"HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A highly trained 200-pound chimpanzee who once starred in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola was shot dead by police after a violent rampage that left a friend of its owner badly mauled.
Sandra Herold, the owner of the 15-year-old chimp named Travis, wrestled with the animal after it inexplicably attacked her friend Monday when the visitor got out of her car in front of Herold's home.
'She retrieved a large butcher knife and stabbed her longtime pet numerous times in an effort to save her friend, who was really being brutally attacked,' said Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Shouldn't PETA Call This Murder?
The Associated Press: Huge chimp shot dead after mauling woman in Conn.:
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Two More Reasons to Like John Piper
Meet John Piper:
"When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?
I index books as I read them, by writing short notes in the front of the book with page numbers beside them. In a good book there may be over a hundred such notes.
Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?
I enjoy watching gymnastics, soccer, basketball, and football, in that order. If my back weren’t so stiff I would love to play racquetball. When our staff goes away we play volleyball and floor hockey."
"When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?
I index books as I read them, by writing short notes in the front of the book with page numbers beside them. In a good book there may be over a hundred such notes.
Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?
I enjoy watching gymnastics, soccer, basketball, and football, in that order. If my back weren’t so stiff I would love to play racquetball. When our staff goes away we play volleyball and floor hockey."
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
TPF: Spurgeon, Pierre and the Smiling Osteen
A certain world famous blogger thought it would be really funny to cover up my portrait of C.H. Spurgeon today with the glimmering smile of one Joel Osteen. Now there is a study in contrasts!
Speaking of contrasts… watching Mr. Osteen on Youtube today made me pause in wonder at what he does in a pulpit compared to what Dr. Pierre Constant was urging upon us at the Toronto Pastors Fellowship yesterday. Pierre had a great presentation on how to preach the text.
Every week, Joel and the thousands chant:
“This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive; Ill never be the same. In Jesus name, God bless you.”
And then everybody puts their Bible under their seats and listens to Joel talk about stuff.
Osteen is a pretty easy target, but I wonder how many times what we call “expository preaching” is not that much different from what happens in Texas every week? Do we really say what the Bible says? Do we stick to the text and only the text? Do we labour in study and pulpit to not only tell our people what it says, and what it means by what it says… but also to teach them by our methods how to do that on their own? Pierre gave some wonderful instruction on how to do it all. Be sure to download the audio and a pdf of the paper to follow along.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Book Review: MLJ, Adams and Montoya
Preaching and Preachers
By D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
When asked by young preachers what books they should read, I always start with Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ Preaching and Preachers. I doubt there has been a more important work written on the whole realm of the preacher in the English world. MLJ wrote the book after teaching on the subject at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1969. That “the Doctor” had something to say on the matter of preaching was obvious. Although asked to give a lecture here or there on the matter over the years, he always refrained feeling that the topic needed a whole series of talks in order to do it justice. And it was only after 44 years of preaching an average of 5 times per week that he felt he could put his thoughts into book form.
MLJ writes as a preacher to preachers. I have read too many books by homileticians that do not take into account the calling of the pastor to be the “kerux.” Talking from a pulpit, waxing eloquent in some conversational style, shouting at people – these are not preaching. But, as Lloyd-Jones writes, “[The preacher] is the only one who is in a position to deal with the greatest need in the world.” If that is true, we preachers had best know what we are doing!
The book progresses logically (was the Doctor ever illogical?) through 16 chapters with titles like, “the Form of the Sermon,” “the Preparation of the Sermon,” and “Illustrations, Eloquence, Humour.” Where this works differs from so many inferior attempts is in MLJ’s constant attention to the one doing the preaching. What does preaching feel like, what are the joys of discovery, what mistakes are easy to make, what role does the Spirit play in our delivery; these are the questions that get answered all through the text.
This is vintage Lloyd-Jones. I have often heard young ministers complain that the older ones are not training them. That may be true, but no one has an excuse not to learn from an old MLJ. Sit down with this book and you will profit your own soul, your ministry and your people. Learn at the feet of one who was likely the greatest preacher of the 1900’s.
Preaching with Purpose
By Jay Adams
One problem I have observed with many books on preaching is a problem many of us preachers run into in our pulpits – we try to say everything about something, and end up saying nothing at all. Preaching is an enormous topic and to do it justice a great deal must be written – unless one chooses to deal with only one aspect of preaching.
Wisely narrowing his focus, Jay Adams has written a very helpful book on preaching with purpose. In essence, Adams has sought to demonstrate why it is we preach.
I must admit to not being a huge fan of Adams writings. Perhaps that is why this book sat on my “to read” shelf for a few years before I finally picked it up. But once I began it was impossible to put down.
The basic thesis of the book is that the goal of preaching is to effect change. This may not sound terribly profound, but was that the purpose of your last sermon? Adams rightly observed that many preachers are abstract, wandering, dull, and pointless in the pulpit. People should be rightly asking, “Why do we come here and why do you talk?” And so, he begins a careful analysis of how to develop purpose to your preaching.
I will be the first to admit that I do not agree with every suggestion Adams makes (and “suggestion” may be too polite of a term to use), but even if we do not agree there is good discipline in having to answer why. I think that is what I most appreciated about this little book, it forced me to answer the why questions again and again. It is unlikely anyone else will ask you.
Pick up this little book and read one of its 22 chapters every day and you will see some spark and clarity added to your preaching – guaranteed!
Preaching with Passion
By Alex Montoya
Full disclosure: Alex Montoya was one of my favorite seminary professors and remains a good friend.
I recall a time early in my ministry when I preached a particularly poor sermon… with a great deal of emotion and excitement. A man in that church approached me afterwards bubbling over with excitement about how wonderful a sermon that had been. I looked at him rather dumbfounded then came to that important realization that some people could care less what you say, as long as you say loud and getting really, really excited about it!
That being true may be why so many of us that love the sovereignty of God shy away from any kind of “emotionalism” in the pulpit. We do not want to interfere with the work of God or confuse emotion with conviction – therefore we preach like a sheet of plywood.
Alex Montoya has served the church be writing this small book on the passion that is necessary in the preaching of God’s Word.
The eight chapters cover preaching with spiritual power, conviction, compassion, authority, urgency, brokenness, the whole being and imagination. Each chapter is argued Biblically, described practically and full of excellent examples. Montoya’s subtle wit runs throughout, often disarming us before lowering the hammer. Again, this is the work of a preacher speaking to preachers.
Many of us had the privilege of sitting under Montoya’s ministry at the 2005 Toronto Pastors Conference. If you would like a taste of that again, then I highly commend this book to you!
By D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
When asked by young preachers what books they should read, I always start with Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ Preaching and Preachers. I doubt there has been a more important work written on the whole realm of the preacher in the English world. MLJ wrote the book after teaching on the subject at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1969. That “the Doctor” had something to say on the matter of preaching was obvious. Although asked to give a lecture here or there on the matter over the years, he always refrained feeling that the topic needed a whole series of talks in order to do it justice. And it was only after 44 years of preaching an average of 5 times per week that he felt he could put his thoughts into book form.
MLJ writes as a preacher to preachers. I have read too many books by homileticians that do not take into account the calling of the pastor to be the “kerux.” Talking from a pulpit, waxing eloquent in some conversational style, shouting at people – these are not preaching. But, as Lloyd-Jones writes, “[The preacher] is the only one who is in a position to deal with the greatest need in the world.” If that is true, we preachers had best know what we are doing!
The book progresses logically (was the Doctor ever illogical?) through 16 chapters with titles like, “the Form of the Sermon,” “the Preparation of the Sermon,” and “Illustrations, Eloquence, Humour.” Where this works differs from so many inferior attempts is in MLJ’s constant attention to the one doing the preaching. What does preaching feel like, what are the joys of discovery, what mistakes are easy to make, what role does the Spirit play in our delivery; these are the questions that get answered all through the text.
This is vintage Lloyd-Jones. I have often heard young ministers complain that the older ones are not training them. That may be true, but no one has an excuse not to learn from an old MLJ. Sit down with this book and you will profit your own soul, your ministry and your people. Learn at the feet of one who was likely the greatest preacher of the 1900’s.
Preaching with Purpose
By Jay Adams
One problem I have observed with many books on preaching is a problem many of us preachers run into in our pulpits – we try to say everything about something, and end up saying nothing at all. Preaching is an enormous topic and to do it justice a great deal must be written – unless one chooses to deal with only one aspect of preaching.
Wisely narrowing his focus, Jay Adams has written a very helpful book on preaching with purpose. In essence, Adams has sought to demonstrate why it is we preach.
I must admit to not being a huge fan of Adams writings. Perhaps that is why this book sat on my “to read” shelf for a few years before I finally picked it up. But once I began it was impossible to put down.
The basic thesis of the book is that the goal of preaching is to effect change. This may not sound terribly profound, but was that the purpose of your last sermon? Adams rightly observed that many preachers are abstract, wandering, dull, and pointless in the pulpit. People should be rightly asking, “Why do we come here and why do you talk?” And so, he begins a careful analysis of how to develop purpose to your preaching.
I will be the first to admit that I do not agree with every suggestion Adams makes (and “suggestion” may be too polite of a term to use), but even if we do not agree there is good discipline in having to answer why. I think that is what I most appreciated about this little book, it forced me to answer the why questions again and again. It is unlikely anyone else will ask you.
Pick up this little book and read one of its 22 chapters every day and you will see some spark and clarity added to your preaching – guaranteed!
Preaching with Passion
By Alex Montoya
Full disclosure: Alex Montoya was one of my favorite seminary professors and remains a good friend.
I recall a time early in my ministry when I preached a particularly poor sermon… with a great deal of emotion and excitement. A man in that church approached me afterwards bubbling over with excitement about how wonderful a sermon that had been. I looked at him rather dumbfounded then came to that important realization that some people could care less what you say, as long as you say loud and getting really, really excited about it!
That being true may be why so many of us that love the sovereignty of God shy away from any kind of “emotionalism” in the pulpit. We do not want to interfere with the work of God or confuse emotion with conviction – therefore we preach like a sheet of plywood.
Alex Montoya has served the church be writing this small book on the passion that is necessary in the preaching of God’s Word.
The eight chapters cover preaching with spiritual power, conviction, compassion, authority, urgency, brokenness, the whole being and imagination. Each chapter is argued Biblically, described practically and full of excellent examples. Montoya’s subtle wit runs throughout, often disarming us before lowering the hammer. Again, this is the work of a preacher speaking to preachers.
Many of us had the privilege of sitting under Montoya’s ministry at the 2005 Toronto Pastors Conference. If you would like a taste of that again, then I highly commend this book to you!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Things I Will Never Understand #264
Overheard at a friends place last night.
Wife: (mumbling as she wakes in flu-induced delusion) Ah! I almost had that fraction figured!
Husband: Awwwwww, that’s so cute! You multiply fractions when you have a fever? Me, too!
Wife: (mumbling as she wakes in flu-induced delusion) Ah! I almost had that fraction figured!
Husband: Awwwwww, that’s so cute! You multiply fractions when you have a fever? Me, too!
(You two know who you are. And you are awesome!)
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Meet Mark Dever, Keynote Speaker at This Year's Toronto Pastors Conference
CJ Mahaney has put together a brief interview with Mark Dever. Lord willing, Mark will be our keynote speaker at this years Toronto Pastors Conference which runs June 1-3.
If you have not read any of Mark's books, then give this little interview a read.
If you have not read any of Mark's books, then give this little interview a read.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Welcome Back, Darth.
My iPology :: technology :: A Reformed, Christian Blog
My good friend, Tim Challies, has finally left the Dark Side.
The world is a better place now.
(Your day is coming, Julian. Resistance is futile.)
My good friend, Tim Challies, has finally left the Dark Side.
The world is a better place now.
(Your day is coming, Julian. Resistance is futile.)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
New City Baptist Church Toronto
New City Baptist Church Toronto
Thanks to some excellent Challies design work, the New City Baptist site is now up and running!
Thanks to some excellent Challies design work, the New City Baptist site is now up and running!
Here is What Al Mohler Has to Say About You, if You Have Had an Abortion
What Makes Abortion Plausible? What Makes Abortion Unthinkable?, Part Five:
"You know, there may be someone reading this today, there may be someone reading this ten years from now - and you are someone who has experienced an abortion. There may be someone who has experienced not only one, but multiple abortions. There may be someone here who is haunted by empty footsteps. The sight of every stroller and crib brings a pang of conscience.
I have good news for you. I know who you are. You are a murderer. I have good news for you. I know who you are. You are a sinner. I have good news for you. There is a savior. I have other news for you. You are in the company of fellow murderers.
You see, the story of the Bible, the story of the Gospel is that when Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, those Jesus was sent to save, killed him. Jesus himself told the parable of the wicked tenants within the vineyard. Because of their wickedness - a picture of our human wickedness - when the vineyard owner sends his own son, the tenants killed him!
I want to tell you, if you have yourself chosen abortion, if you have experienced abortion - you are a murderer. But you are in the company of fellow murderers with blood on our hands because sinful humanity killed the sinless Son of God.
If that is where the story ended, then death would have its victory, sin would have its victory, and that would be the end of it. We would have nothing to say and we would just go home and live out whatever remains of our lives in the despair of a people who know no hope.
But that is not where the story ends, because that is where the Gospel turns and tells us that even in light of the fact that we are sinners beyond even our own imagination to understand our sin, even though we rob God of His glory, even though we do everything we can and everything within our power to do new ways of doing evil, even though the Apostle Paul makes clear - "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - God loved us so much! It was His purpose in the very beginning before we ever existed. He knew us and He loved us, before we were formed in the world He had a plan for us and He sent His Son, to die on the Cross, to shed His blood, to pay the penalty for our sin, to pay a price that we could not pay, to die in our place, and yes, by that one death, to accomplish salvation for sinners."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Two New Churches Are Born!
Tim recently posted on our longstanding prayer request at GFC for own meeting place for free. That request is one of many we gladly make every week as we gather to pray. Another thing we prayed about for many years was church planting.
Last Sunday night New City Baptist Church launched in downtown Toronto. It was a humbling experience to watch this new church be born. John Bell is leading the work and preached an excellent message from Matthew 16 challenging all of us to live like the Gospel is true. One of my favorite lines from his preaching: “Do you know what our biggest handicap is in evangelism? Who human beings are under sin.”
The Lord has been with this work so far and I cannot wait to see what He will do in the months and years to come.
Three weeks ago, we were able to launch a second church. Grace Chapel is pastored by Habib Sakr in Markham, a suburban area just north of Toronto. This work had a decidedly different birth than New City, but the Lord is clearly in it. Habib immigrated to Canada from Lebanon and was saved by God along the way. After many years of faithful associate pastor work, the time came for him to launch a new reformed and Baptistic church and amazingly, the Lord has gotten them up and going quickly. We were there for there first service where my brother preached an excellent sermon from Hebrews 11 on the faith of Noah. My favorite line from that sermon? “There was Noah before Noah. It was not like he had some model to follow!” That brought faith as humble reliance on God into a new light.
Please pray for us as we help both these churches move ahead. The lack of blogging around here has been in large part to the added work of helping these works begin. That has been absolutely joyful labour!
Last Sunday night New City Baptist Church launched in downtown Toronto. It was a humbling experience to watch this new church be born. John Bell is leading the work and preached an excellent message from Matthew 16 challenging all of us to live like the Gospel is true. One of my favorite lines from his preaching: “Do you know what our biggest handicap is in evangelism? Who human beings are under sin.”
The Lord has been with this work so far and I cannot wait to see what He will do in the months and years to come.
Three weeks ago, we were able to launch a second church. Grace Chapel is pastored by Habib Sakr in Markham, a suburban area just north of Toronto. This work had a decidedly different birth than New City, but the Lord is clearly in it. Habib immigrated to Canada from Lebanon and was saved by God along the way. After many years of faithful associate pastor work, the time came for him to launch a new reformed and Baptistic church and amazingly, the Lord has gotten them up and going quickly. We were there for there first service where my brother preached an excellent sermon from Hebrews 11 on the faith of Noah. My favorite line from that sermon? “There was Noah before Noah. It was not like he had some model to follow!” That brought faith as humble reliance on God into a new light.
Please pray for us as we help both these churches move ahead. The lack of blogging around here has been in large part to the added work of helping these works begin. That has been absolutely joyful labour!
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