I don't know. Maybe I've spent way too much time online this weekend. But here are some links and articles I met along the way.
Six Reasons to Believe that God is Really There
For those of you too lazy to read Tim Keller's awesome book, The Reason for God.
Seven Signs of a Genuine Ministry
Convicting.
Four Ways to Explain What Happened on the Cross
I read John Stott's Cross of Christ a couple of years ago, and it immediately became one of the twenty or so books I think every believer should read.
One of the Most Important Prayer Requests
Once more, Piper is right-on.
19 Worst Drive-Thru Foods in America
I'm making a sign up list for friends who want to take me to each of these places when I come home, by the way. I figure I'll eat the 19 worst ones first, and then go back for a second round of "better options."
Study the Bible Better
BiblicalStudies.org.uk
Free NT Online Courses from Atlantic Baptist University
Shai Linne: theo-centric hip-hop that's...not bad.
This is his blog. Make sure to read the lyrics to his CDs on the left-hand column. You'll learn something.
See Some Interesting Media
Cindy Winters, wife of slain Pastor Fred Winters, speaks love on the Today Show
An Israeli guy mixes amateur videos on YouTube
What If Starbucks Marketed Like A Church?
~ and the people who made the video
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
some links
Hey, I stumbled across lots of good blogging this week. Here are some links I found worthwhile.
Screwtape on the SBC
15 Gospel-Saturated Book Recommendations
Church Planting in the Post-Christian US
10 Ways You Can Truly Help the Homeless
5 people from very different denominational backgrounds answer the question What Is The Gospel?
The Baptist Renaissance March Madness Bracket (really, you should read it all)
Screwtape on the SBC
15 Gospel-Saturated Book Recommendations
Church Planting in the Post-Christian US
10 Ways You Can Truly Help the Homeless
5 people from very different denominational backgrounds answer the question What Is The Gospel?
The Baptist Renaissance March Madness Bracket (really, you should read it all)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
what's going on with me.
I generally hesitate to talk too much about myself, because such talk is usually the product of some form of pride (which ranges from arrogance to self-pity). However, over a year into this gig, I've realized a couple things I figured you, as my supporters (in prayer, finance, and personal encouragement) should know. It hasn't been my aim to fool you all this time, but I really just think I wasn't aware until recently. So here's five confessions, ways you can pray.
1. I'm not good at what I do.
2. Turns out, I'm not only awkward in America, but I'm socially impaired here, too!
3. I am far too easily content with what I (do, and don't) accomplish.
4. I'm really clueless, a lot of the time.
5. The vision and creativity that I once had apparently didn't make the trip over.
I won't elaborate on these things, but I will give more background in general. On Sunday, I heard a sermon in which the speaker explained phases we have in life--hard places through which we are purified, desert places through which we see God better, and dark places through which we understand better.
It wasn't until last Sunday that I realized I'd been in a dark place for quite a long time (about a year and two months, to be exact). I don't say "dark place" to imply that I come home every day, depressed. The "dark place" to which I'm referring is a place where nothing is recognizable, and I can't even imagine what could be there. It's like there's some disconnect between my imagination (and thought life) and the horizon. In the States, I could look out and see great things, ways in which the Father would work. Here, there's nothing.
So those are my confessions. This entire time, I've searched for hours in the Word, but have yet to receive an idea, to see a light at the end of the tunnel. That's what I'll keep on doing, too. But please pray for these things to be reconciled, and so that I would have a greater grasp on how to glorify His name here.
A song I've been listening to (tongue-in-cheek) a lot the past couple of days is Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train." It's message is horrible, but the melody is really good, and it reminds me of a hopelessness that I don't have, even if some of the emotions are the same. :)
Here's a video of a French band covering it:
1. I'm not good at what I do.
2. Turns out, I'm not only awkward in America, but I'm socially impaired here, too!
3. I am far too easily content with what I (do, and don't) accomplish.
4. I'm really clueless, a lot of the time.
5. The vision and creativity that I once had apparently didn't make the trip over.
I won't elaborate on these things, but I will give more background in general. On Sunday, I heard a sermon in which the speaker explained phases we have in life--hard places through which we are purified, desert places through which we see God better, and dark places through which we understand better.
It wasn't until last Sunday that I realized I'd been in a dark place for quite a long time (about a year and two months, to be exact). I don't say "dark place" to imply that I come home every day, depressed. The "dark place" to which I'm referring is a place where nothing is recognizable, and I can't even imagine what could be there. It's like there's some disconnect between my imagination (and thought life) and the horizon. In the States, I could look out and see great things, ways in which the Father would work. Here, there's nothing.
So those are my confessions. This entire time, I've searched for hours in the Word, but have yet to receive an idea, to see a light at the end of the tunnel. That's what I'll keep on doing, too. But please pray for these things to be reconciled, and so that I would have a greater grasp on how to glorify His name here.
A song I've been listening to (tongue-in-cheek) a lot the past couple of days is Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train." It's message is horrible, but the melody is really good, and it reminds me of a hopelessness that I don't have, even if some of the emotions are the same. :)
Here's a video of a French band covering it:
Saturday, March 28, 2009
and we will be saved
I was studying John 3 the other day when I was redirected to Numbers 21:1-9. It's where Jesus explains in v. 14, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life."
One of the reasons I enjoy the book of John so much is because of the pictures it paints about salvation. Light. Serpent. Vine. They're beautiful, and cut to the core. So to refresh my memory about why God sent the serpents, I turned back to Numbers and read, and was struck at how the Israelites must have felt once the snakes started attacking and they started to die from the lethal bites. Could you imagine, you're just living your normal sinful life, and to get you to repent, God sends snakes to bite your family members so that "many people of Israel [die]"? Your child dies, the elderly gentleman who taught you about the Holy book dies. Seeing bodies all around you from these snakes while fearing death yourself.
Something I rarely confide because it just shows how weird I really am, is that I sometimes have a recurring dream about snakes. When I say "snakes," I mean bunches. They're covering my floor like in Indiana Jones, and no matter where I go, there they are. When I think I am reaching for a knife, it turns out to be a snake. It's ridiculous and exhausting. Only, the good thing is that in my dreams, they never bite me. I don't know why. But when I read this text, I think of that dream, and wonder how the dream would change if my family and I were being bitten. I can't imagine it.
So the people of Israel turn to God, their only hope, and Moses makes the serpent so that every person who is bitten can look to it and live.
I don't know the circumstances of it--I don't know if there were ones who didn't look to it, or how long the snakes remained in the camp. I don't know how many people were saved by looking onto the serpent. But I do know that whoever placed his hope in it, would live.
In the same way, I look at the millions of people around me, haunted by family troubles, sicknesses that should be curable, economic problems, and fighting the corruption that runs rampant in this country. All of these are the consequences of sin, or resulting from the Fall. They experience these things, and they don't know what to do, so they live in fear and with a phrase of "I can only hope."
They can only hope, as they don't have a promise.
And while I'm studying all of this, I'm listening to Doug Burr's new album based on the psalms, The Shawl. If you like quiet folk music, or bearded singer-songwriters, or very difficult truths like the ones found in the psalms, you should get it. I'm reminded of one of the tracks based off Psalm 80:1-3 titled, "And We Will Be Saved" that goes something like:
O Give Ear, Shepherd of Israel
Thou dost lead Joseph like a flock, like a flock
Thou art enthroned above, the cherubim shine forth.
Shine forth. Shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Thy power.
Stir up Thy power
Come to save us, come to save us
O God, restore us and cause Thy face to shine upon us
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
One of the reasons I enjoy the book of John so much is because of the pictures it paints about salvation. Light. Serpent. Vine. They're beautiful, and cut to the core. So to refresh my memory about why God sent the serpents, I turned back to Numbers and read, and was struck at how the Israelites must have felt once the snakes started attacking and they started to die from the lethal bites. Could you imagine, you're just living your normal sinful life, and to get you to repent, God sends snakes to bite your family members so that "many people of Israel [die]"? Your child dies, the elderly gentleman who taught you about the Holy book dies. Seeing bodies all around you from these snakes while fearing death yourself.
Something I rarely confide because it just shows how weird I really am, is that I sometimes have a recurring dream about snakes. When I say "snakes," I mean bunches. They're covering my floor like in Indiana Jones, and no matter where I go, there they are. When I think I am reaching for a knife, it turns out to be a snake. It's ridiculous and exhausting. Only, the good thing is that in my dreams, they never bite me. I don't know why. But when I read this text, I think of that dream, and wonder how the dream would change if my family and I were being bitten. I can't imagine it.
So the people of Israel turn to God, their only hope, and Moses makes the serpent so that every person who is bitten can look to it and live.
I don't know the circumstances of it--I don't know if there were ones who didn't look to it, or how long the snakes remained in the camp. I don't know how many people were saved by looking onto the serpent. But I do know that whoever placed his hope in it, would live.
In the same way, I look at the millions of people around me, haunted by family troubles, sicknesses that should be curable, economic problems, and fighting the corruption that runs rampant in this country. All of these are the consequences of sin, or resulting from the Fall. They experience these things, and they don't know what to do, so they live in fear and with a phrase of "I can only hope."
They can only hope, as they don't have a promise.
And while I'm studying all of this, I'm listening to Doug Burr's new album based on the psalms, The Shawl. If you like quiet folk music, or bearded singer-songwriters, or very difficult truths like the ones found in the psalms, you should get it. I'm reminded of one of the tracks based off Psalm 80:1-3 titled, "And We Will Be Saved" that goes something like:
O Give Ear, Shepherd of Israel
Thou dost lead Joseph like a flock, like a flock
Thou art enthroned above, the cherubim shine forth.
Shine forth. Shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Thy power.
Stir up Thy power
Come to save us, come to save us
O God, restore us and cause Thy face to shine upon us
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
And we will be saved
the site for THIS week
I was doing some research during my study this morning, and came across a new site, The Voice. It is a good resource for understanding the Bible better, and though theologically it leans toward Wesleyanism, it provides very clear outlines of books of the Bible, as well as some really good timelines. Oh, and the site overall is pretty easy to navigate, especially with its "related pages" bar on the right-hand side. It's complete, but not overwhelming like some other sites.
So yeah, here are my recommended links from the site, but I'm sure if you poke around, you'll find even more stuff to enjoy.
The Books of the Bible
Brief Overview of the Bible's Storyline
Israelite Kings Date Chart
Israelite Prophets Date Chart
So yeah, here are my recommended links from the site, but I'm sure if you poke around, you'll find even more stuff to enjoy.
The Books of the Bible
Brief Overview of the Bible's Storyline
Israelite Kings Date Chart
Israelite Prophets Date Chart
Sunday, March 22, 2009
to our shame
Corresponding with the last post, I'm finishing up a semi-deep study in 1 Corinthians today, and can't help but notice how Paul continuously scolds the congregation in Corinth.
I'm sure not many of you are interested in anthropology, but I come from what anthropoogists call a "guilt culture" and what I live in now is a "shame culture," which is really all of Asia. (You can read more here.) The more I study Corinthians, the more I realize that this is was a shame culture. In our churches, our tactics are not so blunt, but we try to cause inner guilt to bring people to salvation, to our altars.
I'm not an anthropology major, and because of that, I can say this: our churches should reflect a shame culture. I don't know how this would play out, but it sounds like a pretty good idea for a thesis, don't you think?!
The fact is, we're not embarassed by what we do because everybody accepts us and loves us. Sure, the church should reflect love in reconciling a brother or sister to a holy life, but they should also be scolded with the Word. Whose job is this? Our small groups? Our mentors'?
And above all that, something that really struck me as Paul brings this letter to the congregation to a climax:
1 Cor. 15:34, "Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."
The ultimate shame is that some around us have no knowledge of God.
Yes, we should be ashamed.
I'm sure not many of you are interested in anthropology, but I come from what anthropoogists call a "guilt culture" and what I live in now is a "shame culture," which is really all of Asia. (You can read more here.) The more I study Corinthians, the more I realize that this is was a shame culture. In our churches, our tactics are not so blunt, but we try to cause inner guilt to bring people to salvation, to our altars.
I'm not an anthropology major, and because of that, I can say this: our churches should reflect a shame culture. I don't know how this would play out, but it sounds like a pretty good idea for a thesis, don't you think?!
The fact is, we're not embarassed by what we do because everybody accepts us and loves us. Sure, the church should reflect love in reconciling a brother or sister to a holy life, but they should also be scolded with the Word. Whose job is this? Our small groups? Our mentors'?
And above all that, something that really struck me as Paul brings this letter to the congregation to a climax:
1 Cor. 15:34, "Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."
The ultimate shame is that some around us have no knowledge of God.
Yes, we should be ashamed.
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