Pentecost - The Holy Spirit has come!!

Ten days ago, May 25, 2017, I wrote about the importance of Jesus' Ascension.
Today, June 4, 2017, commemorates one of the biggest reasons why Jesus had to ascend to heaven - so the Holy Spirit would come.  The article I shared in that post gave 4 results of the Ascension.  Here is the 3rd result and what followers of Jesus Christ can celebrate today.  The day the Holy Spirit came to dwell among and in those who have been saved.

#3. The Gift of the Comforter. “One of the most important reasons for Jesus’ ascension was that Pentecost might take place, that the Father and the Son might pour out the Spirit on the church to strengthen it and empower it for its earthly mission. As we all know, to witness for Christ in a corrupt world requires strength greater than our own. John Calvin said that the most important task of the church is to be the visible witness of the invisible kingdom, and for that we need the Holy Spirit.” 

John 16:5-15 contains Jesus' words regarding "the Helper" and His purpose.

Here are two basic Biblical truths about the Holy Spirit I have in my doctrinal paper.

The Person of the Holy Spirit 
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit has emotions and is grieved by sin (Eph. 4:30), has a will (Acts 16:6). Throughout the New Testament, the use of personal pronouns demonstrates the personality of the Holy Spirit (John 15:26; 16:13-14; Acts 13:2; 1 Cor. 2:12). 

The Deity of the Holy Spirit 
The Holy Spirit is God. He is coequal with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3, 4; 28:25, 26; 1 Cor. 2:11; 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14) and eternal (Hebrews 9:14). The Holy Spirit has the divine attributes of God: omniscience (1 Cor. 2:10, 11); omnipresence (Ps. 139; John 14:17); omnipotence (Zech. 4:6; Job 33:4; Ps. 104:30).

The Many Forms of God's Care

Today (June 1) begins my last month as pastor of small groups and children/families at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

The New Morning Mercies devotional for June 1st has served as a great reminder of what (who) is most important!

God’s care comes in many forms. He cares enough to break your bones in order to capture your heart. 

Please pray that as
  I prepare to hand off ministries that mean so much to me
  Krista, the kids and I work on our house
  Krista and I continue to prayerfully seek God's direction for our next ministry

that our hearts would be captivated by God and His glory and not our circumstances.

During this time it has been amazing to see how God is blessing us through people, His Word and His presence.

There have also been some challenges.

Here are a couple of specific prayer requests related to the three general prayer requests above....

1. Wisdom and direction regarding our house.  We are preparing to put it on the market soon but aren't sure what that means during this transitional time.
2. Wisdom and direction regarding ministry direction.  
• We have heard from several different churches and are prayerfully looking through them.  We also are waiting to hear back from some possibilities and have been informed that some churches are looking at different candidates.  Pray that we would wait on the Lord and His good plan.  
• I am very excited about the opportunity to once again speak at Camp Patmos the week of July 17 - 22.  Pray for my time there and preparation leading up to it.  
3. Wisdom and direction regarding ministry transition at EBC.  
• We have been so blessed to have had the opportunities to encourage and be encouraged by so many different families and individuals at EBC.  We want to finish our time here well for God's glory.  I know this means so much more than giving information about the programs that I had oversight of.  
• Also, prayer for the pastors and the staff of EBC during this transitional time.  

The New Morning Devotional today included Psalm 51 especially verse 8, which is a great Psalm to always remember.

"Let me hear joy and gladness;  let the bones that you have broken rejoice." 

Added on June 8th:
One of my biggest takeaways from this devotional has been that God is the one who brings joy and gladness.  He is also the one who crushes my bones.  It is not circumstances, situations or individuals.  God is the one who is sovereign.

Ascension Day!

Ascension Day occurs 39 days after Easter Sunday and commemorates Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven. 

Over the last couple of years, I have been reminded of the importance of this aspect of Jesus' life and ministry.
I want to share some things that I have been reminded of, and am learning about Jesus' ascension.
Then I want to share some life lessons God has been teaching me in this.

Right before his ascension, Jesus said: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).  

Jesus ascended so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the one who would give His followers the power to be His witnesses around the world.

Hebrews 8:1, 2 says "Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man."

In his article "4 Results of Christ's Ascension," Tim Challies shares some of the great results of Christ's ascension:

1. Glorification
2. Coronation
3. the gift of the Comforter
4. the ministry of the High Priest

Now, the life lesson that has been challenging.

Before he ascended Jesus promised the disciples a Comforter and power (Acts 1:8).
Since his ascension, we have a high priest who is seated at God's hand that we look to (Hebrews 12:1, 2).

With everything my family has going on right now, I am so thankful 
for God the Holy Spirit who comforts and gives power, 
for God the Son who is the founder and perfecter of my faith, and 
for God the Father who is sovereign over everything and on HJis throne. 

We are not sure what ministry God has for us in the future.
We are not sure what God has planned for our house.
We are not sure what God has planned for the ministries and people we love at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

At the same time,
I am sure that God is in control.
I am sure that Jesus has saved me.
I am sure that the Holy Spirit will give me and EBC the strength and power to do what God has planned next. 

These truths don't make what is next easy.
There are definitely struggles and difficulties. 
but I choose to say blessed be God's name and I am not alone.
Here are two online resources that have been extremely helpful.

• I posted about the song Hills and Valleys at http://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2017/05/hills-and-valleys.html
• Here is a sermon by Alistair Begg on the Ascension - https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/ascension-of-jesus-christ-the/

We would greatly appreciate your prayers for our family, for Emmanuel Baptist Church, and for whatever God has us doing next.

As Long As You Are Glorified

One of my favorite Sovereign Grace albums is 

Come Weary Saints

Here is a description.

Scripture assures us that God is sovereignly using our difficulties as tools to make us more like his Son. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Ro 5:3–5) While we know these things are true, in the midst of our hardships we can lose perspective. Problems can loom large, and our hopes can grow dim.

Come Weary Saints is an invitation to redirect your focus to the God whose love has been forever demonstrated at the cross of Calvary. As you listen to these songs, may your faith and joy in the Savior be strengthened for the challenges you face, now or in the future.

One of my favorite songs is
"As Long As You Are Glorified"

VERSE 1
Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain?
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain?
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought?
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt?

CHORUS
Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

VERSE 2
Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled?
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well?
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

BRIDGE
So quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart in You

Favorite Gospel Primer entry

If you have a copy of the Gospel Primer, you may know that Part 1 of the book is divided into 31 parts.  So you can read an entry each day of the week.

My favorite entry is #18.  When I give this book as a gift, I highlight or mark this entry.

Here is my favorite line in Perspective in Trials.
For the gospel is the one great permanent circumstance in which I live and move; and every hardship in my life is allowed by God only because it serves His gospel purposes in me.

Here is the entire entry.

More than anything else could ever do, the gospel enables me to embrace my tribulations and thereby position myself to gain full benefit from them. For the gospel is the one great permanent circumstance in which I live and move; and every hardship in my life is allowed by God only because it serves His gospel purposes in me. When I view my circumstances in this light, I realize that the gospel is not just one piece of good news that fits into my life somewhere among all the bad. I realize instead that the gospel makes genuinely good news out of every other aspect of my life, including my severest trials. 69 The good news about my trials is that God is forcing them to bow to His gospel purposes and do good unto me by improving my character and making me more conformed to the image of Christ. 70  

Preaching the gospel to myself each day provides a lens through which I can view my trials in this way and see the true cause for rejoicing that exists in them. I can then embrace trials as friends and allow them to do God’s good work in me.

Vincent, Milton. A Gospel Primer for Christians (Kindle Locations 334-342). Focus Publishing. Kindle Edition.


The scripture passages in this entry are
69.  Romans 5:1-5
70.  Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4; 1 Corinthians 12:7-10

Hills and Valleys

A song that has been an encouragement to me during this transitional time.




Hills Remix - www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-92POxzuz4
Valley Remix - www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QJIt6spYqM

Tauren Wells - Hills and Valleys LyricsFrom the album Undefeated (EP)

I've walked among the shadows
You wiped my tears away
And I've felt the pain of heartbreak
And I've seen the brighter days
And I've prayed prayers to heaven from my lowest place
And I have held Your blessings
God You give and take away
No matter what I have, Your grace is enough
No matter where I am, I'm standing in Your love

(chorus)
On the mountains I will bow my life to the One who set me there
In the valley I will lift my eyes to the One who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain I didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley I know I am not alone
You're God of the hills and valleys, hills and valleys
God of the hills and valleys
And I am not alone

I've watched my dreams get broken
In You I hope again
No matter what 
I know I'm safe inside Your hands

(chorus)
On the mountains I will bow my life to the One who set me there
In the valley I will lift my eyes to the One who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain I didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley I know I am not alone
You're God of the hills and valleys, hills and valleys
God of the hills and valleys
And I am not alone

Father You give and take away
Every joy and every pain
Through it all You will remain over it all

On the mountains I will bow my life 
In the valley I will lift my eyes

(chorus)
On the mountains I will bow my life to the One who set me there
In the valley I will lift my eyes to the One who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain I didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley I know I am not alone
You're God of the hills and valleys, hills and valleys
God of the hills and valleys
And I am not alone

And I will choose to say
Blessed be Your name
And I am not alone

Publishing:© 2016 Be Essential Songs/Crucial Music Entertainment/Jord A Lil Music (BMI)/So Essential Tunes/Not Just Another Song Publishing (SESAC) All rights admin. at www.EssentialMusicPublishing.com

Writer(s): Tauren Wells, Chuck Butler, Jonathan Smith

More Glories than You Can Grasp

Here is the devotional from yesterday's (May 13) in New Morning Mercies.

that was especially helpful for us in thinking about our future.

You have not been left to secure your own future because God in grace has secured an end to your story more glorious than you can grasp. 

You and I absolutely need our lives to be shaped and reshaped by these words: 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pet. 1:3–5)

One of the most common human fears is fear of the future. We all ask, “What will happen if . . . ?” or “What will happen next?” or “What is down the road?” Embedded in all of this is the hope that we will be secure and things will be all right in the future. It is not insane to wonder about the future. It is not a sin to be concerned about what is to come. It is not wrong to plan for the future. In fact, you and I should live with the future in view every day of our lives. In some ways, everything that we think, desire, decide, do, and say should be shaped by what is to come. But there is a huge difference between worrying about what you have no power over and resting in what God has revealed about his future plans for you. 

Peace and hope are never to be found in your efforts to figure out the future. God’s secret will is called his secret will precisely because it is secret! No, real hope is found in living inside the implications of what it means that God holds your future in his wise, powerful, and gracious hands. Peter says, “Don’t ever let yourself forget that Jesus has purchased a future for you that is better than anything you could have dreamed of or planned for yourself.” If you remember that you have this wonderful future ahead of you, you won’t live as if this moment is all you have and you will be free of the anxiety of fearing that somehow this moment will pass you by. I love the qualifying words that Peter uses to describe our inheritance as the children of God: “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” Together they mean that this inheritance is protected and untouchable; nothing will be allowed to happen that would damage it in any way. It is absolutely secure. 

But Peter says more. He says that not only is God keeping your inheritance, he’s keeping you. He’s not only protecting what is to come, he’s protecting you so that when what is to come has come, you will be there to receive it and enjoy it forever and ever. So remember today that no matter how hard your story is right here, right now, it is guaranteed for you as God’s child that it will end better than anything you can now imagine, and that glory will never end!

For further study and encouragement: 

1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11

Big Changes and an even BIGGER GOD!!

Sunday night, May 7, 2017, was a really challenging day ministry-wise.
Below is part of an email we mailed out to some of our church family after a very important church family meeting that night.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

This is a hard email to send.  Please prayerfully read through the entire email knowing that God is sovereign!

Here is the statement I read at tonight's IMPACT service (05/07/17)

On April 14, the following Kevin DeYoung quote I posted in 2011, popped up in facebook memories section.

We can stop pleading 
with God to show us the future 
and start living and obeying like we are 
confident that He holds the future.

This is what I wanted to do 

when my internship was coming to a close in 2011

and 

it is what I desire to do today.

I am so very thankful for Emmanuel Baptist Church.  I am thankful for your investment in my wife, my children and me over these 18+ years. 

That is why it is so very difficult to share with you that Krista and I have begun looking for a new ministry.  We have loved our time here and yet we know it is time for us to move on.

We are excited and nervous about what God has next for us. 

We are prayerfully looking forward to taking what we have learned here to another church.  I would greatly appreciate your prayer as I seek to lead or join a pastoral team that would provide this opportunity.

At the end of many of my emails, I usually put Acts 20:24.  I want to read this as a reminder for you and me. 

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, 

if only I may finish my course 

and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus,

to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24

I want to thank all of you and I especially want to thank God for his provisions.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Here is a brief explanation of what has led to this decision. 

In October Pastor Duke shared with the pastors about Emmanuel Baptist Church’s budget deficit and the need to reduce the pastoral staff. 

At tonight’s IMPACT service, http://www.emmanuelbaptist.com/podcast/impact-evening-service-walking-in-the-light-of-love-pt-4-important-emmanuel-family-talk/, Pastor Duke shared with the congregation a plan to help with these things.  After talking with me and the other pastors, Pastor Duke shared how he had asked Pastor Shane and me to begin looking for new ministries as he believes we both could lead a ministry.  In the meeting, Pastor Duke shared a lot of details and Pastor Shane also read a letter similar to mine.  
It would be very helpful to listen to the recording of the meeting.  The business meeting part begins at the 21-minute mark. 

At the end of June, my current responsibilities, along with Pastor Shane’s, will change.  Our new roles will be advisory/transitional as we are looking for new ministries.  Emmanuel has been very generous in continuing our salary and benefits through December. 

It is my prayer that with an end date of June 30, 2017, for our current ministry at Emmanuel and by sharing that with the church now, I and my family will be able to focus on searching and preparing for a new ministry.  This decision also helps the church move forward with the plans for the future, sooner rather than later.  

Once again, we are so thankful for you and the rest of our Emmanuel family!!
We would greatly appreciate your prayers as we work through the many details of transitioning our ministry.

Added on 5/17/17:  
HERE  is Pastor Duke's blog post on the church site.

Even If...

A song that has been an encouragement during this transitional time.

They say sometimes you win some
Sometimes you lose some
And right now, right now I'm losing bad
I've stood on this stage night after night
Reminding the broken it'll be alright
But right now, oh right now I just can't

It's easy to sing
When there's nothing to bring me down
But what will I say
When I'm held to the flame
Like I am right now

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now
But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

You've been faithful, You've been good
All of my days
Jesus, I will cling to You
Come what may
‘Cause I know You're able
I know You can

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Songwriters: Bart Marshall Millard / Benjamin Glover / Crystal Lewis / David Arthur Garcia / Tim Timmons

Even If lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Music Services, Inc

Three Amazing Stories of Christian Service!!

People give many different reasons people give to not serve in children’s ministry.  You may have thought of and/or used many different reasons yourself

Over the last several weeks I have seen two VERY legitimate reasons to not serve.

One excuse is “I am in the hospital in Cleveland and may be for some time.”

The other is “I had brain surgery last week.”

A couple of weeks ago, Tammie Tetgmeier had brain surgery.  She had brain surgery on Friday, missed that Sunday and then taught the 4th and 5th grade 9:00 am class the next Sunday.  She let the class know that if her surgery was earlier in the week she might have been in class, but because her brain surgery was scheduled for Friday, she wasn’t able to be in class.

Desiree from the Cleveland Clinic getting ready to
Skype the 1st-3rd grade lesson 2 weeks ago.

Desiree Hillmon has been struggling with MS for some time now.  Recently she has been in a couple of different hospitals.  Yet she still teaches the 1st – 3rd grade 9:00 am class every other week through Skype.  She has powerpoint slides, songs for the kids to sing and so much more. 

Their dedication and examples of service in the midst of difficulties overwhelm me and make me very thankful.   I am thankful not only because I am the pastor of children and family ministry but because two of my children, Josiah and Jadyn, are learning how to live out a Christian life of love and service in the midst of challenges along with the Sunday School Bible lessons.

As I think about these ladies and their example, I am reminded of so many different people who have made a huge impact in my life.  One of these families is the Steffler family.  Melvin and Reida Steffler and their daughters Ann and Linda were, and still are, such a big part of my spiritual growth.  They taught classes, served in the music ministry and so much more at church.  But even more than that they invested in my family.  They showed us what hospitality was by hosting meals in their home.  They showed us how to pray by praying for us.  Melvin passed away many years ago and Reida’s health is failing, and yet the impact they made on me continues to grow. 

I am thankful for the lessons each of these individuals have taught in the church building.  I am even more thankful for the lessons they have taught and are teaching us as they live out the truth of God’s Word.

Backyard Bible Clubs

I want to share a couple of lessons I learned during the 4 week Bible study we did in our neighborhood.

• Backyard Bible Clubs need prayer.
• While we did have different people praying for our Bible, I wish I had found THIS BIBLE STUDY GUIDE before we started our study.
• Backyard Bible Clubs do NOT need to be in your backyard.  
• Three of the weeks we met in our family room. 
• Because of weather, we moved our fourth week egg hunt over to Emmanuel Baptist Church.
• The location is obviously dependent on the number of kids, the time of the year and the size of your home.
• Backyard Bible Clubs do need to include a Bible story.  
• Two Ways to Live from Matthias Media - www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/
• Children Desiring God curricula - blog.childrendesiringgod.org/fill-your-backyard-with-good-news-this-summer/
• Backyard Bible Clubs do NOT need to be life long clubs.
• We did our's for 4 weeks.  

What Might God Do in Your Backyard This Summer?  Click HERE for some possibilities.

God-centered Gospel

"God has placed children who do not know Him in your lives for a purpose.  Might that purpose be so that you can be salt and light to them and their families?"
Sally Michael

This Sunday night (04.26.17), I have the opportunity to share at Emmanuel Baptist Church's Sharing Your Faith Seminar.

One of the resources that has been very helpful is Children Desiring God's seminars on the Gospel.


Here are the introduction points to the "Presenting the Gospel to Children" seminar.

How do we present the gospel to children in a God-centered way?

First, we need to understand three encompassing themes in the gospel message:

1. GOD is the starting point of the gospel.
2. GOD is the vehicle of the gospel.
3. GOD is the goal of the gospel. 

Secondly, keep in mind the following four things:

1. Understand your role as a parent or teacher — you are to be a planter and waterer of the truth. (1 Corinthians 3:6) 
2. Have a long-term perspective. 
3. The hope is in the MESSAGE not the method. (Romans 10:17) 
4. Put the gospel message in its proper context: within the whole counsel of God. (2 Timothy 3:14-15)

Here is an electronic copy the 10 Essential Truths handout 

childrendesiringgod.org/documents/10_essential_truths.pdf

Last week was an awesome week

I just wanted to share a couple of things that made last week great.
Now each of these things were specific events/times on our calendar but looking back they were so much more than that.  
God really used each of these specific times to help me and my family see how God is working in our lives and in the lives of others.  
In the midst of some difficult circumstances, God has used these and many other truths and circumstances to encourage me.  
I share each of these things not to show some sort of "online utopia" in the Rodgers' house.  You know what I mean, that social media picture of perfection that many try to show online. 
I share this for the purpose of "glorifying God."  I am so very thankful that God shows us grace so many different ways - from little blessing throughout the week to the HUGE, life-changing blessing of Jesus Christ.
Our week was filled with blessings but it was not perfect.
It has been filled with struggles of all different kinds and sizes but in looking back I want to focus on God and his goodness and greatness in the midst of those challenges.

Tuesday:  Case for Christ:  Part 1

Joel, Josiah and I went to see The Case for Christ.  It was a great movie.  The boys and I had some great conversations after the movie.  I wrote about the movement at drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2017/04/case-for-christ-review.html

Wednesday:  Case for Christ:  Part 2

Krista went to see the Case for Christ with one of our neighbors.  I also was asked to share my review on the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches website, this is the assocation EBC is part of.  Here is the link where they posted my review - www.garbc.org/commentary/culture/movie-review-the-case-for-christ/

Thursday:  Kids' Bible Study

This Thursday was the last of our 4-week neighborhood Bible study with 13 kids in our neighborhood.  Krista clearly shared the Gospel with the kids.  Then we had an Easter egg hunt.  The other three weeks were at our house.  Because of weather, the last week's study and egg hunt were at the church. 







Friday:  Rogue One with the boys & Good Friday with the Family

From a facebook post on April 14:

We watched Rogue One today with a couple of boys. I told them I am very thankful that the Story of God's Glory is so much bigger and better than ANY story we can create. Showed them this video -http://www.rpmministries.org/2011/04/its-friday-but-sundays-coming/   and I told them about a book - Finding God in a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Each chapter ends with a "learn to live in awe..." section. 

For example chapter two ends with "Learn to live in awe by believing in a larger world than your eyes can see."


Here is a quote from the author "We have come from God ... [so] inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily toward the true harbor." http://www.timothypauljones.com/4522/

We had a good family devotional time at home.  We watched a couple of videos about Holy Week at www.crossway.org/blog/2014/04/the-final-days-of-jesus-sunday-march-29-ad-33/

Saturday:  Work Day

The boys and I had a great opportunity to work at the house of an Emmanuel family that needed some yard work done.

I was very thankful for the boys work and the McNeal's rewarding their hard work.






Sunday:  Resurrection Sunday
On Resurrection Sunday I had the opportunity to teach the 1st - 5th graders on Sunday morning.  Fifty-six kids heard that "God is the boss."  "People are sinners."  "Jesus is the only ONE who saves."  I used many of the things we had done in our neighborhood Bible study in order to provide a model for what families can do with their neighbors.

Over the last couple of days Facebook memory, a good friend, and Tim Challies have reminded me of a quote that I read 6 years ago.
This quote popped up on my facebook memory on Friday and then Tim Challies posted this on Saturday.
Thank you, God for great reminders.

Case for Christ - Review

"The Case for Christ" is solid apologetics shared through the heartfelt and compelling story of Lee and Leslie Strobel.  In reading this review keep in mind that I watched the movie with my 14-year-old and 11-year-old sons, thus guiding our post-film discussions toward a more youthful perspective.

VERY OBVIOUS SPOILER ALERT:  At the end of the movie Strobel’s life is changed by the truth of the Gospel and the life-changing testimony of his wife.

The movie begins with Lee receiving an award at his Chicago Tribune office.  The sign behind him summarizes the philosophy of Lee’s life and career: “If your mother says she loves you, CHECK IT OUT.”  Facts are what he pursues in his writing and to what he holds onto in his life.  His world is sent into a tailspin when his wife is saved through the testimony of a nurse.  From this point on in the movie, Lee decides to divide his time between his journalist job at the Tribune and finding proof that Christianity is nonsense so his wife will go back to being an atheist with him. After speaking with colleagues, he decides the way to destroy Christianity is to prove that Jesus didn’t literally rise from the dead.

The Case for Christ does a great job of telling Strobel’s life story while presenting apologetic evidence for the reliability of scripture, the death of Jesus and the appearance of Jesus after his resurrection.  These conversations with experts in archaeology, psychology, religion and other areas are interwoven throughout a heartfelt story of a couple’s pursuit of Jesus Christ. 

One of my favorite quotes that I believe summarizes the movie is when Lee says to his wife Leslie “It wasn’t just the evidence.  It was you.”  Strobel found the Truth about Jesus in the evidence he found.  He also witnessed his wife’s life changed radically by this same historical Jesus. 

I would not recommend you see this movie as mere entertainment.  I would highly recommend you see it with someone you want to see grow closer to the historical, life-giving, life-changing Jesus Christ.  There are many great talking points.

"What Are We Waiting For" by Matt Papa

"What Are We Waiting For" by Matt Papa 

He says Go, take the news to every nation

We say no, you know I just don't feel called

But oh the Lord of all the universe

Has called us all to go, so

What are we waiting for

A message in the sky

A miracle, a sign

From up above, is not His word enough?

What are we waiting for

He's given us a choice

He's given us a voice

And right now, if He is Lord

Then what are we waiting for

He says now give your life to serve the broken

We say how will this fit into my plans

But oh the Lord of all the universe

Has spilled His blood, His precious blood

Bridge:

If we love Him we will keep His word

keep His word

If we know Him we will tell the world

tell the world