On Praying About the Weather -- A Meditation on Hurricane Dennis
POC Blog
The random technotheolosophical blogging of Reid S. Monaghan
Jihad Watch, Dhimmi Watch
An interesting web site from another Tarheel graduate. Robert Spencer's works are an hosest look at Islam in its history, its sources, and current expressions. This web site, Jihad Watch, is described as follows:
The associated blog, Dhimmi Watch is also worth a look. Here is the description:
Because the West is facing a concerted effort by Islamic jihadists, the motives and goals of whom are largely ignored by the Western media, to destroy the West and bring it forcibly into the Islamic world -- and to commit violence to that end even while their overall goal remains out of reach. That effort goes under the general rubric of jihad.
The secular talking heads in America and the West must wake up to the issues involved. Pluralistic tolerance of an intolerant, sword bearing religion, will be disaster for free nations. Eyes are on Europe, with its swelling Islamic societies...what happens there will be a great import to the world. For Europe has not an Aquinas to refute Muslim ideas, nor a Charles Martel to beat back the hoards...Many European cultures have lost their will to reproduce their own kind - biologically, spiritually, ideologically...is there hope to thwart the Islamization of Europe? --------
Dhimmitude is the status that Islamic law, the Sharia, mandates for non-Muslims, primarily Jews and Christians. Dhimmis, "protected people," are free to practice their religion in a Sharia regime, but are made subject to a number of humiliating regulations designed to enforce the Qur'an's command that they "feel themselves subdued" (Sura 9:29). This denial of equality of rights and dignity remains part of the Sharia, and, as such, are part of the law that global jihadists are laboring to impose everywhere, ultimately on the entire human race.
The Catholic Church and Evolution
Liberalism defined in one sentence
World Magazine Blog: Liberalism defined in one sentence
"Something must be done, even if it doesn't work." -- Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof.
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Do Short-term Missions Change Anyone? Part II
Part II of the Short Term Missions Dialogue over at Christianity Today...
"Even so, I would not conclude that such trips are worthless. Rather, I would still be impressed with the dramatic changes that temporarily occurred, and I would focus attention on the activities back home that churches must engage in to ensure that dramatic positive changes are sustained. A church that sends youth to Mexico, while ignoring Mexican immigrants all around, may be undercutting the very likelihood of sustained positive results in the lives of its youth. A church, on the other hand, which fosters the sorts of interethnic service and witness at home that it practices abroad may find that desired results in the lives of youth are more likely to be sustained over the course of time." Source - Do Short Term Missions Change Anyone? Christianity Today Online - http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/127/32.0.html, Accessed July 7, 2005.--------
The worlds ugliest dog
Run for your lives!!!
Would you not love to have this pooch living on your block? Story here: The worlds ugliest dog
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Short Term Missions?
A friend of mine referred me today to an article on Christianity Today's Web Site about the effectiveness and stewardship of Short Term Missions. After reading the brief post, I sent this on to JD, my good ole buddy that continually scans CT Online:
One thing that is missing in the dialogue I read (I did not read the whole study) is this. Certainly, some sorts of missions efforts are ineffective, inefficient, and probably a not a good use of Kingdom time. But the other thing missing is that these issues cannot be a matter of “bottom line” thinking. The mutual encouragement, advancement of ministry, encouragement of laborers near and far are not going to be measured merely by dollar signs. in my opinion the best short term trips will:
- Truly serve the church in another nation, helping it with its objectives and ministry efforts which God is leading on the ground.
- Will be a longer term partnership that guides the stewardship efforts rather than just "shooting people out" for a "missions experience"
- It will be mutully edifying, spiritually encouraging, and helpful for the mission of both partner churches involved.
If it cannot be done well it can be a waste of time, effort, etc. But done with prayer, care and strategic patience, STM can be effective. Another friend of mine is convinced that the best short term stuff will be equipping oriented – helping in-country leaders prepare and receive training to lead their people. Very good insight in my opinion. Now there is a place for "frontier missions" to places with little or no gospel witness, which will be of a different species - my comments here are but for "partnered short term missions" in places where there is a least some minimal gospel missions.
the evangelical outpost: STD Gravy:The Debate Over Condom Labeling
Condoms? How effective? Joe Carter over at the Evangelical Outpost has a good post about Condems and their real world performance. Make sure to follow some of his links, particularly the link to current Epidemiological studies.
Link - the evangelical outpost: STD Gravy:
The Debate Over Condom Labeling --------
The Debate Over Condom Labeling --------
Sex, Abstinence, Baptists and Rolling Stone
See Al Mohler's blog - a good dialogue found in uncommon places
Link - Jeff Sharlet Responds -- Abstinence Revisited
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Uncommon Descent � Doing the Piledriver on Saint Charles
Humor from the Intelligent Design World - Look closely at the picture - Dempski vs. Darwin - in an all out cage match!
Link - Uncommon Descent � Doing the Piledriver on Saint Charles
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A Theology of Touch
So much could be said about the tactile sense of touch. Of the five senses, the sense of our skin can sometimes be left forgotten. For the simple fact that we know that our universe was created by a God who is wise, and who does not act whimsically, we know that we have a sense of touch for a reason. What follows is by no means an exhaustive treatment, but more the wanderings about what it means for human beings to experience the world through a sense of contact.
Moses and Holy Ground
The scriptures are rife with examples of standing. Standing, walking, running are all themes throughout the Bible which give us the groundwork for building a general theology of "presence" - how embodied beings we move through life in our world. But standing seems of utmost importance. People have stood in God's presence (Gen 18:22), we stand in the midst of temptation (Eph 6:10-20), people will stand in worship in the heavenly Kingdom (Rev 15:2-4) and at some point we will all stand before God's holy judgement (Rev 20:12) - we will all appear before him, in bodies. There is an interesting account of standing found in the Old Testament account of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3:5:
Moses is asked to take of his sandals, to remove his shoes, to place his feet directly on the earth, to feel the ground he is standing, to show respect by taking off dirty and dusty shoes. It was customary in this day for holy men to take off their shoes to not drag impurities into temples, a show of respect for that which is holy. The interesting thing here is that God wanted Moses to do something, to remove his shoes, so that Moses would know - God is holy, this is a holy place, this is holy ground, and his feet would be directly on it. The sense of feet touching the earth, without shoes, shoes a purity, a sort of nakedness before God - a feeling of the reality of the immensity of God before him...Moses' feet felt the earth and this was part of the moment - to know the holiness of God involved seeing (the bush), hearing (God speak), smell (no doubt) and touch (feet on the ground). God met Moses, and moses experienced this through his senses, understanding with his mind, moved in his soul.
The Incarnation
No where else in the Bible does the body, and its senses, receive more exaltation than in the Incarnation of Christ himself. Listen to the words of the apostle John
Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.John 20:27-31 Holy Bible: English Standard Version
Will Smith - Rappers and Role Models
Ahhh Yeah - long term view of being strong and surviving - Will Smith bringing his flavor to the hip hop mix
World Magazine AP News - Weekly News, Christian Views
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Faith a La Carte? The Emergent Church (July / Aug 2005 Modern Reformation Magazine)
This looks like a good balanced view of the Emerging Church over at Modern Reformation Magazine. They do a good job in the intro to the issue "Cool Kids Church" at stating the strengths of the movement and a brotherly affection for our emerging brothers. Now I'm sure the theological/philosophical issues will emerge (sorry, I could not resist) but the tone of this seems right, in the Spirit of Christ. For that I am thankful and look forward to the read.
Very cool - Faith a La Carte? The Emergent Church (July / Aug 2005 Modern Reformation Magazine)
HT - Theologica.blogspot.com
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What Should We Think of the Emerging Church?
Between Two Worlds: Who Do You Worship?
Scientology
What is Scientology? Information on Scientology From the glossary of terms on the Church of Scientology
thetan: an immortal spiritual being; the human soul. The term soul is not used because it has developed so many other meanings from use in other religions and practices that it doesn’t describe precisely what was discovered in Scientology. We use the term thetan instead, from the Greek letter theta (Theta), the traditional symbol for thought or life. One does not have a thetan, something one keeps somewhere apart from oneself; one is a thetan. The thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity which IS the individual.
This indeed is a very old idea indeed. The greek leter Theta - which begins "Theos" or God - it is not suprising that this is used to describe the scientologist. For indeed an ancient foe of humanity once said "You shall be as gods".
Man's continual self-deification is no surprise, but one would be wise in treating celebrities, like Tom Cruis, as gods. They just might start believing it and call themselves "Thetans" - connecting back to the Greek letter theta - which was actually the traditional symbol for "god" not simply thought or life.
Out
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Emergent - now Emerged
The Emergent church has now emerged. There is a national director (which was quickly renamed - national coordinator), and a board of directors (for legal status as a non profit - 501 c 3), and a coordinating committee. The national coordinator will be funded from contributions - perhaps like a coorperative program...apologies, I couldn't resist.
There are also streams of cooperation which are very interesting. Here are these streams (somewhat like focuses)
Justice: partnering with individuals and organizations that are working to end hunger, poverty, human trafficking, and environmental degradation
Community, Connections, and Cohorts: coordinating the efforts of existing networks and establishing cohorts around the country
New Networks, Outreach, and Affiliates: establishing new connections with various networks and organizations
Events: coordination of events that Emergent hosts, co-hosts, and sponsors
Diversity: a thrust to broaden the Emergent conversation, to bring in persons of different ethnicity, socio-economic, racial, and theological persuasion; also works to ensure that the male-female ratio in all Emergent initiatives are as close to even as possible
- Communication and Development: coordination of our efforts to communicate clearly and to raise funds
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1I pray that passage from James always drives me to my knees...may all teachers of the Word, emergent or not - take heed. Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura, Sola Christos, Soli Deo Gloria --------
The Buzz on Barna...
For years George Barna has been the apostle of "marketing church" to the masses that he understands through polling and market research data. It seems now that after years of frustration in trying to "fix the church" he is reorganizing his organization to create new structures that will bring about the revolution he seeks. A few years back it seems this was brewing as he was pretty down on church leadership. This is from Christianity Today in 2002:
"The strategy was flawed because it had an assumption. The assumption was that the people in leadership are actually leaders. [I thought] all I need to do is give them the right information and they can draw the right conclusions . …Most people who are in positions of leadership in local churches aren't leaders. They're great people, but they're not really leaders."The Barna Group will now create the leaders (starting with 8-12 year old kids) - this is from their web site:
As involved and enthusiastic as I am about these first three divisions, the one that really gets my juices flowing is the Josiah Corps. The paucity of godly leadership in the local church today is not because God failed to provide the leaders required. The obstacle has been how we define, identify, train, resource and support godly, called, gifted, visionary leaders. Unlike the popular teaching in many churches today, you do not decide to be a leader; you are a leader only if God calls you to that ministry. To address the church’s leadership paralysis, the vision for the Josiah Corps is to annually identify a nationwide collection of kids between the ages of 8 and 12 who have the calling and gifting to be godly leaders, and to pour 10-15 years of resources into their lives so that they are ready to lead us in fighting the good fight by the time they reach their early twenties. Through a combination of evaluation tools, mentoring/coaching, character formation, skill development, leadership teaching, hands-on experiences, team building, networking, apprenticeships, peer clusters, prayer, and feedback and assessment, we pray that the Lord will allow us to help raise up a mighty army of strong and courageous young leaders who will help our nation to honor God more completely.Maybe it is just me, but does this seem weird? Should not family and local church form the next generation of children? The Barna Group? I have been puzzled by his methodology "analyze research data" - then predict and plot trends of what is going to happen, report to "church leaders", say to them "you need to change" (sometimes "change or die"). It is amazing to say that we might predict the work of the Spirit of God by data, market trends, etc. Seems almost silly at times...Is it not true that God in his good pleasure, and eternal plans, loves his church and his purposes for his bride shall prevail. It makes me appreciate all the more, those who take their direction from the Word of God rather than the changing winds of the opinions of men. Now, I am all for engaging culture, using modern technonlogy, speaking the lingua franca of our day. Putting eternal truth in new clothes for a new generation...etc. But Barna seems to act like "he knows what everyone should be doing" because of his "data" and sends scurrying church mice running to and fro trying to avoid irrelevance. We can do better. Here is Barna's new plan as laid out on his web site - Reinvention of the Barna Group --------
Recommended Reading
Justin Taylor has linked to two incredible reading lists available online. One from Desiring God and the other from Mark Dever at 9 Marks
Here is Taylor's entry Between Two Worlds: Recommended Reading
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The Urgency of Preaching
Al Mohler gives a helpful reminder to the urgency of exposition in churches today rather than feel good pep talks or group counseling sessions.
The Urgency of Preaching
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