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On March 31, 2014 By In Culture, Film

Christian Reviews of the Noah Movie

I have not seen the movie, but have read countless reviews. What follows are statements from five Christian thinkers about the movie:

Cal Beisner:

I saw Darren Aronofsky’s NOAH yesterday and actually enjoyed it. It was far less bad than I anticipated and in some respects was quite good. Its environmentalist message was muted from what one expected from the first script–still there, but not dominant. It (mostly) “gets” the sinfulness of man and the justice of God that responds in righteous wrath. It doesn’t get God’s mercy and grace or the way Noah and the flood and its aftermath presaged the person and atoning work of Christ. It pretty poignantly portrays the difficulties of a walk of faith and obedience to God, but because in it God Himself never speaks, it misses the real foundation of that faith–propositional revelation from the God who speaks and shows (to adopt the title of Carl F. H. Henry’s magnum opus).

Gregory Alan Thornbury:

In sum, Noah contains numerous plot points, devices, and characters that film critics can and will judge and critique. Over the years, I have taught philosophy of film in a number of educational and institutional settings. I have always had my students study Aronofksy, and I believe that this film, which he has said he wanted to be among his first, is a worthy addition to the body of his work. It is strikingly different, in important ways, from his previous films. For me, I found nothing more arresting and hopeless than the final scene of The Wrestler. In Noah, Aronofsky and Handel are wrestling with a different subject matter: theology. Their film will, I think, provoke heated biblical and theological conversations in restaurants and coffee shops after patrons see it. Christians might find it helpful to go see the film with people they know who have a lot of questions.

Steve Deace:

I even tried to watch it through the eyes of an unbeliever to find something redemptive about it, and I could not. For the life of me I cannot figure out why some people whose opinions I respect are endorsing this movie under any circumstances. Endorsing this movie is like our church fathers endorsing false Gnostic “gospels” because “even though they’re a total bastardization of the truth at least they’re a conversation starter.” Instead, our church fathers responded by writing works like Against Heresies to confront such lies. But I guess they just weren’t as enlightened or interested in cultural engagement as we are.

If the movie has a core message it’s that man is wicked but so is God, and God will actually bless our disobedience once we figure that out. It turns out the only truth Aronofsky told was when he said his Noah was “the least Biblical movie ever made.”

Brian Godawa:

Turning the tale of Noah into an environmentalist screed and animal rights diatribe does violence to the Biblical meaning and turns it into something entirely alien to the original meaning of the text. Admittedly, the script does include murder and violence against man as an additional “evil,” but this is secondary in the story. The primary sin of the script Noah is man’s violence against the environment. Which is kind of contradictory, don’t you think? Claiming that God destroys the entire environment because man was — well, destroying the environment?

Matt Walsh:

As a film, it’s like the script for a Syfy Network miniseries got shoved into a blender with the treatment for a Lifetime channel made-for-TV movie and then mixed with enough moping nihilism and environmentalist sermonizing to fool pretentious elitists into using words like ‘daring’ and ‘relevant’ when describing it. In other words, it’s aggressively abysmal.

But, as a money-making ploy, it’s a downright masterpiece.

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On March 28, 2014 By In Culture

Progressive Rock – A Cure for the Common Chord

A friend of mine maintains that Americans will go for just about anything as long as that thing is being pushed by a dapper gentleman sporting a proper British accent. This is probably even more true of American Christians, of whom I am one. We have a deep love for the works of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and J. K. Rowling. Our children have grown up on a steady diet of Thomas & Friends or Angelina Ballerina. Most of the Christian women I know (and even some of the men) are hopelessly addicted to Downton Abbey or Call the Midwife. Many Christians who grew up repulsed by The Beatles now cast a nostalgic eye backward toward a certain group of lovable moptops from Liverpool. Suffice it to say that many American Christians are hopeless Anglophiles ready to lap up just about anything from the UK.

One British export overlooked by the majority of Christians is that of progressive rock. Progressive rock–detested by music critics and the inspiration for the movie This is Spinal Tap–was born in the late 1960s in the hot house of British art schools, flourished in the 1970s, faded in the 1980s and 1990s in the wake of punk rock, new wave, and grunge, and is enjoying an unforeseen renaissance in the new millennium. My introduction to the world of progressive rock (also known as “prog” or “prog rock”) began in the early 70s when the song “Roundabout” by the band Yes was in heavy rotation on FM rock radio. I was a rock radio addict from an early age and I found myself attracted to any and all rock music with a progressive bent. Of course, I also found myself attracted to the music of KISS, but that is beyond the scope of this blog post.

An exact definition of “progressive rock music” is notoriously difficult to achieve. Depending upon whom you are talking to, Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer is pure progressive rock bliss while other hardcore fans tend to dismiss any album released after the mid-1970s as sub-prog. In his online article written for Slate, writer David Weigel quotes Greg Lake—one-third of prog rockers Emerson, Lake and Palmer—as saying, “Most rock music…was based upon the blues and soul music, and to some extent country and western, gospel. Whereas a lot of progressive music takes its influence from more European roots.” Brad Birzer–a Roman Catholic and the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College–wrote a piece for National Review in May 2012 in which he stated that progressive rock, “…aims to harmonize soul and mind and connect the horizontal to the vertical, the sea to the sky. It invites the listener in as a participant, immersing him fully into the art rather than placing the art (if most pop music can be called art) next to or near the listener.”

Birzer’s attempt at a proper definition for the music carries a great deal of weight in the prog rock community. He has done yeoman’s work in furthering the music’s current revival by founding Progarchy.com and by writing about the music periodically on The Imaginative Conservative web site.

Interestingly, mainstream Christian sites as First Things and World Magazine have begun to take notice of prog rock and its recent resurgence. A new generation of Christian listeners are discovering that progressive rock cares a great deal about big ideas such as truth, beauty, and goodness in ways that popular music would never attempt.

In the coming weeks I hope to draw the readers of Kuyperian Commentary into the world progressive rock music and act as a sort of tour guide–a guide that has been enjoying this music for nearly 40 years. Of course, our tour will take us beyond the borders of British progressive rock as we also explore prog from Canada (Rush, Saga), Sweden (The Flower Kings), Norway (Magic Pie), Italy (Premiata Forneria Marconi or PFM), Germany (RPWL), France (Magma), and the United States (Kansas, Dream Theater, Spock’s Beard).

If you come along on our tour, let me encourage you to give this music the same concentrated attention you would any other great symphony, painting, sculpture, ballet, or piece of literature. Doing so will expose you to some things that you find repugnant–the same sorts of emotions you might encounter going through an omnibus literature course. However, chances are good that you will discover a wealth of new music that will send your heart and mind soaring.

Finally, some humor to warm your heart and prove that prog rock is more than stuffy guys in capes singing songs about King Arthur.

—

Derek Hale has lived all of his life in Wichita, Kansas and isn’t a bit ashamed about that fact. He and his wife Nicole have only six children–four daughters and two young sons of thunder. Derek is a ruling elder, chief musician, and performs pastoral duties at Trinity Covenant Church (CREC). Derek manages a firmware lab for NetApp and enjoys reading, computers, exercising, craft beer, and playing and listening to music. But not all at the same time. He blogs occasionally at youdidntblogthat.tumblr.com.

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On March 25, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children

It’s a Selfie World Out There!

“A selfie is a type of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone.” a

It’s a selfie world out there. Instagram has enriched itself with millions self-portraits. Justin Bieber may have popularized it, if one dares give him original credit for anything, but it’s now a world-wide phenomenon. Amateur photographers hold in their hand the perfect camera. Change the camera to self with a simple touch, smile, and post!

I am not interested in going on an anti-selfie campaign. People are creative. They are made after a creative God. Sometimes selfies incorporate a level of art that is truly remarkable. God likes to showcase his creation. And so at times showcasing a picture of ourselves to the world is not necessarily harmful. Sometimes it is can be humorous. Sometimes it is pathetic. Sometimes one does not know what to think.

When mom takes a picture of her pregnant belly, I see life. When a young lady takes a picture of herself with her new engagement ring, I see joy. When a guy takes a picture showcasing his new pair of athletic shoes he worked hard to earn, I say, “kudos.” Now, when young ladies begin to display their body parts that are meant to be displayed only to their future or current husbands, I say, “what in the world are you thinking!” When a young boy takes 15 pictures a day of himself in every imaginable pose, I say, “where’s your father?”

So, yes. Selfies can be great. And they can also be remarkable testaments to a pathetically self-serving and self-glorifying culture.

And then there are people who take selfies to a whole new level.

Well, for most people, that compulsion is relatively harmless, but for 19-year-old Danny Bowman, it reportedly led to an attempted suicide.

The British teen spent up to 10 hours each day taking photos of himself on his iPhone, the Daily Mirror reports. The addiction became so debilitating that he dropped out of school and retreated into his home for six months.

“I was constantly in search of taking the perfect selfie and, when I realized I couldn’t, I wanted to die,” Bowman told the Daily Mirror. “I lost my friends, my education, my health and almost my life.” b

It’s a selfie world. It’s a world where self-promotion and an unquenchable desire to find meaning finds a little bit of satisfaction in a selfie; a temporary satisfaction that cannot be quenched, and the search for more satisfaction ensues until one realizes that meaning is simply not possible.

So, a few thoughts to the selfie culture–especially those in the church.

First, always examine the purpose of your selfie. What am I trying to represent to the world about the God I worship? Owning things is not sinful. But the central issue has to do with the role you place on these things in your life.

What is this selfie communicating to the possibly hundreds or thousands of people who will eventually come across this picture? Why do I think that a certain part of my body needs to be seen by others; some that I never met personally, and others that I will see tomorrow in class?

Second, by all means don’t read this as crusade against selfies. Take them. But take them to show the world how beautiful we become when we are in Christ. “Look at me. You see my joy in my new tie? If you know me you know that I treasure deeply the God who gave me this tie.”

Third, take fewer selfies. Period.

Fourth, when in doubt about the potential consequences about a selfie in a certain a pose or wearing a certain outfit, don’t post it. Keep it as private reminder of your self-restraint.

Finally, let’s turn a little of our attention from self-portraits to familial portraits. You know what the world knows little about: familial happiness. The abortion rate and the growing trend of unbiblical divorces continue to rise. Talk about an ugly selfie! We have in our society a pitiful view of what joyful family life is like. Use your camera–a great gift from God, by the way–to honor others. Put pictures of your brother or sister accomplishing something. Show the world that your life is not just centered around yourself, but on others also.

So, don’t give up your selfies. I will add a little Instagram heart to them when I see them. But for every selfie you take, make sure to take three non-selfies. And then show the world that the world of me is also about you.

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  1. Wikipedia definition  (back)
  2. See full article: http://time.com/35701/selfie-addict-attempts-suicide/  (back)

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On March 20, 2014 By In Culture, Politics

What can we learn from the death of Fred Phelps?

By Uri Brito

The incendiary founder of Westboro Baptist has died.

World reports:

Fred Phelps Sr., the founder of a Kansas sect known for its anti-homosexuality picketing at military funerals, has died. He was 84.

The former figurehead of Westboro Baptist Church was hospice-bound in Topeka, Kan., and had stopped eating and drinking at the time of his death on Wednesday night, his estranged son Nathan told the Associated Press on Sunday. Nathan Phelps said a new board of eight elders excommunicated his father last summer after a power struggle, possibly contributing to the decline in his health. “I’m not sure how I feel about this,” he wrote on Facebook. “Terribly ironic that his devotion to his god ends this way. Destroyed by the monster he made.” Nathan Phelps left the sect 37 years ago and is now a religious skeptic and gay-rights advocate.

Phelps’ Westboro Baptist–an unaffiliated church–will now be left in the hands of other family members who will most likely continue the vision of their leader.  A documentary was produced of the small Kansas congregation.

So, what can we learn from the death of Fred Phelps?

First, we learn that truth can be easily mis-applied. Phelps once noted that,  “you preach the Bible without preaching the hatred of God.” Any sober-minded interpreter will attest to the Scriptural God who condemns sin and acts justly against sin. Any sober-minded interpreter will realize that the Marcionite heresy of dividing the Old Testament God from the New is not an orthodox option. The same God who destroyed and killed evil societies also judged his own people. That same God promises everlasting judgment upon those who do not believe in his Son (John 3:36). But this God of vengeance (Psalm 94) is also a God of everlasting love (Psalm 36:7). To overemphasize his wrath and to build one’s entire ministry around the wrath of God is to offer an unbalanced picture of the God of the Bible.

Further, it must be emphasized that the God of the Bible stressed mercy before judgment. Our God is an all consuming grace before He is an all consuming fire. Jesus offered himself to the people of Israel in mercy before he came and destroyed Jerusalem (Mat. 23:37). Phelps emphasized the wrath of God, but that message obscured the mercy and grace of God toward sinners (I Peter 3:15).

Second, we learn that angering the leftists is not always in our best interest. The Left hated Phelps and his group. “The Westboro Baptist Church is probably the vilest hate group in the United the State of America,” Heidi Beirich, research director for the Montgomery, Ala.-based Southern Poverty Law Center, told The Associated Press in July 2011. Indeed those who are in darkness will despise the witness of the light, but sometimes we who are light can portray a dim light immersed in unfruitful activities in the name of the Gospel. Yes, they will persecute us, but let us be wise to not pursue unnecessary persecution. The Gospel itself is enough to gain enemies. Let us not then debase its purity by bringing evangelicals and God-haters together against a common cause.

Third, we learn that picketing at homosexual and military funerals is not the way of the Gospel, but it is a way of death itself. Though we may vehemently disagree on matters of foreign policy, military soldiers and their families have the right to grieve. Grieving is a necessary means of emotional and physical relief. Though we oppose homosexuality and the practice of it on biblical grounds, even homosexuals have the right–as image-bearers–to grieve for their loved ones. To not allow them to weep is to de-humanize men and women created in the image of God. Instead of picketing and protesting at funerals, Christians need to establish a vision of marital faithfulness that is compelling to those who have rejected the agenda of God for man and woman. By picketing and protesting, the Phelps clan left a poor example of Christian compassion rooted in the imago dei. We must oppose the homosexual agenda at all costs, but we must proclaim truth winsomely and holistically, realizing that we are dealing with fellow human beings created in the image of God.

Fourth, we learn that independent groups like Westboro Baptist suffer from a severe lack of accountability. This individualized ecclesiology leaves no room for correction. They are the end all of theological decisions. We need a catholic vision that allows the local church to be held accountable to and connected with other congregations. This does not necessarily require a formal connection–as I would propose–but even an informal one where there would be genuine opportunities to exhort and challenge others to godly practices.

Finally, we learn that the legacy we leave is fundamental to our vision as Christians. How will our children remember us? Will they remember a contentious father who viewed evangelism as a means to de-humanize others–however different their moral agenda was? Or will they view us as lovers of truth who practiced truth in love; rebuking and exhorting; calling evil, evil, but winsomely engaging those outside of the covenant with the message of hope and communicating salvation as a restoration of the whole cosmos? Calling homosexuals to repentance while guiding and shepherding them in the process?

The agenda of Fred Phelps failed to communicate what the Bible intends to communicate about the nature of God. His tactics brought great harm to the cause of Christ. Many–even in his own family who have fled–have been negatively affected by this cult-like groupa. Phelps’ death reminds us that the way you live and present the Gospel matters, and that your zeal for truth can actually work against truth itself.

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  1. According to World: ” The couple had 13 adult children, nine of whom remain in the church and four of whom have left the church, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. Roughly 20 of the couple’s 54 grandchildren also have left the church.”  (back)

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On March 19, 2014 By In Culture

Scott Walker quotes a Bible verse and the atheists are furious

By Uri Brito

Governor Scott Walker dared quote a bible reference on twitter. For many evangelicals, the brief reference to Philippians 4:13 is common Christian talk. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Those familiar words carry great weight to evangelicals. We have all been taught from early on to trust in Christ and persevere while doing so. The problem is Scott Walker is an  elected official. And the Freedom from Religious Foundation knows it and wants him to do something about it. To be precise, they want him to delete his tweet. That’s right. In their own words:

… To say “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,” seems more like a threat, or the utterance of a theocratic dictator, than of a duly elected civil servant.

As governor, you took an oath of office to uphold the entirely godless and secular U.S. Constitution. You have misused your secular authority and podium to promote not just religion over non-religion, but one religion over another in a manner that makes many Wisconsin citizens uncomfortable. On behalf of our membership, we ask you to immediately delete this religious message from your official gubernatorial Facebook and Twitter…

Look at the assumptions inherent in those statements. First, that the Pauline quotation was theocratic. Second, that the political pulpit is secular. And third, that Walker is upholding an entirely godless and secular Constitution. Now, say what you will about the Constitution, but godless–it is not.

Now, let’s get to the point. The charge of theocracy is a valid one.  A theocracy is simply a “rule by God.” Walker thought he was simply quoting an inspirational verse, but in reality the atheists are right. When you assert that strength comes from King Jesus you are affirming his kingship over all things, even the ability to rule rightly.

If the political pulpit is secular, meaning it derives its foundation on no religious grounds, then Walker’s assertion is a threat to a pluralistic society. and he should delete his tweet. But if Walker’s role as a Christian elected leader is first one of submission to the Triune God and secondly, to serve the people of  Wisconsin, then the Governor needs to consider the consequences of his tweet. Who are you serving, Governor?  If you can do all things through Christ, then have the courage to live consistently your faith in your political office, and while you’re at it, tell FFRF to bring it on.<>yandex регистрация а в каталоге

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On March 13, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children, Wisdom

Pursuing Hospitality: What About Non-Christians?

One of the great difficulties for many of us is that we have friends or family members that are non-Christians. How do we practice hospitality towards those who are not believers? Each situation is different and will require wisdom, but here are some basic guidelines. If you have questions about a specific situation then should to talk to your elders. In this post I am addressing inviting a pagan for dinner. I do not address a more complicated issue: should I allow a non-Christian to live with me (for example a wayward cousin who needs a place to stay) for a period of time.

First, showing hospitality to non-believers can be a good way to evangelize. There is no better picture of the gospel than eating and drinking with sinners. One of the best ways to show people Christ is by inviting them into your home and letting them see your daily living. This would include prayer before meals, family worship, discipline of the children, love for your wife, etc. In other words, if someone comes in to your home for an evening they should see Christ preached through the way you live. But do not use the meal as a way to “spring the gospel on them.” If you invite them over for a meal, invite them over for a meal. Don’t tell them it is a meal and the try to slide the gospel in the backdoor. That way they know what they are getting into and don’t feel duped. Of course, if the opportunity arises to talk about Christ take it.  And you could always tell a non-Christian you are inviting them over to tell them about Jesus. My point is be up front.  Don’t present it is a casual dinner and then put on the pressure.

Second, you should not generally invite someone into your home who claims to be a Christian, but is living in open unrepentant sin. Do not sit down at a table, pretending the person is a brother or sister in Christ, while they are engaged in high handed rebellion against God. I Corinthians 5:9-11 makes this clear. It can be difficult to determine how far to take these verses, especially in an age where churches do not practice discipline. It is possible for someone to be in full communion at your local church and be living in complete rebellion against God. If you have questions I would encourage you to talk to your elders.

Third, you should be careful when inviting over non-Christians who are promoting their non-Christian worldviews, especially if you have children. I would invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian. However, I would not invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian who wanted me to join them in their sexual immorality or worse was interested in getting my children to see things their way. Usually, this is not the case. Most non-Christians you invite into your home will know you are a Christian and will respect that. However, as our society becomes more anti-Christian do not be surprised if non-Christians try to persuade your children or you on your own turf. If the person is recruiting for the world, you should be cautious in inviting them in.

Jesus Eating With Sinners

Fourth, you should be cautious about going and eating dinner with non-Christians in their home. When you go into someone’s house you are subject to their rules. There may be occasions where this is okay. But I would normally advise against it, especially if the pagan is recruiting for the world. Try to invite them into your home or go to dinner with them at a restaurant instead. The exception here is if they are interested in Christ and invite you into their home to learn more. I think many examples we have of Christ going into the homes of sinners falls in this category. They wanted to hear from Jesus.  If people want to know more about who you serve by all means go to their home and tell them.

Finally, the priority in your hospitality should be Christians. These two verses make that point: John 13:35 and Galatians 6:10. If you can minister to non-believers you should. And don’t make the verses above an excuse to avoid non-believers. But if you have to make a choice, and some of us do, then invite over Christians. As John 13:35 points out, this is evangelism.<>генератор ключевых слов

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On March 11, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children, Wisdom

Pursuing Hospitality: The Next Five Principles

Here are the next five principles for hospitality. For the first five you can see this post.

Sixth, practice makes perfect. Your first attempts at hospitality can be awkward. The food may not turn out. The conversation may fall flat. You might forget obvious things. But you will get better with practice. As you have more people over and different types of people, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. You will learn what you can handle and what you cannot handle. You will find ways to start conversations and direct them. You will learn how to make your guests feel comfortable. Hospitality, like most things, becomes easier the more you do it.

Seventh, if you have children, include them in the preparation. Let them help with cooking. Let them get out special toys for the children that are coming. Our boys have made name plates for each guest coming. Help them to see the sacrifices and joys that come with having guests over. This will give your children a vision for hospitality and serving. One word of warning though. Do not make your children work the entire time the guests are there. You enjoy time with the guests. Let them enjoy that time as well.

Eighth, don’t make excuses for not practicing hospitality. Hospitality is hard work. It is a lot easier to find “reasons” not to practice hospitality than it is to do it. You will not practice hospitality if you are not convinced that it is essential to your Christian life and witness. As I said in my previous, we all are at different phases in our lives and this can limit what we can do. However, there is rarely a reason to never practice hospitality.

Ninth, don’t grumble as you practice hospitality. I Peter 4:9 tells us to practice hospitality without grumbling. Peter knows that it is a great temptation to grumble before or after we invite people into our home. We complain as we get ready for our guests. We complain when our guests leave without a thank you. We grumble about the problems our guests bring into our home. Any good you might do with hospitality will be undone by a grumbling spirit.

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Finally, don’t judge other people’s hospitality. At a hospitable church, it is easy to start giving sideways glances. We begin to wonder why one family rarely invites anyone over. Or maybe we wonder why another family seems to have everybody over all the time. We wonder why they have three children and we have three children, but they never invite families over and we always do. Jealousy, envy, and pride are constant temptations when we start to obey the commands of Scripture. Tend your own garden. Stop worrying about the garden across town.<>поддержка обслуживание ов google

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On March 8, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children

Adopted & Adopting

 

By Marc Hays

imageBefore adopting the triplets, we only had one daughter. Our solitary little girl, being surrounded by adults twenty-four hours a day, often acted more like an adult in a little body than a four-year-old. She wasn’t perfect, but she was an easy child to be around. Then, we adopted. Three 7-week-old babies entered our world in one day; our peaceful world of a single-child was gone; and things have been rocking ever since. Also, contributing to this was the fact that three years after adopting the triplets, my wife conceived and bore twins. In a period of three years, my household increased by 5 munchkins. So, there are eight of us: one dad, one mom, three boys, and three girls.

A couple of the things I have learned about myself as a father through the years since the adoption: 1.) I am a man, for good or for ill, and 2.) I am only one man, never more, never less.

I am a man, for good or for ill. When God placed the triplets before us, my wife and I raised the question, “Are we ready to imagemake a decision that will last a lifetime?” Thankfully, as Christians, we were already used to making decisions that last much more than a lifetime. We could say, “yes,” and mean it. My “yea” had habitually been my “yea,” and my “nay,” my “nay.” I am a fallen man, but I have been redeemed, and in Christ, I can actually do good in this world. To decide to adopt was to decide to make the children mine—irrevocably mine. But I am also a man for ill. As surely as I can do good, I can blow it big time. To multiply people in my home multiplied opportunities for me to show my temper, my selfishness, my moodiness, my complacency, and did I mention my selfishness? Multiplying people multiplied both the opportunities to forgive and the daily, hourly, minutely need to be forgiven. I am a man, for good or for ill.

Also, I’ve learimagened that I am only one man, never more, never less. God created man, took a rib and made a woman. Man really is an individual. Woman really is an individual, but in matrimony they become one. As Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy has pointed out, Two equals one. A man can never be a husband unto himself. As a man, an individual before my Creator, all my faculties and capacities as a husband always involve love for and service to my wife. I cannot be a husband apart from her, and I cannot be a godly husband apart from her thriving.

imageThen, the man knew the woman, and she conceived and bore sons. Two equals one equals many. A man can never be a father unto himself. As a man, an individual before my Creator, all my faculties and capacities as a father always involve love for and service to my children. I cannot be a father apart from them, and I cannot be a godly father apart from their thriving. I am never more than one man, and daren’t dream of doing more than one man can, but I am never less than one man—a man who has been recreated into more than the singular by being remade a husband and father.

Through adoption, I’ve also learned some things about my heavenly Father. I’ve learned another facet of what the love of the Father looks like. Our heavenly Father has children born unto his children, and our heavenly Father has sheep that were once not of that fold—a people that were formerly not a people. Our heavenly Father is an adoptive father. One of the greatest blessings of adopting is that I know what it feels like to forget that three of them are adopted. In fact, I often forget that the three adopted children are biracial. imageThey are mine. I am theirs. They have always been darker skinned—not because they’re adopted, but because that’s the beauty God decided to give them. God’s children, whether Jew or Gentile, are neither Jew nor Gentile. In Christ the middle wall of partition has been removed and we are one. Christ’s bride is undoubtedly mixed race. He has promised that it will be. In fact, we have no hope except that it is. Through adoption, this reality of our heavenly Father’s love has been experimentally manifest in my home.

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On March 7, 2014 By In Culture

Pursuing Hospitality: The First Five Principles

Yesterday I posted some biblical passages on hospitality.  I have several upcoming posts on hospitality which include how singles can show hospitality, how to show hospitality to pagans, and how to be a good guest. However, I want to begin with some basic principles of hospitality.

First, we should think long and deep about God’s kindness to us. All of our actions are to flow out of who God is and what he has done for us. If your hospitality is not an act of thanksgiving to God for what he has done then it will not please him. Hospitality should come from the overflow of your life in Christ, not from guilt. Study and pray over those passages in God’s Word that describe God’s kindness to you. Matthew 22 is a good place to start. You could also read Psalm 104-106. There are numerous passages in Isaiah, such as Isaiah 2:1-5, 55, and 66:10-13. You could also read passages that talk about feasting, like Exodus 24:9-18, II Samuel 9, I Kings 8 (especially verses 65-66) and II Chronicles 30:21-27. Finally, you could read and meditate on Revelation 21-22. A theology of hospitality grounded in God’s Word must be the foundation for our practice of hospitality.

Second, cultivate a love for people and the messes that come along with them. People track in mud. This mud can be real, such as spilled milk, broken furniture or clogged toilets. It can also be mud like ugly marriages, selfish hearts, immature speech, and ingratitude. Without a love for people and a desire to love them in the midst of their messes we will never truly practice hospitality.  We can show our lack of love for people in two ways.  The first is that we don’t invite messy people over.  Second, we do invite the messy ones, but we invite them, not to show them hospitality, but to change them. If we invite people into our homes to “fix them” then we are not showing hospitality.

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Third, work with your particular situation. We are all at different phases in our lives. These phases dictate how hospitable we can be. A man with six young children will not be able to practice hospitality to the same degree as a man with one child or man with children all over fifteen years old. A man who works 37 hours a week and is always home by 5 will be able to do things that a man who works 50 hours a week and travels a lot cannot. Proverbs says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds.” (27:23) In other words, know your situation. Know what you have and what you do not have. Here are at least three things to evaluate:

~ How many children do you have and what are their ages? More children will make frequent hospitality difficult. The reason is simple: children take time and energy. A mother who is nursing one child, with two in diapers and two more under the age of ten will have a hard time getting ready for guests. She is already practicing hospitality with her “guests.” She needs her husband’s help, which means hospitality will be more infrequent and will usually take place on the weekend. The amount of hospitality will vary from family to family. It is the husband’s job to make sure he is not overdoing it and is showing hospitality to his wife and children by considering their needs.

~What is the husband’s job situation? How many hours is the husband working? Has he been out of town? A wife is not to lead in hospitality. That is the husband’s job. Therefore he needs to make sure that he is around to help. 

~What is the physical state of the home and the people in the home? Have the children been sick? Is the wife 8 ½ months pregnant? Has it been a long week or couple of weeks and the whole family needs a break? Sometimes the righteous thing to do is not invite someone over. 

Fourth, don’t aim just to entertain. One of the great temptations with hospitality is to dazzle people.  There is a place in the Christian life for a grand feast with everyone in their best clothes. But that is not regular hospitality. Hospitality is about showing kindness, meeting the needs of your guests and making sure they are comfortable. Hospitality should be devoted, not to showing off, but to making sure your guests are at home. The food should be good, but not ostentatious. The meal and time afterward should be devoted to conversation, getting to know one another, and possibly playing games. It should be leisurely and joyful.

Fifth, go outside your normal circle of friends. We all need friends. These are the people we invite over without thinking. The people we want to hang out with. This is good and we should certainly show hospitality to them. However, we also want to learn to be kind to those who are not like us. The young should invite over the old and the old the young. The family with no children should invite the one with five. The lawyer should invite the farmer. The auto mechanic should invite over the doctor. The Hispanic should invite over the Asian. We are the Body of Christ. We are not bound by race, economic status or level of education. We are bound together by the blood of Christ. Reach outside the group you feel most comfortable with.<>интернет магазин создание цены

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On February 26, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children

5 Perfect Pairings For Girl Scout Cookies

 

Beer & Brewing recently posted to their blog several contributors’ ideas for pairing beers with Girl Scout cookies. Inspired by that, I decided to combine the cookies with not only beers, but cocktails as well.

I proudly present 5 Perfect Pairings For Girl Scout Cookies:


Dulce de Leche with a rich “Irish” chai tea latte. Start off by pairing this sweet cookie treat stuffed with milk-caramel chips with a smooth and rich chai tea latte, preferably made with half-and-half or cream. Be sure to add a little tot of rum to your chai to complete the experience. The richness and fat of the hot cream will pair very well with $700 million annually, while the crumbliness of the cookie will remind us that the Girl Scouts don’t actually do much except perpetuate themselves with that money. Which leads to…

Thank You Berry Munch and Blue Moon Belgian White. This combination is in honor of the “rustic camps” once enjoyed by the girl scouts. The cranberries in the cookies serve as a nod to the Girl Scout tradition of being out in the wilderness. The cookies’ white chocolate reminds us that white chocolate isn’t really chocolate at all, just as Girl Scouts aren’t really scouts at all. Their rustic camps are shutting down all over the country, since they’re not being used enough. The Girl Scouts say it’s because they don’t have enough money, while the actual girl scouts say it’s because all the safety regulations and prohibitions make the rustic camps dumb. If your girl ever does go camping, crack open a beer, because that’s about how often she’ll go: once in a Blue Moon.

Savannah Smiles and an Old Fashioned. Preferably hold the simple syrup on the cocktail. What better way to celebrate the Girl Scouts foundation emerging from the sleazy and grubby divorce/adultery/live-in-mistress/alcoholism mess that was founder Juliette Gordon Low’s marriage? Take a little lemon bitterness and coat it in confectioner’s sugar, et voilà, you have a feminist movement founded to get back at men. Wash down the sugar-coated bitter pill with a good Old Fashioned, extra bitter, if you like; this will remind you both that old fashioned beginnings matter, and of feminism’s requirement that its adherents never be content. Which leads us to…

Thin Mints and a Chocolate Martini. There are two choices here. One would be to pair a minty drink with these iconic chocolate-covered mint cookies. But that would be a little too lively to represent an organization whose membership has thinned from three to two million over the last ten years. Delightfully addicting chocolate serves to remind us that the only reason the Girl Scouts are still relevant is that you keep buying their stupid cookies. The thin in Thin Mint also tastes wonderfully of girls who are taught to not be happy with how they were made to be, either in soul or body.

Finally, we have an absolutely delightful combination that I know you will love, with a combination of flavors that you will immediately recognize as inspired.

Samoas with a Bloody Mary. Samoas are the famous caramel- and coconut-covered confections that changed the cookie world in the 1970s. That’s why I choose to pair it with a drink that reminds me of bloodshed. More specifically, a bloody mary reminds me of another revolution of the 1970s, that is, the legal right to murder babies in utero. That was when Planned Parenthood’s racist, classist, and eugenicist program finally came into its own. Local and regional Girl Scout troops partner with Planned Parenthood all the time, since the Girl Scouts’ sexuality curricula and badges fit right into their mutual wheelhouse, just as sweetly as caramel and chocolate. That should mix nicely with the tomato juice and vodka of the cocktail; the juice especially does a good job of hiding the taste of baby blood. Too radical for you? Am I guilty of hating on a group because they’re just a little “too pro-abortion”? There’s no sliding scale on this, as if it were a political issue. Just a little bit of baby-killing flavors the whole cocktail. And the whole cookie too.

I hope this tasting and pairing guide helps you make the right decisions regarding your Girl Scout cookies. While many people find making these sorts of decisions to be daunting and complex, they’re really much more straightforward than they look. Taking these pairings as inspiration, I believe that anyone can know exactly what to do with Girl Scout cookies.

Cross-posted at Joffre the Giant.<>brutus-aet2.comцена на рекламу а

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