Here's what I am reading at the moment:
Revolution in World Missions, K.P. Yohannan
The Attributes of God, Arthur W. Pink
The Fellowship of the Ring
Horatio Hornblower and the Hotspur, C.S. Forester
Volume 1, Works of Benjamin Warfield
Biography of Alexander Hamilton
Books lying around waiting to be read:
V. 2-10 of Warfield
G. Campbell Morgan Sermons
Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge
Serving With Eyes Wide Open, David Livermore
2 biographies of Teddy Roosevelt
Books (or sets) on my wish list:
The Interlinear Hebrew-Greek-English Bible, Jay P. Green
The Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. by Frank Gaebelein
Any sermon collections by H.A. Ironsides or Alexander McLaren or Joseph Parker
Greek Textbook and Workbook by William Mounce
Any of the books by Alfred Edersheim
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The Angels Were Partying
Wow! Last night was an awesome night of visitation. My church has a weekly visitation program and we use Evangelism Explosion (EE) as the means of sharing the Gospel. We meet, go over the Gospel outline, break up into a couple of classes and then go out in teams of 3 visiting people that have visited our church recently. Right now we split up into tow classes: the beginner class which explains the Gospel presentation in detail and an Apologetics class, which I attend. Pastor Holt has done some great research into putting this class together.
When we went out in teams, my team visited some retired HCJB missionaries who have moved here. I love visiting retired missionaries. Probably because they remind me of my grand-parents. The Bookers were in Ecuador for over 30 years. Their daughter went to school with Steve Saint, Nate Saint's son. They were gracious, humble people wanting to connect with international students to minister to them. Leonard and Imogene are near 80 and still wanting to serve.
But that wasn't the highlight of the night. Pastor Holt's team met with a high school senior that had visited the church with a friend. He is from a Catholic family. Pastor Holt had started to present the Gospel to this young man when his mother came downstairs. At first the team thought this would end the evening because the family seemed very devout, but the mother started asking good questions. Pastor Holt presented the Gospel and the mother agreed on every spiritual point but was hung up on assurance, of knowing for sure she would have eternal life. After Pastor Holt explained that to her, he asked if she was ready to accept the free gift of salvation. She said she had been asking herself and God these same questions and yes, she was ready. What a joy! They will return to visit again with the son next week.
Another team got to visit a young couple who had been active in church but the husband had never made a commitment to Jesus Christ. Pastor Tobey presented the Gospel with similar results. The angels were truly dancing by that time!
Yes, EE could be considered a program. But it is more. It is a simple way to present the gospel to anyone. If you strike up a conversation with someone and it turns to spiritual matters, then there are two questions that you can ask to ascertain their spiritual life. If someone says they go to a church but you sense they are not a Christian, then you can start by saying, "Well, my church believes that..." and go straight into the Gospel presentation. Then there is follow up to do because you are responsible in helping with their spiritual development such as getting to church, fellowship with beliveres, making disciples.
I look forward to each week of visitation, but I hope there are opportunities before then!
When we went out in teams, my team visited some retired HCJB missionaries who have moved here. I love visiting retired missionaries. Probably because they remind me of my grand-parents. The Bookers were in Ecuador for over 30 years. Their daughter went to school with Steve Saint, Nate Saint's son. They were gracious, humble people wanting to connect with international students to minister to them. Leonard and Imogene are near 80 and still wanting to serve.
But that wasn't the highlight of the night. Pastor Holt's team met with a high school senior that had visited the church with a friend. He is from a Catholic family. Pastor Holt had started to present the Gospel to this young man when his mother came downstairs. At first the team thought this would end the evening because the family seemed very devout, but the mother started asking good questions. Pastor Holt presented the Gospel and the mother agreed on every spiritual point but was hung up on assurance, of knowing for sure she would have eternal life. After Pastor Holt explained that to her, he asked if she was ready to accept the free gift of salvation. She said she had been asking herself and God these same questions and yes, she was ready. What a joy! They will return to visit again with the son next week.
Another team got to visit a young couple who had been active in church but the husband had never made a commitment to Jesus Christ. Pastor Tobey presented the Gospel with similar results. The angels were truly dancing by that time!
Yes, EE could be considered a program. But it is more. It is a simple way to present the gospel to anyone. If you strike up a conversation with someone and it turns to spiritual matters, then there are two questions that you can ask to ascertain their spiritual life. If someone says they go to a church but you sense they are not a Christian, then you can start by saying, "Well, my church believes that..." and go straight into the Gospel presentation. Then there is follow up to do because you are responsible in helping with their spiritual development such as getting to church, fellowship with beliveres, making disciples.
I look forward to each week of visitation, but I hope there are opportunities before then!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Go COLTS!
Yes, I am a Steelers fan, but I have followed the Colts since they moved to Indy 20+ years ago. My dad is a life-long Colts fan because his favorite player was Johnny Unitas. Dad has had season tickets for the last 3 years and was at the game yesterday. He loved every minute of it. He has an outside chance of getting tickets for the Super Bowl. I hope he gets them. Go Colts!
Friday, January 12, 2007
The Gospel Truth
A couple of days ago I ranted about blogs that promote the Emerging church theology. I just now hesitated using the term theology, but that is what it is. People are skewing the Truth into their own idea of theology.
On a similar note, most of these blogs share a whole lot of their opinion and little of the Bible. If they are concerned about the direction their church is going (and lumping all the churches in with theirs) then they need to search the Word and pray. Yes, pray. Communication with God. Nothing mystical, but can "availeth much."
Even though I said I would not read anymore blogs, the concepts they promote are still nagging my brain (it doesn't take much). I think too many books are being written and read when the only book needed is the Bible. Books by N.T. Wright or Scot McKnight or Dallas Willard or Henry Blackaby can be thought provoking, but remember...they are not divine inspiration. The stack of books next to your bed (and mine) are not Gospel. The notes in your study Bible (and mine) are not Gospel. The Commentaries on your shelf (and mine) are not Gospel. What is divinely inspired? The 66 books between the Table of Contents and the maps.
All this to say that I think (my turn for an opinion) that bloggers that are part of the Emerging movement and its off-shoots need to turn to God and the Bible. Quit complaining in your blogs and start studying. Maybe God wants YOU to do something.
On a similar note, most of these blogs share a whole lot of their opinion and little of the Bible. If they are concerned about the direction their church is going (and lumping all the churches in with theirs) then they need to search the Word and pray. Yes, pray. Communication with God. Nothing mystical, but can "availeth much."
Even though I said I would not read anymore blogs, the concepts they promote are still nagging my brain (it doesn't take much). I think too many books are being written and read when the only book needed is the Bible. Books by N.T. Wright or Scot McKnight or Dallas Willard or Henry Blackaby can be thought provoking, but remember...they are not divine inspiration. The stack of books next to your bed (and mine) are not Gospel. The notes in your study Bible (and mine) are not Gospel. The Commentaries on your shelf (and mine) are not Gospel. What is divinely inspired? The 66 books between the Table of Contents and the maps.
All this to say that I think (my turn for an opinion) that bloggers that are part of the Emerging movement and its off-shoots need to turn to God and the Bible. Quit complaining in your blogs and start studying. Maybe God wants YOU to do something.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Submerging from Emerging
For the last couple of years I have been studying this whole Emerging Church phenomena and have finally come to a conclusion. A lot of people are wasting a lot of time, ink and trees on this issue (if it really is an issue). Every blog I read and the few books I have waded through have one item in common; someone has a beef with their local church. I am tired of hearing the same old thing. "The church did this to me; the church did that to me; I think the church should be this way; I think worship is this; I think, I think, I think."
As God told Job, "I am God and you are not." (paraphrased and probably used by many Christian authors). People need to quit playing God within the church; they need to quit playing church within the church. These complainers need to be involved in ministry and don't listen to other people or themselves. Stay focused on God, focused in the Word and focused on people other than themselves. And they need to know that every church is full of sinners saved by grace and not perfect. Some even have tempers and personalities that don't mesh with yours. And you gotta love them anyways.
So for me and my new journey into fulltime gospel ministry, I will be avoiding the daily reading of Emerging-friendly blogs. Somebody's time has already been wasted in producing the blog, why should I compound that wastefulness by reading it.
As God told Job, "I am God and you are not." (paraphrased and probably used by many Christian authors). People need to quit playing God within the church; they need to quit playing church within the church. These complainers need to be involved in ministry and don't listen to other people or themselves. Stay focused on God, focused in the Word and focused on people other than themselves. And they need to know that every church is full of sinners saved by grace and not perfect. Some even have tempers and personalities that don't mesh with yours. And you gotta love them anyways.
So for me and my new journey into fulltime gospel ministry, I will be avoiding the daily reading of Emerging-friendly blogs. Somebody's time has already been wasted in producing the blog, why should I compound that wastefulness by reading it.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Happy New Year
I hope your new year has started out well. I finally migrated over to the new and improved blogger. And I will have some posts to bring you up to date with current events.
Oh, and by the way, Pat Robertson has predicted doom and gloom for the USA sometime this year. Isn't there something we are to do to false prophets?
Oh, and by the way, Pat Robertson has predicted doom and gloom for the USA sometime this year. Isn't there something we are to do to false prophets?
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