Adventures in "Being Relevant"

I found this on Rev. Bill Cwirla's blog.

Ultimate Fighting

Why are so many people drawn to Ultimate Fighting? As a matter of fact, a good deal of the Christian men I know love Ultimate Fighting. Is this okay?

In the Church today, we have tended to stray away from themes of battle and "fighting the good fight"of the Christian faith as Paul says. We sing songs about having feelings of love for Jesus. Many times in our pulpits a weak, sort of "God loves you just the way you are" message is preached. But not a whole lot of mention about fighting or being in battle as Christians.

Is it any wonder that we have an incredibly difficult time getting men (who love Ultimate Fighting) interested in the things of God?

Why we are getting fat

Much is made in the media today about the "epidemic of obesity." While I think that language is awesome in its exaggeration, there is no doubt a plumping up going on among America's youth. I definitely have seen it.

The tendency is to blame fast food. Now I don't think fast food is good for you, but when I was a kid, we had plenty of fast food around and therefore we ate lots of it. Yet there was not the "epidemic" of obesity. So why now? I think the main difference is found in the stagnant activity level of the average kid today. One huge difference: My parents made me go outside and play!

According to a recent survey, 97% of all children in the United States play video games. Generally, these games do not require much physical activity. So the kid eats his mighty kids meal from Mcdonalds, but instead of going outside to play, sits down at his computer or gaming system and drinks his soda between turns. Parents, if you don't want your child to be obese, do them a favor: Don't replace the food they like with a fruits, nuts and tofu diet. Make them go outside and run around!

The Distracted and Disconnected

Here is an article that is both painful and funny at the same time. According to this study, 35% of blackberry users would choose their blackberries over their spouse!! This is funny just because of how absurd it sounds. It is painful in that I think it's mostly true.

I think about myself and the ways I am easily distracted from my wife and kids by technology, and I realize that in this area I have nothing to boast of, only sins to confess.

Good Dirt

Last Sunday I preached on the Parable of the Sower (or the Parable of the Soils) from Luke 8:4-15. May God make us good soil.

I really wish this was fake...

Politics and Religion Part II

An article appears in the Washington Post today about a group of Pastors encouraged by an organization of Christian lawyers (Alliance Defense Fund) to publicly endorse candidates from the pulpit on September 28th.

They say the law that prohibits Pastors from endorsing specific candidates from the pulpit is an unconstitutional violation of free speech. However,it must be remembered that a Pastor can endorse anyone he wants from the pulpit, he just can't do it and still remain tax exempt. So these men are hoping to go to court and have this law overturned. Are they violating Romans 13?

So, should Pastors be able to endorse candidates from the pulpit and remain tax exempt? What kinds of issues can you see developing from Pastors openly speaking on behalf of certain political entities or candidates?

Politics and Religion

I definitely have strong political opinions; I am a political junkie. So I have to tell you, sometimes it's hard not to write about political stuff on this blog. However, as a Pastor that sees this blog as a resource for the Church, I believe I must stay as neutral as possible so as not to make it seem as though Jesus endorses one political party over another (believe it or not HE DOESN'T!). That being said, politics is in the air right now and I think within the Church there is a lot of confusion about what role exactly our faith should play in politics. This short video clip from Ravi Zacharias has some interesting insights that are worth giving a listen to:



Thanks Bombardo!

Why Apologetics?

One of my favorite subjects is Apologetics (the defense of the faith). Below is a 10 minute video clip from Dr. R.C. Sproul about why Apologetics are important for the church. Curious: Do you employ apologetics with people when talking about your faith?

Core Value #7

Yesterday we concluded our series on the Core Values of the Lutheran Brethren. This sermon is on prayer and is based on "The Lord's Prayer"

http://victoriacc.org/m/ThyWillBeDone.mp3

Theology of Glory vs. Theology of the Cross

I just got done reading a great article about the difference between the Theology of Glory vs. The Theology of the Cross. The author, Todd Wilken, does a great job of sorting out between the two and I would encourage you to read it.

Within American Christianity today, one only needs to go to the local Christian bookstore or Barnes and Noble to see that the Church is absolutely infatuated with a theology of glory. The author explains in greater detail, but essentially a theology of glory holds that God "helps those who help themselves;" if we do certain actions, God, like a genie responds by granting us "success." (Examples of the Theology of Glory would be: Your Best Life Now, The Prayer of Jabez, and too many others to count. I get know joy out of pointing these books out as examples and I don't know the spiritual state of these authors. I just know their theology is dangerous.)

A Theology of the Cross essentially tells us that God reveals Himself in ways that we would never see coming by our own human reason. Jesus says in His kingdom, "the last will be first." Jesus the Son of God comes as a babe not enshrined in a castle, but in a smelly stable; Jesus the King of the universe comes riding in on a donkey; Jesus the Owner of the universe has no place to lay His head; Jesus the purest and most holy Being, suffers the death of the worst of sinners. It is only after death, that glory comes through the Resurrection.

Through these same means, humility, shame, dishonor, etc. God showers blessing on the believer. This is The Theology of the Cross. This theology is only found through the Word.

We all struggle with The Theology of Glory. This is the reason why Jesus called us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him.

Can you think of ways that you see the theology of glory or the theology of the cross in our world today?

Watching for Grace: C.J. Mahaney

A few months ago I heard this sermon and through it the Lord spoke to me. The sermon is definitely designed more for leaders in ministry (especially Pastors), but the principles apply to us all. Enjoy:

Core Value #6

Just got done preaching on VCC's calling to proclaim Jesus' victory over darkness to all people; it wasn't planned this way, but it is quite appropriate considering I just returned from a class on Mission.

The link to the sermon can be found in the title or right here.

Busy Week

I have a busy week coming up with the various ministries of the Church starting back up! What should I do?

Luther: "“I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer."

I would love to say that was my habit, but it is not (yet). However, the point is the same: No matter how long we spend in prayer, in order to get through the "busyness" we must first and foremost be people of prayer.

What kinds of things are you doing to insure a consistent prayer life?

Thankful

As I sit far away from the flock I get to tend, I am filled with praise and thanks for the opportunity God, the Chief Shepherd has given me.

I think the feeling can be summed up well in the words of the Apostle Paul:

"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

What a gift it is to serve you as your Undershepherd.

"Missio Dei"

Today in class we are talking about the fact that our God from the very beginning has been a sending God. In Genesis 3 right after our first parents sinned and brought death and condemnation to all, God promises to send One that will rescue us and crush the head of Satan.

In Genesis 12, God promises that through Abram, blessing will be sent through him to all. He is blessed to be a blessing.

In Exodus 4, God calls Moses and sends him to deliver His people from bondage.

God sent Joshua to lead His people, sent David to be their King, sent the prophets to proclaim God's word.

The Father sent the Son to proclaim the kingdom and pay for our sins, The Father and the Son sent the Spirit to empower His Church, and the Trinity sends the Church to continue His mission of rescue to His lost world (John 20:21).

What is God sending you to do?

Tim Keller meets Google

I've said many times that I love the book, "Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism" by Tim Keller. I've actually posted a lecture of his on this blog before. Today I found a lecture that Dr. Keller gave to Google of all places after the release of his book. Speaking of being a missionary to our culture, (which I brought up in my last post) this is a great example: No one represents the broader culture more than Google.

Ahh... The Midwest

Right now I am in the midwest (Minneapolis, Minnesota to be exact) and it is perfect. Usually when I come up here it's very cold and full of snow. About the only subject on people's minds is the weather and I probably talk about it well over a hundred times during the week. Therefore, when I arrive back home the first thing I talk about is the weather.

Not this time. It's about 65 degrees, blue skies and the people are all really nice. I participated in a Worship Service at our sister Church, Ebenezer Lutheran and got to have lunch at a really cool place called "Psycho Suzi's" (great deep dish pizza).

I am up here to participate in a class on what it means to view ourselves as missionaries to the culture where we live and I am very much looking forward to that. I'll keep you posted on different elements of the class this week and I'm sure I'll have some interesting questions to ask.

First question: What are some ways that you could be a "missionary" to the people where you live?

Using Unrighteous Mammon?

Interesting story came out a little while ago about a man who won 6 million dollars in the lottery and decided to tithe $600,000.00 to his local Church. The Church refused the money because it was lottery money.

So the question for debate is should the Church accept an offering from lottery winnings?

Death by Love

Pastor Mark Driscoll is one of my favorite Preachers in America today. He has a new book coming out called "Death by Love." Check out the preview video below:

Core Values 3 & 4

This week I took a little vacation, so I did not post the sermon from last week. So this week I will post both last Sunday's sermon on the "Hammer of God" and today's sermon on "How God Delivers the Goods"

Be interested to hear any feedback on the second message. This message is about what God does through the Word and Sacraments. Being that this is a different view than what the majority of Evangelical churches in the U.S. believe, I am sure there will be some questions. I'd be happy to answer those questions to the best of my ability in the comment section.

Luther on Communion:

How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?
It is not the eating and drinking, indeed, that does them, but the words which stand here, namely: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins. Which words are, beside the bodily eating and drinking, as the chief thing in the Sacrament; and he that believes these words has what they say and express, namely, the forgiveness of sins. (SC vi, 8; Tappert, 352)

What makes a Church "successful?"

I'd really be interested to read your comments on what makes a Church "successful." Is it the size of the congregation? The influence in the community? A great deal of Biblical knowledge? The Building? Something else? Discuss please.

Update: In the next day or two I will post my view on this question, but I am still interested in hearing from as many of you as possible. Is there really any such thing as a "successful Church?" If so, what defines it as "successful?"

Update, Update: I have had a request to keep this question open for a while longer and so I have moved the post to the top of the page again.

He knows what we need

Our God knows what we need. I've always thought it a bit strange that one of the commandments the Lord gave to His covenant people was a command to rest. Shouldn't that just come easy? After all isn't one of the "seven deadly sins" sloth? It can and does come very easy to be lazy, but the kind of rest God commands us to take is something of a perfect balance. He tells us to remember the Sabbath day. We are to work hard in our lives; we are to do everything to the glory of God in service to our neighbor, but we for the same reasons are to take time to rest.

One of the great problems where I live is constant busyness. Many people do not know how to sit still and enjoy the moment. As a result you have a culture of workaholics that don't know their spouses, don't know their kids and find themselves thinking about one thing all the time: work.

This week I'm going to enjoy the freedom that God has given me in Christ (He is our Sabbath rest) and take a vacation with my family. We're going to San Diego to play at Sea World, hang out at the beach and for a couple days, do absolutely nothing. So I won't be posting anything on here for the rest of the week. He is a good Father and He knows what we need.

Do Signs Matter?

This last week I purchased for our Church a new banner! As those of you know who attend the Church, we don't get to put a banner up for our Church until Friday afternoon. By Sunday night that banner has to be down. Since our building looks more like a government office building than a Church and cannot be seen very easily from the street, this can make it difficult to find us.

Without "good signage" can a Church survive? Please see Jesus' answer.

We are more than Conquerors....

The Evangelical world has been rocked a bit lately. Not long ago, Greg Laurie's son Christopher was killed in a car accident. Christopher was married with one child and another on the way. And last May, Steven Curtis Chapman's 5 year old daughter, Marie was accidentally run over by their 17 year old son in their family's driveway.

This last week I have watched video of both of these families and have seen overwhelming evidence of the grace of God in their lives. Pastor Greg and his family held a memorial service this last week for their son and through it all they glorified God and praised Jesus' name. If you'd like to learn more about the situation you can go here.

Steven Curtis Chapman's family was featured on Good Morning America a few days ago and their testimony was deeply moving (especially seeing how there family has been held together through this: truly amazing)

They all have questions (as they should); they don't understand why they're going through this; in all of it they do know that there God has promised in this life there is a cross to bear, but one day there will be a crown. Thanks be to God.