BBC NEWS | Nelson releases gay cowboy song

Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be gay cowboys??? BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Nelson releases gay cowboy song This is sad ...

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ESV Bible Blog » How Medium Affects Message

As a user of Bible Sofware (yes, Logos - silver-scholar), my iPod for listening to the Bible (ESV, Max Mclean) this little post was of some interest to me. How Medium Affects Message Here is how I use the various means of letting the word of Christ dwell richly in my life...well, sometimes poorly.

• Memory - I use audio Bible in my car, text on my iPod screen, and primarily my leather Bible - I tend to see things and memorize them, so I have to see it in a text to help me memorize.
• Study - I begin with my print Bible, do much of my book work on Logos (commentaries, dictionaries, language study, etc.) - I like to allow myself time to "get lost in Logos" going from resource to resource looking at a particular passage
• Message Writing - I am evolving here. Before I lived mostly on the computer. Now, I use scraps of paper, little notebooks (moleskins), and MS Word. I usually print out outlines from Word, scratch them out with a pen, add stuff, round trip back to word. I use Endnote for all my references as I don't like to write any message without a bibliography and references to those I leaned upon in developing the message (yes, I think plagarism in sermon writing is wrong)
• Prayer and Journal - I pray without a computer. I scratch prayer requests on paper, yet I do think and write sometimes here on the Blog.
• Meditation - both with print Bible and with ESV web services on the blog :)

Long live books! Long live printed Bibles! Die Parchment and Papyrus! (at least in every day use - long live them in textual studies) Long Live Logos! Praise God for the Internet! ...

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Uncommon Descent » ID Applied to Crop Circles

William Dempski has a good analogy posted about Intelligent Design and Crop Circles...ET walketh among us. Uncommon Descent » ID Applied to Crop Circles' ...

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Driving Miss Baby

Britney Spears: 'I Made a Mistake' - Yahoo! News You think driving with a little baby right next to the steering wheel is a mistake?

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End of the Spear

This weekend my wife and I finally got out to see the movie End of the Spear. With a 4 year old and a two year old it takes some planning and coordination for something as simple as movie going. End of the Spear was primarility about the story of Nate and Steve Saint and missionary work with the Waodani or Auca (Quechua for "savage") Indians of Ecuador in the 1960s. The Waodani were a tribe of fierce warriors known for their intense spearing of their enemies and their cycle of revenge killing over many years. The tribe was to the point where they were almost extinct due to the cycles of violence. Into this world stepped the Christian missionaries who would come to be known as the Ecuador Five. Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Peter Fleming,and their pilot Nate Saint. The film presents the story of the spearing of the five missionaries from the vantage point of the Waodani, which was a welcomed approach. Through seeing the story through their eyes one is able to see the utter humanity of a people living in a stone age fashion. The Waodoni are human in every senses - in their hopes and loves as well as in sinful savagry of a people wracked in the midst of a culture of murder and revenge. The providential convergences in the story are quite fascinating to see:

1. A young Waodoni girl (Dayuma) runs away from home after a savage spearing of her people by a rival tribe. Dayuma winds up in the care of Western missionaries and grows up to help their cause. Her brother grows up to be a warrior and a leader set on revenge.
2. Dayuma helps the missionaries (primarily Elliot) learn some Waodoni language and with this help they secretly locate and make contact with a Waodoni tribe. It just happens to be the tribe of theDayuma's brother.
3. The five missionaries make contact with the tribe. It is friendly and looks to be heading in a good direction.
4. One of the Waodoni lies to his people about the westerners due to his own involvement with another Waodoni girl. He tells his tribe that the foreigners killed and ate the flesh ofDayuma - this causes them to go into a rage and fall upon the five men spearing them to their deaths.
5. What follows is quite remarkable. The wives of the fallen men, move in and live with the Waodoni, seeing many of them come to Christ at the witness and forgiveness of these families.

Though the film focuses primarily on the Saint family and the Waodoni, I have recently been reading quite a bit on Elliots life. It is quite a shock to many to see men give everything. Worldly possesions, life and limb, giving up family and loved ones only to see a self-destructing amazon tribe know the Jesus that saved their lives and loved their souls. Anthropologists will angle and debate whether contacting tribal people and preaching the gospel to them is "a good idea." Yet one must ask the question - has this not always been the way of Jesus. His gospel of the grace and forgiveness of God has spread to peoples far and wide. In its wake have followed literacy, health care, education, and souls brought to salvation and liberty from sin. Savage Europeans, Savage Africans, Savage Asians, Savage Americans, Savage Tribes of every tribe, tongue and language have seen a similar fate at the pierced feet of the king of kings. All sinners, all redeemed and changed. I am no naiive person to think all the activities of missionaries is carried out with peace, sensitivity, and kindness. Many atrocities have come by zealous people who have done terrible things. Yet I will still rejoice at the many who have come to faith through the missionary efforts of humble people, who did not consider their own lives of any value, only that others would know the Savior of the world and the gospel he commands us to preach. Preach they did; they lost everything and gained everything. They gave their all, but did not loose a thing. Elliot is well known for a statement made as a very young man. He is no fool to give up that which he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose. Much to learn from such souls - who endeavored to live life to show the surpassing value of the knowledge of God. This week I write a short biography of Jim Elliot - I look forward to pulling my research together so others may see what a life can look like which is dedicated to the living God. Only one life - and it soon be past - only what is done for Christ shall last. May such a song rise in this generation - to his the praise of a humble servant King, who rules not through swords, tanks or bombs. But through love and spiritual power to overcome evil with good. ...

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Doug Groothuis

Some good advice from Doug Groothuis on writing letters to the Editor in newspapers. Some of this counsel would be well headed in blog world (this is my first protest against the tired phrase "blogosphere" ...

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Mark Noll Leaving Wheaton for Notre Dame - Christianity Today Magazine

Mark Noll Leaving Wheaton for Notre Dame Best wishes to a great historian heading to Notre Dame. May he sit well in George Marsdens seat. (HT - Theologica) ...

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Challies Dot Com: Living The Cross Centered Life

Tim Challies reviews CJ Mahaney's new book -Challies Dot Com: Living The Cross Centered Life. This looks like an excellent work on the gospel for a wide audience. Looking forward to the read. A quote from the review:

And so I commend this book to you. If you have not yet read The Cross Centered Life this is your opportunity to read it blended with Christ Our Mediator. Mahaney recommends that each Christian read at least one book about the cross each year. This is your opportunity to read that book while the year is still young. Read it, learn the message and worship at the foot of the cross. Your life may never be the same

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Church Names | Resurgence

Driscoll has a funny little table for picking church names. See Church Names | Resurgence The following combinations are sweet:

• Life Changers - Love - Center
• Hallelujah - Miracle - Headquarters
• Triumphant - Worship - Campus
• Spirit Filled - Intercession - Tabernacle

Or to break the rules and select three names from one column:

• The Revival - Equpping - Miracle
• The Victorious - Shekinah - Champions
• Church - Fellowship - Compound

Or really kooky cultic ones. Tie on your white Nikes and go for the ride on Hale Bopp.

• The Glory - Love - Compound
• The Triumphant - Love - Home

...

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Its For the Kids...

More stuff for the kiddos going on over at Girl Talk - girl talk: Q & A--"Quiet Times for Kids" ...

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Cartoon crisis deepens as Muslim fury spreads - Yahoo! News

More news about how many from the religion of peace is responding to cartoons. It still ceases to amaze me how our journalists continually try to place blame for this sort of thing on the West. Here is the recent story from Reuters: Cartoon crisis deepens as Muslim fury spreads - Yahoo! News A few things to note within the article (I will italicize the quotations)

• People are being killed over cartoons and the violence is spreading. This time it is Europe who is under the gaze of the militant in the middle east.
• These people are making things like "making a cartoon of the prophet" with the holocaust. "In a new twist, Iran's best-selling newspaper on Tuesday launched a competition to find the best Holocaust cartoon." Now som will say, this is how offensive depicting Mohammed is to radical Muslims. But this just reinforces my point. The killing of six million Jews in the Holocaust is in no where close to the same moral universe as drawing a cartoon of a so called prophet. The moral vision and religious perspective that says otherwise we must reject as severely flawed, yes, evil and dangerous.
• In Turkey, a high school student arrested on suspicion of killing a Catholic priest told police he was influenced by seeing the cartoons. The priest was shot dead while praying. Now "the cartoons made me do it" is a defense for murder for a young man in Turkey. You ask if this is reasonable.
• Militants in Iraq have called for the seizure and killing of Danes and the boycott of Danish goods. In London, there were placards demanding the beheading (yes, beheading) of those who insulted Islam. Iraq and London. Europe must sleep no longer.
• Iran, which has withdrawn its ambassador from Denmark and which has moved to the front-line of the confrontation, said the cartoons had "launched an anti-Islamic and Islamophobic current which will be answered." This of course does not mean that someone will write an editorial response to answer the cartoons. No, this most likely means "someone will die"

If Christians kill in the name of Christ they act in direct contradiction to the words and example of Jesus.

When he (Jesus) was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23

But Mohammed is the one who wrote:

Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits, for Allah does not love transgressors. 2:190

And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out, for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. 2:191

And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and let there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. 2:193

Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knows, and you know not. 2:216

Let those fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter. To him who fights in the cause of Allah, - whether he is slain or gets victory – soon shall We give him a reward of great value. 4:74

Is there a difference? A few links of note: http://www.jihadwatch.org/ http://www.answeringislam.org/ ...

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Barna's Revolution

More strong words on Barna's new Revolution over at Between Two Worlds: Between Two Worlds: Barna's Revolution ...

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Yoda Widget

Another reason that the Mac is cool in these days - I would love to have a Yoda translator on my desktop! Yoda Widget - Dashboard - Games PC users who love Yoda will have to use web utilities like this. ...

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What's Up?

This is from a guy who I learned Logic from :) "There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP." Go see What's Up? ...

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Together for the Gospel

Together for the Gospel is a great blog where four guys interact with others and allow a peak into their reading, devotional, and personal walks with Christ. Here is a sampling from CJ Mahaney on his devotional time in the morning.

"2) Describe your present practice of the spiritual disciplines. This wonderful means of grace normally takes place at the beginning of the day for approximately 1 hour. I agree with George Mueller’s approach to this important practice, “…that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.” And there is no more effective way to cultivate happiness of soul than to preach the gospel to myself. So my morning spiritual diet normally involves surveying the wondrous Cross on which the Prince of Glory died. John Stott wrote, “The Cross is a blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.” So each morning I want to get near enough to the Cross so these transforming sparks will fall on my soul leaving me freshly amazed by grace and full of affection for the God of all grace. At present I am making my way slowly through The Gospel of Mark. I read and reflect on just a few verses each day. And I am studying Mark’s gospel with the help of James Edwards commentary The Gospel According to Mark and The Cross from a Distance; Atonement in Mark’s Gospel by Peter Bolt. By God’s grace sparks are falling on my soul."

Encouraging stuff... ...

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The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2007)

It is already listed in the IMDb The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2007) Yes, the sequel to the incredibly popular Narnia movie is on its way. See the the following article for more details. Kasey and I are reading Caspian to our 4 year old right now - and it looks to be a great one for film. Can't wait to see the little sword bearing mouse Reepicheep.

For all the Narnia geeks out there there is a cool Wiki with all the characters of Narnia Lore... ...

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Piper on the Muslim Outrage Over Cartoons of Mohammed

Justin Taylor over at Theologica quotes an e-mail he recently received from John Piper. Piper makes a very good observation...

Am I missing it, or is there an unusual silence in the blogosphere about the Muslim outrage over the cartoons of Mohammed. To me this cries out for the observation that when artists put the crucifix in a flask of urine, Christians were grieved and angered, but not one threatened to kill anyone. Our longing is to convert the blasphemers with the Good News of Christ's death and resurrection, not kill them. Our faith is based on One who was reviled not just in cartoons but in reality and received it patiently for the salvation of the cartoonists. These riots are filled with intimations about the glorious difference between Christ and Mohammed, and between the way of Christ and the way of Islam. And the cowing of the press around the world and the US government is ominous for the fear we are under of Islam--not just extremist Islam. I do not respect the teachings of Islam which when followed devoutly lead to destruction. So I have been pondering which will take me out first, Islam, Uncle Sam, or cancer. No matter, all authority belongs to Jesus. I just want to bear faithful witness to his glorious gospel of peace to the end.'

Link - Between Two Worlds: Piper on the Muslim Outrage Over Cartoons of Mohammed ...

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Steelers Win Fifth Super Bowl Title

Steelers Win Fifth Super Bowl Title - Yahoo! News

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The Way of a Pastor

I have been thinking much about the essence of pastoral leadership in these days. In fact, my taste for the word "leadership" is not too robust - I think I prefer the term Sherpherd. The greek words used in the New Testament which describe church leaders are "presbuteros" or elder - connotating one with wisdom and grace to serve his people. "Episkopos" or overseer, one who must look after the flock and give an account. And finally, "poimen" or pastoring which describes the task of the elder/overseer. Leader is altogether missing albeit the biblical call upon men who are elders involves many things we modern folk would lump under the category of "leadership." In pondering this question I have been reading the Scripture, looking at the nature of the calling to ministry. First, we are definitely not qualified - none of us...we are only sufficient for the calling if he makes us competent to be ministers (See 2 Cor 3-4). In these wonderings about "ministry" I have also run into a letter written by a young Charles Haddon Spurgeon - one who would be called to be a pastor. He wrote the following:

I dread lest sloth or pride should overcome me, and I should dishonour the gospel by lack of prayer, or the Scriptures, or by sinning against God. Letters of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Selected with Notes by Iain Murray, (Carlisle: Banner of Truth Trust, 1992) 20.

Here is the heart of a Pastor who has seen his calling from the Scriptures... First, he writes I dread - O how we do not dread that our souls would fall away from the life giving streams of communion with Christ. The great enemies on two ends of the spectrum of minstry death should be dread in the life of a pastor. I fear I become lazy and dishonor my high calling; I fear I become proud and dishonor God. A forgiven person should never be proud and arrogant about the gospel of grace. I wrestle with and pray against both of these devils - slouching towards cold, flatline religion, and rising in my own mind to high pharisaical pride which binds fast a man in dead, lifeless, legalism. These two will overcome any man in pastoral ministry - they will floud him with idle thoughts and allow the heart to contemplate sin. Or they will make one think they are immune to the crumbling world around them. We must give great care and dread towards both sloth and pride. He then says we can dishonour the gospel - the great truth of God reconciling the world through Christ by amazing grace, by being prayerless and being far from the Scriptures. Lack of prayer shows that we do not feel a need upon our lives for God. That we can serve in the flesh and do things, holy and weighty things, in our own flesh. A flesh that is exceedingly lacking for the call and paths that wait upon the man of God. A man without the Scriptures shows he chooses to live off of his own thoughts, his entertainments, the words of women and men, rather than the words of God. Oh how many of us today live of the chirpping words of others and give great neglect to the words of God. How many belittle the spiritual impact of the Bible and give themselves to techniques and worldly counsel to give life to the soul. Sin - we all wrestle, no fight daily its summons. Come away with me for relief from the is walk of faith. Give way to this - it is your natural desire. Stoop down and cup your hands in the lakes of passion, resistance is futile - join the throng. The apostle describe faith as "FIGHT!" we must fight for our lives. We must beat back the slough of sloth, punish the pretense of pride, refuse to parade in prayerlessness and sip the nectar of the Scripture - or we will die. We will be washed away by the torrents of the times, by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Yet there is another path - and I seek it. Though I walk in the shadow of the greatest enemy; life does call and beckon from one greater. Do not walk in that way, do not give a step towards death - but rather - remain dilligent, humble, pray, search and eat from the living Word, and cling fast to Christ as if life depends upon him alone...for it most certainly does.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Grace and labors, labors and grace...such is the path, one not without the other yet grace must reign as the dust labors. ...

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Perpetual...

A great quote from this weekends pastor's conference by John Piper. This Quote was from his biography of William Tyndale.

Reformation 21 » Is Anyone Home?: "It is ironic and sad that today supposedly avant-garde Christian writers can strike this cool, evasive, imprecise, artistic, superficially-reformist pose of Erasmus and call it “post-modern” and capture a generation of unwitting, historically naïve, emergent people who don’t know they are being duped by the same old verbal tactics used by the elitist humanist writers in past generations. We saw them last year in Athanasius’ day (the slippery Arians at Nicaea), and we see them now in Tyndale’s day. It’s not post-modern. It’s pre-modern—because it is perpetual."

In other words, there are those in every age, who will slip away from the truth of Scripture using the language and philosophies of the day. The ancients like Arius played with words to deny that Jesus could be fully God and fully human. The medievals turned the faith into mere moralism, into "do good" rather than a God sending his son to be crucified as a substitution, an atonement for sin.The modernist Chritians did so when they "demythologized" the Bible gutting it of all supernatural events and claims. And now, Postmodernists deny language's ability to convey meaning, then use it to deny essential truths of the gospel. Yes, it is perpetual. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (HT - Sandy Young though I heard this quote in person, Sandy let me know that it was online at Ref 21) ...

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