tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101359322024-03-12T21:20:22.399-07:00culture driven lifetaking an honest look at how culture shapes our spiritual journey.jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-12898781476266855302010-12-18T19:38:00.001-08:002010-12-18T19:39:15.227-08:00Christmas came early!!!<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/TQ17ig--9tI/AAAAAAAAAGI/rApcX0ZYmVs/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG">
<br /><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/TQ17ig--9tI/AAAAAAAAAGI/rApcX0ZYmVs/s400/IMG_2269.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552229748517566162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>Obadiah and Malachi have wanted a puppy for so long! We thought about other pets since mommy and daddy have bad allergies but other pets never worked out. Turtles? Nope. Snakes? Daddy said yes, but mommy said no. <div>Then we went to a friends house a while back and visited with her Teacup Yorkie. It was so cute and we noticed that we weren't sneezing! We did a little research and found out that this breed is especially good for people who have allergy problems! The boys have had their heart set on a puppy and it broke our heart to hear them tell Santa at the mall that they really wanted a puppy but they knew they could never have one because of mom and dad's allergies so we knew they'd be super surprised when we brought him home!</div><div>He's a Yorkshire Terrier and his name is Ezra.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>You should have seen the look on their faces! Check out the video below for the exact moment the boys met Ezra.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t5O2bfhX7l0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t5O2bfhX7l0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-70429705829627115592010-07-24T22:22:00.001-07:002010-07-24T22:22:43.258-07:00N.T. Wright on America's Adam and Eve<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3BP1PpDyDCw&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3BP1PpDyDCw&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-53103506163244526992010-07-22T10:56:00.000-07:002010-07-22T11:14:00.601-07:00The Naked Gospel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.faithinterface.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/the-naked-gospel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 524px; height: 807px;" src="http://www.faithinterface.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/the-naked-gospel.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I've been reading The Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley which the Ooze Viral Blogger program sent to me and I've really been enjoying it. The idea behind the Naked Gospel is the truth of the gospel without all the trappings that we've added over the years. The description of the book says it like this: Jesus Plus Nothing. I LOVE THAT. It's an easy read and very thought provoking, and I believe, very honoring to Jesus and his intent for the "good news" of the gospel. It's not a theological handbook or anything like that, but if you are tired of the stuff we've added to following Jesus, or if you feel like maybe you'd like to read a book that reminds you about Grace, and the way that Jesus sees you I highly recommend this book.</span></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-70547980400034882812010-06-25T14:00:00.000-07:002010-06-25T14:04:13.561-07:00Obadiah wrote a song!!!<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well, I've been super busy and I've been neglecting this blog. Life has thrown us a few curve balls and we've been playing catch up for a while. I've got a new job, and I've never been so busy. Time with my family has always been precious to me, and now it is unfortunately all too rare. Today is my day off so I took some time to hang out with the boys, and Obadiah let me know that he wrote a song on the piano. Obadiah and Malachi have been taking piano lessons and he was so excited to show me his creation! I asked him if I could sit in and jam with him and after a few practice sessions we asked Malachi to film our performance so that we could share it with you guys! So, without further ado, I present to you, "Summer Day".</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AF7QwcOOpYk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AF7QwcOOpYk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-76956071934315588432010-05-31T14:50:00.000-07:002010-05-31T18:19:32.136-07:00Jesus Manifesto<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://www.bookschristian.com/images/products/9781596443853.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm currently reading Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet, and Frank Viola. I received a pre-release copy from Thomas Nelson publishers and it's a pretty great book. I've read a few books by Frank Viola and I really appreciate his approach to Christian spirituality and his thoughts on the cultural trappings that we bring to the church. I've also read So Beautiful by Len Sweet and really love his writing style and the way he stretches my brain (he's deep). So, ever since I heard about their collaboration on this book I've been looking forward to reading it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So far, I'm loving this book. It's full of great thoughts about the way we approach our faith and the way we relate to church, spirituality and the person of Jesus Christ. Their focus in this book is to show that we, as believers, need to re-focus on who we are following. Are we following a church? Are we following a Pastor? Are we following tradition? Or, are we following Jesus? Are we living a purpose driven life, or a person driven life? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The basic idea I'm getting from this book is Jesus, plus nothing. That's it. That's all we need. There are a few books out right now that are focusing on this theme, most notably </span><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Naked-Gospel/Andrew-Farley/e/9780310293064/?itm=1&USRI=naked+gospel+the+truth+you+may+never+hear+in+church"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, and this one, </span><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jesus-Manifesto/Leonard-Sweet/e/9780849946011/?itm=1&USRI=jesus+manifesto"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Jesus Manifesto by Sweet and Viola</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. I'm incredibly hopeful that many people will read these books and center their lives around the one who gave us life.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jesus-Manifesto/Leonard-Sweet/e/9780849946011/?itm=1&USRI=jesus+manifesto"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">CLICK HERE to purchase Jesus Manifesto</span></a></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-64739143340676385022010-05-08T09:32:00.000-07:002010-05-08T10:12:52.611-07:00Fred Phelps' son speaks out<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border="0" width="0" height="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.11NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyNzMzMzYyNjk5MTgmcHQ9MTI3MzMzODE5ODM1NCZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTImb2Y9MA==.gif" /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,124,0" width="344" height="278" id="ABCESNWID"><param name="movie" value="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt.swf"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="flashvars" value="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=10568462&showId=10590600&gig_lt=1273336269918&gig_pt=1273338198354&gig_g=2"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed src="http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt.swf" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="344" height="278" flashvars="configUrl=http://abcnews.go.com/video/sfp/embedPlayerConfig&configId=406732&clipId=10568462&showId=10590600&gig_lt=1273336269918&gig_pt=1273338198354&gig_g=2" name="ABCESNWID"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Fred Phelps is the leader of the "God Hates Fags" group based out of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. His son, Nate Phelps is speaking out about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father as a young boy and about how he supports a <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ikyWFurOtNk9_KCCfi6GmDi8hEtgD9F1UP301">new law</a> going to the Supreme Court that would limit where and when the hate group could picket. Specifically, banning them from picketing the funerals of soldiers.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I've written about these hatemongers <a href="http://culturedrivenlife.blogspot.com/2005/06/god-loves-fags.html">before</a> and I hope this law gets passed. Sadly, I'm sure this interview will just throw more fuel on Fred Phelps' fire as I'm sure he'll use this clip as an argument that he's being persecuted. I'm sure he'll quote Matthew 10:35 "For I have come to turn a man against his father." but I wish Fred would read I John 2:9 "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness." and Luke 6:27, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There were commands in the Old Testament that Fred, and others like him use to justify their hatred but I wish they could grasp the fact that Jesus came to do away with those commands and give us a new one:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>"A new command I give you: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>John 13:34-35</b></span></div><meta charset="utf-8"><meta charset="utf-8">jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-53526119577430889992010-05-07T15:31:00.000-07:002010-05-08T09:32:07.105-07:00BONHOEFFER<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S-SXF5HwfRI/AAAAAAAAAFs/XlBNKZQbxxU/s1600/picture+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 360px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S-SXF5HwfRI/AAAAAAAAAFs/XlBNKZQbxxU/s400/picture+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468661975023123730" /></a><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">BONHOEFFER Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas is really, really great. This is a heavy book. Yes, the subject matter is serious, but I mean this book is heavy, like three pounds. Metaxas is so detailed in his description of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life that's it feels like you are reading every possible bit of information that could be found on him. Metaxas did all the work for us and wrote an amazing biography. This book covers Dietrich's upbringing, family life, spiritual formation, ministry and eventually his involvement in the plot to end Hitler's life and ultimately Bonhoeffer's execution.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bonhoeffer's insistence that a spiritual life is a life fully lived, in service to God and others, not a life split into sacred and secular divisions seems especially relevant in a culture where we too easily fall into the trap of a lifestyle of consumption and compartmentalization.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I would definitely recommend this book. It was fascinating to read about this theological giant, and about the world he lived in, his thoughts on what it truly meant to be a follower of Jesus, and the struggles he dealt with as he saw the church sit idly by while evil men had their way.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595551387/ref=cm_cr_thx_view"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CLICK HERE to purchase BONHOEFFER</span></a></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-50729358135970722972010-04-04T23:15:00.001-07:002010-04-04T23:18:47.318-07:00thank you Jesus<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It's a tough time, financially. I'm looking for work and things are not going as I planned. Last night at about 11pm I went to turn off the porch light and saw that someone had left a card and 4 Easter eggs just outside the front door. The eggs had chocolate, and the card had $100 and said "love, Jesus".</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Thank you Jesus.</span></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-42401632173373134572010-04-04T11:43:00.000-07:002010-04-04T11:44:42.827-07:00resurrection<object width="601" height="338"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10639312&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10639312&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="601" height="338"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10639312">Resurrection: Rob Bell</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/realrobbell">The Work of Rob Bell</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(128, 128, 128); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><h3 class="GenericStory_Message" ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Every glimmer of good, every hint of hope, every impulse that elevates the soul is a sign, a taste, a glimpse of RESURRECTION.<br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></h3><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Happy Easter!</span></span></span></div></span></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-76818884582651605722010-03-17T10:16:00.000-07:002010-03-17T10:19:40.252-07:00A New Kind of Christianity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S6EOfN9owVI/AAAAAAAAAFk/a8FQjd7C0jI/s1600-h/mclaren.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S6EOfN9owVI/AAAAAAAAAFk/a8FQjd7C0jI/s400/mclaren.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449652953581928786" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I’ve read several of Brian McLaren’s books before and I’ve always appreciated his humility, his genuine love for God, his generosity in dealing with people who believe differently and the approachability of his writing style. There have been several times though where I felt he was deconstructing and asking questions and leaving us, the readers, to find the answers. This has made for some great conversations around his books but I’ve also felt like I’d love to know the conclusions that he came to on these same topics.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had heard that his newest book “A New Kind of Christianity” might be the book where Brian moves from deconstruction to constructing new ways of thinking for a new kind of Christianity so I was thrilled to receive my copy from the publisher and I jumped right in.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The book is based around ten questions whose answers Brian believes will shape the way that Christianity will move forward.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The chapters about the narrative arc of the Bible, and how we should read and interpret were fascinating. Brian talks about how many believers view the Bible as a constitutional document that we go to for “case law” in order to defend our actions, or condemn others, when the Bible is written as a library of poems, histories, parables, and letters.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The chapter about a moving from the view of a violent tribal God to a Christlike God was especially eye opening to me. It sounds like a no brainer but it was really an AHA moment for me when Brian talked about the fact that not only is Jesus like God, but God is like Jesus. Brian says it this way, “The Bible’s highest value is in revealing Jesus, who gives us the highest, deepest, and most mature view of the character of the living God.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This book covers lots of ground, and not only theology, but practical, down to earth material that helps us visualize what these new ways of thinking mean to the way that we live out our everyday lives.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Overall I found this book to be very respectful and humble. I found Brian’s writing to be motivated out of a deep love for Jesus and the people who are trying their best follow Jesus. I can’t say I agree 100% with everything Brian has written but I really appreciate the way he makes me think long and hard about what I believe and why. This book can be very challenging at times, especially if you come from a church background, but I would encourage you to read it with an open mind, and ideally with a few friends that could read through it with you and discuss your thoughts along the way.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061853984/ref=cm_rdp_product"><br /></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061853984/ref=cm_rdp_product">CLICK HERE to purchase A New Kind of Christianity</a></span></div></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-75585534100001880772010-02-17T14:00:00.000-08:002010-02-17T14:06:32.090-08:00Ash Wednesday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S3xnAl89hOI/AAAAAAAAAFc/xxVr3F5bbdc/s1600-h/ash.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S3xnAl89hOI/AAAAAAAAAFc/xxVr3F5bbdc/s400/ash.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439335709842179298" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ash Wednesday... Is the first day of Lent. The first day of a season of self denial. It’s a day to remind ourselves to take our focus off of self and to refocus on Christ. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is a day to "Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is a day to "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It is a day to "Repent, and hear the good news" (Mark 1:15).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The ash is made from the palm fronds of the prior year’s celebration on Palm Sunday. The ash is a symbol of ecstatic praise gone cold over the past year.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Palm Sunday represents praise and adoration, Ash Wednesday represents the knowledge that our adoration has turned to dust.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">May the ash remind us that our praises turn too quickly to dust, and spur us to refocus our lives on Christ.</span></span></o:p></p></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-14307811419281125882010-02-12T09:54:00.000-08:002010-02-12T09:57:08.986-08:00The Selfless Gene<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S3WV93w9v0I/AAAAAAAAAFI/x6UhSGlHWMk/s1600-h/selfless.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 345px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S3WV93w9v0I/AAAAAAAAAFI/x6UhSGlHWMk/s400/selfless.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437417015293624130" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I’ve always been intrigued when I listened in on conversations between Christians when they started talking about creation vs. evolution.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I’ve heard impassioned and spirited debates from equally intelligent people on both sides of the argument.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And they both seem to have some excellent points.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, I was looking forward to reading Charles Foster’s book The Selfless Gene, living with God and Darwin.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have to say this was a hard book to get through.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For one, I am not a highly educated man and much of the scientific talk was really hard for me to digest.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I read through several of the chapters 2 or 3 times to make sure I was understanding what Foster was getting at.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was also hard to read because Foster is kind of belittling to young earth creationists and die hard Darwinians alike.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">His tone was more than a little off-putting.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I was hoping for a more neutral perspective.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Having said that there are some very interesting points in this book and it made me think new, exciting, different thoughts. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Selfless-Gene-Living-God-Darwin/dp/0849946549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265996701&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CLICK HERE if you'd like to check it out yourself</span></span></a></p> <!--EndFragment-->jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-28759315166932264272010-02-08T09:41:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:41:58.166-08:00Sex, Lies and Religion by Randy Elrod<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S25f7iY_sWI/AAAAAAAAAFA/AuD-OnAV3xE/s1600-h/Sex_Lies_Religion_by_Randy_Elrod_Book_Cover_200x300.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dgt0Ydl0ovQ/S25f7iY_sWI/AAAAAAAAAFA/AuD-OnAV3xE/s400/Sex_Lies_Religion_by_Randy_Elrod_Book_Cover_200x300.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435387276731330914" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I just finished reading </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sex, Lies and Religion, Enjoying the Freedom of Unconditional Sexuality</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and I highly recommend it.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I grew up in the whole church scene and sexuality was not something that was discussed openly.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This book is bringing the discussion out of the closet.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Elrod proposes that all longings that we experience (including sexual longings) are deep cries from within reaching out towards God.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It’s all interconnected.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He also talks about the fallacy of separation of body and soul, how we tend to see the nourishment of the soul as sacred and the nourishment of the body as profane.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This book exposes the sexual politics at play in the church today in relation to women in leadership and points out that men and women are both, and equally, created in the image of God.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This book isn’t a sex manual, and it doesn’t get down the nuts and bolts description of the plumbing, but it does talk in depth about the emotional and spiritual component of sexuality that so many of us miss when we focus solely on the physical.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Elrod talks about the bedroom being a place of surrender and mutual respect, and not a place of control or manipulation.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He writes, “In a kingdom where grace is the currency, there is no room for a language of control. The wonderful truth is that when we accept and enjoy what is true and beautiful—we are free.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Free to give love, not spend lust. Free to share ourselves, not possess others.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">God is enthusiastically for all that we are as whole beings as we enjoy the freedom and communion of both soul and body.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This book is challenging without being crass, and open, honest and direct without being lewd.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sex, Lies and Religion is a breath of fresh air.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">God never intended for our sexuality to be a dirty little secret. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://sexliesandreligion.skyroo.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of Sex, Lies and Religion</span></span></a></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-86493763931120632592010-02-06T22:47:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:45:33.055-08:00This should be interesting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://missivesfrommarx.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/jesus-interrupted.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 433px; height: 648px;" src="http://missivesfrommarx.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/jesus-interrupted.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://missivesfrommarx.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/jesus-interrupted.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bart Ehrman is the author who wrote the most widely used New Testament introductory text book, and now he writes about why he has stepped away from the faith.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This looks like it's going to be a challenge, but I really love books that challenge me, and make me think long and hard about why I believe what I believe.</span></div><div><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780061173936&WT.mc_id=PBAN_OOZE_JSINT_021309"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CLICK HERE to check out Jesus, Interrupted</span></a></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-31204409593342308732010-01-06T21:51:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:45:55.869-08:00Tonight...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">...we gathered as a family and sang songs of praise to our Savior. We gathered at Granny's house and sang the songs that she has sung every Sunday since she was a little girl.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"All to Jesus, I surrender..."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"I stand amazed, in the presence, of Jesus the Nazarene..."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Come thou fount of every blessing..."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"I walk through the garden alone..."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound..."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We sang and we cried. We cried a lot. We hugged and we kissed. We tried to pretend that it was a coincidence that we all showed up at Granny's house at the same time. We tried to pretend that none of us had heard the phrase "they just called hospice." We tried to just enjoy the time we had together. We tried to live in the moment. Fully alive.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Life is a gift. Embrace it. Every moment of it. It's all a gift.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">UPDATE: On Tuesday, February 2nd, at 11:30am Melva Donaghy stepped from this life into the next. She will be missed but we have full assurance that she is in a better place and we look forward to that great celestial reunion.</span></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-18751216691543850272010-01-04T22:03:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:46:14.745-08:00GO BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Million-Miles-Thousand-Years-Learned/dp/0785213066/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262671578&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jimmyd8466/a-million-miles-in-a-thousand-years.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I read through "A million miles in a thousand years" in 2 days. A world record for me. COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I'm a huge Donald Miller fan, but this one really blew me away. This book is so inspirational, I feel like I'm ready to take on the world.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This time of year lots of people make resolutions and devote themselves to making themselves better, or making the world better and this is the perfect book to read to give you the motivation to do it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CLICK ON THE BOOK COVER to get the book.</span></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-41583580206974492332010-01-04T21:47:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:46:33.401-08:00the Greatest Stories of the Bible<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Stories-Bible-Thomas-Nelson/dp/1418541664/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262670545&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jimmyd8466/1418541664.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />I've been looking through the "NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible" for the past few weeks. It's a compilation of the great stories of the Bible in storybook format. It's got all the great stories you remember from Sunday school in an easy to navigate format.<br />I kind of dig the storybook feel. In my home we like to read through the stories in the Bible with our boys before they go to bed. Having everything laid out in like that is really nice. However, I think the NKJV version is still a little old school as far as readability. I prefer the Message version for it's every-day English ease of use, but the organization of this version is really great.<br />It's a toss up, not sure which version to grab at story time...</span>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-39756687438688526872010-01-04T21:41:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:46:56.530-08:00Hawaiian Music<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This weekend on the way to church the boys and I were listening to the radio and the DJ said the word "Ohana". Malachi asked "what does that mean?" Obadiah and I chimed in, "That's the Hawaiian word for family." To which Malachi replied, "Oh, Hawaiian!" Then started immediately singing, "Feliz Navidad!" with the biggest smile on his face! He was so excited that he knew a Hawaiian song!</span>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-4141767744861835542009-11-24T11:24:00.000-08:002009-11-24T11:46:55.115-08:00The Justice Project<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Justice-Project-Brian-McLaren/dp/0801013283/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259091918&sr=1-1"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jimmyd8466/Product4744_Photo1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/the_Donaghys/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Verdana; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Justice Project is a collection of essays devoted to understanding social justice issues.<span style=""> </span>There are over thirty chapters dealing with issues as diverse as urban poverty, justice for Native Peoples in the U.S., reading the Bible justly, and racial justice among many others.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I appreciate the conversational rather than adversarial tone used in these essays.<span style=""> </span>You will hear from liberals, and conservatives, you will hear from evangelical, mainline, and emerging believers, you will hear from seasoned voices whose names we all recognize and you will hear from the next generation of Christian thinkers that will amaze you with their passion and intellect.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here's a little bit from the book:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Because God is a God of justice, in any situation in which power is misused and the powerful take advantage of the weak, God takes the side of the weak. In concrete terms, that means God is for the oppressed and against the oppressor, for the exploited and against the exploiter, for the victim and against the victimizer. Because God loves justice, he is 'a stronghold for the oppressed' and 'the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever' Ps. 9:9,18"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"God's justice to the poor is executed through God's covenant people."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"God's kingdom is God's justice: God's will being done 'on earth as it is in Heaven' Matt 6:10. When that happens, justice comes. And with it comes freedom."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"If you are neutral in a situation of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This book will challenge you, and convict you. I highly recommend this book.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.bakerbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/Excerpt_9780801013287.pdf">CLICK HERE to view/download a 25 page excerpt of The Justice Project.</a> (thank you Baker Books!)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Justice-Project-Brian-McLaren/dp/0801013283/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259091918&sr=1-1">CLICK HERE to purchase The Justice Project</a>
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--EndFragment--> </p></div></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-44246221206770796042009-11-24T11:00:00.000-08:002009-11-24T11:19:48.839-08:00Respectable Sins<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre;font-family:'Lucida Grande',serif;font-size:10px;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Respectable-Sins-Confronting-We-Tolerate/dp/1600061400/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259089592&sr=8-1"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jimmyd8466/respectable-sins.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span> <meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/the_Donaghys/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Verdana; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges tackles the issue of sins in the believer’s life head on.<span style=""> </span>But this book takes a different approach than you might think when you hear that this is a book about sin.<span style=""> </span>Bridges writes about sins that we find culturally acceptable, the ones that we sweep under the rug.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >It’s easy to point out “big” sins and pontificate about how sad it is that others are struggling with such horrible issues without realizing that we are in fact committing the “acceptable” sins of gossip, pride and judgmentalism.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Or how about the sins of envy, jealousy, discontentment, selfishness and worldliness?<span style=""> </span>Not only are these sins acceptable in our consumeristic society, they’re practically viewed as a God-given birthright!<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">This book is humbling, and convicting.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">It calls us to a holistic view of sin, and to the pursuit of holiness.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Respectable-Sins-Confronting-We-Tolerate/dp/1600061400/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259089592&sr=8-1"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">CLICK HERE to purchase Respectable Sins</span></span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Respectable-Sins-Discussion-Guide-Confronting/dp/1600062075/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259090364&sr=8-2">CLICK HERE to purchase the small group discussion guide</a>
<br /></span></span><!--EndFragment--> </p></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-88692276432852500782009-10-27T12:12:00.000-07:002009-10-27T12:16:02.927-07:00It's really all about God<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_lKbwxn30Xs&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_lKbwxn30Xs&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He said some really interesting things there. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Religion as a "God management system"? </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What do you think? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-Really-All-About-God/dp/0470433264/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256670902&sr=8-1">This might be an interesting book to read.</a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:10px;"><br /></span></span></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-37834799076694420002009-10-26T15:27:00.000-07:002010-02-08T09:47:26.982-08:00The Search for God and Guinness<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Search-God-Guinness-Biography-Changed/dp/1595552693/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256597916&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jimmyd8466/_200_1000_Book96cover.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I just finished reading </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Search-God-Guinness-Biography-Changed/dp/1595552693/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256597916&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THE SEARCH FOR GOD AND GUINNESS, a biography of the beer that changed the world</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and I gotta say, it was pretty great. The first chapter alone is worth the price of admission! This book is full of beer history, Irish history, and the long tradition of the Guinness family and it's undying commitment to social justice and care for the working class of Dublin. The first chapter is a thorough history of beer, the brewing process and the way that religion and beer have been inextricably linked throughout the years. The rest of the book tells the story of the Guinness family; it's business genius, it's commitment to God, and to the needy.<br />The Guinness family has been classified in three groups, The brewing Guinness', the banking Guinness' and the Guinness' for God. The author, Stephen Mansfield, makes a point of saying that he is hesitant to use the phrase "Guinness' for God" though, because the implication is that the other family members were not "for God". He writes:<br />"They did not see themselves as secular, but rather as called. They did not see themselves as apart from Christian ministry, but rather as in the Christian ministry of industry and trade. They did not think of their brewing work as a menial way to pay the bills, hoping that they might compensate for such worldliness by giving occasional service to the church. No, they had absorbed the great Reformation ideal that everything a man did was to be done for God and that his calling and his vocation were usually the same thing. They understood that this transformed workbenches into altars and the labor of a mans hands into liturgies pleasing to God."<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Search-God-Guinness-Biography-Changed/dp/1595552693/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256597916&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">CLICK HERE to purchase The Search for God and Guinness</span></a><br /></div></div>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-13914268396572468412009-10-22T10:51:00.000-07:002010-02-08T09:47:54.296-08:00Tell her I don't want her to go<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Last night as we were sitting down to dinner I got a call telling me that my Grandmother's doctor had found cancer spreading throughout her intestines. He was doing a surgery on her large intestines when he made this discovery. He said, "We'll have to keep her here for about 5 days, then all you can do is take her home and make sure she's comfortable."<br />We all sat at the dinner table and cried.<br />I got up after a while and put on my jacket to go. I told the boys, "I don't think the hospital will let little guys in there because they're worried about the swine flu. I'll let Granny know you said hi, OK guys?"<br />As I turned for the door Obadiah stopped me.<br /><br />"Dad..."<br />"Yeah Buddy?"<br />"Can you tell Granny something for me?"<br />"Sure man, what is it?"<br />Through his tears he said, "Tell her I don't want her to go."</span>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-24691721179919019642009-10-04T20:40:00.000-07:002009-10-04T20:58:35.379-07:00The Simple Life <meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/the_Donaghys/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Life-Time-Relationships-Money/dp/0805448861/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254714097&sr=8-11" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jimmyd8466/9780805448863_L.jpg" alt="CLICK HERE to get the Simple Life" border="0" /></a>
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;">I just finished reading Simple Life, and I highly recommend it for you if you feel like you are too busy, or if you are trying to find focus in your life.<span style=""> </span>The authors surveyed over 1,000 people and kept hearing that people were busy, stressed, nervous, and without a clear direction.<span style=""> </span>The areas that needed the most work in the survey respondents were time, relationships, money and God.<span style=""> </span>The authors propose that with clarity, movement, alignment and focus you can achieve the Simple Life.<span style=""> </span>This is good stuff.<span style=""> </span>I definitely recommend this book.</p><p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal">Also, if you're a church leadership type, get "Simple Church". Excellent.
<br /></p><p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Life-Time-Relationships-Money/dp/0805448861/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254714097&sr=8-11">GET IT HERE</a>
<br /></p> <!--EndFragment--> jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10135932.post-6530114844030181572009-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:002010-02-08T09:48:23.426-08:00what matters more?<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KC0j6FTg1xU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KC0j6FTg1xU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />I've been following the controversy regarding </span><a href="http://www.derekwebb.com/store/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Derek Webb's</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> latest album, "</span><a href="http://www.derekwebb.com/store/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Stockholm Syndrome</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">" and especially the song "What Matters More". The record label threatened to shelve the album, and Derek went on a viral campaign to get the music out there. He actually released segments of tracks of the songs so that die hard fans could piece together the music! Brilliant! Anyway, the controversy at first seemed to be about adult language in one of the songs, but when I finally heard the first verse of "what matters more" I knew that there was more to it than that. Here's the first line of the first verse.<br /><br />"</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">You say you always treat people like you like to be<br />I guess you love being hated for your sexuality"<br /><br />Whoa! Can of worms.... opened.<br /><br />Let me point out that this song is not discussing whether or not homosexuality is, or is not a sin, this song is talking about the the priorities of the church.<br />I am of the opinion that the church invests way too much energy, time, and money into issues that just serve as a distraction from our calling. Our God is a God who hears the cries of the oppressed, and as His people our calling is to hear that cry and answer. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, taking His healing touch to those who are weary. We are called to feed the hungry, </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">clothe the naked, and </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">give water to the thirsty.<br /><br />According to the </span> <a href="http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/mdg1/en/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">World Health Orginization</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.1 billion people have no access to any type of improved drinking source of water. As a direct consequence: </span><ul class="disc"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.6 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera) attributable to lack of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation and 90% of these are children under 5, mostly in developing countries;</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">160 million people are infected with schistosomiasis causing tens of thousands of deaths yearly; 500 million people are at risk of trachoma from which 146 million are threatened by blindness and 6 million are visually impaired;</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">intestinal helminths (ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm infection) are plaguing the developing world due to inadequate drinking water, sanitation and hygiene with 133 million suffering from high intensity intestinal helminths infections; there are around 1.5 million cases of clinical hepatitis A every year.</span></li></ul><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What a powerful testimony it would be if the church embraced the call to "love thy neighbor" and put all of our time, energy, money and political clout into providing clean water in the name of Jesus to our neighbors around the world? But it's so easy to get distracted from our calling when we are spending our energies debating who can and who cannot be a part of our club.<br /><br />As I was listening to the song and thinking about the calling of the church I began loooking around the internet to see what kind of response this song has been getting. One of the responses that I found fascinating was Brian McLaren's take on Acts 8 as it relates to the issue of how the church should treat those with same sex attraction. Here are Brian's words:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For many years, I was like thousands of Christians: uncomfortable with the conventional approach to homosexuality - namely: it's a chosen lifestyle, and it's a sin. (I was also uncomfortable with the "anything goes" approach that was often - and falsely - presented as the only alternative.)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I knew from my many years as a pastor that sexual orientation was not a choice; I can't count the number of people who "came out" to me over the years, and never once did I have a person say, "This is a choice like any other sin issue. I'm just choosing to rebel, and if I repent, I will be different." They all had gone through months or years or decades of intense struggle and shame before coming to the point of saying, "This isn't a choice. It's a fact of my make-up. It's integral to who I am."</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, I was uncomfortable with the conventional approach, but I was unsure how to construct an alternative that was equally faithful to Scripture and faithful to the reality I saw in human beings who came to me as their pastor, friend, and family member. Over many years, that alternative has become more and more clear, and surprisingly (to some), it was a passage of Scripture that opened the way for me to see it.</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">While people have vigorously and sometimes viciously debated isolated verses in Leviticus, Romans, and 1 Corinthians (versus which, I explain in the book, may have very little or nothing to do with contemporary understandings of sexual orientation) ... Acts 8 was waiting with a story that is more powerful than many have realized. </span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It's a story about an African man who because of his race can never fit into the Jewish nation, and because of his sexual identity can never fit into the traditional family. As a eunuch, he can never be "healed" to become heterosexual. So now, through no choice of his own, he finds himself an adult who can never be categorized in traditional sexual roles. He has come to Jerusalem to worship God, but has, no doubt, been turned away - first because of his race and second because of his sexual identity: the Hebrew Scriptures explicitly excluded both Gentiles and people in his nontraditional, not-part-of-the-created-order sexual category.</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Returning in his chariot to his home in a distant land, he is reading the prophet Isaiah. One passage seizes his attention. It's about a man who was led like a sheep to slaughter or a lamb to the shearers, despised and rejected, a man who would not have physical descendants, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. A disciple of Jesus named Philip runs alongside the chariot and asks the man if he understands what he is reading. The man invites Philip into the chariot and asks if the writer was writing about himself or someone else - a question that suggests this man feels the prophet is talking about him in his sexual otherness: he too will have no descendants; he too has been rejected, misunderstood, despised, shamed ... he too has been brought like a sheep or lamb before people with cutting instruments.</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Philip explains that this passage can be read to describe Jesus, and he shares the good news of Jesus and the kingdom of God. As they pass a body of water, the man then asks if there is anything that could hinder him from being baptized. Anything that could hinder him - his race? His sexual identity? </span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Imagine what Philip might have said: "I need to contact the authorities in Jerusalem to get a policy statement on this issue. Maybe we should wait a few centuries until the church is more established. Baptizing you could cause real controversy in our fragile religious community. In the interests of not offending people back home, I'll have to say no. Or at least not yet."</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But Philip doesn't answer with words; he responds with immediate action. They stop the chariot, and Philip leads him into the water and baptizes him.</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Neither race nor sexual identity was an obstacle for the apostles in welcoming a new brother into the community of faith. As early as Acts 8 in the story of Jesus and his apostles, the tough issues of race and sexual identity are being addressed head-on. But as we all know, as the years went on, both issues once again became obstacles. It's only in my lifetime that we have truly begun to put racism behind us - although even there, we still have a long way to go. Now, it's time for us to remove the second obstacle. Not in spite of the Bible, but because of it. We've lost a lot of ground since Acts 8. That's why I am among those who dissent from the conventional approach and attitude, appealing back to Philip's even more ancient church tradition."</span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I appreciate Brian's gentle and grace-full approach to this most sensitive subject.<br /></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I hope that the church can embrace our brothers and sisters that are attracted to the same sex, I hope that we can love them unconditionally, I hope that we can pray for God's best for them, I hope that we can see that we are all on level ground, at the foot of the cross, sinners, looking to Jesus as the only means of our salvation. </span></p>jimmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17223995578394539795noreply@blogger.com9