campus community,
josh and i are sad to be leaving your weekly fellowship. we have grown much over the last 2 years of serving you and beside you. we hope that our new efforts to minister in the young married department will grow us as you have grown us and open our eyes to the needs of others. we will miss your discussions and questions and even those of you who struggled to stay awake in class. never turn from God's salvation and the truth of His Word. always overcome your fear in sacrifice with humble obedience. serve, love, bring salvation to the lost.
to the bradfords and deasons-
the influence of your weekly testimony and discussion of the truth of the life transforming gospel of Christ has blessed us. thank you for your sacrifice and your devotion to follow Christ. pursuing the lost and being there for a younger generation is a high calling and one we see you running towards. thank you for being living, breathing examples of Christ. all of our future ministries are encouraged by your godly influence. thank you
-josh and jill wells
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The New Campus Community Lunch & Service
Campus Church has moved to 11am Sunday mornings with a lunch following. So after our regular meet, head over to Campus Church for their service and meal. It will be a great time to fellowship with other college students and plug in to their service projects.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
SUNDAY LUNCH
Campus Community Group
Sunday lunch this week
July 19th
12:30pm (or just after service)
Come eat and hang out with us.
Bring your friends or forward this invite to anyone not on the list.
See you there!
-Wells
Sunday lunch this week
July 19th
12:30pm (or just after service)
Come eat and hang out with us.
Bring your friends or forward this invite to anyone not on the list.
See you there!
-Wells
Friday, June 26, 2009
I Corinthians 05: Spiritual Wisdom
This is the fifth message in the series in I Corinthians. We know that the message of the cross of Christ is foolish to the community around us. We know that as radical followers of Jesus that we are foolish in the eyes of the community around us. Don't feel too down on yourself...God has given us not only Wisdom, but a Wisdom that can only be taught by Him. The way that he teaches us is not only through the scriptures, but also by His Spirit, literally teaching and instructing us directly through spiritual communion with Him.
FirstCorinthian05PPT
FirstCorinthian05PPT
Our next Sunday lunch is coming!
July 5th, 12:30pm - 2pm
At the Wells'
Food, Talkin', and Birthday Cake....Don't miss out!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
BOWLING and ICE CREAM
WHERE? AMF Windsor Lanes, 4600 NW 23rd Street
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Article by Steve Deace on Christians and Government
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting a different result each time.
Albert Einstein
If I could not go to heaven but with a political party, I would not go there at all.
Thomas Jefferson
God's plan: The Bible defines principles for Christians in the political party. Man's plan: Political parties define what the Bible says for the Christian.
Pastor Bob Deever (my pastor)
One of my favorite expressions is "jump the shark," which is a reference to the now infamous episode of Happy Days when Fonzi water skis over a plastic shark in the water while wearing his famous leather jacket with his swimming trunks.
The scene was so laughable that ever since it aired the reference has been used by pop culture pundits to indicate when a fad, television show, series of movies, etc. have finally worn out their welcome.
If the election of Michael Steele as Chairman of the Republican National Committee isn't a jump the shark moment for Christians in the partisan arena, then the salt has truly lost its flavor.
Consider this quote from Steve Scheffler, longtime head of the Iowa Christian Alliance and current Republican National Committeeman from Iowa in the January 31st edition of The State, the top newspaper in South Carolina:
Scheffler said Steele had ties to Republicans for Choice (abortion), Log Cabin (gay) Republicans and others at odds with party conservatives. “It’s a whole group that is as far left as you can get,” Scheffler said. “I’ll support Steele because I’m a good party soldier, but certainly he’s my last choice.”
There's a reason every conservative group with any credibility at all didn't endorse Steele, just like they didn't endorse John McCain last primary season. But just like we saw when they didn't support McCain during the primaries, when overnight he suddenly became a true conservative and man of God for our times once he eclipsed the necessary delegates to clinch the nomination, suddenly Steele is our champion now that he won election as chairman on Friday.
It's amazing how alleged people of principle suddenly get amnesia about someone's true colors once the game of musical chairs for a seat at the table of power begins.
Scheffler should be applauded for telling it like it is about Steele, and for even doing it after he won election. There won't be many others that will even go that far now that Michael is the GOP's Man of Steele. But Scheffler didn't go far enough.
Can someone show me the Biblical standard for God's people determining where they stand based on what's popular or who's winning at the time? You know, Jesus has a word for those who act contrary to their stated beliefs for personal gain. It's a word He consistently used to hammer the religious moralists, the group He confronted the most directly during His earthly ministry, and a group He once pronounced seven woes upon.
That word would be hypocrite.
There is only one group in the New Testament and throughout all of the apostolic age that attempted to make moralism through the political arena the main device used to enact positive social change. That group would be the Sanhedrin, and the last I checked most of them wanted to crucify our Lord. Therefore, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that's probably not the group Christians should be modeling themselves after.
Before I go any further, let me plainly state that I am not, nor will ever, through some false sense of piety suggest that Christians in a still largely free republic vacate the public sphere for a life of religious or monastic solitude. It's very difficult to be salt and light in a culture by totally vacating the one sphere that impacts absolutely the entire culture in the first place.
St. Paul says to the Athenians at Mars Hill that the sovereign God has determined where everyone should live and for how long. Thus, it's reasonable to assume that if He providentially placed a large body of believers in a nation that gives its citizens the right to vote and determine their direction of leadership, He doesn't want Christians sitting on their hands anticipating some fantastical Rapture or voting "present" while the country goes to Hell.
However, the opposite of that is not compromising the eternal Word of God in exchange for some temporal access to the King's Court, either. There is no witness or testimony to the faith in that. Besides, the Christian doesn't get to take half the loaf because it's better than none. The Christian doesn't get to subjectively justify the lesser of two evils, because the Christian isn't supposed to be engaged in any level of evil -- period.
Please note the New Testament doesn't provide a specific moral scorecard to justify yourself over your neighbor down to the very last scarlet letter, and in fact Jesus repeatedly condemns such false piety from the very inception of His eartlhy ministry when He repeatedly says at the Sermon on the Mount, "You have heard it said..."
That sort of subjective self-righteousness is found in the traditions of religion alright, but not the teachings of Jesus Christ. In fact, it was Roman and Pharisee alike with their unique brand of subjective self-righteousness that brutally murdered Him because "it was better for one man to die then for a whole nation (i.e. movement, party, my income, my power, etc.) to perish."
Let's remember the Sabbath was made for the Son of Man, not the Son of Man for the Sabbath. Let's remember not to strain a gnat while swallowing a camel. Let's remember we are called to holiness, which means completeness, not a moral semi-circle that just needs to be a little more complete and defined than what the Democrats have to justify our own rationalizations.
Except we haven't remembered that. We've fallen into the pit, and become whitewashed tombs.
This is what it has come to. We now voluntarily bow the knee to Caesar in order to be "a good party soldier." It used to be Caesar had to at least threaten us with our lives before we would even think about such a sellout, and throughout history the vast majority of us decided we'd rather die than deny the truth.
I wonder how many Pharisees who later became Christians sat there silent that night they falsely put our Lord on trial because they wanted to be a "good party soldier?" The Sanhedrin was, if nothing else, a political body after all.
I wonder what those saints of old who faced down Nero, Domitian, and Muslim hordes of invaders would say if they saw us in this free and prosperous land, a land they would've begged God to let them have in their day, selling our souls like whores today?
I wonder what Rahab the whore would say to us today? She at least got into the genealogy of Jesus by selling out her countrymen. We're not getting anything in return for our sellout, so maybe we're not really whores. Maybe we're really just sluts, and we're just doing it for attention? We've run away from our Father into the arms of the high school jock, because we'd rather do things our way.
We don't get anything in return for our sellouts, except a class ring, varsity jacket, and the shotgun seat in dude's Camaro, which he'll gladly give to the next wanton woman that comes by and offers him even more of her affection.
Dire Straits were singing about Christians in the Republican Party when they sang, "Money for nothing and your chicks for free."
And we're the chicks.
Since getting into bed with the Republican Party a generation ago, look at what's happened:
--The government is bigger than it ever was, and that's largely with Republican presidents at the helm.
--The culture is more secular then ever before.
--The name of Jesus is more degraded then ever before.
--Our churches are less Biblical then they once were.
--Ungodly judges, most of them appointed by Republicans, have more power then ever before.
--The public schools have become open tools of evangelism for the American Left.
--Homosexuality is more accepted, as is divorce and shacking up.
But, hey, the good news is we've raised ungodly sums of money for counterfeit conservatives and Demas-like Christian leaders. Perhaps we would've been better off using that money to fund Christ-centered welfare shelters for the poor and widowed (single moms), rehab clinics for addicts, and Biblical discipleship organizations for the next generation of men?
Maybe that would've done more to advance the Kingdom of God then helping Jay Sekulow get a bigger house or Donald Wildmon become the white version of Rev. Jesse Jackson the corporate shakedown artist.
Just look at our modern day "prophet." We take orders on how to defend God's design for the family from a man that has been divorced three times, gloats that he doesn't want children, and does it all the while boasting he's "America's truth detector."
And we laugh at the liberals for listening to Oprah.
One of my friends in the faith I absolutely adore, that I would take a bullet for, and would get into a fox hole with, wrote to me this weekend about Michael Steele's election:
"I know that since God allowed (Steele) to be elected I will allow (Steele) the opportunity to keep his word (that he wants to work with us)."
This person's recognition of God's sovereignty is welcome, as is their humility, but their hermeneutics are flawed. The question isn't why did God allow Michael Steele to come to power. The question is what is God saying to His people by allowing it in the first place? What does the spiritual condition of God's people have to be when men morally confused ambitious opportunists like Steele, Obama, and McCain are allowed to rise to power to rule over them in a free country?
Steele is a man that worked with Christine Todd Whitman to target Christians in the Republican Party. This is a man that endorsed pro-abortion and pro-sodomy Rudy Giuliani for president, all the while claiming he was pro-life. Steele is pro-life, alright, just like McCain was. He's a man of position, not conviction.
Just like most Christians in America are, by the way.
Someone should ask Steele if he still would've supported Giuliani had his wife donated hundreds of dollars to white supremacists, like she did Planned Parenthood? After all, Giuliani was still for tax cuts and a strong national defense, right? And the person who's 80% my friend isn't my 20% enemy, according to Steele, so if someone is a baby-killer or a racist that's just an issue disagreement, not a violation of your Christian conscience. Therefore, you can overlook man's inhumanity to man as a good Republican because the two of you agree on tax cuts.
I think that's in the Bible right next to where it says, "The Lord helps those who help themselves."
But here's what's really sad. None of God's people in the area at the moment will even ask Steele such a question, and it's probably because they don't want to know the answer. Because if they know the answer, and it's revealed there is a wolf amongst the sheep, they'd have to confront the wolf.
And if I do that, I might miss out on my seat at the wolf's table.
We cannot serve two masters, and we've been lying to ourselves for a long time that God would not one day make us confront our mocking Him by trying to do so.
The day of reckoning is fast approaching, and every time our leaders line up to kiss the signet ring of the John McCains, Mitt Romneys, and Michael Steeles that reckoning draws even more nigh. These men are warnings to us to repent before it's too late, but repentance sadly isn't on the menu.
But you know what is?
Another 50 million babies slaughtered, another generation of unelected judges taking away our freedoms, another generation of broken families, another generation of making cowards and Elmer Gantrys obscenely rich, and another generation of bringing on government persecution because we have so politicized the faith, once and for all.
These horrors aren't happening because the forces of evil have suddenly discovered some new strategy to defeat God in our time that previously didn't work. Rather, I believe that God is using them to bring judgment upon us, just as He once used invaders from Assyria, Babylon, and Rome to do the same.
Why do I believe this? Let me count the ways:
Only 4% of us tithe, so God says if you won't honor me with your treasure, I'll allow the U.S. Treasury to steal at least 40% of your income each payday.
Most of us sit by and do nothing while Caesar takes our tax dollars to brainwash our children with pagan propoganda in the public school system, and worst yet I know of pastors who justify it as a mission field for 10 year-olds.
We get divorced at the same rate the pagans do.
We shack up at the same rate the pagans do.
We treat God as an intergalactic ATM, just here to make us skinny and rich, and then laugh at the pagans who buy into The Secret.
We run our churches under a business model, and allow worldly philosophies to take the place of true ministry in an effort to grow bigger and wealthier and become more popular.
And instead of just once looking at the plank in our own eye, we blame the decline and fall of the American Empire on those with a speck of dust in their own. Who do you think God has more mercy on? The homosexual male couple whose daddy abandoned and/or abused them, and now they have a need for masculine love in their lives so they find it in the arms of another man, or the heterosexual couple married at the church they were baptized in who now suddenly decide after years of marriage they've just grown apart and must divorce?
We know the answer to this question, which is why we don't want to ask it.
If you're a right-of-center unbeliever reading this, let me tell you why you're culture is in shambles and your Republican Party is now a laughingstock. It isn't, Doug Gross, because Christians won't get rid of their litmus tests.
It's because the Christians never had one in the first place.
Over and over again men of ambition and convenience rise to power because so-called Christians help them get there. Michael Steele won the RNC election because Ken Blackwell, a past member of Rod Parsley's church in Ohio, dropped out of the race and endorsed him.
The same Blackwell who had the endorsement of nearly every conservative group of consequence, including several Christians, and then turned around and endorsed the man Scheffler says is the most far left of them all.
Christians in Iowa worked for McCain's presidential campaign from the very beginning, despite the fact he routinely worked to stymie God's law in the U.S. Senate.
Christians across the country flat-out lied on behalf of Williard Mitchell Romney, and are still doing it.
Over and over again we are done in by our own people. If that's not an example of God's judgment I don't know what is. Why is that every time it seems we're going to get a hold of the ring of power Golem comes out of nowhere and snatches it out of our hands?
Maybe it's because we're not supposed to operate this way. We're supposed to cast that ring into the fires of Mordor, not seek it for ourselves. We're supposed to witness to this present world the kingdom to come, a kingdom that God -- most of the time in spite of us -- is ushering in as we speak in other parts of the world.
Which is why studies show a child born in Beijing, where THE CHURCH has been forced underground, has a better chance of being successfully evangelized today than a kid born in Boston, or Des Moines.
This isn't about the message, it's about the messenger. There is no new plan or strategy to replace the old one, because there's nothing new under the sun. There's simply God's people living by His grace for His glory -- period, end of sentence, regardless of circumstances.
Anything else leads to calamity and ruin, especially to an unbelieving world we're supposed to be loving and discipling. A world that sadly might have a better chance of hearing the truth if we weren't the ones communicating it.
Right now we're not part of the solution. We're the problem.
But at least we're good party soldiers.
http://www.whoradio.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=150515&article=4937519
Albert Einstein
If I could not go to heaven but with a political party, I would not go there at all.
Thomas Jefferson
God's plan: The Bible defines principles for Christians in the political party. Man's plan: Political parties define what the Bible says for the Christian.
Pastor Bob Deever (my pastor)
One of my favorite expressions is "jump the shark," which is a reference to the now infamous episode of Happy Days when Fonzi water skis over a plastic shark in the water while wearing his famous leather jacket with his swimming trunks.
The scene was so laughable that ever since it aired the reference has been used by pop culture pundits to indicate when a fad, television show, series of movies, etc. have finally worn out their welcome.
If the election of Michael Steele as Chairman of the Republican National Committee isn't a jump the shark moment for Christians in the partisan arena, then the salt has truly lost its flavor.
Consider this quote from Steve Scheffler, longtime head of the Iowa Christian Alliance and current Republican National Committeeman from Iowa in the January 31st edition of The State, the top newspaper in South Carolina:
Scheffler said Steele had ties to Republicans for Choice (abortion), Log Cabin (gay) Republicans and others at odds with party conservatives. “It’s a whole group that is as far left as you can get,” Scheffler said. “I’ll support Steele because I’m a good party soldier, but certainly he’s my last choice.”
There's a reason every conservative group with any credibility at all didn't endorse Steele, just like they didn't endorse John McCain last primary season. But just like we saw when they didn't support McCain during the primaries, when overnight he suddenly became a true conservative and man of God for our times once he eclipsed the necessary delegates to clinch the nomination, suddenly Steele is our champion now that he won election as chairman on Friday.
It's amazing how alleged people of principle suddenly get amnesia about someone's true colors once the game of musical chairs for a seat at the table of power begins.
Scheffler should be applauded for telling it like it is about Steele, and for even doing it after he won election. There won't be many others that will even go that far now that Michael is the GOP's Man of Steele. But Scheffler didn't go far enough.
Can someone show me the Biblical standard for God's people determining where they stand based on what's popular or who's winning at the time? You know, Jesus has a word for those who act contrary to their stated beliefs for personal gain. It's a word He consistently used to hammer the religious moralists, the group He confronted the most directly during His earthly ministry, and a group He once pronounced seven woes upon.
That word would be hypocrite.
There is only one group in the New Testament and throughout all of the apostolic age that attempted to make moralism through the political arena the main device used to enact positive social change. That group would be the Sanhedrin, and the last I checked most of them wanted to crucify our Lord. Therefore, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that's probably not the group Christians should be modeling themselves after.
Before I go any further, let me plainly state that I am not, nor will ever, through some false sense of piety suggest that Christians in a still largely free republic vacate the public sphere for a life of religious or monastic solitude. It's very difficult to be salt and light in a culture by totally vacating the one sphere that impacts absolutely the entire culture in the first place.
St. Paul says to the Athenians at Mars Hill that the sovereign God has determined where everyone should live and for how long. Thus, it's reasonable to assume that if He providentially placed a large body of believers in a nation that gives its citizens the right to vote and determine their direction of leadership, He doesn't want Christians sitting on their hands anticipating some fantastical Rapture or voting "present" while the country goes to Hell.
However, the opposite of that is not compromising the eternal Word of God in exchange for some temporal access to the King's Court, either. There is no witness or testimony to the faith in that. Besides, the Christian doesn't get to take half the loaf because it's better than none. The Christian doesn't get to subjectively justify the lesser of two evils, because the Christian isn't supposed to be engaged in any level of evil -- period.
Please note the New Testament doesn't provide a specific moral scorecard to justify yourself over your neighbor down to the very last scarlet letter, and in fact Jesus repeatedly condemns such false piety from the very inception of His eartlhy ministry when He repeatedly says at the Sermon on the Mount, "You have heard it said..."
That sort of subjective self-righteousness is found in the traditions of religion alright, but not the teachings of Jesus Christ. In fact, it was Roman and Pharisee alike with their unique brand of subjective self-righteousness that brutally murdered Him because "it was better for one man to die then for a whole nation (i.e. movement, party, my income, my power, etc.) to perish."
Let's remember the Sabbath was made for the Son of Man, not the Son of Man for the Sabbath. Let's remember not to strain a gnat while swallowing a camel. Let's remember we are called to holiness, which means completeness, not a moral semi-circle that just needs to be a little more complete and defined than what the Democrats have to justify our own rationalizations.
Except we haven't remembered that. We've fallen into the pit, and become whitewashed tombs.
This is what it has come to. We now voluntarily bow the knee to Caesar in order to be "a good party soldier." It used to be Caesar had to at least threaten us with our lives before we would even think about such a sellout, and throughout history the vast majority of us decided we'd rather die than deny the truth.
I wonder how many Pharisees who later became Christians sat there silent that night they falsely put our Lord on trial because they wanted to be a "good party soldier?" The Sanhedrin was, if nothing else, a political body after all.
I wonder what those saints of old who faced down Nero, Domitian, and Muslim hordes of invaders would say if they saw us in this free and prosperous land, a land they would've begged God to let them have in their day, selling our souls like whores today?
I wonder what Rahab the whore would say to us today? She at least got into the genealogy of Jesus by selling out her countrymen. We're not getting anything in return for our sellout, so maybe we're not really whores. Maybe we're really just sluts, and we're just doing it for attention? We've run away from our Father into the arms of the high school jock, because we'd rather do things our way.
We don't get anything in return for our sellouts, except a class ring, varsity jacket, and the shotgun seat in dude's Camaro, which he'll gladly give to the next wanton woman that comes by and offers him even more of her affection.
Dire Straits were singing about Christians in the Republican Party when they sang, "Money for nothing and your chicks for free."
And we're the chicks.
Since getting into bed with the Republican Party a generation ago, look at what's happened:
--The government is bigger than it ever was, and that's largely with Republican presidents at the helm.
--The culture is more secular then ever before.
--The name of Jesus is more degraded then ever before.
--Our churches are less Biblical then they once were.
--Ungodly judges, most of them appointed by Republicans, have more power then ever before.
--The public schools have become open tools of evangelism for the American Left.
--Homosexuality is more accepted, as is divorce and shacking up.
But, hey, the good news is we've raised ungodly sums of money for counterfeit conservatives and Demas-like Christian leaders. Perhaps we would've been better off using that money to fund Christ-centered welfare shelters for the poor and widowed (single moms), rehab clinics for addicts, and Biblical discipleship organizations for the next generation of men?
Maybe that would've done more to advance the Kingdom of God then helping Jay Sekulow get a bigger house or Donald Wildmon become the white version of Rev. Jesse Jackson the corporate shakedown artist.
Just look at our modern day "prophet." We take orders on how to defend God's design for the family from a man that has been divorced three times, gloats that he doesn't want children, and does it all the while boasting he's "America's truth detector."
And we laugh at the liberals for listening to Oprah.
One of my friends in the faith I absolutely adore, that I would take a bullet for, and would get into a fox hole with, wrote to me this weekend about Michael Steele's election:
"I know that since God allowed (Steele) to be elected I will allow (Steele) the opportunity to keep his word (that he wants to work with us)."
This person's recognition of God's sovereignty is welcome, as is their humility, but their hermeneutics are flawed. The question isn't why did God allow Michael Steele to come to power. The question is what is God saying to His people by allowing it in the first place? What does the spiritual condition of God's people have to be when men morally confused ambitious opportunists like Steele, Obama, and McCain are allowed to rise to power to rule over them in a free country?
Steele is a man that worked with Christine Todd Whitman to target Christians in the Republican Party. This is a man that endorsed pro-abortion and pro-sodomy Rudy Giuliani for president, all the while claiming he was pro-life. Steele is pro-life, alright, just like McCain was. He's a man of position, not conviction.
Just like most Christians in America are, by the way.
Someone should ask Steele if he still would've supported Giuliani had his wife donated hundreds of dollars to white supremacists, like she did Planned Parenthood? After all, Giuliani was still for tax cuts and a strong national defense, right? And the person who's 80% my friend isn't my 20% enemy, according to Steele, so if someone is a baby-killer or a racist that's just an issue disagreement, not a violation of your Christian conscience. Therefore, you can overlook man's inhumanity to man as a good Republican because the two of you agree on tax cuts.
I think that's in the Bible right next to where it says, "The Lord helps those who help themselves."
But here's what's really sad. None of God's people in the area at the moment will even ask Steele such a question, and it's probably because they don't want to know the answer. Because if they know the answer, and it's revealed there is a wolf amongst the sheep, they'd have to confront the wolf.
And if I do that, I might miss out on my seat at the wolf's table.
We cannot serve two masters, and we've been lying to ourselves for a long time that God would not one day make us confront our mocking Him by trying to do so.
The day of reckoning is fast approaching, and every time our leaders line up to kiss the signet ring of the John McCains, Mitt Romneys, and Michael Steeles that reckoning draws even more nigh. These men are warnings to us to repent before it's too late, but repentance sadly isn't on the menu.
But you know what is?
Another 50 million babies slaughtered, another generation of unelected judges taking away our freedoms, another generation of broken families, another generation of making cowards and Elmer Gantrys obscenely rich, and another generation of bringing on government persecution because we have so politicized the faith, once and for all.
These horrors aren't happening because the forces of evil have suddenly discovered some new strategy to defeat God in our time that previously didn't work. Rather, I believe that God is using them to bring judgment upon us, just as He once used invaders from Assyria, Babylon, and Rome to do the same.
Why do I believe this? Let me count the ways:
Only 4% of us tithe, so God says if you won't honor me with your treasure, I'll allow the U.S. Treasury to steal at least 40% of your income each payday.
Most of us sit by and do nothing while Caesar takes our tax dollars to brainwash our children with pagan propoganda in the public school system, and worst yet I know of pastors who justify it as a mission field for 10 year-olds.
We get divorced at the same rate the pagans do.
We shack up at the same rate the pagans do.
We treat God as an intergalactic ATM, just here to make us skinny and rich, and then laugh at the pagans who buy into The Secret.
We run our churches under a business model, and allow worldly philosophies to take the place of true ministry in an effort to grow bigger and wealthier and become more popular.
And instead of just once looking at the plank in our own eye, we blame the decline and fall of the American Empire on those with a speck of dust in their own. Who do you think God has more mercy on? The homosexual male couple whose daddy abandoned and/or abused them, and now they have a need for masculine love in their lives so they find it in the arms of another man, or the heterosexual couple married at the church they were baptized in who now suddenly decide after years of marriage they've just grown apart and must divorce?
We know the answer to this question, which is why we don't want to ask it.
If you're a right-of-center unbeliever reading this, let me tell you why you're culture is in shambles and your Republican Party is now a laughingstock. It isn't, Doug Gross, because Christians won't get rid of their litmus tests.
It's because the Christians never had one in the first place.
Over and over again men of ambition and convenience rise to power because so-called Christians help them get there. Michael Steele won the RNC election because Ken Blackwell, a past member of Rod Parsley's church in Ohio, dropped out of the race and endorsed him.
The same Blackwell who had the endorsement of nearly every conservative group of consequence, including several Christians, and then turned around and endorsed the man Scheffler says is the most far left of them all.
Christians in Iowa worked for McCain's presidential campaign from the very beginning, despite the fact he routinely worked to stymie God's law in the U.S. Senate.
Christians across the country flat-out lied on behalf of Williard Mitchell Romney, and are still doing it.
Over and over again we are done in by our own people. If that's not an example of God's judgment I don't know what is. Why is that every time it seems we're going to get a hold of the ring of power Golem comes out of nowhere and snatches it out of our hands?
Maybe it's because we're not supposed to operate this way. We're supposed to cast that ring into the fires of Mordor, not seek it for ourselves. We're supposed to witness to this present world the kingdom to come, a kingdom that God -- most of the time in spite of us -- is ushering in as we speak in other parts of the world.
Which is why studies show a child born in Beijing, where THE CHURCH has been forced underground, has a better chance of being successfully evangelized today than a kid born in Boston, or Des Moines.
This isn't about the message, it's about the messenger. There is no new plan or strategy to replace the old one, because there's nothing new under the sun. There's simply God's people living by His grace for His glory -- period, end of sentence, regardless of circumstances.
Anything else leads to calamity and ruin, especially to an unbelieving world we're supposed to be loving and discipling. A world that sadly might have a better chance of hearing the truth if we weren't the ones communicating it.
Right now we're not part of the solution. We're the problem.
But at least we're good party soldiers.
http://www.whoradio.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=150515&article=4937519
Christians and Government
How many of you watched President Obama’s inauguration this week? I watched it with an incredible sense of history. What an amazing time to be alive. I honestly did not think I would see the day when a black man would be elected as president of the United States.
This does not mean that I agree with Obama. In fact, I have strong reservations about his track record, policies and beliefs on certain issues that are important to me.
Since election night and the days leading up to the election when it became apparent that Obama would be president and we would have a large Democratic majority in Congress, I’ve been generally ashamed by the reaction of the Church and Christian people all over our nation. I’ve heard people say things like:
“I hope this isn’t the end of our Constitution.”
“I wonder how long our republic is going to last.”
“This is the end of our nation as we know it.”
“I am grieving for our country.”
“I am in deep prayer for the state of our nation.”
Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t grieve for our nation or be in prayer for the state of our nation. What I am saying is that if the election of Obama is what is causing a Believer to start grieving and praying for our nation, then that Christian has a deep misunderstanding of politics, our government, history, law, and most importantly, a Christian’s proper relationship with these things. That is what I want to speak on today. What is a Christian’s proper relationship with government?
The first step in evaluating a Christian’s relationship with government is to discover what Jesus had to say about the subject. The first place many people start is the famous “Render to Caesar” story that is recorded in all of the synoptic gospels. Lets read Matthew 22:15-22.
So lets get the essentials of this story in place. The Pharisees are plotting together on how to lessen Jesus’ growing influence and popularity, so they decide to lay a trap for him. They get together with some Herodians and devise a clever question to ask Jesus. The difference between Herodians and the Pharisees is key to this story:
Herodians were pro-Roman rule and they used the Roman system to gather to themselves personal power and benefits.
Pharisees were ambivalent to Roman rule, but they would generally tolerate it so long as Jewish customs and practices were left alone.
While the two had different views on Roman rule, they were brought together by their fear and hatred of Jesus, the King of the Jews. The devised a clever question. “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They asked this question in specifically in the light of Leviticus 25:23 which says, “The land [of Israel] shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine.” This makes the question very complicated because Hebrew law is in play. Since Caesar is trying to take the land from God, is it not disobedience to pay the tax?
Jesus sees through this trickery at once and as was his custom, crafts a clever and strategic response. He asks the Pharisees to produce a coin. He then asks them whose inscription is on the coin? They respond, “Caesars.” Ah, but this is where Jesus had them. The actual inscription on all Roman coins during Caesar Agustus’s reign read as such, “Tiberius Caesar, Augustus, son of the deified Augusts, chief priest.” These Pharisees who were supposed to be upholders of the law had brought an image into the heart of Jewish life, the temple, that violated the second commandment. They had graven images, which in turn showed that in their hearts they violated the first commandment as well. In other words, they, not Christ, are the true hypocrites. They are the ones who have brought the Roman’s pagan beliefs into the temple and who have bought into their beliefs. He then tells them they cannot serve two masters. Render to God what is God’s. Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. You have made your decision and made a convenient compromise, but what about your obligation to God?
Now that we have a clear understanding of this exchange, we find that it provides us with little understanding of our relationship with government other than that we serve God first. He is above all government. Then we render to the state what is the state’s.
What other guidelines do we have from Christ? Lets look at the temptations of Christ in Matthew 4:1-11. The third temptation of Christ is all the kingdoms of the world. In light of Satan offering Christ the kingdoms of the world, lets read John 12:31. Satan is the prince or ruler of this world. Implicit in Satan’s offer of the kingdoms of this world is the fact that the kingdoms of this world belong to Satan. This means that the kingdoms of this world are at enmity with God.
This is also implicit in the teachings of Christ. Jesus consistently teaches that His Kingdom is not of this world. Lets read John 18:36. Furthermore, the Sermon on the Mount teaches us that the rules of Christ’s Kingdom are the opposite of the rules of earthly kingdom. Further, Matthew 6:33 teaches us that we are not to use physical force in an attempt to bring His Kingdom into being but to seek first his righteousness. The kingdoms of this earth are established with power and violence, while God’s Kingdome is created by humility (Matthew 18:4), services (Matthew 20:26), and love (John 13:35). While we must live in the states of this earth, we are called to remember that we are not citizens of this earth. Read Philippians 3:20.
In summary, by looking at the life of Christ we find that the state has strong ties to the rule of Satan and is antithetical to the Kingdom of God, which rejects the use of force and power for personal gain.
Lets turn to the teachings of Paul and look at Romans 13:1-7. However, lets substitute Nero and Herod, the kings of the time, for governing authorities.
So, how do we interpret this passage knowing that Nero was a mass murderer who actively slaughtered Christians? Surely this can’t simply mean, “Do what government says.” I don’t believe it does. In fact, the Old and New Testament describe heroes disobeying government on multiple occasions.
Moses being hidden from the Egyptians
Rahab lying to the King of Jericho
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
The Magi from the east
Peter and John deciding to obey God rather than man in Acts 5.
Obviously Paul can’t be admonishing Christians to always be obedient to the state. So what is he saying? Lets remember a few things about Paul. One, he is very pragmatic. Two, he knows exactly what his purpose in life and the purpose in life of all other Christians is to be, the Great Commission. Understanding these two things leads me to interpret Romans 13:1-7 in this way.
God is in control. His plan is in place and governments do not operate outside of His authority. You should do nothing in regards to government that would hinder your work in fulfilling the purpose you were called to fulfill. Whenever you possibly can, obey the government. Do not entangle yourself with it when you don’t have to, because it will hinder the Gospel. Here are some practical ways to do this.
In essence, he’s saying, God’s in control. Go about your business of preaching the Gospel as Christ commanded. Obey government in any way possible to avoid getting entangled with something that would hinder your purpose. This does not mean there isn’t a time to become involved or stand against government. Paul encourages us to overcome evil with good in Romans 12:21 and to be free if at all possible in 1 Corinthians 7:20-23.
In closing, I would say that our relationship in Government should be defined by our purpose on earth. Our purpose here is to complete the Great Commission. Christians today have this backwards. They relate to government for the sake of consolidating power and providing benefits for themselves and people who believe the same things they believe. The Great Commission has gone out the window. They have bought into the lie that we as Christians are called to change our nation from the top down with power, vitriol, and force. The truth is this: if our government is striving against God, it is because Christians have failed in their job of fulfilling the Great Commission. Don’t grieve now. Don’t predict doom and gloom because of a president being elected, and don’t be overjoyed because somebody who claims to believe the same things as you has been placed in power. This is sin. Instead, focus on your work. Preach the gospel, help the needy, and complete the great commission. Not only is this how you bring the Kingdom of God, it is how you influence an earthly kingdom to be more like God’s Kingdom. The government springs from its people.
This week, I want you to make a commitment to witness. Quit hating the lost. Quit striving for power and focusing on Satan’s earthly kingdom. At least once this week, do work to bring God’s kingdom to this earth.
This does not mean that I agree with Obama. In fact, I have strong reservations about his track record, policies and beliefs on certain issues that are important to me.
Since election night and the days leading up to the election when it became apparent that Obama would be president and we would have a large Democratic majority in Congress, I’ve been generally ashamed by the reaction of the Church and Christian people all over our nation. I’ve heard people say things like:
“I hope this isn’t the end of our Constitution.”
“I wonder how long our republic is going to last.”
“This is the end of our nation as we know it.”
“I am grieving for our country.”
“I am in deep prayer for the state of our nation.”
Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t grieve for our nation or be in prayer for the state of our nation. What I am saying is that if the election of Obama is what is causing a Believer to start grieving and praying for our nation, then that Christian has a deep misunderstanding of politics, our government, history, law, and most importantly, a Christian’s proper relationship with these things. That is what I want to speak on today. What is a Christian’s proper relationship with government?
The first step in evaluating a Christian’s relationship with government is to discover what Jesus had to say about the subject. The first place many people start is the famous “Render to Caesar” story that is recorded in all of the synoptic gospels. Lets read Matthew 22:15-22.
So lets get the essentials of this story in place. The Pharisees are plotting together on how to lessen Jesus’ growing influence and popularity, so they decide to lay a trap for him. They get together with some Herodians and devise a clever question to ask Jesus. The difference between Herodians and the Pharisees is key to this story:
Herodians were pro-Roman rule and they used the Roman system to gather to themselves personal power and benefits.
Pharisees were ambivalent to Roman rule, but they would generally tolerate it so long as Jewish customs and practices were left alone.
While the two had different views on Roman rule, they were brought together by their fear and hatred of Jesus, the King of the Jews. The devised a clever question. “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They asked this question in specifically in the light of Leviticus 25:23 which says, “The land [of Israel] shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine.” This makes the question very complicated because Hebrew law is in play. Since Caesar is trying to take the land from God, is it not disobedience to pay the tax?
Jesus sees through this trickery at once and as was his custom, crafts a clever and strategic response. He asks the Pharisees to produce a coin. He then asks them whose inscription is on the coin? They respond, “Caesars.” Ah, but this is where Jesus had them. The actual inscription on all Roman coins during Caesar Agustus’s reign read as such, “Tiberius Caesar, Augustus, son of the deified Augusts, chief priest.” These Pharisees who were supposed to be upholders of the law had brought an image into the heart of Jewish life, the temple, that violated the second commandment. They had graven images, which in turn showed that in their hearts they violated the first commandment as well. In other words, they, not Christ, are the true hypocrites. They are the ones who have brought the Roman’s pagan beliefs into the temple and who have bought into their beliefs. He then tells them they cannot serve two masters. Render to God what is God’s. Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. You have made your decision and made a convenient compromise, but what about your obligation to God?
Now that we have a clear understanding of this exchange, we find that it provides us with little understanding of our relationship with government other than that we serve God first. He is above all government. Then we render to the state what is the state’s.
What other guidelines do we have from Christ? Lets look at the temptations of Christ in Matthew 4:1-11. The third temptation of Christ is all the kingdoms of the world. In light of Satan offering Christ the kingdoms of the world, lets read John 12:31. Satan is the prince or ruler of this world. Implicit in Satan’s offer of the kingdoms of this world is the fact that the kingdoms of this world belong to Satan. This means that the kingdoms of this world are at enmity with God.
This is also implicit in the teachings of Christ. Jesus consistently teaches that His Kingdom is not of this world. Lets read John 18:36. Furthermore, the Sermon on the Mount teaches us that the rules of Christ’s Kingdom are the opposite of the rules of earthly kingdom. Further, Matthew 6:33 teaches us that we are not to use physical force in an attempt to bring His Kingdom into being but to seek first his righteousness. The kingdoms of this earth are established with power and violence, while God’s Kingdome is created by humility (Matthew 18:4), services (Matthew 20:26), and love (John 13:35). While we must live in the states of this earth, we are called to remember that we are not citizens of this earth. Read Philippians 3:20.
In summary, by looking at the life of Christ we find that the state has strong ties to the rule of Satan and is antithetical to the Kingdom of God, which rejects the use of force and power for personal gain.
Lets turn to the teachings of Paul and look at Romans 13:1-7. However, lets substitute Nero and Herod, the kings of the time, for governing authorities.
So, how do we interpret this passage knowing that Nero was a mass murderer who actively slaughtered Christians? Surely this can’t simply mean, “Do what government says.” I don’t believe it does. In fact, the Old and New Testament describe heroes disobeying government on multiple occasions.
Moses being hidden from the Egyptians
Rahab lying to the King of Jericho
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
The Magi from the east
Peter and John deciding to obey God rather than man in Acts 5.
Obviously Paul can’t be admonishing Christians to always be obedient to the state. So what is he saying? Lets remember a few things about Paul. One, he is very pragmatic. Two, he knows exactly what his purpose in life and the purpose in life of all other Christians is to be, the Great Commission. Understanding these two things leads me to interpret Romans 13:1-7 in this way.
God is in control. His plan is in place and governments do not operate outside of His authority. You should do nothing in regards to government that would hinder your work in fulfilling the purpose you were called to fulfill. Whenever you possibly can, obey the government. Do not entangle yourself with it when you don’t have to, because it will hinder the Gospel. Here are some practical ways to do this.
In essence, he’s saying, God’s in control. Go about your business of preaching the Gospel as Christ commanded. Obey government in any way possible to avoid getting entangled with something that would hinder your purpose. This does not mean there isn’t a time to become involved or stand against government. Paul encourages us to overcome evil with good in Romans 12:21 and to be free if at all possible in 1 Corinthians 7:20-23.
In closing, I would say that our relationship in Government should be defined by our purpose on earth. Our purpose here is to complete the Great Commission. Christians today have this backwards. They relate to government for the sake of consolidating power and providing benefits for themselves and people who believe the same things they believe. The Great Commission has gone out the window. They have bought into the lie that we as Christians are called to change our nation from the top down with power, vitriol, and force. The truth is this: if our government is striving against God, it is because Christians have failed in their job of fulfilling the Great Commission. Don’t grieve now. Don’t predict doom and gloom because of a president being elected, and don’t be overjoyed because somebody who claims to believe the same things as you has been placed in power. This is sin. Instead, focus on your work. Preach the gospel, help the needy, and complete the great commission. Not only is this how you bring the Kingdom of God, it is how you influence an earthly kingdom to be more like God’s Kingdom. The government springs from its people.
This week, I want you to make a commitment to witness. Quit hating the lost. Quit striving for power and focusing on Satan’s earthly kingdom. At least once this week, do work to bring God’s kingdom to this earth.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Life Group September 7, 2008: Getting to Know Christ the Man
We’re going to continue with our study on the evidence for the life of Christ and the New Testament, but I want to share a little bit about what this study has done for me and my personal faith. I’m a history buff. I read tons of biographies and history books. I’ve read about everybody from George Mueller, to Thomas Jefferson, to Thomas Edison, to Adolf Hitler, to Napoleon, to Socrates, to George Patton, and on and on. As I study these people and their lives, I eventually get to know them. I feel like if I saw them on the street I would recognize them. If we conversed I would have questions to ask them. If they were speaking I would have a frame of reference to determine their words and ideas by. In essence, they become as real as if I had sat in a room with them for hours on end and asked them questions.
Even though I had read the Gospels many times, I had never looked upon them in the same way I’d looked at other historical records. I looked upon the Gospels as nothing more than sacred documents to my faith, and they are, but they’re also more. As a result I don’t think I had a complete knowledge of Jesus Christ. I didn’t necessarily feel the same way about Him as I did about Thomas Edison. In a way, I didn’t know His entire character. When I thought about Jesus, I thought about Him in terms of Almighty God.
Now, He is almighty God, but thinking about Him only in those terms negates much of the richness of what being a Christian is all about. Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. One of the things I understood, but did not physically apply to my life is that there is no relationship without a man. In other words, I had a great understanding of Almighty God, and I knew the mechanics of how He saved me, but I didn’t fully understand the importance of Jesus Christ in terms of applying my faith to my everyday life.
As I studied the evidence for Jesus Christ, it struck me that He was every bit as much of a man as Napoleon, yet I knew the man Napoleon much better than I knew the man Jesus Christ. So I began to read the Gospels with an emphasis on getting to know Jesus Christ the man, not the founder of my faith, not the Son of God, not the miracle worker, but as a man. What’s more, when I began to really look at Christ as a man, my relationship with Him became much more palpable and real.
Why is this important? Why can’t you have a fulfilling faith just being in awe of the almighty God and recognizing His omnipotent power and grace? Why can’t you just worship God the creator, I AM, the Alpha and Omega?
First, let’s take a look at life worshipping the Almighty God, and life worshipping the Almighty God while having a relationship, a real relationship, with Jesus Christ.
(Ecclesiastes 4:1-3) Now, this was written by the wisest man in the world. He had it all. Wealth, pleasure, power, incredible knowledge and vast wisdom. But what did his experiences teach him? (Ecclesiastes 2:14) Solomon had looked at life and realized that there was no savior. There was no relationship with God. His life was entirely meaningless and everything he had accomplished was meaningless. Life was futile, yet this is a man who worshipped God, built the temple, and led God’s people to their pinnacle. Yet he came to the conclusion that life was futile.
Let’s read Romans 14:16-18. The tone of this verse and the experience of the author are completely different from Solomon’s in Ecclesiastes. Both had contact with God, but while Solomon had come to the determination that it was better to never be born than to live a full life, Paul’s relationship to God brought peace, joy, and the understanding that he was pleasing to God. What was the difference?
To understand why Solomon was unfulfilled in all of his glory, and Paul was filled with joy and peace, we must understand the character of God and why a complete understanding of Jesus Christ’s role in our relationship to God is essential for joy, fulfillment and peace.
Let’s talk about the character of God. Complete this sentence with the first word that comes to your mind. God is _______. Typically we think God is love, and this is truth, but we must also understand that while God is the embodiment of love, this is not a complete picture of his character. God is also the embodiment of justice, and the two are not mutually exclusive. (Ezekiel 18:4) The idea that God is love is revolutionary. Pagan gods were gods of things. The Greeks and Romans had gods of love, peace, weather, etc. The Canaanites worshipped Baal, the god of fertility. God is not the God of love, God is love. God is not the God of Peace, God is peace. God is not the God of Justice, He is Justice. If God were to completely remove Himself from earth, there would be no love, peace, or justice on earth.
Remember when Moses asked who was speaking to him from the burning bush, God answered I AM. He didn’t say He did things, or He felt things, or He had certain authority. God doesn’t do good things. God is good things. Without God there is no good. And when we reject God, we actually reject goodness, because He is everything perfect. This is why our rejection of God is so heinous to Him. It says that we reject all that is good for all that is evil. We reject love for murder. We reject peace for war. We reject justice for crime. This is what we are saying when we reject God, because He is love, peace, and justice.
So we must understand this, that because of our fallen state, we are an abomination to God. He is perfect good and cannot abide evil. In other words, because God is just, it is absolutely impossible for Him to have relationship with us. He cannot abide our sin, and He cannot allow it to go unpunished.
So the next question becomes, what punishment does our fallen state deserve? The answer is death and separation from God. In fact, punishment is not even the most accurate word for it. Cause and effect or consequence is more accurate. Imagine it like this. You are a pianist, but you become convinced that you will be become a better musician without your fingers. As a result of this belief, you remove your fingers. Now obviously, you are no longer a pianist. You cannot play. You cannot experience the joy of creating music with the piano. You can hear the piano from afar, but you can no longer have interaction with the piano because you chose to remove yourself from it.
In the same way we are removed from community with God. He still gets as close as he can, but we can only view Him from afar. This is a punishment, but it is also the natural consequence of our fallen state. Let’s look at what relationship was like with God after the fall. (Exodus 19:11-25)
This is as close as we can get to playing the piano without our fingers. The presence of God is literally fatal to us because He is the embodiment of justice and sin is part of our nature. He can no more have relationship with us than dry wood can withstand fire. The fire cannot occupy the same space as the dry wood without destroying it. The very natures of the two are mutually exclusive. The fire does not choose to burn the dry wood. The fire consumes the wood because of what it is. In the same way, God destroys sin because He is perfection, justice, and holiness. Sin and God are mutually exclusive; therefore because of the very natures of man and God, we cannot inhabit His presence.
This circumstance is not pleasing to God. God loves His creation. John 3:16 affirmatively tells us this and names it as the purpose for Christ.
Now, we do not have the power to eliminate the stain of sin from our being, so we are cut off from relationship with God. We do not have the power to change what we are. So God must provide another means for relationship. There is only one logical way to reestablish this relationship. Read Philippians 2:7-9.
This is how we get from Exodus to Christianity. In essence, you have the piano saying to the fingerless pianist, you can no longer make music with me as you once did, so I’m going to change my nature so that you can play me. I’m going to make my keys wider so you can press them. It’s not going to be the same as it was, but the more you play me, the more perfect the music will become, and eventually, by continuing to have relationship with me, the music will be perfect again.
This is the role of Jesus Christ in our life. It’s not perfect, but because He became a man, we can have relationship with Him again. As we continue in our relationship with Jesus Christ, our perfection increases and our sin nature is reduced. The relationship with Jesus Christ changes who we are. Through our relationship we become more perfect until the day when we are completely perfected in Him.
This is why understanding who Christ the man is, is so important to a complete faith. This is how we have relationship with God. Unless we view Christ as a man, and relate to Him as such, we have no connection to God and Christianity just becomes a religion.
As a practical matter how might this work? How about this, God does not feel rejection like we do. When we reject God, it is an affront to His holiness and causes Him to seek justice. Jesus Christ feels the emotion of rejection in a way that we can relate to. When we reject Him, He feels the same emotions as we feel when a loved one rejects us. I don’t know about for you, but these impacts the way I think about sin. I empathize with it. I understand it. And it changes how I think about sin. It’s not just me doing a bad thing, it’s me looking at a man, like me, who was tortured and died for me, and then watching me spit on that sacrifice and reject Him. For me, this gives me much more motivation to avoid sin than offending a perfect being of justice that I cannot comprehend. I can relate.
Without this real relationship, you’re missing out on the Christian faith. So as we continue looking at the evidence for Christ, perhaps you’ll look on the Gospels in a new way. Read them with a fresh perspective. Read them as if you’re in a room with Jesus Christ, and asking Him questions about who He is as a man. Get to know His character, His passions, His hobbies, and His ideas. Learn about the culture and history that surrounded His life. As you begin to develop this relationship with Jesus Christ, I believe He will become more real to you, and motivate you to a greater life of holiness and passion for the lost.
Even though I had read the Gospels many times, I had never looked upon them in the same way I’d looked at other historical records. I looked upon the Gospels as nothing more than sacred documents to my faith, and they are, but they’re also more. As a result I don’t think I had a complete knowledge of Jesus Christ. I didn’t necessarily feel the same way about Him as I did about Thomas Edison. In a way, I didn’t know His entire character. When I thought about Jesus, I thought about Him in terms of Almighty God.
Now, He is almighty God, but thinking about Him only in those terms negates much of the richness of what being a Christian is all about. Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. One of the things I understood, but did not physically apply to my life is that there is no relationship without a man. In other words, I had a great understanding of Almighty God, and I knew the mechanics of how He saved me, but I didn’t fully understand the importance of Jesus Christ in terms of applying my faith to my everyday life.
As I studied the evidence for Jesus Christ, it struck me that He was every bit as much of a man as Napoleon, yet I knew the man Napoleon much better than I knew the man Jesus Christ. So I began to read the Gospels with an emphasis on getting to know Jesus Christ the man, not the founder of my faith, not the Son of God, not the miracle worker, but as a man. What’s more, when I began to really look at Christ as a man, my relationship with Him became much more palpable and real.
Why is this important? Why can’t you have a fulfilling faith just being in awe of the almighty God and recognizing His omnipotent power and grace? Why can’t you just worship God the creator, I AM, the Alpha and Omega?
First, let’s take a look at life worshipping the Almighty God, and life worshipping the Almighty God while having a relationship, a real relationship, with Jesus Christ.
(Ecclesiastes 4:1-3) Now, this was written by the wisest man in the world. He had it all. Wealth, pleasure, power, incredible knowledge and vast wisdom. But what did his experiences teach him? (Ecclesiastes 2:14) Solomon had looked at life and realized that there was no savior. There was no relationship with God. His life was entirely meaningless and everything he had accomplished was meaningless. Life was futile, yet this is a man who worshipped God, built the temple, and led God’s people to their pinnacle. Yet he came to the conclusion that life was futile.
Let’s read Romans 14:16-18. The tone of this verse and the experience of the author are completely different from Solomon’s in Ecclesiastes. Both had contact with God, but while Solomon had come to the determination that it was better to never be born than to live a full life, Paul’s relationship to God brought peace, joy, and the understanding that he was pleasing to God. What was the difference?
To understand why Solomon was unfulfilled in all of his glory, and Paul was filled with joy and peace, we must understand the character of God and why a complete understanding of Jesus Christ’s role in our relationship to God is essential for joy, fulfillment and peace.
Let’s talk about the character of God. Complete this sentence with the first word that comes to your mind. God is _______. Typically we think God is love, and this is truth, but we must also understand that while God is the embodiment of love, this is not a complete picture of his character. God is also the embodiment of justice, and the two are not mutually exclusive. (Ezekiel 18:4) The idea that God is love is revolutionary. Pagan gods were gods of things. The Greeks and Romans had gods of love, peace, weather, etc. The Canaanites worshipped Baal, the god of fertility. God is not the God of love, God is love. God is not the God of Peace, God is peace. God is not the God of Justice, He is Justice. If God were to completely remove Himself from earth, there would be no love, peace, or justice on earth.
Remember when Moses asked who was speaking to him from the burning bush, God answered I AM. He didn’t say He did things, or He felt things, or He had certain authority. God doesn’t do good things. God is good things. Without God there is no good. And when we reject God, we actually reject goodness, because He is everything perfect. This is why our rejection of God is so heinous to Him. It says that we reject all that is good for all that is evil. We reject love for murder. We reject peace for war. We reject justice for crime. This is what we are saying when we reject God, because He is love, peace, and justice.
So we must understand this, that because of our fallen state, we are an abomination to God. He is perfect good and cannot abide evil. In other words, because God is just, it is absolutely impossible for Him to have relationship with us. He cannot abide our sin, and He cannot allow it to go unpunished.
So the next question becomes, what punishment does our fallen state deserve? The answer is death and separation from God. In fact, punishment is not even the most accurate word for it. Cause and effect or consequence is more accurate. Imagine it like this. You are a pianist, but you become convinced that you will be become a better musician without your fingers. As a result of this belief, you remove your fingers. Now obviously, you are no longer a pianist. You cannot play. You cannot experience the joy of creating music with the piano. You can hear the piano from afar, but you can no longer have interaction with the piano because you chose to remove yourself from it.
In the same way we are removed from community with God. He still gets as close as he can, but we can only view Him from afar. This is a punishment, but it is also the natural consequence of our fallen state. Let’s look at what relationship was like with God after the fall. (Exodus 19:11-25)
This is as close as we can get to playing the piano without our fingers. The presence of God is literally fatal to us because He is the embodiment of justice and sin is part of our nature. He can no more have relationship with us than dry wood can withstand fire. The fire cannot occupy the same space as the dry wood without destroying it. The very natures of the two are mutually exclusive. The fire does not choose to burn the dry wood. The fire consumes the wood because of what it is. In the same way, God destroys sin because He is perfection, justice, and holiness. Sin and God are mutually exclusive; therefore because of the very natures of man and God, we cannot inhabit His presence.
This circumstance is not pleasing to God. God loves His creation. John 3:16 affirmatively tells us this and names it as the purpose for Christ.
Now, we do not have the power to eliminate the stain of sin from our being, so we are cut off from relationship with God. We do not have the power to change what we are. So God must provide another means for relationship. There is only one logical way to reestablish this relationship. Read Philippians 2:7-9.
This is how we get from Exodus to Christianity. In essence, you have the piano saying to the fingerless pianist, you can no longer make music with me as you once did, so I’m going to change my nature so that you can play me. I’m going to make my keys wider so you can press them. It’s not going to be the same as it was, but the more you play me, the more perfect the music will become, and eventually, by continuing to have relationship with me, the music will be perfect again.
This is the role of Jesus Christ in our life. It’s not perfect, but because He became a man, we can have relationship with Him again. As we continue in our relationship with Jesus Christ, our perfection increases and our sin nature is reduced. The relationship with Jesus Christ changes who we are. Through our relationship we become more perfect until the day when we are completely perfected in Him.
This is why understanding who Christ the man is, is so important to a complete faith. This is how we have relationship with God. Unless we view Christ as a man, and relate to Him as such, we have no connection to God and Christianity just becomes a religion.
As a practical matter how might this work? How about this, God does not feel rejection like we do. When we reject God, it is an affront to His holiness and causes Him to seek justice. Jesus Christ feels the emotion of rejection in a way that we can relate to. When we reject Him, He feels the same emotions as we feel when a loved one rejects us. I don’t know about for you, but these impacts the way I think about sin. I empathize with it. I understand it. And it changes how I think about sin. It’s not just me doing a bad thing, it’s me looking at a man, like me, who was tortured and died for me, and then watching me spit on that sacrifice and reject Him. For me, this gives me much more motivation to avoid sin than offending a perfect being of justice that I cannot comprehend. I can relate.
Without this real relationship, you’re missing out on the Christian faith. So as we continue looking at the evidence for Christ, perhaps you’ll look on the Gospels in a new way. Read them with a fresh perspective. Read them as if you’re in a room with Jesus Christ, and asking Him questions about who He is as a man. Get to know His character, His passions, His hobbies, and His ideas. Learn about the culture and history that surrounded His life. As you begin to develop this relationship with Jesus Christ, I believe He will become more real to you, and motivate you to a greater life of holiness and passion for the lost.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Prayer Walk
On Saturday, September 6 at 9:00 AM, Campus Church and the Campus Community Life Group will be participating in a prayer walk for our local schools. Our group will be praying for Northwest Classen High School. Meet us there and join us as we intercede for the young men and women of OKC. The school is located at 2801 NW 27th Street in Oklahoma City.
Here is what we will be praying for our schools.
"Thank you precious God for loving each one of us enough to send Jesus the Christ, your virgin born Son, to die and show your love for us. And after His resurrection and ascension, you sent Your Holy Spirit to be our guide, protector, comfort, and power.
"e ask you to place your wall of protection around this school, the Staff, and the students. Please grant each Staff member the heavenly wisdom to mix with their knowledge so they may guide each student to become all that You have designed and prepared each student to be and do." Ephesians 2:8-10
We can't wait to see you there.
Here is what we will be praying for our schools.
"Thank you precious God for loving each one of us enough to send Jesus the Christ, your virgin born Son, to die and show your love for us. And after His resurrection and ascension, you sent Your Holy Spirit to be our guide, protector, comfort, and power.
"e ask you to place your wall of protection around this school, the Staff, and the students. Please grant each Staff member the heavenly wisdom to mix with their knowledge so they may guide each student to become all that You have designed and prepared each student to be and do." Ephesians 2:8-10
We can't wait to see you there.
August 31 Life Group: Messianic Prophecy
Last week we did some historical background on the gospels. We established that we know who wrote the Gospels, approximately when they were written, that they were eyewitness accounts of Christ’s life, and that they are historically sound and reliable. In other words, we have more evidence for the reliability of the Gospels than we have for any other ancient text in history.
Again, we don’t want to lose sight of why we’re studying the evidence of Christ’s life. This isn’t so we can win debate competitions or prove intellectual superiority. In fact, most people who ask the kinds of critical questions do so in an effort to justify their lifestyle. (Proverbs 26:4)
We are looking at these things in an effort to build our own faith and to have an answer for those who are really search. We are preparing ourselves to defend our hearts from those who would make us doubt by looking at the evidence for Jesus Christ.
Today I want to look at Christ Himself. When you’re asking questions about Christ, what is possibly the key question that we need to answer about Christ in order to establish that our faith is in something real, tangible, and not just based on some stories about a good man who did some good things? (Luke 24:44)
Let’s start looking at the evidence for Christ being the Son of God.
1. Isaiah 35:4-6/Matthew 11:5
2. Isaiah 40:2-5/Mathew 3:1-3
3. Isaiah 49:6/Matthew 12:14-21
4. Isaiah 50:6/Matthew 26:67; 27:30; Mark 14:65
5. Isaiah 53:5/Matthew 27:26
6. Isaiah 53:7/Luke 23:8-10
7. Isaiah 53:9/Matthew 27:57-60
8. Zechariah 9:9/Luke 19:35-37
9. Zechariah 11:12/Matthew 26:14-15
10. Zechariah 12:10/John 19:33-37
11. Isaiah 7:14/Matthew 1:23-25
12. Micah 5:2/Matthew 2:1-6
13. Psalm 34:20-22/John 19:31-36
On its face, this seems like pretty convincing evidence that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, but let’s look at the arguments against these prophecies.
1. It was all a coincidence
There is a conservative estimate that there were 100 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Some say there are as many as 425. Jesus Christ fulfilled each and every one of them.
Matthew Stoner is a mathematician. He did a study on the likelihood that one man could fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. The odds that one person would fulfill just 8 of the Old Testament prophecies is one chance in one hundred million billion. This is a number so great it is literally beyond human comprehension. If you took one hundred million billion dollars, and you covered the state of Texas with them, it would cover the entire state to a depth of two feet. If you then marked one of the silver dollars, blindfolded a person, and had them wander the entire state, what are the chances they would pick up the marked coin? The exact same as one man fulfilling 8 of the Old Testament messianic prophecies. Christ fulfilled at least 100 such prophecies. (Acts 3:18)
2. The Gospels were Altered
Were the gospels altered in order to conform to Old Testament prophecies and enhance the reputation of Christ?
One of the greatest evidences against this argument is actually the critics of Christianity. The Jewish Talmud was written around 170 years after the time of Christ. It attempts to discredit Christianity and is highly derogatory of Jesus, but nowhere does it question the authenticity of the Gospel stories. Nowhere does it say, “His bones really were broken, just like the other criminals.”
Nowhere does it say, “He was not betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.”
Another great evidence of the truth of the Gospel stories is the lives of those who wrote them. In other words, why would Matthew fabricate a bunch of fulfilled prophecies, knowing it would bring persecution, in order to bolster the reputation of a Messiah he knew to be false, and eventually dying the death of the martyr without ever renouncing those beliefs. There was no power to be gained from lying. Only persecution and death.
3. The intentional fulfillment argument
Some argue that Christ knew of the prophecies and intentionally fulfilled them. Ironically, since we believe that Christ was God, this is actually accurate, but the critics mean it in a different way. There are some prophecies where this argument could work. Sure, Christ could have ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey with the specific intent of fulfilling the prophecy.
Could he have controlled that Judas would sell Him to the Sanhedrin for 30 pieces of silver? Could he have controlled his lineage? Could he have controlled the place of his birth? Could he have controlled how he was executed? Could he arrange that his bones would not be broken on the cross? Could he arrange the exact date of his birth as predicted by Daniel in Daniel 9:24-26? These are all events out of the control of a normal human being.
This seems to be the most common of the criticisms of Christ’s fulfillment of the prophecies, so let’s look at it a little more closely.
a. A Plot from Birth
To say there was a plot would mean that from His birth, His parents would have had to engineer a series of events to give the Child the life experiences and credentials needed to fulfill the prophecy. It was also obvious that Mary carried the stain of an apparent out of wedlock pregnancy, so it seems incredible that these parents would have engineered this type of life for this kind of baby. The odds were against them. In addition, this child would have to grow up and meet the expectations of His parents and then proceed to fulfill the works attributed to the Messiah. In order to accomplish this, here is what Mary and Joseph would have had to do.
a. They would have had to ensure that both Mary and Joseph were of the lineage attributed to Christ in the prophecies.
b. They would have had to be sure that Christ lived in all three places prophesied as his home which were Bethlehem, Egypt and Nazareth.
c. They would have had to ensure that a king would try to kill Jesus by massacring all boy babies in Bethlehem.
d. They would have had to have him crucified on a cross
e. They would have had to make sure his bones were not broken.
f. They would have had to make sure his hands and feet were nailed
g. They would have had to make sure vinegar was given to him on the cross
h. They would have had to make sure Roman soldiers gambled for his belongings
i. They would have had to make sure that he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver
j. They would have had to make sure he died on Passover
k. They would have had to be sure he lived 490 years after the Babylon captivity
l. They would have had to be sure he lived under Roman rule
m. They would have had to be sure he lived under Caesar Augustus
n. They would have had to be sure that a vile emperor would take over for Augustus (Tiberius)
o. They would have had to be sure that his ministry would reach the Gentiles
We’ve merely looked at a fraction of the prophecies this morning. The truth is that there are hundreds of prophecies, all written hundreds of years before the life of Christ. Some of them are extremely specific. Some of them are very broad.
Against incredible odds, Jesus Christ’s life fulfilled each and every one of them. No mere man could have fulfilled these prophecies, only the one true Messiah.
Again, we don’t want to lose sight of why we’re studying the evidence of Christ’s life. This isn’t so we can win debate competitions or prove intellectual superiority. In fact, most people who ask the kinds of critical questions do so in an effort to justify their lifestyle. (Proverbs 26:4)
We are looking at these things in an effort to build our own faith and to have an answer for those who are really search. We are preparing ourselves to defend our hearts from those who would make us doubt by looking at the evidence for Jesus Christ.
Today I want to look at Christ Himself. When you’re asking questions about Christ, what is possibly the key question that we need to answer about Christ in order to establish that our faith is in something real, tangible, and not just based on some stories about a good man who did some good things? (Luke 24:44)
Let’s start looking at the evidence for Christ being the Son of God.
1. Isaiah 35:4-6/Matthew 11:5
2. Isaiah 40:2-5/Mathew 3:1-3
3. Isaiah 49:6/Matthew 12:14-21
4. Isaiah 50:6/Matthew 26:67; 27:30; Mark 14:65
5. Isaiah 53:5/Matthew 27:26
6. Isaiah 53:7/Luke 23:8-10
7. Isaiah 53:9/Matthew 27:57-60
8. Zechariah 9:9/Luke 19:35-37
9. Zechariah 11:12/Matthew 26:14-15
10. Zechariah 12:10/John 19:33-37
11. Isaiah 7:14/Matthew 1:23-25
12. Micah 5:2/Matthew 2:1-6
13. Psalm 34:20-22/John 19:31-36
On its face, this seems like pretty convincing evidence that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, but let’s look at the arguments against these prophecies.
1. It was all a coincidence
There is a conservative estimate that there were 100 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Some say there are as many as 425. Jesus Christ fulfilled each and every one of them.
Matthew Stoner is a mathematician. He did a study on the likelihood that one man could fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. The odds that one person would fulfill just 8 of the Old Testament prophecies is one chance in one hundred million billion. This is a number so great it is literally beyond human comprehension. If you took one hundred million billion dollars, and you covered the state of Texas with them, it would cover the entire state to a depth of two feet. If you then marked one of the silver dollars, blindfolded a person, and had them wander the entire state, what are the chances they would pick up the marked coin? The exact same as one man fulfilling 8 of the Old Testament messianic prophecies. Christ fulfilled at least 100 such prophecies. (Acts 3:18)
2. The Gospels were Altered
Were the gospels altered in order to conform to Old Testament prophecies and enhance the reputation of Christ?
One of the greatest evidences against this argument is actually the critics of Christianity. The Jewish Talmud was written around 170 years after the time of Christ. It attempts to discredit Christianity and is highly derogatory of Jesus, but nowhere does it question the authenticity of the Gospel stories. Nowhere does it say, “His bones really were broken, just like the other criminals.”
Nowhere does it say, “He was not betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.”
Another great evidence of the truth of the Gospel stories is the lives of those who wrote them. In other words, why would Matthew fabricate a bunch of fulfilled prophecies, knowing it would bring persecution, in order to bolster the reputation of a Messiah he knew to be false, and eventually dying the death of the martyr without ever renouncing those beliefs. There was no power to be gained from lying. Only persecution and death.
3. The intentional fulfillment argument
Some argue that Christ knew of the prophecies and intentionally fulfilled them. Ironically, since we believe that Christ was God, this is actually accurate, but the critics mean it in a different way. There are some prophecies where this argument could work. Sure, Christ could have ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey with the specific intent of fulfilling the prophecy.
Could he have controlled that Judas would sell Him to the Sanhedrin for 30 pieces of silver? Could he have controlled his lineage? Could he have controlled the place of his birth? Could he have controlled how he was executed? Could he arrange that his bones would not be broken on the cross? Could he arrange the exact date of his birth as predicted by Daniel in Daniel 9:24-26? These are all events out of the control of a normal human being.
This seems to be the most common of the criticisms of Christ’s fulfillment of the prophecies, so let’s look at it a little more closely.
a. A Plot from Birth
To say there was a plot would mean that from His birth, His parents would have had to engineer a series of events to give the Child the life experiences and credentials needed to fulfill the prophecy. It was also obvious that Mary carried the stain of an apparent out of wedlock pregnancy, so it seems incredible that these parents would have engineered this type of life for this kind of baby. The odds were against them. In addition, this child would have to grow up and meet the expectations of His parents and then proceed to fulfill the works attributed to the Messiah. In order to accomplish this, here is what Mary and Joseph would have had to do.
a. They would have had to ensure that both Mary and Joseph were of the lineage attributed to Christ in the prophecies.
b. They would have had to be sure that Christ lived in all three places prophesied as his home which were Bethlehem, Egypt and Nazareth.
c. They would have had to ensure that a king would try to kill Jesus by massacring all boy babies in Bethlehem.
d. They would have had to have him crucified on a cross
e. They would have had to make sure his bones were not broken.
f. They would have had to make sure his hands and feet were nailed
g. They would have had to make sure vinegar was given to him on the cross
h. They would have had to make sure Roman soldiers gambled for his belongings
i. They would have had to make sure that he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver
j. They would have had to make sure he died on Passover
k. They would have had to be sure he lived 490 years after the Babylon captivity
l. They would have had to be sure he lived under Roman rule
m. They would have had to be sure he lived under Caesar Augustus
n. They would have had to be sure that a vile emperor would take over for Augustus (Tiberius)
o. They would have had to be sure that his ministry would reach the Gentiles
We’ve merely looked at a fraction of the prophecies this morning. The truth is that there are hundreds of prophecies, all written hundreds of years before the life of Christ. Some of them are extremely specific. Some of them are very broad.
Against incredible odds, Jesus Christ’s life fulfilled each and every one of them. No mere man could have fulfilled these prophecies, only the one true Messiah.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Have An Answer Party
Campus Community recently hosted a party welcoming this year's Seniors to the college department. The evening started out with feasting on hot dogs and also consisted of volleyball and Wii bowling. Josh shared about the importance of having an answer when asked about our faith and when confronted by the different situations we face on a daily basis that would challenge our faith. The evening finished out with roasted marshmallows and fireside worship led by A.J., Caleb and Courtney. Thank you to everyone that helped out with the party and to those who came.
Monday, July 7, 2008
The Reign of a New Champion
This past Sunday evening saw a new darts champion ushered in. With Keri B out of town the oppurtunity was left wide open for a new champ to take over. Newcomer, Bailey was as surprised as the rest of us when her last throw hit the triple 18 and brought her the victory. Kenny D came in 2nd, Jamie M 3rd, Jamie D 4th and Kent came in for a sad last place. It's alright Kent, I know you'll have a comeback! Kudos to Bailey! Will we see a face off next week, Keri?
The evening was capped off with a discussion revolving around the passage of Luke 14.25-35, where Jesus gives a challenge to anyone who would decide that they might desire to follow Him. The challenge is to consider what it is that we are willing face for His sake and to be sure that we are indeed ready to go against an army that might be twice our size and not turn back.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Where the Last will be First
Much discussion occur following a lesson on how love for others is really just an overflow of God's grace in our loves which overflows in to the lives of others.
We look forward to learning about prayer and its intersection with our study of the Hedonist Christian lifestyle.
Keri celebrates going from a usual last place finish (just speaking truth here), to a first place showing against a large 8 person field on Sunday night.
If you wish to challenge her dominance, come to the Deason home next Sunday night at 7:00 PM!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Sunday Morning Life Group
Sunday mornings at Campus Community start out at 9:00a.m. with some great food (usually cooked by Keri, who, just less than a year ago claimed she couldn't cook anything, but who is now nearly world famous) and some hang time. Recently we have been going through a book by John Piper, Desiring God. Through last week's lesson, I was reminded of the importance of reaching out to the lost and bringing them into the kingdom of light. Of course, I knew that yes, absolutely I need to be ministering to those who don't know Jesus. But, I feel as though I have forgotten the pressing need that people have in this regard. I feel God stirring my own heart to do something more than what I am doing now, to be more intentional about what I am doing for His kingdom in regard to those still in darkness. I am praying that He will continue to stir my heart as He shows me the path to walk on. And I am trusting He will lead me just as He has promised...
Nomads 3: Feast, Fun, and Purpose
Nomads Weekend @ Heart Of God Ministries. Part 3 and last of the Nomads series
Feasting at Nomads isn't as easy as it sounds. As you can see from these two pics, there are Good Times and Hard Times to be expected. Look at Ryan and Abbigail's face in the pic to the left. Ryan is reaching out for water in order to prevent the inevitable. They are eating Grub Worms, Eel, Fermented Duck Egg, Pickled Pigs Foot...etc. The infamous Food Eating Contest at Nomads is the Feast to End all Feasts. Those who endure are worthy of honor and pride. Thumbs up Abbigail and Ryan. You did well. You lost, but you did well.
Fun could be interpreted as Ho-Down at Nomads. Worship was
very celebratory and led to much dancing, clapping, shouting, and laughter. Of coarse, if you're the type that enjoys hanging out in grass huts and developing strategies for changing the world, then you definitely missed your golden opportunity. If you think that I
might have suffered some over the weekend by missing out on my weekly dose of Ultimate...your wrong. We played the Ultimate game of Ultimate, Primitive style, in the woods and around the trees. There was even a nasty septic smelling tar pit in one the goals.
The purpose of the weekend was manifold...Celebrating Jesus, Celebrating God's Heart for the World, and Celebrating our opportunity to jump on board with God's call on our life. We heard great teachings that ranged from Celebration (imagine that), to Intimacy with Jesus. We heard testimonies from those that are losing their lives for the sake of those who are dying. Some of the stories were difficult to stomach, such as the woman who is caring for three hundred abandoned children from Sudan. These kids have murdered in the name of revolution, seen their 9 year old soldier friends murdered by other children under order, witnessed the killing of their mothers and fathers, and have been struggling to survive without anyone on their side. I'm pulling it back as I type this...it's hard to ignore the needs outside of my living room. I really do experience a healthy pain of compassion that begs for my action in God's purpose in this world.I hope that you guys have enjoyed your window into Nomads. See ya...this is K-Dog over and out (oao)...catch ya on the flip side (cyotfs)...stay cool (sc)...
Monday, May 5, 2008
Nomads #2: Aradhna
Nomads Weekend @ Heart of God Ministries is an outdoor missions conference that is hosted every year in Choctaw OK. College students from around the country join HGM's celebration of Jesus Christ. This is my 2nd post of a 3 part series...Nomads.
Aradhna made no small contribution to the weekend.Chris Hale (Sitar) and Peter Hicks (Acoustic Guitar) sat on the stage, paused with huge grins, and began to jam. It is so clear how much joy Chris and Peter have just worshiping Jesus. These guys emote a presence that can easily make you jealous so that they can invite you to join them. I should have taken some pictures of all the grins around me as the whole crowd gladly came to worship and enjoy Jesus with them.
Chris and Peter must have put some effort into being the outcome of a collision that included Ghandi, George Harrison, and Simon and Garfunkel all on the same bus...but neither of these three could have danced on their bottom while playing a guitar or sitar like Chris and Peter. As the show rolls on more parts of the band emerge. First a local S. Indian drum percussionist who sat down on the floor next to Chris and naturally flowed into the grin session. After a few more songs, two other musicians set up behind Chris and Peter with a Bass guitar and Drum set. Unbelievable.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
OCU Luncheon
Every Thursday, during the school year,the BCM at OCU has a free lunch to get to know some of the students on campus. Our family tries to frequent these lunches when possible. We have been able to meet a lot of great students at this lunch and have found it to be a great oppurtunity to meet students that haven't yet heard of the great power of Jesus. This Thursday was the last one for this school year, but we will take the opportunity next year to meet more students and hopefully help them discover the wonderful news of Jesus.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tiffany's Last Stand
Sunday 04/27/08 was Tiffany M's Last Stand on Ultimate for a while. Tiffany left today for "The Middle East" and will be there for two years doing athletic training and service.
Tiffany has not only been a very key recruiter for the ultimate games but also a very competitive player on the field. She is known by all as being extremely aggressive (to the point of not being fair at times), very fast, shrewd (as in always manipulating her way onto the team with the best players), and will even flat out fight her sister at times if it means a win. Let's raise the roof for Tiff as we review her Last Stand.
A very windy day made the game tough on everybody, especially the fast runners that play deep. Tiffany, Jermain, Curt, and Kyle were all staying pretty deep and playing really hard. Jermain's speed had gotten the best of Tiff on more than one occasion. It was Tiff's last game and she needed to walk away with her chin up. On with the stand...
Little does Liz know what is about to take place. Tiff is so sneaky Liz won't even notice. Tiff is about to break.
The Disc draws back, Liz sighs and mumbles, "I hate that!".
The Disc is coming over their heads. Tiff has broke passed Jermaine AND...
makes the catch and a goal to boot. Jermaine excused Tiff's goal by claiming that he "pulled back"??? Ya right, he was just hoping to cool the trash talk after Tiffany burned him : )
Tiffany has not only been a very key recruiter for the ultimate games but also a very competitive player on the field. She is known by all as being extremely aggressive (to the point of not being fair at times), very fast, shrewd (as in always manipulating her way onto the team with the best players), and will even flat out fight her sister at times if it means a win. Let's raise the roof for Tiff as we review her Last Stand.
A very windy day made the game tough on everybody, especially the fast runners that play deep. Tiffany, Jermain, Curt, and Kyle were all staying pretty deep and playing really hard. Jermain's speed had gotten the best of Tiff on more than one occasion. It was Tiff's last game and she needed to walk away with her chin up. On with the stand...
Little does Liz know what is about to take place. Tiff is so sneaky Liz won't even notice. Tiff is about to break.
The Disc draws back, Liz sighs and mumbles, "I hate that!".
The Disc is coming over their heads. Tiff has broke passed Jermaine AND...
makes the catch and a goal to boot. Jermaine excused Tiff's goal by claiming that he "pulled back"??? Ya right, he was just hoping to cool the trash talk after Tiffany burned him : )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
