IllumiNations!

THE NEW REFORMED MOVEMENT: TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

This article is WORLD MAGAZINE reports the growing movement within Western Christianity back toward Reformed Theology or Calvinism.  The "New Calvinism" as some would call this movement has been gaining great momentum the last decade or so, and has been very good for the church in my opinion.

As a Charismatic with a root system in what has generally been considered an Arminian movement, I have felt a little out of place at times because of Reformed leanings within my own heart.  Reformed Theology to me makes God bigger, man's lost-ness greater, and Christ's Incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension more glorious!  Reformed Theology keeps the focus of the Gospel on the glory of God, and the initiative of God in bringing men to saving faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly makes "Grace Amazing!" 

However, with that said, I am not a 5 point, T.U.L.I.P. Calvinist.  I know, I know, to the true 5 pointer, I am not a Reformed guy at all then!  One of the things that has so frustrated me over the years about some Reformed guys is their inability to see the work of God through the great non-Calvinist Christians throughout church history.  If you are not a 5 pointer in their minds, then you are probably not even a child of God. 

Anyway, the article I have a link to really gives me hope that a new attitude is developing which may make room for guys like me with certain leanings.  This quote from Mark Driscoll really captures some of the values that have been real to me for many years, "Seattle pastor Mark Driscoll, dressed in an all-black anti-suit of jeans and zippered jacket, cited four TGC emphases: engaging rather than separating from culture, moving into not out of cities, openness to charismatic gifts, and building bridges to other Christians."  AMEN!

ME CHURCH!

This is a YOUTUBE clip that poignantly captures the dilemma facing many churches and pastors.  We live in an age when all of the marketing and focus of the media is about ME and what I want.  As a pastor, I too am regularly tempted to try to do all I can to make our church comfortable and pleasing to those who might attend.  While I think it is OK to be a little "SEEKER FRIENDLY", we must fight to truly make our churches more Holy Spirit friendly, and be a place that is welcoming to God and his Presence.  We must also contend to do all we can to not feed the selfish tendencies of fallen human nature.  ENJOY!

Remembering The Day Our Nation Was Shaken

As I sit in my bedroom watching the San Diego Chargers school the Oakland Raiders, I cannot help but think of that infamous day 5 years ago when our great nation was shaken by the worst single terrorist attack in world history.  As I'm sure most of you have noticed, the last couple of weeks have seen a saturation of media programming that is memorializing 9/11.  It seems everybody has an opinion from every side of the political perspective with some slant that will ultimately have an effect upon some state or national race for office.  The single point that is most amazing to me is the simple fact that 5 years later, we have not had another attack upon American soil!

When the towers fell, the Pentagon was struck, and some very brave men rushed the cockpit of Flight 93 to keep it from hitting the Capital, I was dumbfounded and quite sure that we were in for ongoing strikes and a huge loss of life.  I thank God that is not the case so far.  I can sit quite secure within my home and enjoy a football game without fear, while men and women who love life as much as I do protect our nation in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.  Though I have had misgivings about the war in Iraq from the beginning, I am convinced that our brave men and women fighting the terrorists need to finish what they started with our prayers and support. 

September 11th, 2001 was a surreal day that has forever changed the way this generation of Americans think about the world, Islam, religion, security and what a true hero is.  On that day, we once again came to see that police officers, firefighters and emergency workers were everyday hero's who modeled the ultimate example of sacrifice and love for their fellow man.  In the day and age of  American Idol, baby Suri and Brangelina, it is so good to be reminded that the most important things in life have very little to do with what the tabloids have to say.  I'll take a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, police officer or firefighter over the pop icons of our time any day!

Sadly, it seems the short-term revival of Christian fervor in response to the attacks has passed, and that our slide into moral filth and complacency has continued.  As we remember that day, may those of us who consider ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, awaken to our duty to be salt and light and do all we can to lead our neighbors to the knowledge of the truth that is in Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, may we remember that it is the Lord who watches and protects a city and a nation and not the strength of a military.  He is the One who is shaking nations and testing the hearts of men.  In this time of great sifting, let us turn to Jesus, repent of our sin and lukewarmness, and stand in the gap for the protection, preservation and awakening of this great nation.

Psalm 127:1b -  If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard. GNB

Hebrews 12:26-27 -  At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."  This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. ESV

Tags: 9/11, Iraq, war in Iraq, terrorism, Twin Towers, WTC, World Trade Centers, soldiers, security, prayer, God, Jesus, memorial

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THE SAD DEATH OF THE CROCODILE HUNTER

The most widely covered news story of the last day has no doubt been the tragic death of Steve Irwin, the famous Crocodile Hunter of Animal Planet fame.  It seems that Steve was doing a documentary on ocean predators and had his heart pierced by a stingray. 

I have seen very few people in my life who loved what they did more than Steve Irwin.  I have witnessed even fewer who were so completely sold out to a vision and life passion like he was.  I already miss him!

I have marveled for years at the man's incredible abandonment to the cause of animal conservation and making the most fearful creatures in the world lovable in an awe-inspiring kind of way.  Steve himself said on many occasions that one of his main goals was to expose people to the beauty and wonder of animals most of us have nightmares about. He knew that if people saw and experienced the animals as he did, they would do more to protect them.

I don't know if Steve Irwin knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, but based upon things he said on his program, I doubt it.  I do know that God is the great Designer and Creator, and that it was He who put this passion in Steve Irwin so that all of us could experience the glory of the creation.  I only hope that Steve's wife and two children will follow the link that exists between Creator and creature and find comfort and refuge in the one who made this man who pursued His life call with such wide-eyed wonder.

Men like Steve Irwin are a great example to us of the kind of single-focused vision that is lacking in so much of the church world today.  He knew what he was made to do and did it with a zeal and love that puts many of us to shame.  It is not my goal to condemn or judge, but to merely point out the great need we have in our time to be completely captivated by a vision of Jesus Christ and His kingdom. 

After all, we know the One who made "the beauties" that Steve Irwin always excitedly exclaimed praise for.  We know the One who made Steve Irwin such a pleasure and joy to watch.  It is His image in Steve that left all of us continually saying, "WOW, did you see that?"

HERE IS A NICE TRIBUTE VIDEO

ANOTHER SIDE OF GENE SIMMONS

I grew up during the rise of the kings of shock rock, KISS.  I never got on the KISS bandwagon, but did have some friends who did though I could never understand the attraction to them musically.  To each his own I guess. 

I share this because I just read an interesting article over at NEWSVINE about Gene Simmons, the founder of KISS and the man with the unofficial longest tongue in the world.  It seems Mr. Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel and has the birth name of Chaim Witz.  In this story, Mr. Witz, er, uh, Simmons made a very special effort to commend an Israeli soldier critically injured during this last war with Hezbollah. 

It was a great human interest story and was used to remind me that there is always more to people than meets the eye.  To read this story entitled GENE SIMMONS HAILS ISRAELI SOLDIER go to the link at NEWSVINE BY CLICKING HERE.

Well, gotta go and put on my spandex pants and face paint so I can do a gig with my new band SCREAMLOUD!!!

PS - PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY PICTURE OR STORY AS AN ENDORSEMENT OF KISS OR THEIR LIFESTYLES

A Chilling New Wave of Anti-Semitism

Please take the time to read this article in Christianity Today by David Aikman entitled, AN UGLY PHOENIX REBORN.  The former correspondent for TIME MAGAZINE describes a chilling new wave of Anti-Semitism sweeping Europe only 61 years after we discovered over 6 million Jews were horribly murdered by Adolph Hitler and his Final Solution!  The article goes on to recount how most Europeans see Israel as the biggest threat to world peace and not North Korea, Iran or radical Islamist terrorism.  This is such an amazing confirmation to me of the demonic nature of this lie and proof that people are already beginning to forget what we promised would "never again" happen in our world.

I am not a Dispensationalist and I do not believe that Israel in its current state is under God's covenant blessing, but I am forever indebted to Judaism and the Jewish people for the great heritage of truth and history that they have passed on to us Christians.  I pray that Jews all over this globe would "look on him who they have pierced" and turn to Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah.  I will continue to support Israel's right to exist as a nation because they are one of the only truly democratic nations within the Middle East and our ally.  I do believe that God did something supernatural 58 years ago when Israel came to be an entity as a nation once again, so it is very important that we stand with them and challenge them politically when they engage in injustice toward any Arab people group.

I would remind those who think Israel is such a threat that almost every day we hear reports of Iran's president promising to wipe Israel off the map.  I would remind you that Israel lives with the constant threat of terrorism and invasion from every nation that surrounds them.  The hatred toward Jews and Israel that I am describing is not based upon injustices toward Palestinians or territory gained in war, but a deep ancient hatred that is rooted in nothing more than Jewish ethnicity and religion. This hatred was present before any of the current political realities and can only be explained as evil and twisted.  Please remember what the Nazi's and Stalinists did to the Jews in the last century and pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the preservation of Israel.

P.S. - A few qualifiers are necessary.  1.  A Dispensationalist is a Christian who has a certain viewpoint on the end times or "last things" when it comes to Biblical prophecy.  It is a complex methodology for determining how this current age will end and views the nation of Israel as having a very prominent part in those events.  2.  When I say Israel in its current state is not under God's covenant blessing, I am simply referring to those promises based upon obedience.  Yes, God promised them the land, but those promises were based upon obedience.   Disobedience would ultimately lead to expulsion from the land.  3.  When I quote from Zechariah 12:10, where the text declares "they will look on Me whom they pierced", I am not blaming the Jews alone for Jesus' death.  The Bible tells us that all of us are responsible for Jesus' death because our sin put him on the cross.  The very fact that the Roman Empire with its mixed multitude and the Jewish religious system were the instruments used,  just confirms our universal responsibility.  Two dreaded enemies got together to kill the Prince of Peace!

Tags: Israel, Anti-Semitism, Palestine, Holocaust, Jesus, Adolph Hitler, Genocide

I Must Stand For Wicca

UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION - BILL OF RIGHTS - Amendment 1.  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Sometimes the Culture War can put us in some rather uncomfortable positions and cause us to have some strange bedfellows as the story I am linking to in Christianity Today  so poignantly illustrates.  As John W. Whitehead explains in his column, Stand Up, Stand Up for Wicca, "Amidst a sea of memorial plaques at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, one space remains blank.  That space is waiting to be filled by a plaque honoring the life and sacrifice of 34-year-old Sgt. Patrick Stewart, who was killed in action on September 25, 2005, when his helicopter was struck with a rocket-propelled grenade as it flew over Afghanistan. But it may be some time before Sgt. Stewart is remembered with a memorial plaque. That's because his war widow and the Department of Veterans Affairs are at odds over the Stewart family's request to have the Wiccan pentacle, a five-pointed star surrounded by a circle, placed on the plaque. As of May 31, 2006, government officials have refused to allow the Wiccan symbol to be placed on Stewart's plaque."

As the rest of the article goes on to point out, it is very important for people of all faiths to stand up for cases like this because if one religion can be disallowed its free exercise, than all can be.  It would be my desire for all Wiccan's to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the very creator of the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the seasons and rhythms of creation, male and female and sexual passion and energy.  But even if they never do, I will stand for a Wiccan's right to worship however they desire, even while trying to persuade them otherwise.  Sergeant Patrick Stewart's family should be able to memorialize his death with whatever symbol is appropriate to the Wiccan religion, and the Department of Veterans Affairs should support them and see that it happens quickly.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I unashamedly embrace Him as the Savior of the world and the only source of salvation, heaven, the forgiveness of sins and fellowship with the Creator Yahweh.  I know Him as the Ultimate Goodness and Harmony behind creation, and the Conqueror of the evil spirits in the world known as demons.  I believe all people must turn from self worship, nature worship and sin to Jesus Christ in order to be in harmony with God and His creation.  I trust Jesus Christ and His sinless, perfect life, substitutionary death, cleansing blood and bodily resurrection and ascension as the only means for seekers to be reconciled to the Eternal God.

Having said all of this, I realize that their are many who do not embrace my beliefs and see them as being intolerant because they make Jesus exclusive and unique above all the other people to have ever walked this planet.  With all that is in me, I would seek to persuade these very people and trust God's Spirit to change their hearts to believe the aforementioned truths.  In spite of all of this, I am an American and I do not in any way espouse forcing people to believe or embrace a particular religion.  I agree with our Founding Fathers and the First Amendment and would stand for any person of any belief system that was being threatened or not given the right to the "free exercise thereof." Because I am a Christian American, I must stand for Wicca in this case.

Tags: Freedom of Religion, Wicca, Christianity, Christ, Jesus, First Amendment, War on Terror, Constitution of the U.S.

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One More Help To Refute THE DA VINCI CODE

Maybe you are saying as many are, "enough on THE DA VINCI CODE already", but I thought it might be helpful to give you one more tool to help you refute Da Vinci quite simply.  Here is an article from Associate Editor Collin Hansen of CHRISTIANITY TODAY, that deals with THE FIVE BIG QUESTIONS FROM THE DA VINCI CODE.  I have simply copied and pasted it into my post as it appears on the site.

5 Big Questions from The Da Vinci Code
A brief guide.
by Christianity Today magazine Associate Editor Collin Hansen

Already an international publishing sensation, The Da Vinci Code now is a feature film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks. The compelling story written by Dan Brown blurs the line between fact and fiction, so moviegoers have joined readers wondering about the origins and legitimacy of orthodox Christianity. This guide offers brief answers to five important questions.

1. Was Jesus married to Mary Magdalene?
No. Mary Magdalene was certainly close to Jesus. She wept at Jesus' tomb (John 20). Jesus even entrusted her to return and tell the disciples about his resurrection. But we have no reason to believe they were married. Brown says that Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper reveals the secret. He writes that the figure to Jesus' right, traditionally known as the apostle John, is actually Mary. Not true. Artists often gave characters feminine features to portray youth. John was the youngest of the disciples.

Brown correctly observes that few Jewish men of Jesus' day did not marry. But why, then, did the apostle Paul, himself celibate, not mention Jesus and Mary when he argued that apostles could marry (1 Cor. 9:5)?

2. What about these alternative gospels that aren't in the New Testament?
It's true that the Bible did not arrive as a "fax from heaven," as Brown writes. The New Testament canon in its current form was first formally attested in 367. Nevertheless, church leaders applied important standards when compiling the Bible. Authors of accepted writings needed to have walked and talked with Jesus, or at least with his leading disciples. Their teaching could not contradict what other apostles had written, and their documents must have been accepted by the entire church, from Jerusalem to Rome. Church leaders considered earlier letters and reports more credible than later documents. Finally, they prayed and trusted the Holy Spirit to guide their decisions.

The so-called Gnostic gospels, many discovered just last century, did not meet these criteria. Many appeared much later than the Bible and were dubiously attributed to major Christian leaders. Their teachings contrasted with what apostles like Paul had written. For example, many Gnostic writings argued that Jesus did not appear in the flesh, because flesh is evil, or they rejected the Old Testament.

3. Were there really competing Christianities during the early church?
Yes—in the sense there were many disputes about the nature of Jesus. And the church has done its best to vanquish challengers to orthodoxy. Once the church decided against the Gnostic writings, they gathered and burned all the Gnostic manuscripts they could find.

Later church councils convened to discuss other threats to Christian orthodoxy. Constantine, the first Roman emperor to make Christianity legal, called the most important of these meetings in 325. Leaders from around the Christian world gathered in Nicea, where they debated Arianism, which taught that God created Jesus. Brown writes that Constantine called this council so he could introduce a new divine Jesus on par with the Father. On the contrary, documents from before Nicea show that most followers of Jesus already called him LORD, the Yahweh of the Old Testament. The church leaders at Nicea rejected Arianism and affirmed that God and Jesus existed together from the beginning in the Trinity. This council produced the first drafts of what became the Nicene Creed, a landmark explanation of Christian belief.

4. What is Opus Dei?
A conservative religious group within the Roman Catholic Church. Opus Dei urges priests and laypeople to strenuously pursue sanctification through everyday discipline. The group has taken criticism for its conservative views, zeal, and secretive practices. There is no evidence that Opus Dei has resorted to murder; nor has the Vatican entrusted Opus Dei to violently guard the church's deepest secrets, as Dan Brown claims in The Da Vinci Code.

5. Does the Priory of Sion really exist?
Yes, but not as described by Brown. Researchers suspect that members of the real-life Priory of Sion, founded in 1956, forged documents that placed major historical figures—such as Isaac Newton and Leonard da Vinci—in an ancient secret society. There is no evidence for this group beyond dubious documents. Any story relating this group to a dynasty begun by Jesus and Mary Magdalene is a fanciful work of fiction.

Collin Hansen is associate editor of Christianity Today (www.christianitytoday.com). For more Christianity Today coverage, visit www.ChristianityToday.com/go/DaVinci

Tags: Da Vinci Code, Movies, Books, Christianity, Jesus, Mary Magdalene

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THE DA VINCI CODE: A REVIEW

Well, we did it!  On Monday night, my wife and I ventured through the doors of the Fairchild Cinemas, the smells of popcorn and the bad movie previews to see the screen adaptation of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.  After reading a number of reviews and watching a very well done rebuttal to his book, we were able to come to some of our own conclusions.

First, the good stuff.  I'm still thinking...!  Oh, I know, Paris is sure a beautiful city and the Louvre is a magnificent memorial to the creative touch of God upon the human spirit.  The art work depicted in the film made me yearn for an opportunity to visit Paris one day to experience the image of God shown forth through the great masters.  The acting was decent, though Tom Hanks has done much better.  Ian McKellen is truly an amazing actor, able to make himself believable in any part I have ever seen him portray.  Well, that's about all I consider praiseworthy.

Now, the meat and potatoes.  It is an act of self-torture to sit for 2 1/2 hours and hear the Savior you love and live for blasphemed and misrepresented.  If this picture had been a portrayal of Muhammad, we would have had large scale riots, bombings and worldwide bloodshed!  Thank God, the very Christ who was being lied about has taught us differently and is well able to defend Himself!  I now know that this book and picture are not merely an innocent piece of fiction, but a convoluted mixture of fiction, revisionist history, outright lies, reconstituted ancient Gnosticism and modern paganism.

I almost feel bad for having supported Hollywood with our 16 dollars, but I felt it was necessary to know what it is that people are discussing around the proverbial water cooler.  If believers are going to see this movie, I think it is important to go with an un-churched person so as to be able to answer the many questions that will inevitably flow forth from their confused mouths and minds.  I really do not know how any lover of Jesus Christ could find entertainment value in hearing and watching our Master and King be made out to be a fraud!

I know that many of the "cool" Christians out there who read this will feel that I am overreacting and going into "extremist" mode, but when I step back and really think about The Da Vinci Code, I cannot put a pretty face on blasphemy and deception.  There must be some kind of cultural lines drawn sooner or later, and there have got to be some hills we are ready to die on.  I cannot be silent about living in a time when it is becoming a regular occurrence to see and hear my God and His church mocked, ridiculed and marginalized in the popular media on a daily basis.

In the last several months, story upon story has emerged calling the historic faith of followers of Christ into question.  Please, understand, I am not insecure about God, Jesus, the Bible and the church being unable to undergo scrutiny and emerge stronger than ever, but I am concerned about being able to get a fair hearing in the marketplace of ideas.  Our Lord and His followers have been persecuted, defamed, rejected and killed since the beginning and yet the church and true biblical faith have thrived.  I just hope America has not come to the place where she is shutting her ears to the truth of Jesus and His Gospel.

In closing, you may be asking where the review of the movie was in all of this venting.  Well, in a nutshell, The Da Vinci Code is a bad movie with beautiful on-site cinematography, some pretty well portrayed bad guys and one of the most offensive story-lines in history.  Sentiments similar to mine were very passionately expressed in an interview with Author Eric Metaxas at RELEVANT MAGAZINE.  His article really provoked me and can be accessed HERE.

PS - A very dear friend of mine, Stan Fleming is an excellent apologist (one who defends the Christian Faith by reason, history and logic) and has just recently returned from Europe on a "Refuting the Da Vinci Code" tour.  He has made his notes available to us and I have included a summary of 16 points that refute the errors of Dan Brown.  They are in MS WORD format and can be accessed right here - Download refuting_the_davinci_code_fable_summary.doc 

Tags: Da Vinci Code, movie review, religion, Christianity, protest, Paganism, books

THE DA VINCI CODE IS UPON US! YAWN...

THE DA VINCI CODE IS UPON US!  I know this is supposed to make me get defensive and be concerned about people's faith, but I just cannot get that upset about bad history, regurgitated ancient Gnostic error, and what critics are mostly giving, "lukewarm praise, shrugs of indifference, some jeering laughter and a few derisive jabs." I admit that I haven't yet read the book or seen the movie, but I will do both soon.  I hear the book is a roller-coaster, page-turner, which makes me excited about reading it. 

I have read several articles, watched a 70 minute video that pretty much shredded Dan Brown's recounting of history and seen much of the hubbub on TV.  The amazing thing is that even the Networks, National Geographic, Fox News and 60 Minutes agree that Dan Brown has some serious issues when it comes to getting his facts straight.  Now, that in itself is akin to a miracle!

Gnosticism arose as a formidable opponent to the early church and endured for a few centuries before being repudiated by the truth of the Gospel and those who actually walked with Jesus of Nazareth.  It is a familiar doctrine of demons that first made itself known through a serpent in a garden as he tempted a woman with special, inside, god-like knowledge.  Our adversary, that serpent of old, is not very creative, but he is an expert at getting as much mileage out of his lies as could be possible. 

It is very important that we know his lies, but even more important that we know the truth.  That, I am afraid is the real issue.  Christians do not really know what they believe and how to defend it against error.  The times that we live in will test us and our ability to "contend for the faith."  Dear brother and sister in Christ, FEAR NOT THE DA VINCI CODE, BUT FEAR THE LORD!

CHRISTIANITY TODAY REVIEW OF - THE DA VINCI CODE
ROTTEN TOMATOES - OVERALL CRITICS REACTION TO DA VINCI CODE
THE DA VINCI DIALOG - A SITE DEDICATED TO EXPOSING THE ERRORS OF THE BOOK AND MOVIE
RELEVANT MAGAZINE ARTICLE - SEEKING TRUTH IN THE DA VINCI CODE

Tags: Da Vinci Code, Jesus Christ, movie, books, Dan Brown, religion