Burglar Busted After Checking Facebook During Crime

FORT LOUDOUN, PA - Add burglars to the list of people that are addicted to the social networking site Facebook.

Pennsylvania police busted 19-year-old Jonathan Parker after he broke into a home last month and accidentally left his facebook page open on the victim's computer.

Investigators said Parker likely squeezed through a bedroom window and while inside swiped two diamond rings worth $3,500.

When the victim came home, she alerted authorities after finding her home ransacked and her computer on with an unfamiliar Facebook account on the screen.

Turns out, the victim and the suspect had a mutual friend, who later confessed to authorities that Parker had asked him to help carry out the crime.

Parker remains in police custody on $10,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years behind bars.

Revival Time

I’m in Shoals, Indiana this week preaching at a Revival Meeting with the Shoals Christian Church. My friend Matt Sullivan is the preacher here. I have not been to this part of the state before. It is beautiful. Driving down here this afternoon was a gorgeous sight. Rolling hills, fall foliage, sun shining – it made for a scenic trip. Pray for me, that I might preach messages that will be encouraging and challenging to the people. I’m looking forward to the fellowship with Matthew and his family.

Fort-4-Fitness

This morning I ran the Fort-4-Fitness half-marathon. I ran pretty slow, but I was glad to finish. It was overcast and cool -- perfect running conditions. The support at this race was amzing (water/gatorade, encouragers, bands, extras, etc).

How Long Should You Preach?

Years ago I heard someone ask John Maxwell, “How long should I preach?” Maxwell responded with, “How good are you?” There is probably some truth to the old adage, “there’s no such thing as a bad short sermon” (although I think I have heard a few, and probably have preached some). I once heard Bob Russell share his sermon length formula with a group of preachers. He said: Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10. Now subtract 2 (since most preachers overestimate their ability). And multiply by five minutes. So if a guy estimates that he is an “8”, he drops it down to a “6” and multiplies by five minutes – that equals a 30 minute sermon.

We are told that people have short attention spans these days, so we should preach short(er) messages (my sermons average about 25 minutes). Yet I listen to preaching podcasts of some of the fastest growing churches in America – guys like Andy Stanley, Mark Driscoll, and Perry Noble, and they regularly preach for nearly an hour – sometimes even longer than that (well, mostly Driscoll). These lengthy sermons don’t seem to be hindering the growth of their churches. What’s the deal?

What say you? What is the perfect sermon length?

60th Anniversary of my Alma Mater

Tonight I will be traveling to Great Lakes Christian College to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the school. I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends and former professors. It's hard to believe that it has been 22 years since I left the halls of learning and began an education that can only happen in the real world of ministry. Still, I have fond memories of GLCC (after all, that's where I met Mrs. Soren!).

We're on iTunes

If anyone is interested, you can now subscribe to my sermons via iTunes. Simply go to the iTunes Store and enter Cedar Creek Church of Christ into the search bar. It will give you the option Cedar Creek Church of Christ (Eric Bass). Click that and you are good to go.

God Bless America

Never Forget

Eight years ago, I was in Missouri preaching at a Revival. I remember hearing on the radio that a plane had hit one of the twin towers. Thinking it was a small plane, I thought, “That’s strange.” My host gave me a tour of the area that morning. It wasn’t until lunchtime that we heard what happened. We scrapped the Revival plans and simply has a prayer service that night.

This morning I thanked God for protecting our country over these past eight years, grateful for the men & women who serve to ensure our freedom and safety. America, don't take anything for granted. And don't forget September 11, 2001.

Warren Woods

Yesterday while visiting my hometown of Three Oaks, MI, I went to Warren Woods. I actually went twice – the first time, I ran through the woods, remembering my Cross Country days (the woods was part of the High School CC course). I returned later for a leisurely walk with Mrs. Soren. I wondered how many times I had run through those woods without pondering the beauty of God’s creation. This time I took the time to wonder at His Majesty.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; Psalm 96:11-12

Garage Sale

Mrs. Soren has been wanting to have a Garage Sale for some time now. We finally got a lot of stuff ready (clothes, CDs, old couches, TVs, etc). There has been a steady stream of people all morning long. One man's junk is another man's treasure, right? It's amazing what people will buy. I said to her last night, "I hope we make some decent money." She replied, "What do you mean, 'WE'? Oh, right. It must have someone other than ME who lugged a couch and loveseat up from the basement (with the help of a reluctant 14 year old boy). But I'm over it now :-)

Irish Football Season Begins Saturday

Brian J. Kjergaard (1975-2009)

FULTON, Ill. — Brian J. Kjergaard, 33, of Fulton, died Saturday, August 22, 2009, at Covenant Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 28, at the Chancy Lutheran Church in Clinton, Iowa. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Pape Funeral Home, Clinton.

Brian was born in Clinton on October 31, 1975, the son of John and Pam McLaughlin Kjergaard. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1994. Brian married Keitha Stange on January 1, 2006, in Thomson, Ill. He most recently worked as the manager of Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo. He had also been employed at DeWitt Lanes. As an accomplished bowler, Brian was a member of the Professional Bowlers Association. He had won three regional P.B.A. titles, bowled 33 perfect games, and had numerous 800 series. Brian was an avid sports fan with baseball and the New York Yankees as his favorite.

Brian is survived by his wife, Keitha; a daughter, Emma; a stepdaughter, Alyssa Pessman; his parents, John and Pam Kjergaard, of Clinton; a brother, Mike (Tracy) Kjergaard, of Spencerville, Ind.; two sisters, Deb (Shawn) Cram, of McKinney, Texas, and Karyn (Joe) Luskey, of Fulton; and four nieces and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jurgen and Kate Kjergaard and Tom and Hilda McLaughlin, and a cousin, Rick Ruddy.

Back-to-School Bash

For the past several years our church has hosted a Back-to-School Bash. We have games and food and prizes and music and a carnival for our community. It's always a lot of fun. If you are in the area, join us anytime between 11am-3pm and Celebrate Christ at the Creek!

Celebrating 23 Years of Marriage Today

I am a blessed man.

My Home Church

Somehow I stumbled upon this picture of my home church in Three Oaks, MI (apparently someone thought it was quaint and posted the pic online). It brought back some memories. The building is tiny, but the faith of the people is large. In that little building I learned about Jesus. I saw people who really lived for Him. I learned to worship and pray and fellowship. I preached my first sermon there. And found great encouragement to enter the ministry. Thank you, Three Oaks Church of Christ, for the big part you played in my spiritual formation.

The Don't Song

The guys at our Men's Breakfast enjoyed this.

Home Again

The Northmen was great. We had the best weather we’ve had in years (although I must admit that waking up in a tent with the temps in the lower 40’s was not what I expected). I got to hear some of my friends preach, and I enjoyed the fellowship with the guys from Cedar Creek. It was fun hanging with my son too. Tracy and Lindsey got to experience The Northwomen for the first time. They enjoyed it. But it is good to be back home.

The Northmen

Heading up to The Northmen today. It is an annual campmeeting for men & boys in Northern Michigan. It is very primitive. We camp out in the middle of the woods (the nearest town is 12 miles away). No electricity or indoor plumbing (bathing is done in the creek). The Northmen is a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with old friends. More importantly, it's a great time for father & son bonding. Luke and I have gone several times. It is always a lot of fun.

The Running Community

I ran in a 10K race this morning. It was a small race (about 180 runners), part of Harlan Days (a little community festival). I have been running for years, and today I was reminded why I love the running community. It doesn't matter if you are young or old, fast or slow -- there is an esprit de corps among runners. Case in point -- long after the race was "over" -- while the awards were being given (near the finish line) an exhausted looking, overweight guy crossed the finish line. The loudest cheer of the day went up for this man. "Good job dude!" "Way to go!" I'm sure he felt encouraged. A few minutes later, a woman finished. More cheers and high fives. Ya gotta love it.

Hillsboro Family Camp

We're in Hillsboro, Ohio for Family Camp. Can't stay all week, but we came down tonight and heard Ray Bennett and Matt Proctor. Ray is a friend and one of my faves (I remember hearing him at my first Family Camp -- I had never heard preaching like that before. Wow!). I've heard Matt Proctor twice in the last month. He's very good. I have a lot of fond memories of Family Camp. When I was a newbie preacher, Hillsboro had a huge impact on me. It's good to be here if even for a short time. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Twitter

So I finally caved and decided to try Twitter. See link on sidebar to follow me on Twitter. I have no idea what I'm doing, so any advice from you Twitterers would be appreciated.

The Matter of Interpretation

Here's my latest article for reIGNITED:

One of the principles that our Restoration Movement forefathers like Alexander Campbell put forth was the concept of “individual private interpretation.” This is the idea that the Bible can be understood by the average person. The concept did not originate with Campbell. Reformers like Martin Luther and Bible translators like John Wycliffe, John Hus, and William Tyndale believed that people should be permitted to read the Bible in their own language. This ran counter to the belief that the Bible should only be read and taught by learned scholars and/or members of the clergy.

Campbell believed that it is the duty of each Christian to honestly and diligently study the word of God with the best helps available, and to walk in the light of divine truth as God gives him the ability to see that light. He insisted on the individual’s right to interpret Scripture. In his debate with John Walker, he complained about clergy who did not trust the laity to do this correctly. He said, “Go home and read your Bibles; examine the testimony of those holy oracles, and judge for yourselves, and be not implicit followers of the clergy.” Campbell (and Barton W. Stone) had a strong faith in the ability of lay people to read, interpret, and understand the Bible properly. The New Testament gives an example of people who verified the words of the preacher by checking the Word of God. “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11 NIV).

There are some inherent dangers with the idea that each person can interpret the Bible for himself or herself. On several occasions, as I have been talking to people about the Bible, they have dismissed differences with the statement, “Well, it’s all a matter of interpretation.” Their basis for this assertion is that all interpretations of Scripture are equally valid. Common sense tells us that this cannot possibly be true. Another example is the Small Group Bible Study or Sunday School class that reads a passage of Scripture followed by the leader asking, “What does this passage mean to you?” This generally results in numerous and widely diverse responses that often have little relevance to the text. A more pertinent and appropriate question is, “What did this mean to God?” or “What does the Lord want me to do?”

The privilege of reading the Scripture cannot be separated from the responsibility of using sound principles of hermeneutics (i.e. the science of interpreting the Bible correctly). Members of Restoration Movement churches were once known as “the people of the Book.” Wouldn’t it be great to see that reputation restored? The admonition that the apostle Paul gave to young Timothy seems just as fitting now as it was in the first century: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV).

Faithful Christians

The last few posts have lamented the fact that there are believers who don't quite "get it" when it comes to being true disciples of Jesus. While there have been Vampire Christians, AA Christians, and Peter Pan Christians in every generation; there are also Faithful Christians -- people who love the Lord with heart, soul, mind, and strength. These are the folks who keep the church going and keep the preacher pumped up about ministry. These are people want to use their giftedness and calling for the building up of the Kingdom of God. The New Testament lists people like Barnabas and Lydia and Onesiphorus - faithful Christians. In nearly every epistle, the Apostle Paul commends people like this.

I'm so thankful that there have always been these people in my ministry. Folks who have prayed for me and encouraged me and ministered with me. People who have the joy of the Lord in their lives. Preacher, don't take these folks for granted. Appreciate their faithfulness to the Lord.

Peter Pan Christians

Several years ago I heard a guy preach about Christians who are afflicted with the "Peter Pan Syndrome." You remember Peter Pan -- he never grew up. Too many believers fall into this category. While it may have been 20 or 30 years since they were saved, they do not have the maturity of a 20 or 30 year old Christian. The reality is that they have been a Christian for one year, 20 or 30 times.

This is nothing new.

Paul addressed it with the church at Corinth: "But I, brothers,could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

The Hebrew writer chastised his readers for the same thing: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity..." Hebrews 5:12-6:1

What do you do with Peter Pan Christians? How do you help them grow up?>

AA Christians

Yesterday I blogged about Vampire Christians (i.e. those who are only interested in Jesus’ blood – salvation). Shortly afterwards I was listening to a sermon by Patrick Mead in which he spoke of AA Christians. He meant those who judge their spirituality by Attendance and Abstinence. The idea that if I attend services regularly and abstain from certain “big sins”, then I’m a “good Christian.” Mead asked, “Is that really why you were given the Holy Spirit? So you could be a moderately good citizen?” Ouch!

Our church staff has been discussing this. I am reluctantly having to admit that it isn’t 1979 anymore, and the church landscape has changed. My life experience has been that life revolved around the Lord and His church. And good Christians planned their lives/schedules accordingly. Christ and the church were a high priority. My experience differs from some folks I have known. Whereas they were threatened with, “You’d better attend church and behave a certain way or you are in danger of hellfire”; I was brought up with the attitude, “Why wouldn’t a person want to do this? Christianity is great. The Lord is good. Service is simply something that believers do.”

I’m not sure that world exists anymore. This is the challenge for the suburban church. Busy lives. Crowded schedules. Relatively happy and secure people who are simply “adding Jesus” to their seemingly good lives. Consequently, church leaders are finding that the level of commitment is not what is was in previous generations. At least it seems that way. I feel the tension between the desire to “raise the bar of discipleship” while at the same time trying to reach as many as possible. How many times can a guy say, “Bless your heart, Jesus went to the cross and you can’t even get your butt out of bed to come to the church work day!”? Okay, I haven’t said it publically. Quite like that. Yet.

Vampire Christians

Recently I came across the term “Vampire Christians” – (I think it was Dallas Willard who coined the phrase). Erwin McManus put it like this, “The entire focus of our faith has been the elimination of sin, which is important but inadequate; rather than the unleashing of a unique, original, extraordinary, wonderfully untamed, faith.” Vampire Christians are people who are only interested in Jesus for His blood, but not for life change. One in effect says to Jesus: “I’d like a little of your blood, please. But I don’t care to be your student or have your character. In fact, won’t you just excuse me while I get on with my life, and I’ll see you in heaven.”

Church, we have to do better than this. Because you know what vampires do best? They suck.

Happy Independence Day!

NACC: Day Four

Things wrap up this morning. I'm going to Dr. Cottrell's workshop again.

Last night's session was terrific. Matt Proctor, President of Ozark Christian College preached an outstanding message (by far, the best one of the week). The night ended with a concert by Casting Crowns. Wow! One of the things I observed was that several "Senior Saints" stayed for the concert. I don't know if they knew what they were getting into; surely it wasn't their favorite style, but I admire them for being there and for staying for the duration. Casting Crowns rocked! It was LOUD (especially by older folks' standards), but they stayed. They must have appreciated the lyrics and the fact that so many young people were worshiping Jesus. And I think some of them actually liked it. "Lord, when I am old, give me that same spirit."

NACC: Day Three

The day began with a Bible Study led by Dr. Jack Cottrell. It was good to hear my old Prof. again. Later, I heard Dr. Johnny Pressley do a workshop about the Lord's Supper. It was excellent. The only disappointment was hearing the morning speaker talk about people coming down the aisles at his church and "praying to receive Christ." I know the brotherhood is diverse and the NACC is supposed to be a "big tent." But where do they find these guys from "our churches" who have sold out on the plan of salvation? It makes me so angry that it would be unwise to put my feelings into words (put I would include: spineless, capitulating, fence-straddling, compromising, limp-wristed, gutless, etc.). I wish Dr. Cottrell's workshop tomorrow could be presented from the main stage: Saved by Grace, Saved in Baptism. Some of us still believe it.

NACC: Day Two

I'm skipping the afternoon workshops to work on Sunday's sermon (and to update my blog).

I remember my first NACC from a few years ago (other than the one I attended when I was 10). I was like a 12-year-old kid at the MLB All-Star Game: “There’s Ben Merold. And there’s Bob Russell. And I think that’s E. Ray “Cotton” Jones and Wayne Smith.” Even we preachers can get a little star-struck sometimes. Even in my forties, I can be somewhat intimidated by the brotherhood “biggies.” But they are simply men:

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
1 Corinthian 3:5-7

NACC: Day One

We arrived safely in Louisville, checked into our room, and scoped out the downtown area for awhile before going to the evening session. The worship was outstanding! There's just something about thousand of people praising the name of Jesus -- a preview of Heaven. Jeff Stone did a good job preaching about grace. Afterwards, we strolled through the display area and connected with several old friends. We're looking forward to another great day today.

North American Christian Convention

Tomorrow Tracy and I will travel to Louisville, KY to attend the North American Christian Convention. It is an annual gathering of folks from Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. There is great worship and preaching and teaching; informative workshops and fantastic fellowship. When I lived in Virginia it seemed that the NACC was always too far way to attend, but I have been able to go several times since returning to the Midwest. This will be Tracy's first time. We're looking forward to it.

I will post updates throughout the week.

Crazy Lightning Strike

At about 25 seconds. This was taken as we were driving home from vacation. Lightning got a telephone pole just as we were passing by.

Happy Anniversary to the Blog

I don't know how I missed it, but as of June 1, I have been blogging for four years. In my very first post I wrote these words:

I don't know how this blog will develop. I will probably post some funny stories along with everyday life type of stuff. Maybe an occasional serious discussion.

Life is like calling in a reliever from the Cubs bullpen. Ya never know what you're gonna get.

That is how it has turned out so far. Thanks for reading!

The Most Amazing Man Alive by Bluefish TV

Palin vs. Letterman

Let. It. Go.

Washington Nationals Game

After spending some time at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, we took the Metro over to Nationals Park. Some guy had some extra tickets ($50 tix that we got for $10 each -- awesome seats just five rows from the field). Nats beat the Reds 3-2.

Wednesday in D.C.

Spent some time at Union Station today. I knew that Ebenezers's (the coffee shop owned by National Community Church) was nearby, so we stopped in to get a cup.

Arlington

Visited Arlington Cemetery yesterday. I wish every American could see this place. The changing of the guard was very moving.

First Day in D.C.

I Think I Fed Luke Too Much Sugar

Shepherding the Flock

So I’ve been thinking lately about shepherding the flock. One of the responsibilities of the elders of church is shepherding. It is not their only responsibility -- they also oversee, teach, direct the affairs of the church, etc. In fact, the qualifications (or qualities) in Timothy and Titus barely even hint at shepherding. The greater emphasis seems to have been given to sound doctrine, guarding against false teachers, etc.

Have you ever seen a shepherding program that was effective? I remember Ben Merold (several years ago) telling us that every time he heard of a church that had a great shepherding program, he would try to visit as soon as he could. Usually by the time he got there, the program had unraveled. The typical practice in our churches is to divide the members/families of the congregation among the elders. So if there are three elders/pastors and ninety families, then each elder gets 30 families on his shepherding list (his flock). My experience has been that we have not put these men in a position to succeed. I wonder if part of the problem is the way we have defined shepherding. Usually the connotation is that of a personal chaplain. This is practically impossible when the church is larger than a few dozen people.

The early church was several thousand members strong before the first elder appeared (yes, there were apostles, but only 12 – and they devoted their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word). So how do we get better at this? Do we need to re-define shepherding? And how can the needs of the flock be met more effectively?

Should I Be Surprised?

Twenty years ago, this would have been political suicide, but now it is "perfectly acceptable."

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

Some of us have been having a discussion about Jesus ‘ words from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” I grew up hearing preachers describe the scene like this: “Jesus was taking all of the sins of the world upon Himself, and it was so bad that God could not stand to look upon all that sin, so He literally had to turn His back on His Son, forsaking him” (usually it was much more detailed and dramatic than that, but you get the idea). I probably even preached something like that in my early days.

After more study, and listening to some respected teachers, my view has changed. Jesus was quoting the beginning of Psalm 22 (which gives an amazingly detailed description of the crucifixion). Could Jesus, in referencing that Psalm, have been essentially saying, “Psalm 22 is now being fulfilled”? In addition, If God the Father had literally forsaken/abandoned His Son, then who was Jesus talking to when He said, “Father forgive them….” and “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit”?

What do you think?

Church Polity

Here is my latest article for reIGNITED:

Who is Running This Place?

One of the first questions asked about a business or company or even a church is, “Who is running this place?” or “Who is in charge around here?” The issue is leadership. You are hard pressed to find a thriving, dynamic, growing church that does not have godly, mature, spiritual leaders and people who are willing to follow them. One of the primary tenets of the Restoration Movement is that the Bible is the pattern by which the local church should be structured. There are scores of books and theories about leadership in today’s world, but the Scriptures are to be our guide.

Restoration Movement congregations have no denominational or hierarchical structure. They are independent and locally autonomous. Local churches are led by elders (pastors) who know the congregation and the community. In Acts 11, the term elders is first used in the context of the church, and in the epistles we often find references to local church leaders. In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Three words are used in the New Testament to describe the same people: Elders, Shepherds, and Overseers (see Acts 20:17, 28).

Our Lord’s favorite metaphor for spiritual leadership, a figure often used to describe Himself, was that of a shepherd -- one who tends God’s flock. A shepherd leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects. The apostle Peter wrote, Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away (1 Peter 5:2-4).

The Holy Spirit saw fit to leave the church with some guidelines as to who would be fit to be in a position of leadership in God’s church (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Lynn Anderson, in his book They Smell Like Sheep, says that elders are to be men of experience, men of character, and men of vision. An elder is a spiritually mature man whom God had called as a leader/mentor/shepherd of the local church. Along with other spiritually mature men, he leads and feeds, and protects and inspects the flock. By example and instruction, he helps bring the congregation to maturity.

Many folks have a warped view of church leadership. They think it has to do with power, authority, and rule. This is a far cry from the New Testament model. Leaders in the local church are men who are spiritually mature, doctrinally sound, and relationally compassionate. Elders are responsible for teaching doctrine, administrating discipline, protecting the flock, praying for the flock, studying the Word of God, and overseeing the flock. Their many responsibilities can be summed up in two words: leading and feeding.

Pray for those who serve in this capacity in your congregation. Offer words of encouragement and appreciation. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you (Hebrews 13:17).

Talkin' Bout Regeneration

Last week, my friend David Willis posted some thoughts about regeneration. There is something to be said about the fact that if a person is saved, it should be readily visible in that person's life. His thoughts echoed what I had been reading recently:

Much is at stake in seeing the new birth in true biblical proportions. Heaven and hell are at stake – and a church in the world now that acts more like Jesus and less like the culture aground it. Which brings us back to where we started, namely, the claim that born again Christians have lifestyles of worldliness and sin that are indistinguishable from the unregenerate. I don’t think so. 1 John 5:4: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” But my conviction is not rosy news for the church. It implies that there are millions of church attenders who are not born again.

That started my creative juices flowing, and I penned this little ditty (with apologies to The Who)

Did your conversion really take?
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
Or is your Christianity fake?
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
True repentance produces fruit
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
You can’t get to Heaven by another route.
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)

Don’t be tryin’ to water it down
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
Grow a spine, get doctrinally sound
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)

This is regeneration
This is regeneration, baby

What part of Acts 2:38 do you not understand?
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
Baptism’s part of salvation’s plan
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation
I'm just talkin' 'bout r-r-regeneration

Why don't you padded guys f-fade away?
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
And don't try to dismiss what we all s-s-say
(Talkin' 'bout regeneration)
I'm not trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation
I'm just talkin' 'bout r-r-regeneration

This is regeneration
This is regeneration, baby

Some Gave All

We remember the true reason for this holiday weekend. Freedom isn't free.

Ready for the Weekend

I'm sorry I haven't been posting much lately. Not much going on anyway.
But I have a fairly full weekend planned. Yard work today, then our monthly Men's Breakfast on Saturday, followed by a church work day. Then the usual Sunday stuff.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tribute To Hall Of Fame Coach Chuck Daly

Happy Mother's Day

I think I posted this before, but my friend Trey put it on his blog and it reminded me to post it again for Mother's Day.

Worship Star

I like CCM and worship music, but I still thought this was pretty funny.

Theological Musings

This morning I was reading Acts 17-20. I was struck by a couple of things. First, does anyone agree with me that Apollos was re-baptized? If the Ephesians in Acts 19 were commanded to do so, isn’t it reasonable to assume that Apollos was too?

Also, every time I read Acts 20:7 these days, I think about how we have preached it over the years. I mean, THAT’S the definitive text that tells us that communion is on Sunday, every Sunday, and only on Sunday? Really?

He Is Not Silent

One of the “give-aways” at the Gospel Coalition last week was Al Mohler’s He Is Not Silent. It is a book about preaching, and it is excellent. I’m about halfway through it now. Here are a few gems:

The power of the Word of God, spoken through the human voice, is seen in the Bible’s unique power to penetrate all dimensions of the human personality.

Any consideration of Christian preaching must begin with the realization that preaching is essentially an act of worship.

A Major portion of Christendom is spiritually starved – and sound, biblical preaching has become an extremely rare commodity.

True preaching is never an exhibition of the brilliance or intellect of the preacher but an exposition of the wisdom and power of God.

This kind of humility in preaching is possible only when the preacher stands in submission to the text of Scripture.

When we say “preach”… what we mean is, very simply, reading the text and explaining it – reproving, rebuking, exhorting, and patiently teaching directly from the text of Scripture. If you are not doing that, then you are not preaching.

If the Bible is truly the enduring and eternal Word of God, it means what it meant even as it is newly applied in every generation.

Expository preaching demands a very different set of questions: Will I obey the Word of God? How must my thinking be realigned by Scripture? How must I change my behavior to be fully obedient to the Word?

Just for Fun

Preaching about the Holy Spirit this week. He's a wonderful gift. But some have sorta gone off the deep end. One of my friends wondered about a Foxworthy-esque list about it. Here's what I came up with:

You might be a Spirit-filled believer if...

You TiVo TBN.

You own the complete unabridged works of Benny Hinn.

You named your dog "Glossolalia."

You ask your barber to give you the Rod Parsley look.

Your church services are BYOS. Bring Your Own Snake.

You have a bumper sticker that reads, "My kids and my money go to ORU."

Your Facebook profile lists you as President of the "Special Anointing,
Double-Portion, Fire-Baptized, Extreme Unction Holy Ghost Fan Club."

You don't find the YouTube "farting preacher" clips the least bit funny.

You once tried to pray the "prayer of resurrection." At the funeral
home. During the funeral.

Your favorite movie is Robert Duvall's "The Apostle."

You once owned all of Jimmy Swaggart's albums...(wait for it),
but you had to return them because the holes in the middle kept healing up.

Happy 76th Birthday, Willie Nelson

Is Anyone Surprised?

I never did like this guy. Story here.

Between Two Worlds: Free Audio and Video from The Gospel Coalition Conference

Between Two Worlds: Free Audio and Video from The Gospel Coalition Conference

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Post Conference Thoughts

I'm home from the Gospel Coalition. Wow, what a conference! I felt like I was drinking from a fire hydrant. I learned so much. It was very enjoyable. And I wasn't the only Arminian in attendance. Some observations:
Worship: I was struck by the depth of the worship songs (many were Puritan hymns, but some were new songs). They were theologically rich and full of biblical imagery. And the people seemed to understand what they were singing. sincerely worshipping the Lord.
Preaching: There was a strong commitment to expository preaching. In fact that was the bulk of the conference -- preaching through the book of 2 Timothy. The main speakers did an outstanding job.
Scripture: In three days I heard more about inerrancy and the inspiration of the Bible, as well as the affirmation of its power to change lives than I have in many years among my own tribe.
Doctrine: While I am not a Reformed type (i.e. a Calvinist), I honestly did not hear anything taught with which I disagreed. All the messages I heard could have been preached at any CofC campmeeting with no problem.

I can't wait 'til Sunday. I'm fired up to break the Bread of Life to God's people at The Creek.

Tuesday in Chicago

The Gospel Coalition conference began today. It was great. Over 3000 people were in attendance Tim Keller started things off, followed by John Piper (notes here). And Mark Driscoll preached an excellent message (notes here). I received a few free books, including an ESV Study Bible. Cool, eh?

The Gospel Coalition

I'm heading to Chicago tommorrow to attend The Gospel Coalition conference. No, I haven't turned Calvinist. But I think it will be an interesting three days.

Ramirez blasts Cubs to walk off victory - From cubs.mlb.com

The Dark Knight

Guys' night in tonight. Watching The Dark Knight.

Navy Seals 3, Pirates 0

Some countries give in to the pirates' demands and pay the ransom. We send the Navy Seals.

American sea Captain Richard Phillips was safely rescued from four Somali pirates Sunday, a U.S. intelligence official said. Three of the pirates were killed and one was in custody after what appeared to be a swift firefight off the Somali coast, the official said. Initial reports indicate Phillips jumped overboard for a second time and the military was able to take advantage of the situation. More here.

Sunday's Coming

Today's Devotional Thought

One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some strange prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"
Those prints are large and round and neat,
"But Lord, they are too big for feet."

"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you along.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait."

"You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know,
So I got tired, I got fed up,
And there I dropped you on your butt."

"Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand."

Sunday at The Creek

It was great to be back home today at Cedar Creek. The worship team did an outstanding job (as usual). There was a great spirit of enthusiasm among the people. I concluded my "Encountering Jesus" series, preaching about the crucifixion from Mark 15. He really does love us!