Why have a church building?

amazing Christmas Music

imagine if Jesus came this way.

Fun Christmas Video sent from Roger.

The Jesus Storybook

By far the boys favorite Bible story book.

Why I am so selfish?

Man doth usurp all space,

Stares thee, in rock, bush, river, in the face.

Never yet thine eyes behold a tree ;

'Tis no sea thou seést in the sea,

'Tis but a disguised humanity.

To avoid thy fellow, vain thy plan ;

All that interests a man, is man.

Henry Sutton.

I am totally into me. I see myself in everything. I barely take the time to rip myself away from myself. Even when I serve I tend to evaluate the serving from the perspective of how it changed me, not so much how it changed another. Yet even with all of this I also feel a sense of joy.

The joy comes from knowing I won’t always be a self centered creature. Someday Jesus will come back and put away my selfishness. He will give me a new way to see myself and the world. I will be able to understand the sea for its true beauty. I will be able to enjoy the rock, bush, and river for what it truly is. The gospel empowers us to be free from ourselves, and instead rejoice in deep joy.

How can I experience some this today:

1. Recognize your selfishness. I am not ever in this lifetime going to remove every aspect of my selfish nature. I will struggle with selfishness, but recognition of this selfishness draws me to the joy of a future rescuer.

2. Recognize Jesus lack of selfishness. I know of the life of the one who was selfless. I know Jesus who risked all so I could become all of who I was meant to be. He did this not for any gain of his own, but out of a pure selfless love.

3. Strive after Jesus. Focus on the effort not the destination. Allow yourself to be refined by the life of Christ. Let the refinement take shape today, let him who began a good work in you complete it.

what passion looks like

I am not a political junkie in any way shape or form. I don't like this because of the political nature of it. I enjoy Chris Christie because he knows what he believes and he pursues it with passion. I don't have renewed hope in American government because of Chris Christie, but I do enjoy understanding his perspective without having to wade through the jargon. I don't necessarily agree with his politic, but I appreciate his clarity.

I pray for the constitution to have this kind of clarity, but maybe with a little less pride. :)

New Beginnings

I am a Leukemia and Lymphoma board peeper. I go to this site because it is like visiting an old friend who walked me down a lonely and difficult road. There is something very unifying about this site because it draws people together through the intensity of life. We are awoken from the haze that says, "Tomorrow is guaranteed". Instead we learn these days are precious, even the difficult ones. Those of us who are Caregivers learn how precious our hurting loved ones truly are to us.

When my wife was diagnosed early on I choose a date five years out to celebrate her recovery. One of the difficult aspects of making it through the chemo/ radiation/ Bone Marrow or other linty of poison they call medicine (choose your flavor) is when it ends. Because it ends for everyone except you. You are left with this journey into the unknown. Where every time you cough you wonder if it has come back, or if your throat is a little sore should you get tested. I often contemplated if I should tell my wife I thought she should get tested, and she wondered if she should share with me that she had got tested. These are the mind games you play in year 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in recovery. So we choose a date to celebrate and prayed that date would come.

We were blessed by God to experience that date. We gathered about 125 of our friends and celebrated together. We renewed our vows, shared stories, celebrated past victories, and enjoyed future hope. This is a portion of that video we showed on that evening. It features our adopted twin boys, our church family that truly defined Christ like living, and my wife who bravely fought this terrible disease.

A brother Jogging

did Jesus vote?

Jesus didn't live in a democracy so no he really didn't vote. Doesn't mean that we shouldn't and it doesn't mean he didn't have something to say about politics.

I suffer from what I like to call the Reagan/ Clinton effect when it comes to politics. In my formative years Reagan was president and I learned that presidents are figure heads (like actors on TV) and their is a world of people behind them pulling the strings. Clinton was president in my college years and from him I learned that the figure head gets to define the world pretty much the way he sees fit and it is mostly about benefiting himself. This left me jaded.

I love being jaded, because it helps me understand the GenXer side of myself. It allows me to understand how this world is not completely for me and how I am really stuck in between two realities. There is the physical world in which I must work through politics and their is the spiritual world that has the greatest political solution of all time.

Three Things I Learn from Matt. 22:15-22

I. Jesus cares about Politics and I need to as well.

Jesus says his famous line, "Render Unto Caesar the things that are Caesar". Notice he doesn't say, "It's no big deal do what you want" or "Don't bother me I just care about me" or "Run, flee from all things political." Instead he is saying pay attention. Examine the currency, look at the issue, think through it, and determine the best way to handle it. Don't put me in a box and don't put yourself in a box either. You are not a Democrat, Republican or Tea Party Member. You are a free thinker who needs to understand the gospel implications of the issues before you. Don't run and hide like the Essenes, don't wage war like the Zealots, and don't conform like the Pharisees and Herodians. Think Gospel-mindedness!

2. Jesus wants our politics to focus on driving us towards the gospel.

Jesus talks about image (not politics), people are God's coin. God doesn't need silver, gold, or platinum to reveal his likeness because we are his likeness. For Jesus, politics is just another distraction that can rip us away from the Gospel. Instead he wants politics to drive us towards the gospel as we seek him to meet our needs, and the needs of the community.

Questions I think about:

What does it look like for us to be involved in politics (voting, running for office, getting involved), not so much the way Jesus wants us to vote, or the way that will benefit us the most, but in a way that will make us lean more on His understanding? What does it look like for us to move away from our familial political background and shift a little bit in one direction or another? What does it look like to experience someone else's politic and see how Christ might work through it? Everyone's politic has brokenness mixed in with goodness, if you can't agree with this then their is a hardness in your heart that might need to be moved.

Don't Send Bad Email

This is so valuable. Good words about not making mistakes with email.

Go Giants!

Palestinian Parkour

I think I could get the twins doing this if I coach them just right. I might need to lose a little more weight to join them.

Reason for God DVD

It is coming out. I am hoping we will have a study on this very soon at Canyon Creek.

Over Saved

Isaiah's Story

Isaiah's Story from 31Films on Vimeo.

Got this from a blog I like.

Sharing Lust

This is a great question asked and addressed by David Powlison at CCEF. What are the boundaries for a husband and wife to share when it comes to lust. Should we confess regularly all impropriates? When does a glance turn into lust? When does a thought become an idea that takes hold of the heart? David Powlison offers a Biblical way of thinking through these types of questions.

Evangelism and Church

Adriane and I watched this little video together. Trying to keep this from happening as a pastor is tough, but doable. I think this little video does a great job showing how to go after sharing the gospel.

MISSIONAL COMMUNITY...SIMPLE from jeff maguire on Vimeo.

HT: VZ

Another Reason I love Tim Keller

Simple answer bathed in brilliance.

Go Presbyterians!!!

HT: VZ

Kindle vs. Apple

Lead Me by Sanctus Real

Facebook for Ministry

I get asked quite often what Facebook has to offer for spiritual development. Is being on Facebook a Sin? Does it take away from deeper connections with one another? Is it teaching us social ignorance?

Tim Challies wrote a great little article on Facebook and to view it from a ministry perspective. Here are some of the quotes from the article:

“... spend a few minutes thinking about what Facebook has replaced. It is generally true of new technologies that they do not just add something to life, but that they also replace something that is already there.”

“Use it to learn about the lives of the people you love, to encourage them, and just generally to be aware of what they are doing in life. But do not use it to stalk them; and be careful how you introduce information you’ve learned from Facebook into real-world conversation.”

“Be aware of those aspects of Facebook that will alienate people and convince them that they are outsiders. I’ve said it before: I didn’t know how much fun my friends have without me (and how often they have it!) until Facebook came along!”

Read the whole article here.

If I were to add one more thought onto the article it would be about status updates. I try to follow a few simple rules learned through experience:

1. Stay Positive. (If it’s been a hard day call a friend up.)
2. Avoid statements that require tone (sarcasm doesn’t come across well.)
3. Look for opportunities to inform about life events. (health updates, new births, successful trips)
4. Share the funny moments of life. (It is always good to know people do the same silly little things that you do.)

I am sure there are lots of tips out there, but those are a few I try (not always successfully) to go by. Remember it’s a process not perfection.

Turning Boys into Men

One of my favorite men got married this weekend. From my seat in the wedding (it was a shared officiating ceremony) I watched the stage with great pride. I was proud of the man that Chris had become but I was also proud of the other five men that stood up on that stage with him. Each of them grew up together and leaned into each other constantly to become the men that God called them to be.

It made me think: What did God do in their lives to make them men? As we grow in community together and shape each other what are the key factors that drive our desire to be more than dudes, or guys, but really become men?

1. Dedication to the core truth of the gospel.

These men are dedicated to the Truth of the world. They have chosen the ultimate man to follow and pursue. The one who said that He would lay down his life for his friends. The one who honored women just as much as he honored men. The one who obeyed his father even though he made the most difficult requests. The one who invited all who would call upon his name into his kingdom and family.

2. Dedication to being in relationship with other men.

The distractions of this world lead most boys into becoming guys. They don’t want to be chiseled into men; they want to follow their own path and follow their own pursuits. True men honor each other. True men pursue one another even during the most difficult of times. True men push each other to honor the women in their lives. True men confront each other with the sins in their life. True men celebrate and mourn the ups and downs of life. True men stand by one another through thick and thin.

3. Dedication to finding a Godly woman or at least the pursuit of a Godly woman.

One of the most precious gifts God has given man is woman. When God saw that Adam was alone he knew that he could not be complete without Eve. A man aspiring to live his life as a Godly man will find the greatest fulfillment in marriage. Marriage is one of the main vehicles used to drive a deeper understanding of our relationship to Christ (not the only one, just a powerful one.)

I have enjoyed watching these young men pursue their girlfriends/ wives. They seek to honor them. They seek to present them before Christ, exalted above themselves. They seek to know their wife and through that knowing, grow in their knowledge of Christ. They seek to work through the sin in their relationship that threatens to tear it apart. They seek to mentor other boys around them in how to honor a woman. They desire to create spiritual houses where men honor women, women honor men, and Christ is glorified.

4. Dedication to making decisions and standing by those decisions.

Godly men make decisions even when it is difficult. Godly men own the decisions that they make. Godly men do not let their wives face all of the decision making alone. Godly men do not dictate decisions made in singularity. Godly men make decisions in unison with their wives. Godly men sacrifice by working hard to accomplish the decisions made. Godly men never blame shift when decisions do not work out as planned. Godly men sacrifice by taking the consequences of bad decisions. Godly men always sacrifice to present their wives before Christ blameless.

These things do not happen in perfection. These do not always show themselves each day or week. Instead, these are attitudes, convictions. They are directional. They are the desire of the heart. This is a calling from God to men to be the same as Christ and treat the world as Christ treated the world (Eph. 5:22-33).

Something to Say: An Animation

I got introduced to these videos at a blog I read often (JT). I have looked through all of his videos thought and enjoy them a lot. Maybe we will see one on a Sunday.

Tim Keller on the Centrality of Gospel

I Love Our Youth Ministry

Great Job Brad!

Life Station

I think the story of the Life Station explains our modern day church life. I feel this story and I feel like I live out and perpetuate this story. This story has always challenged and reminded me of why I began working in the church. I think it challenges the mindset of a Christian to be God focused versus me focused.

Sea Parable from ilovepinatas on Vimeo.

Music Video Made on Iphone 4

This caught my attention this morning as I was tootling around the internet.

Matt and Lauren Chandler on Suffering

HT: VZ

Randy Alcorn on Abortion

I am currently reading Randy Alcorn's book on Heaven. I have enjoyed spending time learning from Randy. Mark Driscoll recently interviewed him at The Resurgence about abortion and the Pro-Life movement. Having adopted two boys and greatly appreciating that they were not aborted I found his words to be moving. Check it out here.

Learning Disorders

Dyslexia has been a struggle in my life. Math and English have always been a bit tricky but not so much because I could not understand concepts. The difficult part came in two fashions. First, was in application. I would constantly find ways to mix up letters, numbers, works, and equations. Second, was in organization. I have always struggled finding systems that work with data.

The interesting thing is that I have always found organizing people to be so much easier than organizing data. I think there is a bit more fluidity in people so if I mix things up a little bit the impact is not as great.

Anyways, I enjoyed watching this video and am excited by this research and encouraged that others may not have to struggle in the same manner that I have.

Video of Zac Smith from Sunday

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Like This

HT: VZ

John Wooden

HT: JT

The Transforming Power of the Gospel

I am not sure if you have ever read anything from Elyse Fitzpatick but she is easily becoming one of my favorite authors. I truly love her insight on counseling and gospel centrality. She does a wonderful job isolating counseling principles and coupling them with gospel truths. Her latest article on The Gospel Coalition site is a great addition and can be read in full here. These three parts of the article stood out the most to me:

“How do we grow in holiness?” Further, most of us would answer the “How?” question in this way, “We grow in holiness through the gospel.” And while that’s the right answer, the possibility exists that it’s not specific enough to be of real help.

It is this entire gospel message that Paul says is “of first importance.” The gospel is more than just the cross. When we fail to appreciate all the other facets of the good news about His work, we’ll be tempted to use Jesus’ suffering on the cross to motivate obedience. In other words, we’ll be tempted to feel sorry for the victim Jesus and try to guilt ourselves (and others) into submission, rather than seeing the victor, Jesus, who acted purposefully throughout His existence and acts powerfully upon us to transform us.

Because of the incarnation, Jesus Christ knows exactly what it is to live in a sin-cursed world with people who break the rules…like me. I am a rule-breaker but He’s loved me and he’s experienced every trial I face. He’s with me. He sympathizes with my weakness (Hebrews 4:15).

I am hoping these three quotes will help you choose to read the whole article so I am posting a link to it at the end, right here, again.

How to talk to my kids about adoption?

These days are quickly coming upon us as the boys get older and ask questions. Just yesterday one of the boys was touching the tummy of one of his school teachers who is pregnant causing questions at home. My wife has read lots of great things about how to do this as well and has handled the questions wonderfully so far.

I really like the idea presented by Julie Lowe about not wanting to hide God's story in their life. Some parts of the story are going to be great while other parts of the story are going to be incredibly hard. It is a great lesson to learn that not all of our stories are wonderful and not all of our stories are going to be difficult, but in the end God is in control of all of them.

As I struggle with what I want to say, and as Adriane and I struggle to find the right words I want to always make sure it is pointing back to the Lord. In the end He is the one who makes families and has great plans for the families that He creates. I want our boys to love our family and to me that means that they are being cultivated for gospel centered lives.

Announcing beta.desiringgod.org

Announcing beta.desiringgod.org

An Example of Sin, Grace, and Mercy Baseball Style

I suppose I knew that Facebook had a lot of power, but this really drives the point home well. What does it look like to spread the gospel in a world that is communicating differently than ever before? It is hard to believe the church can ignore this major communication shift. Our whole point is to communicate the one truth so it rises above the noise. Well the world has gotten a lot noisier.

Interactive Ladies Bible Study with Lydia Brownback on Facebook: Tuesdays, Starting June 1

Interactive Ladies Bible Study with Lydia Brownback on Facebook: Tuesdays, Starting June 1

For any women looking for a Bible Study on Facebook this summer this looks interesting.

Why I love the gospel?

1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? ~ James 4:1-4

If the gospel of Jesus is the gospel I am pursuing then it should be moving me towards his likeness. James was more than moved by Jesus he was transformed by Jesus. James shrank while Christ grew and I need to do the same.

James pleads with the me to remain focused on the gospel, not the world. He pleads with me to avoid getting caught up in anger that leaves me faithless, coveting that leaves me no hope, and pride that kills my ability to love. Instead, I should be consumed by the Gospel message that cultivates a heart aware of his grace; overwhelmed by his love; bruised by his death; rejoicing in his hope.

The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence

The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence

Posted using ShareThis

An Interview with Bryan Chapell on Young, Restless,

An Interview with Bryan Chapell on Young, Restless, & Reformed and the Future of the PCA

Posted using ShareThis

Would you buy your son a stack of pornographic magazines? from Randy Alcorn on Vimeo.

Stop

Years of going to Mexico to serve the people there has softened my heart for those who suffer in the midst of this gang war. It saddens me that the drugs Americans buy is largely to blame for the violence as well. Our greed and desire for self fulfillment enrages their greed and desire for self fulfillment. It would be great if it could stop.

12 Cities | 12 Conversations from ConversationGatherings on Vimeo.

Sunday Morning Worship

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Adoptive Moms are Amazing Moms

Keep Me

Doxology

²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

When I was in college I got to lead a high school Bible study at my church. I remember I was challenged by someone with this stirring question: "How do you know that once you are saved you are always saved?"

To be honest that question has never left me. It is a great question that determines so much of how you live your life. If you believe that you are always in a mode of questioning God's love for you then our faith become a scary work. You will always be wondering, much like John Wesley, if you are truly going to be with Jesus forever?

The other side are those who take advantage of the answer. "Of Course they say, Jesus doesn't want anything from us." This is a gross lie. It fails to recognize the change of heart we are to experience as lovers of Jesus. This is what was so frustrating for Dietrich Bonhoeffer as he watched his fellow ministers fail in WWII.

So I love this passage because it makes me want to fall in love with Jesus all over again. It moves me to action because he is so active in my life everyday. I am going to stumble and I am going to be blameworthy, but the presence of my Lord, the great joy of the universe, my savior will never let those things overtake me. He will be my victory.

My Wife and Proverbs 31

So I have been reading Proverbs this past month. Someone taught me a method that has been of great benefit:

1. Turn to the Proverb chapter that corresponds with the given day of the month.

2. Read the Proverb chapter through one time.

3. Re-Read the Proverb a second time and stop when you land on a stanza that impacts you.

4. Spend the day thinking, praying, feeling that passage.

The thing I like I about this plan is that if you miss a day it's okay, just pick up on the day that you get reengaged and go from there. I find that in a few months I can hit all the chapters.

The only problem with the plan is that April doesn't have 31 days and with Mother's Day coming up it would be good to read that Proverb chapter. So I cheated a little bit and read it today.

My wife (and mother of our children) inspires me to recognize a few truths that come from this passage:

1. The importance of the mother son relationship in preparing them for their future bride. (Prov. 31:1)

2. The importance of thankfulness for a marriage partner, never taking her for granted. (10)

3. The importance of and value of forming a trust relationship between one another. (11, 12)

4. The importance of having someone to think, share and pray through the issues of life. (16)

As Adriane and I begin to plan our celebration from being five years free from Leukemia I am being reminded of how wonderful she really is.

2nd Commandment

I am preaching on the 'Second Commandment' which I technically can't say. I should say I am preaching on Ex. 20:4-6, because it seems that we cannot agree on how to label the ten commandments. Found this on Wiki-pedia.

Sweet New Site

I found this today and not sure how new it is but being able to read some of the puritan works for free as PDF files makes me want to buy an iPad.

Check it out:

http://www.puritanlibrary.com/

Christian Language

I have dreamed about making a video like this for years. Awesome!

HT: Thabiti

Jousting in Mexico

My Favorite T4G Message -- So Far

T4G 2010 -- Session 5 -- John MacArthur from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Francis Chan leaving Simi Valley

Surrender from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.

HT: JT

Gravité from Renaud Hallée on Vimeo.

Contentment

Encouraging words from Tim Keller on how to find contentment through the gospel:

If grace has really changed our hearts, we don't ultimately care if life goes the way we want it, as long as we have him. The joys of acclaim, wealth, and power are nothing compared to the eternal acclaim, wealth, and power we have in him. A "weaned child" is not just someone who knows this in principle, but who has worked gospel truths into his or her soul as spiritually sensed realities. Internally, this quiets the soul into profound contentment and poise. Externally, it means humility, a willingness to learn from others and also to trust God. The believer realizes that the reason God's actions are often opaque is not because we are wise and he is foolish, but because he is too "great" and "wonderful" for us.

Read the whole article here.

The Truth About Envy

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. Proverbs 14:30

Envy is that place I go to compare myself to others and make myself more than I really am. Envy leads to a false sense of reality.

“I could have written that book. I had all the ideas that he had.”

“I could have hit that pitch blindfolded. If only I had been given the chance to play.”

“My kids could have gotten into that college, if they had just listened to me.”

“I could have gotten that promotion if I was given the same projects as her.”

We like living in false reality because often our own reality is difficult to accept. Our own reality is filled with the challenges that have always held us back. Reality exposes our weaknesses and makes us acknowledge them.

The truth about reality is that is shakes us to the core. Handling the full weight of our human brokenness can lead to the greatest of despairs. However, it also makes us confront the truths about who and what we are.

This is where the gospel is so precious. The gospel says that I do not need to make a false presentation of myself before God. The Gospel says that I can come with nothing of benefit and be given all the gifts of heaven. The Gospel says that I am no longer in need of envy because the treasures of the world are placed in me. The Gospel says that there is nothing in my inheritance that will rot away. There is no power over me which has not be conquered through the grace and mercy of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Tuesday Ted Video

The Depth of Sin

11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;

First: Sin attacks our thought process.

Sin is the lack of rationality. It creates the defeating phrases that roll through the mind. Sin allows us to accept less than what we were created for. It is the force leading away from prayer, reading the Word of God, or meditating on the gospel.

The gospel makes us rational. It calls us to experience a renewing of the mind. The Gospel says that we are precious because every moment can be used to glorify God. Furthermore, it calls us to prayer, reading of Scripture, and meditation on Christ. The Gospel calls us to pursue one another in genuine love. It is the hope that we can achieve what was lost in the fall.

12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit

Second: Sin seeks compete ownership.

Sin's goal is idolatry. It's goal is to distract every thought towards itself. It wants to become the god of our heart. It's goal is not only to preoccupy us, but to own us, and then destroy us. Sin is relentless in its pursuit of itself. It traps us into believing that we should only pursue ourselves and no other.

Jesus is our true owner. He is the one who bought us from sin. His goal for us is complete humanness; not a half-baked, sub-human existence. His ultimate goal for us is eternal community.

13we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;

Third: Sin offers empty promises.

Oh the joys that sin promises all of us that seek after its fruit. We believe that we are seeking after pure things but in the end it is really just a chasing after our own heart. Sin loves to convince us that we have what we need. Sin loves to convince that it can provide what we long for, yet takes great delight in leaving us bankrupt.

The gospel of our savior fulfills every promise. There is no lacking in the body of Christ. Every tear will be wiped, and every wound will be healed. Death will reign no more, and life will ring eternal.

14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”—

Fourth: Sin loves community.

Sin desires community to replace the gospel. Sin doesn't care what we rally around as long as we do not rally around the gospel. Community is a tool that can be used for evil as much as it can be used for good. Community can even design itself to look like good, when it is completely engulfed by sin. Community can be a destructive force used by sin to separate us from Christ.

The Gospel calls us to center ourselves on Jesus Christ and him alone. Jesus provides us with wonderful gifts like community so that we can know Him more. Let us not fall into the trap of loving community, for community sake, lest we turn it into its own idol. Community is so much more powerful when it is rooted in the work of Christ.

Easter Story

Piper and Warren

I think this could be a great conference.

Time Out

I am taking a little blogging break, but hope to be back at it very soon.

Jesus will be what we are missing

Priorities from Blake Allen on Vimeo.

Gospel in Life

Trailer for Gospel in Life from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

Environmental Greed

Tough Choices

Preaching on Greed this week. I don't think this video will make the cut.

Mother Teresa and The Good Samaritan

Here are three articles about Mother Teresa and her life devoted as a Good Samaritan type. I find the conclusions from both of these articles formative for my message on Sunday. Not sure how much I will refer to either though.

Time Magazine -- Mother Teresa's Crisis of Faith

Reformation 21 -- Mother Teresa's Redemption

Nobel Prize -- Biography

The Good Samaritan

Christ, Sex, and the City

I am a steering committee member for the Bay Area Gospel Coalition and would love to have you come to our second conference. Feel free to email me for more details but read about it hear and sign up on Facebook for the event.

Christ, Sex, and The City
Discussing the Vital Relationship Between Jesus Christ, Sex, and Our Cities

Join friends and make new friends from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area at our second regional conference. This will be a memorable evening of exploring and discussing truth together. Pastors and church leaders are invited to a special pre-conference session and dinner with Peter Jones.

---

Keynote Speaker

Peter Jones: B.A., University of Wales; B.D., Gordon Divinity School; Th.M., Harvard Divinity School; Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary. Peter Jones is Scholar in Residence and Adjunct Professor at Westminster Seminary California. He is Director of Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet, now truthXchange, a national and international teaching, preaching, and writing ministry for the church and the campus. Peter is author of many books, including The God of Sex: How Spirituality Defines your Sexuality. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in Escondido, CA.

Jeff Louie, a TGC Council member and founding member of our Bay Area chapter, will be attending. The conference will be hosted by Justin Buzzard.

Selfishness

"we can be orthodox in our theology and circumspect in our morality and yet tolerate in our lives some of the subtle "acceptable" sins ..."

~ Jerry Bridges, Respectable Sins p. 101

Trying to figure out what I don't see in myself that I need to see. I don't want to be blind to the things that I need to work out in order to grow in Christ.

Retirement

Focus is Everything

The Urgent crowds out the important, and everyone thinks that their agenda should be dealt with first. ~ The Vine and the Trellis.

I am working through this book with a variety of our ministry teams at Canyon Creek. I hope when I am done to post a study guide about what was helpful in the book.

Sweet as Honey

"The difference between believing that God is gracious and tasting that God is gracious is as different as having a rational belief that honey is sweet and having the actual sense of its sweetness" ~ Jonathan Edwards

Funniest

More Funny

Funny

Importance of Sports

Marriage

When our theology teaches us that we are growing less to sin then we will be led to a place of pride in our marriage.

When our theology teaches us that we are the 'foremost' of sinners then we will be led to a place of humility in our marriage.

Five Minutes

Found this while browsing around:

Go Saints

Great Testimony on Drew Brees. Please forgive the cheezy commercial.

Piper on CS Lewis

I wanted to post this because I have been listening through it and am so thankful for the insight of Piper. He gives such a crystal clear understanding of what to love about CS Lewis even though his theology has difficulties. Click here to listen to the presentation from this year's Desiring God Pastor Conference.

Hawaii 1950

I found this on vimeo searching around. It was filmed the year my mom was born.

Hawaii 1950 from Wouter Van de Voorde on Vimeo.

iPad and Haiti

I really want an iPad. I know the name is silly. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it will be. I really want to enjoy my books and magazines on a single device while sipping my hot chocolate at the local hip coffee shop. I really would, but...

I am not one to be over dramatic about things. I am not an activist and I barely vote (my brother in law spent a whole year in Kuwait away from his family, that loyalty demands me voting). I don't put much hope in our government and just want to follow 1 TIm. 2, pray for my leaders, promote peace so the gospel can be spread most effectively.

Haiti demands that we don't by an iPad for awhile. I am not sure for how long, but I am sure Jesus does not desire me to have another toy, amongst all of my other toys. Not now, not yet, maybe never (let's not get to radical). This is convicting for me because I write this post on my 17" laptop, next to my fully charged iphone, in my home filled with food for a week, and when I am done with this post I am going to my church to pick up my boys who spent the day with loving teachers learning about Jesus and playing with friends.

And this picture doesn't leave my mind... (I don't need an "i" anything)

Mark Driscoll on Haiti

Piper on Abortion

This makes me want to become a church planter

Redeemer City to City from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.