God Loves The Poor More Than The Rich?

Father Tim Jones, 41, broke off from his traditional annual sermon yesterday to tell his flock that stealing from large chains is sometimes the best option for vulnerable people.

It is far better for people desperate during the recession to shoplift than turn to 'prostitution, mugging or burglary', he said.

The married father-of-two insisted his unusual advice did not break the Bible commandment 'Thou shalt not steal' - because God's love for the poor outweighs his love for the rich.

You can read the rest here.

Some questions:
-Biblically does his advice have any foothold?
-Biblically is it ever okay to steal?
-How should this shepherd lead his people in regards to handling hard times? Perhaps this? Or this? Maybe even this?
-Is his argument even a logical argument for not breaking the commandment?
-Does God love the poor more? If so, why?

The Jesus Story Book Bible

We have been purchasing several books in an attempt to build a library for our son (and future children God willing). We don't want to feed him just any stories, but good stories that promote godly character and that focuses on things that are good, things that are honorable and praiseworthy. We wanted to find books that will help us to steer him in the way he should go so that he won't depart from it.

In light of that, we use the Big Picture Story Bible in our children's Sunday School curriculum so we know that he will be getting exposed to that once he is old enough to attend.

We have also recently purchased for him Fool Moon Rising and The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-Up Book.

I then read about The Jesus Story Book Bible on Timmy Brister's blog and after reading some reviews thought it would be yet another good fit for our family. When I went to their website I found out that a deluxe edition is in the works and will be out soon. Not only that, but if you post about the book on your blog, they will enter you into a drawing to win several free copies of the deluxe version for yourself and to whoever you want to give them to. I am looking forward to either winning or purchasing one so that our family can benefit from the blessings of reading books together as a family. Give it a look and if you are anything like me and my family, I am sure you will not be dissappointed.

Broadway Baptist Cast Out Of SBC

Messengers (delegates) to the SBC's (Southern Baptist Convention)annual meeting voted overwhelmingly to disassociate from Forth Worth's Broadway Baptist Church, following an executive committee ruling Monday that the congregation "failed to establish its compliance" with the SBC rules that ban churches that "act to affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you think this is right?
-Is it Biblical or just against the SBC's rules?
-Would you allow practicing homosexuals to serve on committees and be members of your church?
-Are there facts that prove the allegations that led to removal or is it simply hearsay?

HT: JOE BLACKMON

Church Discipline A Faux Pas?

A divorced Jacksonville woman said her former church has threatened to "go public with her sins" and tell the congregation about her sexual relationship with her new boyfriend.
Rebecca Hancock said harassment from Grace Community Church in Mandarin over her sex life caused her to leave, but she said that didn't put an end to the problem. She said she received a letter from the church's elders telling her the church plans to make her personal life very public.

She said the issue caused her to leave the church. However, she said the church has not let go of her.
The letter Hancock received from the church states that because she has refused to end her sexual relationship with her boyfriend, "you leave us with no other choice but to carry out the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ" … "In accordance with Matthew 18:17 we intend to 'tell it to the church.'"

Hmm. A church that is attempting to obey scriptural mandates from their Lord is taking heat for it from a person who claims Him as "Lord" but is refusing to obey scriptural mandates concerning sexual sin? And this is in the news why?

You can read more here.

A Small Mistake, A Huge Error

The Majesty Hymnal has, in its relatively short life, become one of the more common hymnals of fundamental Baptist churches. If you happen to have a copy of this particular volume, stand with me and turn to hymn number 188. There you will read the following words:

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Does His successive journeys run.

Notice anything funny about the pronoun?

You can read more here.

Youth Ministry: A Biblical Approach

Barry Maxwell has taken up the issue of youth ministry in a 3 part series and addresses the issue in a way that is contra pop-"christian" culture (read: Biblical).

I don't know how often you peruse the links on the side to other blogs, but I would encourage you to add this blog to your list that you check regularly, especially if you are in the ministry.

Here is a snippet of part one of his 3 part series:

Some question about youth ministry arises often at our church. Visiting parents ask what we have for their teenagers. Members wonder what we're doing for the "youth." By modern standards we have or do very little. No glitzy youth building for youth "worship." No services designed to package God's truth in sound bites teenagers can understand. No teen-centered atmosphere that defines our church. But, we do have a youth ministry.

There is a rampant adolescentizing force that raises adults/parents to act more like children rather than training children for adulthood.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Does scripture give credence to youth ministry as practiced in America today?
-Does youth ministry seem to be more pragmatic than biblical?
-Is the rise of youth ministry a sign of a failing of another part of the church?
-Do you agree with Barry? If not why?
-Was the 3 part series eye-opening to you?
-Does it go against what you grew up with? How do you rectify your experience with what scripture teaches?

A Pertinent Warning To The Church

Tim Challies wrote a book review some time ago and is still recieving emails concerning the "unfair" review he gave from readers who "benefited" from the book in question. He has since wrote a response to those emails and addressed the two main arguments being given for his review being unfair. Even though he is addressing a singular topic, I think his thoughts here have wide-sweeping ramifications for us as believers. Please see the snippets below and then go to the link to read the complete article. Also, I would recommend you add his blog to your list of daily reads as it is a great resource to those who believe.

Pragmatism necessarily causes us to lose our focus on the absolute standard God has given us in His Word to determine right from wrong. When we lose that focus the church is placed on the slippery slope to becoming like the world. When we discard God’s standards we must depend on our own deeply flawed standards. We begin to trust in ourselves and lose our trust in God. We lose our reliance on His Word as the tool for discernment.

Fiction is a powerful medium for communicating truth and the evidence of this is in every positive review of the book; the evidence is in the fact that Jesus Himself often communicated using fiction.

The reader who complained about “stodgy old religion” exhorted me to “try to re-read the Shack with a more open mind.” But from her email and the others like it, I can see that in this case an open mind would require a closed Bible. We cannot set aside Scripture even when we read fiction. There is no such thing as only fiction.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Does pragmatism (do it because it works) have a place in the church?
-Why do you think we readily exchange hard truths for pragmatism?
-Are there ill consequences for this exchange?
-What are your thoughts concerning the last quote from Challies?
-Did Jesus teach truth through fiction?
-Should we be more careful with how we handle truth and take in those things labeled as "only fiction"?
-Overall, do you agree with or find yourself at odds with Challies?

Christian To Christian Responsibility: Rebuking In Love

Timm (one of the contributors here) recently posted an article on Christian Reproof on his own blog called The Bench Stone. I found it to be encouraging and balanced in its brief handling of the issue and in its exhortation.

I would recommend you click the link below and read it. Here is a short sampling of what he wrote:

Even though we profess Christian love, we complain to anyone with a sympathetic ear about our brethren who offend us. Anyone, except the offender himself! Sadly, if you are like me, you will recall your own failures in talking about, rather than to, those who've offended you. These conversations violate the scriptural rule of speaking the truth only in a spirit of love. (Ephesians 4:15)

We rarely approach others with the intent of restoring them to the right path...

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you agree with Timm's conclusion?
-Do you think correction has lost its cultural relevance? Afterall, we are an individualistic society that leans towards pluralism yeah?
-What do you think of his treatment concerning the Luke parable?
-Why is it so important to rebuke in love and not just rebuke?

I Follow Teen Pop, I Follow Adult Boomer... Is Worship Divided?

Below is an excerpt of an interview with J. I. Packer from Modern Reformation on The State of Evangelism.

Shane Rosenthal: What do you think about a niche marketing approach that has by virtue of the different worship styles--teen pop, alternative, and adult boomer--created generational segregation?

J. I. Packer: We have separated the ages, very much to the loss of each age. In the New Testament, the Christian church is an all-age community, and in real life the experience of the family to look no further should convince us that the interaction of the ages is enriching. The principle is that generations should be mixed up in the church for the glory of God. That doesn't mean we shouldn't disciple groups of people of the same age or the same sex separately from time to time. That's a good thing to do. But for the most part...

You can read the rest at Between Two Worlds here.
You can read the original, complete interview here. (you must sign up for a free subscription)

Some questions:
-Do you think worship should be all inclusive?
-Does having seperate worship services negatively impact the body?
-Is there a positive (when it comes to the local body of believers) for having seperate worship styles for different tastes?
-What is the purpose of corporate worship?
-Who is worship intended to cater to?

Is Adultery A Private Sin Or Subject To Church Discipline?

John Divito points out a case in Dallas in his post here, in which a church member involved in an adulterous relationship sought to avoid Matthew 18 church discipline by “quitting the church” so that the church could not appropriately confront him over his “private sins.” The man and mistress in question have sued the church. His case has been dismissed twice and is currently on appeal. Go over to John’s and read the articles, especially the church’s release on the matter...

You can read more on this at The Silent Holocron.

Some questions:
-Does scripture support the idea that some sins are private?
-Why is biblical church discipline neglected? Is it an outdated practice that served its purpose ages ago?
-Is there anything that would ever cause you to sue your church?
-Is keeping the name of Christ's church unstained by your hands more valuable than retribution for suffering wrong at her hands?
-What are your thoughts on the issue as it pertains to the article linked to above?

Anglican Dissidents Found Favor In Court

Eleven conservative congregations which broke with the U.S. Episcopal Church and want to keep property worth millions of dollars have won a second court decision, the dissident churches said on Friday.

The latest ruling by a Virginia judge is part of the upheaval over orthodoxy in the global Anglican community.

The Episcopal Church, the faith's U.S. branch, has been beset by disputes, including one involving the installation of an openly gay bishop.

On Friday, Judge Randy Bellows of the Fairfax County Circuit Court ruled that the Virginia law under which the congregations want to keep the property is constitutional, the 11 churches said.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Why do we have such a hard time with the constitution? It says what it says yeah?
-Should churches go to court?
-Do you think this is a good thing the for church or is it bad?
-Is this issue an issue to split over?

The Important Discipline Of Reading Scripture

I hold in my hand a miracle. The Bible is a miracle, and I challenge you to give me any definition of a miracle that our Bible does not qualify. It was the Word God sent, for faith comes by hearing so that we might be saved. James 1:17 - God chose to give us birth by the word of truth. The Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:15).

There are elect people who have not been justified yet; there are justified people who are not finished being sanctified. The finish line of salvation is the resurrected body; therefore, we are not finished yet, and we are in danger every hour. We need the ministry of the word of God every hour.

Andy Davis goes on to challenge us to take up the task of intimately knowing scripture; for if we are to know Christ, we must, by necessity, know scripture. He challenges us to read through the Bible in less than a year and to memorize a book in the Bible in less than a year. He also lists some popular excuses for not doing so. He also gives the reasoning behind why this is so important and not just another thing on the to do list.

You can read the rest on Timmy Brister's site here.

Some questions:
-Why is it that so many who claim Christianity as their own do not spend quality time in the Word?
-Is this as big of a deal as Davis makes it out to be?
-Is scripture the definitive method of knowing God? If not what is?
-Is the enticement of sin such that it convinces us that fleating pleasures are more worthy of our time than studying to show ourselves approved?

Jesus Is Not God Incarnate

John Killinger said the following words at a CBF workshop in Memphis, Tennessee:

“Now we are reevaluating and we’re approaching everything with a humbler perspective and seeing God’s hand working in Christ, but not necessarily as the incarnate God in our midst. Now, that may be hard for you to hear depending on where you are coming from, but we can talk more about it. . .
“Doctrine isn’t the driving force to many people today [except] to the fundamentalists who insist on it. . . But doctrine is a thing of the past now religiously. . .
“There’s an altered view of Scripture and of the role of Christ. Christ is still Savior to most of us, but maybe in a slightly different way than before. . .

When an audience member asked if this view compromised the Gospel, Killinger replied that it represents a more advanced understanding rather than a compromise.

Denny Burk has taken up this issue on his site.

You can read about it here.

Some questions:
-Is doctrine important?
-Is it necessary to believe that Jesus is God incarnate?
-Do you agree with John Killinger?
-Why do things such as this matter? Are they worth fighting for (or against)?
-If you could ask Dr. Killinger a question, what would it be?

The New Heavens & The New Earth As Understood By N. T. Wright

As genuine human beings, from Genesis 1 onward, we are given the mandate of looking after creation, of bringing order to God's world, of establishing and maintaining communities. To suppose that we are saved, as it were, for our own private benefit, for the restoration of our own relationship with God (vital though that is!), and for our eventual homecoming and peace in heaven (misleading though that is!) is like a boy being given a baseball bat as a present and insisting that since it belongs to him, he must always and only play with it in private. But of course you can only do what you're meant to do with a baseball bat when you're playing with other people. And salvation only does what it's meant to do when those who have been saved, are being saved, and will one day fully be saved realize that they are saved not as souls but as wholes and not for themselves alone but for what God now longs to do through them.

- N. T. Wright (Suprised by Hope pg. 199-200)

N. T. Wright was featured on the Colbert Report discussing the ideology concerning life after death (which he deals with in his new book titled Suprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church).

You can buy the book here.

I obtained the above quote here.

Some questions:

-What do you think of the message put forth by Wright?

-What does scripture say concerning our life after death?

-Is his teaching plausible?

-Why do you think this teaching was "lost" during the medieval times?

Barack Obama "The Preacher"

Barack Obama was in Chicago this past Sunday and he was invited to speak from the pulpit of the Apostolic Church of God. Here below are excerpts from his sermon.

His sermon started good:
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus closes by saying, "Whoever hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be likened to a wise man who built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock." [Matthew 7: 24-25]

This is a logical application of the text, I'm following him:
Here at Apostolic, you are blessed to worship in a house that has been founded on the rock of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Okay, I guess I can see your logic, but I don't know that it is biblical... but I am following you:
...it is also built on another rock, another foundation - and that rock is Bishop Arthur Brazier. In forty-eight years, he has built this congregation from just a few hundred to more than 20,000 strong...

Alright, so much for staying with the text. Let's exalt man for a while yeah?
Because of his work and his ministry, there are more graduates and fewer gang members in the neighborhoods surrounding this church. There are more homes and fewer homeless. There is more community and less chaos because Bishop Brazier continued the march for justice that he began by Dr. King's side all those years ago. He is the reason this house has stood tall for half a century. And on this Father's Day, it must make him proud to know that the man now charged with keeping its foundation strong is his son and your new pastor, Reverend Byron Brazier.

What? How can you make the leap from what Christ is saying to what Barack speaks on below? I'll help; you can't.
Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives, we are reminded today that family is the most important.

He then moves into social injustices and the importance of a father and he touches on the Iraq war and concludes with how he used to think life was all about him but now it revolves around his little girls.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What constitutes God-honoring preaching?
-Should politicians who are not ministers be allowed to preach to a pastor's congregation?
-Should the gospel be included in sermons?
-Should those who speak from the pulpit be faithful to the text they are speaking on or just talk about whatever they wish?
-Who do you think was exalted in this sermon? Was it God? Family? Fathers? Obama? The former pastor?

Amended Resolution On Meaningful Membership Passes The SBC

WHEREAS the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Church Profile indicate that there are 16,266,920 members in Southern Baptist churches; and
"WHEREAS those same profiles indicate that only 6,148,868 of those members attend a primary worship service of their church in a typical week; and"

The two additional RESOLVED paragraphs from Ascol's amendment follow:

"RESOLVED, That we urge the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention to repent of any failure among us to live up to our professed commitment to regenerate church membership and any failure to obey Jesus Christ in the practice of lovingly correcting wayward church members (Matthew 18:15-18), and be it

"FURTHER RESOLVED, That we humbly encourage denominational servants to support and encourage churches that seek to recover and implement our Savior's teachings on church discipline, even if such efforts result in the reduction in the number of members that are reported in those churches."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you see this as a good thing or bad thing? Why?
-Why do you think this was even brought up?
-Will a resolution change anything?
-Did the resolution on alcohol change anything (or the ban on Disney & others)?
-Will you heed the call to repent?

The Importance Of Church Membership

Timmy Brister has compiled a nice list concerning why Church membership is important and the contents of the list discusses (amongst other things) what should be done about our failings as a denomination to take such a thing as this seriously (as something for which we will give an account). Take a look at the article by David S. Dockery, President of Union University and I would highly recommend you read the rest on the list as well.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What are your thoughts on church membership?
-Is it biblical?
-Is it beneficial?
-Should people who have not attended church in several months be removed from the membership role?
-Should membership be meaningful?

Challies On "God Is With Us"

If you have never been to Tim Challies blog, let me recommend it to you. I find it to be in a tier all its own. There is always great content there that aims to draw you closer to the Lord. He is a great writer and equally as talented at thinking through hard issues and giving easily understandable synopsises.

Below is an excerpt from his latest post titled God is with Us:

For the past few weeks I’ve been transfixed by a word. That may sound a little bit strange but it is exactly what’s happened. It keeps coming to mind and I keep pondering it, trying to gain a sense of its meaning. Though the word appears just three times in Scripture, twice in Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming of Christ and once in Matthew in the fulfillment of that prophecy, it’s a word we have all used and a word whose meaning most of us know. Our children read about it every Christmas and our pastors mention it in their Christmas sermons. That word is Immanuel. God with us. God is with us.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Have you given much thought to this word Immanuel?
-If you took time to browse around on Challies sight, did any articles catch your eye?
-What does it mean that God is with us?
-Why do you think it was hard for those back then to accept the divinity of Jesus?

Tim Challies On Hindrances Concerning Prayer

Tim Challies has written an insightful post on six things that hinder Christians in prayer. It is biblically-based and worth a read. Below is a small excerpt.

It is the Lord’s delight to give us what we ask of Him in prayer. Like David, we should all pray, “O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth” (Psalm 54:2). If Christians did not believe in the efficacy of prayer, there would be no reason for us to ask anything of God. He is the one who tells us that we can have confidence that our prayers ascend to Him. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14,15). While as Christians we pay lip-service to the superlatives in that sentence (“whatever” and “anything”), how often do we really believe it?

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you think these six things hinder your prayer life?
-Did you come away from reading his post with a firmer grip on prayer that is pleasing to God?
-Would you say that prayer is your weakest, strongest, or somewhere in between area of your faith?
-Why do you pray?

Theistic Evolution: The Marriage Of Science & Religion

Okay, so I have been discussing the plausibility of position called Theistic Evolution with a couple of guys over the past two weeks and thought I would ask your opinion on this topic.

Here is their basic view as it has been laid out to me: The creation story as laid out in Genesis is metaphorical and the original readers new this and it was understood. It was never meant to be taken as God created all that is before us and is us in 6 days. Further they would say that this metaphorical understanding has several advantages over the orthodox Christian view that would hold the creation as a literal event that took place as described in Genesis where Adam was created from dirt and Eve from his side. The advantages relieve the tension between Christianity/Judaism and science because it makes room for evolution to be understood in a biblical framework while still allowing you to hold to your faith.

Those who hold this view would say that all descended from a common ancestor and we, man, evolved from primitive primates. They would further say that God, in His sovereignty, utilized the process of evolution as part of His creative action and this makes for man to be all the more awed at His greatness. This view holds that at some point when the primitive primates evolved to a certain point, God intervened and bestowed upon them (or maybe just one? I am unclear on this point) the ability to reason and infused within them/it a soul that separates them/it from the rest of creation and now gives us the ability to say we are in the image of God; a distinguishing mark that no other part of creation bears. With these abilities came the ability to sin against our creator and thus a need for a savior is still valid.

Proponents would argue that with all of the advances in science, this view makes perfect sense and releases the tension between evolution and religion.

Proponents would argue that one does not have to “twist” scripture to make this work, they just have to reinterpret Genesis. Basically, scripture stays scripture, but your interpretation of that scripture must change. (They would say that interpretations are faulty and their interpretation is more harmonious with science than those who hold to young earth models)

Proponents would argue that if this was not the case, why would God “trick” us by making all this scientific data point to common descent. He sure went through a lot of trouble to make it appear as if common descent is how life began. So, if all the evidence points to that, then maybe our interpretation of Genesis 1 and 2 are wrong and need to be reinterpreted.

I first pointed to this discussion here.
You can read the dialogue between myself and two proponents concerning this topic here.

Some questions:
-Do you find this view plausible based on what scripture says (not our interpretation of scripture, but scripture itself)?
-Does this view seek to place the trustworthiness of science above that of scripture? (or does it just call into question our interpretation of scripture?)
-Do you see a biblically-based flaw in this model? If so, what?
-Do you see any biblically-based merit in this model? If so, what?
-How does this affect the parallels between Christ/Israel/Adam?
-Is there proof that early Israel understood the creation story to be a metaphor?
-What questions arise from this "interpretation" of Genesis?