May 27, 2010

Emerging Through the Cult of Personality


What is Authentic in One and One Is Three?

I exploit you, 
still you love me, 
I tell you One and one is three 
I'm the Cult of Personality.   


May 18, 2010

Review of: John Eldredge Wild at Heart





Rock Climbing is difficult, not because of the rock but the lack of faith that rests inside ones heart. We cannot see the next step properly without a faith that the next step will hold us above the ground. We are continually battling a war against the little voice that tries to speak up and say, "Heck! That's an impossible step." "You can't do that!" "You are going to fall!" "Just give up!" Wild at Heart shares that this little voice is a common voice shared by all men. The voice will eventually wear a man down and hallow him out. A hallowed man will either grow violent and be consumed by anger. Or become a man that has checked out and is absent from his family.

Eldredge does a good job of outlining manhood in today's current age. He equips men with stories that enable them to better serve their wives and family. One area that was lacking was a series of author notes in the back; he makes up for the lack of author notes by having a very useful prayer index. I also had difficulty getting hooked into the story. (This may have been just the May blahs or the writing, I am not sure.)

All in all a decent read, one I would hesitantly cluck about. 7.9/10








I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

May 12, 2010

A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on A Spiritual Journey








Challenges to the faith will strengthen not weaken Christianity. The challenges are why we have the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Creeds, and the writings of John Calvin. Questioners need to be raised in order to see the true state of Christianity. Brian McLaren is one of these questioners of the current state of Protestant Faith.

This review will not try to answer if Brian is correct in his assessment. I need to read more in order to create a proper response to his questions.

But the questions are the gift that McLaren endows to the readers; here are a few of the questions:




  1. What are the agreements that we make about the proper role of the church?
  2. What is the framework we utilize to understand the Church's response to the Trinity?
  3. What did Modernity do to the structure of the Church?
  4. What does the church do with a loss of a meta-narrative?
  5. How does money effect the preaching of God?
  6. Why is their power in the Bible?
  7. Which kingdom does the Church serve Caesar's Imperialism, or the Kingdom of God?
  8. What are the ordinary means of Grace?
Whats next, I plan to read more of Brian McLaren; but I also will read some of the classic church fathers works. As C.S. Lewis says, the Church Fathers offer clarity for this age, because they are not chained to biases of the current age. The Church Fathers help one see the biblical narrative clearly. "Heretic" or "Heretic Not" McLaren has posed a number of beneficial questions.

Please listen to: Beware of Heresy by Gervase Charmley at Bethel Evangelical Free Church • Hanley, Stoke on Trent





May 10, 2010

Mission Work 863


Be willing to go where you are to all people, at all times, and with any means necessary to spread the word of the gospel.



Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.



Romans 1:5

5through whom(A)we have received grace and(B)apostleship(C) to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name(D) among all the nations,



2 Cor. 13:14

 14(A) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and(B) the love of God and(C)the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.



Man has had difficulty in expressing with all nations in a clear voice ever since the fall of the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-10). We most honor each other's language in order to respect the culture of all nations.

Bible gateway offers a great way to bridge the gaps between cultural landscapes. I use the bible gateway to share scripture with my coworker Telesena. She is Haitian. Bible gateway has a Haitian translation of the scriptures. Telesena loves it when I give her scriptures in her native tongue.

May 6, 2010

Genesis 13



Singing Godly songs, 
Settling by mighty oaks, 
Abram moved his tent.
Genesis 13
Ephesians 3:18-4:3

Todays Reading for the bible in one year is:
Exodus 23, 1 Kings 10, Jeremiah 24, Romans 14

EXFM Songs