FINDING MY THOUGHTS

Quote of the Week

2006-03-14T16:53:00.000-02:00

"It is too easy to hold or defend beliefs with which we are very familiar, or doctrines that fit in comfortably with the conventional thinking of our day. But if that is all we do, we are likely to find ourselves with a convenient faith that is neither the true faith nor the whole faith." - Prophetic Untimeliness, OS Guinness, pg.96

My Trip To New Orleans :A Summary by Nathan Crutchfield (click me)

2006-03-14T16:49:00.000-02:00

A Frivolous Pursuit: Why Truth Matters in a Shiffting Culture

2006-02-16T21:15:00.000-02:00

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.” Is. 40:8

The Bible is Truth. It was written over 40 generations within a 1,500-year span by over 40 authors. In fact, “there is more evidence for the reliability of the text of the New Testament as an accurate reflection of what was initially written than there is for any ten pieces of classical literature put together.” (1)

Bertrand Ramm notes: “Jews preserved it as no other manuscript has ever been preserved. With their massora (prava, magna and finalis) [methods of counting] they kept tabs on every letter, syllable, word and paragraph. They had special classes of men within their culture whose sole duty was to preserve and transmit these documents with practicality perfect fidelity- scribes, lawyers, massoretes. Who ever counted the letters and syllables and words of Plato or Aristotle? Ciero or Seneca?” (2)

The Bible is definitively unique, historically reliable, and divinely inspired. As evangelicals we must unremittingly remember that God’s Truth transcends time and space as well as culture, intellect and technology. Because God’s Word is absolute we can conclude that it is unequivocally relevant. Its relevance is peerless in that it is a fortress standing amongst the shifting tide of culture. Therefore we must continue to preserve the Gospel in an age of subjective ideologies and quasi-postmodernity.

Os Guinness elaborates by saying “Christianity is not true because it works (pragmatism); it is not true because it feels right (subjectivism); it is not true because it is ‘my truth’ (relativism); it is true because it is anchored in the person of Christ.” (3) Unfortunately pragmatism, subjectivism, and relativism have crept into the evangelical community. Which may be largely due to catering to “what’s cool” rather than what’s true. It may also be due to a "seeker friendly" approach towards inward evangelism and/or Christians that are unequipped in knowing why they believe what they believe.

A great part of the evangelical community has made a historic shift. It has transferred authority from Solo Scriptura (by Scripture alone) to Solo Cultura (by culture alone). (4) As a result we see “The Emerging Church” becoming all too concerned with image, production and social/age specific services. Guinness goes on to say: “In its place a new evangelicalism is arriving in which therapeutic self-concern overshadows knowing God, spirituality displaces theology, end-times escapism crowds out day-to-day discipleship, marketing triumphs over mission, references to opinion polls outweigh reliance on biblical exposition, concerns for power and relevance are more obvious than concern for piety and faithfulness, talk of reinventing the church has replaced prayer for revival, and the characteristic evangelical passion for missionary enterprise is overpowered by the all-consuming drive to sustain the multiple business empires of the booming evangelical subculture.” (5)

It is time to turn our attentions to presenting biblical truth in an engaging manner rather than conforming to what the world considers truth. Douglas Groothuis relates this concern to the apologist communicating to a postmodernist: “Because of the postmodernist redescription of truth, apologist must be wary of working to make the Christian message relevant to the felt needs of non-Christians. What is relevant to those enmeshed in postmodernity is not typically, the biblical view of truth or biblical truths themselves.” (6)

Let us take hold of the idea that church is for encouraging and equipping the believer with truth to take into a world of “truth decay”. It is, I gently suggest, a serious error to make ‘outreach’ a primary goal of the local congregation, and especially so when those who are already ‘with us’ have not become clear-headed and devoted apprentices of Jesus, and are not, for the most part, solidly progressing along the path. (7) When our primary goal becomes evangelism “within” it is easy to loose site of the goal that Christ set before us; which is to "go". Our lives need to reflect truth to the dying world around us; namely outside of our church walls. We can only accomplish this by becoming fully devoted disciples of the truth and by equipping and encouraging the believer to distinguish truth from counterfeit.

In addition, we cannot water down truth to a culture that subjectifies it. What is “relevant” today will be “irrelevant” tomorrow, where as God’s truth is always relevant because it is absolute. Truth speaks to every language, age, and culture.

Finally, we must get into the Word (truth) so that the Word (truth) gets into us!
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Bibliography:

1. McDowell, Josh. A Ready Defense. Pg.24
2. Ramm, Bertrand. Protestant Christian Evidences. Chicago: Moody Press, 1957
3. Guinness, Os. Time for Truth (as noted in The Bible Answer Book. Hanegraaff, Hank. Pg.52
4. Guinness, Os. Prophetic Untimeliness. Pg.65
5. Ibid. Pg.54
6. Groothuis, Douglas. Truth Decay. Pg.163
7. Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart. Pg.244

If haveing these choices were ment to be efficatious then it's not working! (Thoughts on Simplicity)

2006-02-07T19:28:00.000-02:00

As I wedged my way through the frenzy at the grocery store and into the isle, I found myself only to be faced with a plethora of perplexing choices. The shelves, which stretched 20 feet across and 5 feet high, contained a vexing amount of toothpaste. Whitening. Urbal Whitening. Ultra Whitening. Cavity Protection with Whitening. What choice does one have to make when only hoping for clean teeth?

The laundry detergent isle was no different. My noise held no discrimination to the emanatus fragrances seeping from the containers of soap, yet I was faced once again with the exasperating and daunting task of settling on which detergent to buy. I just want clean clothes!

Every time I go to purchase specific items at the grocery store there seems to be one more alternative. The unsobering reality created is the illusory effect that the manufacture of the product is making your choice easier when it really only makes it harder. Forget about customizing... just give me something that works!

Christian Thoughts on Discipline: An Anthology

2006-01-17T18:25:00.000-02:00

Have you ever noticed the radical attitude that kids adopt to emulate their favorite athlete? Let's look at skateboarding as an example. The serious kids will buy their favorite pro skater's shoe,wear the same clothes, and even cut their hair to look like them. But no kid will ever be as good as Tony Hawk by only dressing like him. They would first need to study his video footage and dedicate some serious time to learning every flip, twist, and grind. They need all of the proper equipment. In addition they would also need to devote themselves to style and hours of practice.

Of course even with a natural giftedness for skateboarding they still could not hope to be as good. They would have to adjust their overall life to the total preparation of their mind and body. "Pouring all his energies into that total preparation, to provide a foundation in the body's automatic responses and strength for his conscious efforts during the game.

Those exquisite responses we see, the amazing timing and strength such an athlete displays, aren't produced and maintained by the short hours of the game itself. They are available to the athlete for those short and all important hours because of a daily regimen no one sees." (1)

Let us now look at Christ and our walk with Him. "A close look at Jesus' 'great acts' of humility, faith, and compassion recorded in the Gospel narratives finds them to be moments in a life more pervasively and deeply characterized by solitude, fasting, prayer, and service. Surely, then the lives of his followers must be just as deeply characterized by those same practices." (2)

We see these 'same practices' scattered throughout the bible characterizing the hero's of the faith. Moses choose "to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin." (Heb.11:25) Daniel purposed not to "defile himself with the portion of the Zionists delicacies" by fasting (Daniel 1:8) In addition the psalmist hid God's Word in his heart that he might not sin. (Ps. 119:11)

It is important not to view spiritual disciplines as a strictly ascetic practice or a vain ritualistic pursuit of self-righteousness. Instead we must look at it as a way of bringing our body "into subjection" that we might use our body, mind, and soul to glorify the Lord.

Luther describes faith as an interior character of life and action. "[Faith] is a living well-founded confidence in the grace of God, so perfectly certain that it would die a thousand times rather than surrender its conviction. Such confidence and personal knowledge of divine grace makes its possessor of joyful, bold, and full of warm affection toward God and all created things- all of which the Holy Spirit works in faith. Hence, such a man becomes without constraint willing and eager to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer all manner of ills, in order to please and glorify God, who has shown toward him such grace." (3)

When we received the Lord as our Savior we were "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance." (Eph. 1:14) We were "set apart" positionaly. It is now that Paul exhorts us to "offer your body to Him as intstraments of righteousness." (Rom. 6:13) We are to make progressive action toward a continuing sanctification of ourselves by directing our activity towards the Lord.

In his wonderful book, Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard concludes that spiritual disciplines are a means by which we can offer our selves to the Lord. "Certainly we cannot reasonably hope to do His deeds without adopting His form of life. And we cannot adopt His form of life without engaging in His disciplines- maybe even more than He did and surely adding others demanded by our much more troubled condition." (4)

The entire question of discipline, therefore, is how to apply the acts of will at our disposal in such a way that the proper course of action, which cannot always be realized by direct and untrained effort, will nevertheless be carried out when needed. In the simplest terms, the spiritual disciplines are a matter of taking appropriate measures. To reject them wholesale is to insist that growth in the Spirit is something that just happens all by itself." (5)

J.I. Packer futher goes on to say: "As rational persons, we were made to bear God's moral image- that is our souls were made to 'run' on the practice of worship, law-keeping, truthfulness, honesty, discipline, self-control, a service to God and our fellows. If we abandon these practices, not only do we incur guilt before God; we also progressively destroy our own souls." (6)

Therefore, let us 'run the race' in the grace of our Lord and so be lead by His Spirit for His glory.
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[Additional thoughts on avoiding pitfalls of the Disciplines (paraphrased from Study Guide of "Celebration of Discipine", Richard Foster pg. 10-11)

* tendancy to turn disciplines into law.
* failure to understand social implications.
* tendency to view the disciplines as virtuous in themselves.
* tendency to center on the disciplines rather than Christ.
* tendency to elevate on disccipline to the exclusion or neglect of the others.
* temptation to stucy the disciplines without experiencing them.

(1,2,4,5)The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard pgs.(3,4)(28-29)(29)(151,152,153)

(3) Great Voices of the Reformation: An Anthology, Martin Luther, quoted in Hary Emerson Fosdick, ed.,(New York: Modern Library, 1954)pgs.(121-122)

(6) Knowing God, J.I. Packer pgs. (102-103)

Quote of the Week

2006-01-12T16:44:00.000-02:00

what a great quote...

"...we must rededicate ourselves to experiencing oneness as a community of faith. The real exerience is not found in focusing in on ourselves but in focusing out on others. We are not to veiw ourselves in isolation; rather, we are to see ourselves within the context of community." - Hank Hanegraaff

Essentials...

2006-01-11T17:12:00.000-02:00

What are the "essestials of the faith" and do you think that churches across the board have a common understanding of what those are? If so do you think they are important of us to know and why? i'm going to save my answer for later.

Books

2005-12-27T21:02:00.000-02:00

I'm really excited about the books that I got for Christmas.

Truth Decay- Douglas Groothuis
The Last Sacrifice- Hank Hanegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer
Prophetic Untimeliness- OS Guinness

Has anyone read any of these? I've been trying to decide what book to get with my Barnes & Noble gift card... I was thinking Surprised By Joy- C.S. Lewis or Fat Bodies Fit Minds- OS Guinness.

Food for Thought

2005-11-28T17:54:00.000-02:00

Here are a few questions I've been asking myself this week. But before I get to them let me preface by saying that I believe it's healthy and good to ask questions. We need to know why we believe what we do.

Is the Holy Spirit in us by relationship or by location?
Is the Holy Spirit on earth and not in Heaven?
Can we actually handle the full presence of the Holy Spirit?

Quote of the Week

2005-11-15T19:52:00.000-02:00

"While multitudes clamor for a massive revival, what the body of Christ desperately needs is a mighty reformation. Only as the church is reformed will the culture be revived. The real experience is not found in the works of the FLESH, rather it is found in the basic fundamentals. First, the body of Christ must rediscover the joy of genuine worship through a passion for prayer, praise, and the proclamation of the Word. Furthermore, we must rededicate ourselves to experiencing oneness in community and confession and in the contribution of our time, talent, and treasure. Finally, we must rediscover the ultimate experience of transforming lives by bearing witness to what we believe, why we believe, and whom we believe. While multitudes look for God in all the wrong places, the real experience is found in worship, oneness, and witness..." -Counterfeit Revival- Hank Hanegraaff

Lights... Worship... Action

2005-11-04T18:29:00.000-02:00

I think in general a lot of churches place significant emphasis on music. To be specific, the means in which it is delivered to bring forth emotion in people.

What kind of worship do you like- traditional or rock/alternative? Then there are the lights. Dim lights for slow songs and bright lights to let everyone know that it's time to stand up with raised hands. Usually someone plays slow, soft music during the "invitation" and there are multiple solicitation for us to come to the front during the "alter call." It's as though we set up church with athstetically savvy elements that are conducive for emotional response.

Don't take me for sounding cynical. I am truly concerned! I love music. I like to play it. I like to listen to it. Sometimes it will even move me to tears. Indeed music does invoke emotion as can art, literature, or creation. I am not saying that emotions are bad or wrong but the real issue comes down to the response within our soul (or our character).

In addition there is nothing initially wrong with athstetics. I am a huge fan of atmosphere itself. But when we begin to rely on specific elements such as lights or music style to deliver spiritual results I think we have to be careful.

I don't want to sound as though I'm assuming that ministers are purposely trying to manipulate the church. Nor am I assuming that they are doing t it on accident. I think if anything, this way of church is what we've come to expect.

However, a corporate worship experience should be an expression of our inner personal walk with Christ. It should be a time in which we let the Holy Spirit draw us together where we can build up and exhort one another regardless of enhancing fluff. Instead of anticipating the contrast of the lights above me I want to embrace the freedom we have in Christ to freely worship in song. I also want to feel like I can truly be moved by the Spirit and not by repeating a musical stanza or by the pressure of a pastor who sees no one comming down to the alter.

In the end it all boils down to these set of questions-
Is it the responsibility of the church to evoke emotions in its congregations by way of athstetics? Are we banking on the appeal of production rather than the Spirit? And finally, looking introspectively at ones self- does my emotional response durring corprate worship express an authentic representation of my inner man?

A Question and a Thought

2005-10-24T21:13:00.000-02:00

I recently posted an entry on "The American Dream" (Wednesday, September 14, 2005) and received an interesting comment in return. Consequently it led me to do some thinking and lead me to introspect my own reasons for why I question the world around me. Here is the comment and my response to it.

"It seems like a lot of your blogs are about dissatisfaction, about church, or the American Dream or God bless America, Walmart, Starbucks, etc. What exactly makes you so opposed? And at the end of the day, what do you think should be done about it? What are you going to do about it? Maybe I'm just oversimplifying things, but I really am curious what's behind these blogs and the related comments."

We question for a reason. Not for the sake of questions or to consequently become cynical. We do not want to present ourselves as condescending or appear to be argumentative. We do not hold to a dispensationalist point of view. We are not "Purpose Driven." We do not pray mysitc prayers. We are not earmarked by Post Modernism, nor do we borrow savvy marketing ideas to popularize our faith. We want to be unbound by tradition and unfettered by religion. It is our heart to be sound in conviction, governed by faith, and driven by the Spirit. Our goal is to hold every question and thought with in the context of a biblical world view reading the Bible for all it's worth. We merely long for truth within the relevancy of scripture.
Although questions often give way to more questions, we ultimately become strengthened in our faith and are thus moved to actively pursue Christ more.

i'm back home

2005-10-19T17:30:00.000-02:00

Well... it's been a while since my last post. My wife and I have been in the process of moving all week and now were here. Of course now we have the arduous task of unpacking. We are about 2 miles from down town in a 500sq ft. neighborhood apartment. It was awesome to wake up to the 45 degrees weather outside.
I've got a lot to get posted on here... I'll try and get to it this week.

hi

2005-10-12T19:12:00.000-02:00

sorry i've been slack on my post lately... my wife and i are moving to Denver this week and i've been pretty busy. keep checking in though i'll have new stuff up soon.

QTW

2005-10-12T19:06:00.000-02:00

"Knowing God without knowing our own wretchedness makes for pride. Knowing our own wretchedness without knowing God makes for despair. Knowing Jesus Christ strikes the balance because He shows us both God and our own wretchedness." -Blaise Pascal- Pensees

Quote of the Week

2005-09-28T13:51:00.000-02:00

"The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christlike and so dwelling in his "faith and practice," systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end."

-Dallas Willard- The Spirit of the Disciplines

Go get a book and read

2005-09-26T14:01:00.000-02:00

Well... all I’ve been thinking about lately is Denver if you couldn't tell. My wife and I have decided that we are going to move back in mid October... so we are both very excited! I hear the lows have been in the 40's... I can't wait.

I recently read "The Last Disciple" by Hank Hanograph and I’m working on another book of his called "Resurrection". If you haven't read either of these I would highly recommend it.

“The Last Disciple” is an alternative to the “Left Behind” series. I’ve never read those books but that view of the book of Revelation (Futurist/Dispensationalist) is all I’ve ever heard or been taught. It’s nice to hear things from a different prospective. Hanograph’s book takes more of a (I think) Prederist view… and while this is a fiction book it is based on exegetical escotology and historical fact. It’s definitely a page turner and will keep you wanting to see what happens next.

Resurrection is an apologetical look at the resurrection of Christ and our hope in resurrection as believers. This book is packed with lots of great quotes and scripture. It also has a long appendix filled with more scripture. Everyone should read this book.

The Urban Sounds of City Scape (part 2)

2005-09-21T21:49:00.000-02:00

Putting on my shoes in the morning was a daily habit- my vehicle of circumstance. With a backpack over my shoulders and a beanie on my head the city became my oyster- an adventure waiting to be explored beneath the soles of my feet. With every step came a peaceful solitude and eccentric predilection. I could read, think, people watch, or just breath in the crisp air.

Here I am 5 years later and 2000 miles away. I find myself still drifting off- dreaming of being back and quizzically staring at pictures longing to be home.
Denver, Colorado.

The Urban Sounds of City Scape (part 1)

2005-09-15T18:54:00.000-02:00

Turning the key to its lock, I stepped into my 6th floor studio apartment. Its long stretch of windows gave way to a satisfying panoramic view of the city. To the south, a street lined with apartments trailing toward the Platt River. To the west- the glorious Front Range Mountains. Birch trees bordering below- northward into a beautiful skyline of skyscrapers and lofts. It is a wonderful city full of ethnic diversity, eclectic boutiques, bottomless breweries, and a hodgepodge of art and music culture.

Perhaps a greater appreciation of the city came from riding its train, catching its busses, and walking its sidewalks. All of which are common convenience for businessmen and those without means of conveyance. Although it may strike some as a burden- for me it was a blessing- a way to see the city. The people. The buildings. Its pulchritude.

The American Dream

2005-09-14T18:02:00.000-02:00

Well I know a lot of people might disagree with me on this... but here it goes. Why do we say "God bless America"? Isn’t it kind of cliché? Maybe that's not the right word. Maybe it sounds a little arrogant to me. Every time I hear someone say "God bless America" I feel like they are saying "Bless us God... we are the best country in the world!" so maybe our forefathers founded this country on Christian values and morals but is it still like that? Maybe I’m looking at it more on an individual level. Like when someone says "God bless America" they are saying "Bless me... with that new SUV... and a big house... and free credit... you know God... 'The American Dream'." maybe I’m being too cynical.

A classic question... Pt. 2 (That Consumable Thought- more thoughts on God's Will)

2005-09-07T16:29:00.000-02:00

God's Will may very well indeed be a list of options... or choices, if you will, in which He gives us freedom. Freedom to choose from those desires which He plants in our hearts.

If in fact we are putting our trust, our thoughts, our will, even those desires which He gives us, into His hands, we can rest assured that those choices we choose will align with His purpose for our lives. You see, God's Will is not some hidden secret locked up inside a box in which we have to figure out how to open, but an adventure in which He intends for us to seek Him and find. He leaves us with just enough mystery to keep us trusting.

When we struggle to find His plan perfectly packaged, (I some times think about it so hard... I begin to worry... thus leading me not to trust the Lord) we may very well be putting God into the box we've been trying so desperately to avoid. While it is not out of God's character to instruct with "to-the-T" detail, He generally guides us gently by our desires while providing a peace that only comes by knowing and trusting Him.

Of course if we are to know His Will we must undoubtedly do those things which we know for sure is His Will. Love your neighbor, treasure God's Word, pray without ceasing, and so on... spiritual disciplines, "train yourselves unto godliness." Obedience is key here.

When we are obedient, we can see more clearly God's Will illuminated through His Word, circumstance, desires, and so on. Therefore, let us trust and eagerly pursue Him.

A classic question...

2005-08-25T15:47:00.000-02:00

I've been thinking alot about God's Will lately. Sometimes I think I have a decent grasp on understanding it and other times I feel like I haven't got a clue. But then again I asume that while we may be able to understand a good bit of the Lord's nature when it comes to His Will... it is a constant learning process that may extend over a lifetime. I think the toughest is when I want to know a specific step I need to take.

Sure I know it's God's Will for me to tith... or to discipline my life unto godliness... or to love my nieghbor... and so on. ...But what about those things that will (or at least I think they will) affect my life drasticly. For instance... moving to a new place... changing jobs... and so on.

I am begining to wonder if there is more than one option to God's Will. For instance... it may be God's Will for me to eat that orange... but it also may be God's Will for me to eat that apple. Not that I can pick and choose what ever I want but both might be fine for me to eat as long as I am progressing toward God with an obedient and willing heart.

hmmm...

2005-08-22T18:25:00.000-02:00

His sermon is comming to a close. The pianist quietly makes her way up front hopping no one will notice her as the lights are dimed. Heads are bowed and eyes closed. Softly, she plays an old familer chorus from a beloved hymn while the pastor speakes intently to those who don't know the Lord or who have "fallen away".

This never use to bother me. "Cool... people are getting saved" I thought. Isn't that backwards though? Isn't church ment to be a place were we can encourage and be encouraged? Isn't it ment to equip believers? Equiping us to go out into the world instead of the world comming to us? Aren't we just playing with peoples emotions when we dim the lights and play soft music? Is this the way that the early church did things?

Don't get me wrong... some are truely ministerd to. That is awsome... but shouldn't our attitude as believers carry a habbit of confession and accountability? There needs to be more than 5 minutes at the "alter". Also... we as believers have to start living church out side of the church building.

2005-08-21T22:36:00.000-02:00