Stopping to Think

"Whereas disinfecting Christians involves isolating them and teaching them to be good, discipling Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others." David Platt Commonplace Monday is a series of posts wherein, on Monday mornings, I share short quips, sentences -perhaps as much as a paragraph- which I have collected in my various commonplace books and files. If I wrote down or recall where it came from I will certainly give attribution. However, sometimes I write down things and not where they came from. So if you see anything like that here and recognize it, that's what comment sections are for. 

This is a short video clip, but you need to watch it. I think far too easily, as Christians, we can find ourselves tempted by the rhetoric of someone like a Donald Trump about restricting religious freedom for those who disagree with us; Russell Moore's comments here are a helpful antidote to such a temptation:

"Untold numbers of professing Christians waste their lives trying to escape the cost of love. They do not see that it is always worth it. There is more of God's glory to be seen through suffering than through self-serving escape." John Piper Commonplace Monday is a series of posts wherein, on Monday mornings, I share short quips, sentences -perhaps as much as a paragraph- which I have collected in my various commonplace books and files. If I wrote down or recall where it came from I will certainly give attribution. However, sometimes I write down things and not where they came from. So if you see anything like that here and recognize it, that's what comment sections are for. Anyhow. Hope you enjoyed week's installment.

Throwback Thursday is a series of posts, wherein I will on (some) Thursdays post a piece of writing from back in the day. Generally not from this blog. I will edit slightly for readability and grammar, but my intention is to allow each piece to stand basically as written. Over the years my mind has shifted on many things, as my knowledge of life, the Scriptures, and myself has grown. I'm not in the business of hiding this fact, so these will probably contain some things that even I think are crazy. Notes from Fuel 2/13/2010, with some elaboration. Originally posted on Facebook, February 14, 2010 Well, I was gonna post the notes I had for my message, but I meandered a bit from them, so I re-worked them and elaborated on them a bit. A lot a bit. In fact this is taking that message as a basis and basically going into what God has taught me in the last two days. My base text was Revelation 3:12-22 (NIV) "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of...

Consumer driven. Seeker sensitive.  Terms which, along with a myriad of others, describe much of the American evangelical landscape. The stereo typical poster child for this type of church is the booming mega church in the suburbs. But in all reality, even many small rural churches operate in such a way as to suggest that church is about the consumer. The consumer, of course, is not called by such a “worldly” name when it comes time for board meetings, talks among leadership, etc. Instead the more acceptable titles such as attendee or even member are in place. This makes our dialogue far more impressive and “Christian” sounding. We talk about needing to “meet people’s needs” or to “speak to them where they’re at.” Perhaps we even try to “help” the believers gathered. But are these things the point of church? Is church where I come to get my weekly “feeding” from the pastor? Is it where I come to have my emotions moved by the music? Do I attend church because I like the people there...

So...first post on the new blog, let's kick it off right.  And by kick it off right, I mean post something that most likely will have a lot people disagreeing with me.  But it's something that's been bugging me for quite some time.  I will apologize in advance for it's disjointed nature, my brain is running sub par at the moment, so bear with me. There is no question...or at least there shouldn't be...that our country is having serious problems.  From our multi-trillion dollar financial deficit, to the attacks on marriage and the unborn, to growing threats from foreign powers.  And while I could write a book on the roots of all these problems and the people responsible, I will refrain, because right now it is a different group of people annoying me.  And that is people on the far right, especially Christians, who are missing the point. These are the people getting riled up and throwing fits over the recent court ruling in California overturning the ban ...