Rambo is reborn!

Focus on the Family's Citizenlink.org reports that Sylvester Stallone has become a Christian.

No Tithe, No Donuts

Here's a hilarious video from TheChurchYouKnow.com about tithing. No tithe, no donuts.

Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

I couldn't help but post this! The header read, "WHEN YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE, LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT & SAY NOTHING"

Perhaps another (and somewhat disconnected) interpretation could be, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15)

somanorth - Emerging or Emergent?

As a leader of somanorth, the EMERGING congregation of Scottsdale Bible Church, I believe it's important to differentiate it from the Emergent Village, which has often characterized the theology of the emerging movement in the Church. I would align myself with this article from Brett Kunkle of Stand to Reason. He delivered it at the Evangelical Theological Society's Annual Meeting last week. It's written very well and it's relatively short considering the amount of information that floods in about the Emerging/Emergent movement.

Last year I wrote a Wikipedia stub about somanorth. It also differentiates us from the theology communicated by the Emergent Village.

In sum, even though we're "emerging," we're not following the vexing and perhaps unorthodox views of the Emergent Village and its representatives.

Brewer on Mopping

My friend Bobby Brewer recently blogged about the insufficiency of personal testimonies. Has our culture changed such that personal stories of Christ's transforming power have lost there potency since everyone has a story? Perhaps a new apologetic is in order.

new somanorth series

The new somanorth series begins December 3rd.

Sermon from God

What made a prophet's message meaningful? Could the power of their message simply be derived from its ability to expose the sin of the people? (Contrastingly, false prophets were condemned for delivering agreeable prophecies.)

Any preacher that doesn't address our rebellion against God may be safely ignored. These people have no word from God.

Church

A few months ago Nate Hughes and I preached a sermon together about becoming a missionary. I find this picture of him convicting. The sign he holds reads, "I am the church" in the Czech language.

I'm reminded that the Church is meant to be the light of the WORLD. In God's infinite wisdom and kindness, He has chosen to use you and I to reach the world with the good news of Jesus and, subsequently, usher in His Kingdom. Sunday service at 76th & Greenway-Hayden is only part of being the Church. The other part is taking the Gospel to Kierland Commons, Las Vegas, and the Czech Republic.

If you haven't signed up for a mission trip yet, DO IT!

"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." - Matthew 24:14

Aliens or Demons?

John Dickerson writes a great article on Phoenix Lights, a strange UFO sighting in Phoenix about 10 years ago. Our own Dr. Bobby Brewer has a part in the article.

Could demons be using "alien" sightings and abductions as a modern way to oppress the spiritually critical Western mind?

Partial-Birth Abortion

A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial on partial-birth abortion from apologist Greg Koukl.

On Sexual Immorality

"Illicit relationships promise like a god, but pay like the devil." - Erwin W. Lutzer, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery

I'm tired of nice sermons.

A nice sermon is like oatmeal. It can sustain a person, but it won't offer much of a kick. A convicting sermon is like BBQ ribs. It bursts with flavor and satisfies down to the inner recesses of a person.

John DelHousaye on Characterization

John DelHousaye writes, "After we make our judgments about a person, there is always more, so that, in the very least, we should punctuate them with a question mark, and, perhaps even truer to the reality, an ellipsis. But scrutiny is free." To read other witty comments from John, check out his blog.

America NOT Abandoned by God

A well written article by one of my former professors at Phoenix Seminary. He asks a question with regard to President Bush, "Lord, if you will not help this kind of a courageous President who earnestly seeks to follow you, and continually seeks to walk in paths of righteousness, then what kind of President will you ever help?" All in all, a helpful conservative review of Bush's term as president.

Philosophers

"Philosophers are people who write about things they don't understand, and make it sound like it's your fault." - S. Lewis Johnson, Bibliotheca Sacra, October-December 1962

Quote of the Day

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself." - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Is the power in the Word?

I'm sensing two kinds of popular preachers today. The first are great story-tellers and fun to listen to. They often speak from a conviction about some social issue or theological misconception. Even though they're sometimes maligned for their negligible use of the scriptures, there is no doubt in my mind for their love for God and Jesus.

The second preacher is utterly convinced that the Bible is the Word of God and worthy of being expounded upon and applied. These men use verses and passages to exhort God's people into action or change. These men are maligned for being boring, irrelevant and unloving. I hear that their churches are small.

Over the last year I've had many opportunities to pray with people. I've noticed that most people sigh or groan when I use a verse within a prayer. They usually stay silent when I'm voicing to God my thoughts and opinions.

Thus, it seems that God's Word has a greater affect upon those who are living in the Spirit than a well told story or Christian cliche. Missionary zeal doesn't equate to transformed souls.

What do you think?

UPDATE: After further consideration, perhaps the Spirit uses both.