A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas [Expanded]
by Vince Guaraldi Trio

Price:

$1.99

I LOVE this record.

Amazing Church Buildings

Here is a breath-taking photo-post on some of the most architecturally interesting churches from around the world.

I often have a hard time reconciling the twin pulls I have in my heart towards churches being much more wise with God's money, but at the same time long for the symbolism of God's grandeur in our ecclesiastical architecture. Can we not spend billions of dollars on a building and yet have it move us?

How do you think about that issue?

(HT: Jared)

Abortion Now Number One Cause Of Death In Spain

LifeSite News reports:

Abortion is now the number one cause of death in Spain, and represents the most common type of violence against women in the formerly Catholic country, according to a new report by the international Institute for Family Policy (IPF).

The report, which was issued on the International Day of Violence Against Women, notes that Spain has one of the most liberal abortion laws in Europe, allowing women to kill their unborn child for "psychological" reasons at any time during their pregnancy.

Under Spain's practically nonexistent restrictions, abortions have more than doubled since the mid 1990s, climbing from 51,006 in 1996 to over 120,000 in 2007. The abortion rate is now approaching one in five pregnancies (18.3%), according to the report.

Although purely elective abortions are not technically legal under Spanish law, the vast majority (97%) were undertaken due to a purported psychological or physical risk to the mother.

Undercover investigations by Spanish media in late 2007 showed that abortion clinics in Spain maintain financial ties with psychologists who automatically issue assessments to abortion clinic customers stating that the woman is psychologically at risk from her pregnancy (see LifeSiteNews coverage at http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07112913.html).

The IPF report also notes that the proportion of women having their second or later abortion has risen substantially since 2000, from 23% that year to 31% in 2006.

(HT: STR.org)

Starbucks and World AIDS Day

Jason Kovacs:

I saw this the other day on the sidebar of my Facebook page and something struck me a little off. I love Starbucks and I love it when corporations get behind these major causes but I can’t help but think how much of a greater impact could be made if the 248,042 folks who have already said they will buy a “hand-crafted beverage” at Starbucks on Monday donated the full-price of that beverage to help save lives in Africa.

I did some basic math and if 300,000 folks buy a drink on Monday, the Global Fund gets $15,000…Starbucks gets significantly more! Now if Starbucks were to encourage folks to give up their daily “hand-crafted drink” this Monday for World AIDS Day and donate the money to an organization working in Africa, the total would be close to a $1 million dollars!

Hmmmm…what do you think?

Certainly bypassing Starbucks and giving directly would be the best option, but if you are not going to give at all then I say, drink away!

Knocking The Props Out From Under Our Lives

(HT: Bret Carroll)

Volition

A very powerful 7 minutes that is worth your time. Click here to watch.

AmazonMP3 Daily Deal - Christmas Music!

Let It Snow!
by Michael Bublé

Price:

$0.99

How To Offer Your Work To God

J.I. Packer:




(HT: Ray Ortlund)

How To Encourage a Blogger This Christmas

Tim Challies writes well about this here.

Greed Can Kill

Black Friday is right:

A stock clerk was trampled to death this morning by the crowd eager to get inside a Wal-Mart.


(HT: Jared)

Will Anyone Believe It?

Peter Leithart:

When we read that ancient tyrants hired magicians to perform haruspicy with the entrails of dismembered infants, we immediately discount the record as propaganda. We know without needing to investigate that similar accusations against Jews in the Middle Ages had become a topos of anti-religious rhetoric.

I’m not saying we should believe these accounts, but I wonder: Centuries from now, historians will tell about a civilization that tore apart infants in their mothers’ wombs, or burned them in saline solution. Historians will claim that in the early twenty-first century, the leading citizens of the United States could not decide whether or not piercing the brain of a partially-born baby should be legal.

They will argue that scientists grew embryos in laboratories in the hopes that their genetic material could provide miraculous cures for the sick and dying. Economic historians will trace the sources for the billions of dollars gathered by infant-killers, and the billions more devoted to research on murdered babies.

And I wonder: When historians say all this, will anyone believe it?

If anyone doesn't believe this is accurate I would encourage you to watch this movie. It's all right there.


(HT: James Grant)

AmazonMP3 Daily Deal Plus 50 Records for $5 Each

Led Zeppelin
by Led Zeppelin

Price:

$2.99

**Also, AmazonMP3 is running a killer deal on 50 Records for $5 each. I'm sure you want to check it out. It features some really good bands.**

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tell me what you are thankful for today.

Here is what I am thankful for:

1. My salvation in Jesus

2. My loving family that hopefully will be adding a new member next week!

3. My beautiful and sacrificially supportive wife who is a gift from God beyond measure to a guy who is way out of his league.

4. My beautiful children who bring me unspeakable joy.

5. The church where I work that continues to prove to be a divine appointment for me.

Now it's your turn...

Before You Hit Up That Huge After Thanksgiving Day Shopping Spree, Watch This

Reflections on New Coldplay EP

Just a quick note about the new Coldplay EP release. I have been listening to is non-stop since I got it a couple days ago. All I can say is... wow. I think this might be my favorite Coldplay release yet. Amazing beauty, diversity and creativity!

You can still get it for $0.99 from AmazonMP3 for a few days I think.

The Homeschool Song

Since our family participates in a hybrid type of education between home schooling and traditional classroom education, I thought this video was pretty funny. Homeschoolers, I know you can take a joke!




(HT: Amy)

Very Insightful

“Here, then, is Jesus’ radical redefinition of what is wrong with us. Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.”

- Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God, p.43

(HT: OFI)

Review of Total Church

T-Wax reviews Total Church. His conclusion:

Overall, Total Church is an important book. When I first began reading, I was not expecting their vision of church to be so comprehensive. It is indeed total church - in that this book addresses a wide variety of important issues facing the church. This book will lead to fruitful discussion about the church and the gospel. Total Church deserves to be read, pondered, discussed, and practiced.

Read the whole review.

Dave Ramsey Sale

The best $10 investment you might make all year could be found here. It's not rocket science just some common sense discipline that 90% of us fail to implement and pay huge price for. I needed a swift kick in the butt from Dave about 4 years ago to get our finances in order. My guess is that you might too.


(HT: Amy)

Reflections on Generous and Sacrificial Giving

In the flurry of activity to get our adoption finalized we had to figure out in about 24 hours how to get a large sum of money in order to pay for the adoption. I have been reflecting upon how God has provided so graciously through his people in recent days and have come to three conclusions.

1. We should not be shocked or surprised that God provides. He has promised to do so over and over in his Word. As a father to my children, I don't want them to be surprised when I provide for their needs. They should know that I love them so much that it brings me great joy to see them happy. Instead of surprised, I want them to be thankful and humble. I think God does as well (Luke 11:11-13).

2. We should not feel guilty or have a sense of reciprocation when people give generously. I fully believe Acts 20:35 that says that "it is more blessed to give than receive." When people give, there is a promised blessing that they will experience. We should rejoice in this for them.

3. When people give generously and sacrificially there will be a kingdom ripple effect that is powerful. The people that have given towards our adoption do not expect us to pay them back. That would be an offense and would turn their gift into a loan. But those people can know for sure that they have made a significant investment in the kingdom of Jesus. We are changed people as a result of the generosity and they can know that their generosity will not terminate on us, but will rather flow through us as we have the means to do the same for others in the future.

How Sanctification Works

Ray Ortlund:

Justification by grace empowers and spreads sanctification by grace.

I think of my inner self as a globe, a world, with many dark continents still unexplored, uncivilized, vast jungles of primitive impulses. Then Jesus the Liberator steps ashore on the coast of one of those continents, plants the flag of his kingdom in my consciousness and declares peace. That is justification.

Then sanctification begins. For example, it doesn't take long for a half-naked savage, dressed in war paint, to run out onto the beach with spear in hand to attack Jesus there. This is some selfish desire in me rising up against the King. But he declares peace all over again and subdues that aspect of me by the force of his grace. "Clothed and in his right mind" (Mark 4:15) is the picture.

The King starts moving steadily inland, planting his flag in ever new regions of my being. He brings one dark thing after another into my awareness, declares peace again and again and again, and thereby establishes civilization.

Sanctification works as I re-experience the surprise of justification by grace, applied to new points of need.

$250

Pray for Christians in India.

7 Day Sex Challenge?

Michael Spencer isn't very excited about Ed Young's 7 day sex challenge to the people at his church.

Spencer's critique is worth considering.

Any Christian Who Cares About Pro-Life Issues Needs To Watch This Movie

I love documentaries. They often have much more to offer intellectually than the mind-numbing titillation that Hollywood usually produces. The movie Lake of Fire certainly did not disappoint in this respect. This movie does not pull any punches and is very skillfully put together by director Tony Kaye (American History X). It is very hard to watch, but after having seen it I feel very strongly that it must be watched for two main reasons:

1. As a Christian, you will see how NOT to behave in the cultural discussion of abortion. The movie mainly paints a picture of Christians as backwoods fundamentalists who hold up huge signs and scream words of condemnation at abortion clinic doctors, workers and patients. It is very painful to watch these people do what they do. What I found most striking was the complete lack of gospel in their message. It’s all law. Obey or be severely punished. Law, law, law. This is true for all people. If you fail to meet God’s standard you will be punished eternally. But what is painfully absent (for the most part) in their message is the MEANS by which you can meet God’s standard, namely faith in Jesus Christ. Their message is pure legalism and is horrible to see in action.

It’s no wonder pregnant non-Christian women (or Christian women for that matter) don’t want to run to the church when this is what they perceive as the dominant voice of what it means to be pro-life. If you are a scared single mother, why would you run up to some angry guy with a huge poster of aborted babies and say, “Help me!”

2. You get to see abortion for what it really is. This was the most shocking part of the movie for me. You get to witness an abortion, twice. They hold nothing back. How anyone can watch those scenes and not seek to want to do something about the abortion industry is beyond me.

After watching I was left with a strong sense of the need to act. Obviously for all those who read this blog, you know how I feel about abortion, but our action needs to go beyond blog posts about Obama and his policies (as important as those posts are).

What if our churches were teeming with orphans that were given up for adoption or were formerly entrenched in the foster care system? What kind of a picture of compassion would that send to an on looking world? What if the norm in our culture was for churches to be known for their orphan care? If we are really pro-life, why don’t we rescue more kids? If this were the norm for Christians would this not potentially prove to be a viable and winsome option for single pregnant women? I can’t shake the connection between being pro-life and adoption.

Yes we still needs to fight for legislation that will outlaw abortion (and I will do that), but along with that, as Christians we need to fight just as hard to be a gospel-centered witness of compassion and care for those who are voiceless and helpless inside the womb and outside of it.

Watch Lake of Fire. You will be profoundly moved in a variety of ways. The last twenty minutes completely tore me apart.

If you have seen it, tell me what you think.

You can get it here on Netflix.

You can read reviews here on Rotten Tomatoes.

Christianity Today's Best Christian Records of 2008

Christianity Today reports on their 12 best Christian recordings of 2008:

#12
Children 18:3 - AmazonMp3 or


"Christian music has played a part in reducing punk rock to a stale and whiny shadow of its former self, so it's truly refreshing to discover a new faith-based band that has helped reinvigorate the genre. Though there are traces of blink-182 and Sum 41 in their hook-filled sing-along choruses, Children 18:3 also echoes classic acts like The Ramones and The Clash by way of modern bands like Green Day and Panic! at the Disco. Moreover, the Hostetter siblings add their own creative stamp by varying their style from song to song and creating interplay between vocalists David and LeeMarie. But even better is the way Children 18:3 reaches deeper than the usual themes of romantic longing and heartache, cleverly joining punk's rebel attitude with messages of fighting spiritual complacency and standing up against the non-biblical standards of our changing culture. All spoken—and yelled—with passion, attitude, and hope by a tight-sounding trio that's off to a terrific start with this debut."


#11
With Arrows, With Poise - AmazonMP3 or



"Though The Myriad maintained a foothold in Christian music by opening for David Crowder Band in late 2007, they also gained mainstream prominence by winning a battle-of-the-bands contest on MTV2. Based on this impressive sophomore album, it's not hard to see why listeners from both sides are embracing the music. Similar in scope to Radiohead, Lovedrug, Muse, and Sleeping at Last, The Myriad is consistently mesmerizing and awe-inspiring with their indie alt-rock sound, whether gloomy ("Forget What You Came For") or hopeful ("A Thousand Winters Melting"). These songs are excellent examples of how to break from formulaic songwriting conventions without compromising the melodies. And though the lyrics are often cryptic (if not impenetrable at times), The Myriad still establishes their message with atmospheric tone and key phrases as they write about what they know and believe as Christians; they've also been unafraid to explain their inspiration to curious fans. It's a tricky artistic balancing act all around, yet The Myriad pull it off expertly and live up to their name as a result."



#10
Satisfied - AmazonMp3 or


"Has DecembeRadio avoided the dreaded sophomore slump after their much lauded 2006 debut? We're somewhat divided on that question, but the best qualities of Satisfied are unquestionable. This is a rock lover's album, clearly descended from Southern-flavored bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Black Crowes, as well as the classic pop-metal of Petra. Time together on the road has only tightened their rhythm section and blistering guitars, and it's refreshing to hear unadorned rock instrumentation without flashy effects or studio enhancement. Plus, lead singer Josh Reedy proves again that he's in the same league as classic vocalists like Lou Gramm, John Schlitt, and Steve Walsh. There's also something to b said for a band such as this being so forthright with their beliefs, from the bluesy anthem "Believer" and the gospel-infused rocker "Powerful Thing," to soulful swamp-rock of "Satisfy Me" and the string-drenched power ballad "Look for Me." It's all a fun throwback to the rock of yesterday, firmly grounded in Christian faith. Regardless of which DecembeRadio album you prefer, this one lives up to its title, if not more so."


#9
The Ill-Tempered Klavier - AmazonMp3 or
Ben Shive

"If you don't recognize his name, Ben Shive has played keyboards on several well-known albums, most prominently the work of Andrew Peterson, as well as releases from Chris Tomlin and Steven Curtis Chapman. Yet as excellent as his richly textured keyboards are, they're ironically overshadowed by his skills as a vocalist, arranger, and songwriter on this independently released debut. With shades of Ben Folds, Ed Harcourt, and Brian Wilson, the album is a fascinating blend of cabaret and alternative, united by Shive's penchant for pop melody and bittersweet writing. Though his songs often begin with sad observations or tragic storytelling, they tug naturally at the listener's heartstrings before paying off with the hope held by Christians through faith (particularly "4th of July" and the Ecclesiastical "Nothing for the Ache"). Exquisite, theatrical, pensive, penetrating, and cathartic—these words aren't commonly used to describe Christian music, and that's an indication of just how special this artful release really is."


#8
Beautiful Bird -
Cindy Morgan


"It's kind of sad or funny (or both) when you think about it. Though she's a 15-year veteran with awards and recognition, it was only when Cindy Morgan went independent to make music on her own terms that she finally won the prestigious Songwriter of the Year at the 2008 Doves (for Point of Grace's "How You Live"). Weeks after that, she also released one of the best albums of her career, and that's truly saying something based on her previous work. Beautiful Bird finds the acclaimed singer/songwriter delving deeper into the roots/country music so dear to her heart while remaining true to the refined pop that has defined her last four albums. The earthy sound suits Morgan's smart and heartfelt lyricism, touching on everyday life while remaining grounded in her faith. How unfortunate that there aren't more outlets for Christian artists to explore outside the typical pop sound, because based on the popularity of Alison Krauss, Faith Hill, and Emmylou Harris, Beautiful Bird deserves widespread recommendation. Chalk it up to her newfound artistic freedom or simply experience gained with time, but Cindy Morgan only seems to grow in sophistication with age."


#7
The Fight of My Life - AmazonMP3 or
Kirk Franklin


"This Christian Music Today panel has always held enormous respect for Kirk Franklin and his efforts to revitalize gospel music for a new generation. But it's been a long time (1998's The Nu Nation Project to be exact) since he's released an album that we could unanimously call one of the year's best. It's interesting that his album with the shortest creative turnaround is the one that earns him some overdue recognition, but simply put, The Fight of My Life is one of the finest in his 15-year career. From the buoyant opening of "Declaration" (making brilliant use of Kenny Loggins' "This Is It") to the smooth gospel ballad finale of "The Last Jesus"—not to mention his most rocking song to date, "I Am God," featuring tobyMac—Franklin again proves himself a master of ceremonies who invites everyone to the party and leaves no detail about it to chance. The production is flawless, the arrangements creative, and the melodies are plain heavenly. It's everything we've come to expect from Mr. Franklin over the years, only done more memorable and with more excellence than usual."


#6
The End Is Not the End
House of Heroes - AmazonMP3 or


"When we last heard from House of Heroes, the emo-rock band cracked into the bottom of our 2005 best-of list with their self-titled national debut (re-titled Say No More). The fact that they've moved further up our list with their follow-up says something about how much they've improved (and changed) in three years. Ditching their emo-rock inclinations, House of Heroes now resembles Relient K with their precise musicianship and melodic rock. In some ways they're more ambitious, in others they're equally tongue-in-cheek. The band goes crazy with their use of layered harmonies, tempo changes, and stylistic shifts—it's absolutely incredible when it works, but there are times when the unbridled creativity borders on camp and threatens to derail the album. The End Is Not the End isn't really a concept album, but there are recurring themes of war, strife, sin, and grace throughout—some of them clear-cut, others more obtuse. Nevertheless, it's one of the year's most interesting releases, and it's such an artistic leap for House of Heroes, we can't help but wonder where they'll go from here.


#5
New Surrender
Anberlin - AmazonMp3 or


"Truth be told, Anberlin has come this close to making our annual list with virtually every album they've released since 2003's Blueprints for the Black Market. They've always had a strong enough modern rock sound to be considered, but we felt they lacked the depth of lyrical content needed to rank with the year's best Christian albums. So imagine our surprise when the band's mainstream debut ended up featuring some of the band's most overtly spiritual songwriting to date: from songs of purpose ("Burn Out Brighter") and praise ("Breathe") to an epic vision of the End Times ("Miserabile Visu"). Equally impressive is Anberlin's growth in sound. Switching producers for the first time in four albums, the band stretched themselves, developing arrangements and thus varying their style. It's left some fans disappointed that Anberlin has embraced pop music, but it's not that drastic a change—and besides, the softer tracks allow the album to breathe and make the more rocking parts stand out. It's a big step forward for this band, developing a more mature, sympathetic, and sentimental sound as they continue to contemplate life, love, and yes, faith."


#4
Ending Is Beginning
Downhere - AmazonMP3 or


"This one's no surprise since Downhere has made our best-of list with every album they've released—and for good reason, as more and more fans have come to discover on their own. What's truly impressive, though, is how consistently strong Downhere has remained, continually improving with every release. The interplay between lead vocalists Marc Martel and Jason Germain is still an appealing draw, and the band as a whole gets better and better with age and experience, mixing in beautiful ballads with anthemic rockers. But what truly sets Downhere apart from other pop-inclined bands is their songwriting, and it's not just their ability to craft a tuneful melody either. Most artists are either subtle or clichéd when it comes to expressing their faith, but this band gets it just right by openly sharing God's Word with original lyrics that stimulate the mind as well as the heart. Ending Is Beginning offers fresh perspectives on rebirth through grace and the hope of life after death—old ideas expressed in new ways. Christian music needs more of what Downhere has to offer, maintaining a balance between artistry and ministry. We hope they'll continue to lead the way for years to come."



#3
Salvation Station
NewWorldSon - AmazonMP3 or


"What is it about this band? We've come to the conclusion that NewWorldSon has such broad appeal because the sound is so appealingly broad, tapping into American roots music in a fresh new way. Pop, rock, soul, jazz, gospel … NewWorldSon is a little bit of all the above with a classic sound that's still modern, thanks to their original songwriting and distinctive musical blend. With similarities to Jamie Cullum, Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, and Ray Charles, this is not the sort of thing that burns up the radio charts (which just seems wrong). Nevertheless, this band has a style all their own which they call "speakeasy gospel," with emphasis squarely on the gospel as the band uses their music to lead worship and inspire prayer. NewWorldSon is the most thrilling live band to arrive on the Christian music scene since Burlap to Cashmere, and you can get a good sense of their infectious energy and improvisational skills from this terrific album."


#2
Fall — Winter — Spring — Summer EPs
Jon Foreman



"This is the year gifted Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman showed himself to be an equally gifted solo artist, and memorably so, releasing a whopping 26 songs over a 12-month span. We figure it's all best viewed as a collective double album, even though some might see it as cheating. (But which is the "official" release format? You can download the individual songs or EPs a la carte, or buy the two-disc double-EP sets, or even pick up the single-disc compilation of highlights. Capitalism and democracy in action!) Besides, taken as a whole, these seasonally inspired EPs progress naturally in theme from melancholy and death to renewal and joy. Foreman's poetic songwriting alternates between the relational and scriptural, sometimes reworking biblical passages into inventive outpourings to the Almighty. There's a candor and brokenness here that's perfectly matched by Foreman's eclectic alt-folk style, evocative of Bob Dylan and Derek Webb. Some of us would even go so far as to say that Foreman the introspective, folksy songwriter is better than Foreman the rock star. Either way, this already revered singer/songwriter reveals newfound depth here, enough to warrant further solo material and perhaps even add creative and spiritual dimension to future Switchfoot releases."


#1
Albertine
Brooke Fraser - AmazonMP3 or

"Admittedly, it seems kind of strange to top our list of the Best Christian Albums of 2008 with an album that originally released in 2006 and has already sold extremely well. Of course, those stats pertain to the release in Brooke Fraser's New Zealand homeland and Australia. It took another 2 years for Albertine to come up from down under and finally receive American distribution—and we're so glad it did. Fraser has been steadily gaining attention as a worship leader through Hillsong, regularly touring with the increasingly popular United band. However, the 24-year-old shifts gears dramatically for her solo material, unveiling a remarkable writer behind the passionate voice. There's an elegance and maturity to her alt-pop style (rightfully earning comparisons to Sarah McLachlan, Nichole Nordeman, and Sara Groves) as well as her expressions of faith through song. It's particularly astounding that this artist has found success and worldwide acclaim when most of her songs are clearly derived from her Christian beliefs. But then it helps when the music is credible, honest, relevant sounding, and created with artistic excellence. Fraser is further proof that artists don't need to water down the gospel to be heard in the mainstream, that smartly written Christian music can find an audience outside of the church, and that God can be glorified through music that isn't specifically intended for worship."

Contrasting "Juno" and Missional Adoption

From my adoption ministry proposal to the elders of our church:

There is an image of adoption purported by the media of needy and desperate mommies, unable to have children, desiring to “fill the hole in their heart” with a cute little baby for them to love. This view of adoption is parent-centered. We would like to suggest that adoption should have less to do with needy parents (though this may not be a bad thing altogether), and much more to do with promoting a picture of the Gospel and pursuing obedience to Biblical commands.

Those of you who have seen the movie Juno, will very clearly see a picture of this type of adoption

Johnny Carr, National Director of Church Partnerships for Bethany Christian Services, writes along the same lines here:

When I meet with Pastors to discuss adoption ministries, I will often ask them, “Who does adoption help?” The typical response is “infertile couples.” That is when I lovingly explain that adoption primarily helps children. Whether the child is an orphan from war, genocide or disease in Africa; whether the child is an orphan due to abuse and neglect and the state has severed the rights of his/her birth parents, or whether it is a new born baby that was born due to an unplanned pregnancy - adoption is (or, at least, should be) always about the health and best interest of the child. Unfortunately, many Christians are focusing on adults (us) rather than the child (them).

When adoption is seen through a child’s eyes, it is easy to see the missional nature of adoption. In fact, this may be the ultimate missional decision because adoption is a lifetime commitment. Many people today are adopting children with special needs. Some of these children will never grow up to be independent. The people who are adopting these little ones know that they are making a decision today that will affect the rest of their lives. Instead of raising a couple of healthy kids, sending them off to college, and then sailing off in their motor home into retirement, they will be serving the least of these until one of them “retires” into eternity. That is truly missional.

Someone once said missional living was “religion without all the junk added,” I thought that was interesting in light of James 1:27, “Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (NIV)

There are many different perspectives on the best ways to care for orphans, but with 143,000,000 orphans in the world today, something must be done by followers of Jesus Christ. Only 1-2% of these children will be adopted. We need many strategies that will best fit the cultures, values, and
environments of the places where these orphans live, and adoption is a one great strategy.

Adoption is not the one-stop cure all for the orphan crisis, but it is a strategic and effective mode to care for the orphans of the world. It’s also a commitment of sacrifice, a holistic manifestation of the Gospel, a missional posture and a service to Christ.

Read this whole post. It's powerful.

New Coldplay Release - Prospekt's March EP

Hardcopy from Amazon.com - $5.99

Download on AmazonMP3 - $0.99 - Uh, this is a no brainer people.

iTunes people can get yours here - - for $5.99. With iTunes you get the digital booklet and a video as well.

Well Said

"We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons."

- Jim Rohn

(source)

The One Thing I Love About Obama

The Washington Post:

In an interview with "60 Minutes," Obama addresses a subject college football fans have debated for many years, and says he will use his influence to create such a system.

"If you've got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner. We should be creating a playoff system," he tells CBS' Steve Kroft in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

According to Obama's proposed system, eight teams would play over three rounds to settle the national champion.

"It would add three extra weeks to the season," he said at the conclusion of a wide-ranging interview. "You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do."

Seriously people, the BCS is about a dumb of a system as it gets. Anyone who thinks the bowl system is better than a play-off system has lost their mind. It would be bigger than March Madness over night. Ask division 1-AA what they think about the playoff system. Seems to work pretty well there.

Why Knowing the Storyline of the Bible is a Huge Deal

This is the reason I wanted our home group to study this book and also why I think it is essential for every Christian to be able to articulate the storyline of the Bible.

"The church of the first century is almost two thousand year removed in time and (for most of us) half a world away in distance. Jesus lived in Palestine, died, and rose again there a little before most of the events recorded in the book of Acts. The ancient nation of Israel sought to walk with God while conquering and settling a homeland in Canaan more than a thousand years before that. The biblical accounts of how all these different people struggles to live faithfully in their distant times and places may seem to have little to do with you and me.

Yet it is not so. The world of the Bible is our world, and its story of redemption is also our story. This story is waiting for an ending-in part because we ourselves have a role to play before all is concluded. We must therefore pay attention to the continuing biblical story of redemption. We must resist the temptation to read the Scriptures as if they were a religious flee market, with a basket of history and old doctrines here, a shelf full of pious stories there, promises and commands scattered from one end to the other. Some readers of the bible turn it into little more than an anthology of proof texts assembled to support a system of theology. Others seek only ethical guidance, ransacking the Old Testament for stories of moral instruction. Still others look just for inspirational or devotional messages, for comforting promises and lessons for daily living. The result may be that we lose sight of the Bible's essential unity and instead find only those theological, moral, devotional, or historical fragments we are looking for.

But all human communities, including our own, live out of some comprehensive story that suggest the meaning and goal of history and that gives shape and direction to human life. We may neglect the biblical story, God's comprehensive account of the shape and direction of cosmic history and the meaning of all that he has done in our world. If we do so, the fragments of the Bible that we do preserve are in danger of being absorbed piecemeal into the dominant cultural story of our Modern European and North American democracies. And the dominant story of modern culture is rooted in idolatry: an ultimate confidence in humanity to achieve its own salvation. Thus, instead of allowing the Bible to shape us, we may in fact be allowing our culture to shape the Bible for us. Our view of the world and even our faith will be molded by one or the other: either the biblical story is our foundation, or the Bible itself becomes subsumed within the modern story of the secular Western world. If our lives are to be shaped and formed by Scripture, we need to know the biblical story well, to feel it in our bones."

-- Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture, p. 196,197

Elf Yourself

Ok, I admit this is pretty stupid and trivial, but my kids thought it was about the funniest thing they had ever seen yesterday when I pasted their faces on the dancing elves, so I thought I would pass it along. They actually have some new dances that are pretty funny. Dumb, but funny.

Paste the face of your boss on an elf and let the email forwards begin!

AmazonMP3 Daily Deal - The Killers - Brand New Record

Day & Age
by The Killers

Price:

$3.99

If you are strictly an iTunes person you can pay more here

Bob Kauflin on Blogging To Worship God

• Blogging to Worship God Part 1
• Blogging to Worship God Part 2
• Blogging to Worship God: Our Content
• Blogging to Worship God: Our Attitudes
• Blogging to Worship God: Our Motives

(HT: Worship.com)

Entertainment and Retirement Could Kill You

Don't waste your life!



(HT: Pure Church)

The Church is Like A Movie Preview

"With the coming of the Spirit, the church has a foretaste of the salvation of the kingdom: the kingdom "banquet" has been prepared by the work of Christ, but it waits for a future time, when all the guests have been assembled (Luke 14:15-24). Yet those who follow Christ have already begun to taste the power of salvation that will accomplish there renewal of all things. As the church enjoys this foretaste of the banquet to come, it becomes the prime exhibit of what the future kingdom will look like. Think here of a film preview, a few minutes of actual footage from a film not yet released. This trailer is shown so that the potential audience can catch a glimpse of what the whole film will look like once it is ready to be shown in its entirety. One important function of the church is thus to be a picture, a brief representation, a sample of what the future in God's kingdom will be."

- Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture, p. 200.

Preaching to the Basketball Team at UNM

Last night I had the privilege of giving the pre-game devotional to the University of New Mexico men's basketball team. I have some connections with their head coach, Steve Alford, since he attended the church where I worked in Iowa City for 5 years when he was the coach at the University of Iowa. It was good to see him again and chat for a bit. He is a Christian and encourages his players to attend the "chapel service" that he offers them before the pregame meal. They all attended and were very attentive.

Since these guys are all Division I stud athletes, they all thrive on competition. I wanted to show them a story of Biblical competition, so I gave them a quick message from 1 Kings 18 concerning the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. I called them to identify their idols and destroy them and turn to the true and living God, revealed by the life and work of Jesus Christ. I told them that chasing idols (sex, money, status) is like a dog chasing it's tail. You just end up worn out and unsatisfied.

Reflections:

1. I had never preached to what I assume to be so many unbelievers at one time. They were all very attentive and seemed eager to listen. What a blessing to be able to communicate the gospel to these guys.

2. I am old. It seems like just yesterday I was engaged in competitive basketball and hoping to play in college (God had other plans obviously). Most of these guys were almost 15 years younger than me. 

3. Those dude were BIG.  I am a tall guy at 6'3" and I felt like a hobbit.  I don't think I have been around so many big guys in one room before .  

4. It's cool to see coach Alford's influence on these guys through stuff like this. They don't have to attend, but everyone of them was there.   They all came up and introduced themselves to me after I was done.  

5.  I got to go to the game and they completely destroyed Grambling State. It was ugly.  They were up by about 40 at halftime.  Must have been something I said...

Go Lobos!!!