Category Archives: Culture

Culture, Interviews, Misc, Mp3s, Promotionals, Reforming, Songs

Lacrae – Rebel CD – Free Mp3

This is a great song from a really good rapper who is a Christian! I encourage you to listen to it and read the story behind the song here. You can also download it for free here:

What was your inspiration for your new album—”Rebel”?

The inspiration for the album was largely realizing my own need for a biblical worldview. As I would navigate through arts, economics, politics, media, and culture as a whole I’d wrestle with a dichotomy between sacred and secular all the time. I’d either embrace aspects of secularism or the other extreme be very separatist in my views. I began read and listen to stuff by D.A. Carson, Mark Driscoll, Tim Keller, and Francis Schaeffer, and taking another look at Genesis, Daniel, and Romans and I found a better grid to see the world through.

Over time I’ve worked to see Urban culture through a biblical lens and it’s really helped. So I wanted to share with the listener the need to take a stand for Christ in culture yet still be a blessing and cultivator for the culture.

Culture, Current Events, Denominations, Evangelism, SBC News, Theology

Will Evangelism Cure the SBC?

From James Grant:

I finally got around to reading iMonk’s rant on the ten year focus on evangelism in the SBC. It is well worth the read. I agree with him. The last thing the SBC needs to do is focus on evangelism. There are a lot of other things the SBC should be focusing on, and Spencer mentions some of them. For example,

  1. We need to have healthy churches.
  2. We need to have a clear Gospel message.
  3. We need meaningful church membership.
  4. We need pastors who can grow disciples.
  5. We need Christians on mission in the world where God’s placed them.
    We need to love people.
  6. We need to live authentically human lives.
  7. We need a missional mindset for going into the world.
  8. We need to see our prevailing sins, like materialism, classism, racism and involvement in the prosperity Gospel.
  9. We need to repent of our pragmatism, because it’s not true that if just one walks forward, everything we did was right.

I agree 100% and would add several other problems. But Spencer goes on to say, “We’re like a hospital with real problems. Doctor problems. Staff problems. Quality problems. Effectiveness problems. People aren’t getting well. Some are getting a lot worse. Some aren’t making it. And we are concerned……about getting more patients.” Take a moment and read his whole rant.

Culture, Current Events, Debate, Politics, Theology

Feeding the Poor or Murdering Babies

2 Comments

So, when you want to choose sides for this election in November, which of these choices above will you favor on your ballot? Will you pick both? Or only one? Here are some comments from an OPC pastor on the logic of some in my generation who are choosing to walk down a certain liberal path…

Jesse Pirschel, pastor of Providence OPC in Temecula, CA, vented some frustration about the “logic” of recent political discourse:

I just wonder if the recent trend in the “young” church going DNC on issues (and I am not a republican, but far from a democrat) is really that well thought out. For instance, are we really saying it’s not the governments job to prevent murder but on the other hand it is their job to protect the environment, give to the poor, supply health care, save for my retirement and educate my kids?

Now help me with the logic. We can’t legislate morality on one issue, but must shove it down the throat on every other issue? Why is it the government’s moral duty to give me insurance and send my kids to school but not protect them if I want to kill them prior to them leaving the womb?

Or how is it we can give up that issue because the church should stop murder, but still expect programs to be extended by the government to feed the poor? Please tell me how things got so backwards in our thinking to come to this?

[HT: James Grant]

Culture, Current Events, Debate, False Religion, Politics, Pop Christianity, Theology

Obama, Apostasy, and the American Dream

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Well, I can hardly believe that Obama did what he did tonight in his DNC acceptance speech… But with everything I’ve seen so far, I cannot say that I’m too surprised. For starters, I would like to point out two very important references that Obama made during and at the end of his acceptance speech. I quote from Collin Hansen over at the Christianity Today Live Blog regarding “Obama’s Code Language“:

Obama’s Code Language
Democratic nominee borrows from New Testament
By: Collin Hansen

I doubt any commentators will accuse Sen. Barack Obama of using religious code language in his acceptance speech. Yet two famous New Testament passages made an appearance. As is typical of civil religion today, God was replaced by the “American promise.”

“Instead, it is that American spirit – that American promise – that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend,” Obama said, borrowing from 2 Corinthians 4:18.

Obama then concluded his remarks this way: “Let us keep that promise – that American promise – and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.”

This statement comes from Hebrews 10:23. But the context of this passage explains something far more beautiful than the American promise. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19-22).

This is truly to most ironic part about the whole Speech. Though every thinking Christian should realize that Obama is promoting the idolatry of “the American Dream”, I would like to point out that, based on one of my previous posts, the subsequent verses of Hebrews chapter 10 that follow verse 23 apply directly to Barack Obama and his apostasy from the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

The verse in Hebrews that he quoted was talking about holding fast to our confession of Christ as Lord and Messiah, not the American Dream! I wonder what people would think if he continued to quote the passage? I wonder if the speech write even bothered to read the context of the verse or if he just Googled it in from an online Bible and a vague memory he had about the wording of that particular sentence?

So, for those of you thinking about it now… here is the passage in full from verse 23 to verse 31:

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

So, you decide now who you will vote for in the November election. These are just some crucial thoughts we need to be having as Christians who are citizens in this great land of freedom and liberty and justice for all. Does Obama’s speech convince you of something? Talk back to me about it in the comments.

In Christ and In Defense of the Faith,
Glenn Jones

Culture, Current Events, Prayer, Theology

One order of sin please, hell on the side

This is essentially what Canada thinks they are asking for here. But, on the contrary, within a few years the wrath of God will be completely revealed on this nation unless God miraculously shows them mercy. Please pray for the children of Canada and the wicked indoctrination being forced upon them and their parents. May God do His will.

Romans 1:18,26-27,32: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”

Excerpt:

The Vancouver board of education says it plans to enforce a ministry policy that prevents parents from pulling students out of classes that deal with alternative sexuality.

A recent staff recommendation from the Vancouver board of education says parents can pull their children out of sensitive lessons in health classes because of religious or family beliefs, but can’t opt their children out of gay-friendly lessons in any other classes.

The recommendation, released Friday, sets out detailed guidelines and procedures the district intends to distribute to schools. (more…)