Ted Haggard
I finally got around to reading last week’s issue of World Magazine. The issue included a good article on Ted Haggard: Out of the Dark: Ted Haggard’s secret cost him his ministry, but exposure could grant him New Life.
Abortion & The Early Church
The sadness I feel over the abortion epidemic in America has intensified as I spend time with and bond with my 3 week old son.
Abortion is not a new epidemic. Abortions have been occurring for thousands of years. Several years ago, in my Early Church History course in seminary, I wrote a lengthy research paper on the Early Church’s response to abortion in the Greco-Roman world. The early Christians provided a comprehensive critique and response to the practice of abortion, the likes of which had never been seen. You might appreciate reading this research paper. I got an A on it, so at least my professor thought it was good research.
Four Generations of Buzzard
Here’s a picture of four generations of Buzzard men, taken on Thanksgiving day.
Robinson Crusoe
I’m enjoying reading through this old copy of Robinson Crusoe that my mom gave me for my birthday a few months ago.
This is the oldest book I own, copyright 1873.
All the nouns are capitalized in this book. Perhaps this was common in English publishing 150 years ago?
If you haven’t taken heed to my earlier Robinson Crusoe posts, quite reading this and go read R.C. This is not only an excellent adventure story, it’s also the incredible story of Christ’s pursuit of a man in need of redemption. Just make sure you buy an unabridged version of the book. As you can see (if you strain your eyes and look in the top right hand corner), this copy of R.C. is over 600 pages.
Third Places
Rick Meigs has written some helpful reflections on “Third Places,” drawing from the work of Ray Oldenburg in The Great Good Place. Christians should frequent third places. I’ve recently encouraged the twentysomethings of CPC to each adopt a third place of their own as a means of better knowing and loving their community.
When I lived in Saratoga I was in walking distance of 2 third places that I visited on a weekly basis and where I was able to participate in some good ministry. Since moving to San Carlos/Foster City 5 months ago, I’ve not done as good of a job as I’ve wanted to of sticking to 2-3 core third places. Rick’s article encourages me and excites me to step it up in this area.
To find out what a third place actually is and to read some great Christian reflections on third places, click here and read Rick’s post.
(HT: SM)
Thanksgiving 2006
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. This holiday begs the question: “Who do we thank on Thanksgiving?” As a Christian, what I’m most thankful for is knowing the answer to this question, knowing who to say “thank you” to on Thanksgiving.
I am not a wise man who figured out who to thank for the blessings of life. I am a little man who believes that a good and sovereign God created all things and has graciously made himself known to us. I believe that we humans have rebelled against this good and loving God, mistakenly and wickedly thinking that we ought to call our own shots and be our own gods. Yet despite our rebellion, the one God of the Universe chose to extend great grace to us by sending his Son, Jesus, to earth live the rebellion-free life we couldn’t live and die the rebellious death we should’ve died.
Jesus the Messiah took responsibility for what was not his fault. He took responsibility for what was our fault–rebelling against God and bringing sin and chaos into God’s creation. So, this Thanksgiving I am thankful that I know who to thank: the God who both creates and takes responsibility for what’s not his fault by saving broken people like you and me.
That’s how I’m answering the Thanksgiving question. And, most of you Buzzard Blog readers answer this question the same way I do. But, most Americans either don’t know who to thank on Thanksgiving or they have a different answer to the “who to thank” question. As Christians who are seeking to love our neighbors, we ought to be well aware of how our non-Christian neighbors think about Thanksgiving. As we seek to understand how our non-Christian neighbors answer the Thanksgiving question, we can better seek to humbly point them towards the the great Who of Thanksgiving. We ought always to do this humbly, for it’s only by grace that we Christians know who to thank.
In today’s Washington Post “On Faith” column, Tufts University Philosophy professor Daniel C. Dennett shares his answer to the Thanksgiving question. Dennett believes that there is no who to thank this Thanksgiving. He believes there’s a what that we can thank, the what of “goodness.”
Dennett writes:
There is no person who created the universe, or the planet, or the biosphere, so there is really nobody to thank for that…I can thank goodness–the wonderful fabric of excellence created by individuals working together in human civilization to make this planet a better place…We nonbelievers have no difficulty with Thanksgiving; we just Eliminate the Middleman and give thanks directly to the real, ongoing, human project of making the world safer and better for everyone.
I have no hope in “goodness,” “the wonderful fabric of excellence,” or “the human project” for making the world “better.” I think Genesis 3 and today’s newspaper makes it clear where the human project leads us. My only hope is in the God who I thank this Thursday. I don’t want to thank God by myself. I want to thank him along with you and, maybe someday, along with Daniel C. Dennett.
Cru
By popular demand, here are some more pictures of Cru (he’s 15 days old today).
Cru sleeping with mom.
Cru’s first bath at home.
After the bath: Cru, dad, & frog towel.
Cru’s first Sunday in the world: at church with mom and dad.
Cru learning how to read the Bible with mom.
Relaxing
After an afternoon of watching football, Cru learned how to do the Heisman.
100 Things to Do While in Your Twenties
Some of you have asked about the “100 Things to Do in Your Twenties” list from the 20s November book of the month. Craig Dunham, one of the authors of the book, recently commented here on the blog and provided a link which accesses the full list. Here you can read about:
-Suggestion #36: “Encourage your pastor.” (my personal favorite)
-Suggestion #10: “Buy some original art and hang it up where you live.”
-Suggestion #78: “Call talk radio shows and make good points if you get on.”
-Suggestion #41: “Memorize Bible verses.”
Greenwood Community Church Sex Scandal
This is very sad. Just a few minutes ago one of my best friends emailed me to tell me about the sex scandal that was revealed in his church this past Sunday. My buddy Chris attends Greenwood Community Church in Colorado. This is now the 2nd tragic evangelical sex scandal to be revealed in Colorado in the past two weeks (ie., Ted Haggard).
Todays Rocky Mountain News reported the story:
For the second time in two weeks, a Colorado flock heard a Sunday sermon about sin and sexual scandal – not somewhere “out there,” but in their very midst.
“I have to confess to you, I have failed. I feel responsible for this taking place,” Pastor Tom Melton told a packed crowd at Greenwood Community Church in Greenwood Village. Last week, high school pastor Don Ryan confessed to sexual intimacy with a 16-year-old girl from the church. Out on bail, he faces serious prison time.
Click here to read the whole article.
And, here’s the statement on Greenwood Community’s website:
On November 14, 2006 Don Ryan, the former High School Pastor here at Greenwood Community Church, came to our senior leadership and confessed that he has committed a sexual indiscretion with a student for which he is solely culpable. This event was immediately reported to the Greenwood Village Police department. Therefore, he has been removed from pastoral staff and any type of leadership at Greenwood. This is a heartbreaking loss for everyone, but our hope is in the power of our Savior to begin the healing and restoration that only He can bring about. We are very saddened by the revelations and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim, the victim’s family, as well as all others concerned and touched by these events. The church leadership takes these allegations of inappropriate behavior very seriously and has cooperated with the authorities in their investigation. As we wish to protect the privacy interests of the individuals who have raised these concerns, we cannot comment any further on the case, or the investigation. We ask that all of those involved with these events and the investigation appreciate the seriousness of the claims and fully support the victim, the victims’ family and all others involved. Please pray for everyone who has been impacted.
Now that you know the story, please pray for this church.
UFC 65
Tonight’s fight is going to be great. I’m rooting for Sylvia in the heavyweight bout and, of course, pulling for Hughes to retain his welterweight title. I’ve been watching UFC since I was a high schooler (before gloves were required & head butts were outlawed), and this looks to be one of the better fight cards in recent UFC history. Bring it on, UFC 65.
