Tag Archives: patriotism

Jan 10 2013

this went thru my mind

 

Atonement: What DID Jesus Do? The Atonement Symposium Videos Now Online

[Videos featuring Scot McKnight, J. Daniel Kirk, Leanne Van Dyk, and Vincent Bacote]

Christian faith, idolatry, nationalism, patriotism & the United States: * Are You Anti-American? by Greg Boyd [essential viewing; 2 1/2 min. video]; * Nationalism: The Nationalistic Corruption of Worship in America by Craig M. Watts

* “I am not anti-American. … What I am is, I want to be kingdom. And that means I want to be trans-national in my perspective. … What I’m impassioned about is that followers of Jesus don’t become co-opted by the nationalism of a country, or by any other political or national agenda. And the history of the church is that going on, and on, and on. … It’s so important; I think it’s so, so, so so important that we understand the kingdom of God looks like Jesus, dying on the cross for the people who are putting him there … The kingdoms of this world look other than that. They look like America, or China, or Russia. They’re always some version of Caesar. … In America, precisely because it gives us more freedoms than most other countries, we have to guard against the temptation that identify it as anything more than a good country that gives us some good rights and some good privileges.”

* “… if there has been little serious conflict in the United States between Christian devotion and American allegiance it is not due to some Christian nature of America that some people imagine exists. Instead this is an indication of the extent that the church has been conformed to American ideals, interests and identity. No clear distinction between being American and being Christian is even a possibility because the two have become one in the hearts of many. The God being worshiped is the American God and the nation they love is in some fashion God’s nation. Consequently, many Christians find it incomprehensible that incorporating the rituals of America into the worship of the church could be anything other than a positive, edifying practice.”

Church & generations: How to Connect Different Age Groups Within the Congregation by Matt Dabbs

“LIFE Groups – the vast majority of our LIFE groups are inter-generational. … it is good to have a mix of different types of groups in small group ministry and inter-generational is a big part of that.”

Contribution, electronic giving & worship: I Need Your Ideas by Ed Stetzer

” Does your church offer online giving and, if so, how do you incorporate it into worship?”

Gospel & kingdom: * Paul’s “Gospel” Ministry in Romans by Tim Gombis [required reading]; * The Ugly Beauty of the Kingdom of God by Kurt Willems

* “Paul’s conception of the gospel … is not merely the tidy presentation that gets one into the Christian faith. According to Paul’s gospel conception, God is at work to restore creation.”

* “The cross is ugly, but the wonder of the kingdom is that God takes on ugliness and uses it as the ultimate example of beauty.”

Evangelism, Hispanics, immigration Latinos & outreach: It’s Time to Reach Out to Immigrants by Tim Archer

“… let me encourage churches to get ahead of the curve. Those churches that reached out to immigrants during Reagan’s amnesty program are the ones that today are making important inroads into the Latino community. Lay aside your political feelings and think about the ministry possibilities. This could well be the critical time.”

Learning & understanding: Questions vs. Assertions by James McGrath

“Confident assertions often weigh us down and tie us to ways of thinking that often are not as well founded as we initially assumed. Questions raise us up to discover new things that we could never have if we refused to ask them. Even if the questioning leads us to conclude that what we thought initially was correct, we are better for having asked.”

Les Misérables: * The Miserable by Casey Picker; * On Forgiveness and Escaping the Past by John Byron

* “True love isn’t a butterfly feeling, but an action with skin and bones. And it’s not just something we do for people we are attracted to or who are lovable to us, it’s something we extend to all who are around us. It means having eyes to see the broken and the hurting around us, a heart that feels compassion for them, and hands that are willing to give them the grace that they need.”

* “… what caught my attention this time was the struggle between being forgiven and escaping the past.”

Oct 20 2012

this went thru my mind

 

Age & technology: In Wi-Fi Intoxicated Manhattan, a Generation of Teetotalers

““The worst is not knowing what it is, not knowing how to get there, and knowing that everyone around you is completely hooked in.”

Americanism, faith, idolatry & nationalism: * Why Americanism and Christianity Will Never Be Reconcilable by Paul Smith; * How America Can Become Like Christ by Paul Smith

* “A word of warning here. Hard-core, dyed-in-the-wool, wrap the Bible in the American flag, ‘America first and always’ patriots are not going to like this post.”

* “One of the main problems I have with my fellow Christians in this country today is that we have surrendered our spiritual birthright for a pot of political stew. We equate patriotism with Christianity.”

Non-violence & pacifism: * Should Christians Really Only Use Non-Violent Resistance to Things Like War/Genocide? by Greg Boyd [required reading]; * From Soldier to Pacifist by Matt Young

* “There is no denying that it is easier to be a pacifist when your loved ones are not being slaughtered. But that doesn’t mean that only a person who is in the midst of having loved ones slaughtered can espouse pacifism – though it does mean that such a person must try, as much as possible, to imaginatively place themselves in a position where their loved ones are being slaughtered. … The thing is, Jesus advocated this pacifism in a context where his loved ones’ were being abused and even slaughtered!”

* “As a result of this new-found conviction, I was caught between a rock and a hard place. I wanted to follow what I believe are the clear teachings of Jesus, but I was also a Soldier. What could I do?!”

Husbands & marriage: 10 Things Husbands Should Never Do in their Marriage by Trey Morgan

“Never plop your fat rear-end down in a chair after work without first asking your wife if she needs some help with something.”

Money: How Should I Manage My Money? by Patrick Mead

“Is it better to help few now, or plan to help, and carry out helping, many later?  If later, what about the people that need help now and don’t get it, supposedly suffering or dying in the meantime?”

Sep 13 2012

this went thru my mind

 

Chaplaincy: The Rise of the Corporate Chaplain

“Workplace chaplains … can be found at more than 1,000 companies in the U.S. and Canada.”

Church planting: Three Good Reasons to Start a Church by Chad Hall

“Why would we start new churches when so many of our established churches have declining members? … Why should anyone consider planting a church?  Here are three good reasons, followed by three poor reasons.”

Facebook: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Posting Your Next Facebook Update by J.R. Briggs

“Is this honoring? Am I dishonoring others …?”

Greek: Greek and Hebrew Textual Study Tools Big List by Matt Dabbs

“There are all kinds of great tools on the web for studying the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament (the text, textual variants/criticism, etc). I thought it might be nice to start a list of them so that when anyone needs them you can get them all in one spot.”

Idolatry & patriotism: When Does Patriotism Become Idolatrous? by Tim Archer [required reading]

“Countries beg to be worshipped. They couch things in religious terms.”

Twitter: TwitBlock

“Fan or spam? Find out how many of your followers are junk, and block the twerps!”

Women: Junia’s Friends by Scot McKnight

“The women who are mentioned in the New Testament … are often scratches on the surface of a deeper story. Patient reading of such texts often yields considerable information, and I have made the case that there’s much to see in Paul’s mentioning of Junia in Romans 16:7 (see Junia is Not Alone). Two more women, whom I am calling Junia’s friends since they join her in being ignored in Christian churches, are Philippi’s Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3). Here are Paul’s words, and I’ll offer a few brief observations.”

Jul 7 2012

this went thru my mind

 

Basic Christianity: Hope for Life

Christians, nationalism, patriotism & the Fourth of July: A collection of various links & views:

Happy Fifth of July! by Timothy Archer

“The truth is that apart from Christ, Americans are as enslaved to the principalities and powers as any other person or group. That is why freedom is only found in Christ.” (quoting K. Rex Butts)

What are Some Helpful Ways to Celebrate July 4th in the Church? by Brian Croft

“… I do believe there are some things we can do in our worship services that celebrate the freedoms we have in this country, but take a more gospel focus in doing so.  Here are 3 we have done in our church that I feel accomplish this.”

A Nuanced Allegiance to the United States by Brian LePort

“… I hope that as Christians we can be reminded that our truest citizenship is “in heaven” (as the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3.20). When we live for the Kingdom the United States benefits as does the other nations of this world. The way of Christ is best.”

A Fourth of July Treatise – America and a National Religion by Paul Smith

“Why are we not a Christian nation? Because we never were a Christian nation. Our founding documents preclude our ability to be a Christian nation.”

God Does Not Love America by Karen Spears Zacharias

“God does not love America. If that offends you, you have a problem. God does not love Israel. Israel as a nation is a construct of the Truman Administration and some legal wrangling within the United Nations. I know we have been taught — truly indoctrinated — to think otherwise. I get it. It’s a hard truth to realize that as a nation God is no more devoted to us than he is to Afghanistan or Iraq, Iran or North Korea.  It’s like learning that your mama loves your brother as much as she loves you. It’s disappointing to not be the favorite. But when it comes to nation-building, God does not play favorites.”

Human rights: A Cruel and Unusual Record by Jimmy Carter

“The United States is abandoning its role as the global champion of human rights.”

LifeWay Christian Bookstores: Christian Bookstores and Their Chokehold on the Industry

“… LifeWay Christian bookstores recently banned the movie ‘The Blind Side’ from their shelves due to language and objectionable content.”

Marital fidelity: 10 Keys to Avoiding the Tragedy of Infidelity by J. Carl Laney

“… my wife … and I … are taking precautions to make sure that … disaster does not take place with us. Over the years we have discovered ten keys that have helped us to avoid the tragedy of marital infidelity.”

Religion: How We Know What We Know – Does Religion Cause War & Pain? by Patrick Mead

“It seems John Lennon had it wrong. Imagining a world where there was no belief, no heaven, and no hell won’t bring paradise on earth, no matter how much Harris and Hitchens say so. It seems the data argues otherwise.”

Temptation: How to Resist Temptation Like Jesus by Wayne Stiles

“Jesus’ knowledge of the Word of God remains a model for us of faithfulness under fire.”

Vacations: Vacation Sabotage: Don’t Let It Happen to You! by Matt Richtel

“The secret to not killing your vacation revolves around understanding not just your motives, but also your brain and the role it plays in undoing your precious time off.”