A group of people from the community that I live in have formed Concerned Citizens Against Alcohol (CCAA).
CCAA has started a blog which you can find here.
Continue to be in prayer for our community as we fight the destructive influence of alcohol in our small town.
22 April 2008
Why "Post-Moderns" and "Emergents" won't last...
Come on, does anyone actually believe these kinds of folks will be around in forty years?
They'll grow up, hopefully wise up, and get a life!
No, seriously.
They are actually just a little over forty years too late for their movement, it really began in the 'free love' sixties.
Here is what it boils down to:
1) They hate established Christianity. They believe everything must change. They believe that for the last 2000 years everyone has got it wrong. But they have received the revelation.
2) They hate decent Christian folks. They believe you have to look like some wanna-be rock star to really love Jesus.
3) They hate Biblical terminology. They would rather make up their own cooler, hipper words to talk about God.
4) They hate church. More specifically, church services. They don't like to be preached to like all the prophets through out the whole Bible did. They'd rather be "in conversation."
5) They hate holiness. They want to dilute it into leaving an extra dollar in tip at the local coffee shop or carrying an old lady's groceries out to her car. Holiness is in some morbid (yes, I do mean morbid) way linked to becoming a vegetarian (their form of entire consecration) and voting for Barrack Obama (who is part of a cult, not a Christian church).
6) Well, you get the point...
That kind of stuff, it just won't last. I don't look forward to it, but I guess I'll have to weather this one for the next twenty years or so. (Post-moderns hate when you call their fad a fad.)
Man, they must all be haters. (Post-moderns hate it when you lump large groups of people together and make blanket statements outside of a proper narrative perspective.)
They'll grow up, hopefully wise up, and get a life!
No, seriously.
They are actually just a little over forty years too late for their movement, it really began in the 'free love' sixties.
Here is what it boils down to:
1) They hate established Christianity. They believe everything must change. They believe that for the last 2000 years everyone has got it wrong. But they have received the revelation.
2) They hate decent Christian folks. They believe you have to look like some wanna-be rock star to really love Jesus.
3) They hate Biblical terminology. They would rather make up their own cooler, hipper words to talk about God.
4) They hate church. More specifically, church services. They don't like to be preached to like all the prophets through out the whole Bible did. They'd rather be "in conversation."
5) They hate holiness. They want to dilute it into leaving an extra dollar in tip at the local coffee shop or carrying an old lady's groceries out to her car. Holiness is in some morbid (yes, I do mean morbid) way linked to becoming a vegetarian (their form of entire consecration) and voting for Barrack Obama (who is part of a cult, not a Christian church).
6) Well, you get the point...
That kind of stuff, it just won't last. I don't look forward to it, but I guess I'll have to weather this one for the next twenty years or so. (Post-moderns hate when you call their fad a fad.)
Man, they must all be haters. (Post-moderns hate it when you lump large groups of people together and make blanket statements outside of a proper narrative perspective.)
15 April 2008
Interesting Blog Posts and a New Idea...
While I may agree with most of the following posts, I do not necessarily agree with everything in the blog. If you want to know what I think, you have to ask me.
On Membership
I Like Old Fashioned Holiness Folks (I am definitely on board with this one.)
Green is the new Pro-Life
Also, I am going to attempt to post an outline version of at least one sermon a week. (Excluding time limitations.) I will post them here at my other blog.
On Membership
I Like Old Fashioned Holiness Folks (I am definitely on board with this one.)
Green is the new Pro-Life
Also, I am going to attempt to post an outline version of at least one sermon a week. (Excluding time limitations.) I will post them here at my other blog.
14 April 2008
Guest Editorial Article on Alcohol...
The following is in the Tuesday, April 14, edition of the local newspaper: The Green River Sun. The vote on making our county wet (or, more technically, 'moist') is May 20th. Please pray for our community and specifically the one precinct (South Greensburg Precinct) that can vote on this issue.
Here's the article that I wrote for the paper:
Alcohol: The problem, not the solution!
If you would ask a typical individual in Green County what they value most they may respond with the answer: spouse, children, friendship, or faith. Most would not respond with the answer money or economy. As we approach the vote coming up about the sale of alcohol, we need to start asking ourselves two questions: (1) What is most important to us here in Green County? (2) In what direction do we want to see our community go?
Proponents of alcohol sales in our county, and other counties, have long touted the "economic benefits" of selling alcohol. For some it is a "magic pill" that will transform Greensburg into an economic ‘utopia.' If you view economic benefit to the community as a single restaurant making money, then you might be correct. If you view economic benefit more holistically and include police force costs, incarceration costs, and damage to public/private property is there really an overall economic benefit for our community? Let me be clear: Selling Alcohol in our community will not solve any of our problems, only create many new ones!
But, what if it did? What if our city's budget crisis was resolved through the sale of alcohol? (I do not believe it would, but let us hypothesize for a moment.) We would still have to ask: Is it worth all the side-effects? Alcohol is not without its share of accompanying problems. Alcohol has been directly responsible for physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children. Alcohol has destroyed marriages and broken families. Alcohol has led to college and high school drop-outs. Alcohol has killed both the drunk and the innocent. Alcohol always, even one glass, impairs the drinker.
I guess the real question we have to ask ourselves when we vote on whether or not to legalize the sell of alcohol in our community is this: Do we value the possibility of a dollar more than the lives of our family, neighbors, peers, and fellow Green Countians?
If the almighty dollar is more important to us than the lives of our children, teenagers, families, neighbors, et cetera; then why stop at selling it by the drink? Why stop with just the social evil we call alcohol? Why not push through legislation that would allow us to sell marijuana? Why not put a casino on the Green River down at Legion Park? Why not push to legalize prostitution (that will bring ‘tourism')? Why not implement a process of euthanasia since the elderly are costing our community too much money? Why not open up an abortion clinic for those parents who cannot really afford to raise a child? Could we not say a baby's death will save us some money? Can we see the end to the thought process that is driving the sell of alcohol?
Since I have lived in this great county, my wife and I have started our family. We chose not to begin a family in Nashville for a host of reasons including, but not limited to, the prevalence and availability of alcohol. I have been proud to see our community be involved in "Project Graduation" and other programs to prevent any kind of substance abuse, but I am now perplexed at our hypocrisy in fighting this social evil and then proposing to sell it in our city!
What do we really want our community to be? Sixty-seven counties in our state are wet or moist and only fifty-three are dry. I think we should offer something here in Greensburg that very few other places have: a family-friendly community. Why do we not build a community on the great people that live here? I hope that Green County will continue to be a safe place to raise a family.
For that reason, among many, I cannot see why anyone would want to put a dollar before the people of our community. Friends, neighbors, and acquaintances in the South Greensburg Precinct, please, vote ‘No' on May 20, 2008 for every one's benefit!
Here's the article that I wrote for the paper:
Alcohol: The problem, not the solution!
If you would ask a typical individual in Green County what they value most they may respond with the answer: spouse, children, friendship, or faith. Most would not respond with the answer money or economy. As we approach the vote coming up about the sale of alcohol, we need to start asking ourselves two questions: (1) What is most important to us here in Green County? (2) In what direction do we want to see our community go?
Proponents of alcohol sales in our county, and other counties, have long touted the "economic benefits" of selling alcohol. For some it is a "magic pill" that will transform Greensburg into an economic ‘utopia.' If you view economic benefit to the community as a single restaurant making money, then you might be correct. If you view economic benefit more holistically and include police force costs, incarceration costs, and damage to public/private property is there really an overall economic benefit for our community? Let me be clear: Selling Alcohol in our community will not solve any of our problems, only create many new ones!
But, what if it did? What if our city's budget crisis was resolved through the sale of alcohol? (I do not believe it would, but let us hypothesize for a moment.) We would still have to ask: Is it worth all the side-effects? Alcohol is not without its share of accompanying problems. Alcohol has been directly responsible for physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children. Alcohol has destroyed marriages and broken families. Alcohol has led to college and high school drop-outs. Alcohol has killed both the drunk and the innocent. Alcohol always, even one glass, impairs the drinker.
I guess the real question we have to ask ourselves when we vote on whether or not to legalize the sell of alcohol in our community is this: Do we value the possibility of a dollar more than the lives of our family, neighbors, peers, and fellow Green Countians?
If the almighty dollar is more important to us than the lives of our children, teenagers, families, neighbors, et cetera; then why stop at selling it by the drink? Why stop with just the social evil we call alcohol? Why not push through legislation that would allow us to sell marijuana? Why not put a casino on the Green River down at Legion Park? Why not push to legalize prostitution (that will bring ‘tourism')? Why not implement a process of euthanasia since the elderly are costing our community too much money? Why not open up an abortion clinic for those parents who cannot really afford to raise a child? Could we not say a baby's death will save us some money? Can we see the end to the thought process that is driving the sell of alcohol?
Since I have lived in this great county, my wife and I have started our family. We chose not to begin a family in Nashville for a host of reasons including, but not limited to, the prevalence and availability of alcohol. I have been proud to see our community be involved in "Project Graduation" and other programs to prevent any kind of substance abuse, but I am now perplexed at our hypocrisy in fighting this social evil and then proposing to sell it in our city!
What do we really want our community to be? Sixty-seven counties in our state are wet or moist and only fifty-three are dry. I think we should offer something here in Greensburg that very few other places have: a family-friendly community. Why do we not build a community on the great people that live here? I hope that Green County will continue to be a safe place to raise a family.
For that reason, among many, I cannot see why anyone would want to put a dollar before the people of our community. Friends, neighbors, and acquaintances in the South Greensburg Precinct, please, vote ‘No' on May 20, 2008 for every one's benefit!
08 April 2008
"It's not about you."
Okay, we hear those words all the time in the church but do we actually live them out or even remotely believe them in the church.
Allow me to give some examples of when we really do believe it is about us...
1) Music in the church. How many times have you heard the following: "I didn't like the music this morning." "I just can't worship with the organ/drums/etc." "I don't know why we sing out of a hymn book/ off the wall." "I like choruses/ hymns." Has anyone ever stopped to ask what God would like to hear? I mean, it is worship of God... right? Or maybe its more about our self-gratification. Can everyone please just worship?
2) Service Formats. I like how the "cool" churches have a service for every kind of worship. Contemporary Worship Service. Traditional Worship Service. Liturgical Worship Service. Emergent "get wigged out over candles and low lighting" Worship Service. Then they call them "cool" names to make everybody feel even "cooler" about them. "Come to the torch and experience God in a new way." "Come casual to the refuge where we might bump into God." I hope I'll stumble upon some 'new' way to experience God some day soon... I'll call the new service "Spirit Grace Fellowship Community of Jesus Followers on a mission to save mother earth!"... wait, that one has already been taken.
3) "I am not being fed." or "I am not getting anything out of the service." Okay, this is reminiscent of infantile behaviour! If you are not being fed, maybe you need to use your fork and put the food in your mouth. It certainly is not because it is not there. Do we honestly think the preacher's job is to bottle feed us forever? Come on!
4) "I like your sermon, preacher." My goal is not to maintain popularity through my preaching, but approval from the heavenly father.
I could go on, but the reality is pastor's and churches are guilty of it too. They market themselves to Christians. "We offer nursery, children's church, youth meeting, young married couple classes, litter clean up ecstasy, biker Sunday, blah, blah, blah."
What if we just said: We worship God with all our heart, soul, mind, & strength... come and join us if you want to give Him all the glory..... ...... nah, Christians wouldn't be interested would they?
Not to mention the fact that I think most preachers and churches spend most of their outreach time trying to reach members of the church down the street rather than lost and dying souls!
But, if you don't want to think about this, just smile and nod your head when you hear someone say with a bit of shallowness: "It's not about you."
Allow me to give some examples of when we really do believe it is about us...
1) Music in the church. How many times have you heard the following: "I didn't like the music this morning." "I just can't worship with the organ/drums/etc." "I don't know why we sing out of a hymn book/ off the wall." "I like choruses/ hymns." Has anyone ever stopped to ask what God would like to hear? I mean, it is worship of God... right? Or maybe its more about our self-gratification. Can everyone please just worship?
2) Service Formats. I like how the "cool" churches have a service for every kind of worship. Contemporary Worship Service. Traditional Worship Service. Liturgical Worship Service. Emergent "get wigged out over candles and low lighting" Worship Service. Then they call them "cool" names to make everybody feel even "cooler" about them. "Come to the torch and experience God in a new way." "Come casual to the refuge where we might bump into God." I hope I'll stumble upon some 'new' way to experience God some day soon... I'll call the new service "Spirit Grace Fellowship Community of Jesus Followers on a mission to save mother earth!"... wait, that one has already been taken.
3) "I am not being fed." or "I am not getting anything out of the service." Okay, this is reminiscent of infantile behaviour! If you are not being fed, maybe you need to use your fork and put the food in your mouth. It certainly is not because it is not there. Do we honestly think the preacher's job is to bottle feed us forever? Come on!
4) "I like your sermon, preacher." My goal is not to maintain popularity through my preaching, but approval from the heavenly father.
I could go on, but the reality is pastor's and churches are guilty of it too. They market themselves to Christians. "We offer nursery, children's church, youth meeting, young married couple classes, litter clean up ecstasy, biker Sunday, blah, blah, blah."
What if we just said: We worship God with all our heart, soul, mind, & strength... come and join us if you want to give Him all the glory..... ...... nah, Christians wouldn't be interested would they?
Not to mention the fact that I think most preachers and churches spend most of their outreach time trying to reach members of the church down the street rather than lost and dying souls!
But, if you don't want to think about this, just smile and nod your head when you hear someone say with a bit of shallowness: "It's not about you."
03 April 2008
Ten Shekels and a Shirt
This is a link to a sermon preached by Paris Reidhead entitled: Ten Shekels and a Shirt.
It will be a bit of a read, but it is a powerful sermon!
It will probably take less time to read it than it would to listen to it, but you may want to do both after you read over it. (You can right click and save as on each link below.)
Manuscript
Audio
Hope this is beneficial!
It will be a bit of a read, but it is a powerful sermon!
It will probably take less time to read it than it would to listen to it, but you may want to do both after you read over it. (You can right click and save as on each link below.)
Manuscript
Audio
Hope this is beneficial!
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