IS IT A TRICK OR TREAT?

Christian parents struggle with Halloween. It's a day where our city celebrates (plays with) evil and death. It proves the blindness and naivety that much of our world has to the reality of Satan/evil (as well as the good side of the spiritual). Like Christmas, it's history and contemporary practice is a melting pot of morphed beliefs and practices. Each person has a unique (tailored or naive) perspective on it and its various traditions. And like Christmas, it can be used for good or bad. (Christmas can be wonderful if you forget about the people that suffered to make your Walmart toy, the impact that toy will have on the planet, the materialism and entitlement we teach our children in that season, and the debt that we incurred from buying it). Don't worry, I still think Christmas is [...]

IS IT A TRICK OR TREAT?2018-09-27T12:02:24-07:00

Christians & SOGI

[Background: SOGI stands for Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity. It is the name for recently approved resource for BC teachers (public and private). You can read all about it at www.sogieducation.org.]. Every Christian should be deeply troubled by the health of the church and our society. Troubled but not frantic. This a response to Christians that, like Chicken Little, believe the sky is falling due to SOGI. First, the sky isn't falling and it is falling. Christians that believe the Bible, know that the sky is never really falling (in a chaotic sense) because Jesus is at the helm and He is working an eternal plan that is good. And yet, Christians that believe the Bible, know that the sky will fall (is falling) and that in those days (the here and now) Christians will get caught in [...]

Christians & SOGI2018-04-24T07:39:50-07:00

RESOURCES ON HOMOSEXUALITY

In preparation for Sunday's message, here are some of the resources I found helpful: Is God Anti-Gay?: and other questions about homosexuality, the Bible and same-sex attraction by Sam Allberry "Updated and revised edition 2015 It's the hot topic of the moment. Christians, the church and the Bible seem to be out of step with modern attitudes towards homosexuality. And there is growing hostility towards those who hold a different view to the culture's. So is God homophobic? And how do we relate to both Christians and non-Christians who experience same-sex attraction? In this short, simple book, Sam Allberry wants to help confused Christians understand what God has said about these questions in the scriptures. Drawing on his own experience, he offers a positive and liberating way forward through the debate. This revised and updated version includes [...]

RESOURCES ON HOMOSEXUALITY2017-07-15T17:08:20-07:00

SHOULD CHRISTIANS GET MARRIED?

1 Corinthians 7 is written as a response to some of the questions/views the church had about sex. Some thought sex was dirty (v.1); while others believed that because it's a sacred act, they shouldn’t stay married (‘one flesh’) with an unbelieving spouse (vv.10-16). Paul’s response is revolutionary for their day and ours as well. First, he says, sex in the context of a Biblical marriage isn’t dirty (vv.2-5). After all, if we remember from chapter six, sex is a gift from God designed to bring us closer to God and our spouse; as well as to show us that oneness with God and our spouse produces life. The Christian view of sex isn’t that it’s dirty, but that it’s sacred. No one on the planet has a higher view of sex than the Christian. We’re not narrow-minded, [...]

SHOULD CHRISTIANS GET MARRIED?2017-07-11T16:40:32-07:00

CHAINSAWS IN THE KITCHEN

Let's talk about sex. There are tools and then there are power tools. A power tool, unlike a hand tool, can do a lot of good or a lot of bad in a short amount of time. Take a chainsaw, it can cut a tree in a matter of seconds, but bring it into the kitchen and it's nothing but a mess. Casual sex is like a chainsaw in the kitchen. Sex is a power tool that in a matter of moments can do lots of good or a lot of bad. As humans, we were designed by God, just like a chainsaw was designed by its creator, for certain purposes. To use our bodies, brains and other components in ways other than our Creator intended causes all kinds of damage (to ourselves and others). A chainsaw used [...]

CHAINSAWS IN THE KITCHEN2017-07-04T15:35:45-07:00

THE DAY AFTER AN ELECTION

How is a Christian to live out political election results? We update our prayer lists. "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:1-4 NIV) People of other political parties and religions are not the enemy; they are the ones we are called to love. It starts with prayer and aligning our heart with God's. We learn from those who voted differently than us. "An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." (Proverbs 18:15 ESV) It's in our [...]

THE DAY AFTER AN ELECTION2017-05-10T12:05:17-07:00

HOW IT ALL CONNECTS

It's something that I don't talk enough about in our gatherings probably because it's not that much fun. Add in a cultural disdain for organized religion and things like "org charts" and denominational news are often met with glazed over eyes and/or a skeptical heart. And yet, it's all Biblical and critical to who we are and what what we are called to do. Just as our skeleton is critical to the healthy function of our bodies, so too is organism organization. For a church is more like an organism than an organization, but even organisms require design and structure to function. Our church is a living body in submission to the mind and heart of Jesus. He directs us by His Word and animates us by His Spirit. And He calls us to an organized purpose. He calls leaders to [...]

HOW IT ALL CONNECTS2017-01-09T12:42:59-07:00

PARENT HACKS – EPISODE 001

Here are some parenting hacks I've found helpful and in an effort to "raise all boats" I pass them on to you. They aren't for everyone, but they help me. I do better as a parent (emotionally and practically) when my life is organized and things are written down. Having a schedule or list relieves stress and keeps life going at a sustainable pace. I get that for others, schedules and lists only adds stress. So this is only for people, like me, that thrive in formal organization. Plan Spontaneity I've written about this before in my old blog spot, but it bears repeating and I'm still learning how to do this well. Be liberal when it comes to estimating the time a task takes. Schedule your life with margins. I used to have my life scheduled in [...]

PARENT HACKS – EPISODE 0012016-10-14T09:48:07-07:00

IF ALL THAT I AM AND HAVE IS FROM GOD THEN?

Churches always want "your" money because it's a practical component to the work of the church and a practical way to exercise the soul. It's Biblical and it's good. Churches also want your time, talents and faith. Why? Because what we do with our body, time, and money are all soul acts. It's why God cares about sex, schedules and "our" stuff. The use of quotes is to reinforce the myth that anything we have is truly ours. Even our bodies are His (He made us and then redeemed us). The notion that our stuff is ours is foolish at best and costly in reality. Everything we are and have is given to us by God - we are blessed to be a blessing - and we are blessed when we become a blessing (though that isn't our motivation, rather a result [...]

IF ALL THAT I AM AND HAVE IS FROM GOD THEN?2016-09-07T12:32:22-07:00

THREE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR SPIRITUAL HEALTH

Spiritual health, like physical health, doesn’t come naturally or easily. Spiritual health is the foundation for health - health here will make it easier to be healthier in every other area of life. Dissatisfaction of the present state, healthy motives, a good plan, a Heavenly reward, and accountability are all needed. Where is the Spirit and Word of God leading you this fall? Who is going to help you get there? Here are three essential ingredients every Christian should have in their spiritual pantry: #1: DAILY TIME WITH GOD Set a time each day to engage God in His Word - to pray and ponder the things of the Word and Spirit. I know this sounds crazy to people living in 2016, but I find 45-75 minutes in the morning to be essential. Like the physical realm - do you [...]

THREE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR SPIRITUAL HEALTH2016-10-14T09:48:07-07:00

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