Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. Now that school is back in session I should be able to post a little more frequently....but we will see. These last few weeks have been quite hectic. My computer crashed. We had a great few days of vacation in Branson, MO. (And yes, I still don't like country music). We also were saddened during our vacation to hear that Nikki's grandfather had passed away. So, we also were busy with funeral stuff as soon as we got back home. And finally yesterday, thanks to my dear friend Brian, I got my computer back! So, hopefully I can post more in the upcoming months. I leave you with a quote from Sam Storms (I'll probably use it Wednesday):

"If you listen closely to what is being proclaimed on Sunday mornings, you will discern two dominant themes: conquering and coping. How can I conquer my world? How can I enter into my destiny? How can I triumph over my enemies and claim my inheritance? How can I better cope with life’s daily struggles? How can I relate more effectively with my peers and co-workers? If Christ is mentioned, and he usually is, he exists to aid us in our search for significance. He is important only so far as he awakens us to our importance. We talk about him so we can feel good about ourselves." -Sam Storms, from "How Rich the Word of Christ"

For some of you the last picture you saw of my son was his newborn photo. Here are a couple pics to update you:

All Eyez On Me

One of the principles of using an illustration is to serve the text being preached. As Bryan Chapell says, "The proper focus of illustrations lies in presenting biblical truth in such a manner that it can be understood deeply and applied readily, rather than in providing popular enjoyment or pastoral acclaim". Chapell also warns that, "the preacher who constructs sermons to serve illustration rather than solid biblical exposition inevitably drifts from pulpit to stage, from pastor to showman".

I know that I have overused an illustration if somebody remembers the "parakeet story"* without being able to match it to a biblical text or principle. I can remember some of Aesop's Fables--but I also remember the moral of the story. Do your hearers remember the story or do they remember the principle the story tells?

This may be an example of over doing an illustration: Pastor Injured in Dirt Bike Accident During Church Service.

*There is no parakeet story--I just use that as an example.

seWhat you do to hook them is what you will have to do to keep them. Windsor Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma has made the news by giving away an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle to encourage young people to attend their youth conference. The goal is for "teens to find faith".

My main disagreement with this is not necessarily giving a teenager a gun. That could be done responsibly--many of our teenagers are responsible hunters. My main problem with this is that it rejects the sufficiency of Christ and his Word to bring about "teens finding faith". Apparently God's Word is no longer sufficiently the power of God unto salvation but it now requires giving away semi-automatic rifles.

Remember this; what you do to hook them is what you will have to do to keep them. You cannot slide the gospel in the backdoor--unless you intend to ALWAYS slip the gospel in the back door. Here is a suggestion: believe God enough to draw people to himself--yes even crazy lost teenagers.

I also should mention that my "problem" is not with the people at Windsor Hills Baptist Church, their staff, their people, nor anything of that sort. I wholeheartedly affirm their passion to bring about "teens finding faith". My "problem" is with the theology and dangerous philosophy of ministry that brings about such events. It is unnecessary and actually hinders the glorious gospel, and I hope that they turn from this and find more confidence in the gospel. I say this with much humility.

In Colossians 3:3 Paul says, "you have died with Christ". In Colossians 3:5 Paul says, "Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you". It is apparent that the death of Christ is what motivates us to "put to death" what is earthly in us. As I have read through commentaries it seems that they are making a much bigger problem out of this than is necessary. Romans 6 gives us a pretty good idea of what Paul is saying in Colossians 3.

Here is my question, for any that have studied Colossians, Romans 6, or the relationship between the New Man and the Old Man:

Would it be appropriate to paraphrase Paul's point as this, "He's dead (the old man) now put him in the morgue so he doesn't stink up the joint? Clean up all the filth that this dead corpse has caused and put to death every remain there is of him."

I am not so much interested in the grammatical structure of my paraphrase--I understand it is rough. I am interested in knowing if you would agree with the theology undergirding such a statement.

I think I have discovered one of the most effective motivation tools for evangelism. It also seems to be the way that Jesus did it. Tell people to "tell no one" and they will not be able to shut their mouth. Isn't it ironic that in Mark he continously tells people to "tell no one" about what He has done and they cannot seem to keep silent. But, Jesus has done something even greater with us by giving us new life and we cannot muster the courage to tell anyone.

What a sharp rebuke this is to my paltry evangelism:

"But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it." (Mark 7:36)