Some initial research, more to come later, this is my scratch pad.

John 17:12-20 (New International Version)

New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify^[a] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

“What began as a way of reaching a generation for Christ has turned into a private event for a growing number of Christian consumers looking for a safe spot in which to hide from a dangerous world.”

A man decided to wear an overt Christian t-shirt to “witness” to people. Guess what? The shirt failed to provoke any spiritual conversations; in fact, people tended to avoid him. He later observed that when he wore his Fender t-shirt he successfully struck up conversations with strangers about guitar and music, which occasionally led to discussions about God and Christianity. Obvious conclusion: The Fender t-shirt witnesses better that the (supposedly) witnessing t-shirt.

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Martin Luther		80%
John Calvin		73%
Karl Barth		60%
Paul Tillich		60%
Friedrich Schleiermacher		53%
Augustine		40%
Jürgen Moltmann		40%
Jonathan Edwards		33%
Anselm		33%
Charles Finney		27%

Which theologian are you?
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This is way cool.

Whether you are sitting in the pew or preparing to preach, REV the Energy Drink is for you. REV is loaded with sugar, caffeine and other sermon-enhancing ingredients like glucuronolactone and inositol. If you are preaching, drink one can before church and your sermon is guaranteed not to drag. But just in case, keep an extra can in the pulpit. Each can includes recommended dosages for listening to, writing or giving a sermon. Notice: please use this and other Old Lutheran products in moderation.

Get yours here

Old Lutheran Store

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Matthew 18:15-17
[i]15 If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
[/i]
I think too many view treating others as tax collectors and pagans equates to shunning them. While, in the days of Paul, that might well have been an option, and could be what he was getting at, as the community gathering was needed for survival, yet today, if someone is shunned, they simple go to the church down the street, or even to the local bar.

Rather, in treating someone as such, we should dialog, and pray for them. We explain how they are wrong in love, and pray that they may return to the fold.

If we look in Acts 17, Paul talks about walking in a city of idols, and what does he do? He spends time with them, gets to know them, and complements them, and then addresses the problem. He has built a connection with them in love first, and then he tells them of the Truth.

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For years, I listened to Christian Radio. Back in the 80’s, I was a lab tech as well as a lineman at the airport, and I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth from class to work to class to work and so one.

A few years later, I worked at a Bible Camp, there too, I listened to Christian Radio, although I must admit the mix in Northern Wisconsin was a tad bit different than what I was used to.

And then I moved to Iowa, and we had no Christian radio whatsoever. The stations were just too far away, and as time passed, despite having moved, and worked a number of places, just never tuned in.

Well, last night, I was out doing errands, and I flipped on the dial, and sure enough, there was a Christian radio station. I’d listened to them on and off, but never really actively listened.

Sadly, it was if a new and different gospel was being presented. One so shocking, and so far away from the teachings of Christ, I couldn’t believe it. My first inclination was ok…. maybe a preacher was having a really really bad day, but the more I listened, the more convinced I became that what he was saying, was truly what he believed, and it pervaded his message.

Then I had to step back and think on this a bit. Somewhere through all of the wrong theology, and all of the hate, there is a man, who probably at one time was a devout follower of Jesus. Yet, he let the worlds culture wars get in the way of his devotion, and let them win to the loss of the Gospel.

Despite the fact that evil entered in, God’s word was being preached. The words of a man, while being heretical in and of themselves, are no match for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and scripture was indeed being read. The commentary while out in left field is easily dwarfed by the word of Christ. As scripture says, it will not return void.

I take solace in that, and that ears may hear the good words of our Lord, and that the words of the errant preacher man will indeed return void such that Christ is glorified. It is not the messenger, as it is the Word of the Lord.

Glory and Peace and Honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The radio station will be getting a letter

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Over the years, God granted me a multitude of choices to follow him, or to do my own thing. Up until a couple years back, I’ve pretty much followed him a bit, and then decided whoa…. I think I’ll do my own thing. Sure, I prayed, and consulted what many consider elders. Yet, ultimately mammon won out.

In the late 80’s a couple mid level Christian bands needed a bass player to go on the road. At the time, I had a ton of CM connections, and I was getting calls to go here and do this, or go there and do that. Sadly though, the life in CCM, at least for a sideman is one of poverty, unless its a huge act, and even then, unless one does a lot of studio work, its a difficult life. Thus, to those who can do, I greatly admire. As such, I turned them down.

Then a few years later, a friend was starting at a new ministry in CA, and wanted me to go out there and help him get rolling. This while tempting was a bit problematic, as I was an ultraconservative at the time, and he was a moderate liberal. Probably he was then where I am now lol. And while we both saw this as a wonderful oppurtunity for service, I wasn’t sure I would be 100% behind him on this. Thus, I ended up turning that one down too. In hindsight, I think it could have been a great oppurtunity, but alas it has long passed.

Over the years I filled in here, or did that there, and nothing really ever came of it. I took pre-seminary course at the U, taught sunday school, did the youth ministry thing as time permitted, but over time, slowly kept walking away from the open doors.

Sometime around 2004, I made a conscious decision that when God presents an oppurtunity, I am not going to say no. If he wants me somewhere, thats where I’ll be. If he doesn’t, it will be made clear. I was open to his leading…..

So now, I write rules and policy as part of a large internet ministry. Call me Moses, I am not a writer, nor even much more than an arm chair theologian, yet amazingly enough, God gives me the word to write, the voice to resolve conflict and to minister. There is nothing scarier than when its 3AM, and no one else is around, and effectively, folks come to you for answers… and in many cases, the answers you can give are not the ones out of your policy manual, the theo text book, nor any text book for that matter. Yet, it seems listening, scripture, and prayer go a long way in helping folks along the path. God’s word does not return void. It is amazingly cool!

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