It was only a matter of time before there came a "Christianized" version of YouTube, the popular web site that allows you to upload videos. If you have taken time to browse the YouTube site, you know that you must proceed with caution. The unfortunate thing about the Internet is that anything and everything can be uploaded.
The same is true of GodTube, the beta version of a Christian YouTube. You can find everything from James White debates to Christian Clown training to Benny Hinn (for what it's worth, I trust the middle of these is safer than the last - the first is definitely worth your time). You can also find Mac vs. PC parodies (Christian vs. Christ follower) that are both entertaining and instructive in the attempt to warn against legalism (though the pendulum of correctness might swing a bit too far). And while I disagree with Ergun Caner on some theological issues, I would highly recommend his video interview of his coming to faith in Christ and rejecting Islam.
Again, as with any Internet site, proceed with caution. However, if you want to know what is going on in the name of "Christianity," this will be a decent resource along with all of the blogs at your disposal.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Eight Theological Essentials
Sorry for the short hiatus. I just returned from a trip to China which was absolutely wonderful. I am now trying to get caught up from 8-days away and add 3 more for jet lag!
I want to refer you today to Tom Ascol's blog from Monday concerning Dr. Daniel Akin's important message at the Theology Driven Ministry Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Like Tom, I appreciate Dr. Akin's candor. I was fortunate to have Dr. Akin for two classes at Southern and always appreciated his teaching style. This is certainly worth a read.
I want to refer you today to Tom Ascol's blog from Monday concerning Dr. Daniel Akin's important message at the Theology Driven Ministry Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Like Tom, I appreciate Dr. Akin's candor. I was fortunate to have Dr. Akin for two classes at Southern and always appreciated his teaching style. This is certainly worth a read.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Jesus' Lost Tomb
Pulpit Magazine has an excellent response to the Discovery Channel's "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." Their interviews with a number of professionals reveals the absurdity of James Cameron's claims.
Professor and apologist, Dr. Steve Cowan, also reviewed the documentary on his blog.
If you want a lengthier, in-depth study refuting these claims, see Dr. R. Kirk Kilpatrick's blog. Dr. Kilpatrick is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Mid-America Baptist Theological Semniary in Memphis, TN.
I encourage you to check these resources out.
Professor and apologist, Dr. Steve Cowan, also reviewed the documentary on his blog.
If you want a lengthier, in-depth study refuting these claims, see Dr. R. Kirk Kilpatrick's blog. Dr. Kilpatrick is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Mid-America Baptist Theological Semniary in Memphis, TN.
I encourage you to check these resources out.
Monday, March 05, 2007
His Great Mercy
Today I experienced one of those times as a parent when you feel absolutely helpless as my oldest child took her road test to receive her driver's license. As a parent I was unable to remain in the car during the test. It was just my daughter and the Alabama Highway Patrol. As I watched them pull off, I could not help but think: a) how nervous my daughter must have been, b) how nervous I was, and c) that my daughter was completely at someone else's mercy. I had absolutely no control over the situation. I know that my daughter can drive. Not only that, I know that she is a good driver. I have spent countless hours in the car with her behind the wheel. In the back of my mind I felt that I should have been able to tell the patrolwoman that I could save her some time. Just fill out the paperwork and pass her.
As these thoughts were going through my mind, I was stricken with my overwhelming feeling of helplessness. But at the same time I was thankful for people that are genuinely concerned for the welfare of all people, not just my daughter. I was driven to trust the decision of the patrolwoman who would judge, much better than I, whether or not my daughter really is a good driver, fit to be behind the wheel by herself.
As I contemplated my emotions, I was reminded how difficult it is to trust another when you are in a state of helplessness. I wanted to be in control of the situation, not at another's mercy. Then my thoughts turned to the Father. I was reminded that by nature it is easy to walk with the Lord and trust Him when everything seemingly is in our control. But our faith shines more brightly when we are in situations that we have no control over in our lives and we trust the One who knows our circumstances better than we know them ourselves. That is what it means to "walk by faith, not by sight."
I am thankful for that patrolwoman, but I am much more thankful for a Father who longs for us to cast all of our burdens upon Him. He is a merciful Father who can be trusted with all things at all times. I needed that little lesson from the Lord today. And yes, my daughter did pass her road test and received her license. Now I and all other drivers in the state of Alabama need your prayers! And by the way, I get to do this all again in a month with my next daughter.
As these thoughts were going through my mind, I was stricken with my overwhelming feeling of helplessness. But at the same time I was thankful for people that are genuinely concerned for the welfare of all people, not just my daughter. I was driven to trust the decision of the patrolwoman who would judge, much better than I, whether or not my daughter really is a good driver, fit to be behind the wheel by herself.
As I contemplated my emotions, I was reminded how difficult it is to trust another when you are in a state of helplessness. I wanted to be in control of the situation, not at another's mercy. Then my thoughts turned to the Father. I was reminded that by nature it is easy to walk with the Lord and trust Him when everything seemingly is in our control. But our faith shines more brightly when we are in situations that we have no control over in our lives and we trust the One who knows our circumstances better than we know them ourselves. That is what it means to "walk by faith, not by sight."
I am thankful for that patrolwoman, but I am much more thankful for a Father who longs for us to cast all of our burdens upon Him. He is a merciful Father who can be trusted with all things at all times. I needed that little lesson from the Lord today. And yes, my daughter did pass her road test and received her license. Now I and all other drivers in the state of Alabama need your prayers! And by the way, I get to do this all again in a month with my next daughter.
Friday, March 02, 2007
The Secret
There is a good possibility that you know someone who has gobbled up Rhonda Byrne's book, "The Secret." It claims to provide the secret to success in just about every avenue of life. The book has been reviewed on the Larry King Show, Ellen Degeneres, and Oprah. You might want to check out the better review by Don Whitney on today's Baptist Press.
Mike Day at Baptist Identity II
I accepted the Tom Ascol's recommendation to listen to Dr. Michael Day's message, "Associations and State Conventions" at the recent Baptist Identity II Conference at Union University in Jackson, TN. Dr. Day is the Director of Missions for the Mid-South Baptist Association in Memphis, TN.
His message opens with the pathway of the past, an excellent history of Associational and State Conventions in the SBC, particularly as it relates to cooperation between these entities, providing some important historical points concerning the founding and purpose of the Cooperative Program. He summarizes this section as follows: Associations and State Conventions were 1) birthed by biblical Baptists, 2) nurtured by believing Baptists, 3) shaped by bureaucratic Baptists, 4) defined by battling Baptists, and 5) questioned by befuddled Baptists.
He then addresses the predicaments of the present:
1) The duplicated effort syndrome between SBC entities
2) The institution first syndrome, "feeding the beast"
3) The autonomous hierarchy syndrome, claiming autonomy is necessary while in practice answering to others, an implied hierarchy. The real problem is that the church winds up at the bottom of the pile.
4) The codified cooperation syndrome where lines are drawn in the sand by SBC entities
5) The thinly spread mission dollar syndrome even though Cooperative giving is up
6) The lost influence syndrome among SBC entities in influencing churches to do their job
He concludes with suggestions as to how we can resolve these predicaments. Commenting on Morris Chapman's suggestion that the SBC needs to be overhauled, he asks the question, "Is an overhaul enough?" He suggests a new paradigm that is arising for Associations and State Conventions, that is in fact and practice emerging in our denomination:
1) It is church driven
2) It is priority based
3) It is resource focused
4) It is institution free
5) It is strategically managed
6) It is regionally located but not geographically bound
7) It is denominationally connected, but not in the traditional ways. Here is where he suggests that Associations and State Conventions as we know them today will no longer exist but will morph into this regional kind of association of churches.
Dr. Day's message is a breath of fresh air from an unexpected source. He is open and honest in his assessment of what needs to be done, at least initially, to fix what is broken in the SBC. I encourage you to listen to "his rantings" (his words, not mine).
His message opens with the pathway of the past, an excellent history of Associational and State Conventions in the SBC, particularly as it relates to cooperation between these entities, providing some important historical points concerning the founding and purpose of the Cooperative Program. He summarizes this section as follows: Associations and State Conventions were 1) birthed by biblical Baptists, 2) nurtured by believing Baptists, 3) shaped by bureaucratic Baptists, 4) defined by battling Baptists, and 5) questioned by befuddled Baptists.
He then addresses the predicaments of the present:
1) The duplicated effort syndrome between SBC entities
2) The institution first syndrome, "feeding the beast"
3) The autonomous hierarchy syndrome, claiming autonomy is necessary while in practice answering to others, an implied hierarchy. The real problem is that the church winds up at the bottom of the pile.
4) The codified cooperation syndrome where lines are drawn in the sand by SBC entities
5) The thinly spread mission dollar syndrome even though Cooperative giving is up
6) The lost influence syndrome among SBC entities in influencing churches to do their job
He concludes with suggestions as to how we can resolve these predicaments. Commenting on Morris Chapman's suggestion that the SBC needs to be overhauled, he asks the question, "Is an overhaul enough?" He suggests a new paradigm that is arising for Associations and State Conventions, that is in fact and practice emerging in our denomination:
1) It is church driven
2) It is priority based
3) It is resource focused
4) It is institution free
5) It is strategically managed
6) It is regionally located but not geographically bound
7) It is denominationally connected, but not in the traditional ways. Here is where he suggests that Associations and State Conventions as we know them today will no longer exist but will morph into this regional kind of association of churches.
Dr. Day's message is a breath of fresh air from an unexpected source. He is open and honest in his assessment of what needs to be done, at least initially, to fix what is broken in the SBC. I encourage you to listen to "his rantings" (his words, not mine).
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Litmus Test for Southern Baptists
Dr. Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, reiterated what he calls "the litmus test" for Southern Baptists to hold positions in the SBC while addressing a group of editors in Philadelphia. His address is covered in yesterday's Baptist Press. According to the article, Page said that "a sweet spirit, evangelistic heart and a commitment to biblical inerrancy and the SBC funding mechanism known as the Cooperative Program" remain the litmus tests for those whom he soon will appoint to various SBC committees. Page also challenged SBC critics to do a “reality check,” asking them to take a look at what Southern Baptists are accomplishing in ministries and missions instead of often focusing on negatives.
While I appreciate Dr. Page's commitment to steering our convention to emphasize unity, I cannot help but hear a political overtone in his five-point litmus test.
1) A sweet spirit. This is a Scriptural mandate. But does a sweet spirit mean that one cannot point out where and when men and churches are not living according to the Scripture in doctrine and practice? If one raises a concern over unbiblical doctrines and practices, will they immediately be ostracized from a position in SBC life? While I agree that opposition must be done in the spirit of love, is one unloving if they disagree over the direction of some of our SBC entities?
2) An evangelistic heart. Again, this is a Scriptural mandate. But we must stand firm on the message and method of evangelism. Here are few biblical treatises on biblical evangelism: Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer; Today's Evangelism: Its Message and Methods by Ernie Reisinger; Tell the Truth by Will Metzger.
3) A commitment to biblical inerrancy. Again, a Scriptural mandate. However, we must also have a commitment to biblical inspiration, biblical infallibility, the perspicuity of Scripture, biblical authority, and biblical sufficiency.
4) A commitment to the Cooperative Program. This is a point of contention in SBC life with many who see the Cooperative Program's misappropriation of funds. Unfortunately, this has become the greatest of these tests. However, we must remember that this is not a Scriptural mandate. Do we have, as Dr. Page points out, a "moral obligation" to support our SBC missionaries? I believe we do. And is the Cooperative Program a viable avenue for doing so? Yes - when it is functioning properly. For the record, my church gives a percentage to the Cooperative Program. However, the SBC brass needs to see the reality that an overhaul is needed in the Cooperative Program. If they don't, churches will continue to show their discontent by refusing to give to a program that has become sacred.
5) Focusing on the "positives" instead of the negatives. I agree that there is much going on in the SBC that is positive. But what is considered "positive" is often steeped in pragmatism. When this is the case, one is right to ask, "Who is getting the glory? God or the SBC?"
Again, while I appreciate Dr. Page's concerns, I cannot help but believe that this is simply his way of saying, "You have a place in our convention if you do it our way." I hope that I am wrong. Only time will tell.
While I appreciate Dr. Page's commitment to steering our convention to emphasize unity, I cannot help but hear a political overtone in his five-point litmus test.
1) A sweet spirit. This is a Scriptural mandate. But does a sweet spirit mean that one cannot point out where and when men and churches are not living according to the Scripture in doctrine and practice? If one raises a concern over unbiblical doctrines and practices, will they immediately be ostracized from a position in SBC life? While I agree that opposition must be done in the spirit of love, is one unloving if they disagree over the direction of some of our SBC entities?
2) An evangelistic heart. Again, this is a Scriptural mandate. But we must stand firm on the message and method of evangelism. Here are few biblical treatises on biblical evangelism: Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer; Today's Evangelism: Its Message and Methods by Ernie Reisinger; Tell the Truth by Will Metzger.
3) A commitment to biblical inerrancy. Again, a Scriptural mandate. However, we must also have a commitment to biblical inspiration, biblical infallibility, the perspicuity of Scripture, biblical authority, and biblical sufficiency.
4) A commitment to the Cooperative Program. This is a point of contention in SBC life with many who see the Cooperative Program's misappropriation of funds. Unfortunately, this has become the greatest of these tests. However, we must remember that this is not a Scriptural mandate. Do we have, as Dr. Page points out, a "moral obligation" to support our SBC missionaries? I believe we do. And is the Cooperative Program a viable avenue for doing so? Yes - when it is functioning properly. For the record, my church gives a percentage to the Cooperative Program. However, the SBC brass needs to see the reality that an overhaul is needed in the Cooperative Program. If they don't, churches will continue to show their discontent by refusing to give to a program that has become sacred.
5) Focusing on the "positives" instead of the negatives. I agree that there is much going on in the SBC that is positive. But what is considered "positive" is often steeped in pragmatism. When this is the case, one is right to ask, "Who is getting the glory? God or the SBC?"
Again, while I appreciate Dr. Page's concerns, I cannot help but believe that this is simply his way of saying, "You have a place in our convention if you do it our way." I hope that I am wrong. Only time will tell.
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