C.S Lewis Quotes

:: Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

:: Every poem can be considered in two ways--as what the poet has to say, and as a thing which he makes.

:: Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.

:: Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.

How does "the church" measure success?

The organized modern church finds success in the same way that the modern business measures success: membership, customer satisfaction, numbers, buildings, budgets. The modern culture has inevitably creeped into the church. We must redefine the measure of success by the kingdom-minded disciple of Jesus produced by the Spirit rather than by our methodologies, numbers, strategies, or the cool and innovative things we are doing. We should be looking at what our practices produce in the called people of God as they are sent out on a mission to live as light and salt in their communities: social justice, caring for the need.

A Place For You

This is a section where you can write "whatever:"Questions, stories, comments, disagreements, poetry, scripture, song lyrics,an inspiring text, etc.
Click here to get started.

Where The Streets Have No Name

I'm in the process of planning a service: "Where the streets have no name"

This song by U2 is a perfect example of the kingdom of God, bringing heaven to earth.

Watch live video

How to Reduce Garbage

Reuse, reduce, recycle -- and speak up!
The waste disposal problem is complex, involving scientific, technical, economic, and social factors. Yet unlike many other environmental issues, it can be tackled by individuals.
Here are some guidelines for what you can do: Click Here

Tips: Three Things You Can Do To Help Save Forests
1. Buy paper products with recycled content -- especially post-consumer fibers.Look for products that have a high recycled content, including high post-consumer content. Post-consumer fibers are recovered from paper that was previously used by consumers and would otherwise have been dumped into a landfill or an incinerator.
2. Buy paper products made with clean, safe processes.Paper products are bleached to make them whiter and brighter, but chlorine used in many bleaching processes contributes to the formation of harmful chemicals that wind up in our air and water and are highly toxic to people and fish. Look for products labeled totally chlorine-free (TCF) or processed chlorine-free (PCF). In some cases, elemental chlorine-free (ECF) may be acceptable.
3. Tell tissue manufacturers to stop using virgin wood for throwaway products.If a brand you buy for your home doesn't have any recycled content, contact the manufacturer (click here to send a message to paper giant Kimberly-Clark). Tell the company to use more recycled fibers, to avoid sourcing from ecologically valuable forests such as those in the Cumberland Plateau and Canadian boreal, and to ensure any virgin fibers used are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Saving forests also helps reduce global warming pollution.

Our world decreased to 100 people

If the world was reduced to a village of 100 people, it would look a lot like this.

Quote by Saint Francis of Assisi

"Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words."

I like this quote...I have heard it before but I read it again in the book "A New Kind of Christian." I pondered on the quote for a while. It can be interpreted in many ways; however, there is the implication that words are not always significant.....On a similar topic, Proverbs says, "When words are many, sin is not absent but the person who holds their tongue is wise.

Thoughts on the invitation system or "altar call"

Charles Finney is noted for being the first person to employ the "altar call" during worship services in the 1800's. I have some doubts about this popular ritual. I believe that the "service" itself is an invitation holistically, or it should be. In my opinion, the altar call is an honest method that has been learned and inherited from our past church leaders; however, should we limit ourselves to just one method? Here are some concerns from an article by Jim Ehrhard called "The Dangers of the Invitation System:"

1. There is no clear biblical precedent or command related to the modern public invitation or altar call. It’s true that Christ did say things like “Follow Me” and “If you confess Me before men” but to assume that Jesus gave altar calls is really just a failure to be honest with the text. Jesus did call people to Himself, and we should call people to Christ, but there is no example where He or the apostles appealed to people to “come forward” as a testimony of their decision in some way. The reality of it is He was never speaking in terms of this “one time” decision that you would make about Him, but it was the idea that you’re going to choose to follow Christ all your life. He taught that the one true mark of true faith is a life that would continually confess Him before men. Furthermore, Jesus was speaking to His disciples when he said, "If you deny me before men...." not to a crowd of the unsaved....
2. Many today associate “coming to faith” with the idea of “coming down the aisle.” There is confusion here. I mean, to some extent, the sermon itself has already shown the need of a change in those who don’t know Christ. So, the invitation is represented as providing the opportunity for such change to take place.
Perhaps the hearer is told they need to “let Jesus come into their heart.” These all end up being man-made directives. “Let Jesus come into your heart,” “Come to faith,” “Come down the aisle,” “Give your life to Christ”—all of those end up being really shallow substitutes, I think, for true biblical directives—“Repent,” “Believe,” “Trust”—that are clear in scripture.
The "sinner’s prayer" came to be attached to the altar call, but this too is not found in scripture as we see it today. I’m very aware of the prayer that the publican prayed. I think we’ve got to remember something: a prayer is not what saves somebody. Christ is the One who saves. When God wants to quicken someone and give them the ability to repent and believe (saving faith), He can do that totally independent our help, or getting the words right in a prayer, or whether any words were articulated! He knows their heart.

3. A large number of people who are “converted” during altar calls fall away. Statistics show extremely high numbers of those “converts” never show any competent signs of being converted—maybe even the vast majority! I think it's ironic that toward the end of his life, Charles Finney, after reflecting on the many who claimed conversion, but have since fallen away, had mixed thoughts about the genuineness about his work. On another note, the altar call can be the extension of an appeal for public decision and may result in purely emotional or mental response that is just some sort of catharsis. It’s a catharsis for the emotional pressure of the event, maybe the emotional pressure of the drama or the singing or the sermon—and this is a catharsis, and persons who respond to such an appeal, then, falsely assume that their action had made them right with God.
4. Scripture already explains how a convert is to make his profession public. The scripture gives us God’s way of publicly making confession of belief in Christ. People make professions, people join the church, and on and on, but when it comes to confession of Christ though—making a profession of Christ—presenting somebody that’s just made a profession as a true believer, when you don’t know anything about them, that’s so dangerous.
Baptism is God's way of publicly professing your belief, not "walking an aisle" So, in their testimony of their baptism, they show to the world their identity with Christ. I
5. For some, the use of an altar call uncovers, I believe, a lack of trust in the sovereignty of God.
It’s an overzealous and maybe even immature kind of way of thinking, that “If we don’t provide an opportunity to respond to the gospel, someone might leave and never have an opportunity to be saved and their blood will be on our hands. I think it is a theological problem in our churches today. It’s a misunderstanding of the sovereignty of God in salvation. Scripture makes it clear that salvation is of the Lord—every aspect of it. Our role is faithfulness and obedience to the Lord; a desire to please the Lord; to be faithful to Him. And if we’re not faithful to evangelize and to call people to repentance, that is sin on our part, but the eternal destiny of some soul is in God’s hands, not mine. It’s His job to convert sinners. It’s ours simply to be faithful, being faithful to preach the Word and leave the results to God. This was the method used by Jesus I believe—preaching truth! It was the method used by the apostles, the reformers, the puritans, and almost everybody until the 1830’s—and that was simply to proclaim the truth, call men to repent and believe, to leave the results in the hands the Holy Spirit who alone can do that

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. is a man who indeed understood the message of Jesus Christ.

Through violence you may murder a murderer,
but you can't murder murder
Through violence you may murder a liar,
but you can't establish truth.
Through violence you may murder a hater,
but you can't murder hate.
Darkness cannot put out darkness.
Only light can do that

Watch King's "I have a dream" speech

The Secret Message of Jesus

I'm reading another great book, The Secret Message of Jesus. This is by far the most inspiring and spiritually challenging books I have read in a long time. As I finish each chapter, I am compelled to change the way I act, think, and live my life as I learn the authentic message of Jesus. Brian McLaren meditates and expounds upon the meaning of a curious, anachronistic term that Jesus used many times in his teachings, as recorded in the Gospels. This book is a reflection on the true meaning of the “kingdom of God. The author takes you on a journey in the past to the day and time of Jesus. There were explicit social, economical, political, and cultural reasons behind the parables and the (commonly misinterpreted) teachings of Jesus. When we understand these reasons and learn how the people in that time period would have understood His teachings, we then have a more coherent interpretation of the scriptures and can furthermore effectively apply the message of Jesus to our daily lives, living in the kingdom of God, bringing heaven to earth, the way that God intended. Being a Christian is more than "saying a prayer," joining a church, and/or having an emotional experience on Sunday morning. The kingdom of God is a way of living.

John Mayer Concert in Atlanta

My wife and I went to Chastain Park in Atlanta to see John Mayer. Great music.... Anyway, Chastain Park is by the far the most unique and coolest place I've ever been to see a musical performance.....

At one point in the performance, John Mayor said, "This next song is my blues prayer, it's called Gravity."

Gravity

Gravity, is working against me

And Gravity, wants to bring me down

Oh, Ive never known what makes this man

With all the love that this heart can stand

Dream of ways to throw it all away

Whoa, Gravity is working against me

And Gravity, it wants to bring me down

Oh, twice as much aint twice as good

And cant sustain like one half could

Its wanting more that's gonna set me to my knees

Guitar solo (which by the way, rocked!!!!)

Twice as much aint twice as good

And cant sustain like one half could

Its wanting more that's gonna set me to my knees

Whoa Gravity, stay away from me

And Gravity, has taken better man than me

Now how can that be

Just keep me where the light is

Just keep me where the light is

Just keep me where the light is

Just keep me where the light is

Sam Sanders

Conversation

Lakewood Church
Belong: Conversation
One thing that seems to be in short supply these days is space for people to have conversation. Conversation is an art that the broader culture has lost, and the church has likewise been affected. Conversation is defined as informal talk between people. In order to have healthy conversations the following two components (at least) need to be present: space and posture.We seek to create space where people who might not ordinarily interact with each other can gather and engage each other in areas related to theology, practices, culture and how churches and organizations engage missionally for the sake of the world. In order to do this we must assume a posture of openness, humility and desire. We must believe the best of one another. It's not that we won't or don't disagree (often vigorously) but rather we maintain the Spirit of Christ as we do so.We are passionate about the conversation that has begun and hope you will engage it with us and others we do not yet know. (emergent-uk.org)