January 2012
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“Authority is like soap; the more you use it, the less you will have of it.”
– Mark Dever
November 2011
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A Deficiency of Love →
Last week I attempted to collect my thoughts on the tragic systematic sexual abuse of children uncovered at my alma mater, Penn State, by the hands of a former assistant football coach. My goal was to express my conviction that the events bring to light a deeper societal issue that we all need to deal with. After an overwhelming response, I felt that I needed to follow up with a more directly...
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“God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, His merciful love...”
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New morning, new mercies Happy Valley. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
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When Good Men Do Nothing
***This post was originally written previous to the announced firing of Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier, and was in response to the Grand Jury Report and subsequent outrage over what the allegations against Sandusky had to do with Paterno and the other men involved in the Grand Jury Report. I want to emphasize that my goal is not to condemn anyone, but rather bring attention to how inaction is a...
October 2011
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September 2011
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So, I Had Some Big News This Week...
2012 is going to bring a new season of ministry for Beth and I.
After almost seven years, I will be resigning from my position as Director of Student Ministries at First Church to pursue my calling of being a pastor in the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
This was a letter that was published in the newsletter at First Church on Sunday morning. I wanted to share it because while our staff...
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“Ten years later, we stand with all those who lost someone on 9/11. We...”
– To Write Love on Her Arms
August 2011
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WatchA nice dose of conviction for us Bible teachers…
July 2011
11 posts
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“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When...”
– Isaiah 43: 1-3 (ESV)
The Dark Knight Rises Trailer
It’s too bad this trailer is fake. Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. It got me amped up for next summer anyway!
joshuarwhite:
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[fives] favorite songs
[one] a change is gonna come by sam cooke
[two] where the streets have no name by u2
[three] the rising by bruce springsteen & the e street band
[four] your song by elton john
[five] people get ready by the impressions
what are your favorite songs?
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Am I Worship Impaired? →
This post stood out to me today, not because it is anything profound (though it has value and should be read by those of us in the church), but because of an experience that I had this week. I hope that in my personal reflection I’m not insensitive in any way, but what occurred was convicting to me as I grow in Christ, and may be a challenge to you as well.
***
This past Sunday, something...
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“The evangelical orientation is inward and subjective. We are far better at...”
– Sinclair Ferguson; quoted by CJ Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life, 40 (via lifeinthestory)
May 2011
2 posts
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A Response on the Rapture That Did Not Come (But...
I’ll admit that in the last week or so, I have not treated the Rapture with seriousness that it deserves. As a Christian, I believe that it’s going to happen. I don’t believe in the Left Behind version of events, but rather, the promise of Christ’s return and the events depicted in John’s Revelation. I also believe it when the Bible says that we won’t know...
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WatchThe Story of the Ad That Wasn’t There
(Sorry, it’s about to get political up in here. Long story short…)
My mother-in-law, Gerry, is running for mayor of my city.
Her opponent, Gabe, is the incumbent.
Gerry thinks that she would be a better leader than Gabe. (so does our newspaper, incidentally.)
Gabe is offended that someone would think that.
Gerry decided to say some...
April 2011
11 posts
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[sunday setlist]
For Easter, I wanted every song to celebrate the power and passion of what God had done through Jesus Christ. I thought this set was our way of saying to hell, “Booyah!”
Our God is Love (Lee McDerment)
Let God Arise (Chris Tomlin)
All Because of Jesus (Steve Fee)
Christ is Risen (Matt Maher)
Death In His Grave (John Mark McMillan)
How He Loves (John Mark McMillan)
‘Til I...
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“If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn’t help the poor, either we...”
– Stephen Colbert (via aluminumsoil)
Booyah.
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[sunday setlist]
Our band this week is made up of two acoustic guitars, a grand piano, mandolin, violin, banjo and three-part harmony. Think Nickel Creek blended with Mumford & Sons. I’m excited.
Here’s our set:
Hymn Medley (Leaning on the Everlasting Arms/I Saw The Light/Blessed Assurance)
Fairest Lord Jesus (Ross Parsley)
In Christ Alone (Stuart Townend)
Awake My Soul (Mumford & Sons)
Christ is...
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“Your mission statement means nothing. Your actions do.”
– Scott Stratten
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WatchLove this kind of open dialogue between pastors with different methodologies.
I just ordered the DVD.
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March 2011
2 posts
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“What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books...”
– C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock
February 2011
5 posts
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“Men are in a restless pursuit after satisfaction in earthly things. They will...”
– Charles Spurgeon (via lifeinthestory)
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3 Things Dads Can Do
Karl Fisher passed along this post from Dave Bruskas about the role fathers can have in bringing their children to salvation. He points out the tension between our own plan as fathers and the plan of the Father, sharing his own experiences with his own daughter and her journey to faith.
Ever since Lucy was born, there’s not a night that I don’t sneak into her room and pray that God...
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Lessons in Manliness from Atticus Finch
Yes, Atticus may not seem very “manly,” at least when measured by the modern rubric for manliness.
But it is the subtly of his manliness, the way he carried himself, taught his children, made his choices, that makes his manliness all the more real, all the more potent. His manhood was not displayed in great showy acts but in quiet, consistent strength, in supreme self-possession. The manliness...
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January 2011
9 posts
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Hierarchy of Prayer Requests
CANCER
>
SICK PET
There is no discussion on this.
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“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the...”
– Clive Staples Lewis
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MissionSHIFT: Defining Mission
(This post is part of a conversation happening here about the book MissionSHIFT.)
The heart of MissionSHIFT is made up of three core essays- representing the past, present and future of mission, and the multiple responses of scholars and leaders to each specific essay. The first essay presented to us is by Charles Van Engen, who writes “Mission” Defined and Described. The main point...