Perspectives
"Paul, Apostle of Christ" - A Film Review
I begin this review with a disclaimer—I don't generally like movies that are based on the Bible. There are exceptions like The Ten Commandments or The Passion of the Christ. I tend to view these movies with my scholarly glasses firmly planted on my face. Thus I compare the movie to the biblical text, and what movie can live up to the beauty, genius, and truth of the biblical text?
One Surprising Reason Why Churches Stagnate
No matter how wonderful, how dynamic and full of life your church congregation is, it will most likely not be in existence in a 100 years. This is statistically true, which makes multiplying, making disciples and planting churches even more central to the Great Commission.
Wisdom has Vision in Dark Times
Many years ago I needed to get with Wyndham. I did not know I needed it but he did, so he asked me to meet him at a popular coffee and sandwich restaurant. I had recently come out of the full time ministry in Boston. I had also loudly and defiantly expressed my dissatisfaction with and toward the eldership of the Boston Church. So, yeah, we needed to get together.
Wisdom Persuades and is Persuadable
We have strong opinions on how something should be done. We really believe our opinion is the best way to do this thing. Ever been there? Ever had a day when you haven't felt this way about something?
Martyrdom in the Early Church
Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.– William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act 2, scene 2
Tertullian said, "The blood of the martyrs watered the seed of the early church." The persecution of the early church, instead of stopping the growth of the church, fanned the flame of evangelism and growth.
Addicted: To My Cell Phone
Last week, I took my phone to Apple to have the battery replaced. For about five hours, I was without my phone. It was nice, and freeing, but there was a part of me wondering all that I might be missing out on, the text conversations that I was unable to contribute to, the emails and notifications that were left unread and forgotten. While I felt freed, I also felt anxious. However, what was most alarming to me was what the Apple Representative asked me as I handed her my phone:
“That Was Kevin’s Best Sermon Ever”
"Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” – Revelation 14:13
About 1,200 people gathered at the Orange County Church of Christ building in Irvine, California on February 11, 2017 to show their love and respect for Kevin Mains, evangelist, husband, father, grandpa, son, brother and friend. Another 6,000 watched the memorial service live online and another 6,000 have watched since.
10 Reasons Christians Should Take Care of Themselves Physically
Editor's note: The following article was originally published in The Greater Houston Church's bulletin.Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred,
and you together are that temple. —1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. —1 Corinthians 6:19
I readily admit that it is hard to stay in shape. As I've aged and had more frequent illnesses, I find I have to plan, and work to maintain optimum weight, decent muscle mass, acceptable blood pressure and any cholesterol level deemed healthy by my primary care physician.
The majority of western society's health challenges are brought on by excess of too much food, too much drink and way too much of a sedentary lifestyle. These are the scourges of first world economies. We can not do anything because of health challenges that are beyond our control and should never feel guilty, or think we are cursed by God because of it (John 9:3). In fact all of the admonitions below are centered on health challenges we have some control over.
Here Am I, Send Me!
Editor's note: The following article was written for The Greater Houston Church's bulletin as they study out the theme, "Here am I, send me!" this year.“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” —Isaiah 6:5-8
Isaiah 6 opens with an awesome vision of the Lord Almighty seated on his throne with the train of his robe filling the temple and surrounded by angelic beings praising him, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.” Like Isaiah, when we get a clear vision of who God really is, our soul’s are exposed. We know we are unworthy, unreliable, and sinful apart from God’s grace.
There is a meaningful progession of acts in this passage that we can emulate to become vessels that God can use to carry his message to a lost and needy world. This commission is mirrored in the gospels when Jesus gave the great commission to his apostles, who then passed it on to us. Here are steps we can take to regain the joy of being messengers of God’s grace.
Looking for the Health
First, Happy New Year, everyone. May 2017 be a Year of Blessing—may you receive them, and be them.
It’s now been two months since my brain cancer surgery. I’m done with radiation, though its effects on my hair, scalp, and energy linger. I now have one month “off” in order to allow my brain tissues to settle down and resume pre-swelling size and function. By late January, I will then have a baseline MRI, which will be used against future scans. Beginning in February, I will go back on chemotherapy for six months—five days on, 23 off, rinse and repeat until August.