Christian Book Review

In Visible Fellowship by Jon Walker

2012-01-13T10:59:00.002-05:00

I was contacted by Leafwood Publishers to see if I would be interested in reading and reviewing In Visible Fellowship for them, due to my previous review of Eric Metaxas' book on Deitrich Bonhoeffer.

Having never heard of Jon Walker I went into this blind, but was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. In Visible Fellowship is set in a format that can be applied in various settings. You can read this for spiritual edification, within a group setting, or as a class. There are 36 chapters that are designed almost as short lessons that touch on unique aspects of the Christian faith journey.

What was pleasant about this book is that I found it very enriching to my walk of faith in Jesus Christ. While prefacing every chapter with a quote from Deitrich Bonhoeffer, Jon Walker takes you deeper than most books do. He asks the tough questions, while at the same time keeping it simple enough for even the new believer to follow along with. I also believe that this book is good enough that I will retain it for future reference or study. There are a lot of little nuggets in this book that can be mined; and it is good enough to refer back to in the future, where you actually might glean further truths from that you missed the first time.

The only negative to this book is that the author chooses The Message translation, as well as Today's English Version for a vast majority of his scripture quotes. Walker uses several other translations as well, which I found interesting, considering that in his copyright page, he only references the NIV as his translation of choice, but chooses to rarely refer to the NIV. Perhaps this is just a personal preference, but I would have preferred that Walker stick with one translation of scripture, rather than jumping back and forth between two or three different ones. All things considered though, this does not distract or take away from the overall body of work encompassed in this book.

I would not hesitate to recommend this book for anyone wishing to deepen their walk with Christ.

The Seraph Seal by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner

2011-12-31T10:25:00.000-05:00

The Seraph Seal was a challenge to read for me, as it was different than any other book I had read before. I've spent the past several years focusing more on non-fiction works, so to jump back into a work of fiction was a more daunting task then it turned out to be.

I really didn't have any expectations of this book, but it sort of reminds me of the Left Behind series of books, where it deals with the book of Revelation, and end times prophecy. I can tell you that the way a book grabs my attention has a lot to do with how good or bad a book turns out in my opinion. The Seraph Seal was a legitimate struggle for me to read through. It never caught my attention, and I found this book more of a chore to read, than actually enjoyable. And I suppose that if I was not tasked with reviewing it for Thomas Nelson, then I probably would not have forced myself to read the entire book.

The source of my struggle with this book are characters that were too impersonal and unknown, a story line that never stays in one direction, and a premise that honestly was too much to believe in. The best way to describe this book is I felt the author was trying to fit three or four books of information into one novel, hoping that their one attempt at fiction writing would stick, and this book would be their defining legacy.

While I'm quite sure the authors put much work and research into this book, I just felt I was forced into reading a story that went in a thousand different directions, and took way too long to finally go in a direction that made sense and easy to follow. Fiction is supposed to be an enjoyable endeavor. The Seraph Seal did not accomplish this purpose.

Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey

2011-10-05T15:50:00.000-04:00

Since I am currently in the middle of going through Financial Peace University with my wife, I figured I ought to read the book that comes with the package.

For those that are not familiar with Dave Ramsey, he is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host who deals with money and personal finance. His advice is common sense, and down to earth, and he preaches to everyone about the value of getting out of debt. This book is filled with advice and suggestions on how to improve your financial situation.

While most of his advice is stuff most of us already know, it never hurts to have it reiterated to us in a different way. The book is a very simple read, and you can go through it in several sittings at the most. It's not boring, and is very down to earth; easy enough for the average person to go through without any trouble.

I would also suggest that if you follow the principles and advice written about in this book it can help you turn around your financial situation, and improve your quality of life. Isn't that what all of us are searching for anyway?

John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock by Ian Murray

2011-08-16T16:47:00.000-04:00

I have listened to John MacArthur through his Grace To You radio and internet broadcasts for years, so when I received this book from Grace To You I was intrigued to learn a little more about the man behind the preaching.

This book was not hard to read, and took me very little time to get through, but for the most part the book left me sort of empty as a response. The writing seemed a bit disjointed and disconnected from the subject. We learn very little about the man, and the author spends more time discussing certain sermons that John MacArthur has preached, or topics from Christianity that John has spent his ministry preaching on.

To me this seemed more like a contrived work, where a fan is given very limited access to the subject, and in essence, is handed a file of public records, and left to his own devices in how to contrive the story. Perhaps the most interesting part of the book for me was the account of John MacArthur's trip to Southeast Asia. Details from India are rather interesting, but I came out of that account thinking that here were some spoiled Americans who were too spoiled in their ways to reach the people of India.

If you are trying to get a deeper sense of what drives John MacArthur, and to understand his ministry at the core, I don't feel I really received that here, as everything was left very sanitized, and kept at arms length. But perhaps that was intentional from the subjects perspective.

I am left to ponder whether John MacArthur's approach to ministry is what Jesus Christ had in mind for us here on earth. Stay in one place for your entire life, and never leave a 10 square mile stretch of land from where you were born. Granted, the author is careful to emphasize how MacArthur's radio ministry has touched millions of lives throughout the world. Perhaps that tells us all we need to know about how John MacArthur is being used by Christ in this lifetime.

Unfortunately, unlike the New Testament account of the life of Jesus Christ, we don't see the blood, sweat and tears of John MacArthur's life written about here.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

2011-07-09T09:10:00.000-04:00

This is a compelling read, and it's actually quite simple. It really just asks one question, "What are you doing with your life that honors and glorifies God?"

As with most motivational Christian books, the author challenges us to live for God, and remove self from the equation, because frankly, this is what we do in America. We get sucked into the culture, and live like the culture, and pretty soon, we can't be picked out of a crowd in the culture, because we're acting and doing just like everyone else.

The challenge that I glean from this book is how to separate myself from the culture and glorify God in my life. Is it too easy to just work a job, go through the motions, and make no difference in the world? Do I make too many excuses for why I'm not living for God?

Ultimately, you will feel compelled to read this book to find out what all the fuss was about. Because you've probably heard other Christians talk about it. Francis Chan assumes you are a believer, so this definitely isn't a book for anyone that doesn't have a born again relationship with Christ. Granted, a non-believer could pick this up, read the first chapter or two, and maybe, just maybe be convicted by the Holy Spirit. God uses all methods and reasons to call people to Him.

Will this book push me enough to change my life, and the lives of those around me? Hard to say, considering it's basically along the same lines as David Platt's book "Radical". Same theory, same message, and same guidelines. Live for God like no other. Get out there and (as Nike says) "Just Do It".

Divorce and Remarriage in the Church Biblical Solutions for Pastoral Realities By David Instone-Brewer

2011-07-04T11:26:00.000-04:00

I was drawn to this book for personal reasons, more than anything else. Having gone through a divorce myself, I want to know as much as I can about what Scripture teaches about divorce and remarriage. Recent articles and online research eventually led me to this book, which frankly, is a lot more candid and researched then a lot of what I found online through blogs and other personal journals from Biblical scholars and pastors.

Obviously, there is bias in my reading, as I was hoping to find something that would calm the demon inside my head that has always used my divorce to shun me in society, and especially within the church. Having gone through a divorce some 17 years ago, that one event in my life still sticks with me like the plague, and I would imagine that there will always be a part of me that is filled with deep hurt, pain, and regret for living the way I did in my early 20's.

Having said all of that, this book was like a pleasant breath of fresh air to me. Not only do we have a thorough examination of scripture that shreds the misconception that Jesus and Paul simply condemned remarriage on a universal level, but we have plenty of scholarly research here that actually puts to rest some of the main misinterpretations of scripture by churches and pastors of the 21st Century.

While you can certainly summarize what Dr. Instone-Brewer concludes within a paragraph or two, it would not do this subject justice on any level; especially considering the deeply personal and individual nature of divorce, it is best left for the individual to read this book, and to ultimately decide what their own personal situation warrants with regards to divorce, remarriage, etc.

With that said, I would caution anyone reading this post, or this book, in using it as an excuse to divorce their spouse. I would affirm what Jesus teaches, in that divorce is a horrible stain on the church, and simply put, God hates it. What was new to me in this book is how the author details God's own divorce from the nation of Israel. I had honestly never read that, or even thought of that, so this was a fascinating section of the book that really puts the details of divorce into a much larger perspective.

Ultimately, this book has soothing qualities to someone who has carried the pain and burden of their divorce around with them for nearly half their life. And while this book doesn't necessarily answer every question about divorce (what book could?), I will say that it is perhaps the most thorough and detailed book about divorce from a Christian perspective that I have ever read. I would recommend that anyone dealing with this issue, either personally, or within their immediate circle of friends and family, to dig in and find some answers to some of your questions. At the worst, you can walk away from this book no worse off then when you started. At best, you will find that long sought after peace in your life, at least as far as the church is concerned. I would dare to say that this book could be used as ammunition against a pastor or church body that is so firmly entrenched in their views that they have failed to see the forest for the trees for many years. However, I would caution anyone thinking along those lines, as we must always keep firm Christian integrity in our dealings with brothers and sisters in Christ.

In short, a welcome respite of knowledge is always the winner in any battle. This book definitely helps the Christian divorcee in that regard.

Larry Crowne

2011-07-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

After reading mixed reviews on this movie I truly wasn't sure what to expect. But I opted to take the plunge and give this movie a shot, as I have always been a fan of both Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. This was one of those movies where you take away several very redeeming qualities from it. First off, it gives you a break from life for a couple of hours, where you are free to just enjoy a movie that doesn't force you to think too hard. You are lightly entertained for a couple of hours, and you relax, and simply enjoy the show. Secondly, the characters in this movie you can really relate to.

I think the mix of reviews by regular folks like you and me comes from several things. Those that haven't experienced life to the point that Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks have, and have the "entitlement" mentality, won't graps what it means to lose a job, or to feel like your life has been completely wasted; like you are simply going through the motions, with no redeeming value attached to it. Translation, anyone younger than say, 35, probably will leave the theatre not having a clue as to why they were bored, and just wanted the movie to end. But for those who have experienced real life, and knows what it means to lose a job, and have to reflect on why life is screwing you so badly, you will walk out of the theatre totally understanding what Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are going through.

Larry Crowne shows us the real human experience, from the everyday guy point of view. After losing a long-held job at a Wal-Mart type of company, due to the fact that he has not college degree, Larry is forced to deal with what he should do next. The irony is not lost on me in the reason why he loses his job. Every politically correct stereotype is used during the scene where Larry is fired. It's a commentary on how screwed up and backwards our society is, where a guy who has won employee of the month eight previous times, is shown the door because he doesn't have a degree. Anyone that has lost a job for some stupid off the wall reason will totally get this scene, and the stupidity of it all.

Without giving away too much of the movie, I simply had to laugh when later on in the movie, the guy who is firing Larry from his "U-Mart" job, is shown delivering pizza to Larry as he is packing up his house while moving out. The karma message in that scene shows that Tom Hanks truly gets it, in showing us that if you do the right thing, and play by the rules, eventually justice will be served. Bottom line, Larry Crowne simply decides to do what he can to make his life better. And if that means going to the local community college and making a few friends along the way, then so be it.

Julia Roberts character is a bit more complex. She's in a deadbeat marriage, with a man who has no goal in life, and spends his day surfing porn on the internet. Evidently he's content living off of her, and she sees right through this. But she's teaching at a local community college, where evidently she's convinced that no one cares about anything she teaches, and that she feels that nothing she does makes a difference. Until of course, in walks Larry Crowne.

Bottom line, the movie teaches us that even though we may not think so, everything we do affects others. And if we actually care for others, and give a little of ourselves to others we can effect positive change in others lives. This movie certainly wasn't trying to address anything from a spiritual aspect, but even without trying we see how God can use us, to affect the lives of others in a positive way. Just care about someone else, and bring a smile to their face every day, and show them a better way of living, by sharing the love of Jesus Christ with them. While you'll probably never see Tom Hanks even remotely hint at Jesus Christ, this is the message the movie is trying to send I believe. Care for others, make them smile, and bring meaning to their lives by investing yourself in them. And through this, we can all make the world a better place, one person at a time.

Home and Away by David and Nancy French

2011-06-25T09:52:00.001-04:00

This is the real life story of David French's journey from lawyer to Army officer on the front lines in Iraq, as well as his wife, Nancy, and her experiences while being left behind to manage a household with two children and a dog, by herself.

What makes this story an interesting read is that we get the human side of a military deployment from both the husband, serving in a war zone for a year, and the wife, who is serving in her community, managing her household alone.

I was drawn to how both David and Nancy relate their experiences in a way that is down to earth, and shared so that you and I would see a very clear picture of the raw emotion and excitement of a new journey in their lives that leaves both of them having to conquer new challenges that are both scary and nerve-wracking at the same time.

David brings a very human side to the Iraq war, by telling the story of his relationship with his comrades in arms. And we read about the tragic deaths of those he came to call "brothers". However, even in reading about the human side of the war, David has carefully crafted his story in a way that brings honor and dignity to the cause in which America is fighting for in the Middle East. The most amusing tale that most of us would never think about is how you go to the bathroom in Iraq. And for that you'll have to pick up a copy of this book to learn the details. I will say that it definitely is interesting.

Nancy does a great job of telling a story of a wife who is forced to deal with the household by herself, and tells the details of things that she had never done before, because David had always been there to handle them. She also relates the emotional side of the interpersonal relationships of her friends, church, and community that stood by her side and supported her with more than just comforting words and thoughts, but through their actions and deeds. How does a "war widow" manage when her husband is deployed for a year? You'll have to read the book to truly find out.

Both down to earth and real, "Home and Away" tells a great story of a family who sacrificed for America, well beyond what any of us should be expected to sacrifice. A true American treasure.

I was provided with a copy of this book by the DeMoss Group, in exchange for this review.

Hungry for God by Margaret Feinberg

2011-06-15T21:01:00.004-04:00

Margaret Feinberg takes us on a spiritual journey that simply allows us to ask ourselves, "How can we find God?"

Certainly this is a question that nearly all of us would love to answer. Personally speaking, I know there have been countless occasions when I wished God would just speak to me directly, rather than forcing me to go to extremes to simply find out what He is supposed to be saying to me in any and all circumstances.

Mrs. Feinberg weaves her own personal life experiences to show us how we can seek the heart of God. The book is well written, and is easy to read through. This is truly for the average laymen to grasp and is simple enough for anyone to pick up and read through in short order.

The answer to the question of how do we hear from God is not necessarily answered in this book directly, but in essence, it actually is. What we should glean from this book is that God speaks to each of us in our own unique way. This is perhaps the grandest mystery of life. We all want God to shout it through the loudspeakers what our next move should be, but ultimately what Mrs. Feinberg is telling us is, "If you seek out God, He will speak to you in a way that is unique to you, and you alone."

So pick up a copy of this little gem, and then put the lessons into practice in your own life, in your own way. This book is a jumping off point to drawing you closer to the heart of God. And that is ultimately beneficial to us all.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan, in exchange for this review.

The Fight of Our Lives, by William Bennett

2011-05-31T14:51:00.002-04:00

I was intrigued by this book, because ultimately the author chooses to speak about a topic that I think has long been ignored in the public specter, especially amongst political elites.

The book itself is structured in a way that it won't leave you guessing as to which political ideology the author belongs to. If you are a liberal going into this book, you probably won't agree with much; and if you are a conservative going into this book, you will probably emerge the same.

The book is well sourced, and well documented, to back up the author's points. He's also not motivated by a personal vendetta of any significance, other than to promote the idea that we need to step up to the plate and actually fight against radical Islam. There are some suggestions in this book as to how to accomplish that. But again, your political ideology will probably determine your feelings on this book.

There's a fair amount of the fear factor in this book, but again, this isn't news to me on the "need to do this" basis. Basically a call to arms to defend our nation against an enemy that has so far avoided the direct criticism it so desperately cries out for from those in positions of power in our government. I am grateful that Mr. Bennett has chosen to speak out on this very serious and deadly issue. It took some courage to write this book, especially since the enemy he challenges has no apparent fear of silencing it's adversaries by whatever means necessary.

Where are the Parents?

2011-05-31T13:34:00.004-04:00

As I reflect on all that our men and women in uniform do to protect our freedoms, I was alarmed by many telling headlines from the Memorial Day Holiday.

"Teen Gangs Unleashed on Boston Beach"
MIAMI 'WAR ZONE' DURING URBAN WEEKEND...
Urban Melee In Charlotte...
Unruly urban crowd shuts down Nashville water park...
Riot On Long Island...

As you read these stories there is one prevailing them in them all; all of the people causing this chaos and disorder are teenagers, some as young as 14. The other common theme that is covertly mentioned by Matt Drudge, who is compiling these stories on Drudge Report is that these are "urban" youth. That is code for "black" or "African American".

Sadly in America, we are now afraid to speak the truth about situations, based on race, sexual orientation (perceived or actual), religion (if you are a Muslim - perceived or actual) or any number of other characteristics that are deemed "offensive". In short, political correctness is killing our ability to point out offenders in society who break the law, or disrupt what would otherwise be a civilized and God fearing society.

My simple question though is this, where are the parents of these "children"? Why is there not great outrage at the lack of discipline of these teenagers, and why is there no shame amongst adults when their children end up as front page news? Now, I have my own personal opinion as an answer to this question, but I'd really prefer to let others voice their opinion on this matter.

Frankly, I don't blame the government, schools, lack of funding in education, or teachers for the chaos that is rapidly becoming the norm in American society. I blame the parents for their lack of ability to hold their children accountable. Now, whether the parent is actually even aware of their children's whereabouts is another story.

Bottom line, we need to start holding parents accountable for their children's actions. If the child acts like a criminal, then chances are the apple does not fall far from the tree. If you start holding the parents accountable, and start locking them up (if they aren't locked up already), then perhaps that will be motivation enough to change the attitudes and behaviors of the "urban youth" in our culture.

Please feel free to weigh in on what you think would be a step towards solving this national epidemic of youth violence and chaos in our urban settings.

The Parable of the Large Banquet

2011-05-25T22:20:00.000-04:00

15 When one of those who reclined at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “The one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God is blessed!” 16 Then He told him: “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17 At the time of the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’18 “But without exception they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’19 “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’20 “And another said, ‘I just got married, and therefore I’m unable to come.’21 “So the slave came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame!’ 22 “‘Master,’ the slave said, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there’s still room.’23 “Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will enjoy my banquet!’”
Luke 14:15-24 (HCSB)

The way I read this passage says to me that many of us who call ourselves Christian, will actually reject the Gospel, and reject Christ. Am I so busy trying to work, and do other things, that I neglect the Great Commission, and in essense, Christ. We've been invited to the banquet, and we are honored guests. But are we too busy to actually accept the invitation? This passage of scripture troubles me, because I think it's a call for anyone who claims to be a Christian to actually step up to the plate and live out their faith in a tangible way. I don't think this really is speaking to those that actually reject the Gospel, but is speaking to those that say that are already Christians, but don't actually show up when Jesus calls them into action. Definitely a challenging passage of scripture to meditate on.

Black Swan - A Review

2011-05-07T14:01:00.003-04:00

I was not originally drawn to this movie in the theater, mostly because I am not a fan of ballet, and honestly, not a big Natalie Portman fan either. However, I was curious enough, after all of the Oscars commotion over this film, to rent it at Red Box and see what all the fuss was about.

I was glad I was able to watch this in surround sound, because the soundtrack was probably the most appealing aspect of this film. However, perhaps my tastes are a bit different than professional reviewers and movie critics, because there was a lot lacking in this film, especially from a Christian perspective.

First and foremost, as a Christian, I was deeply disturbed by many scenes in this movie where sex was thrown around, almost casually between characters. In fact, there was one scene that was borderline, if not entirely, pornographic in nature. I wouldn't necessarily say I am a prude, but I was not even remotely aware that anything like this would take place in this movie. For all of the raving about this movie, this was a major disappointment for me.

The storyline itself is a bit jaded for my tastes. There were many times when I was trying to guess as to whether what I was watching was actual life, or was intended as a dream/nightmare sequence. There really was no clear distinction between either, so the director left you guessing throughout the entire movie. This again, is not my style, as I like to know just exactly what the heck I am watching. I mean, if this is a dream, make it clear to me. I watch a movie to be entertained, not to be left with riddles as to what exactly I just saw. And for that, it was extremely frustrating to get through.

The other thing I detest in movies are extreme closeups. Because this was a ballet movie the director opted to shadow the camera on Portman's shoulders and use the "real life" option, where the camera bumps along, pretending like you are right there with her. I detest this because I get a headache trying to follow the camera, and in actuality, you can't really see anything. And in other dance scenes they used an overall stage image, where you could see everything. But they left out most of the "in between" images, to where if you were 50 yards away you would see it like that. But we either got the extreme close up, or the "from a distance" view. Highly frustrating.

I won't necessarily complain about the acting, as I would say that Portman does a fine job. But the overall premise and storyline of the movie, and the way this thing was portrayed, did a great disservice to anything Portman put out there. There was just too much that the viewer has to overcome to be able to appreciate what Portman does here. I was left with too many disturbing images, and unnecessary sex scenes, as well as too much foul language to actually appreciate the art of ballet that was being represented here.

Bottom line, this is definitely a movie that I hope to soon forget, and to never have see again. 1 out of 5 stars - and that is being kind.

The Twelfth Imam by Joel Rosenberg

2011-05-03T13:20:00.004-04:00

Bluntly put, this was far and away the best book I've read in years. It had all the elements you look for in a political thriller, with not a wasted word on a page. There was a touch of romance, intrigue, action, adventure, and more chaos then you can count.

The subject of the book is just as intriguing, because Mr. Rosenberg deals with a "what could happen" scenario based on if Iran would actually achieve nuclear weapons capabilities. It's based partly on real events, but is mostly a futuristic speculation that is actually quite believable.

Also keep in mind that because Mr. Rosenberg is an Evangelical Christian, he does mix in a spiritual context to this book. But as an Evangelical Christian myself, I enjoy this aspect of his work.

Regardless of your spiritual or political beliefs, this is a great book that you will not be able to put down once you start. Again, this was the best book I've read in years. 5+ Stars

What Easter means to me

2011-04-24T09:37:00.002-04:00

But He was pierced because of our transgressions,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on Him,
and we are healed by His wounds.
Isaiah 53:5 (HCSB)

I have been meditating on this verse all Holy Week long.

I lied to my neighbor....He died for me, and my neighbor.
I was rude to my co-worker....He died for me, and my co-worker.
Two females beat up another female at McDonalds the other day. He died for all three of them.
A TSA Screener is charged with child pornography...He died for him.
A woman was charged with adultery in NY...He died for her.

The stories go on and on...hatred, violence, lust acted on, and incidents that occur every day of our lives and make headlines. What does God say about all of this some would ask?

God loves all of us so much, just the way we are, that he sent his one and only son to die on a cross for us. By dying on the cross he paid the price for our sins (some listed above). On the third day he rose again from the dead.

Big deal you say. Who cares about that? Big deal? Who cares? Well, for one God cares about you. You may not be able to see him physically, but God is there, and He is real. He sent his son over 2,000 years ago to pay the price for our sins, and then to prove he was God, he rose from the dead. Your sin, my sin, and everyone else's sin was redeemed through this sacrifice on the cross, and then confirmed through his resurrection, proving he was God.

Still don't care? That's fine, God still loves you. But here's where the rubber meets the road. Unless you repent of your sin (say "I'm sorry" to God and mean it in your heart) then God can't forgive you, and Jesus won't be able to add your name to the book of life. Without your name being written in the book of life, you will have condemned yourself to hell.

Let me be clear, God doesn't send anyone to hell. If you reject God's free gift of salvation, you have chosen to go to hell. God loves all of us, but he can't save someone that doesn't want to be saved.

So, on this glorious Easter Sunday we remember the one time and eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and then his resurrection from the dead. And then we say, "He is Risen!" What does that mean? Why should you care? Because he is risen, we have eternal life in heaven with God, if we repent of our sin, and believe that Jesus is who he says he is - God's one and only son.

So there's the message of Easter, the way I am thinking about it this year. All of that horrible sin on the street, and God still loves me, loves you, and loves all of us. If that isn't worth praising God for, I don't know what is.

Happy Easter!

The Mel Gibson Interview - post mortem

2011-04-22T23:36:00.001-04:00

When you put your name out there in the same neighborhood as Jesus Christ it takes no effort from the hypocrites in Hollywood to make you a pariah. Same goes for anyone identifying as a Republican out there. You are blacklisted by all the majors.

Funny too, because I would consider the activities and actions of Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr, Paris Hilton, and countless other actors far worse than what Mel Gibson has done. But unfortunately, we live in a world where certain “sins” are unpardonable, and others are applauded and encouraged.

But again, that’s the hypocrisy of Hollywood, and of the folks writing hateful and unforgivable comments under this interview. When you hate on Mel Gibson you typify your own hypocrisy. It’s not ok for a Christian to make a mistake in life, but a non-Christian can do and act like a complete raving lunatic (see Charlie Sheen) and they get 3+ million followers on Twitter.

The Maundy Thursday Experience

2011-04-22T14:42:00.000-04:00

Several hundred worshipers gathered to celebrate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ in the basement of Trinity United Methodist Church for Maundy Thursday. The environment was dark, intimate, and somber, as folks quietly entered the room, which was setup in tables of eight throughout the room. The tables were dressed with white linen, and each had a single candle, as well as a small basket of bread, with a cup of ceremonial grape juice to be used to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Worshipers were invited to break off a piece of bread, and pass it to their neighbor to the right, meanwhile sharing the bread with their neighbor and repeating the phrase, “The is the body of Christ, which was broken for you.”

Worshipers then took the cup of grape juice and dipped the bread in the cup, passing it again to the person on their right while repeating the phrase, “This is the blood of Christ, which was shed for you.”

Prayers and music were interspersed throughout this beautiful service. After Communion, worshipers walked upstairs into the Sanctuary where a Tenebrae service took place. Holy Scripture was read, as candles were extinguished and singers sang songs of praise and remembrance to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, until the lights became completely extinguished.

Worshipers left the service in a dark somber silence, filled with wonder at the sacrifice, and were reminded to reflect upon how important this glorious night on the Christian calendar should be in their lives. A moving experience that had a great impact on all that attended.

The Real Meaning of Easter

2011-04-18T22:55:00.003-04:00

In spite of the best efforts of NPR to cover up what should be obvious to anyone that has ever claimed to be a Christian, or has set foot in a church, Easter is solely about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without this one event, Jesus cannot claim to be God, and we are not forgiven for our sins, and the entire Christian faith becomes a house of cards that unravels in front of your very eyes.

The linked article is from a broadcast on NPR from April 18, 2011 where they decided to interview someone who I can only describe as coming from the lunatic fringe. Her opinion on Easter lost all credibility when she said the following, "God, he or she, loves us absolutely unconditionally, as is. It's a come as you are party."

Really? God is a "he or she"? What planet are you from? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to dig very far in the Bible (um yeah, that book that is the only authoritative source of truth about Easter) to discover that God is identified as "He" in Genesis 1:5 where it says, "God called the light “day,” and He called the darkness “night.” Evening came and then morning: the first day."
Gen 1:5 (HCSB)

Dig a few verses down the page and you'll see that Genesis 1:10 says, "God called the dry land “earth,” and He called the gathering of the water “seas.” And God saw that it was good."
Gen 1:10 (HCSB)

Pick your translation, pick your language, pick whatever authorized Bible you want. But they all point to God being a "He".

I won't even name this woman they were interviewing, because she is so far off the reservation that her opinion is more of an excuse to laugh, then to take her seriously in any sort of context. Again, my purpose for setting the record straight is that Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not about meditation, or about contemplation, or any other selfish principle of practice. It's the one day of the year when we look towards Jesus Christ, and give Him the praise and worship he is due, for rising from the dead and claiming the victory for us over sin and death. Any other reason for celebrating Easter is meaningless.

Max on Life by Max Lucado

2011-04-18T22:04:00.002-04:00

This book reads more like a Q&A session then it does a book. There are 172 questions that Max Lucado has received over the course of his ministry, and he has compiled the most popular ones, and the ones that are most relevant to our lives, as they pertain to Christianity. Questions about family, death, heaven, hell, relationships, God, etc. There is probably a question or two in this book that you would like to know the answer to. They are very basic questions for the most part, but these are questions that most of us have asked at one time or another.

I guess you could also say that this gives you a glimpse into the world of being a pastor, because these are the types of situations that probably pop up over the course of a career in pastoral ministry. Dealing with the death of a loved one? Ask a pastor. Lost a job? Ask a pastor. Wife wants a divorce? Ask a pastor. Don't know how to cope with the death of a child? Ask a pastor. And on and on it goes.

I don't necessarily think that this book really needs a recommendation or not, because it really is up to the reader as to whether or not they feel they would be interested in reading through 172 questions and answers about life issues and struggles. But again, we've all been in similar situations, so you'll no doubt run across a question (and answer) where you'll probably want to share it with someone you love; which ultimately would be the purpose of a book like this - helping folks deal with the difficulties and uncertainties of life. And for this, I would definitely check this book out.

Slave, by John MacArthur

2011-03-03T22:27:00.003-05:00

John MacArthur peels back a few layers of the most popular English translations of scripture to reveal a profound truth; that we should not refer to ourselves as "servants of Christ", but rather, as "slaves of Christ". He does explain that perhaps societies' extreme distaste for the institution of slavery has caused this dramatic shift away from the actual Greek translation of the word "doulos", which can only be translated as "slave" in English.

This book holds dual meaning for me personally, as a "slave of Christ". Not only is the book a formidable challenge to overcome from a lay readers perspective, but should also challenge you and me to seek to go deeper in our walk with the Lord. If you are looking for light reading, this might not be the best book to pick up, but as it should be, it challenges you to think deeper about what you truly should expect from your walk with the Lord.

This book is not only a challenge for every Christian, but a call to dig deeper, peel back a few layers in your life, and rise up and meet God where He has called you, in His will for your life. So, can you handle the truth, and respond to the call; or will you slide back into middle class mediocrity and the comfort of the "American Dream"?

This book provides the answers that some may not be willing to read or hear. But Jesus never said following Him would be easy. The challenge is at hand. Whether you choose to accept it or not is entirely up to you.

Christian Censorship

2011-02-04T21:17:00.002-05:00

I have what I would consider to be a somewhat sarcastic sense of humor. So naturally, if you are around me, and you get to know me, we might be having a conversation when I will toss in a tidbit or two and you'll either laugh at the absurdity of it, or scratch your head wondering just what I was trying to communicate. Either way you slice it, I like to have an unusual amount of fun with my words, in a way that hopefully brings a smile to your face, or makes you laugh.

Tonight I was on Facebook, where I made several goofy comments in response to a "friends" post, which was random and goofy as well. I posted the comments, thought nothing of it and went on my merry way. I came back a little while later only to find one of the comments I posted had been deleted by my "friend". Again, this was simply a random, goofy comment, with no ill intent. I tried to be funny, but I guess it was taken the wrong way, so it got deleted.

Honestly, I really don't know why I should care about this, since next to no one will ever read the comments I post (or this blog for that matter). But just the same, it infuriates me to no end that sometimes my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have lost all sense of humor in trying to guard their thoughts and actions. It gets to a point where you're left with little or nothing to say, unless of course you are scolding somewhere else's behavior.

In short, I fear I've become the person I loathed before I came to Christ. I swore I wouldn't become a Christian because they never have any fun, and they have no sense of humor. Too serious for me, and they are boring as can be. Unfortunately I've become something I hated prior to becoming a Christian. Always serious, with nothing to say for fear of offending, or saying something that would or could be taken the wrong way. And the Christians I surround myself with are pretty much of the same mold.

It's tough sometimes to stand for your convictions, but honestly, are we supposed to be this snobbish and stiff as Christians? Always boring, and never having any fun? In fact, the only thing that isn't off limits is the buffet line at a fellowship luncheon at church. There doesn't seem to be any remorse about becoming as obese a nation of Christians as we have become. Gluttony is the only approved sin these days inside the church. So I guess we take out our frustrations in not having sex or a sense of humor by eating ourselves to death.

Woefully sad, to say the least.

Proper Christian Discipline; Hatred and Juvenile Vitriol in a Public Forum

2011-01-31T17:36:00.001-05:00

To the letter writer: While your intentions are admirable, your approach does not match what scripture requires of us for correction or rebuke of a fellow Christian. Have you confronted this person directly first? If that failed, did you confront his church elders or deacons to seek further guidance on discipline for this? If that failed, did you petition the church body as a whole for correction? This is what scripture commands of us when we discover another Christian who has sinned. And our approach should always lead towards correction, with the sole purpose of seeing this person restored in communion with God and the Church. By posting this in a public forum you have dishonored both yourself and the Church, by making this matter public, to non-Christians. My suggestion would be to take the above steps I have listed, before returning yourself to communion or worship with your church body.

To the other posters here: What was your first emotion upon reading all of these comments? Anger, hatred, shame, scorn, or thoughts of violence towards another? Would you speak like this to any of the people on this forum in person?

What I find interesting in countless forums on subjects such as these, is that hatred and juvenile vitriol encompass most of the arguments, and there is no attempt at civil discourse. It does seem to me that when "Leave It To Beaver" was on TV and God was feared in the community that there was less violence in public schools, and authority wasn't the enemy, but our friend. Sadly we are bankrupt; both morally, and as a country.

Seeds of Turmoil - Bryant Wright

2010-11-07T17:30:00.004-05:00

Bryant Wright takes us on a journey through the book of Genesis to try to help Christians understand the roots of all the violence and strife in the Middle East. The book is thoroughly researched, and well documented. However, most of his references can be found in the book of Genesis. Towards the end of the book there is a good bit of history and facts about the prophet Muhammad, and how Islam came to be, but Wright even admits taking his information from another book, so there honestly isn't anything new here.

I guess I was slightly disappointed, because the information contained in this book is mostly biblical, and is not new to me. So a simple study of scripture can bring a person to the same information as contained in this book. In fact, there are several places in this book where long portions of scripture are used to tell the story.

So, perhaps one could pick up a copy of the Bible and read history for themselves. That would serve the same purpose. Overall, for someone who is not well read in scripture, this book would help them gain a basic understanding of why we have so many wars and ongoing battles in the Middle East, and why ultimately this will continue as long as it is a part of God's plan and will for the human race.

Outlive Your Life

2010-09-10T19:54:00.002-04:00

This is a must read for every Christian! The truths in this book are powerful, and Lucado puts things in a perspective that even a simple minded fool like me can understand. This book is highly motivating and inspiring, and any Christian who is serious about their faith will pause to reflect on how they can improve their walk with the Lord.

I am tremendously inspired after reading this book, and Max Lucado has hit another home run with this one. Definitely put this on your short list of books you must read soon!

What in the World is Going On?

2010-08-21T11:46:00.002-04:00

David Jeremiah is today's foremost source on biblical prophecy. This book gives countless details into where we are as a people, and where we are going with regards to God's plan. Believe in God or not, this is worth reading from a prophecy standpoint. If you don't pay attention to world events, and where the future is going, David Jeremiah gives you countless reasons to change that philosophy.

Well structured, factually laid out, and concise; this book is a must read for any Christian, or anyone curious about end times events, and how things can possibly come to pass in the future.

Eleven "Symptoms of Final Decay" Observable in the Fall of Both the Greek and Roman Civilizations

2010-08-10T21:11:00.001-04:00

I am currently reading Dr. David Jeremiah's book, "What in the World Is Going On?", and on page 136 he quotes Dr. Carle Zimmerman, who wrote a text called Family and Civilizationin 1947, with 11 symptoms of decay that are attributed to both Ancient Rome and Greece. See how many characterize our society:

No-fault divorce
"Birth Dearth"; increased disrespect for parenthood and parents
Meaningless marriage rites/ceremonies
Defamation of past national heroes
Acceptance of alternative marriage forms
Widespread attitudes of feminism, narcissism, hedonism
Propagation of antifamily sentiment
Acceptance of most forms of adultery
Rebellious children
Increased juvenile delinquency
Common acceptance of all forms of sexual perversion

These 11 characteristics are adapted from Carle C. Zimmerman, Family and Civilization (Wilmington, DE; ISI Books 2008), 255.

What is interesting to me is that all 11 of these characteristics apply to America today; and it's not even debatable. America has abandoned God, and we are on the decline as far as values, the rule of law, and common decency in the public forum. Manners are lacking, and tempers grow shorter as the months and years pass. The breakdown of the family is the root cause of this, and the greed of all Americans has been substituted in the place of God as their object of worship.

Sadly, the death of America may even come in my own lifetime.

Faith Stops Florida Robbery

2010-07-31T20:36:00.005-04:00

I normally gloss over news articles that would make anyone depressed, but this particular article caught my attention, and several things stand out to me.

1) Would I have the courage to want to speak about Jesus Christ if I was being robbed?
2) Would my first reaction be anger, or compassion for the robber?
3) Would my self-preservation instincts kick in, or would I be brave enough to reach out in faith for God, and trust that God would handle the situation?

Sadly, I have been faced with a similar situation. In 1991, I was in my bedroom when an armed bandit busted into my room and started shouting demands of me. My instinct then was to obey the commands and do whatever they said. I did not think of resisting, or trying to say anything to them. And after I was sure they had left the house I chased them down in my car and started shooting at them in moving traffic. Not the smartest idea I have ever had, but in a rush of emotions you don't necessarily do the sane thing.

I also know that in 1991 I was not a born again believer in Jesus Christ. My faith was secular at the time, and my interest in church was merely traditional. Today my faith is stronger, but I personally wonder how I would react to something like this, and if I would have the courage to call upon God first, and then worry about my own life.

This brings to mind a very popular verse of scripture, which says, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." Mark 8:35 (NIV)

On a side note, I do know who Pastor Bob Coy is, and what Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale is all about. They are the largest church in South Florida, where somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 people attend services there every week. Pastor Bob has a very strong ministry for the Lord, so finding two people who shared that church on both sides of this story is not necessarily an amazing coincidence. But the fact that God used this woman to minister to this man is truly a miracle that only God can claim.

Praise be to God for this woman's courage and faith. And praise be to God for this man, realizing his mistakes and submitting to the will of God. And may we all be encouraged by such strong faith. I pray that I would have the courage to share my faith in a situation such as this.

Rick Woeckener, US Hickory Open 2010 Champion

2010-07-17T12:29:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Dad and I competed in the US Hickory Open Tuesday and Wednesday in Morganton, NC and we had a great time. The hickory guys are a great group and make playing golf a lot of fun. We did have some hot weather, but the course (Mimosa Hills) was a great Donald Ross layout and I managed to play well enough to win the champions division with a 70-73. Attached is a picture of me with the hardware. Dad gave it his best shot in the senior division, but came up a bit short this year. I'm sure he'll take home the cup next year. I'm very grateful for dad getting me into hickory golf. It is so much fun.

Talk with you all soon!

Rick Woeckener

Distractions from what really matters.

2010-07-16T22:28:00.000-04:00

Luke 10:38-42 (New International Version)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

⁴¹"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

The above passage was a part of my daily reading today, and several things jumped out at me from this rather well known passage of scripture. First, we have contrasting philosophies on life going on between two sisters. It reminds me of a married couple. The wife works diligently in the kitchen to prepare the meal while the husband sits in front of the TV and watches the football game. The wife gets pissed off, and admonishes the husband for not helping her.

That's really the modern day version of the Mary vs. Martha debate. What is also interesting in this passage is that Luke even admits that the things Martha was doing "had to be made." Which begs the question, if these things had to be done, where would we be if Martha had just decided to say, "screw it, I'm going to be lazy too, and sit at Jesus feet and listen to him." But Jesus clearly glosses over Martha's issue by admonishing her for calling Mary out in public.

But the one word that sticks out to me the most, and seems to apply to my life the most is "distracted". The things of this world are very distracting to me. Heck, in my own home we have three TV's going in three different rooms, and it is extremely hard to find a quiet place to wait on the Lord. Every room in my house is filled with worldly distractions. And at work we hustle to and fro, getting jobs done, and making sure our customer's are satisfied. We worry day in and day out about doing a good job, and making sure things get done correctly, and on time.

What is God saying to us, through this short story? We need to tune out distraction, and make time for God. It's that simple. What I find fascinating is that even most devoted Christians struggle to find 15 minutes a day to read the Bible and/or pray. We have no issues putting in eight hours of work (or more), or spending hours in front of the TV or computer, keeping up with friends or relatives on the phone or via Facebook. But God is shoved into the attic, and sometimes only dusted off once or twice a year as we approach Christmas and Easter.

Jesus is clear here. There is only one thing that is needed, and that is a relationship with him. Choose wisely how you spend your time.

Why Church is a Struggle For Me

2010-07-13T18:04:00.001-04:00

I would describe myself as radically on fire for the Lord. I read the Bible every day, and attend church several times a week. I'm always looking for ways to improve my walk with God. But lately I've been discouraged at church, and now it is time for me to tell you why. Before I say more, keep in mind that I am not singling out a particular church body, per se, as I've witnessed this in multiple congregations, over the course of many years.

The typical Sunday church experience lately goes something like this. Show up at 9:30 for Sunday school. It is supposed to start at 9:30, but generally speaking we sit around the room and stare at the walls until 9:45. Everyone in our Sunday school class usually sits in the same place, next to the same people, and have the same stale, surface conversation. Nothing of any substance, and it's pretty much out of common courtesy that anyone says anything, but not because anyone really wants to talk to each other.

At 9:45 the leader closes the door and we are asked for prayer requests. Very slowly we get the occassional prayer request for someone's sick or dying relative. Then we move on to whomever is traveling. Then we have the occassional relative who is struggling with some issue or sin. But mostly it's surgery, illness, or cancer from a relative that is a part of our prayer requests. No one is struggling in their marriages, no one's kids do anything wrong, and no one is having issues with their spiritual walk. We are a group of 12-15 perfect Christians, who smile, show up for Sunday school, and the world in their sphere is absolutely perfect, at least according to the prayer requests on the board.

So now, once we've coerced the few requests out of people that won't affect their spiritual walk in any way, shape or form, our fearless leader lifts these requests to the Lord. This lasts a few minutes. We then move on to the lesson. We've recently changed teachers, so it would be hard to know what the new teacher will be like, but in the past we've had handouts for our lesson, which is usually a small portion of a chapter of scripture, which we go over. Our teacher will speak for a bit, and possibly pose a question or two. When the rare question is posed, we sit, and wait, and wait some more. Wait, I hear crickets chirping in the room. Wait some more, and then someone will grudgingly offer an answer of some sort. Probably not too deep theologically, because we wouldn't want to be wrong, but it will be something along the lines of what they think Jesus might have been thinking about at that moment in time. But generally speaking, out of 15 people in the class there are usually two or three people that speak up for the most part, and the rest of the class sits quietly and makes like a sponge. Never offering a word, and usually just along for the ride. From time to time we'll come across a subject that just might peak more interest then others, but mostly everyone simply sits back and is a spectator. And I'm pretty sure that there are 3 or 4 people who come to our Sunday School class who have honestly never had a spoken thought on any question, topic or subject we have touched on in the 4 years I have been attending this particular church.

So, you get the idea. It's incredibly frustrating to want to participate in a discussion with folks, but that seems to be a one way participation. So there's either one of two things going on here. A) No one in the class has a clue about scripture, or B) They were raised to shut their mouths and are afraid at saying anything for fear of leaving their comfort zone. Either way you look at it, it's incredibly frustrating to offer candid insight into a subject, but hear nothing but crickets in response. I mean, why would you show up for something every week, but never engage the conversation, or even offer an opinion on anything? Are people that afraid of actually making waves or having an opinion on anything? Perhaps it's me. I grew up in South Florida, where I was actually taught by one particular teacher to raise my hand and speak up when I had something to say. And this teacher actually went out of their way to embarrass you if you DIDN'T speak up. It wasn't long before I made sure I participated in the discussion, for fear of getting called out in the wrong way. Maybe North Carolina schools are different and students are trained to be submissive robots, never veering off course, and programmed just to do what they are told and never respond to any form of stimulation.

Well, after struggling through about 35 minutes of what we've come to expect from Sunday school, we move on to worship services. Now this is actually where the rubber meets the road. And fortunately we are part of a church where the pastor is on fire for the Lord, and preaches the Word without fear or hesitation. Most Sundays we get a sermon that speaks to me, and is filled with scriptural truth that makes you think, and allows you to reach God on some level. At least there are no crickets in the Sanctuary. Granted, our pastor is from Louisiana, so it makes me wonder what things would be like if we had a preacher from North Carolina. Would the people revert to crickets, or would they actually continue to participate?

We do have great leaders at our church. Our worship pastor really engages the crowd and mixes it up with the folks; and has a great sense of humor. Our senior pastor is a great preacher, and it's a great combination leading worship every Sunday. But I struggle beyond worship services anymore. I have a hard time engaging with the locals who refuse to leave their comfort zones. I've actually seen folks with children, who will just drop the kids off and then head on their way. They only show up when the kids have something going on. I mean, what is that about?

A big part of the issue I have is actually with myself personally. Speaking of getting outside your comfort zone, I have a hard time trying to connect with people on a one to one basis. It's hard for me to go up to someone on my own and start a conversation. It's even harder trying to make the effort to reach out to someone I don't know or don't think I've seen before to introduce myself and try and get to know them. But even with that said, I just get the sense that folks are simply going through the motions. And I ask the Lord if he is pleased with the 21st Century American version of church. Is this what Christ expects of us? Are we fulfilling our mandate as Christians in reaching the world for Christ? Are we engaging the culture and defending the truth of the Gospel when it is challenged? Are we seeking the lost, and helping those who are less fortunate then ourselves.

And what most concerns me is that I see traces of sin within the church that goes unchecked. I don't know the story, but it seems to me that more then one divorce is going on, but is anyone addressing the issue there? I do know that our pastors are genuine men of God. I do know that their burdens are heavy. I also know that there is a small group of really strong believers in my church that would do anything for anyone, and go the extra mile, no matter the cost. And in retrospective, perhaps it's me that is the issue. Shouldn't I be the one challenging my Sunday school class to shut the crickets up? Shouldn't I be the one who is transparent with prayer requests? Shouldn't I be the one who should get outside of my comfort zone and make an effort to talk to someone new every chance I get at church.

All of these things are mere random thoughts inside my head right now. The hardest part of all of this is that I am living out of a suitcase. It's hard to engage my church and really put my heart and soul into it when I know that I could be moving any time now. With our house on the market I guess I have semi checked out of church, because it will make leaving less of a blow when it actually happens. I really want to make an impact for God in my church and in the world. It's just frustrating to not really have roots to ground my faith in anything tangible right now. Perhaps this is God's way of testing my faith, and my marriage. How much more can I give God in return for what he's done for me, through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and his resurrection.

I pray that God would grant me the wisdom to know how to conquer some of these challenges.

Response to the God Bashers

2010-07-08T23:19:00.000-04:00

I would like the opportunity to respond to two letters that appeared in the July 8, 2010 edition of the AC-T. First I would like to address Gordon S. Becker, who complains about those that are defending the term "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Becker complains that [God] only takes the credit for good things, and takes no responsibility for the evil. Mr. Becker insists that he prefers a nation that is "indivisible". To that I would point to the Soviet Union during the time Stalin was in charge. And for good measure we can throw in Nazi Germany and their Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. Both of these dictators pushed propaganda in the name of atheism, leading to the death and destruction of more people then currently reside in the State of North Carolina. Stalin did his best to wipe any semblance of God from his nation, and put to death anyone who even dared think of opposing his rule and leadership. Adolf Hitler needs no explanation. His sole purpose was the extermination of the Jews. And Hitler spent plenty of time putting to death Christians who challenged his rule as well. But yet, both of these nations, under Stalin and Hitler, were "indivisible" and unopposed. The opposition was simply put to death. Perhaps Mr. Becker's intentions are admirable in wanting to extinguish dissenting points of view, but I think I've made my point clear enough that every example of God-less rule in history has been met with death and destruction. I don't know about you, but I think I'll pass on this ideology.

As to Christian (the irony of the name is not lost on me) Wikoff, who lashes out at both the "fundamentalist Christian", as well as the "fundamentalist atheist", and claims that both ideologies she despises are intolerant; I would merely suggest that by the very word she points the finger of intolerance at Christians and atheists, I can simply ask her to read what she wrote and explain to her that by claiming intolerance in the Christian and atheist, she has shown the same, in whatever ideology or worldview she claims of her own. Because when you lash out at a group of people and claim they are intolerant, aren't you yourself intolerant of their point of view?

I'll simply lump these two poor helpless souls into the same ideology that is growing like a weed in America - the ideology of cowardice. Americans are afraid of debate, afraid of healthy conflict, and afraid of standing up for anything that they might consider believing in. We hide in our houses and watch American Idol, and just want to be left alone to have fun and party all the time. Meanwhile, our country is collapsing under the weight of moral callamity, and general cowardice to find a purpose in our lives.

I leave you with a quote from the World War II era:

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up." Martin Neimoller

Phillip Woeckener

Asheville, NC

A Profound Quote on Christianity in America in the 21st Century.

2010-07-06T22:10:00.001-04:00

"Outwardly we are a religious people, but inwardly our religious beliefs make no difference in how we live. We are obsessed with self; we live, raise families, govern, and die as though God does not exist, just as Nietzsche predicted a century ago." - Charles Colson in "God and Government". This is as profound a quote as I can find that sums up the American way of life in the 21st Century.

Grown Ups (or are they)

2010-06-26T21:34:00.002-04:00

Alas, a movie review from your faithful blogger...

I took the family to see Adam Sandler's latest film, on opening night no less. Yes, we were running a bit late, so we ended up in the second row. No wonder my neck is stiff this morning.

Sandler plays a father of two spoiled pre-teen boys, and the husband of Salma Hayek, who still looks fabulous by the way. Sandler is a Hollywood agent, and let's just say that he's not worried about where the money is coming from to pay the light bill this month.

The story revolves around five grade school buddies who won a 6th grade basketball championship 30 years ago. Their beloved coach dies and they are all called to his funeral for an impromptu reunion of sorts. All five buddies have their quirks, and the stupid one-liners flow fast and easy in this comedy. Adam Sandler plays his typical unassuming wise guy self, who always gets the last line, and plays the crowd much the way he has in every movie he's been in.

Kevin James provides much of the slapstick humor, including the crashing into a tree from a rope swing, as well as peeing in the pool, as the water turns blue. There are other juvenile shots at both the male and female anatomy, as there are frequent references to urination, made light of countlessly. James' wife is found to still be breast feeding their "48 month old" son. This provides endless opportunity for sarcastic humor all the way around.

I guess I am getting old, because what really bothered me here is the way that the men were portrayed with regards to their marriages and their children. Chris Rock's character was actually so backwards from a man's standpoint that he is made out to be the male version of June Cleaver; In the kitchen with an apron on while the wife goes to work to bring home the bacon. In short, there was not one man in this movie that we could point to as what any young man should ascribe to when he grows up. All five men are juvenile, crude, and continually allow themselves to be stepped all over as nothing more then comic relief for women that have it all together and actually call all the shots.

Basically, with the militant rise of feminism in the United States, is it any wonder that men are nothing more then a sad, sick joke, and are only good as the butt of all your jokes. Surely Hollywood can do better then this piece of crap.

Lead Like Ike

2010-06-24T22:31:00.002-04:00

I'm too young to have experienced WWII first hand, so I was intrigued to learn a little more about the insides of the operation that defeated Hitler and his evil Nazi regime. Geoff Loftus does a good job of balancing the historical narrative with business strategies that anyone can use as advice in how to succeed in the business community.

I'm partial to historical facts, so the details of how Eisenhower led the troops, and directed the D-Day operation were intriguing. And dwelling into the relationships between Ike and his "staff" were interesting, especially the parts about Montgomery and Patton.

The book is simple and straightforward, and strives to keep an even balance between the war and how you can effectively use Ike's strategies to be successful in the corporate world. Interweaving modern day corporate examples of success and failure do fit in nicely to complete the picture and to add some meat to an otherwise sound piece of literature.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy by Eric Metaxas

2010-05-29T09:50:00.002-04:00

This is a fascinating story of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The story is different in that we see the life of a prominent German Aristocrat Theologian from inside Nazi Germany during the time and trials of Hitler and his evil regime.

It is an honor to learn of the life of Bonhoeffer, as he stays true to God, no matter his circumstances, or situation. He endures many hardships, trials, and tribulations, and remains true to the Gospel and to God throughout his life.

Even more fascinating is the attitude which is portrayed of Bonhoeffer throughout this book. This book is carefully crafted, and painstakingly detailed to where the story is given great light and credibility to the reader. This is a story of encouragement in the face of grave danger and peril. Eric Metaxas does a great job in portraying this martyr for Christ, and every Christian who is serious about their faith should read this great work of nonfiction.

The Map, The Way of All Great Men

2010-03-13T16:43:00.002-05:00

This book paints an intriguing picture, in two parts. The first part is a fictional journey of the author traveling around the world in search of an elusive "map" that is supposed to change the course of Christianity. The second part is an explanation of this "map" and how men should tie it into their spiritual walk.

The first part of this book for me, was one of the better books I've read in quite awhile. While the fictional account might have been far fetched, I did enjoy the journey. The second part of the book was more analytical as we are transformed from "The Amazing Race" to the classroom that is the author's mind.

I consider this one of the better books I've read in quite awhile, even with the letdown of discovering that the story is fiction halfway through the book. I also think the it's rare for a Christian author to actually suggest to his mature Christian male readers that perhaps they don't necessarily need to attend church every Sunday. I don't recall ever seeing an author suggest that approach before, especially a Christian author. And while "the map" is actually pretty simplistic, it is worth reading this book to glean from it several points that each man can utilize in their own spiritual walk.

I am definitely going to pass this book on to a fellow disciple of Christ in the hopes that once they read it we can compare notes. But I would encourage all Christian men to give this a read. Definitely not a waste of time.

The Voice, New Testament

2010-02-18T15:51:00.005-05:00

I received "The Voice New Testament" recently from Thomas Nelson Publishers, and these are my thoughts on this latest version of "The Bible". Several things stick out to me from a positive perspective. I like the way they identify the author of each book. They tell you who the author is and how he is related to the story. I do like the way they reference Old Testament scripture passages, by including which book in the Old Testament a New Testament quote is from, and annotating each reference with footnotes. The layout of the text is easy to follow, and it does allow the reader to more easily follow the story.

Beyond what I mention above I am really strained to understand why anyone would be presumptuous enough to pass this off as a "translation" of scripture, which it is not. There are too many word replacements, and too much liberty with certain passages of scripture to take this seriously. My biggest issue is with the replacement of "Christ" with "Liberating King", "Baptist" with 100 different interpretations of this word, and "Angel" with "Messenger". All three of these changes completely remove the authority of the original intent of the writers of scripture. This is not translating, but recreating the scriptures to suit a political and personal agenda.

And I have serious issues when Brian MacLaren declares that he is the "author" of this text. This serves to remove God as the author of the Word of God, which this certainly is not. And try doing an internet search for "Ecclesia Bible Society". Good luck finding a link with any relevance or substance. In short, this would not be a "translation" of the Bible I would even consider mentioning to anyone else, no matter where they are in their walk with Christ. This truly is nothing more then the Emergent Church's latest attempt at redefining and now rewriting what Christianity stands for. This is shameful at best.

Trouble Getting Home in the Snow

2010-02-13T14:07:00.007-05:00

Last night I was on my way home from work in Asheville, amidst another Friday evening snowstorm. This one brought us a couple inches of the white stuff, as you can see evidenced here.

So, I manage to get all the way to Conover with little trouble. The roads were very slippery, and the snow had started to accumulate to the point where you could not see the lane markers, or dividers on the interstate. I prayed that God would get me home safely.

I decided to make a stop at the bank, and get gas in Conover, before heading home. No big deal, since downtown Conover is just a couple of miles from my house. Well, what I thought would be no big deal turned into a major issue once I turned off of Section House Road, onto Adam Street, which leads to the entrance to my development.
I was behind a car traveling very slow, and as you can see from this picture, this hill requires that you gather up some speed going down, so that when you start climbing up the hill you have enough momentum to get you over the top.

Anyway, I got about 3/4 of the way up the hill and my little 106 hp Prius decided it couldn't go any further. I floored the gas and nothing. No spinning wheels, no nothing. Sometimes I wonder if having a hybrid is dangerous in winter conditions. And let's not discount the fact that your gas mileage goes down a lot in freezing weather. 48-50 mpg in the summer, but 40-42 mpg in the winter snow.

Now I am panicking, because I am now stuck on the road, and because I am on a steep incline I don't want to risk backing up at ANY rate of speed, for fear of falling off the road, into a ditch on either side of the road, as Adam Street does not have shoulders - just people's lawns that have a drainage ditch paralleling the road. I flick on my blinkers and notice that there is a car approaching from behind me. Oh God, please let them see that I am stuck, and cannot go any further. Luckily for me they see me stuck, and opt to stop themselves at the bottom of the hill, right around where this truck is in this picture.

OK, so I'm safe behind me, but I am really panicking, because the bigger problem is actually up above me. If even one car approaches this hill, they won't see me, and their momentum in the snowy conditions will carry them down this hill, no matter how hard they try to stop. So I am trying to figure out the easiest way to maneuver my way out of this mess, with really no idea. So I pick up my cellphone and call 911. I explain that I am stuck and that I can't get out of the middle of the road without driving into a ditch. The 911 operator transfers me to the highway patrol, and the next thing I know my phone is disconnected. I mean, when 911 even hangs up on you you know you are in big trouble.

OK, what to do, I have no clue. So I begin to VERY SLOWLY back down the road, at a snails pace. Oh no, here it comes - my first oncoming car. So I flash my brights back and forth about 100 times to no avail - here comes the car down the hill. I think they tried to stop, but who knows. Here they come, on my left side. Miraculously, they slide by me on the left and avoid hitting my car by about a foot. I breathe a HUGE sigh of relief, and realize that I need to get off of this road as quickly as possible, as I don't think I will get lucky twice in that same scenario.

So I look around, and I see that I have a driveway on the right side that is close by. If I can just maneuver the car down the hill without it turning sideways I might be able to do this. I slowly release my foot off of the break, and let the car inch down the hill VERY slowly. And I remember that you have to point the wheel in the direction you actually DON'T want to go. Man, is this treacherous!!!

The snow continues to pound my car, and the road, and it is getting slicker by the moment. But as you can see by the photo I was able to get my car into the driveway with some effort. I think this is the scariest moment I have ever had on the road. I had completely lost control of my car, with the exception of keeping my foot completely on the break so as to keep the car from moving.

So, I parked my car in the driveway, and knock on the front door of the house. A nice lady who I learned was from Laos (it's in Southeast Asia for those who are geographically challenged). I gave her my name and number and asked if I could park the car in her driveway overnight. In her limited English she was very kind and said, "OK."

So I start to put on my snow boots, and prepare to abandon my car for the night when this nice young man pulls up in his Toyota pick-up truck. Apparently this lady's son was bored, so he came out and offered me a ride home. A nice young man, who unfortunately I cannot remember his name. I do know he works at Best Buy, and he was very interested in knowing what I did for a living. Turns out he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. So my advice to him is the same as I'd give to anyone, anywhere. Do what you have a passion for and you love doing, no matter how little it pays, or what the world thinks. He seemed to take it all in, and our short ride was over as he dropped me at my house.

I am very thankful for kind neighbors, who live around the corner, and for the Grace of God, which helped me avoid totaling my car last night. I really have lost count of the number of times that God has protected me from an assortment of danger, in so many situations that I cannot even remember them all.

The moral of the story? Next time, avoid the street with the hill in the snow. As Kenny Loggins sings, "Highway to the Danger Zone".

"Fearless" by Max Lucado

2009-11-12T21:06:00.003-05:00

I admit that I have read many books by Max Lucado, so I was eager to jump right in and see what "Fearless" was all about. It did not disappoint. Lucado's style is visual images through words, and Fearless brings plenty of that. We also receive the usual variety of stories, ranging from a child who is afraid of jumping into the pool to her father's arms, to Lucado admitting that he could not find inspiration to write anything, in spite of a looming deadline.

What I love most about Lucado's writing is that he gets you in and out in less than 200 pages. Fearless addresses a very common and pressing problem within the church; why are we so afraid? The use of scripture is plentiful, and timely, with Lucado switching between any number of translations that match the particular sentence or point he is pressing to get across to his reader.

In this day and age of fast fixes, and be everywhere yesterday mentality, fearless is a much needed dose of spiritual reality that is a must read for the Christian. And I would invite non-Christians to give it a read, perhaps as a solution to the problems that we all face in this post-modern culture.

Give Fearless a chance, what are you afraid of?

Eli Gold, "From Peanuts to the Pressbox"

2009-11-12T20:40:00.004-05:00

"From Peanuts to the Pressbox" reads like a quirky narrative, with short, pithy stories about Eli Gold's lifelong adventure as a sports broadcaster. Mr. Gold starts with his experiences as a child, taking trains and subways any way he can to attend sporting events in the New York City area. We soon venture into his explanation of how sporting events were more important then an education, and he essentially explains that his life had a singular focus. No person or thing was going to hinder him from pursuing his dream of sports broadcasting.

What I found interesting about this book is that Mr. Gold makes more mention of Mel Allen and Marv Albert then he does his own wife and daughter. He only briefly explains how he proposed to his wife, but that is about all you will hear about her. His daughter is kept in a similar light, as we are barely afforded the opportunity to hear an explanation of how Mr. Gold was able to get home in time to experience his daughter's birth. So to be clear, this is not a book about Eli Gold's personal life. This is a book about stories from the road of minor league hockey, and NASCAR, and the life of a sports broadcaster.

Pretty much the entire book is filled with paragraphs of stories and experiences from the career of Eli Gold. He shares funny anecdotes about friends and colleagues who did interesting and amusing things that are forever stored in his mind. The entire book is kept at a surface level, as there are no negatives here. Everything is positive and upbeat, and Mr. Gold does his best to make everyone look good. Even the few people he mentions in a negative light, are only mentioned because the story was found to be humorous or interesting to him. There will be no punches thrown here, or anyone thrown under the bus.

If you are expecting a long story, or details of Alabama football, you won't get that here. Mr. Gold chooses to wait until the very last portion of the book to even discuss Alabama football, and even then we are only treated to mere glimpses into what working with the Alabama program is all about. And again, everything is kept very surface and very positive. Mr. Gold even finds a way to make Nick Saban look good, which honestly, for me personally, is a stretch.

"From Peanuts to the Pressbox" reads just like a football broadcast. Here's the play by play of the career of a man from Brooklyn, New York. And there is nothing from stopping this team from making it to the goal line of sports broadcasting.

Eagles Wings

2008-07-18T08:27:00.002-04:00

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

Do Not Be Afraid!

2008-06-18T11:35:00.002-04:00

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.
1 King 19:3 (NIV)

If one of the great prophets was afraid for his life, then it's ok for us to be afraid from time to time. Elijah was dealing with real world circumstances where an angry mob was after him to take his life. We sit in relative peace and comfort, with many luxuries, but yet we are afraid of what the future holds. We see current events in our own country, where evil is called good, and good is called evil.

However, if you read the whole story here you know that God was with Elijah every step of the way. It's interesting to note that my New Testament reading today came from Acts 12, which talks about Peter getting thrown in prison, and how God rescued Peter from prison. Surely Peter was afraid for his life, and was in constant persecution. But through the prayers of other believers, God rescued Peter and watched over him, through the power of the Holy Spirit. That same Holy Spirit is with us today.

If you are like me, I must learn to trust in the Lord in all things, and not be afraid of what ultimately is meaningless and out of my control. I've read the end of the story, and there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

May God Bless you today.

10 Questions...

2008-06-16T07:48:00.000-04:00

I remember reading about how Leonard Ravenhill, the old British preacher who had such a powerful impact on the late Keith Green and many others in the Jesus Movement of the 70s, had a list of ten questions he would ask himself from time to time.
This self-interview has had a powerful impact on anyone who dares to conduct it with honesty.
Would you like to know what those questions are? I warn you: don’t seriously ask them of yourself unless you’re prepared to give honest-to-God answers.
A Self-Interview
Ask yourself:
1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am a better person than I really am? (This is always a tough one. Is there the least suspicion of hypocrisy in my life?)
2. Am I honest in all my words and acts? (Do I exaggerate? Am I reliable? Can I be trusted? Do I confidentially pass on what was told to me in confidence? Do I smile at church and later grumble or complain about it in private?)
3. How passionate is my devotion to God? (Am I more excited about temporal things in the world than about the eternal Father who redeemed me and gives me everlasting life?)
4. Does the Bible live to me? Do I give it time to speak to me?
5. Am I enjoying my prayer life? Did I enjoy it this morning?
6. When I am involved in a problem in life, am I more likely to use my tongue, or my knees?
7. Am I disobeying God in anything or insisting upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
8. When did I last speak to someone else with the object of trying to win that person to Christ?
9. Am I a slave to looks, dress, friends, work, or convention?
And finally...
10. How do I spend my spare time?
I challenge you to get alone with those questions and the Holy Spirit will do deep business in your life about priorities.
It needn’t be a work of guilt or condemnation. That’s not the Spirit’s way. But if your experience is anything like mine, it will be a work of conviction and restoration.
It requires the courage the psalmist David exhibited when he said:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. –Psalm 139:23, 24

Global Whining vs. the Truth

2008-06-09T18:32:00.002-04:00

Be careful not to share this article with your "Tree Hugging" environmentalist buddies. They'll have nothing left to complain about!

Great article that uses scientific facts to dispel the myth that is "Global Warming".

And looking at this from a Christian perspective, might I remind you that we did not create the earth, God did. Only man could be so bold as to assume we can control the contents of God's creation to alter it that much.

God is in control.

Taking Their Faith, but Not Their Politics, to the People

2008-06-02T10:29:00.002-04:00

What the New York Times fails to do in this article is to understand that Christianity should not be pigeonholed into some sort of stereotype. All Christians should strive towards the same thing - defending and living out the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Obviously there will always be debate over how to achieve that goal, especially in a fallen world.

I am wary of articles such as these from sources such as the New York Times. The Times is famous for twisting the truth and reporting what is convenient for their agenda. Their agenda is no secret either, which is to bring division within the church, and to fracture the church in any way possible. I see that taking place in this article, as they attempt to divide older and younger "Evangelical Christians". Their use of statistics is humorous at best, as you can manipulate statistics to make them say whatever you want them to say, to suit your agenda.

Unfortunately I am still waiting for the NYT to publish something positive in regards to Christianity. All we seem to get is the "divide and conquer" mentality from the secular media.

We Get It!

2008-05-16T13:12:00.003-04:00

Finally, an organization has been created that promotes a supports a sound Environmental policy from a Biblical Worldview. We have been inundated by ilinformed and ignorant folks that have a political agenda wrapped around their environmental message (Al Gore anyone?).

This group seeks biblical answers first in regards to how we care for the environment. That's all I'm asking for. That's exactly how we should respond to any crisis. Seek the Lord's will in every facet of our lives.

This is the first organization that makes perfect sense to me from an Environmental perspective.

I pray that God would acknowledge this and would add his blessing to it. Here's hoping everyone can get on board with this one.

When Your Basic Beliefs Offend My Basic Beliefs

2008-05-14T13:04:00.002-04:00

I was recently involved in a back and forth e-mail discussion with a someone who I've known all my life, but I will refrain from identifying for privacy reasons. This conversation started when I received an e-mail that involved the discussion of Karma, and how the attributes of Karma can be good for your life, and how you should apply these attributes to your life.

Well, being a Christian I replied to the e-mail asking the sender if they knew what they sent was all about? I guess my history with the sender immediately raised a red flag, to which the sender responded with, "What now?" So I pondered this a bit further and asked again if they knew what they had sent and what it actually meant. Asking for further clarification from my e-mail partner, I then asked them "What is Karma? Where did it originate, and what does the Dalai Lama stand for?"

I guess my history of combative e-mails with regards to controversial subjects was what was on the mind of the sender, as the next response was rather tepid to say the least, in asking me to clarify my religious upbringing.

My response included quoting scripture from John 14:6 (Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.) and explaining the basic tenants of Orthodox Christianity. I explained that as a Christian I am not obligated to "accept" other religions, due to what Jesus teaches. I further went on to explain that when you start "accepting" other religions, and start agreeing with their positive traits you then go down the path that folks like Oprah Winfrey did, and then God is reduce to nothing, and the sacrifice Jesus paid for you and for me on the cross is meaningless, because no one would need a savior, and therefore, no one would need salvation from their sins.

What shocked me the most was the icy reply I received back in response to my above defense of the basic Christian faith. The core of their response is contained in the following...

What you believe in, is your business, I don't care. I live my life the way I am
comfortable, at the end of the day, you have to answer to yourself and what
you can live with. That's personal, and none of my business.

I stopped going to church as it was more of a social club with a bunch of people
that believe because they have found religion, they have the right to judge
every one else! I don't need that and I don't believe that's what the
christian faith was meant to be.

What you read above is basic Postmodern Secular Humanism. "I want to do whatever I want, and you can do whatever you want, as long as what you do doesn't infringe on my right to do what I want to do."

I also need to clarify that the argument posed above, that Christian churchgoers are too judgmental, and that's not what Christianity is about is a circular argument, and false. And what the sender doesn't realize is that the very thing they left the church for is the exact thing that they have done to the churchgoer. They made a judgment against the churchgoer for judging others and being a "social club". I'm not defending the churchgoer, but rather clarifying that the Postmodern argument for "leave me alone and let me be" will fail at some point down the line. Eventually your beliefs will clash with my beliefs, especially if you have any conviction in anything whatsoever.

So where does this leave us? After reading this e-mail I took a moment to pause and reflect, and then I simply prayed for the sender that God would work on their heart, and simply to leave this in God's hands. Our responsibility as Christians is to share the Gospel with everyone that will listen. That has been accomplished above, and has been rejected. The rest is up to the Holy Spirit, to intercede for this person and work in their lives.

I am reminded of the Apostle Paul, and how he would preach the Gospel under the worst of conditions. He was imprisoned, persecuted, and eventually martyrd for his faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture promises us that His word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). How much greater were his trials for Jesus Christ then are mine. I'm dealing through e-mail, which cannot harm me. Paul dealt with the sword and the worst of conditions I cannot even fathom.

Please join with me, in praying for our postmodern neighbors. Those that want to be left alone in their "Karma", to do whatever they want, and worship whatever they want, as long as no one tells them what that is. The truth is in Jesus Christ. The power is in the Holy Spirit, and God hears our prayers.

Woeckener Boys Golf Outting 2008

2008-05-12T09:01:00.004-04:00

Video from our golf weekend at The Country Club of Asheville, May 11, 2008.

Maybe we should title this, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"? Hmmm.. You be the judge.

You Came Through - Gregory's First Solo

2008-04-30T12:19:00.003-04:00

Gregory sings for the first time in public, during his part in the Highland Baptist Children's Musical, Lifesong! on Sunday, April 27, 2008

Everyday!

2008-04-28T17:26:00.001-04:00

The Letter

2008-04-28T07:44:00.003-04:00

I sang this to Gregory after his christening at First United Methodist Church of Fort Lauderdale, back in November of 1999.

Another Time, Another Place

2008-04-26T15:24:00.003-04:00

Christine Andrus and Phillip Woeckener sing this classic duet, originally performed by Sandi Patty and Wayne Watson.

Chris Tomlin - Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)

2008-04-25T18:42:00.000-04:00

The Story of Amazing Grace

2008-04-25T18:08:00.002-04:00

Turning Into Dad

2008-04-22T22:15:00.007-04:00

Fathers Day, June 15, 2003, at Ashburn United Methodist Church in Ashburn, VA I sang this Wayne Watson classic, including pennywhistle.

Front Yard Bunnies

2008-04-21T21:59:00.003-04:00

A Mama bunny decided to build her nest in our front yard. The video and photos below were taken at about 10 days old for the baby bunnies. We count at least 4 that we can see. We didn't want to disturb the nest more then what you see below. We believe the mama bunny has been hanging out in our backyard. Not sure why as there isn't really any food for her there that we are aware of.

These are definitely lucky baby bunnies, as I was mowing the lawn last Wednesday afternoon and mowed right over the nest, when I suddenly heard what I thought were baby birds. I originally thought this nest was a birds nest. Well, that just shows you how much I know about the animal kingdom.

Oh Buddha

2008-04-20T19:59:00.000-04:00

boomp3.com

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - My Review

2008-04-18T21:35:00.001-04:00

I want to preface this review with a passage of scripture that God revealed to me just after watching this movie...

The Rich Man and Lazarus

"There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was left at his gate. He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man's table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores. One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. 'Father Abraham! ' he called out, 'Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!'

" 'Son,' Abraham said, 'remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.'

" 'Father,' he said, 'then I beg you to send him to my father's house— because I have five brothers—to warn them, so they won't also come to this place of torment.'

"But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.'

" 'No, father Abraham,' he said. 'But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

"But he told him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead. ' "

Luke 16: 19-31 (HCSB)

I believe the reason God revealed this passage of scripture to me, as it relates to this movie is that A) If you are a theist (believe in the existence of God) prior to seeing this film, you will be a theist when leaving the theatre, or B) If you are an anti-theist (deny the existence of God) prior to seeing this film (if you dare see it at all), you will be an anti-theist after leaving the theatre as well. The essential point here is that this will not alter the worldview of anyone watching this film. It is to that issue that I address the merits of this film.

The central point being raised here by the producers of this film is that they believe that there is a lack of academic freedom within the scientific community. They believe that the freedom of scientific inquiry and/or the freedom of scientific speech is being censored and muted by the "powers that be", or the larger scientific community. They also argue painstakingly in this film that the scientific community does not want anything to do with the theory of Intelligent Design or even any mention of this theory within academia. The question raised from a moviegoers perspective is, "Did the producers convey in an adequate manner that their theory merits inquiry?" My answer to this question is, "Perhaps." I think at the very least this film serves a simplistic purpose in at least creating some sort of medium for intelligent dialogue regarding this issue. I do not, however, believe that they have rationally laid the groundwork for proving censorship or "ID" bias within the greater scientific community.

Now please keep in mind that I am a born-again Christian, and I believe I hold a biblical worldview. So it is within my best personal interest to affirm the quality and integrity of this movie. But I am also a journalist at heart, and it is to that end that I cannot in good conscience claim that the producers have manufactured a film that merits serious dialogue. I would even argue, albeit ignorantly at best, that you could compare this "documentary" to the larger work of one Michael Moore. I say "ignorantly", because I cannot in good conscience view Mr. Moore's "documentaries", because I know that his methods and film techniques are severely flawed. I can argue, however, that this film can serve as a counterbalance to the drivel and juvenile vitriol that Mr. Moore subjects the secular puppets of the world to.

Now it is to the terminology of "documentary" that I feel must be addressed. While Webster's is hardly clarifying as to the definition of "documentary", I'll simply paste their broader definition of "documentation" here, which reads, "the provision of documents in substantiation; also : documentary evidence b (1): the use of historical documents (2): conformity to historical or objective facts (3): the provision of footnotes, appendices, or addenda referring to or containing documentary evidence". It is through this definition that I point to "objective facts". I do not believe that there is true objectivity in this film. I believe there is a hidden agenda, to simply prove a theory that was conceived prior to filming. The means to this film was to prove that theory, regardless of the outcome they received. Any professional journalist would tell you that you start with a theory or "story idea", and then you ask the questions, and follow the story wherever it leads you, regardless of your initial hypothesis. I cannot say for sure if that is what has happened here. If anything I think a more simplistic definition of "info-entertainment" would suitably describe this film.

To generalize a bit, Ben Stein uses quite a few cutaways to old TV and movie footage that creates subliminal overtones to emphasize the points the film tries to convey to the viewer. All of the cutaways to old film simply reinforce the hypothesis, and often times is done in a sarcastic and demeaning way to the folks on the Darwinian side of the argument. It is to this end that you cannot respect the work of the film producers, because if you want an intelligent debate on the issue you cannot jokingly rip apart your adversaries and intentionally make fun of them at will. And that is what the producers of this film have attempted to accomplish.

The other difficulty I had with this film is that instead of sticking to trying to prove our theory that there is lack of academic freedom in the scientific community, and making a powerful case for your theory, the producers instead drift off into pro-theism arguments and some pretty bold and immature cutaways with the intent of mocking and even belittling the Darwinist scientists that they are trying to gain an audience with.

About 1/3 of the movie is spent addressing the scientific freedom issue, a second 3rd of the movie is spent disecting the Darwin theory in attempt to discredit it. The last 3rd of the movie is spent in vaguely arguing in favor of Intelligent Design. My question to that end is, if you are trying to engage in intelligent debate and discussion over why Intelligent Design seems to be censored, then why go out off your way to intentionally make a fool out of pro-Darwin scientists? And to me, this does not make sense to the premise of the movie. And ultimately, if you are searching for truth you shouldn't find a need to belittle your opponent, because the truth will always speak for itself, at least when rational minds unbiasedly intersect.

So where does that leave us with regards to how to take this film? Do I recommend seeing it? Sure. Even with the flaws that I saw in the film I find it interesting and entertaining as a whole product. I learned a few things, as well as enjoyed some of the interviews both on the pro and con side of either argument. Do I feel the producers got the conversation stirred? Absolutely. Confrontation is not always unhealthy, because it allows people to consider alternative viewpoints. That has been addressed heartily here, and it certainly generates buzz, which in my opinion is a good thing.

From a Christian perspective I am somewhat saddened by the results of this film. As I have already witnessed on the internet, the sparks are flying from the Darwin side of the aisle. The hornets nest has been deeply stirred, and normally mundane minds are being awakened in hostility. What is interesting in this respect is that the Darwinist folks are somewhat back on their heels a bit, more in a defensive posture, as evidenced by the tiresome and juvenile vitriol being waged in cyberspace. The reaction to the movie might prove to be more entertaining then the movie itself does. But either way, you will not be wasting your hard earned money if you choose to sit through this film, no matter what side of the aisle you choose to sit on.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

2008-04-17T14:24:00.000-04:00

See This Movie!!!!

Blue Angels - Dreams

2008-04-05T12:26:00.002-04:00

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky proclaims the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1

Voices That Care

2008-04-03T11:22:00.001-04:00

Where are they now?

Mike Tyson, Bobby Brown, et al...

We miss you Luther!!!

The Prayer

2008-04-03T11:13:00.001-04:00

I Am Your Angel

2008-04-03T10:53:00.002-04:00

The Church of Oprah Exposed

2008-04-01T20:31:00.000-04:00

Please don't tell me this woman is harmless.

God Answers Prayers

2008-04-01T09:35:00.000-04:00

I had a horrible night trying to sleep last night. Tossing and turning, and at 2:49 am (I know because I was awake and looked at the clock) I woke up with a massive headache.

OK, so what's the big deal you say? Well, I'm getting there, so be patient with me. Normally I would get up, go in the bathroom and pop and Advil to relieve the headache. Last night I didn't do that. I rolled over, and prayed to God, "Lord, I have faith that you will take this headache away from me. I am laying this pain at your feet. Do with it as you will."

I prayed several more times, as the pain didn't just evaporate right away, but I soon nodded off into never never land.

I woke up this morning, with no headache, and no pain, without any medication, etc.

My conclusion? God answers prayers. I showed a morsel of faith that God can take care of my headache, and He was faithful to my obedience in Him.

Disclaimer - those of you on heart medication, or other prescribed medication - DO NOT STOP TAKING YOUR MEDS!!! Yes, I have faith that God can heal ANYONE of ANYTHING, but I don't want a lawsuit because one of you took my "I didn't need Advil to get rid of my headache" story as an excuse to get off of your Prozac!!! ;)

My message to you is - have faith in all things that God is in authority of our lives - even what you would normally just pop a simple pill for. God is the great healer and physician.

I Come To The Cross

2008-03-21T14:37:00.002-04:00

boomp3.com

Phillip Woeckener on piano and vocals. Erik Newkirk, Pastor.
Sonrise Community Church, Leesburg, VA February 9, 2003

Teach Me To Love

2008-03-21T14:29:00.003-04:00

boomp3.com

Rudy Fenner and Phillip Woeckener Duet
Ashburn United Methodist Church, Ashburn, VA circa 2004

There's a Friend Upstairs

2008-03-21T13:22:00.003-04:00

boomp3.com

May 2, 1976, Somerset Presbyterian Church, Somerset, NJ. My first attempt at singing a solo in church (or anywhere else for that matter). I was 8 years old at the time.

Quotes on Prayer

2008-03-15T20:16:00.001-04:00

I found these rather inspiring...

I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it. - John Wesley

When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy. --Corrie Ten Boom

What is a Biblical Worldview?

2008-03-15T14:04:00.001-04:00

What you need to know, as a Christian leader, is that we are engaged in a culture war that is going on in every city and town across this nation. The Barna Group is well at the forefront of the culture war, and they simply asked some Americans what they believed and why they believe it. They came up with what is known as "Biblical Worldview", based on 8 elements of the Christian faith, which are as follows:

A person with a biblical worldview experiences, interprets, and responds to reality in light of the Bible's principles.

1. You believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.
2. God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He still rules today.
3. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
4. Satan is real
5. A Christian has a responsibility to share his or her faith in Christ with other people.
6. The Bible is accurate in all of it's principles it teaches
7. Unchanging moral truth exists (or absolute truth)
8. Such moral truth is defined in the Bible.

Now before you scratch your head and say, "Well, what's so hard to believe about all of that?" I point you to #'s 3, 6, 7 and 8. You'll discover over any period of time that most (not all but a VAST majority) of Catholics and liberal Protestants (Episcopals, Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians - ESPECIALLY Presbyterians UUUGGGGHHH!!!!) do not agree with any one of these, if not all of these. The Catholic church teaches a works based Christian faith (I'm a good person, so that should get me into heaven). Most liberal theologians would disagree with #6, ESPECIALLY those that are propagating the false homosexual agenda. And 7 and 8 are almost universally rejected based on moral relativism in society today. What's true today isn't necessarily true tomorrow or next week. If you spend anytime on the internet, in religious forums (or atheist forums where I dare to tread) you'll run into a TON of folks who immediately call you a "fundamentalist" when you speak of absolute truth. In fact, if you ever want to start a riot online just insist that absolute truth exists and that what is in the bible really is the truth. Most liberal Protestants and Catholics rail against this, for their own purposes that are varied, depending on who you talk to.

Here are some numbers for you, from Barna with regards to "American Christianity". I use the term "Christianity" losely here, because they only classify someone as a Christian by their own profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and not by their allegiance to any fixed set of questions, such as the ones above.

1. Have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important - 73% aged 42+; 65% aged 18-41
2. Absolutely committed to the Christian faith - 48% aged 42+, 29% aged 18-41
3. Possess a biblical worldview - 9% aged 42+, 3% aged 18-41

3% folks! The survey they pooled was only those who claimed to be born-again Christians mind you, and not just Americans in general. Taking the biblical worldview numbers into real people figures you come up with the following. Out of 95 million Americans who are ages 18 to 41, about 60 million say they have already made a commitment to Jesus that is still important; however, only about three million of them have a biblical worldview.

Bob Coy's Testimony

2008-03-06T12:05:00.003-05:00

One of the most powerful stories of God's redeeming love can be found in Bob Coy's story.

Chasing Happiness

Something More

Chasing the American dream—life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—often leaves people asking, “Why am I still not satisfied? Is there something more to life?” This month, Decision tells the story of Bob Coy, a man who found that his quest was only “a chasing after the wind” that left him shattered. But his brokenness was the first step to finding true purpose. Look for this and other stories on the March 1-9 Billy Graham Television Special, “America’s Dream: Chasing Happiness.”

by Kristen Burke

Bob Coy couldn’t believe the life he was living—and all because he had an ear for good music.Growing up in a lower-middle class family in 1960s Detroit, Bob didn’t want a career in the “Big Three” auto industry. His parents worked hard to provide, but they barely earned enough to keep six children clothed, fed and in school. Bob wanted more, so when he finished high school in 1973, he took three jobs.At his department store job, an uncanny ability surfaced: Bob could predict which popular music bands would sell—and he knew how to promote them in the store. Record labels began to pick up on his talent and after stints with several of them, the 21-year-old landed a job with Capitol Records in Detroit. It was his dream job. Capitol was paying him to have the time of his life.“If your daily duties meant picking up a rock-n-roll star from the airport, taking them to the event for the weekend, having a backstage party and deciding who got a chance to hang out with that rock star, it was really a lot of very worldly fun,” he says.

Bob was so good at his job that his manager joked that they wanted to clone him. He was enjoying his new experiences, and before he even had time to settle into the job, he was invited to “spoon cocaine.” His co-workers assured him that it wasn’t addictive, so he thought he could manage. But after a couple of years, Bob found himself fighting hangovers, migraines and stomachaches. He started slipping up at work. His boss warned him to turn himself around, and his friends started telling him that he was embarrassing himself. After several traffic tickets, including driving under the influence, he lost his driver’s license.

Still, Bob thought he was in control—until he offered drugs to a member of a band whose manager knew the damage drugs could cause. Furious, the band manager reported the incident to Capitol. Suddenly Bob was without a job or a driver’s license. His life in Detroit grew quiet. Most of his friends disappeared. When a former roommate promised to get him a job in Las Vegas, he took the opportunity to get a fresh start, and to hopefully make his way into the city’s booming entertainment business. After working in property management for a while, he took an entry-level job at the change counter of a casino and started working his way up. Finally, he convinced a local casino to take him on as entertainment director. At first the casino promoted an urban cowboy theme, complete with a mechanical bull. But the fad passed, and the owner wanted an “all-girl review.” Coy, a single 20-something guy, didn’t object. Life was going to be fun again.

No one in Coy’s family knew the kind of business he was running, and he wasn’t about to announce it. But when his youngest brother, Jim, accepted his offer to move to Las Vegas, Bob knew it was just a matter of time before his brother found out about his job. Growing up, the two boys were close, but unlike Bob, who wanted to get along with everyone, Jim took offense easily and would just as soon start a fight as ignore an insult. But then the little brother “got religion” and married a Christian woman. Now he was living in California, struggling to make ends meet in construction. Bob could help Jim find work in Las Vegas, but he was afraid Jim would judge his lifestyle.

By now, even Bob could see that the life he led wasn’t much fun. “Several times I had specifically prayed, ‘God, I need some help,’” he says. “I was feeling the power of addictive behavior taking more and more control. I felt stuck and drunk and cocaine-ridden, and yet I believed there was more to life.”

When Jim moved his wife, Teresa, and their children to Las Vegas, he did discover the kind of life his older brother was living. But the reaction wasn’t what Bob expected. “I didn’t see judgment, but sympathy,” Bob says. “I saw Jim and Teresa’s compassion and love, not condemnation. I wasn’t being judged by people who knew better. I was being loved by people who understood my darkness. That’s when I knew, ‘My brother’s got something. This is a radically different man.’”

Christmas Eve 1980 came, and it was Bob’s job as the casino’s entertainment director to ensure that everyone had a good time. He had been invited to spend Christmas Eve with Jim and his family and to open presents with them in the morning, but the casino won out. He partied until early morning, then crashed at his apartment. When he woke up, it was already noon, Christmas Day.

Despite a hangover and a throbbing nose from snorting cocaine, he drove to Jim’s house and knocked on the door. Teresa answered.A tear started to roll down her face. She said, “Bobby, I’m so glad you’re here, but I just know God has something more for you.”

Walking through the door, Bob found their house “warm with the smells of the holiday—everything that I wanted deep down inside, but that seemed so far away.” When evening fell, he agreed to spend the night. Jim tossed him a blanket, a pillow and … a Bible. “He said it was good reading material. I threw it right back at him and said, ‘Aw, Jim, shut up. I don’t want that.’”

The Bible hit the floor, Bob’s head landed on the pillow, and Jim and Teresa went to bed.

But Bob couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking about the many times Christians had told him that God had a better plan for him. Although he’d been to church with Jim a few times, the messages hadn’t spoken to him. But on this night, a flood of emotions roared through his mind. He picked the Bible up and began to read the Gospel of John, hoping for some rest in the middle of the night. When he got to John 3:16, he began to cry.

“It was as if God’s Spirit was in that room putting the press on my heart,” he says. “I realized that God loved me, that Jesus died for me, and if I believed, I could have this eternal life.” About that time, Jim and Teresa walked into the living room.

Jim spoke first. “Bobby, God just woke me up and told me He wants me to pray for you. Do you want to pray to receive Jesus?”

Bob looked up at Jim.“Yes,” he said. “You know what this means?” Teresa asked. “A total turn- around, a total change.”

“I want to be totally changed,” Bob answered. “I’m ready for Jesus. I want to be different. I don’t want to be the guy I’ve been.”

Jim prayed with Bob to receive Christ, and for the first time in years, Bob slept soundly and woke up the next day feeling refreshed and new. As he drove back to the casino, everything seemed different. “I knew that something had happened,” he says, “that it wasn’t just me pulling myself up from my bootstraps. … I had so much junk that when God came in, it wasn’t just reformation. It was transformation. It’s why Jesus called it being ‘born again.’” Bob’s desire for drugs was gone, instantly. “Sometimes,” he says, “certain struggles are allowed to linger longer because God knows that spiritual struggle produces much-needed spiritual muscle and change. But in other cases, He knows there are struggles that we can’t handle, and in His grace He removes them from our lives.”

People at the casino noticed the difference in Bob. He wasn’t cussing, drinking or using drugs. He pulled one of the dancers aside. “You wouldn’t believe what happened last night,” he told her. “I actually gave my life to Jesus.”

Word of the new Bob Coy reached the casino manager, and he called Bob into his office to ask him how he thought things would work. “I don’t know that things will work,” Bob replied. “I think it’s time for me to find another job because I don’t feel comfortable here.” Bob began volunteering at Calvary Chapel Las Vegas, jumping in wherever there was a need.

“I had so many friends who were not finding an easy path to the grace of God. I thought, ‘Man, if I have a love for God and a burden for people just like me, would God use me to do something?’”

In 1985, Bob married Diane Sander, whom he met at Calvary Chapel Las Vegas, and the newlyweds moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to plant Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. With a focus on children and youth, the church has grown to several thousand, and it still reaches out to many who, like Bob, need to hear that God has something better for their lives.

“I hope to continue doing this in a more and more effective way,” Bob says. “Now I know why I am here. I know who I am in Jesus.”

Accepting the Bible's Authority

2008-03-05T11:38:00.001-05:00

I love Luis Palau!!!!

The authority of Scripture is one of the oldest and most discussed questions of humankind. It is also one of the most important for us to consider today. People often prove their spiritual condition by their attitude toward the Bible.
Several years ago I had the opportunity to meet with about a dozen ministers near a city where I was involved in a campaign. To say I was shocked by our discussion may be a bit too strong, but I was certainly surprised by the serious differences of opinion we had on some basic questions. At least half of these ministers did not accept the Bible as the authoritative Word of God!
Several said they believed some Scripture passages were erroneous. Even more astonishing was their admission that when they are uncomfortable with portions of the Bible, they rationalize away such portions as "unscientific."
Is it any wonder that in certain parts of the world the Christian church staggers? Who wants to listen to ministers who don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God? Where is their authority? Where do you draw the line between which passages of the Bible are inspired by God and which are not?
When I hear people who profess to be Christians questioning whether the Bible is God’s Word, I can’t help but wonder if Christians today worship too small a God. After all, if God is God, then couldn’t He write a Book that is without error? Of course He could, and He did!
Paul could confidently tell Timothy, "Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Why could Paul say that? Because all Scripture is inspired by God; it is authoritative because it is God’s Word, not man’s.
Peter could write, "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Peter 1:16).
The Bible has the ring of authenticity. No other book has this divine stamp of approval. Arthur T. Pierson, a noted Bible expositor, explained the Bible’s uniqueness this way: "From all human oracles, however self-confident, we turn at last to the inspired Word, where instead of ambiguous and untrustworthy utterances, we find teachings distinct and definite, authoritative and infallible." We can trust God’s Word!
If God couldn’t write a book that is perfect, then why should you or I trust such a God with our salvation? I am not saying that belief in inspiration is necessary for salvation, but I am saying that to experience authority and power and fellowship with God in our Christian walk, we must accept the Bible as God’s Word.
Belief in the full authority of Scripture is vital to living an authentic and victorious Christian life. Only through such faith can we experience the joy of being God’s children.

How to abandon your God

2008-03-05T09:06:00.002-05:00

I hesitate to link to this article, because the views of the author, as well as 99% of all those who comment on it, are filled with juvenile vitriol with regards to the name of God.

So this article begs the question, from a Christian perspective, "If you hate something so vehemently, then why do you continue to try and defend your point of view against it so adamently?" Are they hoping that devout Christians, such as myself, will read this and go, "Oh gee, you know, they are right. I must toss off my belief and worship of God and fall in with the masses, because I wouldn't want to be unpopular and called all sorts of nasty names." (heavy sarcasm implied)

I could spend the time picking out all of the hate inspired rhetoric from both the sarcasm of the columnist, or from the petty and juvenile remarks of the commentors, but I honestly don't see the need to waste my time on it.

Alas, I shouldn't expect less then this out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Then again, perhaps I should assume that with all the supposed intellect out there in places like Berkeley, et al, that they could do better then simply mocking the name of God and running with the same tired, old arguments that can be summed up in one simple statement, "It's all about me."

And yes, I suppose I could rehash the same arguments in favor of why God is valuable in the life of any person, but who are we kidding here. The only people probably reading what I am writing here are already "in the fold", and the vast majority of people reading the linked article are already "out of the fold".

So this begs the question, what is the author attempting to accomplish, and what should be an appropriate response? Let's challenge ourselves to think as Jesus would, and to consider a response from a Godly perspective.

1. Jesus teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount the following:

11 "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

So Jesus is clearly telling us to expect this. He also seems to indicate that we must be doing something right, in His name, because our "reward is great in heaven". Jesus also goes even a bit further a few verses further down in Matthew, Chapter 5, when he says,

43 "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don't even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Indeed the commands of Jesus are diametrically opposed to the sinful nature of the flesh. A large part of me wishes to "storm the Gate" (ok, excuse the pun) and react in a violent and hateful way. But that's exactly the point here. Why add fuel to the fire, versus putting water on the flame and extinguishing the conflict.

We can learn a lot here about the enemy, as well as about ourselves. How do we react when we see things like this from the usual suspects? As with any person you meet, we all need to be loved. We all need to know someone cares about them, and we all need to feel as if our life amounts to more then a hill of beans.

My prayer is that we can all learn from this hostility towards God and do as Jesus says, and pray for those that would persecute His name, and those that would insult the Christian and the worldview for which we stand. If Jesus can forgive my wretched sins, then I certainly can lean not on my own understanding, but that of the Father, who is in heaven.

May the words of Jesus be of some comfort in a dying and godless world.

Unbelief is a Faith Commitment

2008-03-04T14:42:00.003-05:00

Christians have a tendency to believe the lie that if only we had enough evidence, if only we could devise a good enough argument, then fair-minded unbelievers would get off the fence and join us. But there are no fair-minded unbelievers. There are no neutral observers in the battle between good and evil. Unbelief is not so much lack of faith as faith that there is no Creator, no Lord, and no Righteous Judge. It is a wager made in spite of the odds (and the evidence), for no other reason than that a sinful man would prefer that there be no God.

Atheism requires faith. In fact, atheism is faith - faith that there is no God. To live according to his faith, an atheist must be willing to reinterpret the facts to fit his prior assumption that there can be no God. Transcendent morality would support the existence of God, so it cannot be. The law of cause and effect would support it, so the law of cause and effect must sometimes be suspended. If the very existence of universal concepts suggests some divine mind, then universals cannot exist. The assumption of atheism, if it is consistently pursued, requires that every area of life be robbed of transcendence. Fortunately, atheism is only rarely pursued consistently!

He also cites previously the parable from Luke 16:19-31, with my emphasis on verse 31, where Jesus says,

But he told him, "If they don't listen to Moses, and the prophets, they will not
be persuaded if someone rises from the dead."

I don't know about you, but that last verse is some pretty powerful scripture.

Your thoughts on this?

"What is Truth?"

2008-03-04T08:53:00.003-05:00

Pontius Pilate asked that question of Jesus in AD 33 (See John 18:38) and evidently people are still trying to get an answer.

In the latest example of relative truth in the world,

Margaret B. Jones wrote about her life as a half-white, half-Native American girl growing up in South-Central Los Angeles as a foster child among gang-bangers, running drugs for the Bloods.

The problem is that none of it is true.

I have linked this article as a part of the title of this post for your convenience. Granted, I find it ironic that it's being reported in the New York Times, which wouldn't know real truth if it hit them in the face. Nevertheless, read it at your own peril.

Dr. Albert Mohler references this article in his blog today, and he can speak much more eloquently on the subject then I will probably ever be able to.

What is disturbing about situations like Ms. Seltzer’s is that she apparently saw nothing wrong with doctoring the truth for convenience sake to get a message out.

For those that argue that there are no absolutes when it comes to identifying the truth, I would just simply ask that you try putting your naked fist through a brick wall at full force. Then when there is intense pain, broken bones, blood, and other residual effects, such as the loss of nerve function in your hand, please don’t ask me for your sympathy. For I will simply reply that you made the whole story up and that you couldn’t have possibly hit a brick wall with your fist, because the wall never existed, and you just made the whole thing up.

Transforming Culture: Christian Truth Confronts Post-Christian America

2008-03-03T08:04:00.002-05:00

Dr. Mohler is en fuego this morning!! This is great stuff, and so on the mark!!!

Peggy Noonan is right. At some point, in some moment, all of us must admit that something remarkable has happened to American culture. Mrs Noonan, a former presidential speechwriter, recalls that this moment came for her during a high school graduation in the early 1970s. A young girl walked across the stage to received her diploma. The girl was obviously pregnant. Noonan recalls that her first impulse was admiration for the girl's grit and determination against social disapproval. "But," recognized Noonan, "society wasn't disapproving. It was applauding." As she reflected, "Applause is a right and generous response for a young girl with grit and heart. And yet, in the sound of that applause I heard a wall falling, a thousand-year wall, a wall of sanctions that said: We as a society do not approve of teenaged unwed motherhood because it is not good for the child, not good for the mother, not good for us."
To this the Christian Church would say far more, but the great danger today is that many Christians are seeing the same evidence, and saying far less. A remarkable culture-shift has taken place around us. The most basic contours of American culture have been radically altered. The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture.
Reflecting on the changes experienced by America over just the last half-century, John Howard of the Rockford Institute described the end of World War II as "a half century and a whole civilization ago." We know how he feels. Looking back on the America of 1945, it does look like a whole civilization has passed.
The evidence is overwhelming. Moral relativism has so shaped the culture that the vast majority of Americans now see themselves as their own moral arbiter. Truth has been internalized, privatized, and subjectivized. Absolute or objective truth is denied outright. Research indicates that most Americans believe that truth is internal and relative. No one, the culture shouts, has a right to impose truth, morality, or cultural standards.
In the courts, revisionist legal theories and psycho-therapeutic issues have replaced concern for right and wrong. Justice has become a political argument, not a societal standard. Righteousness is rejected as a concept, a relic of an older age of a common morality, nuclear families, and Victorian dreams. The discourse of a revealed morality commanding right and forbidding wrong is as out of place in contemporary America as a log cabin on Wall Street.
The most influential sectors of society are allied in furthering the process of social disintegration. Television and mass culture have so shaped the American consciousness that many citizens are now intellectually unable to sustain a serious moral conversation. Those who attempt to engage the American people in a serious moral conversation are met with immediate dismissal or--more worrisome still--blank stares.
The arts are increasingly decadent, portraying violence, pornography, and banality as high culture. In the academy, deconstructionism and other purportedly post-modern theories have largely destroyed some disciplines and thrown others into incoherence. The search for truth has been abandoned in favor of political arguments over rights and privileges.
Looking within, Americans have adopted a therapeutic worldview which has transformed all issues of right and wrong into newly created categories of authenticity, self esteem, codependencies, and various psychological fads which basically tell us that we are victims, not responsible moral agents. A cult of self-worship has developed, substituting a search for the inner child in place of the worship of the transcendent God.
The Church has constantly been perplexed concerning its proper relation to culture. H. Richard Niebuhr traced five different patterns of cultural response in his famous work, Christ and Culture. The book over-simplified the issues and now looks awkwardly optimistic, but some of the patterns Niebuhr described are still evident. The Church as at times withdrawn from culture and sought refuge in attempted cultural isolation. At other times and in other contexts the Church has simply abdicated to the culture, thus reflecting the culture rather than proclaiming the cross. A myriad of patterns and be traced between these two extremes. The fact is that the Church has often exhibited several patterns at once, capitulating to culture on the one hand and seeking isolation on the other.
In candor, we must admit that the Church has been displaced. Once an authoritative voice in the culture, the Church is often dismissed, and even more often ignored. At one time, the influence of the Church was sufficient to restrain cultural rebellion against God's moral commandments, but no longer. The dynamic of the culture-shift marches onward. On the Protestant left, leaders have simply capitulated to the revisionist ideologies and surrendered revealed morality. On the evangelical wing, however, the greater temptation is to affirm biblical morality in principle, and wink at infractions as matters of merely individual interest.
The displacement of the Church is characteristic of the process of secularization, which has now so thoroughly altered the landscape of American culture. Though sociologists point to continuing high levels of religious activity and statements of belief--both of these in sharp contrast to other western nations--the truth is that very little of this activity translates into authentic discipleship, active church membership, and bold Christian witness.
The worldview of most Americans is now thoroughly secularized, revolving around the self and its concerns, and based on relativism as an axiom. We Americans have become our own best friend, our own therapist, our own priest, and our own lawgiver. The old order is shattered, the new order is upon us.
What, then, is the Church to do? At the onset, we must disallow both optimism and despair. We have no right to expect, as did a previous generation, that "every day in every way things are getting better and better." The same culture that has developed the microwave oven, the CAT-scan, and the vaccine for polio has also produced social pathologies which threaten the very existence of the culture. The operating room and the abortionist's table are both symbols of our culture. Though claiming to be concerned with the quality of life, America is increasingly characterized by a culture of death. At the same time, though the direction of the culture may be dramatically downward, we have no right to assume that this slide cannot be corrected.
We must understand that, in the Christian worldview, culture is important, but never ultimate. Beyond this, we acknowledge that God is sovereign, and His providence rules over all.
The mission of the Church in the midst of this cultural crisis is to proclaim the truth and reach out to the casualties. In the face of rampant relativisms, the believing Church must proclaim the truth of God's Word, the permanence of His commands, and the reality of His judgment. Given the cultural context, this task is one of the most important tests of Christian faithfulness. To proclaim biblical truth to this culture is to risk social isolation, outright rejection, and, in some cases, potent attacks.
The Church which proclaims that adultery, premarital sex, and homosexuality are inherently and unquestionably sinful will quickly discover what it means to be cut off from the cultural mainstream. The preacher who takes on the divorce culture and takes his stand for the enduring covenant of marriage will run into direct confrontation with society's attraction to "open marriage" and what some now describe as "serial monogamy." The Christian who stands in defense of the unborn will be told that her voice is unwanted, unheeded, and unwelcome--and in no uncertain terms.
To contend for Christian truth in the face of this culture is to discover what it means to be a member of a cognitive minority; that is, a minority which quite evidently thinks and lives differently than the larger culture. To confess the truths of God's Word in late twentieth-century America is to take on a counter-cultural posture; to stand against the stream and to press against the grain.
At the same time, we must reach out and minister to the casualties of our cultural rebellion. The Church of Jesus Christ is comprised of sinners saved by grace. With the message of grace, we must reach out to those whose lives have been ruined and warped in the course of our cultural decay. Only the Church has the honest and truthful answers concerning the most basic issues facing our society. Our challenge is to match truth to compassion, and mercy to confrontation.
This was true in the first century, it is true now, and it may well be true until the Lord returns. In our depravity, human beings naturally rebell against the truth of God's Word, but it reveals the only means of salvation. Our charge is to bear witness.
The truths of God's Word reveal the Gospel of spiritual transformation, and the proclamation of the truths of God's Word is the only means available to us of cultural transformation. From beginning to end, it is all in God's hands. We are called to faithful witness and compassionate ministry. In the context of post-Christian America, our task is to preach the Gospel and to proclaim the truths of God's Word. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, the Gospel is foolishness to those seeking wisdom and a scandal to those looking for power. To the redeemed, however, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Here is found the only genuine transformation. Therein is found our charge.
_________________
This article is reprinted from the archives of Southern Seminary Magazine: The Tie. Readers may request to receive the magazine by writing us at mail@albertmohler.com.

I Am Legend

2008-03-01T22:01:00.001-05:00

Sniffing a Christian Worldview in Science "Fiction"

This Will Smith motion picture was playing at the dollar theatre tonight, and it is our 11th Wedding Anniversary, so I treated the wife to a rare movie.

Little did I know that unbeknownst to the producers, there was a sniff of Worldview confrontation near the end of the movie.

I found the previews and premise of this movie fascinating, just on a curiosity scale, so getting me to see this was not all that difficult. The premise is similar to Steven King's "The Stand", where a deadly plague kills 95% of the population, and the survivors are left to fend for themselves in an otherwise deserted world.

Anyway, it's day 1,001 into Dr. Neville's sole existence, without human contact, and the "darksiders" (former humans who mutated into vampire like creatures that can only come out at night) have killed his dog "Sam". Dr. Neville is now at the end of his rope and decides to chuck it all and take as many darksiders with him as possible by using his SUV as a human battering ram, running them all over. But they keep coming, and coming, and they've finally got the good doctor.

So, now enters our "Angel", as I will call her. She comes from Maryland (Dr. Neville is in Manhattan and broadcasts on AM Radio to anyone who might hear him) and takes out the darksiders that remain and rescues Dr. Neville and he wakes up back at his apartment.

After deciding that this woman is not a threat they get down to the nitty gritty. Our "Angel" and Dr. Neville get into a conversation about (drum roll please) God. Dr. Neville lays down the facts. 6 billion people previously on the planet, and 95% are dead from the virus. 99% of remaining souls mutate into darksiders, which leaves 1% of the population that were immune to the virus. Our "Angel" has stopped to pick up Dr. Neville on her way to Vermont, where she believes there is a safe community of immune survivors. Dr. Neville says, "There is nothing in Vermont. There are no survivors. Everyone is dead. How do you know there is a safe community in Vermont," he asks? Angel replies, "I just know".

Angel - "I can't explain it to you. But there were 5 of us alive in Maryland, and the darksiders got 3 of them. Me and Ethan (the boy she is traveling with) are all that's left). For unknown reasons I turned on the radio and heard your message. I never would have done that on my own. Someone or something told me to do it. I believe it was God."

Dr. Neville loses his patience at this and screams, "THERE IS NO GOD, OK! THERE IS NO GOD!!! EVERYONE IS DEAD!!!!"

(Side commentary: Does this last exclamation sound familiar to anyone? Specifically anyone that dialogues with atheists?)

Anyway, their conversation is interrupted by noise from outside. The darksiders have found them and they are hunry and desperate. They manage to fight off the darksiders temporarily, but they find their way down to the science lab that the Doctor has setup to run tests and seek a antivirus. While they are closing up the doors to block the darksiders, "Angel" notices that the darksider that the Doctor has tested from yesterday has mutated back into human form. BINGO! The doctor has discovered a cure! It's in the blood. The Doctor extracts a tube of blood from the former darksider and hands it to "Angel". Angel and Ethan escape in a steel enclosed safe.

The darksiders form outside the lab and they start ramming the bullet proof glass that seperates them. Ramming and ramming and ramming until it breaks.

The Doctor gets a telepathic message only he can hear. It's God speaking to him.

"OK, I get it. I haven't heard you God because I haven't been listening!!!"

The Doctor shoves Angel and Ethan into the safe and shuts it behind them. He pulls a grenade out of a drawer and braces for the darksiders. Just as the darksiders penetrate the remains of the glass the Doctor pulls the plug and destroys all the darksiders, along with himself.

Angel and Ethan make it to Vermont where we are finally given the remaining details of Dr. Neville, and why he is a "Legend" (hence the name of the picture). He's the savior of the world...

Or is he? Only after Dr. Neville finally listened to God was he able to find a cure. Only after God sent an "Angel" to save him was he able to take that next step.

Interesting paradox here. Dr. Neville sacrifices his innocent blood to save the rest of mankind. Nah, there is absolutelly no correlation between that and Jesus Christ, is there? (deep sarcasm implied).

So after the movie I asked my wife, "Did you see it?"
She looks at me puzzled, "See what?"
I reply, "The Worldview message in that movie."
She looks at me quizically, "What worldview message?"

So I explain it to her, as I have above. Maybe I am looking at things far too analytically now, but the Christian Worldview is just oozing out of this movie in all sorts of little messages. And I loved the exchange between Angel and Neville where he protests in defiance, "THERE IS NO GOD!!! EVERYONE IS DEAD!!!"

Anyway, I hope I didn't ruin this one for anyone. You still need to see this one for yourself. And my wife even asked me as we were driving home, "Do you think this movie will be on next year's Centurions program list?" And I replied, "Maybe, stay tuned."

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Elevating service and ministry above Christ

2008-03-01T15:28:00.003-05:00

It is easier to define ourselves by what we accomplish than by our new identity
in Christ. For some people, the Christian life consists more of fellowship,
service to those in need, witnessing, and worship than of becoming intimate with
Jesus. This leads to the problem of ministry without the manifest presence of
God.

I read this today and I was like, "Hold on pal, what the heck are you talking about?"

Now before someone throws out Ephesians 2:8-9, let me just step into James world, in Chapter 2 and let's review this...

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does
not have works? Can his faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister
is without clothes and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in
peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you don't give them what the body needs,
what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is
dead by itself.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I
have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith
from my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons
also believe—and they shudder.

20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn
that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by
works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was
active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. 23 So the
Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to
him for righteousness , and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a man is
justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way, wasn't Rahab
the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent
them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is
dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Sorry Dr. Boa, but I think James disagrees with you here in scripture. And frankly what you say above goes against what I have been taught all of my life in Christianity. How can ANYONE reconcile their Christian faith without at least doing what Dr. Boa uses as examples above as a vital part of the Christian walk?

And frankly, what he speaks about above goes directly against what Jesus preaches in Matthew 5:14, when he said:

"You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and
it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let
your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and
give glory to your Father in heaven.

Maybe I haven't read far enough, and yes, I understand that doing works without having your heart right with God is worthless (I'm sure someone will be glad to point some of that scripture my way), but to see a well intentioned and heart in the right place Christian be told not to do works for the glory of God doesn't sit well with me. And maybe I am reading this wrong and someone can gently guide me back on path, but I don't understand this statement at all.

My Concerns Over Trinity Broadcasting Network

2008-03-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

This is an automated e-mail I received in response to some questions I put forth to TBN. The automated response is disheartening, from a Christian perspective, because as I read this, they are asking for my money in more ways then one. Sure, they ask for prayers, but I believe the heart of the e-mail simply speaks to one big giant stewardship campaign.

I am also disheartened, because this network is a very public representative of the church of Jesus Christ. How in good conscience can the owners of this station sleep at night, knowing that they are deceiving thousands of folks who would otherwise come to know Jesus Christ.

I truly believe that TBN has done more damage to the cause of the Church then any other person or entity in the past 50 years. And I would simply pray that God would work in the hearts and lives of those responsible for the content and character of this television ministry. And I think it goes without saying that Jesus would probably toss out the cameras, just as he did the money changers in the temple.

What a disgrace.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <Comments@tbn.org>
Date: Fri, Feb 29, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Subject: Thank you for your comments
To: pwoeckener@gmail.com

Thank you for your e-mail. Your comments and inquiries are very important to us and will be forwarded to the proper department, including prayer requests which are sent to TBN's prayer partners at prayer@tbn.org. Please direct messages re: donations, love gifts, pledges and changes of address to: Records@tbn.org. If you wish to make a pledge or credit card donation, please use the forms on the TBN web site at http://www.tbn.org/index.php/6/1.html .

Go to our website with your questions at: http://www.tbn.org . Especially note the 'Watch us,' 'About Us' and 'Links' (click for TBN Address Book) areas of the web site. Click ' Broadcast Schedule,' ' Channel Finder,' and ' Employment Opportunities ' for updated information, and shop at the TBN ' Store.' Add or change your email subscription at the bottom of the home page. You can also view at your convenience 30 days of archived 'Praise the Lord' and 'Behind the Scenes' programs. We do not produce manuscripts, video tapes or DVD's of our programs, due to copyright restrictions. These same restrictions prevent us from authorizing viewers to copy, burn or download files from TBN's Video Gallery onto a disk.

We regret we cannot open attachments due to the ongoing threat of viruses. We regret that we are not able to provide church referrals for our many viewers across the globe. Neither can we add your name or church's name to our Links or TBN Address Book, since these are reserved for TBN programmers and guests only. TBN is not a Bible distributor, but we are happy to provide one free copy of the New Testament upon request. The entire Bible is available online in several translations and languages at www.biblegateway.com.

You are welcome to call TBN's toll free ( U.S. and Canada only ) prayer line anytime: 1-888-731-1000. Callers outside the U.S. and Canada Please call +1-714- 731-1000. You may call TBN's business office at (714) 832-2950, which is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, Pacific time. If you are interested in purchasing program airtime, please call: (714) 665-3610. For a copy of "Father's Love Letter," please go to www.fathersloveletter.com, or call: 1-800-471-5628. Of course, you can always write to TBN or Paul and Jan Crouch personally at: TBN, P.O. Box A, Santa Ana, CA 92711. Please submit completed programs in VHS or DVD format for consideration to the same address, Attention: TBN Programming Department.

God bless you!
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Jesus He Knows Me

2008-02-29T10:08:00.002-05:00

I grew up with this song, among many other Genesis songs in the 1980's, and we have several things going here that influenced culture at the time, and is still relevent.

1. A great pop/rock song that reached millions of people.
2. It makes fun of Christianity, as is being portrayed on TV by televangelists such as Jim Bakker, etc.
3. The ripple effect of the attitude portrayed by the secular community through this song took a firm grip on a vast majority of kids in the 1980's (I was one of them).

While I think I am intelligent enough to seperate the crooked TV evangelists from the authentic men of God, I think it's safe to say that there are a lot of people that would base Christianity on what they see on networks such as TBN. They see the gold chairs, and the constant begging for your money and they laugh hysterically at the hypocrisy and turn the dial and write off Christianity forever.

So, here we are 20+ years later and those kids are now in their 40's and are giving the church the middle finger, due to folks like Jim Bakker and Pat Robertson, etc, who go on TV and ask for money, and live a lifestyle that is the opposite of what Jesus preached. Is it any wonder why a majority of kids who grew up in Christianity now reject the faith?

I know this subject has probably been hashed out over and over again, but this is the battle we are facing when we go out there and talk to folks about Jesus Christ. It's not that they haven't heard the gospel, but that they saw Jim Bakker on TBN doing nothing but asking for our money and that was all they needed to know with regards to Christianity, and in their minds, there is a 99% block anytime someone mentions the name of Jesus Christ.

Of course, I'm picking on Jim Bakker, because he goes to prison, does his time, and a week or so ago there is a post here about how he's back on TV and "back in business". I swear this man has singlehandedly done more to damage the image and reputation of basic Christianity then any other public figure of the 20th and now 21st century.

And frankly, why doesn't the church stand up to the producers at TBN and hold them accountable for some of the stuff they put on the air. Sure they show a fair amount of legitimate Christian shows, but it's the minority that gets on the air (Benny Hinn anyone?) that just absolutely zaps whatever momentum the Christian faith might have in reaching the non-believer. If anyone goes on the air and preaches in the name of Jesus Christ, they need to be held accountable by the church. It shouldn't have to go to Senator Grassley to get these people to answer for their false teachings.

Ok, I think my rant is over. But when I am reminded of stuff from the 80's and where I was with Christ at the time, it stirs vivid images of kids my age mocking the folks on TV who came on praying to Jesus and at the same time asking the viewer for a donation of $20 or more to support their ministry, so they can pay for the fuel for their private leer jet.

Easy Lover

2008-02-29T08:42:00.001-05:00

Of course, whenever you can get two "Phil's" together, it's a good thing. Phil Collins from Genesis and Earth, Wind, & Fire's Philip Bailey collaborate in this video. I miss the 80's sometimes.

The Living Years

2008-02-29T08:36:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite songs from the 80's was Mike & The Mechanics, "The Living Years"

Enjoy!

American Evolution

2008-02-28T15:04:00.001-05:00

My mother sent me this, of all people. How true it is.

25 Years Ago

2008-02-28T08:56:00.001-05:00

Now don't ask me why I went where I did, but I dug up some old pictures from 25 years ago, which was 1983. I was a sophomore in high school..

My high school chorus was invited to sing at the Inauguration (2nd term) of Florida Governor Bob Graham (D) in Tallahassee. If you recall, Graham was Florida's Senator for a number of years recently, and retired while pursuing a failed presidential bid in 2004.

Immediately after that event we took the bus 2 hours east to Jacksonville, FL, where we met the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Budweiser Brewery there where he was protesting the lack of black management within Anheuser-Busch. Our bus pulled into the parking lot and Jackson steps on the bus and starts screaming about how "Buds a Dud!!!" and he got the whole bus chanting it over and over again. He left shortly thereafter where we then took a tour of the brewery (sorry, no samples for us teenagers). After that we sang at some hotel in Jacksonville for the State of Florida Music Teachers Association (I believe that's who it was). Don't you love the monkey suit?

Now these next two pictures ought to get a laugh out of you...

My sophomore year included my participation in the musical, "Grease". I played the part of "Doody" (and yes, everyone called me "Howdy Doody", thank you very much) and got to sing "Those Magic Changes". Here I am with guitar in hand. And yes, I actually played guitar for that number. And no, Kenny, I don't play. The band director at the time taught me the 4 chords for that song, which I have since forgotten.

This next one is during our performance of "Greased Lightning". And yes, the first time we saw that car we nearly died laughing hysterically. Someone went out to a local junk yard and brought it into the school for the musical. Great times!!!

Mandisa - God Speaking

2008-02-28T08:51:00.001-05:00

I love Caddyshack!

2008-02-28T08:33:00.002-05:00

Carl Spackler tells his Dalai Lama caddy story.

Spackler is the "Cinderella Man"

Rodney - you should've yelled TWO!!!

Rodney attempts to loosten up the stiffs - "You guys - take some lessons!"

Here's a great montage from the movie with Journey in the background

Silenced by Tolerance

2008-02-27T22:07:00.001-05:00

The following is an article I read in Focus on the Family's March 2008 Magazine for Couples that was authored by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler. I thought it perfectly summed up how to engage the culture from a Biblical Worldview.

The Day of Silence is an annual event (April 25 this year) observed in more than 5,000 public schools. Promoted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, the event urges students to participate in a protest against discrimination. Many of those students will hand out cards that say:

"Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies…"

An irony has arisen in recent years, however, as students wearing T-shirts with messages indicating disagreement with that effort have been suspended for doing so. One message is tolerated; the other is not.

Such ironies are common these days, as "tolerance" has become a primary goal of schools, government and media. Yet few of us understand what our society means when the word tolerance is used.

The new definition

Tolerance traditionally means simply to recognize and respect others' beliefs, practices and so on, without necessarily agreeing or sympathizing.

But today's definition is vastly different. Based on the assumption that all truth is relative (a view held by 66 percent of the American public, according to the Barna Group), the new tolerance means to consider every individual's beliefs, values, lifestyle and truth claims as equally valid. So not only does everyone have an equal right to his beliefs, but all beliefs are also equal, demanding praise and endorsement of that person's beliefs, values and lifestyle.

This new tolerance gets complicated.

1) In a belief system where the sole virtue is tolerance, the cardinal sin is, of course, intolerance.

2) Since tolerance is based on the assumption that all truth is relative, it becomes not only permissible but also imperative to be intolerant of those who do not agree that truth is relative.

3) To the relativist, then, it is not inconsistent to be intolerant of Christ-followers who insist that absolute moral standards do exist, which is considered inherently "intolerant." That is why many institutions can endorse all sorts of views and behaviors while simultaneously condemning or silencing biblical Christianity.

Love's response

Such a monumental cultural shift presents a formidable challenge to even the most savvy Christian. But it is a challenge that can – and must – be met. God's Word offers the timeless guidance we need.

Writing to the church in Ephesus, a first-century city with many 21^st-century characteristics, Paul urged the church to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). That biblical prescription has never been timelier.

In fact, speaking the truth in love is not only timely but also critical. We must recover – without embarrassment or apology – the basic belief in truth. This means embracing all people but not all beliefs. It means listening to and learning from all people but not necessarily agreeing with them. Even if it makes us objects of scorn or hatred, we must courageously speak the truth in a sympathetic, compassionate and humble spirit (1 Peter 3:8)

Christians are subject to a much higher standard that tolerance. We are called to follow the way of Christ, who accepted the despised Samaritans and Phoenicians (John 4; Mark 7:24-30) and treated even prostitutes and tax collectors with dignity (Luke 7:36-50; 19:1-10). The Christian imperative exceeds tolerance, which simply avoids offending someone; we are commanded to "do everything in love" (1 Corinthians 16:14).

Tolerance says, "You must approve of what I do." Love responds, "I must do something harder; I will love you even when your behavior offends me."

Tolerance says, "You must agree withy me." Love responds, "I must do something harder; I will tell you the truth, because the truth will set you free."

Tolerance says, "You must allow me to have my way." Love responds, "I must do something harder; I will plead with you to follow the right way, because you are worth the risk."

Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive; love takes risks. Tolerance costs nothing; love costs everything.

It will not be easy to speak the truth in our homes, schools, churches and communities. But we must obey the Word of God rather than yield to the pressure of our culture.

Did we Lose the Culture War?

2008-02-24T22:39:00.001-05:00

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080216/31218_The_Culture_War_is_Over:_We_Lost!.htm

Wow! I actually took the time to read most of the comments here, and honestly I'm stunned by it all. Not so much the pointless bickering back and forth between folks on both sides of the fence, but the fact that I haven't seen this much hostility at this website here before.

While I ashamedly admit to contributing to pointless drivel and banter on other websites before, let me just add a few thoughts on what I see going on here, with regards to this article. I don't wish to enter into a debate with someone on either side of this debate, but I'll just post some thoughts and let you guys ponder my worthless opinion on the matter.

And for the record, only the words of scripture hold any merit, worth, or value. Anything you post here is nothing without the power of God behind it.

1. The author's opinion is that Christianity has lost the culture war. What part of this would anyone argue is false? Everywhere you go people have their heads down and if you mention the name of Jesus Christ outside of your home or church you are putting yourself up as a target for ridicule or hostility, and thought to be a "Jesus freak".

2. The author argues that we are closer to 2nd century Rome, versus 20th Century America (or thereabouts). This is true as well. Again, if you wear your faith on your sleeve in public you are intolerant, bigoted, homophobic, hypocritical, or all of the above.

3. The opponents of God and the Christian faith don't attack Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, or any sect or religious idea outside of Fundamentalist Christianity. Why is this? I would submit to you that the reason for the open and unashamed attacks on Christianity is that there is power in the name of Jesus Christ.

To my non-believing friends, when you curse, what expression do you use? Do you say G** D@mn?!!! J**** Christ!!! Holy S***!!! Have you ever asked yourself why anyone would curse in such a way? I would suggest to you that these profanities are used so often because there is such power in their namesake, even when taken blasphemously. And last time I checked, human excrement could never be considered "Holy", unless of course you've witnessed Jesus taking a...well, you know.

The last time I checked, the message of Jesus Christ was a message of redemption and of love. With the words of 1 Corinthians 13 in my mind, I challenge a non-believer to find a more solid reason, philosophy or value system then that of what Paul suggests through 1 Corinthians 13. And if you can match that value system then I would call you a liar. Well, actually, those are John's words in his epistle. It's an old and tired argument, but Christians are no better then non-believers. In fact, any Christian who claims they are better then a non-believer is a liar. The only difference between the non-believer and a Christian is that they have accepted the free gift of salvation from Jesus Christ. It can't be earned, and it doesn't even make you a better or good person. in fact, anyone that professes to be a good person is also a liar, as Jesus even tells us that only God is good.

My point is that Christianity isn't a cure for all that ails you, but a relationship with Jesus Christ. If having a relationship makes me intolerant, then sign me up. The reason Jesus is intolerant is because He preached the truth. Not a truth that changes every time you flush the toilet, or everytime some new minority group is offended and wants their fair share of the pie through a high priced mouthpiece in a court of law.

The message of Jesus Christ runs in direct conflict with what society accepts as norm today. This is part of the message of this author's opinion. I'm actually not even sure why the non-Christians are so bitter about this article, as even the author admits defeat. This is not meant to attack the non-Christian, but is actually speaking to the Christian to encourage them to approach their faith in a way that would build relationships with those that don't believe or don't want to hear about Jesus Christ.

As I said earlier, if you can live like Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 13, then I challenge ANYONE to turn away from that idea or principle. How can you reject unconditional love? It will never harm you, turn against you, or attack you. How can unconditional love be a threat?

But alas, I'm sure the usual suspects will attack this from whatever angle they desire. And when they attack they won't go after God, or his message of unconditional love, but they'll attack the Christian, who I have already confessed as not being perfect. We are all human, and we all make mistakes. I'll be the first in line to admit I fail, almost on a daily basis, if not more often.

I have nothing to prove here, and nothing to gain by pointless bickering about petty ideas and arguments. The message of Jesus Christ is one of love and redemption, and not of hatred. But yes, if you choose sin, God cannot accept it, so yes, God hates sin. So if you have a beef with that, then take it up with God. The Christian didn't create the rules, God did. Take it up with Him. And as the old saying goes, don't shoot the messenger, which is the Christian.

My prayer is for the non-Christian, or those attacking my beliefs. I pray that God's love would speak to you. I pray that God would bless your life with good things, and that His love would overwhelm whatever situation you are in. I pray this message finds you, and finds you well. May God bless all of you, in whatever situation you find yourself reading this in.

Is There a Double Standard when it comes to Female Sexual Predators?

2008-02-24T20:48:00.001-05:00

Attorney: Legal system favors female sexual predators

I have to laugh at some of these comments that protest the leniency of this sentence. Come on people, get a clue. The difference between a female sex predator (if you want to call it that) and a male sex predator is that the male predator goes after young girls who are unwilling participants. The female predator's "victims" are no doubt willing participants. I don't know where you people grew up but I know for a fact that any guy I went to high school with would have loved to have been a "victim" and would have bragged about it to everyone he knew. It wasn't something he would have ran from and considered "abuse" but rather, a conquest. And that folks is why there is a double standard. I have yet to run across a male "victim" that was in tears and was traumatized by this incident of sex. And we punish this woman because she's 5-10 years older then her male students? But yet we think nothing of some 40 year old guy marrying a 24 year old woman. Frankly the only double standard I see here is folks that are saying this woman is getting off easy. Look at the facts of the situation, with any female "sexual predator" and when you can find me an unwilling "victim" I'll be happy to throw the book at her. Until then, please justify why her sentence should be any worse then it already is? And as a disclaimer, I don't condone sex outside of marriage, but I'm simply being realistic to the reality of the situation we are all playing judge and jury to here.

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The lenient sentence handed down to a female teacher who sexually abused five male students is proof of a double standard in America's legal system, says prominent pro-family attorney Pat Trueman.

Allena Ward, 24, of Laurens, South Carolina, was sentenced this week to six years in prison after she admitted to having sex with five of her teenage students. "I wish healing for each person affected by my carelessness. And I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies to these young men," Ward apologizes.

But Pat Trueman, special counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, says Ward's crimes were not the result of "carelessness" but the conscious choices of a sexual predator. Her victims were children, he says, not "young men." And, he adds, things would have been different if Ward had been male and her victims had been girls.

"You'd get a ... 30- or 40-year sentence [if that were the case]," he maintains. "But women who are predators are not viewed as predators by the legal system in many states."

Ward was actually sentenced to 63 of a possible 105 years in prison on six separate charges, but the judge reduced those punishments to six years total. "In the federal system, that wouldn't happen," continues Trueman. "The sentences are the same whether it's a male or female predator. But in the states, judges can do what they want, oftentimes. And the norm is that women sexual predators get off easy." (See video report on the recent arrest of another female teacher)

Trueman hopes lawmakers will change that. "I think every state legislature ought to review its laws to eliminate prejudice and treat all sexual predators ... the same and give stiff sentences, even for the first offense," he suggests. As the attorney explains, "the effect on children from a female predator is no different than the effect on the child of a male predator. The child is affected for life and it harms them -- it harms their psyche; and the justice system is supposed to mete out justice."

Ward is expected to serve no more than five years in prison.

Comments on this article:

"Teaching immoral behavior, or condoning it can only lead to one outcome…Eph 5:5 No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Matt 5:19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.."
"5"
"For "False Conclusion"--our society has determined that what you did with a teacher 8 years your senior was statutory rape regardless of whether or not you think fondly of the event. This issue should never be defined by how the underage child viewed it. And remember, this website is based on traditional moral Christian values. Don't be shocked when we advocate for what we believe is right. Being Christian does not equate to being a sheep. Quite the contrary. We are called to share Christ's love with diligence."
"Sad to see - but sure seems to be true. The mistreated children are just totally lost in the issue as a whole."
"False conclusion: "the effect on children from a female predator is no different than the effect on the child of a male predator." An Enlish teacher - eight years my senior - and I had an affair while I was a junior/senior in high school. It was a loving, memorable experience and I recall it fondly. She gave me a head start on understanding and appreciating women. There was no "abuse" whatsoever. I would go so far as to advise young men to seek older women who can enlighten them to love, both romance and physical."
"As a person who was molested and raped as a child, I am very angry at this outcome. There should be no difference based on gender. If the crime was committed, then she should do the same time as a man. She chose to violate those children. And she should be punished to the fullest extent of the law."
"So true. I know a close friend (a very good man acused by an ex-wife and step daughter)sentenced 15 years (no parole)for an acquisition of lustful touching. This proves the system is very unfair."
"society is right no harm no foul"
"The fact is, you haven't even asked the young men whether they have suffered any psycological abuse because they got it on with a teacher. I would think that a young man losing his virginity with a female teacher is merely trying to impress his friends or something like that. It's the parent's fault for not responsibly taking care of their kids because these whole messes could be perfectly avoided."
"Beware,the liberated woman. She feel she is entitled to anything she wants. The USA has gone down hill ever since. I can't believe how gullible some men are toward women. But remember Eve. Also children in school should never have to fear a female teacher."
">> They didn't mention the age of the victims << The story made clear that they were "teenagers" -- and as such you may confidently infer that they were under the age of consent."
"It's no comfort to society that she loses her license to teach on any state public system, just like men. That's the only equal treatment for what is de facto statutory rape and contributing to the delinquency of minors from a position of the public's trust"
"Have we as a nation stupped so low that we will allow this kind of behavior go completely unpunished and tolerate this kind of double standad.This is as bad of a double standard, that a women can murder an unborn child for the sake of profit and get away with it scott free, but we will hold a drunk accountable for the death of an unborn child in the mother womb if he killed it in an accident. There is no diffrents. Oh I forgot we live in an enlightened age that is controlled by the left and their marxist cronies along with their leagal arm of the America Criminal Litigation Union."
"Double standards are wrong, just plain wrong! But "Teachers. What more need be said?" How obnoxious! I am a teacher. I work for less pay than I could make in the private sector. I work in a high stress environment. I bring hours of work home with me. I deal issues far beyond the 3 Rs. And I do this because I genuinely care about kids and want to help them succeed. Thanks for the vote of confindence!"
"I believe there is a double standard. If a woman molests it should be treated no differently than if it were a man, but it is. AND a 13 year old girl can have consensual sex as well as a 13 year old boy, especially in today's society."
"more info please: They didn't mention the age of the victims, or whether or not it was consensual. It may explain the lessened sentence if it was consensual."
"Teachers. What more need be said?"
"I agree that the their is a double standard. Male sexual predators are despised for hurting young girls. What about our young boys. My son is a victim of a female preditor and doesn't think there is anything wrong with him being with a woman close to my age. I am outraged and want something done, laws and enforced sentences to send a message that our boys innocence must be protected the same as our girls."
"There should be no double standard male or female when it comes to child abuse!!! Teachers working with children should receive a very stiff sentence, as children are taught from the time they start school to trust their teaches. There is becoming more & more reasons to home school your children, as they are the most precious possession God has given us."
"Is NOW or the Baptist Women's fellowship,etc.marching at the courthouse and signing a recall petition for the judge.I BET not!Talk is cheap among country club christians.Suicide of boys and job performance was not mentioned.Devastationn \\and mothers'of sons will not march on this courthouse lawn and sidewalks.Respectfully;John McIntyre"
"I believe the mainstreaming of porn is at the root in the sharp rise in predator teachers (as well as other sexual predators). Nearly as many women are getting hooked on porn as men, and they are acting out on their students. Porn blurs all the lines of what's right and wrong. We have to stop tolerating porn. But when my Wal-Mart has SI's Naked Women issue by every checkout, it seems to me like things are too far gone."
"I believe in the story yesterday it stated the victims were 14 and 15 year old boys...below the legal age of being able to consent to a sexual encounter with an adult."
"I just remember the judge saying Debra LaFave (sp?) was "too pretty to go to jail"... would anyone say that about a man who raped children? I think not! Additionally, I am offended that Alena Ward calls her actions "carelessness". Carelessness is spilling your drink or not looking where you are walking, etc. She DELIBERATELY stalked these kids."
"There is also a legal system favor the more pretty or shapely a woman is vs a homely woman."
"My sister-in-law in Yell County Arkansas was allowed to continue to spend unlimited time in and on school campuses after she was convicted outside a jury as a child sex offender. Later behind closed doors, the asistant prosecuting attorney got her name cleared, despite the fact she had confessed even more sexual acts than the 15 year old did. Arkansas needs new judges and prosecutors who will stand firm against all sex offenders."
"Not in any way to excuse what she did...it was horrible and yes, she should be punished severely for it. However, also take into consideration that when men have committed this crime, often it is also accompanied by some form of violence, that adds to the crime. Women, typically not. And like it or not, men are still much viewed as being in position of authority over the female (Adam was created first and was given responsibility for all other creations.) Perhaps this plays a role in why men seem to get more harsh sentences?"
"I will bet the farm that this criminal pervert will never serve even five years! Indeed there is a double standard, and why don't the men protest? A woman, Mary Winkler of Selmer, TN, shot her husband in the back and killed him. She served practically no jail time and is out FREE! Tell me that this could have happened if the husband had killed his wife. NOT EVER!... Harm done by a sexual predator is enormous, and the penalty should be severe, for male or female. How tragic that this double standard persists. Bill O'Reilly should feature this issue on his "Factor" program, and he should nail the "pinheads" who are not performing their duty to society."
"Trueman is 100% correct and I am a woman. A predator is a predator and should be punished as such no matter male or female. I think life without parole is in order for any child molester as they will never change and will continue to molest if they are free."
"Women always get off easy!"
"When a female is accused of this heinous crime she usually shows up on talk shows almost as if she is a celebrity! When will this double standard stop and women prosecuted the same as men! Definitely a double standard!"
"This child molester got off easy. She's admitted to having sex with five of her teenage students. Being a woman is irrelevant and she should get the full extent of the law. If that's 30 or 40 years, so be it."
"Another one of the NEA's finest. I'm sure she's "underpaid" too. Teachers abusing students has become and EPIDEMIC in America. When are we going to put a stop to the maddness?"
"Yep, the double standard is fiercely defended by the feminazi's too!"
"I have noticed for years that when a mother and father are accused of abusing their children (physically or sexually) the man will get 20 years and the woman often serves no timeat all."

Clemens Congressional Hearing - How it Really Went

2008-02-22T08:54:00.002-05:00

Clemens: You want answers?

Congressman: I think I'm entitled to them.

Clemens: You want answers?

Congressman: I want the truth!

Clemens: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has baseballs. And those balls have to be hit by men with bats. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Congressman? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for steroids and you curse HGH. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that HGH, while illegal, probably sells tickets. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, sells tickets...You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that mound. You need me on that mound. We use words like fastball, slider, splitfinger...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent playing a sport. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and falls asleep to the Sportscenter clips I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide them! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a bat and dig in. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!

Congressman: Did you order the HGH?

Clemens: (quietly) I did the job you sent me to do.

Congressman: Did you order the HGH?

Clemens: You're damned right I did!!!

Expelled Review - In Search of a Quagmire of Biased Proportions

2008-02-17T15:34:00.001-05:00

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2008/02/is-ben-stein-th.html

I find the review of this film completely biased to a preconceived notion, based on the author's worldview. The author's self-professed hatred of Christianity excludes him from putting forth a rational argument based on facts. His pressumptions are grounded in bias and emotion, rather then on cold hard facts.

I also see a ton of comments, responding to this post, that don't even deal directly with the writings of this author, and their vain attempts to support whatever side of their argument they choose to support, in a biased and emotional way.

1. You liked the review because it bashed Christianity as a hoax and a complete joke, and the author's arguments supported your blind faith in nothing.
2. You disagree with the author's review, and took the opportunity to defend Christianity in whatever way you felt compelled to do so.

I would suggest to supporters of both sides of the table that I have yet to read one comment that was without bias, and merited any sort of agreement.

I would also suggest to all those interested enough in this subject to simply view the film, and let your conscience be your guide.

Personally, I'm interested in academic freedom, and not dogmatic arguments based on what you believe is truth. I'm interested in facts, and where the facts lead to the truth, based on evidence, and not some professors biased dogma dug up from a real lack of research or evidenciary development.

If Ben Stein has a rational and legitimate claim then those that are hard core Darwinists have absolutely nothing to fear, because whatever he came up with will be debunked as the fairy tale that all Darwinists view religion to be.

However, as is apparent even from the comments and author of this review, there is too much bias involved in to allow for critical thinking.

I challenge each and everyone of you to view the film, and base your opinions on facts, and not emotional rhetoric which is completely worthless.

And the argument from the film is to simply allow for whatever viewpoint suggests, to at least be given an equal forum to be heard. Academic freedom and the search for truth depends on everyone's ability to be heard. And that is what I believe this film is arguing. It has nothing to do with what anyone believes, but the censorship supposedly taking place in Academia.

So, if you are a responsible academic you have an obligation to allow all points of view to be heard, regardless of what you believe about them, rather then to subject yourself to opinions only formed in what your preconceived bias tells you to be true.

One in Five Brits Can't Name the "Little Town" of Jesus' Birth

2008-02-06T21:39:00.001-05:00

One in Five Brits Can't Name the "Little Town" of Jesus' Birth

By Hilary white

LONDON, December 11, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In Britain, an officially Christian country, a poll has revealed that at least one in five cannot name the basic elements of the Christmas story as it is recounted in the Bible.

Of respondents to a ComRes poll, the age groups 18-24 and 25-35, 36 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively, did not know the name of the town in which Jesus was born. 25 per cent and 24 per cent of the same age groups could not identify the "an angel" as the source of the Virgin Mary's information about the impending birth of Christ. The numbers were even higher in the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups with 28 per cent and 24 per cent. 28 per cent of those in the 55-64 age group also answered the question in correctly.

In the 18-24 age group, 63 per cent could not name John the Baptist as Jesus' cousin with 58 per cent of the 35-44 age group not able to answer correctly. When asked "Where did Joseph, Mary and Jesus go to escape from King Herod when Jesus was a young child?" from age groups ranging from 18 to 54, as many as 84 per cent did not know.

In the meantime, the relevance of Pope Benedict XVI's recent warning against the heavy commercialization of Christmas in western countries was brought home by a poll by the same company showing that younger Britons chronically overspend at Christmas or feel guilty if they do not.

20 per cent of those polled between the ages of 18 and 34, agreed with the statement, "I can't really afford to spend what I want, but I will spend it anyway and borrow what I can't afford." In the same age groups, up to 46 per cent said "I'll feel guilty if I can't provide the kinds of gifts my family or friends expect."

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Jim Rome the Hypocrite!

2008-02-06T20:24:00.001-05:00

Jim Rome / 2-6-2008

Today is the day most of the country's best players announce which college they're headed to. And word out of Athens, is Georgia Coach Mark Richt has spent the last couple of months in the "convincing parade" to get all Americans to become Bulldogs by bringing them to his "crib" to play ping-pong! Gotta' hand it to Richt…that's a pretty wholesome approach to recruiting. Especially in the SEC!
No wonder Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are getting over on him! Ping pong?! I don't think I'm speaking 'out of school' when I say there are two things and only two things these kids want when they take an official visit. They want to get loaded! And they want to see some of the local talent. Allegedly! I'll tell you what they don't want to have to do…choose between sandpaper and padded. One recruit said Richt was 'killing it'! That he loves to get his 'gump on': "(Richt) is pretty dominant. He didn't lose the entire night." Of course! His recruits were probably throwing games so they could beat it out there and take that $30 stipend to get their Goldschläger on.

Again, I applaud Richt's tact…at least he's not greasy! But I guarantee Herschel Walker didn't pick Georgia because of a knock down, drag out game of foosball with Vince Dooley. Just as I'm sure Champ Bailey didn't end up at Georgia because Ray Goff beat him down in air hockey. Ping pong?! Did you all pile into his Studebaker for a run to the drive-in theatre also?! I mean, how 1950s of you, coach! Mix in some Madden, Halo or Guitar Hero!

Rome,

I'm sitting here listening to you rip on Mark Richt for playing ping pong with his recruits. And you suggest that the only thing recruits want to do is to get "loaded" and to "see some of the local talent".

Well, let's evaluate your assumption of the situation.

1. You are currently enjoying ripping on Richt for playing ping pong, but what else do you suggest he do that wouldn't violate NCAA rules?
2. If Richt DID do as you suggest, and get a bunch of 17 and 18 year old recruits "loaded" and introduce them to the "local talent" what would be your next "take" on the situation? Here, let me help you out with this....

AP News..."Mark Richt is suspended from his head coaching job at the University of Georgia for his alleged improprieties with high school recruits. Recruits were found to have been served alcohol, as well as being caught having sex with some of Georgia's female alumni. Georgia authorities have arrested several Georgia women on charges of statuatory rape after it was discovered that several of the recruits they had sexual relations with were 17 years of age, and not legally adults. University of Georgia officials refused to comment on the situation under advice of counsel."

Here's your take of the hypothetical news report on your show..."Way to go Richt. Not only did you show your recruits a "good time" but you also were responsible for several co-eds getting arrested for participating. What a complete fraud you are. Not only are you the next American Chewy, but we can now all just call you "Pimp in the Hood".....

You'd go on and on about what a moron Richt is, and how he deserves to get the book thrown at him, yada, yada, yada.

Rome - stop playing the hypocrite card and making fun of Richt for actually doing the one thing that possibly won't get NCAA sanctions dropped on his school. It's pundits like you that make people not want to take these high profile positions. If he does as you suggest he gets fired and people go to prison. If he goes the right way you make fun of him for playing ping pong. Lay off the dude. I'd much rather he play ping pong and do the right thing with recruits versus having to hear another news story about a corrupt coach in a corrupt program. People can't win with you, no matter what they do, can they?

Jim Rome = Freaking hypocrite!!!

Inherit The Wind - the irony of it all

2008-01-31T16:28:00.001-05:00

With February came our assigned movie, "Inherit The Wind", which honestly, I had never heard of prior to enrolling in Centurions. I checked out this movie via VHS from my local library and spent an evening taking it in.

While it certainly has been quite some time since this movie was made, and the dynamics of the "Scopes Monkey Trial" having not been lost on me, I kept finding myself coming back to one major theme throughout the movie.

I would challenge a modern day movie producer to remake this film with several major changes. First, you obviously update the players, and the culture to reflect a postmodern world. You certainly would not have very much difficulty in our present society being able to find a lawsuit making it's way through the court system where Christianity would be under attack.

Once you have your historical court case as a reference you then flip the theme of this movie 180 degrees. So rather then Christianity attacking Darwin, we now have Darwin attacking Christianity. Crazy or illogical? I honestly don't think so.

One of the most eye opening books I have read in recent years is David Limbaugh's documentary novel of Christian persecution in America entitled, "Persecution". Mr. Limbaugh does a fantastic job of documenting case after case of average everyday American Christians being told that their religion is not welcome in the schools or in the public arena. In fact, one of the most eye opening incidents in the book reveals where a child brings a bible to school and gets sent to the Principals office, where the child's teacher then scolds the child by tossing the child's bible in the waste basket and instructing the child that, "This is nothing but garbage."

Your premise of the updated movie, of course, would be to pit a Christian history teacher, who is put on trial for daring to teach Creationism in our modern public school arena, versus the mandated "Theory of Evolution". And ironically we shouldn't have to look very far to find such an example. We then see the large urban metropolis, such as Los Angeles or New York engage on the court room as we see our Christian teacher being scolded, scorned, spit on and in some cases physically threatened with violence for daring to teach any sort of religion to our public school children. I mean, how dare she do that.

Obviously I am embellishing the hypothetical example for arguments sake. But I do find the irony in the change of our cultural mindset in America over the past 80+ years to be quite astounding in how radical a change it has been.

Oh, this is so tragic

2008-01-25T19:13:00.001-05:00

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, because this is New York, but Gregory was watching this show called, "Cash Cab", where people take a taxi ride in New York, answer questions from the time they are picked up until the time they reach their destination, and if they answer enough correctly without 3 strikes they leave with the cash.

Anyway, this particular couple was at the end of their ride, and at that point these are the "hardest" questions, and the driver asks them, "Name one of the four Gospels of the New Testament?

This is the part that makes me ill. They hem and haw, and they have this option called "street shout out" where they can have the driver pull over and then ask someone walking along the street if they know the answer, and then they can accept that person's answer or come up with something on their own. So anyway, they stop this young dude, and he tells them "John", which is correct. And yeah, it get's worse. You can clearly see that these two didn't have a clue when the girl asks her "boyfriend", "Should we trust that guy?"

Oh, the ignorance of America. Just another example of how far we have fallen intellectually in this country when people can't identify a basic biblical question.

That's ok, we were at the Apologetics conference in Charlotte, I believe, where they showed a video of "The Man on the Street" where some guy stands on a street corner in downtown Charlotte and asks anyone who walks by who is willing, "Can you tell me what John 3:16 is?" and the responses he received were anything from "F*** off", "A blank stare", "Hmmmm, I think I've heard that somewhere". Anyway, out of the 10 or so people they show they finally come across one guy who's father is a Methodist minister and he gets it right.

That's Charlotte, NC folks. Yeah, I'd expect that in New York as people up there are in a materialistic coma, but Charlotte. Ugh.

OK, sorry for the rant, but I had to share. Now you know why I don't watch too much TV anymore. The ignorance and stupidity is mind bogling.

2008, WorshipWebSite.net ™

Do we Christians live in a Cocoon?

2008-01-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

Something for you to ponder today... I found it very self-convicting, so don't mistake this any other way, but more of my own self-conviction. Just wanted to share with you and see what you thought.

"Some of us retreat into the small world defined by our friends, work, church, and family and build a snuggery there. Inside it, we may be busy enough, but with only local concerns. Perhaps on television we watch with disdain or amazement the passing show of misery, novelty, and grief in the larger world outside, but if our insulation is good enough we needn't be significantly disturbed by it, and, in any case, we do not wish to be inconvenienced by it. We do not welcome strangers into our lives or homes, and we do not go out to meet them. We do not inform ourselves of events abroad and cannot located them on maps or in context. We dismiss the needs of future generations. We have never dealth seriously with a homeless person. We do not grieve over news stories of poverty or starvation, and we make only token efforts to relieve such suffering by our charity. Claiming allegiance to the Christ who speaks in active imperatives (GO! TELL! WITNESS! DECLARE! PROCLAIM!), we Christians nonetheless prefer to keep the bread of life in our own cupboard and to speak of it only to those who already have it. Do we subconsciously suppose that in such inbred silence we can keep our dignity, and unbelievers can go to hell where they belong?"

Why you'd be crazy to be an NFL Head Coach

2008-01-14T16:25:00.001-05:00

I was just sitting here reading Peter King's weekly Brett Favre love story, and I had a few thoughts.

Speculation around the league is that Tony Dungy and Mike Holmgrem are gonna hang up their headsets and move on to other things in life. Joe Gibbs has already decided he's had enough. With those three big names out there I'll throw some other thoughts around for you to consider on this hypothesis - anyone interested in coaching in the NFL had better not have a family or want nothing else in life, because you basically have to become Jon Gruden, and spend 24//7 every day of the rest of your life in your office. No wife, no kids, and no distractions of any kind to get in your way of being a coach.

Both Dungy and Holmgrem have intimated that they are looking to pursue other things, and I honestly I wish both of them well if they decide to hang it up. And in Dungy's case he's one of the smartest coaches out there, and really has a great perspective on life. And if you ask him he'll tell you that football is definitely not the most important thing in life. I would definitely agree with that assessment.

The NFL has become a religion in America. Every kid grows up wanting to be the next Brett Favre of Peyton Manning. Competition for even the equipment manager's position is so intense that people will sell their souls just to get inside the locker room and sniff a soiled jock from some player. The story goes that Bell Belichick started on the Giants payroll at the hefty some of some $25 a week, or some pathetic figure like that. And that was when Parcells was coach and he was simply getting the coach coffee, donuts and whatever else Parcells asked of him.

I could have the story wrong, but you get the idea. Everyone gets it. You work your tail off and pay your dues in the hopes that you'll cash in and make that $1 million or more a year (I know - getting insanely lucrative now) to coach an NFL franchise. But at what cost? You basically sell your soul to do this. Again, you can't have a family or associate with anyone outside the locker room. You basically sell your soul to your team, and committ every waking moment to football. In Jon Gruden's case that's like 22 hours a day, outside of the 2 hours he sleeps.

I guess for some this is the ultimate. You want your life to count for something, and in the end if you can even get to a Super Bowl your life will be remembered for that achievement in life. But it's a 3-hour game, and the Super Bowls of the past fade from memory. And if you are the coach of the Lions, Browns or Cardinals, what have you gotten yourself into?

I don't know, I suppose I'm extremely cynical, and I guess if all you ever want to do in life is live inside a locker room and film room then yeah, have at it. But if I did that I wouldn't get married or have kids. Just not fair to the family to try and coach a football team and try and be a father or husband at the same time. And I'll give you an example of such. I used to go to the same church as Hue and Michelle Jackson. Hue spent last year as the Offensive Coordinator under Bobby Petrino in Atlanta. He's probably unemployed now, and for what - because he took a promotion to move to Atlanta to work with a guy he'd never worked with before. He spent 3 years in Cincinnati, and was in Washington for 3 years prior to that. During the time I knew her Michelle was always in church and had her girls in tow. I don't ever recall seeing Hue at church or ever meeting him. Basically he was never home, and spent his entire existence at the Redskins training facility doing whatever it was that the coach needed of him. I don't know about you, but is that really fair to his wife and children? Michelle and I had many conversations about such, and she admitted on more then one occassion that she was constantly struggling to keep it together with the girls, basically raising them on her own. Sure, Hue made a decent salary, but can you honestly say it was worth it to make that kind of money and never see your family?

I am sure there are those out there that could justify the lifestyle and the commitment that being an NFL coach dictates. But when I see stories about how top coaches like Holmgrem and Dungy are contemplating hanging it up that just reminds me of how little of a life these guys actually have.

Oh, and the icing on the cake for me would be the media scrutiny of an NFL franchise. The media is always second guessing a coach and it's very seldom when the media has anything nice to say. Just look at the questions Wade Phillips had to answer prior to the Cowboys playoff game against the Giants. Here he is, a coach of a professional football team, and all the media wants to know is what he thinks of his quarterback going to Mexico with a hot blonde. I mean, that sort of questioning, and pathetic scrutiny would really make me not want to get into that sort of work. But again, that's just me. I guess for some the benefits and the big money that comes with being an NFL coach outweighs basically giving up your life for the team. But to each his own.

Anyway, that's something to discuss if you like.

Some truth about the Catholic Church

2008-01-14T08:03:00.001-05:00

Because I was accused of veering off topic in another thread, I feel I have no choice but to post this here. And as a disclaimer, I am not personally attacking anyone's faith, or questioning their position or standing as a Christian. However, I am concerned with knowing and understanding the truth, so that we can have an honest discussion about what truth is, and where I think we should stand on such, with regards to Christianity, and belief in Jesus Christ, who is the one true God, and the only way to heaven and salvation, through faith alone.

As a disclaimer also, I admit having a biased point of view, because my father had me baptized as an infant in the Catholic church, and I have been to numerous Masses at various parishes in various cities and states.

With that said, I will simply present information that I have obtained through various internet sources, along with my previous knowledge of what I have read, discovered, understood and have interpreted to be the truth. Again, I hold no theological degree, and will never profess to being a learned scholar on every aspect of Christianity, but I will say that this next year will be an interesting journey for me, as I dig deeper into what it means to be a Christian through the Centurions program.

First, let me say that there is a reason that the Catholic church identifies itself as the "Catholic faith", versus saying that they are a Christian faith, which most, if not all Protestant denominations (or non-denominational churches) identify themselves as. For example, I have been a member of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and now the Baptist church. In any or all of these churches if asked by an outsider about my faith, I would simply tell them that I am a Christian. Chances are, if you ask a person of the Catholic faith to identify their faith, they will reply by saying that they are "Catholic". I highly public example of this I can think of off the top of my head is Bill O'Reilly (I believe Sean Hannity is Catholic as well). He often refers to himself as being "Catholic", and never mentions being a "Christian". Titles aside, you get the idea. I am not saying this is necessarily a universal identity truth, but it is what I have witness, seen, and identified as truth over my 40+ years on earth.

Secondly, I present to you a simple chart at http://www.carm.org/catholic/grid.htm for your study and discernment. I did not create this chart, and if you read the comments of the author they even caution you by saying, "I hesitate to put this grid up only because I do not want to needlessly assail the Catholic belief system in an offensive manner. However, I cannot help but see the similarities between Catholicism and some of the cults."

I would caution you by saying that I do not identify the Catholic church as a cult of Christianity either, but this particular chart is telling, to say the least. And yes, I believe the folks at CARM do an excellent job or presenting the evidence intellectually and letting you decide for yourself what truth is.

I now turn to the words of Martin Luther, who has historically been identified as the leading figure in the reformation of the church. You can read the entire text of his words at http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/nblty-03.html but I wish to specifically quote a paragraph, which I believe relates to our previous debate over whether or not Catholic Priests are the only source, or a more valid source to exercise demons. Again, I would say to you that this is false teaching, and simply not true. All believers in Christ have the ability, through the Holy Spirit to pray over and have authority over evil spirits. Granted, the ability of a believer to drive out demons most certainly would be qualified by our level of faith in Christ to be able to do this. Let me put forth Martin Luther's own words, and explain further from there.

It is pure invention that pope, bishops, priests and monks are to be called the "spiritual estate"; princes, lords, artisans, and farmers the "temporal estate." That is indeed a fine bit of lying and hypocrisy. Yet no one should be frightened by it; and for this reason -- viz., that all Christians are truly of the "spiritual estate," and there is among them no difference at all but that of office, as Paul says in I Corinthians 12:12, We are all one body, yet every member has its own work, where by it serves every other, all because we have one baptism, one Gospel, one faith, and are all alike Christians; for baptism, Gospel and faith alone make us "spiritual" and a Christian people.

[quote]But that a pope or a bishop anoints, confers tonsures; ordains, consecrates, or prescribes dress unlike that of the laity, this may make hypocrites and graven images,[4] but it never makes a Christian or "spiritual" man. [b]Through baptism all of us are consecrated to the priesthood, as St. Peter says in I Peter 2:9, "Ye are a royal priesthood, a priestly kingdom," and the book of Revelation says, Rev. 5:10 "Thou hast made us by Thy blood to be priests and kings." [/b]For if we had no higher consecration than pope or bishop gives, the consecration by pope or bishop would never make a priest, nor might anyone either say mass or preach a sermon or give absolution. Therefore when the bishop consecrates it is the same thing as if he, in the place and stead of the whole congregation, all of whom have like power, were to take one out of their number and charge him to use this power for the others; just as though ten brothers, all king's sons and equal heirs, were to choose one of themselves to rule the inheritance for them all, -- they would all be kings and equal in power, though one of them would be charged with the duty of ruling. [/quote]

As you can plainly read, Martin Luther did not pull punches. He tells it like it is, and calls a spade a spade.

Beyond the above, I put forth a survey the Barna Group did on Christians having a Biblical Worldview, which included a selection of Catholic believers. Here is a direct quote from Barna...

[quote]Currently, only 5% of adults have a biblical worldview.

The percentage varies among faith groups. About half of all evangelicals have such a perspective. Overall, 8% of Protestants possess that view, [b]compared to less than one-half of one percent of Catholics[/b].[/quote]

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=194

I consider the Barna Group to be one of the most renowned Christian research groups out there, and you can decide for yourself whether their standards deserve proper merit, but personally I can respect their findings as pretty accurate, especially in my own informal polling and circle of influence. These results are one of the main reasons why I applied for the Centurions program, and one of the main concerns I have for the future of this country.

All commentary aside, let me end this by stating again, that my only agenda is the truth, that is Christianity, and what it means to be a Christian. I am not attacking any particular person, nor do I have an alterior motive or other agenda. But I felt it important to post this, so that we can discuss the truth. I encourage others who read this to do their own research, study their own sources, and come up with truth on their own. As with any debate on truth, you will always be confronted with interpretation and opinion. And to that I can accept the criticism that comes with putting out something like this.

And for arguments sake, I consider the Holy Bible, as defined as the 66 books used by the Protestant church, as the only source of truth, with regards to God and Jesus Christ. Any outside source, is simply open to scrutiny and human error. But scripture has been verified and tested over many hundreds of years by thousands of scholars and sources, and has yet to be proven untrue.

I appreciate the opportunity to post this, and please have at it.

Travelers PGA Tournament Amazing Finish!!!

2007-06-24T20:55:00.001-04:00

I know this wasn't a major, and most non-golf fans wouldn't even bother tuning in, but when I flipped on the tournament this afternoon I had no idea I would be in for one of the most amazing tournament finishes I've seen in a long, long time.

First off, kudos to Jay Williamson for not melting under the pressure. He made the shots he needed to make to put himself in position to win. He absolutely has nothing to be ashamed about.

And to Hunter Mahan I would say that he was clutch when he needed to be. I thought he lost the tournament after #17, but to nut a 9 iron to 6 feet and make the putt to force sudden death was truly an awesome display of shot making.

Both of these guys played some incredible golf on #18, both during regulation, as well as in the playoff. That playoff was something else. First Williamson sticks his approach shot to 6 feet, and I am thinking he's gonna win with that, especially since he just saw the same exact putt from Mahan just previously. But then to see Mahan drop a wedge to 18 inches for the kick-in birdie to win was unbelievable!!

Normally my golf viewing is sporadic on Sundays, depending on other things going on in my life. But I am so glad I tuned in this afternoon to witness this. Simply an awesome finish to a great tournament!

And it is so nice to see a perennial journeyman earn his way back on to the PGA Tour. Talk about making the most out of a sponsors exemption. It's rare when it happens, but that was absolutely awesome to see!