As our small groups prepare to go through the study, Does God Exist? by Focus on the Family, I found two articles in the Telegraph that deal with that very issue. The first article concerns Stephen Hawking's statement that "God was not needed to create the universe." I must admit, I was not surprised that Hawking would not believe in the need for God. He has always seemed to focus on the material and laws of science for his understanding of the universe.
What is so remarkable about this article was a quote in the article. Hawking says, “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist.” Let me take you into "The Wayback Machine" with Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman (couldn't resist the Underdog cartoon reference.) A huge debate during the 1600's was whether or not life would spontaneously generate from inorganic matter. Up until this time, many people believed that life would "just appear" from other forms of matter. People like Francesco Redi, Lazzaro Spallanzani, and Louis Pasteur proved through scientific experiments that life does not spontaneously generate. This is "General Science" kind of stuff we learn in 9th grade.
Dr. Hawking is so determined to avoid acknowledging that there is a God, that he would prefer to think that spontaneous generation is possible than having a creator. I know Dr. Hawking is not returning to 17th century thinking, but it is apparent that he would rather entertain something that is outlandish in it's possibility in order to avoid the possibility that God exists and created everything.
Also on the Telegraph website is an article by Dr. John Gribbin entitled, Are We Living In a Designer Universe? His hypothesis for the origin of our universe is different to say the least. He believes that it is possible our universe exists because persons similar to us created with the help of something similar to the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. By smashing particles together, black holes are created that lead to the creation of our universe.
I will let you read the articles for details, but I did want to note a couple of things about the articles. I am happy that both Dr. Hawking and Dr. Gribbin have made the leap from science to faith. Because only faith could lead them to conclusions that have practically no evidence to substantiate their claims. Imagine what that kind of faith could do if it was grounded in the truth of God's word and Jesus Christ. Additionally, we should not be surprised by some peoples' desire to run away from God. They will abandon almost anything in order to avoid being confronted with a personal God. Many times, a person who embraces a purely scientific scientific explanation for the universe is not from a lack of faith, but to avoid the True and Living God who will one day judge all of man.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Spiritual Health Assessment
I don't really know why, but I feel like blogging today. I had a small group leader ask me for a resource over the weekend that you may find useful as well. I started using a tool known as a Spiritual Health Assessment a few years ago. It was developed by Steve Gladen and Todd Olthoff at Saddleback Church in California.
The purpose of the tool is to help people assess where they are in their spiritual walk at a point in time. That information can then be used to map out a plan on what areas the person needs to grow in over the next few months or year. It includes a form that you can give to a friend that allows them to speak into your life about these spiritual issues as well.
The purpose of this assessment (or any other assessment for that matter) is not to dictate or lock you in to being a certain type of person. This is a tool that can be used to help you think honestly about your spiritual walk and help you think about what God would have you do to improve that walk. The key is letting God reveal truth to you, and you allowing God to change you in the areas that need to be changed.
I think what excited me most about revisiting this tool is the realization that honestly assessing our lives from time to time is so beneficial. I had to write a paper for one of my classes this summer that was a self-evaluation, and I am still reaping benefits from that process. If you would like to get a copy of this document, feel free to contact me.
The purpose of the tool is to help people assess where they are in their spiritual walk at a point in time. That information can then be used to map out a plan on what areas the person needs to grow in over the next few months or year. It includes a form that you can give to a friend that allows them to speak into your life about these spiritual issues as well.
The purpose of this assessment (or any other assessment for that matter) is not to dictate or lock you in to being a certain type of person. This is a tool that can be used to help you think honestly about your spiritual walk and help you think about what God would have you do to improve that walk. The key is letting God reveal truth to you, and you allowing God to change you in the areas that need to be changed.
I think what excited me most about revisiting this tool is the realization that honestly assessing our lives from time to time is so beneficial. I had to write a paper for one of my classes this summer that was a self-evaluation, and I am still reaping benefits from that process. If you would like to get a copy of this document, feel free to contact me.
Helping People Win at Work
I recently participated in the annual planning for Hope Women's Centers and was shown a great book during our time together. I have always been a big fan of Ken Blanchard for his ability to make leadership understandable for everyone. One of his newest books, Helping People Win at Work (along with Garry Ridge), is another great resource for parents, managers, employees, business owners, coaches, teachers, and anyone else who works with people.
The premise of the book is centered around the philosophy "Don't mark my paper, help me get an A." What makes this so powerful is it puts the leader/teacher and the follower/learner on the same side of the table. The leader wants the follower to succeed, and the follower knows the leader's job is to help them succeed. It is a win-win situation.
In many ways, this is a good introductory book to many of Blanchard's other works. He ties together issues such as vision, planning, praising, reprimands, customer service, and situational leadership in this work. I would encourage you to get this book. It will only take you a couple of hours to read, and you will find a lot of good leadership principles to help you lead your family and work place.
The premise of the book is centered around the philosophy "Don't mark my paper, help me get an A." What makes this so powerful is it puts the leader/teacher and the follower/learner on the same side of the table. The leader wants the follower to succeed, and the follower knows the leader's job is to help them succeed. It is a win-win situation.
In many ways, this is a good introductory book to many of Blanchard's other works. He ties together issues such as vision, planning, praising, reprimands, customer service, and situational leadership in this work. I would encourage you to get this book. It will only take you a couple of hours to read, and you will find a lot of good leadership principles to help you lead your family and work place.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Post-formal thinking
As part of my recent classes, I finally learned the academic "label" for something that I have noticed for several years. In the past, I had noticed that there seems to be several issues in Scripture that appear to have two or more solutions that are opposite, but equally valid answers. (For example, the Bible tells us that God is the One who provides us wisdom, but we are encouraged to pursue wisdom.) Since I am convinced that the Bible does not contain contradictions, it means that we are left to understand how both answers can be equally true.
The reality is known as a post-formal problem. It is post-formal in that it lies beyond just the logical answers one finds in formal problems. (That is a very simplified explanation, but frankly the definitions on this topic can be mind-numbingly boring!) I find this to be a fascinating line of thinking. I have wrestled with a couple of these issues for many years now, and it is comforting to see that other thinkers have recognized that these problems are out there for us to ponder.
A few of the post-formal problems I struggle with would include:
When it comes to salvation, is it that God has predestined people for salvation or do people have any choice in the matter?
God brings spiritual growth, but we are called to pursue our spiritual growth.
God is three but one.
As you ponder your own post-formal problems, you must keep a few things in mind.
1. Scripture never contradicts itself. Don't let a problem that you don't fully understand shake your faith in the veracity in God's word.
2. Wrestle problems like this with all of God's word in mind. Don't just pull your favorite verses that support your position and ignore passages that may contradict your position. We understand truth in light of all that the Bible says.
3. We will never have all the answers to most of these questions. The answer for these questions is often "Yes." Is God three or is God one? Yes, he is both. Most of these problems require us to live in tension with the two answers (God gives us wisdom, which requires us to depend upon God, while we pursue wisdom by using our time wisely to study for example.)
4. Post-formal thinking is not easy, but it should bring a deeper appreciation for the "bigness" of our God and cause us to depend upon him. We will never have all the answers, so we wrestle with the truths of Scripture, but we live a life of faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus.
So, don't be afraid to do a little deep thinking about the things of God.
The reality is known as a post-formal problem. It is post-formal in that it lies beyond just the logical answers one finds in formal problems. (That is a very simplified explanation, but frankly the definitions on this topic can be mind-numbingly boring!) I find this to be a fascinating line of thinking. I have wrestled with a couple of these issues for many years now, and it is comforting to see that other thinkers have recognized that these problems are out there for us to ponder.
A few of the post-formal problems I struggle with would include:
When it comes to salvation, is it that God has predestined people for salvation or do people have any choice in the matter?
God brings spiritual growth, but we are called to pursue our spiritual growth.
God is three but one.
As you ponder your own post-formal problems, you must keep a few things in mind.
1. Scripture never contradicts itself. Don't let a problem that you don't fully understand shake your faith in the veracity in God's word.
2. Wrestle problems like this with all of God's word in mind. Don't just pull your favorite verses that support your position and ignore passages that may contradict your position. We understand truth in light of all that the Bible says.
3. We will never have all the answers to most of these questions. The answer for these questions is often "Yes." Is God three or is God one? Yes, he is both. Most of these problems require us to live in tension with the two answers (God gives us wisdom, which requires us to depend upon God, while we pursue wisdom by using our time wisely to study for example.)
4. Post-formal thinking is not easy, but it should bring a deeper appreciation for the "bigness" of our God and cause us to depend upon him. We will never have all the answers, so we wrestle with the truths of Scripture, but we live a life of faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus.
So, don't be afraid to do a little deep thinking about the things of God.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Renewing of the Mind
I recently finished a class that had me thinking a lot about the brain, the way we think, and how our bad thinking can be changed. We read a book for my class that deals with secular research on how new and different thinking can "remap" the brain and create new ways of processing information.
Two passages of Scripture come to mind about this issue of the way we think. Romans 12:2 calls on Christians to "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Paul is writing that we need to set aside thinking the same way the world does and to let our minds be changed in the way we think.
Philippians 4:8-9 tells us, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice." God calls us to think about things that contain the qualities listed above.
When these verses are seen in light of the new research on the brain, it tells us that Scripture memorization and meditating on Scripture are crucial to renewing our minds. Thinking on Scripture will not only transform our mind, but it will change the way our brain functions. This is critical to overcoming the bad information and messed up thinking that we acquire throughout our lives.
I would encourage you to spend time memorizing passages of Scripture. As you memorize, you need to meditate on what the passages mean. Unlike other meditation, the meditation God calls us to is not to empty our minds, but to fill our minds with God and his word. The time invested in learning and thinking about God's word will completely change the way we view our world.
Two passages of Scripture come to mind about this issue of the way we think. Romans 12:2 calls on Christians to "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Paul is writing that we need to set aside thinking the same way the world does and to let our minds be changed in the way we think.
Philippians 4:8-9 tells us, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice." God calls us to think about things that contain the qualities listed above.
When these verses are seen in light of the new research on the brain, it tells us that Scripture memorization and meditating on Scripture are crucial to renewing our minds. Thinking on Scripture will not only transform our mind, but it will change the way our brain functions. This is critical to overcoming the bad information and messed up thinking that we acquire throughout our lives.
I would encourage you to spend time memorizing passages of Scripture. As you memorize, you need to meditate on what the passages mean. Unlike other meditation, the meditation God calls us to is not to empty our minds, but to fill our minds with God and his word. The time invested in learning and thinking about God's word will completely change the way we view our world.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Persecuted for the Faith
The stories about persecution of Christians for their faith always seems to be happening "over there." In other words, we Americans tend to think of this as a problem for the Christians in Africa or Asia. Or, we think of persecution of Christians taking place in countries in which freedom is greatly restricted because of dictatorships. Unfortunately, the persecution of Christians by the government is starting to take place in Western democracies as well.
A story out in today's Telegraph talks about the experience of Dale McAlpine being arrested in the U.K. for calling homosexuality a sin. McAlpine was street preaching when a person engaged him in a debate. A few minutes after their discussion, a police officer arrived, which eventually led to his arrest because of his "abusive" language. One may argue about the effectiveness of street preaching, but one cannot deny the importance of people being allowed to freely express their religious views. You can read the full story by clicking on the title above.
Why does this matter? The secularization of the U.K. and other Western European democracies appears to be headed our way. We need to be engaged in defending our right to speak freely about religion in our country, and carry on the Baptist tradition of defending others' right to religious freedom as well. Ultimately, this is not a political issue, but a spiritual matter. We must be faithful in praying for our leaders, as we live out the Gospel before a desperately needy world. We may come to a time that expressing our faith costs us something, we must be prepared to pay the cost, in order to share the hope that we have in Christ.
A story out in today's Telegraph talks about the experience of Dale McAlpine being arrested in the U.K. for calling homosexuality a sin. McAlpine was street preaching when a person engaged him in a debate. A few minutes after their discussion, a police officer arrived, which eventually led to his arrest because of his "abusive" language. One may argue about the effectiveness of street preaching, but one cannot deny the importance of people being allowed to freely express their religious views. You can read the full story by clicking on the title above.
Why does this matter? The secularization of the U.K. and other Western European democracies appears to be headed our way. We need to be engaged in defending our right to speak freely about religion in our country, and carry on the Baptist tradition of defending others' right to religious freedom as well. Ultimately, this is not a political issue, but a spiritual matter. We must be faithful in praying for our leaders, as we live out the Gospel before a desperately needy world. We may come to a time that expressing our faith costs us something, we must be prepared to pay the cost, in order to share the hope that we have in Christ.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Scary Decision in the UK
You may think the issue of whether or not marriage is between one man and one woman is not an issue that affects you, but a recent decision in the UK reveals otherwise. The case is of a man who was fired from his counseling job because he would not provide therapy for a homosexual couple. The man refused to do so because he felt that to provide the counseling would violate his Christian beliefs.
You can read the story for yourself by clicking the title above. Two amazing things stand out in the judges decision. One, he totally ignores the man's right to live out his religious faith in the workplace. Near the end of the article, the judge says (in essence) that a person can believe whatever they want, they just can't let it affect what they do!
Secondly, he says that if the man was to live out his faith by refusing to provide the counseling, the state is imposing Christianity on others. Again, this is just unbelievable mental and verbal gymnastics. The counselor, who is Christian, is admonished for "imposing" his beliefs on others by refusing to do something. On the other hand, the judge does not see that the by forcing the counselor to provide the service, he is, in fact, imposing the beliefs of the couple on the Christian.
Our world has gone crazy. This judge railed against a non-existent imposition of Christian beliefs over and above other beliefs, then he actually elevates beliefs that are opposed to Christianity over and above Christianity. As believers in the United States, we must realize this is coming our way. The question is not "if" it will happen, but "when" will it happen?
We must engage people in the marketplace of ideas and offer an apologetic for our faith and our values. We are called to share the truth in love. Truth is not a club used to beat people over the head. Truth is like a laser that carefully removes falsehood from a person's heart and mind to allow room for the truth to replace the lie. You want to change your culture? It does not happen by forcing people to change their behavior, it happens by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform a person's mind, then they will be led to change their behavior.
You can read the story for yourself by clicking the title above. Two amazing things stand out in the judges decision. One, he totally ignores the man's right to live out his religious faith in the workplace. Near the end of the article, the judge says (in essence) that a person can believe whatever they want, they just can't let it affect what they do!
Secondly, he says that if the man was to live out his faith by refusing to provide the counseling, the state is imposing Christianity on others. Again, this is just unbelievable mental and verbal gymnastics. The counselor, who is Christian, is admonished for "imposing" his beliefs on others by refusing to do something. On the other hand, the judge does not see that the by forcing the counselor to provide the service, he is, in fact, imposing the beliefs of the couple on the Christian.
Our world has gone crazy. This judge railed against a non-existent imposition of Christian beliefs over and above other beliefs, then he actually elevates beliefs that are opposed to Christianity over and above Christianity. As believers in the United States, we must realize this is coming our way. The question is not "if" it will happen, but "when" will it happen?
We must engage people in the marketplace of ideas and offer an apologetic for our faith and our values. We are called to share the truth in love. Truth is not a club used to beat people over the head. Truth is like a laser that carefully removes falsehood from a person's heart and mind to allow room for the truth to replace the lie. You want to change your culture? It does not happen by forcing people to change their behavior, it happens by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform a person's mind, then they will be led to change their behavior.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Making of an Atheist
This is the kind of book that would be great for someone looking to start an exploration of the arguments against atheism. Spiegel's arguments range from the philosophical, biological, chemical, mathematics, to psychological. At no point are the explanations so overwhelming that the uninitiated in these fields would not be able to grasp them. It is footnoted, so a person could do some excellent follow-up reading for further research.
I will add this to my bookshelf and it is a potential book to recommend to friends.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Blog on Adopted Russian Boys Return
Dr. Al Mohler has very good comments about the Russian boy who was sent back to Russia by his "adopted" mother in Tennessee. Dr. Mohler does a great job in pointing out the theological implications of adoption and the theological symbolism of this woman's act.
On another level, this act by this woman is one of the dumbest, most selfish, and short-sighted things I can think of. It is dumb because, of all the ways she could have resolved this issue, this was the worst possible way to respond. Evidently, she did not refer the boy to any professional help or seek other avenues to address the issues the boy had.
It was selfish because this woman only thought of herself, without regard for the boy or anyone else. There are an estimated 3,000 families in the adoption process with Russia. Due to her actions, their adoption is on hold at the moment. I can speak from personal experience, waiting for an adoption to be processed is not very fun, and delays can be painful. When it is cause by some persons stupidity, it makes it that much harder to tolerate.
Finally, her actions were short-sighted because she totally ignored the long-term implications of her actions. This woman should never be allowed to adopt again, and one would hope she never has biological children because she misses the point of children. Children are a gift and responsibility from God that requires a lifetime of investment in the child. Based on the stories, the boy may have serious emotional issues, but to throw him away because he didn't meet her expectations is deplorable.
On another level, this act by this woman is one of the dumbest, most selfish, and short-sighted things I can think of. It is dumb because, of all the ways she could have resolved this issue, this was the worst possible way to respond. Evidently, she did not refer the boy to any professional help or seek other avenues to address the issues the boy had.
It was selfish because this woman only thought of herself, without regard for the boy or anyone else. There are an estimated 3,000 families in the adoption process with Russia. Due to her actions, their adoption is on hold at the moment. I can speak from personal experience, waiting for an adoption to be processed is not very fun, and delays can be painful. When it is cause by some persons stupidity, it makes it that much harder to tolerate.
Finally, her actions were short-sighted because she totally ignored the long-term implications of her actions. This woman should never be allowed to adopt again, and one would hope she never has biological children because she misses the point of children. Children are a gift and responsibility from God that requires a lifetime of investment in the child. Based on the stories, the boy may have serious emotional issues, but to throw him away because he didn't meet her expectations is deplorable.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Funny Article
Sometimes, we all need a good laugh. I found an article that may be one of the funniest I have read in a long time. I way this with a tinge of sarcasm because the article was intended to be serious, but it is very hard to take this story seriously.
What is the topic of this article? Rabbit Whisperer! Yes, rabbit whisperer. It seems that a man is able to hypnotize rabbits. I missed my opportunity for this type of job growing up because I was too busy hunting the tasty little creatures with my grandfather. However, if you have a problem rabbit, this man will be able to help you.
I think I will let you wrestle with some of the theological implications for a story like this. My only advice would be to remember that we are to worship the Creator, not the created. Additionally, man is the only part of creation that is created in God's image and created for eternity.
What is the topic of this article? Rabbit Whisperer! Yes, rabbit whisperer. It seems that a man is able to hypnotize rabbits. I missed my opportunity for this type of job growing up because I was too busy hunting the tasty little creatures with my grandfather. However, if you have a problem rabbit, this man will be able to help you.
I think I will let you wrestle with some of the theological implications for a story like this. My only advice would be to remember that we are to worship the Creator, not the created. Additionally, man is the only part of creation that is created in God's image and created for eternity.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Learning about the Emergent Church Movement
The book is a compilation of essays by some of the brightest evangelical scholars today. Some of my favorites are Danny Akin, Ed Stetzer, and Darrell Bock, but I also "met" some new scholars to read: Douglas Blount, R. Scott Smith, and John Hammett. They tackle issues ranging from explaining the movement, the postmodern view of Scripture, biblical interpretation, emergent's Christology, and their soteriology.
The strength of the book is that they touch on a broad range of topics. These essays can serve as jumping off points to exploring topics of interest in more depth by using their references to dig deeper. I especially enjoyed the theological section of the book, since appears that the next big battle in the church will deal with issues concerning the nature of Christ and salvation.
Though the book does have some practical chapters, this would be of more interest to those who have an academic interest in the area of the emergent church.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Hope Pregnancy Centers
I wanted to let you know I am now serving on the board of Hope Pregnancy Centers. This is a great ministry that seeks to end abortions in Broward County by offering hope to the women and men affected by a pregnancy. This is done by offering pregnancy women and men the opportunity to see their unborn child with a sonogram and counseling to help them through the pregnancy.
The most amazing part of Hope's ministry are the number of people who come to faith in Jesus Christ through the love and concern expressed by the counselors and employees at Hope. This is a ministry that is living out the call for Christians to share the truth in love.
If you or someone you know is pregnant, go to www.hopewomenscenters.com for information.
If you or someone you know has suffered the effects of a decision to have an abortion, woman or man, visit www.hopeafterchoice.com.
If you would like to support Hope financially or serve as a counselor, go to www.friendsofhope.com.
The annual Hope banquet is March 22. There are still seats available. If you would like to attend, contact me or visit the website to get your seats.
The most amazing part of Hope's ministry are the number of people who come to faith in Jesus Christ through the love and concern expressed by the counselors and employees at Hope. This is a ministry that is living out the call for Christians to share the truth in love.
If you or someone you know is pregnant, go to www.hopewomenscenters.com for information.
If you or someone you know has suffered the effects of a decision to have an abortion, woman or man, visit www.hopeafterchoice.com.
If you would like to support Hope financially or serve as a counselor, go to www.friendsofhope.com.
The annual Hope banquet is March 22. There are still seats available. If you would like to attend, contact me or visit the website to get your seats.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
My Personal Leadership Philosophy
I recently submitted a paper for a class that addressed my persona philosophy on leadership. In one sense, it was a fairly easy paper. It was not dependent upon a lot of research, it just required me to write from what I already know. On the other hand, it was difficult because it really made me evaluate what matters most, since I only had so many pages I could use.
From my perspective, leadership is first and foremost about the leader. I identified issues like leading by example, moral character, vision, humility, teacher and learner, and coaching as traits that every leader needs to possess. If a leader has those traits, you can then train him to handle any style or technique of leadership.
The difficult part about putting those things down on paper (or in cyberspace) is that you need to live up to those traits. What started as a project for a class turned into a self-evaluation. If you have never thought about what it takes to lead, then you need to address that issue. I would recommend reading a few good books and talking to people you trust who are leaders.
Some books I would recommend would include Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby, Great Leader Great Teacher by Gary Bredfeld, and Being Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs. This will help you start thinking about leadership and what you need to be doing to be the godly leader God has called you to be.
From my perspective, leadership is first and foremost about the leader. I identified issues like leading by example, moral character, vision, humility, teacher and learner, and coaching as traits that every leader needs to possess. If a leader has those traits, you can then train him to handle any style or technique of leadership.
The difficult part about putting those things down on paper (or in cyberspace) is that you need to live up to those traits. What started as a project for a class turned into a self-evaluation. If you have never thought about what it takes to lead, then you need to address that issue. I would recommend reading a few good books and talking to people you trust who are leaders.
Some books I would recommend would include Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby, Great Leader Great Teacher by Gary Bredfeld, and Being Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs. This will help you start thinking about leadership and what you need to be doing to be the godly leader God has called you to be.
Friday, February 26, 2010
XEE Training
I am so excited about our church hosting the training for XEE on March 6. If you have not heard of XEE, you can click on the title to go to their website.
At first glance, XEE looks like any other evangelism training, but the more I look at the material, I see it is really about training people for relationships. The old Evangelism Explosion certainly had its place, but our culture is changing, and how we share the Gospel needs to change as well. XEE takes the timeless Gospel and equips people to share their faith in their everyday relationships.
Check out the invitation video from Adam and make plans to attend the training Saturday, March 6 at 8:15 am at First Baptist Church at Weston.
FBWestonIntro from Adam Taylor Bond on Vimeo.
At first glance, XEE looks like any other evangelism training, but the more I look at the material, I see it is really about training people for relationships. The old Evangelism Explosion certainly had its place, but our culture is changing, and how we share the Gospel needs to change as well. XEE takes the timeless Gospel and equips people to share their faith in their everyday relationships.
Check out the invitation video from Adam and make plans to attend the training Saturday, March 6 at 8:15 am at First Baptist Church at Weston.
FBWestonIntro from Adam Taylor Bond on Vimeo.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Haitian Adoption Tragedy
I wanted to point you to a story about adoption out of Haiti that is tragic and instructional. It is the story of a couple from the Netherlands who went through a long process of adopting a boy from Haiti. Unfortunately, the day the couple was finally united with their new son was the same day the earthquake hit the country. The article, which is linked via the title above, and the commentary by Al Mohler at his website teach us some valuable lessons about life, death, adoption, and tragedy.
I would add that this story serves as a reminder of the fleeting aspects of life. We are not guaranteed another day, therefore, we should cherish the moments we have together. This is a tragedy in seeing three lives cut short and the other son of this couple left behind in the Netherlands. However, Arno (the adopted Haitian boy) died surrounded by the love of his parents.
I would encourage you to read the story and read Dr. Mohler's blog. We should stand amazed at our adoption into God's family. Also, I would encourage you to consider how you can minister to the orphan.
I would add that this story serves as a reminder of the fleeting aspects of life. We are not guaranteed another day, therefore, we should cherish the moments we have together. This is a tragedy in seeing three lives cut short and the other son of this couple left behind in the Netherlands. However, Arno (the adopted Haitian boy) died surrounded by the love of his parents.
I would encourage you to read the story and read Dr. Mohler's blog. We should stand amazed at our adoption into God's family. Also, I would encourage you to consider how you can minister to the orphan.
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