Sola Miscellany

The Blog Has Moved

2009-10-01T20:38:00.004-04:00

As part of the relaunch effort, Sola Miscellany is going through a bit of a transformation. The blog will now be a part of the truebaptist.org community - an site started by my good friend Corey Reynolds to explore Baptist distinctives and their relation to the overarching cause of Christ. I've changed the title to Already But Not Yet: Living in the Millennial Kingdom, and the new address is djwilliams.truebaptist.org. 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 Sola Miscellany. 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!

Back in the (Blogging) Saddle

2009-10-01T10:02:00.002-04:00

The past six weeks have been absolutely spiritually and emotionally exhausting, and as a result Sola Miscellany 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.

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.

A Chapter Closes

2009-10-01T09:55:00.004-04:00

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 Revelation 19:11-21. 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.

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 - that is a lie. 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.

I’m not a “gifted” youth pastor. I don’t relate particularly well to teenagers. I didn’t relate that well to them when I was one, 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.

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.

Soli Deo Gloria

Not a Crutch But a Stretcher

2009-09-15T11:00:00.001-04:00

"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

HT: Vitamin Z

Kanye Isn't Done

2009-09-15T08:37:00.004-04:00

Apparently, interrupting Taylor Swift's speech at the VMAs wasn't enough for him...

Deja Vu

2009-09-14T09:29:00.003-04:00

Ever since watching my beloved Panthers get destroyed 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.

Carolina was destroyed 38-10 by Philadelphia 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.

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.

This Changes Everything

2009-08-28T11:20:00.004-04:00

I've long been a fan of pastor/evangelist/apologist Voddie Baucham. 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.

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 Family Driven Faith. 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.

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 (this article 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.

A New Chapter

2009-08-25T08:12:00.003-04:00

Well, 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.

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.

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.

The Church as One-Trick Pony

2009-08-10T11:32:00.002-04:00

"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

An Update

2009-08-04T08:56:00.002-04:00

Well, 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!

Jill and Kevin's Divorce Court Entrance

2009-08-04T08:51:00.003-04:00

By now, many of you have doubtlessly seen this video 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...

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.

Mark Driscoll on the Gospel

2009-07-30T09:57:00.003-04:00

This will get your blood pumping...

HT: Vitamin Z

Home Sweet ER

2009-07-28T11:33:00.004-04:00

Well, 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-rayed 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!

Over the Humpday

2009-07-22T17:03:00.003-04:00

We'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!

Ready For Ignition

2009-07-20T23:01:00.003-04:00

Today, we had our first day of Ignition Sports Camp 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 Hazel Wars!), 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.

Don't Look Down

2009-07-19T23:58:00.004-04:00

Ever wondered what it would be like to stand on a glass floor 1,300 feet in the air? It's kinda like this...

Heather snapped that picture this afternoon while we were up the CN Tower, 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!

North of the Border

2009-07-18T23:35:00.003-04:00

Well, after a 10-hour drive, me, Heather, and the rest of the Canada mission team from Hazelwood 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 The Sanctuary Pickering 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.

GoldenEye 64 - Live Action

2009-07-17T08:21:00.003-04:00

If you're like me, and your high school memories are saturated with staying up all night with three friends playing GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64, then I'm fairly confident this live-action rendition of the game will completely crack you up.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 7/15/09

2009-07-16T10:36:00.001-04:00

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.

This Saturday, Heather, myself, and six others from Hazelwood will be leaving for Pickering, Ontario to assist our sister church plant, The Sanctuary Pickering, 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.

As an introduction to that task, we looked at Acts 1:1-11 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.

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 why your friends love or hate the things they do. What is it about reading Twilight or watching Lost 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.

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.

It's a Small World

2009-07-14T11:14:00.004-04:00

I just learned yesterday that I went to elementary school with actress Maggie Grace of Lost fame. Crazy, huh? Heather and I just started watching season 4 of Lost, 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.

Can't Wait For This Game

2009-07-13T08:27:00.003-04:00

The best storytelling in videogames today (and better storytelling than many movies) continues next year with the arrival of Mass Effect 2. As a big fan of the first, I'm eagerly counting down.

Pray For Iraqi Christians

2009-07-13T07:50:00.001-04:00

CNN reports 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.

An Awesome Four Years

2009-07-10T09:53:00.003-04:00

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!

Gladness and the Risen Christ

2009-07-08T12:14:00.001-04:00

"The Lord Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father. That should affect things down here...
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.
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

Mariah Carey Is a Calvinist

2009-07-08T11:17:00.002-04:00

Don't believe me? See for yourself. This cracked me up.

Has Derek Webb Gone Too Far?

2009-07-07T14:46:00.004-04:00

A couple months ago, I blogged that the recent hubbub about his latest album had me concerned that might be the case. Now that the pre-release of the album is out, I can certainly understand why the label was up in arms. Offensive language to make a convicting point isn't something new for Webb ("Wedding Dress," anyone?), but after listening to "What Matters More," the song in question from his new album, Stockholm Syndrome, I think this is certainly the furthest he's pushed the envelope yet. Have a listen yourself and give me your opinion - needlessly crass or powerfully provocative? Warning - the song does indeed contain profanity.

I want to think about this one for a while before I give my judgment.

Simply Amazing

2009-07-07T09:47:00.004-04:00

I have never seen anything like this before. You simply have to see these shots to believe them. And yes, it's real.

HT: Vitamin Z

I Boldly Went Where I'd Never Gone Before, And I Liked It

2009-07-06T13:53:00.006-04:00

Yes, geeks everywhere can go ahead and pick their jaws up off of the floor. Until last weekend, I had never in my life seen one bit of Star Trek. Not one of the movies. Not one episode of any of the TV shows. Sure, I had a pop-culture awareness of who Kirk, Spock, and the rest were, but that was about it. I've made my own trilogy of Star Wars spoofs, I could quote you every line from The Lord of the Rings, and the largest section on my bookshelf after theology books is my collection of Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks. My Star Trek naivete really is the one black mark on my geek resume. I took the first step to remedying that when a couple from church, Heather and I went to see J.J. Abram's Trek reboot after hearing a ton of positive buzz - and I can say that the buzz is quite well-deserved.

The movie follows the crew of the Enterprise as they're all young bucks just out of the Starfleet academy. The movie's villain, rogue Romulan captain Nero (Eric Bana), has traveled back through time to avenge the future destruction of his homeworld, for which he blames Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy in his aged version). The enterprise crew, including a feuding brash, rebellious Kirk (Chris Pine) and the calm, meticulous Spock (Zachary Quinto), must stop him from vengefully wiping out not only Vulcan, but Earth as well. Despite the talk of time travel and alternate-realities (which I'm beginning to think Abrams is obsessed with), the plot is easy to follow even for the uninitiated - neither Heather or I ever felt lost - and I'm told by my Trek-loving friends that it also serves as an ingenious way to launch a new franchise without stomping on Trek's long history and continuity.

Abrams' Trek continues the recent run of excellent reboots of aging film franchises, following in the footsteps of Batman Begins and Casino Royale. I absolutely loved both of those films, and Star Trek is worthy of mention right alongside them. While I've though for a while that Abrams is one of the best concept guys in the entertainment business (for evidence see Cloverfield and TV's Lost and Fringe), I've not yet been impressed with his work as a director (Mission: Impossible III). That changed in a big way with this movie. Abrams gives the film a brisk, exciting pace, a sense of humor that doesn't elicit eye-rolls, and tells his story in a way that alienates neither newcomers or old fans. The characters feel very human and are quite relatable, doubtlessly a big reason that this movie has appealed to the masses who are often turned off by the stoic nature of space opera. Much of the film's energy is due in large part to its stellar cast. Pine and Quinto are excellent together in the leads, Bana is suitably threatening as the villain, and their supporting cast gives a host of fine performances, with Karl Urban's Bones McCoy and Simon Pegg's Scotty especially endearing. This is about as good of a summer film as you'll find, and I can't wait to see where they take the sequels that are surely coming given the movie's fantastic box-office haul. Whether you're fluent in Klingon or a Trek-newbie like me, go catch this one before it finishes its theatrical run. I promise you won't be disappointed. We certainly weren't. - **** (out of 4)

Star Trek is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content.

Start Planning For Next Year

2009-07-06T12:45:00.004-04:00

Check out these good thoughts from Bob Kauflin on recognizing civil holidays (such as July 4th) in worship. Patriotic music in Christian worship has long bothered me (usually, I'll simply abstain from singing if I find myself in such a situation), and I think Kauflin strikes a good chord (no pun intended) here on how to approach intersections between the Christian calendar and the secular one.

HT: Vitamin Z

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 7/1/09

2009-07-02T14:10:00.002-04:00

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.

After a very busy June, last night was our first regular Sola5 Bible study in nearly a month. It was great to be back with all my students again as we continued our summer question and answer series, “You Asked For It.” We looked at the question, “Why was Jesus never involved in a romantic relationship with a woman?” This is a question that has popped up more often over the last few years since the release of the book and movie The DaVinci Code. For those unfamiliar, the novel is about a professor who discovered the long-buried secret that Jesus actually married Mary Magdalene and had a child with her. Why does this bother Christians so much? After all, marriage is a gift from God, right? Genesis 2:24 holds it up as the most precious of all human relationships. Heck, an entire book of the Bible (Song of Solomon) is devoted to it! So why, then, did Jesus never pursue romance?

I tried to answer the question in two ways. The was to answer historically – why don’t we believe that Jesus ever married? Why do we find Dan Brown’s version of history so problematic. Well, quite simply, the Bible doesn’t say anything about Jesus getting married (or indeed entering a romantic relationship of any kind) or having a family. Now, the Bible doesn’t tell us everything there is to know about Jesus (in fact, John tells us that all the libraries in the world couldn’t hold the books required for that), so some might say that this is perhaps just a detail that the gospel writers left out. That hardly seems plausible, though. Wouldn’t you find it a little odd if you had a friend who you knew for years and they never mentioned the fact that they were married? That’s hardly a small detail. So, it would be equally as strange for the disciples to record Jesus life over 3+ years of ministry and never think to mention the fact that he was married with children.

The second aspect of the answer is to answer explanatorily – why didn’t Jesus pursue romance and marriage? On that front, the answer is a question of purpose. What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth? Though he was fully human like all of us (including sexual desires), he was also fully God, meaning his purpose on the earth was different than any other human being who has ever lived. His purpose was to save us from our sin by the sacrifice of his death and the power of his resurrection (John 3:16-17, Colossians 1:19-20). His purpose was to demonstrate to us by his life what God is like (John 18:37, Colossians 1:15). So then, the question to ask is this – did romance and marriage serve the purpose for which Jesus came? The answer would seem to be no. Jesus' task of traveling Israel preaching the coming of the New Covenant and dying to usher that covenant in caused him to live a life of singleness - with many friends and followers, but no wife or children to commit himself to. This shouldn't serve to denegrate marriage and family, but to highlight the supremacy of Christ's calling. In fact, 1 Corinthians 7:25-35 tells us that as important as the marriage relationship is, it is subject to a higher calling – our calling as followers of Christ.

This brings us to the point of application. If Christ’s purpose on earth dictated what he did in his life – even when it comes to romance – then each of us must ask ourselves, “What is my purpose?” As Christians, we live to glorify God and to take his gospel to all people. That, then, is the filter that we need to pass our conception of dating, romance, and marriage through. Last night, I asked several questions to get my students thinking in this direction. First, why do you date? I would bet that most American teens get their concept of dating from the culture. I certainly did when I was in high school. However, one look at the divorce rate in this country should tell us that our culture’s view of romance isn’t exactly one worth emulating. Stop dating because it’s what your friends are doing and start asking yourself what you’re looking for. Are you dating to find a potential spouse? Is that something that you’re ready for at this stage of your life? If you’re not dating with marriage as the goal, then what is it you’re after - and is it something that is honoring to God? Secondly, who do you date? We have an explicit command in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 not to marry a non-Christian. If the purpose of your dating is to seek a spouse (and again, if it’s not, then what are you doing?), then it follows that you have no business dating an unbeliever. What sort of person are you looking for in a mate? All the good looks and all the personality in the world won’t mean a rip when you are an infinity apart on the most foundational aspect of human existence – your relationship to God. Thirdly, should you date? As I said earlier, we tend to be big cultural followers in this area. Have you ever stopped to ask whether the purpose that God has for your life is served by dating? Perhaps some, like Paul, will never marry in order to follow the calling God has placed on your life. Perhaps some will, like Peter, embark on a life of Christian ministry and balancing it with family life. Some will be called to singleness for a time in their lives to follow where God is leading, and some may meet their spouse in high school, and marry young, like Heather and I did. The point of it all is this – are you willing to submit your dating life and your search for a spouse to the wisdom of God’s word, or are you going to follow the lead of our culture which sprints headfirst into romantic or sexual behavior that is pointless at best and destructive at worst? Are you cultivating a biblical worldview, where what you know to be true about God and his word actually impacts the way you see the world and live your life? Wherever you’re at in life, take time this week to rethink the way you view romance and to pursue it (or not) to the glory of God.

Guns For Jesus?

2009-06-30T08:03:00.005-04:00

I'd hope that phrase would strike us as a little bit strange. Apparently, it didn't for a church here in Louisville. On Saturday, New Bethel Church - an Assemblies of God congregation - held an "Open Carry Celebration," inviting people to come to the church packing their (unloaded) pistols to celebrate their second amendment rights.

Now, I'm all about the second amendment. I don't own a gun, but if you do, it's your constitutional right, and more power to you. However, this event strikes me badly in a couple ways. One, I don't believe that the church should be a place for politics. I may agree with gun ownership rights, but what about someone who is a gun control advocate? You may think their politics are wrong and stupid, but are they not in need of the gospel just like you are? This church has just crushed any chance that they'll ever darken their doors. By making a stand on an issue that is not Biblical but political, they've unwittingly put a political credo over their God-given mandate to preach the gospel. They've alienated many people from the gospel by their actions. Whether or not you believe in gun ownership, the gospel isn't just for the Red State crowd. That's not the message this event broadcasted. This story was picked up by national and international news outlets. Instead of boasting in Christ, they're reporting on Christians boasting in their guns.

Secondly, what does this event say about Jesus? After I just preached a sermon Sunday night from 1 Samuel 26 highlighting David's great mercy in sparing Saul's life, even when Saul deserved death for attempting to murder David several times, I can't imagine that God is pleased with this image of his gun-totin' church. While they're celebrating their right to self-defense, Romans 12:19-21 is telling us never to avenge ourselves. Hebrews 10:34 talks of joyfully accepting the plundering of your property because of your hope in a better reward, not putting a 9mm shell in someone who's looking to rob you. Jesus talks of turning the other cheek to the one who would strike you. Our culture isn't going to be convinced of the glory of God when they see us willing to take up arms to protect ourselves. They're going to be convinced when they see us enduring suffering with patience and grace, even unto death.

Do you own a gun? If so, it's certainly your right. Scripture doesn't speak with clarity on the issue, so my conviction is to keep my mouth shut about it. But I would ask you to carefully consider what your gun says about your savior. Everything we do as Christians makes a statement about Christ. What does your gun ownership say? Only you can wrestle with that question. I would ask, though, that when we gather for worship this week - please leave the gun at home.

Friday's Featured Film - 6/26/09

2009-06-26T15:23:00.006-04:00

New movies are usually released to theaters every Friday, but who’s got 10 bucks these days to drop on a movie that may well be a load of crap? Given those odds, each Friday I offer an alternative on DVD that you can rent at your local video store (or in some cases, avoid at all costs). Some will be new releases, others you may have to hunt for, but all of them are available to light up your small screen should it be a lazy Friday night.

Munich

What does revenge cost? What does it do to a man to take another man’s life, even if it was justified? Where is the line between justice and vengeance? Perhaps no film has explored these questions recently quite so thoroughly and devastatingly as Steven Spielberg’s 2005 Best Picture nominee Munich. Heather and I saw the movie last weekend with her parents and sister, and I found it difficult to watch – but in a positive sense. This is a film that examines a bloody and nasty conflict, but in its focus shifts attention away from socio-political debate and toward the realities of the individuals most involved. The result is a film that inevitably causes the viewer to look inward, pondering what it would be like in the shoes of these men who sought revenge at the request of their government but at the peril of their souls.

The film follows the events of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre, in which Palestinian terrorists took hostage and eventually killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team. Avner Kaufman (Eric Bana) is an Israeli intelligence agent approached by his superiors to lead an off-the-books mission. He and a team of four others will track down and kill 11 men believed to have had a part in planning the Munich massacre. The men move through Europe eliminating their targets, all the while finding that their mission’s external dangers are exceeded by its personal toll.

Since Munich’s story is an intensely personal one, the strength of the five actors who make up the squad is of the utmost importance, and the cast delivers tremendously. Bana gives a terrific performance, especially as the film progresses and his leadership becomes ever weightier. Daniel Craig’s Steve is a great contrast, becoming ever more set in his hatred for their enemies and his determination to carry out vengeance. Ciaran Hinds is very engaging as the mysterious Carl, Mathieu Kassovitz plays the part of the team's conscience as Robert, and Hanns Zischler’s Hans is the weakest of the group, though it’s more due to a shallower character than an inferior performance. The film's best moments come as we watch this group morph from a group of committed idealists to men struggling for their physical and emotional survival. Bana in particular portrays a brutally honest look into the human toll of revenge. As his bloody task is contrasted with his wife and new baby back home, we begin to see the stark effects of his every action. Spielberg came under much scrutiny from both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli debate, and I think that indicates that he did what he set out to do - make a movie that avoids political trappings and explores the much more intimate and human aspect of the war. I give this one a big recommendation, but also with big reservations. This is no popcorn flick, so if you're expecting a light Spielberg action film, this probably isn't for you. Also, this is a very graphic film, with some brutal and tough-to-swallow violence as well as some graphic nudity (though, it isn't particularly sexual in context). If those two factors will be a deal-breaker for you, I'd urge you to stay away. This is definitely much closer to Schindler's List than any of Spielberg's other films. However, if you're in the mood for a film that will make you think about - and feel - the human side of war, this is a great film that's well-deserving of the praise it received at awards season. - **** (out of 4)

Munich is rated R for strong graphic violence, some sexual content, nudity and language.

You Are What You Tweet

2009-06-26T10:10:00.004-04:00

Check out this great post by Stephen Altrogge over at The Blazing Center on what our online personas say about the real us. A good reminder, and an interesting 21st-century look at what Jesus said in Matthew 12:34.

Curse You, New Jersey

2009-06-26T08:43:00.005-04:00

My Bobcats were one pick away from pulling off the draft that I've been hoping to see. Too bad the New Jersey Nets had to go and screw it up. The Nets drafted Louisville forward Terrence Williams at #11, one spot before the Cats scooped up Duke G Gerald Henderson as a consolation prize. Henderson should be a good player (and shut up all the Duke fans who constantly gripe about Charlotte's Tar Heel-centric nature), but after watching T-Will here in Louisville I was very excited about what he would bring to the team. Charlotte rounded out their draft with Xavier power forward Derrick Brown in the second round. I don't know much of anything about him, but hopefully he can provide us with the backup power forward that Sean May never became. How was your team's draft? Weigh in in the comments.

The Ultimate Youth Pastor

2009-06-23T11:08:00.002-04:00

How many of you have ever sat through something like this? I see those hands.

HT: Douglas Wilson

What a Difference a Year Makes

2009-06-23T10:47:00.004-04:00

June 20, 2008June 20, 2009

Incedentally, I just noticed that I'm wearing the same shirt in both. Weird. Happy Birthday, Jordan!

Friday's Featured Film - 6/19/09

2009-06-19T14:22:00.004-04:00

Marley & Me

My wife is a big-time dog person. I’m more the take-em-or-leave-em type. So, when we rented the Owen Wilson/Jennifer Aniston dog dramedy Marley & Me last weekend, suffice it to say that she was a little more excited than I was. I wasn’t dreading the movie; I just wasn’t expecting a whole lot from it. I figured it would be formulaic and cute with a heartstring-tugging ending. I figured it would be pretty much like every other dog movie that’s ever been made. I was right on all counts. What I didn’t anticipate was that in spite of its blatant predictability, it’s actually pretty good.

The movie is actually based on newspaper columnist John Grogan’s autobiographical book of the same name (so it’s hard to get too upset at the formulaic nature, since most of this stuff really happened). Wilson and Aniston star as Grogan and his new bride Jenny as they leave Michigan to pursue new jobs at newspapers in South Florida and start their life as a family. The two of them adopt a yellow lab puppy named Marley, who very quickly shows his colors as “the world’s worst dog.” The film follows the Grogans as jobs change, their family grows, and their marriage is challenged – with Marley there every step of the way, for better or for worse.

If that plot setup seems a little thin, it is – and it’s actually one of the movie’s strong points. The film finds its drama in the ins-and-outs of daily life and the challenges and joys of marriage and family. There’s no contrived, over-the-top antagonist, no implausible crisis to face. Screenwriters Scott Frank and Don Roos and director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) realize that there’s plenty of drama in day-to-day life to sustain an interesting film without resorting to cheap cinematic tricks. Wilson and Aniston are both strong in the lead roles, contributing to a movie that is one of the more refreshingly honest, realistic, and moving depictions of family life I’ve seen on screen in recent memory. This is a film that’s not deprecating marriage and children, but showing the family as something of high value that is worth the many sacrifices life demands to sustain and nurture it. With my little girl about to turn 1 tomorrow, perhaps my heart was a little more tuned to what amazing blessings marriage and family are, but I found the film genuinely moving. The standard “bad-dog” gags are played - but not overplayed - and many of the film’s scenes can be predicted before the previous scene even finishes. As I said, it’s formulaic, and for that reason I didn’t really want to like it, yet I did, in spite of itself. So guys, if your wife wants to rent Marley & Me this weekend, rest easy – this is no vapid chick flick, and it’s certainly not a film you have to dread seeing. In fact, in a culture that sees marriage as a joke and children as a hindrance to personal freedom, it’s actually rather refreshing. - ***1/2 (out of 4)

Marley & Me is rated PG for thematic material, some suggestive content and language.

The Chicken or the Egg?

2009-06-18T14:14:00.007-04:00

A couple weeks ago, when I went out shopping for books for my high school grads, the first place I visited was a local Lifeway. I must say, I was absolutely disgusted by the drivel that filled the shelves, and the associated lack of solid content. It's a shame that this is the best our SBC dollars can do. There were three or four books I had in mind for my students, all by known authors, and none of them were anywhere to be found. The place had more Don Piper than John Piper. Fluff was the name of the game. My wife had a similar experience a week earlier looking for a family and parenting book for some friends of ours. No wonder everybody's using Amazon. I mean, it's not like there's not good stuff out there. This got me thinking recently - what's the problem? Are our bookstores stocked with fluff because that's what our biblically anemic American Christianity wants, or is our American Christianity biblically anemic because our bookstores are full of fluff? My sense is that it's much like the classic "chicken or the egg" conundrum, where the two are so interconnected it's impossible to say which begat the other. I'd be interested to hear your take.

Note: For any Louisvillians out there, let me recommend the Christian Book Nook, where I easily found what I was after. It's a great, locally and privately owned bookstore with great prices, selection, and service. Check it out. Lifeway - take some notes.

Short But Very Sweet

2009-06-18T13:20:00.005-04:00

One decision I enjoy getting to make every year as a youth pastor is what book to buy as a gift from the church to my graduating seniors. Last year, I really enjoyed Alex and Brett Harris' Do Hard Things, and I'd actually given thought to getting it again for my 3 grads this year. In hindsight, I'm very glad that Tim Keller's The Prodigal God caught my eye instead. Though it was a quick read, don't let that fool you as to the depth of spiritual insight contained within. This is one of the best-written books I've read in some time in terms of making excellent use of every word.

The book is an examination of Jesus' parable from Luke 15:11-32, commonly called the parable of the Prodigal Son. Keller seeks to examine the parable to see what it teaches us about the nature of the Christian faith, and he exposes a parable that reads very differently than most people have thought. Rather than focusing on the wayward son, Keller points out that the focus of the story is actually the father, who represents God to us. Also, he spends a large amount of time examining the older brother in the story, who is actually cast in worse light than the younger brother. This was especially helpful to me, pointing out how dangerously often my "obedience" to God is really self-centeredness in clever disguise. In the end, though, the lasting impact of the book is a picture of a father who seeks to reconcile both sons to himself and does so at great personal cost. This is the inspiriation for the book's title - rather than meaning "wayward" as is often assumed, "prodigal" actually means "to spend recklessly, to spend all that one has." Keller paints us a picture of a God who is the ultimate prodigal, who takes the debt of sin on himself and who graciously and lovingly calls both individualistic, rebellious "younger brothers" and self-righteous, self-seeking "elder brothers" to repentance.

I really cannot recommend this book strongly enough. Keller writes extremely well and makes his points with clarity and power. Last night, I was talking with two of my grads and they were both gushing over the book. One of my guys was nearly finished with it after just 3 days, adding that he'd never finished a book in a week in his life. Whether you're a high school senior or a senior citizen, this is a book that you'll find edifying, enlightening, and encouraging. Put it at the top of your summer reading list.

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

2009-06-17T15:03:00.001-04:00

"There is a difference between believing that God is holy and gracious, and having a new sense on the heart of the lovliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. The difference between believing that God is gracous and tasting that God is gracious is as different as having a rational belief that honey is sweet and having the actual sense of its sweetness." - Jonathan Edwards

Check This Guy Out

2009-06-17T09:55:00.011-04:00

I'm listening to an absolutely beautiful song by a guy who's currently one of my favorite artists, Micah Dalton. The song is called "This Day," and it includes backup vocals by Sandra McCracken. Here are the lyrics...
I knew that you'd free me
You never did leave me
But the chains on my soul
Are too comfortable to let go
And the life that I live
I've forgotten how to give
I've forgotten how to give
My patience, my pride and my soul

CHORUS

Crucify this day
So that I can see the way
You love your beloved
Show your resurrection
Through the way you kill my pride
Please take control (x2)
And let me die (x2)

Let your life live on through me
Let your breath breathe on through me
So that they can see in me
How you love me

REPEAT CHORUS

Seems like I've died to you a time, a time or two
At least that's how it seems when I'm closest to you
I'm losing this world on pace, my place
Is realizing your embrace
So that I can rest

REPEAT CHORUS
You can get Micah's latest EP, the bluesy Advancement, for free on Noisetrade. His debut record, the more pop-ish These Are the Roots (which includes "This Day"), is available on Amazon and iTunes, as is his sophomore release (and my favorite of his), the folk-funk-country-soul Pawn Shop, which is inspired by a collection of short stories.

Urban Exile

2009-06-15T15:01:00.003-04:00

Those of you who minister and live in urban areas should check out David Swanson's piece about the temptation of declining churches to flee the city for the suburbs and the Biblical reasoning for staying in difficult neighborhoods. I found it very relevant to my church's current situation.

HT: Vitamin Z

Hazelwood Stories, #3

2009-06-15T08:27:00.001-04:00

This time, it was my turn to sit in front of the camera for my church's Hazelwood Stories video project. Here's my story of faith in Jesus Christ.

Friday's Featured Film - 6/12/09

2009-06-12T15:20:00.003-04:00

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Back in 2005, I was thrilled when director Andrew Adamson (Shrek) filmed a tremendous adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s classic The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The film was one of the most faithful book-to-film adaptations I’d ever seen, and a great movie. Last year, the second film in the Narnia series, Prince Caspian, was released. Heather and I never made it to the theater to see it, but we caught up with it last week on Blu-ray, and while it wasn’t as good as the first (and to be honest, the source material isn’t as good either), it was still an entertaining entry in the series.

Caspian, which is actually the fourth book in Lewis’ Chronicles (Lion is actually #2), picks up with the Pevensie kids (Williams Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, and Georgie Henley) back in London and having trouble readjusting to life as schoolkids after their long lives as kings and queens in Narnia. Suddenly, they are summoned back to Narnia, only to find that well over a thousand years have passed in the magical land. Their castle lies in ruins, a foreign power has invaded and occupied the land, and the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Caspian X (Ben Barnes) is on the run from his ruthless uncle, Miraz (Sergio Castellitto). After discovering exiled Narnian creatures hiding in the forest, Caspian joins with them and summons the Pevensies back to the land, seeking to overthrow their oppressors and return Narnia to peace. Together, they seek the long-absent Aslan and fight for the future of Narnia.

The movie is a little slow out of the gate, with the story taking a while longer to get rolling than it did in Lion. Part of this is due to the fact that Caspian is hardly the strongest Lewis novel (it was chosen for the second film because of the required age of the kid actors), and I imagine it took a fair amount of work to adapt the screenplay into something that played well onscreen. Once all the characters come together, though, the film finds its stride and its second half is noticeably stronger than its first. I had heard a lot of buzz going in about the drastic changes made to the story for the film, but I must say, I didn’t find anything that was so out of spirit with the book that it negatively affected the movie for me. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Caspian is hardly my favorite Narnia tale, so I don’t mind seeing a couple tweaks here or there. The action scenes were well shot, and it’s apparent that Adamson feels more comfortable in the director’s chair in his second outing than he did for his first. The cast is serviceable, but nobody (including Barnes in the titular role) turns in a performance that you’ll remember down the road. As for the film’s allegorical power, those looking for the vivid Christian imagery of the first film will still find it here, though it’s not nearly as prevalent. In the end, this is a good film but it’s not one that I think I’ll have the desire to re-watch quite as much as Lion. Adamson and company took one of Lewis’ weaker offerings and made a film that, while not great, is a decent entry in the series and paves the way for new director Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough, Amazing Grace) to take the reigns for the next installment (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader). If you haven’t already, give Caspian a rental. It’s well worth the time. - *** (out of 4)

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is rated PG for epic battle action and violence.

Where Do You Wanna Eat?

2009-06-12T12:25:00.002-04:00

This is so funny...and so true.

HT: Vitamin Z

Sola5 Update

2009-06-12T09:57:00.005-04:00

As an FYI for those of you who may read the weekly "Sola5 Wednesday Recap" posts, I wanted to let you know that there won't be one for a couple weeks. This Wednesday, I had a great in-house discussion with my youth about the way that we live out our faith among each other when we're together as a group. I asked my students and leaders to evaluate us in several areas, from humility and encouragement to reverence and a Christ-centered focus. We got to have some good discussions on where we're falling short and how we can seek to be more Christ-like as a group. It was a very profitable time. Next week, we're having a youth choir from Jacksonville, FL come in for a concert, and the following Wednesday we'll be in the middle of putting on Vacation Bible School, which our youth are always a big part of. So, it'll be about 3 weeks before we have our regular Wednesday Bible study again. By then, I'll be really excited to resume exploring my students' questions about the Bible and Christianity, and I hope a few of you will be too.

Tired of Madden?

2009-06-11T07:49:00.004-04:00

If so, you may want to take a look at this upcoming football game from developer NaturalMotion, Backbreaker. The game contains no canned tackle animations like Madden, instead, every collision is rendered in real-time by the game's Euphoria physics engine, the same engine utilized last year in games like Grand Theft Auto IV and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. What does that mean in non-tech speak? Every tackle will be unique, every time. I'm interested to see how they pull this one off this fall.

More Backbreaker News & Previews

An Unfulfilling Salvation

2009-06-09T14:31:00.005-04:00

After making Terminator 2: Judgment Day my featured movie last week, Heather and I decided to go see the fourth movie in the franchise, Terminator Salvation, Saturday night. After the recent Terminator TV show was cancelled before it could really mine out some new territory, we were excited to see the direction that this new movie (reportedly the first in a new trilogy) took the Terminator story. The TV show had allayed my fears that a good Terminator movie couldn’t happen without Arnold, but I was still nervous about one of my least favorite directors (McG of Charlie’s Angels fame) taking on one of my famous franchises. In the end, McG proved capable, and the film was entertaining, but not even James Cameron could have elevated this script to anything beyond an mildly enjoyable popcorn movie.

The movie is the first in the franchise to take place in the future during mankind’s war with Skynet. Now and adult and a leader in the resistance, John Connor (Christian Bale) is viewed by some as a savior and some as an over-eager idealist. On a raid of a Skynet facility, he uncovers the revelation that Skynet has begun taking prisoners and experimenting on human tissue in preparation for the new T-800 Terminators. As he and the other resistance commanders plot their next move, a man named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), whose last memory is of being executed on death row, emerges from a destroyed Skynet lab. Seeking to figure out what has happened to the world and to him, he happens upon Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), a teenager surviving in now-desolate Los Angeles. Over the course of the film, these three cross paths and seek to take the fight to Skynet in hopes of making peace with their pasts or futures (and in Terminator mythology, aren’t they the same thing?).

I can say right off the bat that my biggest fear, McG’s directing ability, was put to rest. He actually proves himself capable, handling the film reasonably well, showing a great knack for how to stage an entertaining action scene, and even making some of the movie’s quieter moments (there aren’t many) effective. The problem with the movie lies with the script. I don’t want to give too much away, but in the end, the story doesn’t really go much of anywhere. Much has been made of the original ending, which was dropped after it was leaked online. I can’t say how it would have played onscreen, but as a concept at least it would have pushed the Terminator narrative somewhere. As it stands, there really doesn’t seem to be any reason to make this movie save to set up further sequels. It just couldn’t seem to find its identity. We don’t get much of a window into John Connor here, and his wife (Bryce Dallas-Howard) is pretty much a throwaway character, but Marcus is fascinating to watch. The supporting cast ranges from decent (Yelchin and Moon Bloodgood) to dull (Common), to why-are-you-in-this-movie (Jadagrace Berry), and I suspect that it’s not so much because of the ability of the actors as it is the material they have to work with. In the end, that seems to be the best summary of the movie – a cast and crew doing the best they can with a flimsy premise. I realize that my review has sounded pretty negative, and I’m actually going to surprise you by giving this a mild recommendation. I was never bored by it, it held my interest until its all-too-abrupt end, and it provided its fair share of exciting moments (including a cameo from you-know-who). As an action movie fan, I liked it. However, as a fan of the Terminator series, which has always been good sci-fi and more than just explosions and computer effects, I found it the weakest installment by far and a disappointment – and that sentiment grows the more that I think about it. - **1/2 (out of 4)

Terminator Salvation is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language.

The Beauty of Unspectacular Providence

2009-06-09T08:30:00.003-04:00

Last night, as I was lying next to my wife in bed and about to fall asleep, I couldn't help but think back and wonder how amazed we would have been almost nine years ago, as 17 and 16-year-old kids, to see where life has taken us. As I traced in my mind where God has brought us - from high-school dating through college and into marriage, ministry, and parenthood, I couldn't help but be amazed at his grace, wisdom and love. It may have felt like we were forging our own path, making decisions and choosing directions, but looking back I can't help but think of Proverbs 16:9 - "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

This got me thinking this morning: we usually only think of God's providence and sovereign rule in terms of the spectacular - those amazing "coincidences" in life that are just too good to be true and beg for a divine explanation. However, this sells God so far short. God is just as much at work in the unspectacular, day-to-day aspects of our lives as well, though we seldom think about it. To us, it seems that we're planning our way, but the beautiful reality is that the Lord is establishing our steps. Every step of your life's journey has been mapped out and sustained by the creator of heaven and earth. What an amazing God we serve! I would encourage you today to spend some time looking back at your own life, thanking God in prayer and meditating on the beauty of unspectacular providence.

Friday's Featured Film - 6/5/09

2009-06-05T14:24:00.002-04:00

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

A couple weeks ago, the Terminator franchise re-launched with the much-publicized Terminator Salvation, starring Christian Bale as John Connor as he wages the future war with the machines. After the first three films and the (sadly) cancelled TV series, Heather and I are big Terminator fans and are excited to see the series’ new direction. For this week’s featured film, I figured I’d point those of you who have never experienced the Terminator saga to it’s best volume, 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. T2 is a terrific sci-fi film, and more accessible than the original in my opinion. If you’re looking for an entry point into Terminator, then it’s the place to start.

In the first film, Skynet, the self-aware supercomputer that seeks to annihilate humanity, has sent a cyborg called a Terminator back in time to kill Sarah Connor, a woman who will become the mother of John Connor, the future leader of humanity’s resistance against the machines. John sent a protector back for his mom, a soldier named Kyle Reece, who defended her against the Terminator and destroyed it, while also becoming John’s father (don’t think about that too hard) before being killed. T2 takes place 15 years later, with Sarah (Linda Hamilton) now confined to a mental hospital because of her paranoia (so others think) about the future, and John (Edward Furlong) as a rebellious 11-year old living with foster parents. Skynet has sent another Terminator (Robert Patrick) back to kill young John, but this time future-John has sent a new protector back as well – a reprogrammed Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), the same model (though not the same actual machine) that hunted them in the first film. Together, John and the Terminator seek to stay alive, rescue Sarah, and stop Skynet from ever being created.

This is the last Terminator film to be directed by James Cameron (The Abyss, Aliens, Titanic), and his masterful touch is evident. While the movie has its fair share of action (which holds up amazingly well even 18 years later), don’t expect a thin plot or bland characters. This is an epic sci-fi saga, and one with surprisingly more heart and brain than you probably expect. The premise (save for the time-travel paradoxes that you’ve just got to go with) is incredibly cool, the script is expertly crafted and it leads to a movie that is exciting and well-paced, and the finished product is a blast to behold. Say what you will about Ahnold’s acting ability, but this is his defining role for a reason, and he’s great to watch. Hamilton is excellent as a woman teetering on the edge of sanity, Patrick is just plain creepy as the liquid metal T-1000 (which is a landmark in the history of CGI special effects), and while Furlong isn’t an award-winner by any stretch, he’s serviceable as kid-actors go. This is a landmark sci-fi film, a landmark action film, and perhaps the movie world’s first true blockbuster. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it before you head out to see Salvation and perhaps you’ll understand why the new film is getting so much hype. - ***1/2 (out of 4)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is rated R for strong sci-fi action and violence, and for language.

The Great Civil War

2009-06-05T12:35:00.004-04:00

A sermon I preached a couple weeks ago on Romans 7:7-25 just went online over at my church's website. Here it is, if anyone's interested.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 6/3/09

2009-06-04T15:02:00.002-04:00

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.

Last night, our You Asked For It series continued with the question, “How do I know if I’m saved or not?” The questioner asked if the fact that they were even having those thoughts was a sign that they likely weren’t saved, and if they should “feel different.” I started my answer with the encouragement that the fact that someone asks that question is more likely a positive sign than a negative, because of the fact that they are actually concerned about it. This is a question that almost every Christian will struggle with at some point in their spiritual walk. How do we answer it?

The obvious starting point should be the gospel. I assume that the person who asked the question would mentally agree with the gospel, but that must be our starting point nonetheless. Do we believe in God’s holiness, our sinfulness, Christ’s sinless life and sacrificial death, his victorious resurrection, and the free offer of grace through faith? That is the only way that we find peace with God, so we must start there. However, we can fake beliefs, can’t we? In fact, we are so good at being deceptive that we can even deceive ourselves into thinking that we are Christians when we’re really not. Jesus himself warned against this, saying that on the last day many would speak of what they did for him while hearing the dreaded, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” We certainly don’t want that to be us, so we seek assurance that the faith we profess is real, and not a deception of our sinful heart and mind. How do we do that? In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul encourages us to test ourselves to see if we are really believers. If we are really in the faith, then there should be tangible evidences in our lives that we can look for and evaluate. So, what are they? I believe that the book of 1 John is a great place to start. As John himself says in 5:13, the book was written to us so that we could know that we have eternal life. In very straightforward terms, he gives us a series of things that should be present in our lives if we are truly in Christ. Last night, I used those things to form eight questions that we can ask ourselves in an effort to do exactly the testing that God has commanded. I’ll list them for you here with a reference to where I’m getting them from 1 John and a brief description.

1. Do You Walk In Darkness? (1:5-7, 3:1-10) – Obviously, we’re not perfect, and even as Christians we still sin. However, do you perpetually walk in darkness? Are you still comfortable with your sin? Does it still dominate your life, with no real desire or effort to change? If so, consider Scripture’s warning.

2. Are You a Self-Righteous Person? (1:8-10) – The flip side of the first question. Do you depend on your own goodness for your confidence before God. You may not verbally claim perfection, but does your life communicate that you’re mistake-proof and that you’ve got it all together? A Christian should be humble and reliant upon Christ for forgiveness.

3. Do You Love Learning About God? (4:1-6, 5:6-12) – John’s book isn’t all about actions – he’s concerned with false teachers and stresses the importance of right belief. Does learning about God and his works excite you, or are you bored by the Scripture. Certainly, some parts of Scripture can be tough to work through (Leviticus, anyone?), but do you stay unmoved even by things that you understand? Do you desire to know God more?

4. Do You Follow Jesus’ Commands? (2:1-6) – One of John’s more blunt statements, and important for us to think about. If you say you love Jesus, then do you follow the things he said? Do you avoid the things he calls you to avoid (anger, lust, apathy towards God)? Do you do the things he calls you to do (show mercy, forgiveness, love for God)?

5. Do You Love Like Christ? (2:7-14, 3:11-24, 4:7-21) – The most frequently mentioned theme in 1 John. Do you show the kind of love that Jesus did (selfless, sacrificial, even for enemies), especially to your brothers and sisters in Christ? Or, are you the type of person whose love for others is conditional on what they do for you?

6. Are You In Love With This World? (2:15-17) – We are warned here against being consumed with things that are passing away. Obviously, we are to show love for those in the world, and we don’t want to make the mistake of monasticism that withdraws from any earthly comfort or pleasure, but we need to watch ourselves, especially in our wealthy culture, that we don’t neglect our first love and fall in love with lesser things.

7. Are You Persevering In Faith? (2:18-29) – John here writes about some from among them that fell away from the faith, and he says that indicates that they were never truly Christians to begin with. Perseverance (continuing to the end) is the proof of true faith. Are you pressing on? Are you growing? Or, has your faith grown cold and routine to the point where now its just a show for keeping up appearances?

8. Do You Love God Supremely? (5:1-5) – This is the culmination of the first seven. Do you have a love for God that surpasses all else? Do you see him as supremely valuable, supremely beautiful, supremely satisfying? Is your faith a duty, or a joy? Are his commandments burdensome, or are they life to you?

So, do you pass the test? You won’t be perfect, but do you see these qualities in your life in increasing measure? If so, press on, and persevere in your faith knowing that it is God who is at work preserving you to the end, and he is always faithful and true. If you must honestly say that these things show you to be outside the faith, then my advice to you is simple. Trust Christ! Why not today? Turn from your sin and trust Christ, and you’ll find his power at work in your life to begin to make these things a reality in you.

You're Already Crying, So You Might as Well Laugh

2009-06-04T09:39:00.003-04:00

Douglas Wilson's top 10 reasons we should be glad that President Obaba pronounced June to be Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Pride Month...
But here are ten reasons to be grateful for the small mercies at any rate. We should be grateful . . .

10. That, despite the glowing rhetoric, nobody appears to have noticed that equal rights for bisexuals means that such marriages (when we get there) would have to have a minium of three copulating units. So the good news is that President Obama is still guilty of hate-criming the bisexuals. And imagine my astonishment that he is doing this legally. And nobody pushing this seems to be aware of how filled with hate they all still are.

9. That this happened at a time when we have an example to follow as we craft our responses. All we have to say is that we think a wise heterosexual, having lived that life, should be able to make better judgments than someone who hasn't had the richness of that experience. That's all.

8. That Walker Percy and Flannery O'Connor have gone to be with the Lord. If they were still here writing their fiction, the head-bending that would have to go into them now would be beyond my capacity to bear.

7. That the longer this kind of thing prevails, the more it should become apparent that in Washington we now have the governmental equivalent of professional wrestling; more specifically, we have the governmental equivalent of VEGAS Xtreme SMACKdown.

6. That they are unwittingly paving the way for the legalization of polygamy, which will prove to be the basis for the rebuilding of the Republican Party. Then watch out.

5. That the president issued this proclamation while at the same time holding to the same position on gay marriage as recently articulated by the winsome Miss California, thus showing in yet another way that he is filled to the brim with thought crimes and all manner of evil.

4. That this came about when the Democrat in charge of shuffling the sexual deck was named Obama and not Clinton. Since National Do-Whatever-You-Feel-Like-This-Minute Week is now an inevitability, just imagine the repercussions had it happened with the Lecher-in-Chief in the White House -- the central problem being that the Europeans would finally think we had arrived.

3. That they had the foresight to press these issues in the midst of an economic downturn. Sexual energies are powerful when harnessed, and suppose, say, the nation's shoe manufacturers are languishing. All you have to do is proclaim National Footwear Fetish Week, and bam! there you are, back in the game.

2. That the president is clearly hearing Dick Cheney's footsteps everywhere. On foreign policy certainly, but now that the former VP has declared himself a tolerance-monger on gay marriage, Obama is getting chased down the road by him on this issue as well. You can cluck at both of them with moral disapproval all you want, but the entertainment value is still high.

1. That they are working us into this slowly. September as it turns out is Screw the Pooch Month, but the American people won't be ready for that for, oh, weeks yet.
HT: Darius T.

We Have No Idea

2009-06-04T09:27:00.003-04:00

Michael Kelley offers some great thoughts on how his daughter helps him to understand Romans 8:28. Check it out.

HT: Vitamin Z

Nintendo: A Capella

2009-06-03T14:27:00.003-04:00

To celebrate E3, the big annual video game showcase going on right now in Los Angeles, here's a very clever and funny tribute to some old 8-bit classics.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook?

2009-06-02T13:48:00.003-04:00

Over the last few months, it seems like I can't get through a week without someone telling me I need to join Facebook. I've resisted and resisted, but now I'm thinking about jumping in, especially with the announcement yesterday that Facebook will be integrated into Xbox Live this fall. It looks like a cool way to stay in touch with people, but it also has the looks of a major time-waster (or at the least, a time-spender), and I've already got several of those in my life. I'd like to hear from those of you who use Facebook. Do you like it, is it an annoyance or distraction, and if you didn't have a Facebook page, would you sign up all over again?

Transforminators

2009-06-01T10:48:00.000-04:00

Friday's Featured Film - 5/29/09

2009-05-29T15:05:00.003-04:00

The DaVinci Code

About two years ago, everyone was talking about this little book called The DaVinci Code. It seemed like everyone you met was either hailing it as the greatest book ever or railing against it as the tome of antichrist himself. So, with a movie based on the book about to come out, I decided that if I was going to have an opinion about it, I probably ought to read it and see what all the fuss was about. It was a great novel, an engaging read full of twists and turns that kept me gripped until I’d finished it in just a few days. As for the controversy, well, let’s just say that as good as the book was from a narrative standpoint, it was just as bad from a historical standpoint. In the end, though, it left my wife and I interested in seeing the film, especially with Tom Hanks, Ian McKellen, and director Ron Howard attached. Our interest waned when the movie opened to surprisingly subpar reviews, but with the prequel/sequel film Angels & Demons opening this month, we finally decided to give DaVinci a whirl last night. What we found was a movie that, while not ultimately a bad film, just didn’t capture everything that worked about the book.

Tom Hanks stars as Dr. Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology at Harvard. While in Paris giving a speech, Langdon is approached by the police. The curator at The Louvre, an acquaintance whom he was supposed to meet for lunch that afternoon, had turned up mysteriously murdered in the museum itself. As Langdon arrives at the scene, he quickly realizes, thanks to the curator’s granddaughter, officer Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), that he is not being called in as a consultant, but as a suspect. Believing that her grandfather gave her his name to help crack the puzzle and find his killer, Sophie helps Langdon escape custody and the two begin a quest that will eventually lead them on a hunt for the fabled Holy Grail. However, (and I’m going to assume here that the cat’s out of the bag for just about everyone, so spoiler warning) after a conversation with one of Langdon’s old colleagues (Ian McKellen), they discover a shocking secret – the grail is not a cup, but the body of Mary Magdalene, who was actually Jesus’ wife and bore his daughter, starting a royal bloodline that continues to this day, protected by a secret society called the Priory of Sion and hunted ruthlessly by the Vatican.

Obviously, one can understand why that plotline would irk those of us who have placed our faith and trust in the Jesus of Scripture. Let me assure you, you’ve got nothing to fear here. The history cobbled together to form this conspiracy theory is at times laughable, a mishmash of exposed fraud, half-truth, fantastical interpretation of classical art, and just plain false details of church history. For one who claims a very factual backdrop for his novel, Brown is seriously lacking credibility as a historian. So really, the novel and the movie work on the fantasy-quest level of something like an Indiana Jones or National Treasure film, though unfortunately it doesn’t seem its own creator fully realizes that. So, taking it for the work of fiction that it is, it’s a well-crafted story, full of interesting characters, a solid pace, and a host of twists that will keep you guessing to the end. The problem with the film is that the story just isn’t as engaging visually as it is on the page. This isn’t an action-driven tale, but one where most of the “action” takes place in conversation and conspiracy, and it just doesn’t entirely work here. Though the adaptation is thus limited in its potential, Howard does a pretty good job at getting what he can out of it. I was never bored over the film’s nearly 2 ½ hour running time, a decent accomplishment considering that I already knew everything that was going to happen (and as best as I can recall, the film stuck to the book pretty faithfully). The story is well staged and paced, and it’s a testament to Brown’s narrative that his story remains engaging even in a medium it’s not entirely suited for. There are problems aplenty, though, none of them are too major. While McKellen turns in a great performance, Hanks just doesn’t really work in the title role. This is one of the first times I can ever recall him as coming off as wooden and stiff, but he does, and some key moments suffer for it. Some of the conversations that are heavy on the exposition side (I’m thinking in particular about the revelation at Teabing’s château of the big conspiracy) feel a bit forced and stilted, and they don’t flow quite as naturally as they did on the page. However, the story’s big plot twist in its final third is handled very well, and when the final credits rolled the film’s merits slightly outweighed its many problems for me. Its riding the strength of Brown’s narrative, but in the end that’s enough for a mildly compelling film. If you’re interested in checking out what the DaVinci fuss is all about, or want a pre-Angels & Demons primer, I’d suggest the book first – but if you’d rather spend a couple hours than a few days, the movie is serviceable and worth a rental. - *** (out of 4)

The DaVinci Code is rated PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 5/27/09

2009-05-28T15:12:00.003-04:00

Last night, we kicked off our summer question and answer series by tackling the question, “Can a Christian really fall away?” To answer the question, we took a hard look at one of the passages most often used to make the case that the loss of one’s salvation is possible – Hebrews 6. We especially zeroed in on verses 1-9, which on the surface can easily provoke that question. After all, the passage seems to discuss the topic of the difficulty of restoring to repentance one who has fallen away from the faith. However, this would seem to go against the overwhelming witness of Scripture that indicates that salvation is a work of God, eternal in nature, for God always finishes what he starts (as seen from such passages as Philippians 1:6, John 6:38-40, Romans 8:28-30, Galatians 3:1-6, Jude 24-25, 1 Peter 1:3-5, Hebrews 7:25 and 10:14). So what do we do? How do we reconcile these passages? Last night, I sought to not only help my students answer that question, but also to show them how to go about answering the question, so that they will be better equipped to handle Scripture well in the future.

So how do we reconcile these passages? The first step is to have a firm trust in Scripture. If we believe that the Bible is the very word of God, and God is trustworthy and true, then we will approach such difficult passages not seeing contradictions, but seeing passages that we are misunderstanding, and thus prompting further study and meditation. Once we have that foundation in place, the next step is to begin to examine the passage in context, both on the book level and the chapter level. So, we must ask the question – what is Hebrews about? In short, it’s a book written to a group of Jews who had been exposed to the gospel and now sat on the fence, tempted to simply go back to the comforts of Judaism. The author thus writes a letter which has as it’s basic premise the idea that Jesus and his new covenant is superior to Moses and his Old Covenant. He argues that the OT finds its fulfillment and true meaning in Jesus. Take a quick glance at the progression of the letter – chapter 1 begins by declaring the supremacy of Christ, chapter 3 speaks of him as superior to Moses, chapter 4 lauds him as our great high priest. The point of the author’s writing becomes abundantly clear. Secondly, we need to zero in on the immediate context of the passage, in this case examining chapters 5 and 6 together, since they constitute one unified argument. In chapter 5, the author says that he wants to draw a further comparison between Jesus and Melchizedek, but his audience is not ready for it, for thought they have heard the message of Christ enough to be teachers of it, they are still ignorant themselves. That reality sets the table for the warning that begins in chapter six.

Now, having seen the passage in its proper light, we are better ready to examine it in detail. In the first three verses, we see the author outlining the situation that the people faced. He tells them that it is time to leave the basics of the doctrine about Christ, not relaying their foundation. Why on earth would he talk like this, speaking so dismissively about the basics of the faith? This seems strange. If we examine his exhortation in the context of the book, though, the meaning becomes clearer. What are the “elementary doctrines” he’s talking about? They are the Old Testament law, which he’s just spent five chapters demonstrating points to and reveals Christ. He’s telling them to leave Judaism and their fascination with the law and move on to maturity by following Christ.

It’s here, then, that the meaning of the passage hangs. The author is not addressing Christians here, but Jews who have been exposed to the gospel message, have understood it, have been around Christians and witnessed the Spirit’s power firsthand, and still cling to the old covenant rather than embracing Jesus by faith. This gives the warning of verses 4-6 an entirely different thrust. Notice that in the descriptions given in verses 4-5 the author never uses terminology that is used of salvation (born again, filled with the spirit [he uses “partakers” instead, which in the Greek carries the connotation of an association with, not an indwelling], justified, redeemed, etc.). He is calling out to those who are on the fence, who are toeing the line, to believe in Jesus, for if they reject what they have been given it is impossible for them to be saved (note as well, that though many people will say that this passage teaches the possibility of losing salvation, almost none will say that it is impossible for the apostate to repent and return – a key inconsistency). Why? Because there is nothing left to see! If hearing and understanding the Gospel and witnessing the Spirit’s work is not enough to call them to faith, what else is left? This is why the author makes reference to them crucifying Christ. They are identifying with the mob that condemned him – a group of people that had listened to Jesus’ teaching and witnessed the miracles and power, but still rejected him.

This interpretation is further strengthened by the illustration used in verses 7-8, speaking of how the rain (which is a representation of the Gospel) falls on the ground, but while it produces good crops in one place in others it may produce only thorns and briars that are gathered up and burned. These people had soaked in the rain, but they were producing no fruit, because they had not been born again. In verse 9, the author expresses hope for better things for them – things that accompany salvation.

In summary, what we have here is a very real and very sobering warning that applies to professing Christian and rank pagan alike. God is warning us of the danger of being an “almost-believer.” We are treading on dangerous ground if we see the Gospel in the fullness of its power and remain unmoved to faith. This is especially dangerous for those of us who have spent our whole lives in the church and know all the answers and all the rules, but may never have put our trust fully in Jesus. Last night, I told my students that I hope they came away from this passage with three things in mind: a serious and sober reflection on whether this warning is one that hits their hearts, a thankfulness in the power of God’s spirit to cause us to stand on the last day, frailty and all, and a desire to dig deep into God’s Word rather than cowering and capitulating when things become difficult to understand. I pray the same for you as well, and I look forward to the questions we’ll ponder together as this series continues for the summer.

Lake James Vacation Pics

2009-05-27T09:50:00.010-04:00

Here are a few pictures of our Memorial Day weekend trip to Lake James, NC with family.

Hebrews Warning Passages: What Do They Mean?

2009-05-27T09:19:00.003-04:00

Tonight, I start You Asked For It, my summer Q&A series, with my youth group. We'll get things started by tackling a question submitted by one of my students about how to approach the Biblical passages about falling away. We're going to dive in headfirst to one of the more difficult such passages - the warning of Hebrews 5-6. I'll post a summary of the lesson tomorrow to give you my take, but I'd be curious to hear from any of you on how you approach this text.

Swept Away

2009-05-27T09:04:00.004-04:00

Well, a fantastic season came to an end yesterday for the Hurricanes as they lost to Pittsburgh 4-1, completing a four-game sweep of the series for the Pens. I hate to see the year end on such a sour note, especially considering what Carolina accomplished this year. Back in December, this team was floundering around .500, had just fired their coach, and looked destined for their third straight season of post-Stanley Cup mediocrity. They turned things around, and over the last two months of the season were one of the hottest teams in the NHL, ironically, probably second only to Pittsburgh. Upset wins over New Jersey and top-seed Boston and a place in the NHL's final four were more than anyone expected a few months ago. This team made a great run, and has a bright-looking future.

However, that future is filled with questions. Some are easy (does Paul Maurice lose the 'interim' tag as head coach?), and some are tough (out of a free agent crop of Cole, LaRose, Jokinen, Ruutu, Babchuk, and Seidenberg, who do you inevitably let walk?). It'll be an interesting offseason, and I'll be excited to see the Canes take the ice again in October. As for the Stanley Cup finals? I'll be cheering for the Pens.

Year of the Bible?

2009-05-26T12:38:00.006-04:00

A Georiga congressman has asked President Obama to declare 2010 "The Year of the Bible."

Leaving aside the question of what good this would even accomplish if it passed (as the video points out, Reagan did this in 1983, and I'm not aware of any mass revival it spawned), I have to say, I find this congressman's reasoning deeply troubling. He basically presents the Bible as a treatise on political freedom and a tool for "making our nation great again." While freedom is most certainly a primary theme of Scripture, it sure isn't the red-white-and-blue variety. Rather than being respected, Scripture is acually degraded, as its message of freedom from personal sin through the death and resurrection of Christ is dumbed down to a message on fiscal conservatism. I'm very uncomfotable with the idea of promoting Scripture as a handbook to political health. With all due respect to Congressman Broun, who may well be well-intentioned, let's let the government worry about how it spends our money and we'll leave the teaching of Scripture to the church.

Call Us Lewis and Clark

2009-05-24T08:51:00.005-04:00

This weekend has been a great getaway with family at Lake James, NC. My parents rented a lake house for the weekend, and it's been nice to relax with everybody. There's not much nicer than reading Scripture and a good book (I'm currently enjoying Al Mohler's He Is Not Silent) in the morning outside overlooking a lake and mountains in perfect silence. This morning, my brother Ryan and I took a canoe a couple miles across the lake to a small island at daybreak, which was a good workout and really fun. I'm looking forward to the rest of the weekend before we head back to Louisville tomorrow afternoon. I hope your holiday weekend is going as well as mine.

On The Brink

2009-05-24T08:33:00.003-04:00

Well, it went from bad to worse for my Hurricanes last night, losing 6-2 to Pittsburgh in Raleigh to fall behind 3-0 in the series. They played defense more porous than a sponge and just never looked like they were on the Penguins' level. To keep the season going, they'll have to become just the third team in NHL history to climb out of a 3-0 hole. That gigantic effort starts Tuesday night in Game 4. I don't like their chances - at all - but I've also watched this team enough to know that they're never out of it until the final buzzer sounds. Come on, Canes!

Backs, Meet Wall

2009-05-22T09:59:00.003-04:00

Monday night, it was goalie Marc-Andre Fleury who turned in a superstar performance for the Penguins. Last night, it was Evgeni Malkin, who notched a hat trick and powered the Pens to a 7-4 Game 2 win over my Canes. His third and final goal midway through the third period that padded Pittsburgh's lead to 2 left even me staring in awe. Malkin is simply amazing, and if Carolina's going to stand a chance in Saturday's now-pivotal Game 3, they've got to find a way to put a body on him and slow him down. Here's hoping the RBC Center crowd in Raleigh will give the Canes a lift over the next two to even this series.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 5/20/09

2009-05-21T14:28:00.002-04:00

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.

Last night, we had our 17th and final lesson in Chasing After the Wind, our study in the book of Ecclesiastes. It’s been a great trip through the book, and one that had us asking the question last night, “What do we do with this now?” We’ve seen Solomon go to great lengths to get his point across, showing us that all the things people chase after in this world will never ultimately satisfy, and that nothing has any meaning whatsoever unless viewed through the lens of the God who created it. In chapter 12, he brings home his point with one final thrust, much like a student who closes a research paper by summarizing the force of his research. As we read this final charge, we looked at three specific ways that we can apply the book’s message to our lives, so that we can follow James’ charge to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

First, in verses 1-8, we looked at the charge to live urgently. Solomon exhorts us to remember God in our youth, before life saps away our strength and desire. So often, we make the mistake of thinking that living for God’s glory is something that we’ll do later in life, once we take our time living for ourselves. What a mistake this is. As time marches on, many of the opportunities we are given to glorify God will fade, as Solomon illustrates in his reflections on time destroying our joy (verse 1), physical strength (verses 2-5), desire (verse 5), wealth (verse 6), and life itself (verses 6-7). If we are not taking advantage of every moment we’re given, we will come to the end of it all and see the meaninglessness of verse 8. I told my students last night that I don’t want to see them cruise through their teenage years and then look back at age 40 or 50 and see a wasted youth. Whatever your age or place in life, live every moment unto the glory of God and seize every opportunity he has blessed you with to do so. In it all, enjoy every breath as a gift from the God who has created all joy and pleasure.

Next, in verses 9-12, we looked at the need for us to seek wisdom and live it out. Notice Solomon’s summary of his own life’s work – not only did he seek out wisdom with all of his heart, but he taught it to the people, he sought to pass its benefits on. It affected the way that he lived his life (though, at some times more than others). The wisdom of God is never a static knowledge, but it affects the way we approach every area of life, from schoolwork and jobs to relationships with friends and family to romance to marriage and everything in between. In fact, verses 11 and 12 serve as a warning against the accumulation of knowledge for knowledge’s sake at the expense of seeking the true and perfect wisdom of God, which Solomon says is like a nail that fixes us firmly in place.

Finally, in verses 13 and 14, Solomon summarizes the whole point of the book, or as he calls it, “the end of the matter.” What is the meaning of life? What is the point of it all? These are questions that have puzzled people for ages. Ecclesiastes sums the answer up for us in a single sentence – “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” What should you do with your life? Develop a view of God that sees his glory, magnificence, holiness, justice, grace, mercy, and love, and let that view provoke in you a sense of reverence and awe that compels you to seek God and his ways with every breath. So often in America, we fall into the trap of seeing faith as just another compartment in our lives, right up there with relationships, school, work, hobbies and the like, rather than seeing it as supreme – as the lens through which we see and understand all those other things and by which they have their meaning. If knowing, treasuring and following God - which we now understand is done through knowing, treasuring, and following Christ and his cross - is truly everything, if it is the purpose of your existence, then does your life properly reflect that? Forget your words, does your life agree with the declaration of verse 13? Keep its truth always at the forefront of your mind and heart, and when you, like Solomon, come to the end of your life, you’ll find that far from a “vanity of vanities,” or a “chasing after the wind,” you have instead lived a life that was in no way wasted. May God give us grace and joy in that pursuit.

The Ultimate Question: Kris or Adam?

2009-05-20T09:45:00.004-04:00

Who will take home the Idol crown tonight?

What's Derek Done Now?

2009-05-19T08:52:00.003-04:00

As you'll already know if you're on his email list, things are getting pretty weird surrounding Derek Webb's upcoming fifth album, Stockholm Syndrome. In the past two weeks, he's sent two emails discussing a conflict with his label over the content of the album. Today, derekwebb.com went offline, with only the two emails posted in its place. Granted, this isn't the first such clash he's had, and I'm a big fan and supporter, but this all just seems a bit strange. I'll be curious to see what the fuss is about, but I must say, I'm starting to get a little concerned. I've loved his solo stuff, but his last couple albums have been increasingly political. I've enjoyed them, but I've also missed the rich theology of his first couple albums. Given that fact, and this new dustup, I worry that perhaps he's crossing a line that he shouldn't cross. However, that's just speculation, and I'll wait to see the whole story. Don't let us down, Derek.

A Familiar Start

2009-05-19T07:47:00.004-04:00

Well, at least we were competitive in this one. In what's becoming a theme in these playoffs, my Hurricanes dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals last night to Pittsburgh, 3-2. I say it's becoming a theme because Carolina lost their openers in the first two rounds to New Jersey and Boston before bouncing back to win those series. Those first two were blowouts, but the Canes played tough last night, and probably would have won the game if not for a superhuman performance from Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, especially in the first period. Game 2 is Thursday night, and if form holds, we've got them right where we want them. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

Deep In the Lab

2009-05-18T09:46:00.007-04:00

Hilarious musings from one of the best characters on TV.

They Did It Again!!!

2009-05-15T09:48:00.003-04:00

This is getting crazy. My Carolina Hurricanes pulled off another miracle finish last night, grabbing a 3-2 overtime win over Boston in Game 7 to win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Much-maligned Canes forward Scotty Walker tapped home a rebound for the game winner with just under 1:15 to go in the 1st OT. So, after squandering a 3-1 series lead against the East's top team, Carolina pulled it out after all. I don't know what it is about Carolina pro sports, but they tend to really love this script - come charging out of the gates, build a lead, squander it, then win it at the end. It's stressful as all getout to watch, but hey - let's keep riding this wave all the way to the Cup!

Basics Final Reflections

2009-05-15T09:05:00.004-04:00

What a conference it was this year! Basics is always a great experience, but this year was really a treat. I've reflected on Monday's messages already, so I'll pick up with Tuesday. There were two morning sessions on Tuesday. In the first, Alistair Begg preached his first message on the importance of persuasive preaching, drawn from 2 Corinthians 5. Alistair gave a great challenge to a largely-reformed crowd to not let our belief in the sovereignty of God become an excuse for dispassionate, unpersuasive preaching. Following a coffee break, John Piper gave his second sermon, "Preaching Regeneration Undiminished," from John 3. It was a fantastic call to pastors to truly comprehend the weight and glory of the new birth, and to know and preach God's great salvific love for his people, a love that is "greater than the love of John 3:16."

After lunch (Chick-fil-A!!!), I attended a seminar by blogger-extraordinaire Tim Challies on "Training Your Church to think Biblically." Challies had some great practical advice, and his Q&A time was especially helpful. After an afternoon break and everybody's favorite dinner, barbeque night, John Lennox preached the evening session on "Using Scripture to Engage the Mind and Imagination." As I remarked before, it was perhaps the most powerful sermon I've ever heard. Take an hour this weekend and listen to it, and I promise you'll end the hour with a more magnificent view of God and his rule than you began it with. Afterwards, we had an informal Q&A with Alistair, a time that is always interesting and - thanks to his wit - very entertaining.

Wednesday morning began with a Q&A time with all the speakers and then concluded with Alistair's second sermon on persuasive preaching, this time from Acts 26. He broke down Paul's address to Agrippa wonderfully, and gave us a powerful charge to take a "foolish" gospel to a "wise" world with full confidence and expectation in its power. It was a great note to end the conference on.

It was a long drive home, complete with an Ohio monsoon and a nail in our tire, so it was certainly good to get back home to my wife and baby girl - who amazes me at how much she can grow up in three days. The conference was a time of tremendous spiritual refreshment and encouragement for me, and I would recommend a trip up next year to any pastor or church leader. Though the speakers have not been set yet, Alistair revealed a short list that includes Tim Keller, C.J. Mahaney, and Sinclair Ferguson. In short, I think we'll be OK.

Basics Audio Now Online

2009-05-14T14:46:00.001-04:00

You can now download MP3s of all conference sessions and seminars for free here.

Basics Reflections, Tuesday Night - A Pause

2009-05-12T22:21:00.005-04:00

It's been a fantastic day, and I fully intend to post some full reflections on the day's messages. However, I must confess that I heard tonight a mathematician preach what I truly think is the most powerful sermon I've ever heard in my life. As John Lennox preached Revelation 4-7, I felt as though I were led with John into the very throne room of God. With clarity and conviction, Lennox delivered an exhilarating reminder of the earth-shattering magnificence, glory, and grandeur of the living God. Rather than churn out a summary of the day like a journalist meeting a deadline, I want to take time tonight to reflect, exult, and repent of a complacent view of God that has often been trivial. I'll write more tomorrow, and I'll surely post a link to the audio of the message when it becomes available. I told my good friend Kenny immediately following the session, "I want to take an MP3 of that and give it to everyone I know." I pray that you would see and savor the greatness of God like I did tonight, and that you would rejoice with my heart in his mind-blowing lovingkindness.

Basics Quotables, Day 2

2009-05-12T22:05:00.005-04:00

Some nuggets of pure gold from day two...

"From the first page of the Bible it is abundantly clear that God kicks the legs out from under the stools on which his servants seek to sit comfortably." - Alistair Begg

"Men are frightened that they may be involved in seeing the non-elect get saved. The benefit of the restoration of the reformation principles in the area of soteriology carries with it the danger that men who are unwilling to wrestle with the antinomies of the Bible will be silenced in their gospel proclamation. We dare not hide behind our inability or unwillingness to bow beneath the immensity of Scripture and thus fail to be persuasive in our preaching." - Alistair Begg

"Wherever there is faith the width of the strand of a spider's web, the fullness of redeeming grace is there." - John Murray

"How do you know you're going to wake up a Christian tomorrow morning? The only way you know [you won't fall away] is 'God won't let it happen.'" - John Piper

"Christ says, I'm sending you to open their eyes, to take out the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh, to raise the dead. But you say, 'But I can't open thier eyes, I can't make a new heart, I can't raise the dead.' You can't create electricity or make light, but it never stops you from flipping switches. You can't create internal combustion, but it never stops you from turning the key. You can't create cell tissue, but it never stops you from eating. When you speak, God raises the dead." - John Piper

"It seems that some people trumpet a childish faith as if it were the childlike faith that Jesus demands." - Tim Challies

"Through your preaching, you not only teach your congregation what to believe, you teach them how to believe." - Tim Challies

"If you're not careful, you'll end up studying Scripture to find sermons rather than to get to know God." - John Lennox

"Life is an illumination that points us to God. If you try to explain life without the throne of God, it ends up without significance." - John Lennox

"Imagine it - your last tear will be wiped away by the very governor of the universe." - John Lennox

Basics Reflections, Monday Night

2009-05-11T22:39:00.004-04:00

What a day! Monday at Basics is always crazy - getting up at 6:30 to drive from Louisville to Cleveland, check into our hotel, and head straight over to the conference to walk in just in time for the first seminar. Loads of great preaching, some good food, a rekindling of old friendships, and here I sit at 10:40 ready to pass out before getting up tomorrow at 7:00 and starting another day. It's a blast!

Today, I attended a seminar by John Piper on ministry under the motif of 1 Corinthians 1:24 - working for the joy of our people in Christ. The topic and the message was a familiar one for anyone who's ever heard Piper, but his passion is always refreshing and his Q&A afterwards yielded some good information. John Lennox led the first session, and delivered a fantastic introduction to his topic this week - preaching as an engagement of the mind. After his sermon, I can't wait to hear him tomorrow - his perspective on the Gospel and reason as intrinsically connected was fascinating and a great encouragement to live a life that begs the question by our hope and engages the world with the truth of the gospel with intellectual confidence but ultimately a trust in God's power. Piper preached the evening session on "Preaching Justification Undiminished." The sermon, focused primarily on Philippians, reflected his pastor's heart on the topic of justification by faith - specifically, the imputed righteousness of Christ - an overview of his study and concerns and the recent debate between he and N.T. Wright. Peppered in between with hymns by the Gettys, familiar and new, it was a great day of worship that has me feeling refreshed and refocused on the greatness of our God.

I'm going to fall asleep at my keyboard if I keep going for much longer, so goodnight, God bless, and I'll try to post an update during our break tomorrow afternoon.

Basics Quotables, Day 1

2009-05-11T22:31:00.002-04:00

"The saltiest thing the world will ever taste is Christians who don't lose their joy when they're being hammered." - John Piper

"Have you ever noticed that people who claim not to be learned in the Scriptures can tell you everything about the stock market, thought they are not stock brokers. They can tell you every detail about the Kansas City Chiefs, though they are not professional football players. Yet they cannot tell you anything about James or Romans." - John Lennox

"Paul everywhere used his reason and his intellect to his help, but he didn't trust it - he trusted God. Paul used every ability that God had given him, but he trusted God...it's not one or the other. Pitting reason against the Holy Spirit is a false dichotomy. We need to be very careful not to find a theological reason for being intellectually lazy." - John Lennox

"When you hear [liberal theologians] talk about being "global" and "loving," it sounds so right - because it is! But it's been gutted from the inside [by the removal of the Gospel]!" - John Piper

Here I Go Again!

2009-05-10T23:43:00.003-04:00

Well, tomorrow morning I'll be headed off to Cleveland for the 2009 Basics Conference for Pastors. Alistair Begg's annual conference, which I've attended since 2006, starts tomorrow afternoon and will feature Alistair, John Piper, and Dr. John Lennox. Can't wait! I'll be taking my laptop along to post reflections throughout the week, but you can also head over to Tim Challies' blog for a liveblog of the event.

Friday's Featured Film - 5/8/09

2009-05-08T14:49:00.004-04:00

A Mighty Wind

I'm a huge fan of Christopher Guest and company's series of "mockumentaries." For those of you who haven't seen the likes of Best in Show and Waiting For Guffman, Guest and a group of actors including Eugene Levy, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins, Jennifer Coolidge, and others collabortae on largely improvised fake documentaries exploring an eccentric array of characters. A Mighty Wind, released in 2003, is their send-up of folk music - with all music written and performed by the cast. It's a favorite of mine, but it had been years since I'd seen it until Heather and I watched it with a couple friends last weekend. To put it simply, it was even funnier than I'd remembered.

The movie is set in motion with the death of legendary folk music producer Irving Steinbloom. As a tribute, his children arrange a concert that will reunite three of Steinbloom's most famous groups. There's the Folksmen (a Kingston Trio-type group), The New Main Street Singers (a clean-cut, color coordinated nuftet), and Mitch & Mickey (the romantic darlings of the folk-music world). The cameras follow the bands as they prepare for the concert, reflect on the past, and renew lost relationships.

The hilarity of Guest's movies often comes from just how real, yet at the same time ridiculous, the characters are. Everybody perfectly toes the line that divides silliness from sincerity, and the results are a moving that is incredibly funny but also surprisingly touching. The music is incredibly well done (I dare you to watch this film and not end up with at least one song stuck in your head for days), with irony and subtle humor sprinkled throughout. Most of the dialogue is improvised (Guest and Levy sketched out characters and a general outline and left the rest to their actors), giving the movie an incredibly real feel. Much like Rob Reiner's This Is Spinal Tap (and by the way, The Folksmen are portrayed by the same Spinal Tap trio of McKean, Guest, and Shearer), if you were to stumble upon this unknowingly you'd almost believe you were watching a real, if strange, documentary. It's a difficult movie to explain, and it may not be everybody's cup-o-tea, but I'd encourage you to give this one a shot this weekend. - **** (out of 4)

A Mighty wind is rated PG-13 for sex-related humor.

A Comprehensive Challenge

2009-05-08T14:09:00.005-04:00

Though I've never been able to attend the Together For the Gospel conference, I listened to audio of all the messages from last year's edition and found them extremely challenging, convicting, and encouraging. I'd heard a couple of the messages from the 2006 conference, but not all of them, so I was excited recently to begin reading Preaching the Cross, a book written by the conference speakers that encapsulates the content of their messages. The book is not an exact transcript or reproduction of the sermons, but the content is very similar.

Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Al Mohler, C.J. Mahaney, John MacArthur, John Piper, and R.C Sproul each contribute a chapter, and all of them are quite helpful in their own right. The book is, as the title suggests, built around the centrality of Christ's atonement in preaching. Each writer's work is related to that theme, but each is very different in its focus - a fact that keeps the book fresh throughout and makes it a valuable tool in many different areas. My favorite chapters were likely Sproul's refelctions on the centrality of justification by faith, Duncan's insights on preaching Christ from the Old Testament, and Mahaney's hard-hitting call to a careful watch on one's own life. Content-wise, the book was excellent. My only complaint is that at times it reads like a book of sermons, with the unshakable feeling that to hear these messages preached would be far more engaging than simply reading them. I wouldn't call the writing flat, but the whole endeavor did at times betray itself as a book that is a byproduct of another medium. If you attended T4G 2006, you may want to take a pass on this one, since it will be largely summary and retread. However, if you're like me and did not attend, you'll find a lot of benefit in this book. The subject of the cross in preaching is covered from nearly every conceivable angle, a great help for the pastor who seeks to leave no stone unturned is his proclamation of Christ crucified - the only hope for our people and for us.

Hitchens/Wilson Film Sneak Peek

2009-05-08T11:59:00.004-04:00

I've blogged before about my excitement about the upcoming film Collision, a documentary on the recent series of debates between athiest Christopher Hitchens and pastor Douglas Wilson. The first 13 minutes of the film have now been posted online, and it has me even more excited to see the whole thing. I haven't seen a release date yet, but here's hoping it's soon.

HT: Justin Taylor

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 5/6/09

2009-05-07T15:19:00.003-04:00

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.

Have you ever read something in the Bible and had absolutely no idea what it was talking about? How did you respond? If you’re honest, you’ll probably admit that there have been times when spiritual laziness took over and you just skipped on to something easier to understand. We’ve all likely done it, but it’s a grave mistake. If we believe that the Bible is God’s word given for our benefit, then we should be willing to diligently search to see what it says. Think of it this way – if I asked you to bring a shovel and meet me in my backyard this Saturday to dig for gold, how likely would you be to show up? What if I told you that a geological survey team had done imaging of my backyard and found conclusive evidence that there was gold buried in it? Would you be likely to show up then? If the Bible is God’s word - then we know that there is treasure to be found, we just have to be willing to dig for it.

That was the attitude that propelled us into Ecclesiastes 11 last night. We took a passage that starts out puzzling at best and looked at three very practical lessons we can gain from it if we’re willing to do the work of searching and meditation on what it says. The first lesson that we see, from verses 1-4, is the importance of living wisely in this world. Solomon’s charge to “cast your bread upon the waters” sounds ten degrees south of bizarre to most of us today. However, what he’s talking about here is actually a very simple principle with far-reaching implications. At the most basic level, he’s simply offering sound financial advice here, as evidenced by the parallel command in verse 2. The text is telling us not to hoard wealth, but to use it wisely to protect against disaster. As one of the guys from our group pointed out, if you stash all your money in a wad under your mattress and your house burns down, you’re in quite a bit of trouble. We should seek to be wise in the way we use the gifts (from financial and material to talents, time, and relationships) that God has given us. Rather than clinging to what we have, we should use it with the attitude of a steward (for a great illustration of what that means, check out this recent post by Tim Challies), seeking to bless others and in doing so demonstrate the love that we’ve been shown in Christ.

The second lesson, from verses 5-6, is to worship God in both thought and action. In verse 5, we’re reminded of the fact that God and his works are beyond our comprehension. We know that which he has revealed to us, but there is so much about this life and God’s perfect plan that is mysterious to us. When was the last time you contemplated the “bigness” of God. When was the last time you marveled at the way he is weaving all things together for his glory and our good? Even more, are you ordering you life with those truths as a driving force? Do they affect your priorities, your values, your joys? Flowing out of that, verse six tells us to act, to work, in light of God’s providence. How do we do that? By working diligently and leaving our future in his hands. Faith in a sovereign God is not a fatalism that sits back and waits for God to do everything for us. Faith works – it follows the commands that God has given us in his word, goes about his work, and trusts that the results are in his hands. As a quick example, think of the implications of this principle on your evangelism. I’m sure you can think of one person in your life who seems to be a spiritual “lost cause.” There’s no way they’ll ever come to Christ, you think. So, you don’t even bother sharing the gospel with them, or making an effort to show them Christ’s love. This lesson shatters that ridiculous thinking as the stupidity that it is. Our task is to do the work of the gospel by living it out to all people that God puts in our path and to leave the work of changing hearts to him. When we’re worshipping in thought and action, we won’t see any lost causes.

Finally, in verses 7-10, we see a charge to make your life – and your youth – count. So often, we take for granted the wonderful gift that this life is – and the incredible opportunities that God has set before us. We fail to take joy in the blessings of each day, and put on blinders that dim the light of God’s glory that is shining all around us. We treat youth as a time of little consequence, and we set incredibly low expectations for the teenage years. As Alex and Brett Harris put it in their book Do Hard Things, if a kid simply refrains from getting into trouble and does decently well in school, we view that as a success. I told my students last night, and I say to any who might be reading this: there is so much more there for the taking in your youth. Do something big for the glory of God. Make an impact on the people he has put you around. Like Timothy, set an example for other believers, even those older than you, to follow.

All of that comes from an obscure, tough-to-understand chapter in the Old Testament. Put that wisdom to use in your life, and let it at the same time be a reminder to you that there is treasure to be found in the field of God’s word. You’ve just got to be willing and ready to dig.

Hate Crimes, Sex, and the Love of God

2009-05-07T11:43:00.003-04:00

A fantastic and thoughtful post by Douglas Wilson. I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on it, especially the distinction he draws in how we respond to sin in terms of failure vs. rebellion.

Another Finnish Finish

2009-05-07T07:54:00.005-04:00

Few people in the hockey world noticed back in February when the Hurricanes picked up underachieving winger Jussi Jokinen of Finland off of wavers from Tampa Bay. They've all noticed now. After his first round heroics (a game-winner in Game 4 with .2 seconds left and the tying goal in Game 7 with 1:20 left), he slapped home a rebound last night to give the Canes a 3-2 overtime win and a 2-1 lead in their second round series against Boston. Carolina now has the chance to deliver a crippling blow to the Bruins in Game 4 Friday night in Raleigh.

A Few Vacation Pics

2009-05-06T07:39:00.006-04:00

Here are a few pictures from our recent vacation in Canada - a couple from Niagara, and one from an awesome 200-year-old British Pub where we had lunch one afternoon.

Women are Saved Through What???

2009-05-05T08:47:00.008-04:00

Tomorrow night, I'll be teaching my youth from Ecclesiastes chapter 11, which opens with the strange command to "cast your bread upon the waters." The chapter, especially the opening verses, is full of metaphor and has been challenging to work through. As I pondered a hypothetical field trip down to the Ohio River to have my students chuck loaves of whole wheat in, I've been reminded of the importance of diligently studying God's word. Yes, the gospel message is simple and easy to understand, but much of the wisdom in the pages of Scripture can be obscured by the 2000+ years of human culture and thousands of miles that separate us from the original authors. The temptation is to read something that we don't understand and just skip it under the assumption that if God really thought it was important he would have made it clearer.

Perhaps that made yesterday's "Mondays with Mounce" post on the Kononia Blog even more interesting to me. Greek scholar Bill Mounce looks at some textual issues in 1 Timothy 2:15, without a doubt one of the most puzzling verses in all the Bible. There have been times when I have thought to myself, "Seriously, Paul - could you not have explained that one for us?" However, God inspired it for a purpose, and he was exactly as clear as he inteded to be. Check out Mounce's post for some interesting info, and don't grow weary in doing the work of studying God's word. We can meet up by the river tonight. I'll bring the rye.

HT: Tim Challies

Hazelwood Stories, #2

2009-05-05T07:48:00.004-04:00

Here's "Mr. C's Story," the second video in "Hazelwood Stories," my church's series of member testimonies. You can check out the first as well, if you haven't seen it.

Hurricanes Update - Still Alive!

2009-05-04T12:37:00.003-04:00

I must admit, when we left for Canada last week, I wasn't sure my Carolina Hurricanes would still be playing hockey when we returned. Now, not only did they score 2 goals in the final 1:20 of Game 7 to defeat New Jersey 4-3 in the game and in the first-round series, but they steamrolled the top-seeded Boston Bruins last night 3-0 in Game 2 of their second round series to even things at a game apiece headed back to Raliegh for Wednesday's Game 3. Could they shock the east's best team, a squad who swept the four-game regular season series? I'll never say never with this bunch. Being a Carolina sports fan may not be good for your personal stress level, but it sure is a lot of fun!

The Gospel and Friendship

2009-05-04T11:53:00.005-04:00

Of all the experiences Heather and I had during our time in Canada last week, perhaps nothing has stuck with me as much as a sense of wonder at the amazing implications that the gospel has for friendships. I first began exchanging emails with Dan Collison, pastor of our sister chuch, The Sanctuary Pickering, back at the end of last year. He and his wife, Denise, visited us in February, and we just spent time with them in Toronto. Between both visits, we have spent perhaps a total of 4 days together, but likely a little less. Heather and I can now say that we view them as close friends, and we feel like we've known them forever. How is that possible in only 96 hours?

It's possible because we share Jesus Christ in common. In him, there is a bond that runs deeper than any other, including blood. I realized this on an even deeper level when we worshipped with their church last Sunday. Here we were, in a room with 40-50 people we'd never met, and there was an instant connection, an immediate sense of community. We didn't share nationality in common, we didn't always share personal histories in common, but we all shared the joy of having our sins covered by the sacrifice of Christ, and that was more than enough. It was never difficult to strike up a conversation with people, and in just a couple hours we had meaningful conversations that most people would never dream of having with people they'd just met. For us, though, there was a sense that we were on the same wavelength, that we held the same values, passions, and joys. There is truly no bond like the gospel.

We're really looking forward to going back this summer with our team from Hazelwood. We've got friends that we look forward to seeing again, and we've got a fresh appreciation for the gift that our church family is to us. As you read this, think about the people at your church. You may share more things in common with some than others, but at the end of the day you share something of supreme significance with all of them, something that shatters all other petty differences. You share Christ. With him as our foundation, healthy, deep, and meaningful relationships are never far away.

Don't Judge Too Quickly

2009-05-01T10:28:00.002-04:00

Here's a funny TV ad my father-in-law sent to me the other day. There are a lot of great ads in this series, but I hadn't seen this one before.

Back in the States, Eh

2009-05-01T07:44:00.003-04:00

It's good to be back in the 'Ville! After nearly a week visiting friends and vacationing in Canada, Heather and I got back home last night. It's amazing how our daughter looks older after just six days away from her! We had a fantastic time, and I look forward to posting about it more in-depth over the weekend.

Why I Love My Wife: Reason #23,056

2009-04-24T11:54:00.005-04:00

Scene: Yesterday evening, our basement.

Me: The Hurricanes have a big game tonight at 7:30.

Expected Typical Wife Response: Huh.

My Wife: You know who looks really good right now? Boston! They made the Canadiens look like a high school team last night!

Happy Birthday, Sola Miscellany

2009-04-24T11:38:00.005-04:00

It's hard for me to believe, but exactly one year ago I read an article on CNN that irritated the crap out of me and it provoked me to take up blogging. One year and 337 posts (some more worthwhile than others) later, I'm still going. I've found blogging to be fun and tremendously helpful to me spiritually. It's given me a medium to mentally process things that God is doing in my life. In asking the question "How would I communicate this to someone else?" I've found that the principles God is teaching me are more deeply communicated to my own heart. Along the way, ferrets, relocated NBA teams, and a clothes dryer have been causes for spiritual reflection and meditation, and for that, I'm thankful. Of course, a journal would serve that same purpose, so I hope that posting these reflections (and a little bit of just plain fun) has been helpful to some of you as well. Thanks for reading, and God willing I'll still be blogging on April 24, 2010.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 4/22/09

2009-04-24T11:33:00.002-04:00

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.

In chapter 10 of Ecclesiastes, the book shifts in its structure from the prose of most of the first 9 chapters into short proverbs, very reminiscent of the bulk of the book of Proverbs. Having spent the book laying out the vanity of life apart from God and the supremacy of God in all things, Solomon now starts to give quick bites of wisdom describing what a wise life or a foolish life looks like (and remember – God is the source of wisdom, and thus foolishness is by definition a rejection of God). Wednesday night, we looked at the proverbs at chapter 10 and examined eight “quick hits” of wisdom to apply to our Christian walk and worldview.

First, in verses 1-3, we looked at the poison of sin. Solomon uses the imagery of dead flies in fine perfume to demonstrate how a small bit of foolishness or sin can render an otherwise wise life futile. Imagine that you are drinking a bottle of Coke, and I take it and spit in it. I would guess that you wouldn’t keep on drinking it. Why not? It’s just a little bit of spit, right? The bottle is still probably around 98% Coke. That wouldn’t matter to you, though. A small bit is enough to make the whole thing repulsive. In a similar way, a small bit of sin in our lives can destroy the rest of our testimony. Thus, we should be constantly on our guard.

Secondly, in verses 4-11, we looked at the danger of pride. These verses contain many warnings against pride, from Solomon’s observation that those in places of prominence and recognition aren’t always deserving of it (verses 5-7), to warnings that one’s own accomplishments can often cause harm (verses 8-11). We should make sure that we’re trusting in God and keeping our pride in check. Thirdly, in verses 12-14, we examined the power of words, both to do good and to do evil. Our words, whether spoken, written, or Tweeted, carry the potential to build others up or to be empty, wasting time at best and tearing down at worst. Think carefully about the things you say. In verse 15, we looked at the importance of focus. Solomon points out the futility of working and sweating to reach a destination when you don’t know how to get there in the first place. All the effort and ability in the world is wasted when it doesn’t have a purpose in view. What are you chasing in life? What is important to you? Put Christ in your sights and follow him, ensuring that your life’s efforts won’t end up a bridge to nowhere.

Fifth, in verses 16-17, we see the value of sobriety. A byproduct of the proper focus, sobriety is the ability to control one’s self and think clearly about what is important. We need to understand the importance of our time and use it wisely. After all, if Solomon asserts here the importance of wisdom and sobriety for those who rule nations, how much more vital is it for we who are ambassadors for Christ? Sixth, in verse 18, we see the need of work. There is no such thing as an armchair Christian. Our faith demands action, and we need to be willing to do the work it takes to know God (primarily through his word) and the work that knowledge demands of us. In verse 19, we see the gift of blessings. In a book where Solomon has constantly belittled earthly wealth as meaningless, it is a good counterbalance here to see him speaking of the value that material things can have. God created all things good, and every good gift we have comes from him. When we stop seeing our things as our things and start seeing them as gifts from God, we’ll start enjoying them and using them in an entirely different way and avoid the trap that they can so easily become. Finally, in verse 20, we looked at the destruction of hate. We all know murder is wrong, but often times we feel that harboring anger or resentment in our hearts is harmless. Jesus made it pretty clear that’s not the case, but Solomon warns against it as well. Nothing will destroy your relationships with God and others faster than harboring bitterness and hatred against other people.

My encouragement to the believers in our group was to reread the chapter and this list before going to bed Wednesday and to pinpoint one of the eight things that needs the most attention in their lives. What about you? Which of these lessons of wisdom do you need to learn or re-learn? Seek God’s wisdom, and avoid a wasted life.

0.2

2009-04-22T08:14:00.003-04:00

That's how much time was left on the clock last night when Jussi Jokinen's deflection of a Dennis Seidenberg shot crossed the goal line, giving the Hurricanes an incredible 4-3 win over New Jersey and evening the series at 2-2. It was the latest regulation game-winner in playoff history, and an incredible finish to a game Carolina had to have. If you missed it, here's a look.

Random Tuesday Question - 4/21/09

2009-04-21T12:18:00.001-04:00

Tuesday is a day without an identity. It's not reviled like Monday, gleefully anticipated like Friday, or celebrated like Saturday. It doesn't have a cool name like Wednesday's "humpday," or Sunday's spiritual identity. Let's help Tuesday find itself. Lately, I've been having fun with Blogger's random question feature. So, every Tuesday, I'll take a new question, post my answer here, and ask for yours in the comments. Come on. Tuesday needs you.

You've successfully slain the dragon! How will you toast your marshmallows?

I'll chain him to the ground, stand over him with my sword, then have my cleric friend use his last raise dead spell to bring him back to life. Once the marshmallows are toasty, I'll finish him off again.

The Constant Need of Grace

2009-04-20T11:30:00.003-04:00

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.” - Jerry Bridges
HT: Tim Challies

One Step Forward...

2009-04-20T11:23:00.003-04:00

...you know the rest. After snatching home-ice advantage from the Devils on Friday, the Hurricanes gave it back last night, falling to New Jersey 3-2 in overtime. This put the Devils ahead 2-1 in the series and will make tomorrow's Game 4 vital, as a 3-1 deficit heading back to New Jersey would be incredibly difficult to overcome. Come on, Canes!