This and That 05-05-12

New Study Finds That 95% Of Nerdy White Christian Men Claim to Love Rap - “We were pretty surprised by the results of the study,” said Thomas Menchen, leader of the study. “When you think of the white, nerdy, Christian demographic, you don’t usually think of rap music. You think of books like Systematic Theology and artists like Michael Card and Fernando Ortega. But for some unexplainable reason, white nerdy Christians are flocking to Christian rap. We suspect that John Piper is somehow responsible, although we can’t prove that yet.” – Steven Altrogge

Hiding Above the Fray – I get nervous when the middle ground is always the safe spot. I wonder if the two sides are being described fairly. Or if there are really twenty sides instead of two. I wonder if the sane voice of civility crying in the uncouth wilderness has something it doesn’t want me to hear. I wonder if instead of getting an intellectual argument for the truth I’m getting an emotional appeal to feel superior than the lowbrow rabble-rousers. I am skeptical of those whose first instinct in the midst of theological, political, or cultural controversy is to plead with everyone that there doesn’t have to be a controversy. – Kevin DeYoung

How the Threefold Office Reorients our Apologetics – Accordingly, apologetics becomes all about me, a form of narcissistic obsession with methodology that fleshes itself out in formulas. Are you actually listening to what the other person is saying, or are you waiting for your turn to talk? Are you merely waiting to drop that bomb you’ve been waiting to drop while the other person is bringing up legitimate questions and objections? Ready to pounce with a pre-written agenda?  Are you even aware of the world around you? Did you ever stop to consider that your task for apologetics is also pastoral, and could take months, or even years? There is nothing formulaic about responding to one of the common objections: hypocrisy. Your response must be well thought out and probably specific to the situation. The fact of the matter is,we are all hypocrites, but Christ has helped us embrace the ugliness of our Church as He embraced us on the cross. We’re not perfect, it’s a community of truth and grace; and, we’re ugly, but Christ will make us beautiful as He is. It’s hard to speak in formulas and agenda with objections like hypocrisy. – Andrew Kischner

The Powerless Gospel of Fundamentalism – Gospel Terms According to Fundamentalism - Nobody in a fundamental church will deny that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ apart from works. But here’s what they mean by those terms:  Salvation – A free “get out of hell card” and a free “ticket to heaven”… Grace – God’s kind willingness to let you get off the hook for your sins. He pays your tab for you… Faith – A mental agreement and nothing more… Christ – Savior, Son of God, second member of the Trinity (at least they get this theologically correct)… Works – anything more than mental agreement. – Will Dudding

Giving in to “Weaker Brothers” - I think you can definitely get in trouble if you’re always giving in to “weaker brothers”. It’s one thing to aim not to offend, it’s quite another to live your life with the weaker brother always potentially popping up at every turn. – Bob Hayton

Is the Megachurch the New Liberalism? - The Gospel is robbed of its power if any sinner or any sin is declared outside its saving power. But the Gospel is also robbed of its power if sin — any sin — is minimized to any degree. – Al Mohler

National Day of Prayer 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Kevin Thompson, RCCS Bible Teacher
kthompson@rccs.us, 608-365-7378

Where:  Horace White Park
Beloit, WI  53511

When:  Thursday, May 3
10:45am – 12:00pm

Rock County Christian School Celebrates the National Day of Praye

BELOIT – On Thursday, May 3, 2011, Rock County Christian School will once again commemorate the National Day of Prayer by holding a special prayer service at the Horace White Park in Beloit.  In case of rain, the event will be held in the Rock County Christian School gymnasium located at 916 Bushnell Street.  RCCS would like to invite all who wish to pray for our nation to join our students as we take time to remember our nation and its leaders.

Wisconsin Department Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen will be our keynote speaker.  “As attorney for the State of Wisconsin, its officers and agencies, General Van Hollen has emphasized integrity and adherence to the rule of law. During a time when partisan politics has increasingly polarized the people of Wisconsin, Van Hollen has kept focused on enforcing and following the laws as written without regard to the underlying political and public policy debates. restored an emphasis on the rule of law to the Department of Justice. Professionally-reasoned legal advice and client representation is now a hallmark of the Department’s work.” (Attorney General’s Website)

We are also honored to have other guests such as State Representatives Amy Loudenbeck and Joe Knilans along with newly-elected Beloit School Board Member Mark Rand. Pastor Ken Hereford of the Grace and Truth Church (Beloit) will deliver a short challenge following General Van Hollen.  Music will be led by the Rock County Christian School praise and worship team.

At the conclusion of the service, everyone is invited to join us in a time of prayer led by students from Beloit College.

Event organizer Kevin Thompson notes, “In a time where our state could not be more divided, we need an event like this to refocus our priorities and join together in prayer as we seek to heal the wounds of a fractured political system.  Our only hope is found in the Lord.

According to the National Day of Prayer website (www.nationaldayofprayer.com), “The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman

For more information about Rock County Christian School, please log on to www.rccs.us

This and That 04-28-12

Really Practical Theology - “What? The last thing I need at the moment is systematic theology. I need solutions and I need them fast. Be practical, man.”  Actually, God’s attributes are the first thing you need, and they are eminently practical for both sinners and sufferers alike. Consider the practical value of God’s attributes for those you are trying to help. – David Murray

Our Take: Name-calling is ‘rhetorical pornography’ - But it should be convicting to all Christians when we find ourselves contributing to this maelstrom. Derogatory terms for other human beings – regardless of how widely their views differ from ours or, more importantly, from the truths of Scripture – should never pass our lips. To call it rhetorical pornography, for the debasement it engenders, is not an overstatement. - Jim Daly, Russell D. Moore and Samuel Rodrigue

Consistent Complementarianism - Some men extol the glories of male headship but never think to consciously submit their lives and decision making to the authority of their elders and fellow church-members. As if God designed a husband’s authority to be a blessing at home, but all other authority is arbitrary and unimportant. – Michael McKinley

Is a failure to vote for Romney a vote for Obama? - Now would it be fair of me to say to everyone who votes for Romney, “By not voting for Candidate X you are giving the election to Obama”? Why not? After all, both Romney and the President believe the federal government ought to protect some mothers’ “right” to murder their unborn babies. They both agree that the governments can and should force citizens to buy insurance. They both agree that the federal government should fight wars against countries that have not attacked ours.  In short, whatever differences they have, they are differences of degree, not principle. When, however, I vote for Candidate X, I am voting against the principles of bloated, immoral government. And if everyone who votes for Romney would instead vote for Candidate X, he could defeat the President. Therefore, to not vote for Candidate X is to vote for President Obama. – R.C. Sproul, Jr.

Revenge - I do not expect that this one student being expelled will bring about a sea change in the institutional policies of BJU. They have shown themselves to be all but immune to criticism and dismissive of correction. If there is any lesson to be learned here it is that current students should take care in squaring off against the behemoth that is the university. It is easy enough for those of us who no longer have skin in the game to encourage protest and outcry. It is quite another to put the time and money invested in your education on the line. While a student remains in their house the university has all the leverage and none can say unto them “what doest thou?” … I can, however, hope that perhaps a few potential students or pastors who have up until now been their allies will choose to spend their hard-earned money elsewhere. Perhaps even a few current students may decide that they cannot continue to consent to the present abuses of power by their silence and will choose a transfer to another school rather than live with the constant threat of being summarily expelled themselves for imaginary crimes. Perhaps if enough people vote with their feet, Bob Jones University will then at last be forced to grudgingly do right. – Stuff Fundies Like

My Interview with Jefferson Bethke (Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus)

Jefferson Bethke’s “Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus” youtube video went viral all across the internet. It quickly attracted both praise and theological critiques (including from me). Jefferson was nice enough to take time out of his busy schedule to chat with my Worldviews Class about his video via skype.  Please note, my computer was running a little slow that day so the video itself will be slow.  Also note, this was a friendly classroom discussion.  I purposefully was not confrontational.  So, if you’re looking for a great debate, look elsewhere.

RIP Chuck Colson (1931-2012)

Chuck Colson signing my book.

It is hard to put into words the impact Chuck Colson had on my life.  From an early age I was taught to view him as a hero.  One of the conspirators of the most well-known scandal to ever rock Washington D.C. (Watergate), Colson’s loyalty to Richard Nixon and his political agenda who cause him to defame others and engage in such dirty political tricks that he would find himself in federal prison for several months.  Yet, in the midst of this depravity, God lifted this poor sinner out of the depths of sin and drew him to Himself.

If there is one word to describe Chuck Colson it is “Redemption.”  Colson could have re-entered the life politics but chose rather to invest his life into prison – the very place God used to turn around his life.  Through the ministry of Prison Fellowship, Colson reached out the least of these, the criminals society gave up on, and sought to improve not only their physical well-being, but their eternal future.  But, he didn’t stop there.  Through the ministry of Chuck Colson, many people like me, were edified and encouraged through his teaching of a thoroughly Christian worldview.

In his later years Colson would be remembered for drafting the infamous Manhattan Declaration that encouraged believers of all stripes to stand united in their faith against the onslaught of a society and government which may become increasing hostile in the years to come.  He was a champion in cause of religious liberty.

Yes, I did not agree with everything the man did (i.e. the Evangelicals and Catholics Together document), but none of that matters much now as Chuck Colson is finally with his Redeemer face-to-face.   From one who benefited greatly from your laborers, Chuck –  thank you.

Now that Brother Colson has passed on to glory, this challenge seems all the more important for this worldview teacher.

This and That 04-21-12

All the Harps of Heaven - Kerry Allen is a keeper of all things Spurgeon, including a Twitter feed that shares Spurgeon quotes and Spurgeon.us, a web site that contains a massive database of Spurgeon material. He recently shared with me an interesting quote from Spurgeon. It comes from the sermon “Further Afield,” preached on September 23, 1888. Here Spurgeon describes his first encounter with recorded sounds (and, of course, uses the experience to make a gospel illustration). – Tim Challies

New Books I Would Like to Make You Aware Of

Last week I received three new books from various publishers who are hoping I would mention them on this blog.  I love free books and therefore love the companies that so freely bestow them!  Anyway, here are some books I would like make you aware of:

Title:  Where Has Oprah Taken Us?: The Religious Influence of the World’s Most Famous Woman
Author: Stephen Mansfield
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publishing Year: 2012
Pages: 230

Amazon Product Description:   New York Times best-selling author, Stephen Mansfield, traces the fascinating and influential life of Oprah Winfrey, profiling her quest for spiritual enlightenment- a well-publicized journey featuring a caravan of experts, mystics, and gurus, all claiming to have a prescription for inner peace and personal well-being. Mansfield shows how Oprah’s story fits into our larger cultural experience and reveals why her spiritual discoveries have resonated so loudly in today’s popular culture. In so doing, he sheds needed light on the dangers of a spiritual journey fueled solely by a desire for self-actualization.

In the end, we find that the story of Oprah is, in fact, the story of us- of a generation searching desperately for something meaningful to believe in.

Special Note:  I teach on cults and comparative religion every other year at Rock County Christian School.  This book will be absolutely be quoted from often in our discussion of the New Age Movement.

Title:  No Innocent Affair:  Making Right the Wrong of Adultery
Author:  Edward F. Mrkvicka Jr.
Publisher:  Tate Publishing
Publishing Year: 2011
Pages: 196

Amazon Product Description:  ’Thou shalt not commit adultery’ (Exodus 20:14). Have you found yourself contemplating committing adultery? Are you currently in an adulterous relationship? Have you been affected by an act of adultery? If you answered yes to any of these questions, No Innocent Affair: Making Right the Wrong of Adultery is the tool you need. An avid student of the Word, Ed Mrkvicka addresses the fact that adultery is one of the main contributors to the destruction of the American family and seeks to reverse this terrifying statistic. Mrkvicka posits that few who engage in adulterous relationships realize the enormity of the cost of infidelity, both to themselves and innocent people in their lives. Beginning by comparing God’s view of adultery to society’s view, No Innocent Affair explains in frank yet loving terms that unrepentant adultery is more than just an innocent affair. It is choosing Satan over Jesus and death over life. Mrkvicka desires to lead adulterers to repentance and eternal life with Jesus Christ. Most importantly, No Innocent Affair takes you on a step-by-step biblical progression that leads to the sin of adultery being forgiven and salvation reclaimed. Infidelity is no easy subject to discuss, but it is one that must be addressed. Follow along on this exploration of the consequences and ways out of adultery.

Special Note:  This book will be featured in a future KevCast as I interview the author, Edward Mrkvicka on May 5.  Click here for more info.

Title:  Ecclesiastes:  The Philippians of the Old Testament
Author:  William D. Barrick
Publisher:  Christian Focus
Publishing Year: 2011
Pages: 240

Amazon Product Description:  What is the purpose of life? The preacher in Ecclesiastes, just like many today, is in search of life’s meaning. But as they look through their limited worldview all they find is “vanity, vanity”. Pure emptiness! They are in search for something which will have eternal value. To find it, we need to look beyond ourselves. This is what the preacher discovers; that man is powerless, yet God has a design and purpose for all things. He is the giver of all life. Ecclesiastes gives teaching on doctrines such as man, salvation and future judgment.

Special Note:  I actually won this book by entering a contest on the Christian Focus website.  Log on to Christian Focus and look for future contests!