Closing Time...

We have graduated to our new spot on the web:

www.practicalreformation.com

Here you will find a Message Board to carry on all discussions, a place to read the commentary on the latest events happening in the Baptist/Evangelical community, book reviews, Links to great websites.

This is going to be a growing work in progress, so please feel free to add all comments and suggestions. Also, please tell everyone in our group about the new site...we are hoping to generate a good deal of discussion and interaction on the Message Boards.

So Check us out often, and I hope we can continue our conversations over at PR.com!

Thoughts and Discussion Needed

Sorry I have not posted much at all. I promise I am going to do a better job of posting and responding to posts now that summer is here.

Two things.

First, just to catch you guys up to what is up with Kristin and I...Kristin is now 5 months pregnant. We are having twins...a boy and a girl. We are open to people purchasing the naming rights to each of the children, within certain boundaries. Just submit a proposal, along with dollar amount and we will get back to you.

Second, and this is the purpose for the title "Thoughts and Discussion Needed", I am giving you a link to a sermon to which you MUST listen. This is one of the most critical issues facing the church, yet we are turning a deaf ear to it.
Voddie Baucham has hit the nail on the head (as usual) and delivers and great message on a subject we must all admit we handle very poorly in our churches.

Please listen and we can discuss it together.

Link:
Click on "listen" on the sermon: "The Centrality of the Home"

I look forward to the discussion we'll have. I'll wait a day or two before posting some questions about the sermon and how we can make some changes in our churches.

-JGray

Husbandry

Big Henk,
I think you are probably not alone in your struggles. I struggle often (sometimes it seems like continuously) with being the head of household. Probably the only ones of us who don't struggle are the professionals like drock, jason, and eric. ha ;)

I find that i am never patient enough, loving enough, or godly enough of a husband. But last time i checked, that is why Christ chose us isn't it. He has chosen the dispicable so that he might be glorified when he accomplishes his work.

Sorry, I gotta go to church. there will definitely be more this afternoon....

Christian Financial Planner?

I recently had a discussion with another Christian Financial Planner about joining the Christian Financial Planners Association (CFPA), and I am not sure how I feel about these Christian professional associations and designations. Here are some questions for everyone to respond to:

Is there a difference in a Christian Financial Planner and a Financial Planner who is a Christian? Does my membership in associations like the CFPA matter to potential Christian clients? What about in your profession (minus D-rock and E-rock)-- is there a sub-culture of Christian practitioners? Do they market themselves to other Christians, and if they do, does it sound like they can help them better than a non-Christian planner?

Questions? Comments? Cheap-shots?

Got Baptists?

To pick up the gauntlet thrown down by JP, I will ask an open-ended question that has an obvious agenda: MUST Baptistic beliefs be sacrificed on the altar of the Doctrines of Grace, or can the two co-exist?
I hope the appropriate people will respond, for I have been curious about the answer for some time now. Not knowing all of the details, this has seemed to be the case lately. And of course, I ask the question with all sincerity of love and not as "the first to caste a stone" (though of course the best textual evidence indicates that this passage is not part of the inspired Word of God :)).

What is up fellas?

Hey there guys. Been awhile, and it appears that only J.P., Mike, and occasionally myself are the only ones using this blop space. What is up? I know we are all busy, but lets make some chatter.

I applaud the Catholic Church. Why you ask? I applaud them much in the same way that Mikey gave some Kudos to Rick Warren. The Catholic Church made a bold statement the other day, and it made its way into the news. The said that they will never condone homosexuality (or admit gay priests into thier churches) and that they oppose women ministers and abortion on all levels. This astounds me that in the wake of so much controversy surrounding the Catholic Church (i.e. molesting priests) that they continue to focus on their long standing positions of scripturally sound doctrine (in those areas that I have just listed). Now I am not saying "All hail Catholics" or anything like that. What I am saying is here is a church the in spite of all that is going against it, it still holds to their convictions. It doesnt let the outside world dictitate to it what is considered "acceptable and right". Even though the Catholics miss the boat on a lot of doctrine, you have to commend them for thier perserverance and not doing the popular thing. Too many times I read in the paper about another Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Assembly of God, Presbyterina, Lutheran, etc church that has allowed another womer pastor into its flock, or married another gay couple, or profess to be gay and everybody is OK with it. When are we going to start taking stands on these issues? It will be a sad day when the protestant faiths all but falter to the ways of man just for the sake of what society tells it what to believe. Any thoughts or comments are welcome on this topic.

And for the record, I am not praising the Catholic Church in any way regarding thier faith, doctrince, or gospel of salvation. They truly are at odds with what scripture says on those issues. I.E. as Mikey said, "The purpose driven life is still a crap book" LOL.

Leaving for the Holy Land

Today is going to be a beautiful day.

Not only is the strain of Tax Season over with, today Raquel and I leave for a trip to the Holy Land led by our pastor. This is a trip we have wanted to take since we got married, and I cannot wait to report back to you guys the things we will see and experience.

The things I am looking forward to...
1. To see where Jesus was--where he lived and died.
2. To see Jesus' words come alive in the Gospels
3. To see the Word of God proved true again and again historically.

I hope to have Internet access at some of the hotels we are staying at, and I will post when I can. Grace to you all,
JP

Kudos to Rick Warren!

Yes, you read that right. I, the seeker sensitive basher that I am, have found something good to say about Rick Warren.

In the most recent edition of Newsweek Rick Warren and Sam Harris (an athiest) sat down for a little debate. For those that don't know, Sam Harris is a well known athiest that has recently written a book, A Letter to a Christian Nation. JP you have probably heard him mentioned on the Al Mohler radio show.

Sam Harris acknowledges the importance of spirituality. He places way too much of emphasis on rationality, but nonetheless he acknowledges that we are and can be spiritual and that a person may gain something from being "spiritual".

While Warren says some things that are suspect and he doesn't go as far as I might go in some of his reponses to Harris's comments, he really hammers Harris towards the end. Warren actually did not come across as the completely "seeker sensitive" pastor that he has made himself out to be. Here is why. At the end of the article he exposed Harris for who he really was. He proved that Sam Harris is evidence of the truth of Romans 1. Warren said, "You're more spiritual than you think. You just don't want a boss. You don't want a God that tells you what to do."

This is really what most athiest are about. At least most intelligent ones. They come so close. They just don't want to be told how to live. I thought Warren did an excellent job at honing in on Harris and uncovering the real issue.

So, I think kudos are in order for Rick Warren. And, if you can, get a hold of that issuse of Newsweek and read the article.

P.S. --No, I won't be going out a buying a copy of The Purpose Driven Life. That book is still a piece of crap.

Clash of the Titans...

Common thought today is that there is no connection between biology and homosexuality. Most people including theologians and biologists don't believe that homosexuality is something that people are born with. The evolutionist doesn't believe it because it would completely blow up his theory of the evolution of mankind. Why would we evolve into a practice that actually will kill us and not advance us as a species? From a scientific stand point this is what homosexualtiy does. The theologian doesn't like it because he wants everyone to take responsibility for their actions and not take the cop out of "I was born this way".

I too like any good reformed believer have held this view. In fact recently, I was asked by my wife if I believed animals could be gay (don't ask why she asked me this. I assure you there was a completely logical and contextual basis for her question, i just don' thave time to go there right now.). My answer was predicated on the belief of mine that since homosexuality was a sin and not a biological condition and since animals don't sin, then homosexuality is limited to the human race. Any "homosexual" behavior we may witness in animals is just their instinctual behavior being exercised. It is also a testament to the lack of intelligence of all animals. They sometimes can't tell the difference between a female dog and a male dog or a pillow for that matter. In fact I once witnessed Tobi trying to procreate with an eight year old girl. Was this a display of some sort of reverse beastiality? I think not. My dog is just stupid. He was just doing what instinct tells him: "When something bends over, hump it!!!"

So, to answer my wife's question, i said, "no, animals can't be gay."

Well, it appears i might be wrong, at least according to a study recently cited by Al Mohler on his radio show. This study was done on sheep. Apparently there were some sheep farmers having problems getting their sheep to mate. So, to make a long story short, they found a biological link and developed a drug to "cure" homosexuality in sheep. Guess what!
It worked . They speculate now that they might be able to find a similar biological link to homosexuality in humans and of course, develope a drug to "fix" it.

Now this has huge ramifications in all corners. It has ramifications for biologists, theologians and homosexuals. I however I am intersted it what difficulties it will cause us christians.

Does a biological link remove a person's responsibility to flee from sin. If it were proven that a person was born gay would that mean that homosexuality was not a sin? Would it vindicate all homosexuals who for years have been saying that they "can't help it"? How will christians respond?

Al Mohler did a marvelous job explaining the difficulties presented by this study and giving a reformed christian response and defense of our beliefs.

First, a biological link in no way removes our responsibility to flee homosexuality in the same way that a person who is predisposed to overeating still has a responsibility to flee gluttony. Although, I, like every male struggle with sexual sin, there are those who have been given much stronger desires and temptations toward sexual deviancy. We all still have the responsibility to flee sinful desires.

Secondly, this just proves that all of creation has fallen. Even the basic structure of our DNA and hormones feel the effects of sin.

Thirdly, and most importantly, nothing can change the inerrant, infallible, and unchangeable will of God. God has declared homosexuality a sin and it will always be a sin.

This study of course opens up a can of worms. If they do find a "cure" for homosexuality, should christian parents use it on there children? What about the liberals who think there is nothing wrong with homosexuality? They will now have to answer scientists who would have developed a "cure" for the disease of homosexuality. Another question, why would we see homosexuality as something that needs to me "cured" in sheep, but needs to left alone and allowed to continue in humans?

Fame-Obsessed Americans

I was listening to the Albert Mohler Program on my commute home, and the topic was how American parents and kids are becoming more and more obsessed with being famous. The cited the rising popularity of "American Idol" and its spin-off programs dedicated to 'discovering talent' and how parents are taking it upon themselves to do whatever it takes for their child to be 'discovered' next. They cited surveys of children who desired to be famous over intelligence, strength, health, etc; children who would rather be famous than any other worthy profession.

The interesting thing to me, is to not point at the world's problem with fame-seeking (that's nothing new) but to point the spot-light on churches and pastors. The mega-church, tele-evangelism, radio programs, podcasting, and even blogs all give pastors and church leaders a "voice to be heard"; a new forum to hear the praises of people--to seek out the attention of man.

Do you guys think this obsession is something new; getting worse? How do church leaders fight to ascribe all praise to God amidst a culture bent on being "THAT" pastor of "that" church?

As a side note, Mohler made the comment that it really is up to Christian parents to operate in a counter-culture manner to combat the American avalanche of being famous. What does that mean to you? How do you do this, or see yourself doing this?