by Bret Capranica | Dec 10, 2009 | Culture, Featured Articles
This evening, I had the privilege to pray at our city Council meeting. This was the second occasion I have enjoyed this honor. I was asked to deliver the invocation just before it was publicly revealed that 4 of our 5 Councilmen have been indicted for political corruption. Tonight was the Council’s first meeting since the indictments were handed down. I saw it as my task to simply bring our collective conscience before God – and plead for His grace to oversee the proceedings with mercy, and for all involved to conduct themselves with honor and integrity. Below is the text of my prayer: Our God and our Father, How grateful we are that this meeting can begin with an appeal for you to be uniquely present in this meeting of our city council. These particular days and this particular meeting reflects numerous and distinct challenges for our city and its leadership. These challenges remind us that we are in need of someone greater than ourselves to navigate our way. Your knowledge is complete, ours is not. Your wisdom is perfect, ours is far from it. Your answers are without error, while ours are full of human limitation. That”™s why we invoke your specific and unique presence in this meeting. Grant us a consciousness that we stand before our creator first and foremost in what we do and what we say. We ask for your grace to be full in its display among our city leaders this evening. May their minds be guided by principles that would reflect your righteousness. May their speech be reflective of the humility of...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 2, 2009 | Culture
This is too much: Jesus Christ dumped from jury pool for disruption BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ““ Court officials say a Birmingham woman who changed her name to Jesus Christ didn’t live up to it when she reported for jury duty this week. The woman, previously named Dorothy Lola Killingworth, was sent to Judge Clyde Jones’s courtroom for a criminal case Monday. Court officials told The Birmingham News Tuesday that the 59-year-old was excused because she was disruptive and kept asking questions instead of answering them. Efforts to reach Christ for comment were unsuccessful. Court administrator Sandra Turner said people there were shocked when the woman insisted her name was Jesus Christ and some potential jurors laughed out loud when her name was called. But Turner said unlike some Jefferson County residents, Christ didn’t try to get out of jury duty and was “perfectly happy to serve.” ___ Information from: The Birmingham News, http://www.al.com/birminghamnews Yahoo...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 29, 2009 | Culture, Featured Articles
Being on vacation, I spent a little time watching the funeral events surrounding the death of Senator Edward Kennedy. I realize that I know little about how things were in reality. However, here are a few thoughts on what I thought was helpful to learn from the Senator’s life: Forceful Convictions. No one would deny the conviction and fire behind the Senator’s political convictions. You don’t have to flatten your convictions in order to be effective; often the opposite is true. Personal Care. The stories of Senator Kennedy’s personal care for collegues, family, and constituents were ennumerable, from notes to calls and visits. He was often the first and sometimes unexpected person to contact someone who had personal tragedy. Personal Graciousness. While a lion in the Senate chamber, he was known as gracious in person and behind the scenes. Adversaries Can Still Be Patriots. Perhaps this is a discipline of generational difference. I have seen this to be a truth evident in a number of those in older generations, where political and even personal convictions can be forcefully delivered without being personally demeaning; but rather, still maintaining personal regard and respect. Adversaries Can Still Be Friends. While he publicly excoriated Republicans, he personally befriended many of them. There is a missing lesson to be learned here. Family Loyalty. The Kennedy’s are a storied family, but there seems to be a strong sense of loyalty and genuine affection among them to one another. Family Involvement. The Senator, as powerful as he was and as busy as he no doubt was, seemed to deeply involve himself in the life of his...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 5, 2009 | Culture, Featured Articles
With Independence Day a day beyond us, how should the church engage its culture? Especially when we gather as a body, what is our responsibility to our nation? The following is an article from Pastor Michael Lawrance, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. What do you think – what is the most biblical approach to engaging the issues of our country? (See also Bob Kauflin’s excellent article along these lines also). When I look out the windows of our church, I see the marble frieze of the Supreme Court and the massive dome of the Capitol Building rising just behind it. Being the associate pastor of a church that sits a mere five city blocks from the seat of legislative and judicial power in America, I am constantly reminded of the need to equip the members of Capitol Hill Baptist Church to be salt and light for the Kingdom of God in the midst of the quintessential city of man. How do we go about that task? Here are four steps that we have taken. Citizens of Heaven First, each Sunday we gather as citizens of heaven, not America. The good news of the Gospel is that the dividing wall of separation between Greek and Jew has been torn down and in Christ any of us can become citizens of heaven. (Eph. 2:14-22) And so breaking with decades of tradition at CHBC, we have removed the American flag, not only from the platform, but from the building. Being a major tourist destination, every Sunday we have visitors from around the world. But it”™s not just our visitors that...
by Bret Capranica | Apr 11, 2009 | Culture, Interviews, Seeker-Sensitive
Without my comment, watch this one first: Then watch this one (it’s long and has more issues – but you will see the related material): From his own statements, what do you think? Are fundamentalists picking on small issues here? Is this the most helpful way to both speak to Scripture truth and reach out to the homosexual community? Is Rick pursuing a path on this issue that should be modeled? What should we think from one of the most visible professing Chrisitans and pastors in America? Compare to this pastor in Iowa: See the RAW video of Eric’s interview HERE. Read Eric’s recent article to Baptist Press...
by Bret Capranica | Mar 31, 2009 | Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Presidential History
Josh Harris posts some good food for thought for preachers in light of Michael Gerson’s recent article on President’s, teleprompters, and well-crafted words. Gerson argues that teleprompters have increased a President’s disciplined thought and communication. Josh Harris says preachers should learn from this and pursue a more disciplined approach to communicating Scripture. I don’t think we’ll see teleprompter preachers any time soon (nor should we), but we should be thinking and crafting our gospel communication more carefully. Gerson’s article is a good read. What the Teleprompter Teaches Preachers (Josh...
