This is a funny bit of satire to wrap up the day. It reminds me of the video on contemporary worship services that Northpoint put out a little while ago. Hopefully, you don’t have a small group like this…
This is a funny bit of satire to wrap up the day. It reminds me of the video on contemporary worship services that Northpoint put out a little while ago. Hopefully, you don’t have a small group like this…
Carl Trueman’s latest article at Reformation 21 takes on the digital age and its influence on the church and ministry. Particularly, Trueman points out that the digital age has given people an excuse to ignore local, real life connections for the sake of connecting globally. It has skewed our priorities so that we spend more time online than we do hanging out with real people. The same case could be made for other things as well. It is likely that we spend more time reading short blog articles about trivial matters than we do reading lengthier books dealing with weighty issues. I have really been thinking a lot about this subject for some time now. Personally I can find so many reasons to spend good chunks of time on the computer. It is questionable whether many of those reasons are good. I found Trueman’s words below convicting.
When I see Christians blogging so much, I wonder how many sermons are being prepared on the fly because of lack of time, how many parishioners go unvisited, how many prayers remain unprayed, how many words of love and affection to spouses and children are never said, how many books – let alone the Bible – are left unread, and how many fellowships atrophy through lack of any real, meaningful social and spiritual intercourse. Indeed, to summarize: how many online `communities’ (sic) prosper to the detriment of the real, physical communities into which the Lord has placed each and every one of us? How many complain of insufficient time to do the boring routines of the Christian life – worship services, Sunday School, visiting the sick and the aged, fellowship, Bible reading, prayer – and yet always somehow manage to fit in a quick twitter or blog or podcast or change to their Facebook status?
A sobering reminder that my time and efforts are better spent connecting with people where I am at. The internet and digital media have given us many useful resources to communicate information and share the gospel. However, technology can never replace the interaction we have every day with real people whether in church, at our jobs, or in our homes.
Tim Tebow is the son of missionary parents and forthcoming about his faith in Christ. Sports Illustrated recently ran a cover story on him concerning his life outside of football. It’s a nice look at how God is using a man and his love for sports to do even greater things. I would caution everyone to not make Tim into the second coming of Moses or Paul. Too often we take celebrities who are Christians and thrust them into the limelight to act as the perfect representatives for all Christians. We place a heavy and lonely burden on their shoulders that often cannot be carried. With that being said, this is a good article on a good guy who really loves the Lord.
(HT: Zach Nielsen)
My old roommates from college were in town this weekend and we had a lot of challenging discussions about faith, church, politics, and life. One topic we landed on for an extended period was the need for ordination. Since I don’t have a lot of time to post specifics right now, I will simply extend the question to get the ball rolling on some thoughts here. It’s a simple question.
Is ordination important or necessary?
The question pertains to individuals who are considering vocational ministry. What do you think? Do they need to be recognized by a local congregation of some sorts? Why or why not?
Matthew 4:12-25 (ESV)
4:12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
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