Verimus

Done!

2010-12-10T19:29:00.001-05:00

About 2 hours ago, I completed my final assignment as a DTS student (a forum post for an online course). I have completed all the requirements for a Masters of Theology (ThM) degree, just waiting for the final grade :-)

This was a *long* road (6 and a half years!). Along the way I read and studied all 66 books of the Bible (5 - Ruth, Jonah, Romans, Ephesians and Phillipians - in the original language), read another 17,000+ pages, attended 1500+ hours of lectures, wrote 476 pages of various papers (longest came in at 32 pages) and gave 10 sermons. All while getting engaged, working full-time, getting married, having a son and buying a house.

God has shown me His grace and provision. He has broken me down and built me back up in Christ.

I look back and can't believe I'm finally done and wonder how I made it. But somehow here I am, glory to God!

Props

2010-05-07T09:44:00.006-04:00

So as some of you know, this has been a busy past few months in the Owens household. On January 1, we welcomed Steven "Asa" Owens into the world. While the first few weeks were very rough with him waking up about every 45 minutes to an hour, things got a lot better and now he sleeps from about 8 pm to 6:15 am. As soon as he started getting a little more sleep, Lora and I embarked on buying a house.

We have been talking about buying a house for a couple of years, with one house or another catching our eye every once and awhile. We were referred to a realtor named Randall Simpson, who each time advised us not to buy a house as the time was not right for us. When we finally started looking we called up Randall only to find out he is no longer in Real Estate (he started a business as a CPA). I felt bad since Randall had given us so much good advice in the past I want to work with him when it was time for us to buy. He did refer us to Harold Smith, an excellent mortgage broker who helped us figure out what we could really afford (and he gave us a realistic picture not some 'stretched to the max' scenario). Harold in turn referred us to Sharon Hargett, who turned out to be the perfect realtor.

Lora an I had looked a a few neighborhoods in East Dallas (like Lake Highlands, Little Forrest Hills) and a few neighborhoods in north Oak Cliff. We really wanted to be close to downtown and if possible in a historically protected neighborhood. Last summer, on a whim, we went to open house in Junius Heights where the realtor told us she had another home open. That house, 5600 Victor, is the one we ended up buying about 6 months later. The closing process was very arduous and there was more than one time when I didn't think we would actually close. But we moved in April 10th and we love the house.

Along the way we had a great house inspector (Tom Deschane with Premium Home Inspections) who gave me a lot of confidence that I knew what I was getting into (important when the house you are buying is almost 80 years old). Also I recently dealt with a great electrician named Nathan Magill.

I mention all these names in order to give credit where credit is due. We were blessed to work with so many great people.

A sensible healthcare plan

2009-07-30T11:17:00.003-04:00

With all the debate going on about Health Care Reform, I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

First of all, I agree that reform is needed. Healthcare is too expensive and too complicated. While much has been made of the 'who pays' question, the 'why the heck is this so expensive' question really hasn't been asked or answered. No matter if the government acts as a single payer (i.e. we all pay via taxes) or we have a network of insurance companies (i.e. we all pay via payroll contributions) no system can compensate when costs go up 10%+ per year. A major component of any healthcare reform needs to be net reduction in total cost.

Now obviously a healthcare system needs to ensure that high-quality care is available for everyone, so we need to find areas of costs to eliminate that won't jeopardize quality or availability of care.

Here are some cost contributors to health care that add little/no quality or availability of care:

Lawsuits (doctors and hospitals need to be accountable for mistakes, but this should be performed by the criminal justice system, not by lawyers)
Insurance overhead - go in to any doctors office and you will see a whole gaggle of people who do nothing but handle insurance forms (be it private insurance or public insurance). Additional costs can be found in the entire health insurance industry. While necessary in the current system, these people don't make anyone healthier.
Medical records - we have been talking about this for some time; making electronic/online medical records would be a huge cost savings.
Pharmaceutical marketing - drug companies spend millions on advertising, free lunches for doctors office staff and free samples (which effectively acts as universal perscription coverage in some cases) trying to push expensive drugs onto patients. The choice of prescription drug should be solely that of a doctor and patient, without persuasion on either party.
Unnecessary ER - We have universal healthcare in the United States. Every hospital ER must treat incoming patients regardless of their ability to pay. What this means is there is a whole class of people who don't have the ability to pay for (or simply don't pay for) normal preventive care (say a diabetic who can't afford insulin) so they end up in the ER regularly. ER care is expensive and money would be saved if these people could access preventive care. As it is, hospitals absorb all of these 'freeloaders' and pass the costs onto the rest of us.

Problems #1 and #3 could probably be solved regardless of what type of health reform we peruse.

So in my estimation there are two potential systems that could make a real difference in reducing cost. They are at different ends of the political spectrum and both have weaknesses and strengths.

Option #1 : Medical Savings Accounts

This idea has been circulating in conservative circles for quite some time. The idea is simple. Instead of traditional insurance plans, employers would give employees money in a special fund that they could spend exclusively for healthcare. Additionally employers would provide high-deductible insurance for catastrophic coverage (like cancer). So for example, you get $3000 and an insurance policy with a $3000 deductible, so you have 'complete' coverage. You would get to pocket any money that was left so it would be to your advantage to shop around for doctors, prescriptions, etc. It would introduce cost competition to health care, which would lower costs. You would be able to choose any doctor or treatment. Right now, similar plans (sometimes called 'Cafeteria Plans') exist however disallow the employee from receiving any extra dollars.

Advantages:

Introduces Competition to lower costs.
Similar to existing system, so transition could be easy.
Could be done with no new tax dollars.

Disadvantages:

What about the poor/unemployed? We could still have the ER problem mentioned above in #5, also this plan would leave the Medicare/Medicaid/VA care untouched - and still inefficient. Also most proponents of this plan would not force employers to provide a plan to their employees, so many (including self-employed) would be left out.
This plan would not reduce the Insurance overhead as you would still need to track things because of the catastrophic coverage. Also you might not have total coverage as the insurance company may not count everything you choose as going towards their deductible. Additionally an employer could provide you with a plan with a gap (say $3000 MSA but a $10k deductible catastrophic coverage).
An employer-based system leaves US employers at an economic disadvantage in the global marketplace.
Competition could introduce a 'race to the bottom' with quality of care becoming in jeopardy.

Option #2 - Completely Public Healthcare

The idea here to make healthcare function like other public services such as police and fire protection. Communities (cities, counties or even states) would run hospitals and doctors offices with the doctors and nurses being public employees. Private hospitals could still exist (for 'elite' care or things like non-reconstructive cosmetic surgery) but would be a minority part of the system (much like private schools today). Tax dollars (rates, types and collection method determined by the community) would support the system. Medicare/Medicaid and much of the VA could be done away with since everyone (regardless of income, age or military service) would be able to access public health care. There would be a small national tax (likely far less than the current Medicare/Medicaid tax) that would fund grants to poor/rural communities, oversight to make sure communities are providing quality care and scholarships to medical students or funding for medical schools (since the pay would be lower than the current system). Additionally patents on prescription drugs would be done away with, reducing the cost of medicine. The government would provide funding for new medicine research. This would be an improvement on the existing system where pharmceutical companies have an incentive (i.e. small piece of a big pie) to research drugs for common conditions even if good drugs already exist and if their new drugs offers little difference for the existing ones (they rely on marketing to convince people, see #4 above). The government could ensure the research occurs for drugs for rarer conditions.

Advantages:

Insurance overhead eliminated
Local oversight, national accountability
Preventive care would eliminate unnecessary ER cost
Universal access to quality care
Employers no longer required to provide insurance (think of the $ they would save on HR) thus putting them on a better footing in the global marketplace.
No insurance means that employees can change employers without worrying about healthcare. Even better more may opt to start their own businesses since they don't have to worry about expensive health insurance (this is a major deterrence to many potential entrepreneurs I know).

Disadvantages

Stark departure from existing system - conversion may be difficult
No competitive element (could be an advantage depending on your outlook)
Possibility for corruption.
New taxes required (though some of this will simply be a shift from existing taxes and payroll deductions)

Now it should be noted that the current proposal being debated by Congress is not 'Completely Public Healthcare' but rather an extension of the current insurance-based system whereby employers would be forced to give insurance to employees, new taxes would help poorer people pay for insurance and the government would run their own insurance company. So aside from move around the 'who pays' question, little actual savings occurs (possibly un-necessary ER visits to some extent may be eliminated).

What are your thoughts?

Satisfied

2009-05-07T10:17:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite activities is reading Wikipedia. This is ironic because I used to make fun of my mother for reading the encyclopedia for fun. I guess we are destined to become our parents. Oh well.

So I was reading the article about the Amish. I've always been sort of a fan of the Amish since they seem to stick to their peculiar way of life despite the rest of the world. But one thing really struck me as I read. Their reasoning for not using certain technology is not out any belief that the technologies are evil but rather that they allow people to be evil. For example, why do they not use motorized tractors but do use modern chemical fertilizer? Because the tractor would allow a farmer to farm more land thus possibly depriving another farmer of that land. They are satisfied were their simple standard of life and want to ensure that no one gets greedy.

So why am I not satisfied? I have far more material possessions than the Amish. I have a car, an apartment and a satchel I take with me pretty much everywhere. Yet I envy people with other cars and imagine myself living in a big house. The problem tends to be that I make up in my head (with the help of our society's mindset) that my life would be substantively better if I had one of these things. These other people with their better satchels seem so much happier than I. But I know it is the poor who are happy and the humble who are blessed.

So for at least today I am satisfied. I have a beautiful wife to wake up to each morning, work that I find rewarding and friends to laugh with. For everything else, I know I am loved more than sparrows or lilies.

Policies vs. People

2009-03-20T15:37:00.002-04:00

I've had a couple of recent conversations that have caused me to think about the reasons for poor leadership. How come so many organizations have overbearing policies? A friend related to me that at his workplace they recently implemented a strictly defined dress code - a list of what constituents appropriate attire for the office. When I inquired about what caused the policy, he explained that a co-worker routinely dressed in a very sloppy manner. So management's response was to develop a 'complete' description of the boundaries of office-wear. Now in reality this dress code does little to improve the sloppy employee (who was unable to follow the simple dress code let alone this complex one) however causes much frustration for his fellow employees who now feel oppressed by the 'legalistic' rules. Further, other employees may blame the rules on the offending employee. This is another example of the classic management failure - the solution that fixes no problems but causes more.

What is the better solution? Simple. The manger should discuss the offending employee's dress with him. This makes it clear to the individual employee (who is the real problem) without involving other employees. Most likely the individual will improve his dress.

So why do mangers not have these conversations? Fear. Simply put it is easier to 'draft a policy' than to have a difficult conversation with an employee. In reality the conversation doesn't need to be that difficult.

Facial Hair

2009-02-16T15:48:00.003-05:00

So it is kinda lame that I've have not posted anything for a very long time. So I'll give all those so interested an update of sorts.

First of all, after almost 6 years, I've decided to change up the ole' goatee. I shaved of the mustache part and may do more, not really sure yet. See the picture Any suggestions in this department would certainly be welcome.

Second, I am happy to report that for the past few weeks, I've been doing WeightWatchers for Men online with some good results. I've been able to lose 20 pounds since November (not all of those are with WW, but most are). I have to say I like the system, it seems like something I could do long term without feeling deprived.

This was a nice story for Christmas

2008-12-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

North Pole Flight

The Love of God

2008-10-31T14:29:00.002-04:00

If tomorrow my life falls ever apart
From the beginning I must again start
If I am found the ever lowest place
If judgment and destruction I must face
If tomorrow I fall and wonder how
God will love me as He loves me now

If tomorrow I am an ever better man
Who grips reality with ever stronger hand
If tomorrow I reject each and every lie
If I live to God and to myself die
If tomorrow I keep every vow
God will love me as He loves me now

If tomorrow is just like today
Some victories, some failures, some hard to say
If tomorrow is unremarkable and bland
Perhaps a good day but nothing too grand
If tomorrow is anything but wow
God will love me as He loves me now

Busy

2008-10-07T15:37:00.002-04:00

So I failed to post even a single item for all of September. If you happen to be reading this, I apologize. But I'll give a quick update, I'm super busy with school, work and life. I am happy to be able to return to some ministry at Skillman Bible Church which I am falling even more in love with. I am increasingly convinced that the Church is God's primary tool for changing lives and changing the world.

I've also been toying with the following idea concerning mission/vision. In Dr. Malphur's PM301 class he talks about how the mission of the Church is basically the Great Commission, though churches may express this in different ways (namely using different imagery or alliteration). The mission tells us what the Church should be doing (going, making disciples). I think this idea is good, the mission of the Church does not change. But I think we can go farther.

If the mission of Church is the Great Commission, then the vision of the Church is the Eternal Kingdom of God (see Revelation 21-22). The vision tells the Church where we are going, what it looks like. Normally church vision statements talk about having a biblically functioning community where people are growing, worshipping, where lives are restored, where every tear has been wiped away, where the nations are healed and where there is no more night. The end goal of the Church, the place where we are heading for is the Eternal Kingdom. This is what we look forward to, the day when Christ rules, when there is justice and everything has been set right.

I think most church vision statements are already basically going this direction, but not intentionally. Vision statements picture a 'perfect world' which is by definition exactly what the Eternal Kingdom is. We may express it differently but the vision is the same.

This is the most important election since time began and other hog-wash

2008-08-28T14:54:00.004-04:00

Ok, here it goes. I'm fed-up. If I hear one more person say, 'this is the most important election of our lifetime/the century/the millennium/eternity' I am going to publicly flog them.

We hear this every election. Politicians and their minions use it to whip up support and create a sense of urgency. Other language that I also detest is 'we are at a crossroads' which is obvious since we are having an election.

Every election is the most important because it determines the future. Past elections aren't as important because they are over and their influence is already measured. Future elections are beyond our grasp so they lack importance. Saying 'this is the most important election' is similar to saying 'When you walk the step you are about to take is more important than the steps you have already taken since you can change course'.

Donald Miller gives closing prayer at DNC

2008-08-26T12:28:00.001-04:00

Sin and the Problem of Evil

2008-08-21T14:20:00.002-04:00

It just hit me. Maybe it has been obvious to you, but not so for me.

I have been think a lot about 'The Problem of Evil' This is sort of a philosophical problem that goes like this, "How can God exists in a world where there is evil? He either doesn't want to deal with it (which makes God evil), can't deal with it (which makes God weak) or doesn't know about it (which makes God dumb)." This problem is posed by atheists and by those who are experiencing the effects of evil ('How could God let this happen?').

A lot of Christians have failed in trying to 'answer' this problem. We can be so anxious to 'let God off the hook'. But we do little to help God. In fact, most 'solutions' present more problems.

The problem of evil is real, in fact the problem evil is ultimately the presence of Sin. The "problem of evil" only exists because there is Sin in the world. When Sin entered the world, it caused major problems, one of which was to put evil beside God. This is not right. Sin can be defined as that which is contrary to God. The presence of both God and Sin causes this big messy rift in the universe, making a lot of things 'not right'.

Now God is fully aware of the 'Problem of Evil' and while we can pose philosophical answers, He has put in place a practical solution. Through Christ's sacrifice God has defeated and is defeating Evil. In the Kingdom, there will be no sin and no problem of Evil.

The Truth is in the Tension

2008-08-15T09:07:00.003-04:00

Theology is the process of trying to understand God. The problem is sometimes we can't understand God. If the Bible stands as God's self-revelation then it must be a source of Truth; Truth so we can understand God. The problem sneaks back in when we read the Bible and see tension.

I don't like tension. I like clarity. I want a God who I can understand.

So I read the Bible.

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." - Matthew 5:23-24

Simple enough, if I've offended another it is my responsibility to seek him out in reconciliation. It is the guilty who must ask for forgiveness.

But I keep reading.

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." - Mark 11:25

Here it is the victim who must initiate reconciliation. But the verse in Matthew said the opposite. How can I understand this tension?

Now it can be tempting to analyze and systematize this. Maybe the difference is in the fact that one one is in the context of offering, the other in the context of prayer. Maybe one applies to Christians ('a brother') while the other applies to all people. Or maybe this is just another contradiction in the Bible and another reason to throw the whole thing out. Such is the ultimate result of 'either/or' logic.

What if the truth is in the tension? What if it is the responsibility of both parties to make amends? This indeed would be a beautiful thing. It paints a picture of the guilty and the victim meeting on the road of reconciliation as they each move toward the other. This was the case of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 33).

I must embrace the tension for within it lies the truth. It may be easier to choose one verse over the other and release myself from the responsibility of reconciliation. But to do so would be error. Whether I have wronged someone or they have wronged me, it is my responsibility to seek reconciliation.

We do this all the time, choosing one verse over another for complex theological reasons which often serve only to reinforce our preferences. We try to solve tension rather than embrace it. We make God understandable, fitting into a neat box of logic.

If I think I can understand God, I fool myself into thinking I can control Him. Then I become God.

But I am not God and I cannot control Him. I can understand Him only inasmuch as He has revealed Himself and no more. So if I see tension in His self-revelation I should always seek to embrace not explain. The Truth is in the Tension.

Rescue

2008-08-06T08:13:00.003-04:00

The depth of transgression is deep as the sea
And under the water, way down there was me
Drowning in pain and misery

But I am one who jumped into this ocean
I thought I could swim or go through the motion
But this sea drowns all who leave their devotion

From the boat the sea seemed cool and calm
A relief from the sun shining hard down upon
Just a quick jump, I’ll hardly be gone

The water was not cool, but fatally cold
Freezing my mind, I’d never been told
That this sea is always ever so bold

I tried to swim back with all that's within
Back to the Boat, back again to begin
I'd makeup for the mistake; atone for my sin

Truth is this sea cannot be swum,
It cannot be fought, it cannot be won
Battling the waves and the drowning’s begun

The salt blinded my eyes and closed up my lips
The waves beat my body like the cracking of whips
Losing all feeling from toes to fingertips

I realize that I have but only one plea
Only one way to battle this sea
Since I cannot swim, the Boat must find me

Indeed I was found by that merciful Ship
Yet how could I escape the sea’s terrible grip
My feet are so wet and surely will slip

And even if I did return to that Boat
I may look back and to the sea gloat
And jump back, like a fool, expecting to float

As I looked upon that Ship so true
I see it is manned by an incredible crew
And there was one sailor who I well knew

I should have cried out, my great need to tell
But it was my choice, how could I yell
It would be a lie to say that I fell

The sailor, whose beauty is beyond compare,
Yelled, ‘What are you doing way down there?
And why have left this ship so fair?’

I finally shouted out over the crashing sea,
“I am drowning dear sailor please help me”
Over the waves she heard my desperate plea

She had mercy on me and threw out a line
A way out of the waves and the sea full of brine
A way back onto that boat ever divine

Other sailors, too, helped pull me back in
Rescuing me from the sea of deep sin
Winning the battle alone I could not win

It is not over, the victory is not yet mine
I’ve just left the sea and still smell of the brine
Still fearing I’ll again leave this Ship so fine

I must learn other ways to cool down from the heat
And even when hot never to retreat
So my time in the sea will never repeat

I will stay in the boat and work with the crew
Being ever honest and remaining ever true
To the woman whom to me a rope threw

That woman’s my wife, who to my aid ran
The boat is the Savior and God’s awesome plan
The sailors are Gods’ Church who help hand-in-hand

And I am the fool who jumped into the sea
The man who was rescued, that too was me
The one who is and always will be
Thankful for the Boat who conquers the sea!

The Beginning of Boundaries

2008-07-25T12:04:00.002-04:00

Recently I've been thinking about the importance of boundaries in self-identification. Someone recently pointed out that in the act of Creation, God created boundaries (separating light from darkness for example) which made everything.

Realizing that I have a poor self-identification, boundaries are a place to start. For me it is easier to define what I am not rather than what I am. I hope that this will be a running post and that I will learn more more about who I am (and am not) through the process.

I am not:

God
Athletically-inclined
A charismatic speaker
Perfect

Ancient Bible manuscript available online

2008-07-25T11:58:00.002-04:00

Codex Sinaiticus, a manuscript of the Christian Bible written in the middle of the fourth century, contains the earliest complete copy of the Christian New Testament

This important manuscript is now available online at www.codexsiniticus.org. There you find scanned copies of the manuscript (which you zoom in on) a transcription of the text (a great help for people not familiar reading Uncials) as well as an English translation.

It is nice to have such an important manuscript in such a usable form so widely available. While there entire manuscript is not yet available, the project is off to a wonderful start.

Very funny

2008-07-17T12:45:00.004-04:00

I thought this was really clever... someone at the end looks familiar...

Happy is Good

2008-07-17T10:34:00.002-04:00

Coming back from vacation, something felt strange. I thought perhaps I was missing the lazy days of the beach. Or maybe it was the wonderful food and culture of Puerto Rico that I missed. Now I realize it was the strangeness of coming home from a vacation and being really happy.

Lora and I are learning how to travel and vacation well together. To get to and from Vieques we took a total of three flights on two separate airlines. Total travel time was about 11 hours each way. This normally would be stressful, but while it wasn't fun, we got through it. I've realized that if a vacation is going to be truly relaxing, the way I relate to Lora is more important that any itinerary. We could be in an exotic locale, stay in a beautiful room, eat wonderful food, but if Lora and I are not getting along, none of it is worth it.

But coming home, I realized that Lora and I had really had a wonderful time, not only because of where we went or what we did but because of how we related to each other. And this makes me happy and happy is good.

Christmas in July

2008-07-16T16:18:00.000-04:00

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Henry David Longfellow)

A time to re-heal

2008-07-01T14:28:00.002-04:00

It has struck me that one of the most difficult and painful things to do in life is to re-heal.

Let me give an analogy. Say as a child, you break your arm. Instead of going to the hospital or doctor, you just strap a piece of wood to your arm to hold it stiff. Over time the bone will repair the fracture and you will heal. However your arm probably won't be straight and the bone may be very weak. How can you repair it? Only one way. You have to break the arm again and allow it to heal correctly. A doctor would set the arm and help your body heal properly.

So it is with life. Often we go through different sorts of trauma and heal in wrong ways. Maybe we ignore the problem and after awhile it seems to have gone away. Or maybe we blame ourselves for the problem. We do heal, life goes on, but we have healed wrong. Part of becoming a better/well person involves identifying times when we have been hurt and looking at the ways we have 'healed'. Looking back often has the effect of re-opening old wounds. This is painful, for we think that the way we healed worked, but it hasn't. Poorly healed old wounds quickly become new. Only a well-healed wound can endure another injury. Therefore, we must open the old wounds so that they may heal.

Open theism

2008-06-20T15:21:00.001-04:00

The following is a copy of something I recently posted on ROOV.com. I place it here for feedback and to encourage you to sign-up for ROOV if it is in your city.

I think open-theism is an example of theology done wrong. I also think when anti-open-theism is theology done wrong. Basically the question comes down to how much God knows. Open theist argue that our modern concept of omnipotence (God knows everything in everytime at everytime completely) is a Platonic idea, not a Christian/Biblical one. So putting Platonic ideas aside we can look solely at the Bible. In Scripture we see tension. Sometimes we see God appear to be surprised or even negotiate with man. Other places we see God know very exact details of the distant future. Closed-theist (those arguing against open-theism) basically argue that the passages about God being surprised are to be taken metaphorically, which is convenient for their argument. Open-theist argue that God knowing future details is merely evidence of His knowledge of the realm of possibilities, which is their idea not the Bible's.

The real problem with open theism is that it does little to solve the problem of evil, which is supposedly the whole reason for the idea in the first place. Saying God doesn't know (or at least not completely) doesn't let God off the hook. For example, much evil is evident to man. I think any concept of God must allow that He at least knows as much as man. But God still doesn't act to rectify the evil that I see. The problem of evil does not arise because God knows all, it arises because how can God be good and choose not to respond to evil.

In reality, the problem of evil is a problem with man not with God. It our logic that is flawed. It is us who can't understand how a good God with the power to do rectify evil does not do it. We say that God must be unjust, but we do not know Justice. God is Just and His actions are justice.

The other extreme is equally flawed. If we believe in a God who has written the script to the world, so that we should just ignore our own responsibilities then we are in error. If we believe that God cannot change His mind, therefore we should not pray that He does, we are in error. We can plead our case to God, knowing that He is just.

ROOV.com

2008-06-13T10:03:00.003-04:00

Now this is Christian social networking done right. Not a knock-off of MySpace or Facebook, but a new idea that allows the Body of Christ to function as a Body... The premise is connecting Christians with those in their area and in their church who share interests and passions. The idea is great, but the site is still very much in development... still needs some fleshing out of features. But I encourage you to check it out, I know that the developers would be encouraged. Check it out at ROOV.com

ROOV.com Stories from ROOV.com on Vimeo.

Red Wings Win Stanley Cup!

2008-06-05T09:32:00.002-04:00

So most of you know that I'm not much of a 'sports guy'. While I enjoy watching a game with those who are die-hard fans, if left to my own I wouldn't. There are two exceptions. First of all, if I were in Port Huron, Michigan I would watch the annual Port Huron International Softball Tournament in Pine Grove park, just because it is a beautiful place to watch a game. Second, being from Michigan, I love watching hockey. So even though I was able to watch one game of the playoffs, I am still super pumped that the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. The thing love about the Red Wings is that the team is such a strong and dedicated team. Many have been with the Wings for more than 10 years, even though most other NHL teams would drool at the chance to pick them up.

Here is a quote from Sports Illustrated that I think sums it up pretty well:
"Salary caps, signings and shrewd drafting can transform a team from terrible into a title-winner in a matter of months, yet the Detroit Red Wings remain the champions of consistency and resiliency... the Penguins, whose median age is far lower than the Red Wings ' yet... Only a handful of Penguins have won the Cup; five Red Wings won their fourth Stanley Cup with Detroit... The Red Wings won Cups in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008, a remarkable accomplishment given nearly one-fourth of their roster has been with them for all four."

Thoughts on love

2008-06-04T10:44:00.003-04:00

"Who are you?" is answered by strangers.
"Who am I?" is answered by lovers.

Who Needs Theology?

2008-06-04T09:44:00.002-04:00

So I have had a couple of recent conversations with some people who have posed the question, "Is it good to study the Bible in such an academic way?" As a graduate student in theology the question has obvious ramifications for me personally. I've been working on post with my own answer to this question, but I've been having difficulty finishing it. So I'll throw the question out to see if anyone has any helpful ideas. Is it valuable to study the Bible/God in an academic way? What is the purpose should the study of theology serve?

East to West

2008-05-28T14:57:00.004-04:00

These lyrics really struck me today...
"East to West" by Casting Crowns

Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight
I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west
And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned
But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west
'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

I know You've washed me white, turned my darkness into light
I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night
I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals
I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me
You're holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far the east is from the west
I don't have to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other
One scarred hand to the other
From one scarred hand to the other

Off to the movies

2008-05-28T09:49:00.002-04:00

So this past Memorial Day Weekend Lora and I stayed home which turns out was a great decision. We saved some bucks and also had a really great time. We also managed to see 3 movies in the space of 3 days. This is really something for us, since we average about 1 movie a month.

On Friday we went with Aaron and Anna to see Prince Caspian. I reread the book a couple of months ago, just to become familiar with the story again. Overall, I felt the movie was quite good but Hollywood seeped in a little too much for my taste. The introduction of a hint of romance is foreign to the book and seemed out of place in the story. Further the humor, while present in the book, was handled in such a way to make alleviate all tension in the story. The tension is what makes the story compelling. Still I really enjoyed the movie. I look forward to reading the Narnia series to my children some day.

On Saturday we rented 'Death at a Funeral' which is by far the best comedy I have seen in a long time. It is a British comedy in classic form. You have a serious situation which becomes increasingly more ridiculous all the while people are going in and out of the wrong rooms. There is nothing deep, just great humor.

When we popped the DVD in we watched a preview for 'Lars and the Real Girl' which we rented the next night. We both enjoyed the movie and recommend it, but it is difficult to categorize. Lora suggests 'a thinking comedy' which works for me. Also while the movie is based around an 'adult' situation, there is nothing obscene, lewd, sexually-arousing, etc...

Something Beautiful Podcast

2008-05-27T09:20:00.002-04:00

New podcast worth checking out. Good music and people telling their stories. Because faith is all about the story. http://somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/

To be a man

2008-05-26T09:02:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking alot about what it means to be a man. Not physically, but in essence. It seems that to be a man cannot simply mean that one is not a woman. Also it must mean more than one is a person. In other words the characteristics that define masculinity must be unique but not in simple contrast.

There are a lot of cultural definitions of manhood which are not very helpful. Our culture tells us that men are to be emotionless (which seen as a strength), womanizing lone rangers. Another part of our culture tries to simply make men into women, the gentler sex. While I have nothing against women, this seems misguided and troublesome. A man must know that he is a man, he must be affirmed in his masculinity.

Many cultures have rites of passage, a special point after which one is no longer a boy, but is man. The American culture lacks such milestones. Some define the passage into adulthood when they start driving, graduate high school or college, have their first beer, get their first 'real' job, have sex, etc... Many of these could serve as rites of passage but they don't seem to be thought of as such by much of the culture. Others might lead to a misunderstanding of adulthood.

As I've thought about it here are some things that I have come to regard as unique characteristics of man. Again this is not to say women don't or shouldn't espouse these characteristics only that they help me define what it means to be a man. The first is seeing life with a sense of adventure. The second is putting others ahead of self to the point of personal sacrifice. The third is having short hair. Just kidding about that last one.

I'd like to hear the thoughts of others on this issue.

Only a matter of time

2008-05-23T08:32:00.004-04:00

My guess is that this will be a storyline on Grey's Anatomy within the year. The Associated Press is reporting that a Tokyo man attempted suicide by drinking large amounts of pesticide. At the hospital doctors were trying to pump his stomach when he threw up on them, releasing poisonous gas throughout the hospital. In total 54 doctors, nurses and patients developing breathing problems and eye sores. Of course the Grey's Anatomy writers will not merely rip this story out of the headlines. They will add high degree of sexual tension to the story...

Read the full story here.

We The Church

2008-05-21T15:52:00.002-04:00

Here is an interesting 'Christian' twist on twitter called 'We The Church'. Neat idea but probably could be implemented/designed better. I've heard that they had issue with lack of moderation early on so they recently relaunched.

Check it out at wethechurch.org

Did you here the one about the parrot?

2008-05-21T08:35:00.004-04:00

This reminds me of the many parrot jokes Dr. Toussaint told in BE107. But this story is true. A lost parrot in Tokyo told a veterinarian his address and thus he was safely returned to his owner.

Read the whole story here.

God

2008-05-16T08:43:00.004-04:00

I am a polytheist, this much is true
Most have one God, me I have two
One God sits in heaven and is ever kind
The other is mean and lives in my mind

The god in my head tells me I'm bad
Makes me feel guilty, shameful and sad
I cannot please him however I try
He does not love me, and I wonder why

But if this god in my head does abide
He must be so small to fit just inside
Or my head must be amazingly large
To contain the god who is ever in charge

If I examine this god in my head
I realize that he is nothing to dread
For he is nothing more than myself
I've just taken the word 'god' off the shelf

There are not two gods but only One
Who loves me so much to send forth His Son
Even the heavens can never contain
The weight of His glory or the length of His reign

So I will worship the God who is above
Who showers His blessings and promises love
And I will know that the god in my head
Is not living but is ever dead.

Latest Game Addiction

2008-05-15T15:35:00.001-04:00

Bible Geocoding

2008-05-14T08:14:00.003-04:00

I think this a great resource for pastors or anyone teaching Scripture that wants to utilize high-quality maps. Google Earth (free to download) provides both the geographic maps as well as the platform that allows alot of possibilities. The folks at openbible.info have went ahead and did the rest of the hard work by plotting the points. Check it out at http://www.openbible.info/geo/

What I'm Listening to - Bored Again

2008-05-12T14:34:00.003-04:00

For all you folks out there who are looking for something new in Christian music, I recommend the 'Bored Again Christian' podcast, which is great to check out new music. There is a good variety of music, some I really like other stuff not so much. While I'm far from a music buff (as my wife can tell you) I do enjoy this podcast. I like the fact that most is really good music which doesn't say 'Jesus' in every verse. For me it is about living a faith in everyday life, about having a Jesus that transcends Sunday, about serving the eternal God in every moment.

7 months

2008-05-12T10:01:00.002-04:00

So for the past seven months I've been working at the US Bankruptcy Court as the web developer. Anyway, I've completed my first publicly-accessible site for them. Check it out at www.txnb.uscourts.gov. I hope you never find a need to use it though! Actually I'm pretty proud of it. While I can't take credit for the design, I did develop a custom 'Content Management System' specifically for judicial use. Hopefully this system will be able to be utilized by different courts around the country as it greatly simplifies the process of managing external websites.

Today

2008-05-08T15:10:00.003-04:00

If there was one day when I could be me,
Be the man I always wanted to be
If there was one day when I could let go
Of all the things that I carry in tow
If there was one day when I could look
And see all of myself as pages of a book
If there was one day when I could forget
Every bad memory and every regret
If there was one day when I could show
The love I feel to everyone I know

There is a day when all this is true
The day I will do the things I want to
The day when could becomes that which is
The day my will becomes all-together His

This day is both very far and very near
Looking ahead, I can look without fear
For I can choose today as that day
And know tomorrow it won’t go away

For God is a God of this day and the next
He’s promised His love in His sacred Text
Though I may struggle to see that which is
I know the future is ultimately His

So today is the day when I will be me,
I will be the man I want now to be
And God will be the God that is
And someday my will will be all-together His

2007-03-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

I've just begun reading G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy as part of a group study I'll be doing over the next several months. In the first chapter he laments the fact that modern man seems obsessed with the 'new'. Partly because of human arrogance and partly because out of a desire to be unique, it seems as though most people want to construct their own new 'blend' of beliefs. Chesterton remarks that the philosophy that he outlines in the book (i.e. Christian orthodoxy) is not new therefore discarded by the moderns. Modern philosophy (and post-modern for that matter) places humankind at the base of their philosophical constructs. A modern philosopher starts with what they know (or think they know) about themselves and then attempt to extrapolate understanding of the universe from there ('I think therefore I am'). This seems to be one reason why modern philosophy has little basis for morality. At best modern philosophy can attempt to enforce the morals of the philosopher on the rest.

Christian thought is the inverse. God is at the beginning and I am the end. As understand more about God (through His revelation), I understand more about the universe and more about who I am and should be. In Chesterton's words, "I did not create it, rather it is creating me."

2007-03-05T14:41:00.000-05:00

God is good all the time. All the time God is good.

So here is a question to ponder. What does it mean that God is good? Is there some absolute standard for good, outside of God, that He adheres to? Or does God define what it means to be good? Is goodness a reflection of God's character or is He simply the ulimate example of a good one?

"And the Lord God said, 'No that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.'" (Gen 3:22, NET)

Dog days of summer

2006-05-25T13:48:00.000-04:00

While it's been 90 degrees in Dallas for like 2 months, still summer for me is just starting. All the wedding stuff is over, classes are done and tonight I will have my last tutoring appointment. So now I just have to work 40 hours a week at ATS. I only realize how much time I spend studying when I don't have to. 40 hours a week seems so easy! Still I hope for a productive summer; a chance to strengthen my new marriage, deepen my faith and rest my mind!

Two days

2006-03-10T00:23:00.000-05:00

In two days I'll be getting married to an incredible woman. She has taught me much about myself, the world and about God. I thank God for giving me such an incredible gift in Lora. While the wedding planning has been stressful at times, I am confident that the ceremony should be beautiful.

A friend of mine remarked once that being about to get married is kinda like being about to die. While this may seem like a joke, he was very serious. For a Christian, death is the end of one 'season' (i.e. life) but the beginning of something much better (i.e. eternity with Christ). And so it is with marriage, my singleness is ending but I am assured that marriage will be much better. While there will be times I miss somethings about being single I am sure, the joy and love that marriage and eventually a family can provide will far outweigh what I lose.

Like a man on his deathbed, I want to thank all of those who helped me have a great life as a single man. I am fortunate to have been surrounded by so many caring friends and family during the first 24 years of my life. And I look forward to those relationships growing further as a married man, since you will still know me on 'the other side.'

But that begs the question, will you know me on the other side of death? I am confident in Christ's death to save my soul and know that I will spend eternity with Him. But will you be there when you die? Coming to Christ is a lot like getting married. You'll give up some of your freedom and your life will be forever changed. The Bible speaks of the Church (all those who trust in Christ) as the Bride of Christ, and I can't think of a more fitting illustration.

So if you haven't thought about it, think about what Christ has offered you. Remember what you gain far outweighs what you lose.

Christmas

2005-12-25T21:56:00.000-05:00

Reading the Christmas story this year, I reflected on who I most identified with. This is an interesting exercise and proves a useful way to evaluate your spiritual journey. By placing myself right in the Christmas story made it more vivid and real.

Am I a magi? Have I seen some evidence of Christ and journey long and far to seek Him? Do I bring Him my most precious positions to lay at His little feet?

Or perhaps I am like the star that guided them. The star shown bright in a dark world to proclaim the good news for all to see. Not only this but the star was steady and precisely guided the magi to the exact location of Christ. Do I point the world to the Christchild?

The star was not alone in proclaiming the great news of the Incarnation. Scripture tells us that angels appeared to shepherds. These angels shown with the radiance of God in a way that startled the shepherds. These shepherds were the outcasts of society, but for them the angels left the very presence of God to share the good of great joy. Do I proclaim the message of the coming of Christ to the lowest of society with such joy as the angels?

The shepherds rushed to the manger and although they did not have expensive gifts like the magi, they demonstrate their faith with the act of utter obedience. They told all those they came into contact with about what they had seen and heard. Am I shepherd, do I offer my obedience to the King of Kings?

To be honest, more often than not I feel like the innkeeper, who shuts Christ out. It's not that he wouldn't have made room for the Son of God, but did He have to come right now? I, too, tend to push Christ away in the midst of my 'busy' life. The innkeeper isn't in the Biblical account of the birth of Christ, but we can be sure there was one. His disregard for God is noted by his absence from the story.

At this time however, I probably feel the most like Mary or Joseph. They stand as two examples of faith and perseverance in a difficult circumstance. Even with the message of the angels, they probably were still very confused with what God was doing. They had lived faithful lives, but now God was calling them to endure a long journey, social scorn and eventual exile to Egypt. They obeyed even though they did not fully understand. This is faith.

Who are you in the Christmas story?

Merry Christmas!

Second-Term Woes

2005-10-29T12:49:00.000-04:00

With President Bush suffering two significant political defeats in recent days, is his presidency now permanently crippled? He continues to suffer very low poll numbers and has been unable to move any issue forward for months. He has been unable to capitalize on improving economic conditions.

Perhaps Bush is simply suffering from second-term woes. All recent presidents who served two terms (Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Clinton) suffered major scandals and waning political influence during the last four years of their time in office. This may be the result of term limits, that once a president is longer running for anything, he becomes unimportant and easy target for enemies and friends alike. Conservatives have sought to distance themselves from Bush, particularly on the Miers matter while Democrats take glee in the current CIA scandal.

Is there anything Bush can do to break out of this conundrum? I think for Bush to regain the trust of the American people he needs to start anew. Get rid of Rove and Cheney. Rethink Iraq (not complete withdrawal but a new strategy). Appoint a Robert-esqe Supreme Court nominee. This would not signal weakness or defeat but an honest assessment of where the country is. I think most conservatives would welcome this move. Bush's message for the past eighteen months has been 'we need to stay the course' but this become ineffective when most people see the course as wrong.

Katrina - Wrath from God?

2005-09-06T21:43:00.000-04:00

Before Pat Robinson shoots off his mouth again, I'd like to make it clear that common Christian beliefs do not accept the idea that Hurricane Katrina is somehow divine punishment for Mardi Gra or Bourbon Street. This concept seems acceptable at first but it is flawed but not for the reason you might think.

First glance gives credence to the idea of holy wrath. First, it is certainly within the power and authority of God to administer such punishment. Both the Old Testament and Revelation confirm this power. Second, if God were to exact such wrath it would in no way be unjust. God's justice is perfect and we can not be the judge of His actions. Similarly the punishment of 'innocent' people does not make the action unjust. Third, the sins of New Orleans are certainly worthy of such punishment. The wages of sin are death and few can argue with the presence of sin in this city (or any other city, town, nation or person for that matter).

Why then can I say that Katrina is not God's judgment on Mardi Gra and such? First, if God was trying to wipe out the sin, he missed. The French Quarter was one the areas that faired the best in the onslaught of the hurricane. So if we say that God was punishing He would be ineffective. This is impossible. Second, in Scripture there is clear warning to cities and peoples before God uses natural disaster. Think of Sodom or the Tribulation? God used Lot and will use the 144,000 witnesses to warn His intended targets of destruction with clear command to repent. No such call for repentance was made. So if we say that God was punishing He would be inconsistent. This, too is impossible. Third, now is not the time for divine judgment. When we read the Bible we can easily see that God acts in different ways at different times. In the Old Testament God acted through a singular nation and today He acts through His Church. Simply put, God is not in 'destroy' mode right now. He has been and will be but is not presently.

So what can we learn Katrina? In a way Katrina was punishment for sin, but not for New Orleans'. Hurricanes, tsunamis and other natural disasters are the result of the Fall. When Adam and Eve ate that apple they brought destruction and death into the world. Sin is serious stuff.

A time to study

2005-08-25T20:21:00.000-04:00

With the fall term about to begin, I feel a mixture of dread and joy. I know I have a daunting task ahead of me but I also know that if I make it through I will be one semester closer to finishing my master's degree. But greater still, is the opportunity to struggle, to do something difficult for Christ, to bring myself closer in my own dependence on Him.

Last year was an awesome time not only to grow in knowledge but also in spirit. Seminary is sort of like going to church everyday, or being at camp all year long. One of the principal benefits is to be in daily exposure to the Word and to godly ideas. Seminary gives ample opportunity to live out Paul's instruction to the Colossians, "Set your mind on things above" (3:2 NIV). But it should also be an opportunity to "set your hearts on things above." (3:1) I've found that the mind and heart work together, one can lead the other. I pray that as I engage my mind, my heart will follow. Only by loving Christ can I truly love Him.

Another lesson from the book of Colossians is that when faced with wrong ideas, focus on Christ. Seminary is as much an exposure to heresy as it is to truth. Knowing what's wrong is part of knowing what's right. I don't know how many times I have been in class and thought "people actually believe that!" For me it is tempting to get drawn into theological battles when exposed to heresy. But the approach that Paul uses when addressing the Gnostic heresy at Colosse is to refute and refocus.

For example, in 3:8-3:12 Paul deals a blow to Gnostic ideas by reaffirming Christ's physical body and real death. He then immediately turns to the believers own experience to validate true theology. "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive in Christ. He forgave us all our sins." Paul gives a one-two punch by first showing the errors of false theology and then reminding them of what Christ accomplished for them. In effect he says, "that Gnosticism is wrong and false, don't you remember what you were like before Christ, what more do you need!"

The purpose of protest?

2005-08-20T01:22:00.000-04:00

With the Iraq war quickly losing public support and with the anti-war movement gaining new supporters, I have been thinking more about what is the best way to go. There is little doubt that much of the Iraq war was a mistake, WMDs, Abu Graib, unexpected insurgency, etc... And while we as a nation need to own up to these mistakes, I don't think pulling out immediately is the best way. Pulling out now would leave an Iraq in the hands of extremists. The comparitively few Americans that will die helping Iraq move towards self-rule will save many more lives. We did make a mistake in Iraq and that mistake is going to cost hundreds of American lives. But to pull out now would be yet another mistake that could costs thousands more. The only reason toi pull out is greed, feeling that American lives are worth more than Iraqi lives.

Your Preferred Model of Church

2005-08-07T16:44:00.000-04:00

I recently came across this quiz on 'The Ooze'. I thought it was quite interesting. Link.

Personally, I scored highest in the 'Herald Model' meaning that the organization is secondary to the church's principle purpose of proclaiming the Gospel. I think that how you feel about church is often the combination of theology and experience. More specifically how you view God most directly impacts what you think His people should be doing. If God is primarily concerned with redemption of individuals than a church that loudly proclaims the Gospel is needed. If God rather wants to bring about a sort of cultural or social redemption (through His people) than a more social justice model fits.

ATSKids

2005-08-04T10:58:00.000-04:00

After a couple of months of work, we have finished ATS Kids and the Island of Know, a gospel adventure game for kids. The game is designed to present the gospel as children play the game. If you are curious of my contribution to the game, I did all of the coding meaning basically everything you don't see I did. David, my coworker, did all of the graphics. Since neither David or myself have designed a game, I am quite happy with the result. If you are interested in doing a creative outreach to children please consider using this game. It is available for free online play (high speed connection reccomended) or on a CD (PC and Mac). Check it out at www.ATSKids.com

Narnia

2005-07-23T01:38:00.000-04:00

Thought it might be a good idea to update this thing every year or so, in case by some miracle someone would happen to look at it :-)

Anyway, I have just finished The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis which as you may know is the first (or second depending on whose order you use) in the Chronicles of Narnia series. The book is the basis for a major movie that is scheduled to be released by Disney in December. Said movie is pumped up by major Christian companies and organizations (think the Passion) as a tool for outreach. While the book does contain clear imagery of the gospel message, why the intense effort on this particular movie? Other movies have themes that easily could lead into an explanation of the Gospel. In fact most any topic can lead to the gospel. If you have ever met an effective evangelist you know this to be true. The search for ultimate truth is universal.

The most effective single evangelistic outreach ever document occured in a time before movies, mass-marketing and mega-churches. The apostle Peter simply address a crowd with the gospel. Acts 2:41 records "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." Even for the people of that time, this was no fancy message. A simple man simply delivered a simple message of sin and salvation.

I think the hype around Narnia says much about the state of American Evangelicalism, when we have to wait for Hollywood to produce an overtly 'Christian' movie before we will engage in evangelism.

Church

2004-07-21T21:19:00.000-04:00

I read an interesting article on "The Ooze" (an emerging church site) about a former pastor who really thinks out of the box when it comes to the idea of church. He is starting a church, of sorts, simply by serving with another couple and seeing where God leads. There is no building, no budget, no mission statement and no set meeting times. Just people and God.

It may be that I'm biased, or fit to well into my existing cultural norms, but I don't know what to think of this sort of church. While I certainly applaude the efforts to take the "administration" out of ministry... this model seems farther from the New Testament church then I would like to be. Christianity needs to be a part of more of lives and being members of the Church means we are God's servants 24-7. That said I think there is a definate Biblical presidence for an organized gathering of believers. When it comes to how organized though, sometimes we over Americanize church and assume that if it is going to be successful it should be organized like a corporation.

http://http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=658

A Hand-Up Not A Hand-Out

2004-06-23T16:25:00.000-04:00

In my surfing today, I came across an article about how one church transformed their food-pantry ministry into a life-changing impetus rather then just a bag of groceries. To me, this seems an ideal model for needs-fulfilling outreach. We can not deny Christ's call to help those in need, however it would be ultimately unwise to simply throw money at problems. By providing for needs as you help people address their root problems along with results-based accountability seems to be the best way to 'help people get back on their feet'.

The additional cost of having a social worker on staff is offset by gains money being better used. Now there are certainly cases when those in need are unable to help themselves and the church must be generous towards those people (remember what Christ said about the care of widows).

Link to Article: Food for Self Sufficiency - Using Food Pantries as a Restoration Ministry

While we were yet sinners

2004-06-13T19:10:00.000-04:00

I've trampled on the grace You gave
Spitting on Your crown pierced brow
With the disrespect of the worst of
Pharisees
I thought I knew better

You could see me turn my back
yet You did it anyway
even though I wouldn't follow
Your perfect way.

My actions mock Your name
And deny Your power
I follow the crowd and shout
Crucify Him!
Yet I do what I do not want

You died for the king of mockers
for the worst of hypocrites and
for ones who'd always turn away
Rejection was certain

I stumble, I fall, I fail
You hold, You pick me up, You prevail
Within a sinner, a submitted servant You see
Your love is greater than mine can ever be

Emerging Church - A Comparison Article

2004-06-11T12:43:00.000-04:00

I stumbled across an interesting article comparing "boomer" churches (Willow Creek, Saddleback, etc...) to "genX" churches (i.e. emerging churches). I found this article quite informative.

The more I learn about the 'emerging church' movement the more I like the ideas it espouses. It is important to realize that this movement is more about how a local church operates then theology. Just as the boomer 'mega-churches' have similar characteristics (professional sound and video, seeker-friendly sermons, casual dress, a principle charismatic leader) across denominational and theological lines, the 'emerging church' is the same. For example, many churches with less then Biblical doctrine (like the United Methodist church) use material from the Willow Creek Association. Now this doesn't say that Willow Creek doesn't have Biblical doctrine, only that churches from many different stripes recognize the advantages of their methodology.

A link to the article is here.

Emerging Church - Journey

2004-06-10T12:54:00.000-04:00

Another day, another look at an 'emerging church'.

Since I will be going to the Dallas area soon, I thought it would be neat to check out an 'emerging' church in that area. Lo and behold there is one by the name of 'Journey'. Through looking at the church's website I have discovered something about the emerging church in general. It seems as though emerging churches attempt to resurrect the idea of liturgy, in a new and refreshing way.

Journey is a 'church within a church' of a larger Baptist (General Conference) church in Dallas. According to their website they currently have about 100 participants.

www.journeydallas.com

Survey shows evangelical Christians less tied to either major party then in previous elections

2004-06-09T15:26:00.000-04:00

George Barna of the well known Christian research and polling serve "The Barna Group" released a poll detailing connections between people's faith and their current choice for presidential candidate. While Mr. Barna definately casts a pro-Bush spin to his results they are more troubling for both of the major parties.

Barna's poll reveals that a full 10 percent of the American support third-party candidates (5% for Nader with the remaining 5% split among Libertarian, Constitutionalist, etc..) rather then either George W. Bush or John Kerry. This is a much greater percentage then has been reported in major polls but this is likely due to the fact that other third-party candidates are almost always left off of the polls.

Read more of Barna's results here

Two party or not two party, that is the question

2004-06-08T12:43:00.000-04:00

Come November millions of Americans will head once again to the ballot box to once again cast their votes for the better of two evils. Even more will stay home. These disenchanted citizens make up of the vast majority in this country, but are so disgusted with the state of the political system that they refuse to participate in it. By doing so they abandon any hope for the change that they earnestly desire.

I have come to the conclusion that I, along with many others, do not fit well in either of the political parties. The Democratic party excludes principles of individual responsibility, strong morals and respect for human life. The Republican party is sold out to multinational firms who exploit people and the environment for the sake of profit.

What is even more troubling among the many existing third parties in this country, I have also not found a home. There are parties for Socialists, Communists, White Separatists and even Anarchist but their is no party for someone who believes that the government should support and encourage strong moral values as well as encourage community-based compassion so that we as nation can help those who have less.

The Constitution Party comes somewhat close. While they do emphasize traditional values and oppose 'free' trade they believe that government should take no action in helping those who can not help themselves. While past government programs have failed to eliminate poverty and homelessness this does not mean that we should abandon these people.

As the election draws closer I, along with our entire nation, will continue to ponder whether it is better to vote to keep the wrong guy out or to stand up to make a true change.

Emerging Church - Solomon's Porch

2004-06-07T14:55:00.000-04:00

For the past year I have been interested in the 'emerging' church movement. So far I have been able to determine that this an unorganized attempt by those from many different denominational and theological backgrounds to make church more relevent to post-modern (and even perhaps post-post-modern) culture. While the theology of individual churches varies considerably, most focus on becoming an authentic holistic Christian. One church that I have run across recently is 'Solomon's Porch' in Minnesota.

In looking at their website I liked how they attempted to bring the arts into their experience. As I think about being involved in church planting in the future, I find it very interesting to look at various churches.

http://www.solomonsporch.com

What's in a name?

2004-06-07T12:47:00.000-04:00

Verimus is Latin for "You and I might have passed" Since this blog will mainly be read by people I have met over the years it seemed a fitting title. The purpose of this blog will mainly be for me to have some space to "spout" off my thoughts on philosophy, technology, theology and any other 'ology' that may come my way (except for biology because I can't stand the sight of blood).