May 20, 2005 | Ecclesiology, Seeker-Sensitive
What will the results of Rick Warren’s blockbuster book The Purpose Driven Life (PDL, over 20 million copies sold) look like? George Barna has conducted a recent review of what “Purpose Driven” currently looks like in America. From the article: More than four out of every ten adults – 44% – said their top priority in life is having a satisfying family life. This was nearly three times as popular as the second-most common response and more than four times as prolific as the third-most popular reply.” Despite Warren’s opening appeal in PDL that “it’s not about you,” I found much of the remainder of the book to be “much about you.” Thus Barana’s research, showing that “The second-most common life priority, listed by 18% of all adults, was that of understanding and carrying out the principles of their faith,” should not be shocking. As a matter of fact, even Barna’s concluding comments about his survey indicate that he also believes that faith is really a means to live a better life. His survey states, The survey results raise some questions, however, about the faith commitment of many church-going and born again adults. One must wonder,” he continued, “if the struggles evident in so many marriages and parent-child relationships are connected to the fact that people are generally more interested in pursuing a fulfilling family life than in understanding the principles for meaningful living that may help shape such a family experience.” Does “Purpose Driven” (capital “P” “D”) result in being God-centered? Barna’s research suggests it does not. We live in a culture that sees God as valuable as... read more
May 19, 2005 | Miscellaneous
The referenced link will show you a real time map not of tremors that have already taken place in California, but of poetential tremors. Now there is one more page to read when checking the forecast for the day. See also the article: Scientists Unveil Earthquake... read more
May 18, 2005 | Blogging
Phil Johnson, editor for John MacArthur’s major books (and my wife’s former boss), will begin blogging on June 1. I’m adding his blogspot to my links now in great anticipation. read more
May 18, 2005 | Culture, General Theology
The Weekly Standard article referenced was written by David Gelernter, a senior fellow in Jewish Thought at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem. He laments the lack of the public schools’ acknowledgement of how much of early American history is saturated with biblical references. The article is a good read. However, if the Bible is properly undertood, I’m not sure even the Weekly Standard would want to elevate it in public dialogue and give it a prominent place in our public education system. If the Bible is the record of God bringing ultimate glory to Himself by saving sin-saturated people through the life, atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:1-10), would this satisfy the moralism many conservative American commentators seek to press the Bible into? The Bible is not primarily about theocentric ethics. The Bible is primarily about God’s elevation of Himself through Jesus Christ and changing people from Christ-denying sinners into a population who proclaim His excellencies through salvation in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:9-12). Even our Christian ethics have as their central aim the glory and supremacy of God through the person of Jesus Christ. Is this really the message Mr. Gelernter wants the American youth to know, embrace and spread? I’m up for... read more
May 17, 2005 | Catholicism
For an interesting evaluation of more trends of Protestants ignoring orthodoxy and sliding toward embracing Catholic dogma, see Albert Mohler’s blog from Tuesday, May 17, 2005 entitled: “Anglicans and Roman Catholics Together-On... read more
May 17, 2005 | Ecclesiology, Seeker-Sensitive
What is it that current contemporary-driven churches lack in their approach to worship? Let me allow a friend of mine who is currently converting to Catholicism give her evaluation after attending both a Baptist contemporary service and her new-found Catholic service. Her blog reveals her opinion of the differences: Dual Church Going. While I have a number of issues of disagreement regarding the Catholic Church’s view of salvation and all of the trappings associated with their sacerdotalism, I find it interesting that a young adult who is seriously seeking a relationship with Christ finds the missing link in the contemporary church to be “reverence for God” and “truth” as the basis of the worship. While I have a number of disagreements with my friend and her take on what “truth” consists and whether or not the ritual of the Catholic system is actually biblically reverencing God, I nonetheless respect her evaluation. I have long believed that the contemporary drive in many churches has less to do with God than it does with man-centered marketing. How telling that a former Baptist is looking for God-centeredness and finds less of it in the contemporary service she attended and more in the theologically errant system of Catholicism. I have addressed a number of these concerns in a sermon (and series of sermons) entitled Heaven Help Our Worship – Part 1 and Part... read more
May 16, 2005 | General Theology
See Dr. Albert Mohler’s review of Professor Mark Lilla’s essay in the New York Times (registration required) from Sunday. Mohler’s review is titled: “Mark Lilla Wonders Why Evangelicals Won’t Get With the Program–and Liberalize.” (Posted today at 3:13 a.m. ET. NOTE: He had already posted another blog at 2:48 a.m. ET – wow!). As always, Dr. Mohler is brilliant in his analysis and critique of contemporary issues in theology and... read more
May 15, 2005 | Science
Remove a secular and purely naturalistic philosophical bent to observing the world and some scientists believe you are redefining the English language. So suggests this article regarding the Kansas Board of Education’s desire to define Science as “‘a systematic method of continuing investigation’ using observation, experiment, measurement, theory building, testing of ideas and logical argument to lead to better explanations of natural phenomena.” What could be wrong with such a definition? The definition does not even hint at a religious view of seeing the world. The problem is that it does not make a god out of naturalistic science. The definition does not demand that the world bow to a non-neutral philosophy of seeing the world through atheistic eyes. The objections to the new definition tend to demonstrate the anti-religious bias of some scientists who don’t seem to be pushing for objectivity of evidence, but rather supression of any conclusion that might demand the involvement of (or existence of) deity. Here is yet another evidence of the tolerance crowd showing a lack of tolerance toward a world-view that has the possibility of lending credibility to Christianity. It is fallacious to think that secular scientists (i.e., those quoted in the article) are neutral in their observations of the earth and its functions. Their opinion seems to be, “if you have religious convictions, it impossible to be scientific”, or at least, “religious convictions cannot have any scientific conclusions” and vice versa. Pure naturalism is a philosophical ideaology, not a result of unbiased, neutral observation. Why is it that science MUST be secular? My guess is that any scientific evaluation of this... read more
May 15, 2005 | General Theology
Here is another result of following false religion. The exaltation of cows. Don’t get me wrong, I am originally from a “cow town” (Amarillo, Texas) and I now live in a dairy area. I have smelled, seen and savaored cows all of my life. But Hinduism’s veneration of cows is virtual madness. This article is a good description of one of the temporal consequences of... read more
May 14, 2005 | Preaching
Here is a link to sermons I have preached at my home church. They are generally posted weekly: Click HERE I am currently preaching through the book of Revelation each Sunday... read more
May 14, 2005 | Blogging
Why “The Capranica”? According to a book my wife has been reading (The Inside Story of How the Vatican Really Thinks, John L. Allen – a former High School teacher of hers), Italians who are going places in the Roman religious system complete their studies at the Pontificia Academia and live at “The Capranica.” Quoting John Allen: “In the European system, a college is a residence, not a place of study. Anyone who knows Italy realizes that a young cleric who is selected to study at the Academia and to live at the Capranica is going places.” – p 87. Capranica being my last name, pastoral ministry my calling in life (though a protestant), and John Allen’s comments, it all seems to fit. So, here is the official opening of my random thoughts on theology and life from the residence of the Capranica (the one in California, not Italy). See also: All Things... read more
