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    Thursday, April 27, 2006

    Make public?

    I'm thinking of telling a few friends about this blog. Does anyone have any reservations about making it more public? Please let me in comments or by email or phone by the end of Saturday.

    Monday, April 24, 2006

    Biblical Ministries Worldwide

    The BMW website, which I mentioned Friday.

    Check out Mormonland.

    Call to Leadership

    I've been thinking, it seems like one good Biblical answer for where to get a pastor when your local church doesn't have one is in the local church. The more I understand the necessity of a strong core of leaders besides a preaching pastor, and see that Paul's "pastor", "elder", "overseer", and "bishop" are pretty much the same thing, the more I think that "what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2) is a quintessential descriptor of church leadership.

    I used to always see that verse just in a lay discipleship sense, which is certainly true, but I'm now also seeing these 4 generations of believing leaders (Paul --> Timothy --> faithful men --> others) as an ecclesiastical model.

    Some theoretical benefits of raising up a pastor from the church:
    - Can lessen the effect of a pastor leaving and people not being able to accept the new pastor, or having a spell of ineffectiveness in transition. While there still might be tendency for a cult of personality, if it's all about grooming a leader in the footsteps of one pointing to Christ, it could provide a safeguard.
    - You know your new pastor. He knows you. You understand both his qualification for eldership and his personality quirks. It seems like the current way to shop for a pastor is like going on several blind dates, after which you call one back for a second date and then propose marriage.

    Monday, April 17, 2006

    Immigration

    Even though Congress is on break, I’m still thinking about illegal immigration. I think it’s a complex issue, and I’m coming up with more questions than answers. Love to hear your thoughts on:

    1. What’s the answer to the economic tradeoffs of having illegals here?
    2. Honoring the Law: Is it best to say “We have this law and they broke it so they’re illegal and we shouldn’t give ‘em anything” or “We recognize we won’t be able to bring deportation for the crime, so we’ll provide a punitive amnesty and try to do better in the future?” Which results in less respect for the law? Continuing to not enforce the law, or saying, well, we can’t enforce it on all y’all now, so try to make the best of it?
    3. How much weight does the “The legal immigrants, who paid lots of money and waited OUTSIDE the country several years, will be pissed if we give the illegals any sort of free pass” carry?
    4. Border fence, yes or no?
    5. Should our nation spend more money for border patrol, keeping track of all immigrants, and/or streamlining legal immigration?

    Friday, April 14, 2006

    Good Friday

    Isaiah 52:14-53:10"

    14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—
    his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
    and his form marred beyond human likeness—

    15 so will he sprinkle many nations,
    and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
    For what they were not told, they will see,
    and what they have not heard, they will understand.

    1 Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

    2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
    He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

    3 He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
    Like one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

    4 Surely he took up our infirmities
    and carried our sorrows,
    yet we considered him stricken by God,
    smitten by him, and afflicted.

    5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
    the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

    6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to his own way;
    and the LORD has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

    7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
    he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.

    8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    And who can speak of his descendants?
    For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

    9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
    though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

    10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
    he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

    Wednesday, April 12, 2006

    More where this came from...


    "There's more where this came from... if you go to the dance with me."

    If you guys want more wedding pics, let me know. We have a cd of all the pictures.

    Monday, April 10, 2006

    Christian Outreach via Football?

    Saturday night, we went down to the U of U for "Night with the NFL." It was Coach Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts (the main attraction for me) and a current and a former NFL player (Jeff something and Luther something) sharing their Christian faith and specifically their testimony of how it affects their Football and the rest of their life. I know some of you aren't thrilled with Standing Together, but this event of theirs went off without compromise. There were several specific points made that should have made Mormons disagree, and hopefully think about (not just their 'yes, we believe in Jesus too, and he's nice, so we're Christians too' stuff):

    - Luther talked about his journey from doing the 'religious things' to check off an 'I was good' box toward surrendering his life to Christ. It seems like LDS make sure they're in line with their church in terms of doing all the right stuff. And while, like Elder Ruiz, they may talk about surrendering 2 years, they don't seem to talk about the abandonment of self to live the Christ Life.
    - Coach Dungy's Pastor, Richard, talked about the "Balanced Life," indicating an example of Christ from Luke 2:52 (He grew in Wisdom, Stature, and in favor with God and Man.) While this was a bit of a stretch at times, he took from Jesus' life and made it clear that the balanced life is not climbing the right rungs of the church ladder, but knowing God (and seeking him in prayer as Jesus did). He also spent some time on the thinking side of faith, which I find to be another area where they know we differ.
    - Jeff covered repentance, indicating by his example the changed life that results from life in Christ.

    In all, it wasn't the deepest Gospel presentation, but all the essentials were there, and taken as a whole, the 4 messages would bring pause to the open and thinking nonbeliever, LDS or not. It was in the upper region of typical gospel outreaches in gospel clarity.

    Roy Bible Church

    For a while, we've been planning to visit Roy Bible Church, and we finally did yesterday. Now, I had been wondering why whenever we mentioned wanting to try it out, everybody else was uninterested, because they didn't have a pastor, or whatever. After all, if there's one thing I've learned the last year, church is about much more than the pastor and his preaching; I figured that we could go and meet the elders and/or other leadership, and from that could get a pretty good understanding of the church. If the leadership is solid, we can trust them to choose a pastor who has the right character and spirit, can accurately handle the Word of truth, and is the right kind of leader. Well.... now I know a good reason for y'all to be hesitant, whether you knew it or not.

    By their own words, they are a church in "transition," and the interim minister (who has been there 14 months as such; they've only been looking for a pastor since late summer) is "the kind who comes to churches that have issues to work through." They obviously didn't intend to pour out their souls to first time visitors, but there seemed to be an overwhelming cloud everywhere, as folks came up to us and said "Hi! Glad to have you! Hope you come back! Bye!" What we did learn is that their last pastor wanted them to join the Southern Baptist Convention, so they did last year. Three months ago, they voted on it, and in a close decision they are no longer in the SBC. It sounds like, having a history of and constitution requiring elder rule, the SBC trist disolved that, so that now they are without elders, without denominational oversight, and without a pastor. So the interim pastor is trying to pick up pieces and turn them in a good direction. Judging by his sermon, we'd likely agree with that direction.

    Anyway, I wrote in the registry that we'd like an elder to call, so hopefully someone with some type of leadership will let us find out a bit more about them. Maybe if we tell them a bit of our background, how we don't want to "not do our homework" again, they'll oblige. If they are open with us and we see a way to usefully fit into the work of reconcilliation and whatever else needs to happen, we'd think about it.

    Saturday, April 08, 2006

    Strategy in Chess

    Hey Everyone,
    Luke, you actually have a strategy when you play chess? I just play and hope that I don't lose. Unfortunately, that doesn't work too well. LOL

    I also wanted to just give a few words of encouragement to everyone. Even though the GCC breakup was painful and pretty discouraging, God still meant it for our good to His glory. We may not be able to see all of God's plans but He will be glorified in all of this and He witholds nothing good from those who walk uprightly (Ps. 84:11). Even when Job suffered, it gave Job the opportunity to know God better and see His glory. So even though we may suffer in minor ways in this spiritual desert known as Utah may we look forward to the glory that is to come which cannot even be compared to the sufferings that we experience now (Rom. 8:17).

    On another note, I have decided to commit to Christ Community Churh and will even be playing on the worship team this Sunday. I praise God that He has led me here in His time to be used for His glory. Pray for this Sunday in particular because we are having a co-pastor candidate preach. May God grant us and the candidate wisdom as to what God wants us to do.

    I praise God for all of your friendship and may God bless all of you with an even greater vision for His Glory.

    In Christ,
    Darren

    Friday, April 07, 2006

    My Kitties

    My Cats love to sit on our bedroom window ledge. They've started leaving little nose prints in the window.

    That's all.

    Thursday, April 06, 2006

    Fellowship Bible

    How come no one else is having tons of fun with font colors?...

    We talked about church a little bit on Tuesday night, but just so that everyone knows, we've decided to hang out at Fellowship Bible up in the valley at least for a while. The pastor is speaking on spiritual gifts, namely tongues, and it's been very good. Yes there have been a few sessions of: "Everybody close your eyes, no one's looking, now make sure you have your eyes closed and heads bowed and don't look around you... OK, does everyone have their eyes closed and heads bowed? Looks like we're good... now QUICK! Raise your hand if you just got saved!!!" But overall we've enjoyed being there. We have a lot of friends there, along with Eric's parents. God's been good to us in allowing us to find a place where we feel at home so quickly. Eric can tell you, I was really struggling for a few weeks. I'm tired of the church search and was ending up in tears after every church we visited, much to Eric's bewilderment. =) I think it was mostly caused by frustration over the Grace Community breakup and feeling somewhat hung out to dry and also discouragement because we've visited all the churches in our area and nothing ever seemed like a possibility. But God was good, despite my complaining, and we are content to stay at Fellowship for a while. Please keep on updating us on the churches you guys visit because we're not settled on anything.

    Sunday, April 02, 2006

    Church this morning

    This morning Amy and I went to St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod); we wanted to visit sometime, and today was a good choice since we overslept and it's only a mile from our house.

    I was looking forward to the Liturgical service; it's nice to participate in corporate worship sometimes in more ways than just singing a few songs. Another thing I like about a Liturgy is that as long as the Liturgy is solid (the ones I've experienced are), much of the service is not subject to being possibly botched by the preacher or music minister saying or doing something counter to the Word of God. In reality though, every church has a liturgy, not just the services where you chant something or have lots of responsive readings. "Liturgy" is how you do corporate worship. All churches have worship habits, and with those that don't, not having habits is a way of doing it. Some liturgies are better than others, some more Christ-focused, some more entertainment focus.

    Anyway, here's an excerpt from the responsive prayer that provides food for thought:

    We give You heartfelt thank, O Lord, for sending Your Son Jesus Christ, who being perfect, has become the Source of our salvation.
    We acknowledge, O Lord, that we are undeserving of Your grace and mercy.
    Our love for the world has often made us reluctant to serve You.
    We want to be with you, but hesitate to follow You.
    We have not always honored You with our service.
    For our lack of zeal and self-sacrifice, forgive us, O Lord.
    Send us Your Holy Spirity that may properly glorify You and Your Son.
    Give us the zeal that would help us show others a vision of Your glory.
    Grant us wisdom and understanding to lead our nation and the nations of the earth to the foot of Christ's cross.
    Give to Your Church a deep sense of dedication to its mission of proclaiming the death and resurrection of Your Son Jesus Christ.

    Bias?

    Sometimes on the way to work, I listen to 89.1 FM for the classical music. Then after the 6:30 news, "Earth and Sky" comes on. This is a two minute NPR-esque blurb about science news; due to its NPR-esquity, I find myself picking up on (and listening for) the subtle liberal slant.

    The other day, the story was about the Korean scientist, Hwang Woo-suk, who fabricated data on stem cell research. This was recently discovered, and several of his academic papers have been withdrawn. Mr. Woo-suk was considered a pioneer in embryonic stem cell work, and with his outing as a fraud, the evidence is now in favor of adult stem cells as showing the most promise toward miracle cures (good news for the Sanctity of Life). However, on "Earth and Sky", after a brief mention of the situation, they spent the rest of the segment going on and on about how scientists make wrong conclusions all the time, and the peer reviewed paper system is all about an invitation to other scientists to reproduce data, and honest mistakes happen all the time, blah blah blah. So while they didn't come out and lie, saying "He really just honestly came about that data, and wasn't trying to make it up," they simply connect that concept with him in the readers brain by the way they tell the story.

    So, was there really an attempt to make this guy sound ok, to keep a nice face on embryonic stem cell research, or was it an honest mistake?