The Hypocrisy of Muslim Outrage

Running Well - » The Hypocrisy of Muslim Outrage:

"They threaten to kill people because those people have said that Islam is a violent religion; I wonder what the arabic word for “irony” is? "

D.R. says a lot in a few words!

Should Christians Be Rich?

Redeeming The Time: A Classic Case In Point

Kwellum offers an excellent example of thinking through the Bible as a whole.

Newton's Last Verse

I love John Newton.

Nobody writes hymns that resonate with Christian experience like the pastor from Olney. That is why I am sad that the concluding verse to his most famous hymn is rarely known - let alone sung.

The famed "ten thousand years" verse did not appear until about 40 years after Newton first published the hymn. It was not written by him, although who exactly did write it is up for some debate. The point is, this is how the original hymn came to its conclusion.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.

Don't get me wrong, I like the "ten thousand year" thought... but I also like thinking about God being mine forever. A little more theocentric, I should think.

Pure Church

Pure Church

How are you supposed to take seriously a guy who pastors in the Cayman Islands. I mean, that is simply unfair. I am bracing my body for snow and some fellow has the nerve to call living in the Caymans a "ministry?"

Okay.

I'm jealous.

But I like Thabiti Anyabwile (even though my prouncing Gazateer is failing me on this one), and he likes Mark Driscoll. Pastor Anyabwile served for a while with Mark Dever at Capitol Hill Baptist in DC and is the newly minted pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman. He has some great stuff to say and I have gladly added him to my blogroll. Even though I have no idea what "Mark Drizzle is the schnizzle. That's my nizzle. Wes' side!" means!

Spiritual Leadership

“Spiritual leaders are not made by election or appointment, by men or any combination of men, nor by conferences or synods. Only God can make them.

Simply holding a position of importance does not constitute one a leader, nor do taking courses in leadership, or resolving to become a leader. The only method is that of qualifying to be a leader. Religious position can be conferred by bishops and boards, but not spiritual authority, which is the prime essential of Christian leadership.”

(J. Oswald Sanders, “Spiritual Leadership”, 20)

Chuck Smiths | TheResurgence

Chuck Smiths | TheResurgence:

Driscoll tackles the rather uncomfortable tension between Chuck Smith, Sr. and his son. He uses their growing divide as a picture of what is happening in broader evangelicalism.

"The Smith's rift is a very painful example of a national trend that shows no sign of slowing. This trend has the potential for one group to push every doctrine into a closed hand of uncertainty (the error of classic fundamentalism) and for the other group to push every doctrine into an open hand of uncertainty (classic liberalism)."

How to Pray for the Dawson College Shooting

Yesterday around noon a goth-dressed gunman named Kimveer Gill walked into the commons area of Dawson College in downtown Montreal and began shooting people with his Beretta CX4 Storm semi-automatic rifle. He died approximately three minutes later in a shoot-out with police officers.
One young woman has died, and several others are being kept alive with critical injuries. Another 15 or so have non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
How should a Christian pray about a tragedy like this?

1. With thanksgiving. We can thank God for His common grace that restrains this type of tragedy from occurring every day. We can also thank Him for mercy on the many students in the area Gill began his gruesome act. Police officers “just happened” to be on the scene responding to another incident and were able to intervene amazingly fast. We can also thank the Lord that He is able to take something as tragic as this and work it for the good of His people that are directly affected (Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”).

2. With sorrow for sin. Gill is a picture of what is resident in all of our hearts. His actions betray what we do every time we speak an angry word or call someone a demeaning name (Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”). We ought to agree with God that we are all sinners in need of a Saviour.

3. With hope for the lost. God works through means in saving His people, therefore it is good to pray that many students will be faced with the despair of life apart from God and then flee to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

4. With mercy for the afflicted. Love only wishes well on others, so our prayers ought to be asking God to have mercy on these poor 16-20 year olds that have endured a shocking crisis.

5. With an eye on heaven. Remembering that this world is scarred by sin and our only hope for a perfect society is with the Lord. (Romans 5:2b “...we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

6. With an eye on hell. Remembering that Gill’s actions are the delight of our enemy and that the eternal suffering for sin will be infinitely worse than September 13^th in Montreal.

7. With an eye on the cross. Remembering that Christ died in the place of men who have sinned like Gill. We ought to let the heinousness of his crime remind us and help us feel the heinousness of our sin before a Holy God – and then praise Him for a love that bought us, recalling the infinite price that was paid.

Hymns to Evolution

Lost in wonder, love and grace: Hymns to Evolution

tomgee took up the challenge of writing a couple of hymns to evolution...

I didn't know he was so witty! Get the theme song from Gilligan's Island rolling in your head and start your singing!

I've been meaning to link to this for days... I heartily guffawed at:
"Quickly we mammals then appeared,
as whiskered, little mice
we grew to become you and me
(how's that for artifice?) ... this theory is so nice ..."

Brian McLaren Lauded by Washington Post

Evangelical Author Puts Progressive Spin On Traditional Faith:

The Post writes a simple article that just happens to note McLaren's ability to make no significant statements on abortion, homosexuality or salvation in Christ alone. There is nothing new here, but I enjoyed Don Carson's little assessment: "Though a 'creative, sparkly writer,' added Carson, McLaren has 'got so many things wrong in his analysis that his work is not going to last that long.'"

HT: DR