Tue - March 8, 2005

It's the Teaching Stupid


Clearly the culture must play some part in this, although the culture in the 21st century Western world is not really all that different than 4th century Rome (When I see ads for "the Contender" or "Survivor" or "Fear Factor", I find myself wondering how far we have come from the Coliseum days).... Their kids are fully engaged in the culture, and outside of Church on Saturday night (rarely on Sunday morning), you never get the impression that Christianity is terribly significant.

...The other part that I don't think Barna looks into here, so I am merely surmising, is that we are looking at the second generation of children raised in a modern Christianity where relevance and "feeling" are so terribly important.... In John Ortberg's book, "The Life You've Always Wanted", where he is struggling to understand the how and why of spiritual disciplines, he at times advocates an approach to spirituality that seems less focused on what you should be doing and more on what you want.... In fact, the opening prayer in the Latin Secular Breviary and Anglican Breviary for any office is a prayer to keep our mind from wandering.... There was nothing particularly significant in any of them, its just more entertaining at times to ponder the next programming exercise, than to focus on the things of God.

...I grant you that much of what goes on in the modern world would give Calvin, Zwingli, and Luther fits, but is this yet the next logical step on the Sola Fide trail?... They will, to a one, say that you should pray and study, but these are merely the fruits of a faith that you have no part in, so if you don't do them you are not saved, and if you do, you are.... The Ortbergs and Warrens also do not seem to believe that the point of the Christian life is to align ourselves with God and cooperate with His grace in our sanctification and ultimate salvation.

Posted at 09:38 AM     Read More  

Tue - May 11, 2004

Modern Worship


My biggest issue, of course, is some of their doctrine, which is contrary to both Scripture and Tradition, but that is not unusual amongst most non-denominational churches.... I hear the arguments about the need for cultural relevance, the fact that most worship is old and lacking in meaning to most people today.

...It is quite true, I suspect, that if you want people to hear the initial message, that holding your meeting at Starbucks, or with a video extravaganza is probably the way to go.... It is interesting to note that in Jesus' time, Jews were in the habit of performing their worship pretty much the same way they had for the previous 3000 years.

Posted at 01:02 PM     Read More  

Sun - April 20, 2003

Heresy oh Heresy


The worst is generally John MacArthur, a rather egocentric gentleman who fancies himself some sort of infallible conduit to God (he once stated that because he didn't want to leave his financially successful, coastal California position for a position somewhere out in the desert, it was obvious that God didn't want him to either.

...He had two points, one was that since we are going to rule with Christ some day, that perhaps, if God has created hundreds of thousands of planets He might put us in charge of one (golly, isn't that what Joseph Smith taught?).

Posted at 12:44 PM     Read More  

Sat - April 12, 2003

The Truth about the Eucharist


Yea, men profane and barbarous, leaving their country and their home, both set out on a long journey, and when they came, with fear and great trembling worshipped Him.... For they indeed when they saw Him but in a manger, and in a hut, and no such thing was in sight as thou beholdest now, drew nigh with great awe; but thou beholdest Him not in the manger but on the altar, not a woman holding Him in her arms, but the priest standing by, and the Spirit with exceeding bounty hovering over the gifts set before us. Thou dost not see merely this Body itself as they did, but thou knowest also Its power, and the whole economy, and art ignorant of none of the holy things which are brought to pass by It, having been exactly initiated into all.

Let us therefore rouse ourselves up and be filled with horror, and let us show forth a reverence far beyond that of those Barbarians; that we may not by random and careless approaches heap fire upon our own heads.

...For as in royal palaces, what is most glorious of all is not walls, nor golden roofs, but the person of the king sitting on the throne; so likewise in heaven the Body of the King.... Perceivest thou how that which is more precious than all things is seen by thee on earth; and not seen only, but also touched; and not only touched, but likewise eaten; and after receiving It thou goest home?

...For if thou wert entrusted to carry a king's child with the robes, the purple, and the diadem, thou wouldest cast away all things which are upon the earth. But now that it is no child of man how royal soever, but the only-begotten Son of God Himself, Whom thou receivedst; dost thou not thrill with awe, tell me, and cast away all the love of all worldly things, and have no bravery but that wherewith to adorn thyself?

Posted at 11:40 AM     Read More  

Mon - March 31, 2003

Can Christians Go to War?


I agree with Condoleezza Rice that Iraq was certainly not acting like they were going to disarm, but certainly it was a possibility. For my part, a substantial concern is that if we had left a "disarmed" Saddam in power, would he stay disarmed, and would he have stopped torturing and killing his people?... In fact, I'm convinced that more death and suffering was in store for many people around the world.

Posted at 10:51 AM     Read More  

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