The Blog has MOVED.

Yes, I moved.  Cause I enjoyed WordPress enough to host it myself.  So, I got a new domain name.

To go to the new spot for the blog, go to the big-lettered link below.

The NEW and IMPROVED “Reformation of a Messenger Boy”

Quote of the Week – Mark Galli on Pastors and the Election Season

Pastors are right about this much: The election season is a unique moment in a church’s life, but not because the pastor has the chance to lobby for his candidate. No, the Christian preacher has the unparalleled opportunity to act as the only sane person in a nation mad for power, the only voice in an ephemeral season filled with lies and half-lies to speak abiding truths — that elections (even “the most important in a generation”) come and go, that princes (even “the most gifted in a lifetime”) appear and pass away, that nations (even “the greatest in history”) rise and fall.

-Mark Galli

Music Wednesday – “Don’t Waste Your Life”, Lecrae

Absolutely great stuff.

Funny Monday – Homer Evolution

One of the funniest Simpson’s intro’s ever.

Fotography Friday (on Saturday) – Colorado Snow

Colorado Snow

Don’t Waste Your Life Mix

“Don’t Waste Your Life” by Lecrae from the new Rebel album, with clips from the “Don’t Waste Your Life” sermon by John Piper.

Quote of the Week – Andrew Peterson

We are most fully ourselves when Christ most fully lives in us and through us…

-Andrew Peterson

The Rabbit Room

If you haven’t yet seen this, you need to check out The Rabbit Room.

Andrew Peterson is the Proprietor of the website, and by his own description:

The Rabbit Room is a place for stories. For artists who believe in the power of old tales, tales as old as the earth itself, who find hope in them and beauty in the shadows and in the light and in the source of the light.

It’s always so encouraging to see Christian Artists who are actually concerned about artistry and creativity for the Glory of God, rather than simply being popular or making money.

If you’re a podcast-lover Peterson has also recently started doing a Rabbit Room Podcast.  Good stuff.

The Rabbit Room on iTunes

The Rabbit Room RSS Feed

p.s. Peterson also has a new album coming out soon.  Should be good.

Music Wednesday – Sometimes by Step

I don’t know where the video clips are from, but this is the best full version of the song I could find on YouTube.

Anyways, “Sometimes by Step”, sung by Rich Mullins with over-dubbing done by Bebo Norman.  Great stuff.

Lyrics:

Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hot
There was so much work left to do
But so much You’d already done

CHORUS:
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

CHORUS

And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days

Funny Monday – New Po-Motivational Posters

These things are just hilarious.

John Piper’s New Coat

This is just too good.

“Growing a Local Church”, Church Discipline and Church Growth (Dr. Tom Ascol)

The final session has completed.  This last session was on Church Discipline and Church Growth, by Dr. Tom Ascol.

Tom spoke on the two forms of Church Discipline, Formative and Corrective, as well as the two forms of Church Growth, Numerical and Spiritual

Formative Church Discipline is something that should happen all the time within the church.  It is that educational, instructional learning that every member of a Church should be experiencing.  Corrective Church Discipline, then, is necessary when when formative discipline is not happening in a member, and when that member remains unrepentent of his/her sin.

He made a very good point about corrective discpline in that it is NOT in response to sin, but rather in response to a lack of and unwillingness to repent of that sin.  It should be done in love and with reverence, never out of hatred or spite.

In talking about Church Growth, Tom made the point that in the current evangelical culture we exist in, where the Church Growth Movement has run totally amock, we sometimes are too reactionary and that we SHOULD seek for numerical growth, but Biblical Numerical Growth.

In addition, Tom spoke of the Spiritual Growth that should be happening in a church, wherebye her members are made more like her Savior.

Finally, Tom made a Biblical and Historical connection between Church Discipline and Church Growth.  If Church Discipline is not happening, then Biblical Church Growth is not happening.  Likewise, if a Church is practicing Biblical Church Discipline, then some form of Biblical Church Growth should be expected.

Overall, very good session and good conclusion to the conference.  I’ll try to put together a summary of my thoughts of the conference maybe later today or tomorrow.  Until then, enjoy the quotes and pictures.

I think I screwed up the video for this session, so you’ll have to content yourself with the mp3 when it is made available.  Rath Dé ort!

Church Discipline is absolutely necessary for Church Health.

Church Discipline is the process of maintaining and training the principles and practices of Jesus Christ in the Church.

Church growth is that which happens in the life of the congregation when the Lord manifests his blessings.

The Faithful practice of Church Discipline…has often been followed with wonderful seasons of Church Growth.

Our modern forgetfulness of Church Discipline practically screams out a ‘Practical Atheism’

When a Church takes the name of Jesus Christ and yet refuses to obey the simple, clear teachings of Christ that church is at best clouding over the glory of God in Christ.

We should never expect Revival to come without Reformation.

Soli Deo Gloria!

“Growing the Local Church”, Biblical Church Membership (Dr. Tom Ascol)

Very good message on Biblical Church Membership by Brother Tom.  Below are some highlights. (followed by the usual video and photographs)

The Church is a priority in God’s application of the Redemptive Work of His Son until Christ returns.

Excuses normally used to leave churches are not excuses to leave, they’re excuses to grow!

Church Membership IS Biblical.  And, because it is Biblical, it is vitally important.
-    It is created and planned by God

7 Lines of Reasoning in Support of Church Membership

1.) Because of the Example we have in the N.T. of Believers
2.) Church Membership is a necessary presupposition of Church Discipline
3.) The Metaphors of the Church in the N.T. require individuals to be definitely connected to the Whole of the Assembly
4.) The Relationship in the NT that exist between the Pastors and the People they serve
5.) A Biblical distinction between “insiders” and “outsiders”
6.) The existence of lists using in the Early Church
7.) The Exhortations we find in N.T. letters to Believers to mutually edify each other

We are called to follow Christ together with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  We are to be in Covenanted Community with our Family Members in Christ.

Church Membership is a means of Grace God gives to His children

Jesus Christ loves the Church

• If He loves the church, how can we Love Him but not Love what He loves?

More Fun at SBFC-SW

“Growing the Local Church”, 1 Corinthians 3 (Pastor Steve Garrick)

This session was preached by one of my pastors, Pastor Steve Garrick, on the Foundation of the Church, namely Jesus Christ.  I’ve provided a few quotes below for your digestion, as well as the video of the sermon and some pictures, like always.    Enjoy!  Slán go foill!

1 Corinthians 3

Is it acceptable for us as Human Beings to define the Church to begin with?

Your Christology determines your Ecclesiology.

The Church is evaluated on this basis: Have I preached Christ?

Calvinism, if I can use that word, is necessary in understanding the Church.