tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22010821139067576912024-03-04T23:30:05.615-05:00Sola MiscellanyScattered Thoughts on Faith, Life, and Other Random StuffD.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.comBlogger428125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-72986267928517585632009-10-01T20:38:00.004-04:002009-10-01T20:45:53.540-04:00The Blog Has MovedAs part of the relaunch effort, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sola Miscellany</span> is going through a bit of a transformation. The blog will now be a part of the <a href="http://www.truebaptist.org">truebaptist.org</a> community - an site started by my good friend <a href="http://corey.truebaptist.org">Corey Reynolds</a> to explore Baptist distinctives and their relation to the overarching cause of Christ. I've changed the title to <span style="font-style: italic;">Already But Not Yet: Living in the Millennial Kingdom, </span>and the new address is <a href="http://djwilliams.truebaptist.org">djwilliams.truebaptist.org</a>. I'll also be a contributor to the main TrueBaptist site and will add some new content to my personal blog along with the distinctive flavor of <span style="font-style: italic;">Sola Miscellany</span>. All the old posts and comments have been loaded into the new site and new updates will no longer post here, so please adjust your RSS feed to the new blog and I hope you'll join me in my new digs!D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-19371598220178867412009-10-01T10:02:00.002-04:002009-10-01T10:10:46.924-04:00Back in the (Blogging) SaddleThe past six weeks have been absolutely spiritually and emotionally exhausting, and as a result <em>Sola Miscellany</em> has all but vanished. I'm very much ready to change that. Blogging has become a means of sanctification over the year-and-a-half since I hit the web, and I need the careful self-examination that writing brings now more than ever.<br /><br />To any of my readers who still check here semi-regularly: you really don't have much to do, do you? Seriously, though, I'm going to be jump-starting things around here, and I hope you'll swing back by. If you've still got me queued up in your RSS reader, then this is your notification that the feed's about to get busy again. I look forward to continuing this means of sanctification, and I pray it contributes in some small way to yours as well. Plus, it's a crapload of fun.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-38801937572414938092009-10-01T09:55:00.004-04:002009-10-01T10:01:25.765-04:00A Chapter Closes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZTx5lI3t-hFttDakcxeI34toicAGcspy6os5YZJE4zfVG88ws4iacq7kchrJzXmFyMWx9n1rQ0C97iDT0rE-HVUsQeuHuP-083IZpQt8MR7zRjppXKYaVxfryUgJ7Ox2ux7sGfzux-A/s1600-h/sola5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387631356091757138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 181px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZTx5lI3t-hFttDakcxeI34toicAGcspy6os5YZJE4zfVG88ws4iacq7kchrJzXmFyMWx9n1rQ0C97iDT0rE-HVUsQeuHuP-083IZpQt8MR7zRjppXKYaVxfryUgJ7Ox2ux7sGfzux-A/s200/sola5.jpg" border="0" /></a>Last night, my four-plus years as Hazelwood’s youth pastor officially came to a close. I led my final night of worship with my Sola5 students, teaching about the immeasurable power, majesty, and glory of Christ from <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=revelation+19%3A11-21">Revelation 19:11-21</a>. As I stood before a great group of students, I was humbled that God would use me to speak his word into their lives. I never imagined that I’d be a youth pastor, and in fact when the Hazelwood job was first brought to my attention by my former pastor I laughed at him. How much has changed since then.<br /><br />So much of what passes as youth ministry in our culture is little more than moralistic babysitting. This pattern always frustrated me, and made me skeptical about youth ministry’s usefulness. We seem to have this conception that teenagers aren’t particularly interested in the Bible, so we have to pretty it up with a ton of bells and whistles. Let me tell you with certainty - <em>that is a lie</em>. My teens not only were able to handle the weight and power of the Scriptures, they hungered for it. They didn’t want any punches pulled. As I taught them, week-by-week, from the Bible, they taught me much about being a follower of Christ. The majority of my students come from families that are not Christian and not connected to the church in any way, yet God has transformed them by the power of the gospel. I’ve watched a young man impact everyone he meets with God’s grace and lead countless people into the faith. I’ve watched a girl who was the group’s “problem child” when I arrived transformed into a passionate, thoughtful, and deep-minded follower of Christ. I’ve watched a group of students who wouldn’t sing to save their lives 3 years ago become a group who belts out 300-year old hymns with amazing passion and excitement. Plainly put, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we get out of the way and let the word do the work.<br /><br />I’m not a “gifted” youth pastor. I don’t relate particularly well to teenagers. I didn’t relate that well to them <em>when I was one</em>, much less now. And yet, God’s power is made perfect through weakness. What did I learn in four years at Hazelwood? The gospel is power. God transforms lives by his word. He’s in the business of using useless individuals like me to do amazing things. Grace is the single most powerful force in the universe, and God has hard-wired us to marvel at his story of redemption and echo it back to him in a million different ways. The power is not in the messenger, but with the message – and because of that reality, I can say with absolute confidence that if God used me in the lives of the teenagers at Sola5, he can use you. He can use you in the life of your spouse, the lives of your kids, the mission of your church, the people in your workplace. As my old professor Jim Orrick used to say, the gospel has the power of a thermonuclear bomb. Our best abilities are the equivalent to strapping a firecracker to the bomb and marveling at what an amazing addition it is to the equation. Get out of the way, let God work through you by his word, and you just might see him do some amazing, eternal things that will change you forever. I know I did.<br /><br />To any of my crew that read this – I love you guys tremendously, and I’m so thankful that God brought you into my life. Press on in the faith, and know that the rider on the white horse has your back.<br /><br />Soli Deo GloriaD.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-23106616618743155622009-09-15T11:00:00.001-04:002009-09-15T11:02:12.481-04:00Not a Crutch But a Stretcher<em><blockquote><em>"Christianity isn’t a crutch for the weak; it’s a stretcher for the dead. The gospel doesn’t claim to help the weak; it claims to make the dead live again. We reject the notion of the crutch of Christianity because we don’t need something to help us walk along; we need something to make us truly alive." - Michael Kelley</em></em></blockquote><br />HT: <a href="http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/">Vitamin Z</a>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-16040910453935661292009-09-15T08:37:00.004-04:002009-09-15T08:42:01.352-04:00Kanye Isn't DoneApparently, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/14/mtv.music.video.awards/index.html">interrupting Taylor Swift's speech</a> at the VMAs wasn't enough for him...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yjTkPpUrYTk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yjTkPpUrYTk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="295"></embed></object>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-52071017798842602392009-09-14T09:29:00.003-04:002009-09-14T09:38:29.768-04:00Deja Vu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipStxl9dc_WeKhLUhW5ckpZrJZZ5_-Rtu1XeyHoFeKkE_78FYB1VJMjXMJZrVP3rvEbkBeoavALUQ3QEhfhJkQ8bNjuxu34y1t_9uDi8KH_4hrO-NCRTIV3Ox34laCL3aRDdStBU_iKt0/s1600-h/carphi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381316972472827362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipStxl9dc_WeKhLUhW5ckpZrJZZ5_-Rtu1XeyHoFeKkE_78FYB1VJMjXMJZrVP3rvEbkBeoavALUQ3QEhfhJkQ8bNjuxu34y1t_9uDi8KH_4hrO-NCRTIV3Ox34laCL3aRDdStBU_iKt0/s400/carphi.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ever since <a href="http://sola5guy.blogspot.com/2009/01/im-famous.html">watching my beloved Panthers get destroyed</a> by Arizona in last year's playoffs, I've been anxiously awaiting their coming redemption in the 2009 season. With week 1 in the books, I'm still waiting.<br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/panthers/story/946182.html">Carolina was destroyed 38-10 by Philadelphia</a> in a game eerily reminiscent of that playoff debacle. Impressive Carolina opening drive and 7-0 lead? Check. Sudden glut of Jake Delhomme turnovers leading to a big deficit? Check. Early second half Jon Beason interception offering glimmer of hope? Check. Immediate turnover after said interception squashing said hope? Check. </div><br /><div>This is two miserable games in a row for Jake, and many of my fellow Panther fans are ready to run him out of town. I've always been a supporter, and to be fair, our O-line was absolutely terrible yesterday, but Delhomme's recent play has me a bit worried. However, nobody's coming to the rescue. Time to turn it around, Panthers - and with upcoming trips to Atlanta and Dallas, time to turn it around fast.</div>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-69613208915439571662009-08-28T11:20:00.004-04:002009-08-28T11:40:18.667-04:00This Changes Everything<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURQrBZw8hlwFPylqC8VhFBefP_AhdPfnN_G8aDUc_lFNWqv_-7Fs1Er2iHUlmBFwG-bj_axyvnXzDDpSe28rTg9YZQAMAPGpu56mjZ_9vPnWPeDBMDy15vG_kbIqv3jyypckz7jcx8OI/s1600-h/FamilyDrivenFaith.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375039670072763186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURQrBZw8hlwFPylqC8VhFBefP_AhdPfnN_G8aDUc_lFNWqv_-7Fs1Er2iHUlmBFwG-bj_axyvnXzDDpSe28rTg9YZQAMAPGpu56mjZ_9vPnWPeDBMDy15vG_kbIqv3jyypckz7jcx8OI/s320/FamilyDrivenFaith.jpg" border="0" /></a>I've long been a fan of pastor/evangelist/apologist <a href="http://www.voddiebaucham.org/">Voddie Baucham</a>. Having heard him preach at several conferences has been a great blessing, and his ability to clearly communicate the truths of the gospel is extraordinary. For many, however, Baucham is a polarizing figure due to his support for family-integrated church ministry. Baucham is a firm believer that the modern church's methodology of breaking down people into age-divided groups (children's ministry, youth ministry) is unhelpful, counter-productive, and without biblical warrant. A couple years ago, I attended a seminar where he explained and argued for the family-integrated approach. My pastor and I came out of the seminar convinced and struck by what he had to say, but wondering how on earth such an approach could be implemented in our modern church culture. I quickly filed it away as a novel but impractical approach and that was that.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Fast forward a couple years. Seeking to find a book that Heather and I could read together as we sought to raise our daughter to know and love God, I picked up Baucham's <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Family-Driven-Faith-Doing-Daughters/dp/1581349297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251473993&sr=8-1">Family Driven Faith</a></em>. I can now say that the book has flipped our world upside down. Over the course of the book, Baucham makes the case that Scripture calls parents to be the primary disciplers of their children (which few Christians would dispute) and looks at how that principle affects life at home and how it should impact the ministry of the local church. As he makes the case that the family is the most fundamental, basic, and vital means of discipleship, the conclusion of the final two chapters comes with striking impact - if that is the case, then our modern way of organizing the church is about the most counter-productive way possible to achieve family unity and discipleship.</div><br /><div></div><div>Hearing an seminar on the idea was one thing, but reading his case fleshed out in the context of the entirety of the Christian life was a game-changer for us. I've spent the past 4 years of my life as a youth pastor, and while I certainly wouldn't say the time was fruitless or wasted, I've begun to seriously reconsider what the most effective way is to reach our communities - both kids and adults - with the gospel message. I don't have the space here to fully flesh out Baucham's case (<a href="http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001758.cfm">this article</a> serves as a decent introduction), but I cannot recommend this book to you strongly enough. It has been the single most impactful book for my marriage, family, and minstry in years. Accept or reject them, Baucham's ideas are things that deserve to be considered and thought through. I'm incredibly glad we did.</div>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-75965765903251042892009-08-25T08:12:00.003-04:002009-08-25T08:30:27.432-04:00A New ChapterWell, after a whirlwind of a month, I figure it's finally time for me to explain my recent absence from the blogosphere. Two weeks ago, I resigned as youth pastor at Hazelwood. It was a tough decision that was prompted by many different factors, but it has been exciting to see the way that God has used those factors to prepare Heather and I for the next step of our journey in ministry. <br /><br />We will be moving to Raleigh, NC to meet up with several friends and explore church planting together over the next couple years. We'll be working with some of the guys who served on the team with me that led Hazelwood during last year's interim period, which is very exciting. Being back closer to home will be a nice thing for us (and even more so for Jordan's grandparents), and the prospect of taking new and difficult steps for the gospel is one that we've felt drawn to for a while now. <br /><br />Leaving Hazelwood, and the many friends we've made over the last 8 years in Louisville, will be hard. Announcing my resignation to the church was about the toughest thing I've ever done. However, we're confident in God's leading and hopeful about this new chapter in our lives. A line from an old Caedmon's Call song about God's sovereign direction has been ringing in my mind these past weeks - "But if I must go, things, I trust, will be better off without me." God has a plan for Hazelwood and for us, and though we're taking seperate paths, we're still united in our task to take the gospel to all people. Please be in prayer for us as we prepare for our move and follow the Lord's leading into the future.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-65145421668815719412009-08-10T11:32:00.002-04:002009-08-10T11:35:53.381-04:00The Church as One-Trick Pony<em><blockquote><em>"Some of you are always looking for a new trick, a new tactic, a new angle - [it's about] Jesus! We are a band with one song, and we just play it 'till we see him!" - Mark Driscoll</em><br /></blockquote></em>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-18605788666134246632009-08-04T08:56:00.002-04:002009-08-04T09:01:00.562-04:00An UpdateWell, if you're a regular reader of my blog (and I'd really like to thank both of you for your support), you've probably noticed that my posting volume has dipped a bit of late. The past few weeks have been pretty crazy in my life, and God has really been challenging and growing me in several different areas. Time and mental energy have been at a premium lately, and the ol' blog has been an area that's taken a backseat. I'm still here, I still love writing, and I hope to return things to normal around here soon. I would ask you all for prayer for wisdom and boldness in my ministry - I'm contemplating some big ideas right now, and I pray that they serve to magnify the glory of God!D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-38320181857843952952009-08-04T08:51:00.003-04:002009-08-04T08:56:33.078-04:00Jill and Kevin's Divorce Court EntranceBy now, many of you have doubtlessly seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&feature=PlayList&p=37CBBC6D82B4E28A&index=0&playnext=1">this video</a> making the rounds around the web of a rather unique wedding procession. Sadly, the stats say that it's likely that story will eventually wind up ending like this...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zbr2ao86ww0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zbr2ao86ww0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br />This video cracked me up, but it also served to remind me just how important marriage is and just how tragic our culture's conception of it has become. Worth thinking about.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-1288502159295468702009-07-30T09:57:00.003-04:002009-07-30T09:59:00.090-04:00Mark Driscoll on the GospelThis will get your blood pumping...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lFTX80TpZ_4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lFTX80TpZ_4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />HT: <a href="http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/">Vitamin Z</a>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-464119298154277602009-07-28T11:33:00.004-04:002009-07-28T11:37:38.067-04:00Home Sweet ERWell, we made it back from a great week in Canada, and I even got to bring home a nasty ankle sprain as a souvenir. I rolled over on it while playing basketball with the kids at camp Friday, got it x-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">rayed</span> Sunday after arriving back in the US, and now I'm on crutches for a week or two. God was incredibly good to us while we were there - it was a bonding time for our group, a great time of bonding with the people of Pickering, and a fantastic experience of involvement in the lives of some great kids. It's nice to be back home to my own little one now, but I do miss my friends up north. People of the Sanctuary, thanks again for your great hospitality (and doubly so for putting up with my gimpy self the last day), your love for Christ, his church, and the world. Hope to see you all soon! God bless!D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-3247810933626361072009-07-22T17:03:00.003-04:002009-07-22T17:08:22.589-04:00Over the HumpdayWe're now officially more than halfway through our week of Ignition Sports Camp, and we're all feeling it. Those kids have run us in circles, and today was the toughest day yet. Tomorrow, rain threatens to cancel our day, but we've been told that either way Wednesday is always the toughest day for the kids and staff - Thursday and Friday see a change in the routine, which keeps the kids more engaged - and as a result, the staff more sane. Thankfully, temperatures have hovered around 70 with a nice breeze, so though we're sunburnt, we're not ready to fall over from heatstroke. We're back at the hotel relaxing and cleaning up now and preparing to head to dinner with some more soon-to-be-new-friends from the Sanctuary! Should be fun!D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-47945183232893172392009-07-20T23:01:00.003-04:002009-07-20T23:05:50.033-04:00Ready For IgnitionToday, we had our first day of <a href="http://thesanctuarypickering.ca/tsp/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=9">Ignition Sports Camp</a> with the kids of Pickering. It was exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time. After a great dinner and time hanging out at the Collisions' (including a screening of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HON3zpE8EXU&feature=channel_page">Hazel Wars</a>!), I'm back at the hotel and ready to crash for the night. So, I'll talk to you all tomorrow, and I'm really hoping this sore throat I've come down with tonight doesn't decide to stick around.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-37653331685464882422009-07-19T23:58:00.004-04:002009-07-20T00:08:44.755-04:00Don't Look DownEver wondered what it would be like to stand on a glass floor 1,300 feet in the air? It's kinda like this...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kfNQDwzxudvCqC-i9q8Ir1ASUi67-GiZ4ys06BufGebZrBiiv8AK5K_xtHrB-v5vGodNwmNpPwT6gyLWiBUhYi2QlXlX_y5mO9Sxte_Ycq8_J6fcS_Aad0bBILTxnNyBLlolW3hparM/s1600-h/P1010920.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kfNQDwzxudvCqC-i9q8Ir1ASUi67-GiZ4ys06BufGebZrBiiv8AK5K_xtHrB-v5vGodNwmNpPwT6gyLWiBUhYi2QlXlX_y5mO9Sxte_Ycq8_J6fcS_Aad0bBILTxnNyBLlolW3hparM/s400/P1010920.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360388234678325970" border="0" /></a>Heather snapped that picture this afternoon while we were up the <a href="http://www.cntower.com/">CN Tower</a>, the second-tallest freestanding structure in the world. Quite a view. It was a great day - we spent the morning worshiping with the people of The Sanctuary Pickering, and then spent the rest of the day in downtown Toronto taking in the sights. Tomorrow, the real fun begins as we have our first day of sports camp with the kids. It's going to be a great week!D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-71361773091114421292009-07-18T23:35:00.003-04:002009-07-18T23:40:59.324-04:00North of the Border<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhyphenhyphenNSJ93FsHvThyphenhyphen_PkooQcwA0q-TIDWb-Vbt0_ze5NQLPdj3prdD_QOHbbZey8GU4uU7y_CAR8rSwpS_frw5ZIXoUzm9CjJ3nLHwWPZw5_a3xCMLGmHobO7bVZsXlw028wb8r2e-Ul6k/s1600-h/Toronto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhyphenhyphenNSJ93FsHvThyphenhyphen_PkooQcwA0q-TIDWb-Vbt0_ze5NQLPdj3prdD_QOHbbZey8GU4uU7y_CAR8rSwpS_frw5ZIXoUzm9CjJ3nLHwWPZw5_a3xCMLGmHobO7bVZsXlw028wb8r2e-Ul6k/s400/Toronto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360011122214945586" border="0" /></a>Well, after a 10-hour drive, me, Heather, and the rest of the Canada mission team from <a href="http://www.hazelwoodchurch.net/">Hazelwood</a> have arrived in Toronto. It's nice to be here and settled into our hotel room, and we're looking forward to a great week helping our friends at <a href="http://www.thesanctuarypickering.ca/">The Sanctuary Pickering</a> with their summer sports camps for the kids of the community. It'll be nice to lend a helping hand and hopefully learn a few things about how we can reach our own community back home. First order of business, though? Sleep.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-69195962688900596742009-07-17T08:21:00.003-04:002009-07-17T08:25:17.864-04:00GoldenEye 64 - Live ActionIf you're like me, and your high school memories are saturated with staying up all night with three friends playing <em>GoldenEye 007</em> for the Nintendo 64, then I'm fairly confident this live-action rendition of the game will completely crack you up.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tyBSU60ZOqk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tyBSU60ZOqk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-80247175463168977272009-07-16T10:36:00.001-04:002009-07-16T10:39:19.843-04:00Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 7/15/09<em>This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.</em><br /><br />This Saturday, Heather, myself, and six others from Hazelwood will be leaving for Pickering, Ontario to assist our sister church plant, <a href="http://www.thesanctuarypickering.ca/">The Sanctuary Pickering</a>, with their summer kids’ sports camp. With missions on our brains, we talked last night about what I hope to be our new focus in the new school year – living missionally in our own lives and community. With a name like Sola5, we’ve put a lot of emphasis on reformation over the past three years, both the importance of the historical reformation and the need for constant personal reformation to bring ourselves more in line with the truth of God’s word. However, in the coming year, our goal at Sola5 is to turn our reformation into reformission – taking what we’ve learned and making an impact on those around us who need the gospel.<br /><br />As an introduction to that task, we looked at <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=acts+1%3A1-11">Acts 1:1-11</a> last night, studying Jesus’ final words and actions before his ascension. As we thought about our task, we thought of our missional mentality like a journey so that we could look at the factors that will get us from where we are to where we want to be as individual. What’s the engine that drives us in our pursuit? It’s the gospel. In verses 1-3, notice how Jesus spends his time with the disciples after his resurrection – demonstrating to them that he is alive by various proofs and speaking to them about the kingdom of God. He’s giving them their message, showing and telling them about what his purpose was in coming into the world. Before they could go and fulfill the task he laid before them, they needed to understand what he had come to do. The same is true for us – before you can make an impact on those around you, you must first understand how the gospel bears on your life. It must become your driving force.<br /><br />If the gospel is the engine for our reformission journey, the church is the vehicle that it drives. The disciples are still, after all Jesus has done, confused about the kingdom he’s come to build. They ask if its finally time to toss out the Romans, and Jesus brushes their inquiry aside. His kingdom, after all, is not of this world. He has called us out of the world to live as his body, empowered by his spirit – and that’s an identity we keep when we scatter throughout the week as well as when we’re together on Sundays. This brings us to our third factor – how do we communicate the gospel to those around us? Our culture is our avenue, it’s the road we’re traveling down. Jesus told the disciples they would be his witnesses. That word most likely calls to your mind a courtroom scenario. What does a trial witness do? He relates what he knows, what he has seen, heard and experienced, to the others in the court. That is our task as followers of Christ, and we relate to those around us through our shared culture. We’re all aware of our culture. If I were to ask you about your friends’ favorite songs, books, movies, causes, biggest pet peeves, etc., you could likely rattle off an extensive list. But when was the last time you thought about <em>why</em> your friends love or hate the things they do. What is it about reading <em>Twilight</em> or watching <em>Lost</em> or listening to Coldplay that triggers something inside them. What is it saying? What deep-seated emotions and beliefs to these things stir? If we can answer those questions, then we’ll begin to see crystal-clear ways to inject Christ into people’s lives. Get to know those around you, and you’ll have deeper opportunities for ministry into their lives.<br /><br />In conclusion, though, where is this all going? What’s our destination? In verses 9-11, we see that it is eternal life with Christ. The last word that the disciples hear from the angels is that Jesus is returning just as he left. Their expectation and hope in Christ’s return is what drove them into the future. Can we say the same thing? I know that in my life, all too often I can’t. I become so weighed down with this world that I lose sight of my ultimate goal and destiny – to be with Christ. People around us need to see the reflection of our destination gleaming in our eyes if they’re going to have any desire to go with us. We need to grasp with more depth and vitality the glory of Christ and the amazing promise that we will one day stand in his presence and experience the purpose for which we were made by basking in that glory for all eternity. When we do, we’ll find that we’ll have an unshakable desire to live as reformissionaries in a lost and dying world.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-17390558336704471892009-07-14T11:14:00.004-04:002009-07-14T11:19:53.158-04:00It's a Small World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFxhUMDvsjB_ZmHxT1f1GBq4MC02T6zE_HhGZ9bqM5eKoS3E6bpgpXNGMsf7W01vr3Qoc8oXEJHaF12JK-NY-qPXMcJMht2hyphenhyphenntG6HnDXKwGgHgdDuURTwk9a1P6Eh47V7N5fijp4694/s1600-h/Shannonlost.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358334923460496818" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 127px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFxhUMDvsjB_ZmHxT1f1GBq4MC02T6zE_HhGZ9bqM5eKoS3E6bpgpXNGMsf7W01vr3Qoc8oXEJHaF12JK-NY-qPXMcJMht2hyphenhyphenntG6HnDXKwGgHgdDuURTwk9a1P6Eh47V7N5fijp4694/s320/Shannonlost.png" border="0" /></a>I just learned yesterday that I went to elementary school with actress Maggie Grace of <em>Lost</em> fame. Crazy, huh? Heather and I just started watching season 4 of <em>Lost</em>, and I was looking up info on the cast to see what other films and shows they'd been in. When I got to her bio, I found we both attended Worthington Christian School in Worthington, Ohio, and she was a grade behind me. Small world.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-24470238266672121562009-07-13T08:27:00.003-04:002009-07-13T08:31:10.047-04:00Can't Wait For This GameThe best storytelling in videogames today (and better storytelling than many movies) continues next year with the arrival of <em>Mass Effect 2</em>. As a <a href="http://sola5guy.blogspot.com/2008/09/next-level-of-video-game-storytelling.html">big fan of the first</a>, I'm eagerly counting down.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lCpK2XnIaeI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lCpK2XnIaeI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="295"></embed></object>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-179324055918843732009-07-13T07:50:00.001-04:002009-07-13T07:52:31.554-04:00Pray For Iraqi Christians<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/13/iraq.church.bombings/index.html">CNN reports</a> that seven churches have been bombed in Iraq in the last three days. Pray for your brothers and sisters there to have perseverance in the face of persecution.D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-87080145651213185272009-07-10T09:53:00.003-04:002009-07-10T09:59:23.374-04:00An Awesome Four Years<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRHlYwIJUCEaKph2CqhTKaLDkVcQFGmkVG8yL40py5Gj2l9UhWqqzOPsxHQx0Um1TQJ0_qkndZSStFAPk7sRWWfOh0VY4WU5S1WpsT8saW-fSAOfFdl3AwRVQhxwqdjbm5qskuczuq0M/s1600-h/Jordan+1st+Birthday+016.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356829702710815042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRHlYwIJUCEaKph2CqhTKaLDkVcQFGmkVG8yL40py5Gj2l9UhWqqzOPsxHQx0Um1TQJ0_qkndZSStFAPk7sRWWfOh0VY4WU5S1WpsT8saW-fSAOfFdl3AwRVQhxwqdjbm5qskuczuq0M/s400/Jordan+1st+Birthday+016.JPG" border="0" /></a>Yesterday, Heather and I celebrated four years of marriage. What an amazing thing it is to think about the blessing that God has given me in her. Guys, whether it's your anniversary or not, take time today to reflect on God's incredible grace as experienced through your wife. I love you, baby!D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-49552917905777730672009-07-08T12:14:00.001-04:002009-07-08T12:16:26.607-04:00Gladness and the Risen Christ<em><blockquote><p><em>"The Lord Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father. That should affect things down here...</em></p><p><em>When unbelievers get together to drink, or dance, or whatever, they do it to forget how miserable they are. But biblical Christians have a need to overflow, and should sing and dance and drink because they are full. When we look at the secularists who are the supposed experts in celebration, all we can see is that glazed eye druggie look, clothes that hang on the body, and hair every which way. Everybody looks like they are just back from an unsuccessful exorcism. These are the people who are leading the way in gladness? "No, thank you," we should say -- but only if we then know what to do.</em></p><p><em>The answer, as with so much else, begins with getting our theology straight. Christ was crucified under Pilate, buried, raised by His Father, and ascended into heaven. And that, as they say, makes all the difference." - Douglas Wilson</em></p></blockquote></em>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201082113906757691.post-11057514126606153022009-07-08T11:17:00.002-04:002009-07-08T11:19:46.824-04:00Mariah Carey Is a CalvinistDon't believe me? See for yourself. This cracked me up.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/imuTROz5Pow&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/imuTROz5Pow&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>D.J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261952245281286440noreply@blogger.com0