In our post-modern, “anything goes” culture, the challenge to find the real Jesus is becoming increasingly difficult. A diminished concern for sound doctrine is allowing heresy to remain alive and unchecked. In this, the second message in a series through the book of Colossians, we attempt to drill the depths of Paul’s powerfully Christological hymn, proclaiming Jesus to be the Beloved Son of God, the King of Creation, and the King of Redemption. Join us as we consider The Supremacy of Jesus Christ.
WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL SPOIL THE STORYLINE AND ENDING.
To preserve your suspense, read everything except “The General Story.”
Every so often a “Christian” book emerges from the shadows of obscurity, causing major waves in the literary market. Over the past few months, The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity by William P. Young has acquired a place in the spotlight. Self-published by the author, The Shack has 800,000 copies in print and 750,000 out for distribution. With a movie deal in the works, the book is currently #8 the Amazon.com Top 100 List, well within the USA TODAY’s top 10, and a front-page feature on Christianbook.com. The Shack is quite the Cinderella story as Young’s first publication which he did not originally envision publishing, but wrote only for the enjoyment of his children. Since the first of its seven printings in 2007, The Shack has enjoyed raving reviews, an enormously successful reception among Christians, and a most recent printing in hardcover. As a result, I have decided to read and review The Shack.
A few weeks ago, we were discussing the intelligent design movie by Ben Stein titled Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. This weekend I caught an interview with Wolf Blitzer and Ben Stein which was aired in light of the movie’s release this past Friday. To not bore you with the details, the end of the interview went like this:
WB: So Ben - just to clarify - you believe in Evolution.
BS: Yes.
WB: You believe in Intelligent Design.
BS: Yes.
WB: You DO NOT believe in Creationism.
BS: No. Though there may be a higher power, I do not hold to Creationism.
WB: Ben, thanks for joining us…
It appears as though the movie is not receiving many good ratings. However, now that it is out, we may start to hear more and more about it. Hopefully this will help us engage our communities for sake of our Creator and His gospel.
Our world culture is quickly advancing in many aspects. From technology to religion, masses of people are searching for something new and exciting. As a result, many Christians are following suit in a quest for cutting edge religion and theology. Perhaps a return to the basics will help put street-level Christian life back in perspective. In this first of a series of messages on the book of Colossians, listen and consider how you may return to The Basics of Christian Life.
In an effort to address my own embarrassing illiteracy and the illiteracy of other Christians, I am working with two close brothers to create a series of reading lists. Eventually, I hope to put them into the form of a small booklet for those desiring to read long and well.
As you read this post, it may take you a moment to get your bearings, so let me try to clarify on the front end. First, notice that the list follows a rotation through some key categories and sub-categories. In this project, we started by choosing some basic and overarching genres. Then, we broke each genre into sub-topics. So, the reading schedule rotates through repeatedly, creating a well-rounded diet. This format makes for an engaging, varied, enjoyable, and productive reading experience. Keep reading - the first two schedules are below.
—————————————— Rotation of Categories: 1. Aged-Christian (prior to 1970)
-Theology
-Personal Devotional
-Biblical Studies/Hermeneutics/Biography 2. Non-Christian (contains perspectives other than Christian)
-Culture/Worldview
-Anti-Christian 3. Recent-Christian (1970 to present)
-Biblical Studies/Hermeneutics/Biography
-Culture/Worldview
-Theology 4. Literature
-Classic (prior to 19th century)
-Modern (19th century to present)
——————————————-
Each reading session is composed of 12 works. Therefore, readers can use the lists as monthly schedules or merely as guides to follow at one’s own pace, faster or slower. Since even a handful of lists will not sufficiently contain all the works that contribute to becoming a “well-read Christian,” I will continue to post new lists as time goes on. In addition, each work is linked to more book and price information. Also, there is also a companion bookmark containing The Basics of Marking a Book as You Read is now available on the Resources Page.
There you have it. If you decide to begin reading through this list, please make note of your participation in a comment below. Also feel free to express your thoughts on these reading as you progress.
I recently saw the trailer for Ben Stein’s new film Expelled, The Movie. Apparently, Stein is an Intelligent Design theorist. As a result, he has sympathized with scientists who are being harassed for concluding that much scientific data is pointing to the presence and work of an intelligent designer in creation. The film will hit theatres nationwide on April 18. Basically, the film presents a case for intelligent design theory and, in turn, defends the scientists who are under attack for subscribing to such a position. As the movie is grabbing the attention of news media, television shows, and internet sites, many Christians are bubbling with excitement over what they feel is a perfect opportunity to gain some ground in the debate. However, perhaps we should ask the question, “Has anyone thought about Ben Stein?” As if you really care what I think…
Okay. Last year, I offered a March Madness bracket which advanced teams based upon the logical results of a confrontation among mascots. This year, I have decided to offer up a slightly different approach to bracketology, team gross weight. The bracket below advances teams through the tournament based upon which team weighs most collectively. Enjoy…
They had seen the Savior’s death by crucifixion. They witnessed His resurrection from the dead. They had even looked upon His ascension into the heavens. Yet, in the midst of all this, they had no idea what awaited them in Jerusalem. The disciples, having replaced Judas Iscariot with Matthias, were soon to be thrust into yet another dramatic event for the ages. As they sat together, regrouping for the purpose of ministry, the Holy Spirit visited them in a miraculous display of power. A violent rushing wind filled the house, anointing them to speak languages they previously knew not. Over the centuries, some Christians have suggested that God provided this as a testimony, validating their faith as genuine followers of Christ. Reasoning out from this view, it is proposed that true believers are evidenced by an ability to speak in supernatural tongues, recognizable only to the Holy Spirit. However, this interpretation regarding the Day of Pentecost is not consistent with this text of Scripture and the point of the passage far too important to misunderstand. So, what exactly happened and why?
Sin is the problem. It always has been. Since the fall of mankind, through rebellion against his Creator, sin has reigned over creation. It fallows the ground, hardens the heart, and mars the image of God in mankind. For this reason it is written, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”1 Did you catch that? Death spread to all men, because all sinned. Sin is the chief problem for man. Contrary to popular opinion, the troubles of life on earth are not due to a neglected inner child, an empty love tank, or low self-esteem. In fact, though he is the “father of lies,” even Satan does not pose the greatest danger to the eternal wellbeing of creation.2 Instead, Scripture reveals that the selfish pleasures of every heart wage war in our members.3
The book of James, often referred to as “the epistle of practice,” presents us with the sacrifice and service of genuine Christianity.“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”1 Read that again and consider the true nature of wholesome and uncorrupted worship. Is God most pleased with the completion of regularly scheduled spiritual duties? Does He delight in the extra-curriculars of Christian behavior? While these aspects of life are capable of ascribing God glory, there is much more to our time on earth.
In an effort to address my own embarrassing illiteracy and the illiteracy of other Christians, I am working with two close brothers to create a series of reading lists. Eventually, I hope to put them into the form of a small booklet for those desiring to read long and well.
