Book releases in two weeks from Waterbrook Multnomah. Watch the preview trailer below:
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
10 reasons to vote for Mitt Romney
1. He's not Barack Obama.
2. He's not Barack Obama.
3. He's not Barack Obama.
4. He's not Barack Obama.
5. He's not Barack Obama.
6. He's not Barack Obama.
7. He's not Barack Obama.
8. He's not Barack Obama.
9. He's not Barack Obama.
10. He's not Barack Obama.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Christian Ethics: Serving the homosexual community
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| Chick-fil-A (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Do you:
A) Explain to him that you are a Christian and cannot work for him on this since you believe homosexuality is a sin?
B) Offer the suggestion that he might do better by uploading the photos to Flickr, Facebook, or Google+ and share them with friends and family that way?
C) Explain that you don't feel comfortable with such a request because of your belief system, but you know someone who could do the project?
D) Offer your suggestion here...
Note: this is sort of in response to the whole deal with Chick-fil-a being bullied because of what Dan Cathy did not say in his statements on Biblical marriage.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Bible and Dan Savage
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| Dan Savage speaking at IWU as part of Gender Issues Week. Photo by soundfromwayout (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
According to one high school teacher, here is what was expected:"We can learn to ignore the bull---- in the Bible about gay people," Savage told the high school students. "The same way we have learned to ignore the bull---- in the Bible about shellfish, about slavery, about dinner, about farming, about masturbation."Savage went on to call the Bible "a radically pro-slavery document" and referred to the walkout as "pansy-assed." (Source)
"We expected it to be about how student publications can promote anti-bullying programs on campus," said teacher Rick Tuttle of Sutter, who took six Sutter Union High School yearbook staff members to the three-day conference. "So we were surprised when it suddenly became clear it was not about that, but just a hostile torrent of obscenities and foul language that was completely inappropriate for a high school student audience and highly unprofessional."A few things I want to point out.
- What is with all this apologizing after the fact? This seems to be happening all too frequently. Somebody says something that somebody else disagrees with and the media makes some big deal about it until somebody apologizes. To be frank, the words that come out of your mouth, reflect your heart. Does anyone really think that Savage is sorry for what he said, after everything else he said, has said, or is going to say? Anyone who knows who Savage is knows he's going to say something else. That's who he is. He basically hates Christians and makes no bones about it. Stop with the apologizing already unless you are truly sorry for what you said.
- Savage seems to know what the Bible says about certain things, but he completely does not understand context. Yes, the Old Testament law condemned shellfish, masturbation, and homosexuality, among other things. The law was established by God to point to himself as the author of grace and truth. And no, the Bible does not condemn slavery, but it does tell us to treat fellow human beings with dignity and respect, which is not the same as affirming their sin. In the book of Acts, God shows Peter that the law is fulfilled in Christ when it comes to eating clean and unclean things such as shellfish. I guess Savage missed that part, because he likes to point out the parts that affirm his point. The fact remains that homosexuality is still a sin classified along the lines of murder and lying. Are Christians hypocritical? Sure, we are. We allow divorce in the church as common as eating fried chicken. A leader commits adultery and we look for ways to keep him in the pulpit. We allow professors in Christian universities to continue to teach even after they've fudged on their resumes. Yeah, we're guilty. But, we're also sinners. The difference is that some of us have been saved by grace through faith by Christ. He has changed our hearts, not through anything we have done, but by His grace. The problem is that people like Savage still see us as a bunch of moralists, and many of us are.
[9] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV) - Did the organizers not know who Savage was? This is a guy who started off his so-called speech about anti-bullying to teens suggesting they use birth control. Really? Is this the best the organizers of this conference could do just because Savage is the creator of the "It Gets Better" campaign? Savage is known for advocating multiple sex partners and non-monogamy in marriage. Savage is not exactly an exemplary model for teens, now is he? "It Gets Better" is a faux attempt to suggest that gay bullying among teens is an epidemic and that gay teens are killing themselves left and right. Here's a tip...calling a teen gay...and that teen commits suicide because of the bullying...does not make that teen gay. The simple fact is that gay has been used as a bullying tactic for years before homosexuality became socially accepted. It's a word that hurts and bullies, even those who are heterosexual. Bullying is wrong, no matter what. That's a fact. Another fact is that the organizers got what they got when they invited Savage and they should have known that.
Solution?
Pray for Dan Savage. Pray that God would grab a hold of his heart, pull it out, and give him a new one, one that would love Jesus, and bring him to repentance. Christian John Shore has come out supporting Savage on this one, even continuing to push his own Change.org petition to bully Christians into affirming homosexuality. Pray for John Shore as well. He used to have some sound doctrine, but essentially has no sound doctrine anymore. We shall be persecuted, but we shall not be dismayed because Christ is our Savior and Lord.
Friday, March 23, 2012
What is a hate crime?
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| Suicide of Tyler Clementi (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
In fact, presuming to know what's inside the defendant's head is the basis for most hate crime legislation. The Matthew Shephard act, federal legislation added to existing hate crimes laws to cover those of homosexual persuasion, is perhaps one of the worst pieces of legislation out there with regard to hate crimes laws. I say that because it appears years later that Matthew Shephard most likely was not killed because of his sexual orientation.
It does not appear that Tyler Clementi was being viewed by his roommate because he was gay. The webcam was setup before Ravi even knew that. Ravi was a prankster as kids will be and he discovered via the webcam that his roommate was gay. Why do people commit suicide to begin with? To be honest, it's basically because they feel that they have no one to turn to. Ravi had apparently tried to reach out to Clementi soon after the webcam incident, but Clementi was already in the middle of killing himself.
No one ever deserves to be bullied, but no one ever deserves to have their thoughts assumed to be that of hate. Hate is such a strong word and it is tossed around so much as if it's the end-all. The recent spat over Kirk Cameron's words over his stance on homosexual marriage proves such. He is now branded a gay hater because he takes such a Biblical view. Rosanne Barr (as if her opinion matters anymore) accused Cameron of being an associate to murder. Not much was said when Pastor Mark Driscoll basically affirmed what Cameron said to the same interviewer, Piers Morgan. Why? He's a pastor. He's supposed to say that.
The guy in Florida who shot and killed the unarmed black teenager? I'd say he was more motivated out of hate and fear that Ravi was. What if Ravi's roommate had been heterosexual and had gone out and killed himself after finding he had been watched while making out with his girlfriend? Would Ravi even had been charged with anything? Highly doubtful. What if a pastor preaches a sermon in which he touts the Biblical standpoint that homosexuality is sinful and a young man who has homosexual tendencies goes out and kills himself? Is the pastor responsible for this young man's death? Even if the pastor had offered counseling for those who might struggle with homosexuality?
There's a fine line with defining exactly what a hate crime is. I believe this case with the Rutgers student proves that hate crimes will and are being used as thought crimes. Christians are in the cross-hairs of those who advocate such laws and will be targeted at some point in the future. That's not to say that there are not professing Christians who do express hate toward gays and others, such as those who picket military funerals because of homosexuality. Those people are not expressing Christianity. As Christians, we must be sensitive to all people, while also standing firm on the truth. My viewpoint from the Bible is not hate. If anything, it is love that people would accept Jesus Christ and repent of their sin, whether that is homosexuality, lying, murder, etc.
What Ravi did to his roommate was not right, but does it qualify as a hate crime?
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Christians Should Home School
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| Arne Duncan during Chicago Public Schools. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
What about home school graduation rates? I don't have numbers here, but I have not heard of home school students dropping out. As home school grows in popularity, even among non-Christians, I would venture to say that there are a few, so I would probably hold the graduation rate at about 98-99%, but this is an area where it's hard to nail down figures. Private school graduation rates seem to be in the 90-95% range.
So, if these numbers are accurate, and based on a few searches, they appear to be so, then why does the government continue to insist on educating our children? Follow the money. On average, it costs the government between $10,000 - $12,000 per child in the public education system, and the government wants to increase that amount, while the graduation rates are only improving in very small increments, if at all. We recently spent $400-$500 on curriculum for home school next year for 2 children. Take into account, a mortgage payment, and my salary, and we still don't reach the government's money numbers.
Now, take into account what students are actually learning in the public education classroom. Evolution is being taught as fact without allowing any other viewpoints. Students are being taught separation from religion and to try to think away from religious thought. Christianity, particularly, is targeted. Students are attending school in longer hours than ever before and nothing is changing. Teachers can't be fired for being bad teachers due to the Marxist/Socialist unions. All around, it's just a bad situation, and the government think that money is the solution.
The solution is for Christians to take a stand and to home educate their children again. Yes, I said again. Until the late 19th century, children were home educated. The industrial revolution started, men went to work in the factories, women had to start work, and children were handed to the government to educate. It's been all downhill since. If Christians were to lead in this area, and we are, in pulling their children out of public education to home educate, then the government would look at better solutions than money to fix their problem. I would love to see a school choice bill, at least in my state, become a reality. For one, it would give me back my money that is being thrown away on public education that I'm not taking advantage of. Another thing it would do, is give the parents of children for which the public education system is currently failing, another option. Private education might be the better option. Do you want to know why many of the great leaders around the world have been great? Home education or private education.
There are Christian educators in the public school system, and I know some of them. We need to pray for them, that they would be salt and light in the dark world they work in. As Christian parents, however, we need to protect our children, and be able to give them the education they deserve. They don't deserve this mess the government is giving them. No child deserves that. Let's take a stand on this issue and give the government notice that their system is an utter failure.
Disclaimer: I am a public education graduate, but I have gone on to earn both a B. A. and a M. A., but times were different, even 18 years ago.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Caring for College Students
How do you care for the college students in your church who go away for college, but may come home for breaks occasionally? Do you talk to them when you see them again? Do you even know they are gone? What if you happen to be in the area where one of your students is attending? Do you make an effort to visit/contact them to encourage them? We had the opportunity to encourage one of the students from church this past weekend and we were encouraged at the same time. We knew we were going to be in the area a few months ago and my wife worked it out while we were there to visit the student. While visiting, we were able to take her to breakfast and just chat. When we got back to the campus, she showed us her room and had even re-arranged it the night before in anticipation of being able to show it off. While there, we were also able to pray for her and encourage her. Do you know our college students who go off to college feel like they don't belong when they come back? How do you encourage your college students?
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