the things of the world. Is it any wonder why we and the church are so ineffective in today's world? Consider the time you are in the Word, praying over it, meditating on it. How much of each day? Then consider how much time we spend immersed in the things of the world. It sickens me the more I think about how I spend my time.
Whose side are you on? What will you tell your King when you stand before Him and give an account of your life? Will you stand proudly, knowing you did your best thanks to the grace of God? Or will you stand there in regret knowing for all eternity that you lived most days according to your own will and pleasures rather than in the service of the One who bought you with the ultimate price? Is that how much we love Him?
So the time has come to obey our Lord and Savior. Spend time in Scripture. Read it, meditate on it, pray for guidance in using it and then live it out wherever the Lord takes you. Leave an impact on this world that will be felt throughout all time! As John Piper is fond of pointing out, only what's done for Christ will last. Fellow brothers and sisters, we are on the winning side. We need to go out there and live like it! We need to shine as bright lights to point this dark world toward God so that in and through it all He may have the glory. Soli Deo Gloria!
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ [2Co 10:3-5 ESV]I believe most "Christians" (even those who are truly saved through repentance and faith in Christ) are totally unaware of what's going on around them in the spiritual realm. A war is going on that few of us seem to be aware of. Unfortunately I think we are so caught up in this world (run by you-know-who) and our five senses that it simply fails to register most of the time. And I speak from a long line of experience, trust me!
Jews in the NT were well accustomed to warfare. From the time they set foot in the Promised Land until the time of Christ, they were intimately familiar with the things of war. The nation of Israel started off by having to fight the pagan armies that surrounded them and later, they had to put up with being the captives of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks and in NT times, the Romans. And while, on the surface, they were battles in the physical realm it was simply a facade for what's been going on between Good and evil since the Fall.
Although those of us in the US know little of real war, we as Christians can not afford to be so naive.There's something much larger than ourselves at stake! Two sides are battling for control even though the final outcome is certain. And it's simply not an option to sit on the sidelines or say that you're neutral (not even the Swiss)! If you're not actively maturing in Christ and growing yourself in Holiness with His help, you are unwittingly playing into the hands of His opponent.
The sad realization is that even though some of us are on God's side, we appear as though we are on Satan's. Most of us live such small lives and dream of such paltry things. Those in the church and those who lead it have lost the vision. We have been sucked up by the culture and grown fat, lazy and dumb. We don't know how to defend our faith. We are too timid to give a reason for the hope that is within us. We spend so little time in the Bible that true wisdom eludes us. And because of this we are ill-equipped to "destroy arguments ... raised against the knowledge of God"
We are told to "take every thought captive to obey Christ" yet how are we to do this when we do not have the knowledge of God's truth to do so? We are bit dim bulbs in the darkness when we should be shining as bright beacons, much like the bright lighthouse that warns sailors lost in storms at sea. We are told to renew our minds and that's done by immersing ourselves in the Scriptures so that we can understand what God's will is for our lives; to make ourselves more holy by conforming our thoughts, words and deeds to the will of Christ.
But instead we are immersing ourselves in the things of the world. Is it any wonder why we and the church are so ineffective in today's world? Consider the time you are in the Word, praying over it, meditating on it. How much of each day? Then consider how much time we spend immersed in the things of the world. It sickens me the more I think about how I spend my time.
Whose side are you on? What will you tell your King when you stand before Him and give an account of your life? Will you stand proudly, knowing you did your best thanks to the grace of God? Or will you stand there in regret knowing for all eternity that you lived most days according to your own will and pleasures rather than in the service of the One who bought you with the ultimate price? Is that how much we love Him?
So the time has come to obey our Lord and Savior. Spend time in Scripture. Read it, meditate on it, pray for guidance in using it and then live it out wherever the Lord takes you. Leave an impact on this world that will be felt throughout all time! As John Piper is fond of pointing out, only what's done for Christ will last. Fellow brothers and sisters, we are on the winning side. We need to go out there and live like it! We need to shine as bright lights to point this dark world toward God so that in and through it all He may have the glory. Soli Deo Gloria!
August 12, 2008
How To Care For Your Pastor
The book is pretty small (5x8" footprint) and its 120 pages are broken up into 16 chapters. It was published in 2008 by Evangelical Press (who I am not familiar with). I was quite pleased to see that Kent used the English Standard Version (ESV) when quoting Scripture.
While the book does start off a little slow, it picks up the pace as you read on. I read the book in 4 sittings but read the last 10 chapters in one sitting! While the earlier chapters are pretty much the cut and dried stuff most of us have already read (the pastor is a sinful human being like the rest of us and not some kind of superhero, etc.), the last half of the book is just great at relating the triumphs and struggles of being a pastor. Kent tells many stories about the failings of both he and his congregation and how all of God's people must be willing to learn and forgive. He provides many details of his own life while not going into particulars that might make some uncomfortable.
Chapter one starts off by pulling no punches in proclaiming that the pastor's job is to teach and to preach. And it's the congregation's job to help him get this done. For pastor's who teach Biblical truth, these actions can have repercussions to those who would rather believe their own theology over that of God's Word. Preaching the truth that Christ is the only way of salvation and that the duty of His disciples requires discipline and sacrifice is bound to win you some enemies. And Kent is eager to talk about not only having Satan as an enemy but also those who work with him to oppose the truth. Persecution is a definite possibility for both the pastor and those who support him.
Chapter two is pretty straight forward in trying to convey to the masses that the pastor is just a man and not some kind of perfected saint who is constantly surrounded by angels and an invisible, impenetrable spiritual force field. Chapter three is a good follow-on in that it explains that pastors are a work in progress like the rest of us. He explains how pastors grow emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and theologically. Chapter four follows by explaining how new believers mistake the pastor for a super-Christian and when reality sets in, it can come as quite a shock that they are not the perfect representation of mankind!
Chapter five begins to forge into new ground as Kent relates how pastors, according to God's Word are to receive double honor (1Ti 5:17) and are due respect and support. But after reading the last few chapters, some may be hard pressed to do so but since God is our source of truth, this must be done without thinking and it is not something that must be earned.
Chapter six talks about how pastors of small churches are busy people (since they must usually hold down several positions within the church) but if he is supported by the congregation, he will always have time for those who truly need him. Chapter seven goes along with this theme in stating that the pastor is not the only minister in the church. A mature congregation will understand their need to bear the burdens of church work, using their time, energy and spiritual gifts to make it run as it should. Chapter eight discusses the many roles the pastor must fulfill and this extends beyond the church doors out into the community which is an area few people in the church fully understand for the time and effort it takes.
Chapter nine relates the struggles the pastor will face battling the world, the devil and, unfortunately, even wolves within the congregation itself. Pastors need our prayers, our comforting and our support. Chapter ten reminds us not to forget the pastor's family and all they must endure with having to share their husband and father with the church all while standing in the spotlight themselves. But Kent makes it very clear that God comes first, the pastor's family is second and the church gets third place.
Chapter eleven talks about a difficult subject; seasons of life which leave us "spiritually bankrupt." And pastors are no exception. Many pastors can hide this well but those who are close to him should be able to detect subtle signs and provide help accordingly. What is needed most often is simply understanding, caring, discussion and patience.
Chapters twelve and thirteen delve into the areas of leadership and failure. As Kent puts it, "Failing is not the problem; failing to lead is the problem." The body must give the pastor freedom to lead and, as we have all experienced, failure is sometimes a result but it is not a reason to give up and give in. He also talks about failure in ministry, becoming "burned-out" and
even failure so total that, gulp, the pastor resigns from the ministry.
Chapter fourteen addresses monetary needs of the pastor and his family. While they do not need to live in the lap of luxury, the don't need to live like paupers either. Too many times Kent has seen those who feel the pastor should have to scrape by on bread crusts and, many times, get a second job, a secular one, just to keep his family housed and fed. But the Bible makes it clear that the body is to pay the pastor wages and we are therefor the ones to blame when financial burdens put an undue strain on the pastor and, as a result, his ministry.
Chapter fifteen is unusual in that it addresses the issue of anger. As established in the first few chapters, pastors are people too. They will lose it sometimes and if they do, we are responsible for loving him, forgiving him and reconciling him back into the ministry (obviously depending on how far off the handle he flew! ;-)
Chapter sixteen is a wonderful closing to this book and a counter point to the previous chapter in that he explains the joy of doing his job. He explains why he finds his work so much fun and if it wasn't, he wouldn't have made it through the trials. In a roundabout way, what I think he's trying to say is if the pastor ain't happy, ain't no one happy!
Overall I have to say that I enjoyed this book and the brief glimpse it gave into the life of a man who has filled the role of pastor for many years. Even if it is only a 30,000 foot view, it is a start and more of us in the body would do well to read something like this every now and then to make sure that he who shepherds us is looked after as well.
Kent also wrote a book back in 2000 titled "For Pastors ... Of Small Churches" which is what prompted him to write this book. He has also written a few other titles, a few of which I will want to look into further: "Are You Really Born Again?: Understanding True and False Conversion", "Why I Am A Christian" and "Are You Being Duped?".
I will leave you now by closing with two tidbits contained in the Afterward:
It is not my desire to have churches develop plans to facilitate ministry to pastors, but rather to help individuals within churches understand the nature of the pastoral ministry and then, in whatever means suitable and appropriate, put the caring into practice on an individual basis.
My view has been that a book like this was needed because it is not always evident to many in the congregation that they are to love and care for pastors. I did not want this point to trump or overshadow the mutuality of loving and caring in the Body of Christ.
August 6, 2008
Grace & Mercy
I continue to be amazed on a daily basis by God's grace and mercy. And I pray that this will always be the case. Two news articles, one yesterday and the other today, got me to thinking about this and, unfortunately, how shallow and caught up in my own world I can get at times. How far I have yet to go in being anything even remotely resembling Christ. And there I am once again, thanking God for His grace and mercy in the form of His patience. I have every reason to be gracious and merciful yet rarely am, yet He always is and has no reason to be toward me, the rebel and sinner.
I see so much brokenness, pain, suffering and misery in the world and I know why because I believe in God's Word and His explanation of the fallen nature of mankind and the universe we inhabit. So much I take for granted and then I read another headline, or hear about family or friends who are going through a trial. It is sad that it takes such things, or even drastic events in our own life, to make us appreciate what He has given us out of His loving kindness and grace. I deserve nothing that I have in life. I deserve the death penalty and eternal punishment for sinning against an eternally holy and righteous God.
But thank GOD for the cross! In what is surely the most miraculous event in history, the God of the universe stuffed Himself into a mortal body and lived as one of us. Knowing full well what awaited Him in persecution and suffering, not only from man but from the Father as well, He came anyway and gave up all He had to redeem us. Why would He do that? I don't think I shall ever know or even understand this either now or in eternity. But I do know it is real, I have experienced it and He has changed me for all time. Thank you, Lord Jesus! I shall never be able to thank You enough.
Thank You for my beautiful wife whose patience and love are only second to Your own. Her love for You makes we want to be a better husband, father, friend and servant. Thank You for my precious children who invoke in me feelings and wishes for them I had never thought could be possible. May the day come soon when they will repent and trust in You so that they may know the blessings and assurance that only You can give. Thank You for godly in-laws who have given me great encouragement over the years with their service in Your honor. May they continue to be a beacon of light and hope serving You by serving others.
Thank You for my church home that has, even after a short time, already provided me with an abundance of blessings. May I never hesitate in giving back to them that which I have to give (which, again, is all thanks to You). Thank You for the many brothers and sisters in Christ I have been blessed with throughout the years, who have helped me see You in different ways and stretched me to see more of You and life than my own myopic viewpoints. The list, it seems, could go on forever. One day it will, when we stand before Him in the bliss of His presence and enjoy Him forever.Everything old will truly pass away and this life, the blink of an eye it is, will seem so pale in comparison to His glory in person and the rewards He will bestow upon us.
If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please, take a few minutes to get alone before Him and truly meditate on Him and all He has done for you over the years. Confess all of your sins no matter how new or old, let the blood of Christ cleanse you of all unrighteousness, enjoy the forgiveness that only He can grant and then spend time before Him in thankful prayer. Lift Him up in gracious adoration, thank Him for all that He is, all He has done for You and tell Him how much you look forward to being in His presence one day; even if you are like me and have a hard time of understanding exactly what that will be like. But it WILL be good and glorious because that is all that He is. It is all He has ever been and ever will be.
Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be all glory, honor and praise. Forever and ever.
Chick-fil-A Owner Doesn't Press Charges
(Be truthful, could you be this gracious and merciful?)
Should You Pass On Bad Reports?
(Talk about shining the light of conviction into the depths of your soul!)
I see so much brokenness, pain, suffering and misery in the world and I know why because I believe in God's Word and His explanation of the fallen nature of mankind and the universe we inhabit. So much I take for granted and then I read another headline, or hear about family or friends who are going through a trial. It is sad that it takes such things, or even drastic events in our own life, to make us appreciate what He has given us out of His loving kindness and grace. I deserve nothing that I have in life. I deserve the death penalty and eternal punishment for sinning against an eternally holy and righteous God.
But thank GOD for the cross! In what is surely the most miraculous event in history, the God of the universe stuffed Himself into a mortal body and lived as one of us. Knowing full well what awaited Him in persecution and suffering, not only from man but from the Father as well, He came anyway and gave up all He had to redeem us. Why would He do that? I don't think I shall ever know or even understand this either now or in eternity. But I do know it is real, I have experienced it and He has changed me for all time. Thank you, Lord Jesus! I shall never be able to thank You enough.
Thank You for my beautiful wife whose patience and love are only second to Your own. Her love for You makes we want to be a better husband, father, friend and servant. Thank You for my precious children who invoke in me feelings and wishes for them I had never thought could be possible. May the day come soon when they will repent and trust in You so that they may know the blessings and assurance that only You can give. Thank You for godly in-laws who have given me great encouragement over the years with their service in Your honor. May they continue to be a beacon of light and hope serving You by serving others.
Thank You for my church home that has, even after a short time, already provided me with an abundance of blessings. May I never hesitate in giving back to them that which I have to give (which, again, is all thanks to You). Thank You for the many brothers and sisters in Christ I have been blessed with throughout the years, who have helped me see You in different ways and stretched me to see more of You and life than my own myopic viewpoints. The list, it seems, could go on forever. One day it will, when we stand before Him in the bliss of His presence and enjoy Him forever.Everything old will truly pass away and this life, the blink of an eye it is, will seem so pale in comparison to His glory in person and the rewards He will bestow upon us.
If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please, take a few minutes to get alone before Him and truly meditate on Him and all He has done for you over the years. Confess all of your sins no matter how new or old, let the blood of Christ cleanse you of all unrighteousness, enjoy the forgiveness that only He can grant and then spend time before Him in thankful prayer. Lift Him up in gracious adoration, thank Him for all that He is, all He has done for You and tell Him how much you look forward to being in His presence one day; even if you are like me and have a hard time of understanding exactly what that will be like. But it WILL be good and glorious because that is all that He is. It is all He has ever been and ever will be.
Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be all glory, honor and praise. Forever and ever.
Chick-fil-A Owner Doesn't Press Charges
(Be truthful, could you be this gracious and merciful?)
Should You Pass On Bad Reports?
(Talk about shining the light of conviction into the depths of your soul!)
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