Thursday, December 27, 2007
Unconscionable
My wife found this article in the latest Newsweek while we were in Barnes & Noble last night. I thought it had to be a joke, but it is not. It is the most hillarious /embarassing piece of writing that I have read in a while. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, but it turned out that I mostly laughed... a lot. If you have a few spare minutes at all, you must read this.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Advent Conspiracy
With less than a week to go until Christians of the western tradition all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus, I just wanted to remind everyone about the Advent Conspiracy.From the AC website:
Christmas was meant to change the world. It still can. Worship more. Spend less. Give more. Love all. Zero in on what it really means to be a Christ follower during this holy season. What if you could inspire your church, your family and yourself to avoid being consumed by commercialism this Christmas? Spend some time learning about materialism and reflecting on it. Then, start conversations with others about it. What are the local and global needs around you, and what’s the meaning of Christmas all about?
13 Ways to Bless Missionaries
From Desiring God:
Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them.
Call or email their parents—Christmas might be just as lonely for the ones at home as the ones away.
Purchase phone minutes for an international calling card through an online service like OneSuite and email them the account number.
Donate frequent flier miles to them.
Purchase an iTunes gift card for them. Have it sent to you and email them the account number.
Commit to pray for them on a specific day of the week for a year.
Write a song or poem or story for them. Email them the text and a recording of you reading or singing it.
Get friends and family together to create a holiday video greeting for them using Google Video or YouTube. Include lots of people you know they miss.
Make a year-end gift through their missions board or agency.
Western Union—the fastest way to send money.
Call their local florist (not everyone is in the jungle these days) and have flowers delivered, or their local Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered.
Donate to a charity that means a lot to them.
Make a monthly commitment to support them financially.
Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them.
Call or email their parents—Christmas might be just as lonely for the ones at home as the ones away.
Purchase phone minutes for an international calling card through an online service like OneSuite and email them the account number.
Donate frequent flier miles to them.
Purchase an iTunes gift card for them. Have it sent to you and email them the account number.
Commit to pray for them on a specific day of the week for a year.
Write a song or poem or story for them. Email them the text and a recording of you reading or singing it.
Get friends and family together to create a holiday video greeting for them using Google Video or YouTube. Include lots of people you know they miss.
Make a year-end gift through their missions board or agency.
Western Union—the fastest way to send money.
Call their local florist (not everyone is in the jungle these days) and have flowers delivered, or their local Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered.
Donate to a charity that means a lot to them.
Make a monthly commitment to support them financially.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Publisher's Weekly Reviews Tim Keller's New Book
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller. Dutton, $24.95 (272p) ISBN 978-0-525-95049-3
In this apologia for Christian faith, Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God. Written for skeptics and the believers who love them, the book draws on the author's encounters as founding pastor of New York's booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church. One of Keller's most provocative arguments is that "all doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs." Drawing on sources as diverse as 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson and contemporary New Testament theologian N.T. Wright, Keller attempts to deconstruct everyone he finds in his way, from the evolutionary psychologist Richard Dawkins to popular author Dan Brown. The first, shorter part of the book looks at popular arguments against God's existence, while the second builds on general arguments for God to culminate in a sharp focus on the redemptive work of God in Christ. Keller's condensed summaries of arguments for and against theism make the scope of the book overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, it should serve both as testimony to the author's encyclopedic learning and as a compelling overview of the current debate on faith for those who doubt and for those who want to reevaluate what they believe, and why. (Feb. 14)
Source: Here
This one is definitely on my wish list. Tim Keller has influenced my thinking quite a bit and I am anxious to see how his foray into the writing world turns out.
In this apologia for Christian faith, Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God. Written for skeptics and the believers who love them, the book draws on the author's encounters as founding pastor of New York's booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church. One of Keller's most provocative arguments is that "all doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs." Drawing on sources as diverse as 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson and contemporary New Testament theologian N.T. Wright, Keller attempts to deconstruct everyone he finds in his way, from the evolutionary psychologist Richard Dawkins to popular author Dan Brown. The first, shorter part of the book looks at popular arguments against God's existence, while the second builds on general arguments for God to culminate in a sharp focus on the redemptive work of God in Christ. Keller's condensed summaries of arguments for and against theism make the scope of the book overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, it should serve both as testimony to the author's encyclopedic learning and as a compelling overview of the current debate on faith for those who doubt and for those who want to reevaluate what they believe, and why. (Feb. 14)
Source: Here
This one is definitely on my wish list. Tim Keller has influenced my thinking quite a bit and I am anxious to see how his foray into the writing world turns out.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Third of Advent
Today we relight the first two candles of the Advent wreath. The candle of HOPE and the candle of PEACE.
Now we light the third candle of Advent.
This is the candle of JOY. As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of his birth.
From the Book of Isaiah we read the words of our Lord:
“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”— Isaiah 65:18
From the New Testament, the words of Paul to the people of the church at Galatia:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”— Galatians 5:22-25
Let us pray:We joyfully praise you, O Lord, for the fulfillment of your promise of a Savior and what that means in our lives. Thank you for the gift of salvation through the birth of your son, Jesus. Create us anew as we wait, and help us to see your glory as you fill our lives with your living Spirit. Amen.
Now we light the third candle of Advent.
This is the candle of JOY. As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of his birth.
From the Book of Isaiah we read the words of our Lord:
“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”— Isaiah 65:18
From the New Testament, the words of Paul to the people of the church at Galatia:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”— Galatians 5:22-25
Let us pray:We joyfully praise you, O Lord, for the fulfillment of your promise of a Savior and what that means in our lives. Thank you for the gift of salvation through the birth of your son, Jesus. Create us anew as we wait, and help us to see your glory as you fill our lives with your living Spirit. Amen.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Second Sunday of Advent
Today we relight the candle of HOPE. Now we light the candle for the second Sunday in Advent. This is the candle of PEACE. As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, we remember that Jesus is our hope and our peace.
From the prophet Isaiah:
“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”— Isaiah 9:6-7
From the Gospel of John:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”— John 14:27
Prayer for Second Sunday of Advent:
Gracious God, Grant that we may find peace as we prepare for our Lord’s birth. May divisions in ourselves and in our families be peacefully resolved. May there be peace in our cities and in the countries of our world. Help us to see the paths of peace in our lives, and then give to us courage to follow them. Lord, let us remember that you only are the giver of lasting peace and that you are always with us. Amen.
From the prophet Isaiah:
“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”— Isaiah 9:6-7
From the Gospel of John:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”— John 14:27
Prayer for Second Sunday of Advent:
Gracious God, Grant that we may find peace as we prepare for our Lord’s birth. May divisions in ourselves and in our families be peacefully resolved. May there be peace in our cities and in the countries of our world. Help us to see the paths of peace in our lives, and then give to us courage to follow them. Lord, let us remember that you only are the giver of lasting peace and that you are always with us. Amen.
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