Posts Tagged ‘bible’

One Minute Bible Devotions (For Kids)

Posted May 27, 2009 by Charles
2

May 22:

Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai. … Then they returned to Joshua. They said, “The whole army doesn’t have to go up and attack Ai.” … So only about 3,000 men went up. But the men of Ai drove them away. …

The LORD said to Joshua, … “Israel has sinned. … They have taken some of the things that had been set apart to me in a special way to be destroyed. They have stolen. They have lied. … That is why the men of Israel can’t stand up against their enemies.” …

Joshua spoke to Achan. … “Tell me what you have done.” …

Achan replied, “It’s true! I’e sinned against the LORD. … I saw a beautiful robe from Babylonia among the things we had taken. I saw five pounds of silver. And I saw a gold bar that weighed 20 ounces. I wanted them, so I took them.” …

Then all of the people killed Achan.

Sweet dreams, kiddo.

Category: Theology

Is Emergent All Sizzle and Speculation?

Posted December 18, 2008 by Charles
4

sizzle-feature

[There are a lot of people who think I'm uncharitable to the Emergent Movement in many ways.  I don't mind the sentiment, and I'm happy to debate it with you.]

The outspoken members of the Emergent movement – those who are interested in and effective at getting the word around – talk endlessly about the monolithic “emerging generation” and it’s concerns. They talk about what youth and young adults will and won’t be attracted to, or interested in. They talk about what the church will have to do to survive, because if it continues as it is, it will be pushed to the fringes as modernism crumbles. They have centered their positions, their existence, around one thing: they know where culture is going. They know the future.

They won’t tell you this. They’ll point to surveys, books, social and religious trends, and most often they’ll turn to anecdotes. They’ll look at what is starting to happen in small pockets around the country, and tell you that this is what is going to happen. They’ll weave things together and make arguments that sound convincing, but all the while you know something’s wrong. Then it might hit you that they’re predicting the future.

Now, before I move on, I have to say that they might be right. All of their predictions about society and culture, the future of the church, and particularly the futures of evangelicalism and other conservative theological movements might come true. I’m just a little skeptical.

I don’t know what’s behind the speculation. I don’t know if it’s true belief, reasonable expectation, or just hope. I’m sure there’s a mixture of all three, and some I haven’t thought of. But what’s happening in the movement, just as in much of society, is that the speculation is taking the place of reality.

What just a few years ago was simply an idea of what might be the future of our culture is now said to be the reality of our culture. So many in the Emergent movement began adjusting their practice and theology to entice the members of this new society. Now, in an incredibly short span of time, the ideas and positions of just a few years ago are deeply entrenched ideologies.

Consider this post at Pomomusings.com (154 comments and counting) titled “The Bible & Homosexuality: Enough with the Bible Already.” Read more

Category: Theology

Three Things

Posted May 12, 2008 by Charles
2

Evangelical Outpost has a regular feature called “Thirty-Three Things”. I’m not there yet. I hope to be consistent with three things for now.

(1) I’ve been hearing and reading a lot lately about how when Jesus said “on earth as it is in Heaven” he wasn’t just talking about “thy will be done”, but also “thy kingdom come.” While that is a true and worthy assertion, what about “hallowed be thy name“? Many (please forgive my vague and largely inexcusable use of the word “many”) who point this out are advocating social justice that “lives out the Gospel” but doesn’t preach it.

But is the name of the Father to be hallowed on earth? Can we truly do that if we don’t “teach them to obey everything [Christ has] commanded”? Then we must preach and practice putting Christ above all else, including our good works.

(2) In related news, “Love God” and “Love your neighbor” are two separate commands. They are not, together, the Greatest Commandment. Read more

Category: Theology

Demons

Posted February 13, 2008 by Charles
3

demon.jpgThis Sunday at Garnett Wade talked about demons. We’re going through this series called Chreaster, which is following Jesus life and work from Christmas through Easter. This week he talked about Jesus’ interactions with demons. He focused on three stories: the man in the synagogue in Mark 1, “Legion” in Mark 5, and the boy in Mark 9.

It was an interesting sermon that we discussed Sunday night when I sat in on the high school small group. We talked a lot about spirits and demons and whether or not we were talking about literal demons that can possess and control a person, or a person’s bad traits. Everyone seemed to come to the same conclusion that they’re are different issues and both equally valid.

Late in the discussion one of the girls was talking about how modern medicine has affected the perception of demons and miracles, using epilepsy as an example. It made me think of diseases like autism or ALS that aren’t really understood, they’re only classifiable. What if those types of diseases are in fact symptoms of possession?

As I type this I can see some people becoming upset or offended because they know or have known someone affected by one of the aforementioned disorders. Please don’t. I’m simply raising the question.

Category: Theology

The SBC’s M.R.S. degree

Posted October 15, 2007 by Charles
0

Manifest DomesticityStephanie Simon of the LA Times wrote a piece the other day about Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s new homemaking concentration. I won’t go into all of the details of the article, because it’s pretty straightforward, with the expected liberal bias (since when is Jimmy Carter a “moderate”?). What is most interesting to me is the comment section. There are many, many misunderstandings and bullheaded refusals to see anything but male dominance and the devaluing of women, all aside from scattered comments likening this to the subjugation of women in Islam.

Many people simply reject the idea that there could be different roles for the sexes. Others say that gender roles are outdated, “50’s baptist culture.” Most seem offended by the idea that a woman should stay home. Below are some samples:

NEVER have I once thought that I am unequal to a man and should sacrifice my desire to have a career for marriage and children. There is no reason why a woman shouldn’t use the talents God gave her.

I could never marry any man who expected me to place my dreams and ambitions second to his. My parents raised me to be independent, to be able to take care of myself.

This seminary is teaching women that they are subservient to men’s desires and that’s not true. In this day and age women and girls learn and work alongside men and boys. It’s the norm and its accepted (as it should be). If a person enjoys being a homemaker, then I’m not disputing that they should pursue a life doing that, but women should NEVER limit themselves and their abilites based on how one group (a male dominated group) interprets scripture.

Submitted by: Brittany Read more

Category: Church, Theology

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