Quick Hits (8/29/06)

I’ve been extremely busy lately, and blogging has fallen by the wayside. Funny thing is, I didn’t even go through “withdrawal.” Go figure. Anyway, rather than making 10-12 posts today, I’ll provide several “quick hits,” some sacred and some silly:

Buckaroo Bible Club

Among other things, we’re busy gearing up for another year of Buckaroo Bible Club. I hope to post on the changes soon, explaining the program at the same time. For now I’ll just say that the presentation of material just got a big shot in the arm from Joe Tyrpak, our assistant pastor…and a gifted graphic design artist. Among other changes, we now have the materials in KJV, NKJV and NASB. To date, I believe that we have around 15 churches participating.

You’re Going to Heaven. I Promise.

During the discussion with several skate board evangelists, I made a comparison to “The Power Team,” the definitive evange-tainment group of my generation. (Yes, I’ve been to an event, seen them rip phone books in half, break bricks with their heads, etc.) And if you think this kind of Gospel presentation is limited to evangelical circles, you need to get out more.

What struck me more than the tactics was a statement the Power-Preacher makes during the last 5 seconds of their website’s video presentation. (BTW, you’ve got to love their “Closer to God One Brick at a Time” slogan. That’s rich.) After showing amazing feats, statistics of attendance and decision records, some sort of preaching, and people rushing to the stage during an invitation, the video ends with this astounding statement:

“You know what, everybody that’s up here, your name is now written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!”

How dare any human make such a broad promise to hundreds of people…or even one? What a presumptuous thing to say. It’s the kind of blanket promise that damns people.

Sports Shorts

On to lighter things: I have a chance to make a football “sweep” this year. The Buckeyes are ranked #1 in the nation, and the Denver Broncos look poised to make a run at another Super Bowl. And while focusing on the present, they still managed to secure their quarterback of the future. You watch: their pick of Jay Cutler will prove to be the steal of this year’s draft.

Speaking of the NFL, I think the only thing uglier than Brett Favre’s game right now is the new unis for the referees. Both are hard to look at. Memo to the NFL: refs aren’t supposed to be cool. Leave it alone. Is nothing sacred?

And in case anyone is wondering, those stripes that widen at the top don’t make all refs look like Ed Hochuli. There’s only one Ed, and rumor has it that he may ditch the NFL for “The Power Team” anyway.

Wondering: Will TO be a dream or a nightmare for Dallas? Do you miss the old Monday Night Football? And does anyone else see 5 or 6 AFC teams that could win the NFC?

A Softer, Gentler Don Johnson

Here’s a side of the Canadian Curmudgeon you don’t see every day.

Greener Fields

My good friend Dan Greenfield has started a blog. It’s sort of a secret. At least it was. Dan is planting a church in Orwell, Ohio. He’s one of TCBC’s missionaries, and we’re privileged to be laboring with him. The Lord is blessing that work under his leadership. He’s also the new editor of the Ohio Bible Fellowship Visitor. (Mark Perry and I are his assistant editors.) Anyway, give it a look. If he writes anything serious, it will be worth your time to read it. That said, I especially enjoy the pictures of his sweet family.

MP3’s

Several MP3’s to recommend:

* This message by Albert N. Martin describes how our union with Christ is the key to our growth in Christ. It’s a bit murky at the beginning, but it clears up. It’s certainly worth a listen.

* This message by Greg Mazak from BJU is very good. It was preached at a Bible Study Luncheon for businessmen, and it’s theme and content are surprisingly grave for that setting. Of course, Mazak is his typical “easy-to-listen-to-yet-profound” self. Good stuff.

* This message by Alan Cairns is another message on sanctification that is helpful. It is part of his series on the Holy Spirit that I enjoyed a few years back. I was glad to hear it again last week as I prepared to preach on sanctification.

* Finally, I heard this message on Holiness by Phil Johnson quite some time ago when I was preparing to preach on the topic. (A summary of my study is available here.) It’s meaty, and it has stuck in my mind. It’s the first message I’ve heard him preach, and he does a really good job.

Helpful Link

This site provides a great collection of mp3’s and articles on various topics. The “topical index” on the left has pointed me toward articles and messages by Bible scholars living and dead. I’ve found helpful information for my current series on the Gospel (repentance, justification, sanctification, etc.). I’ll be stopping back often. It’s worth your perusal.