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To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing,
be nothing.
Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)
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Chaplain Vincent, Florida 4/4/06
re: Rough Cut: Fishers
of men reconsider (Mark1:17)
Thanks for sending the link to your latest
Rough Cut. I’ve got to be honest (strange
how we use that expression when we’re about
to express a potentially controversial
opinion, as if this is the only time we’re
being honest!) Sorry for the digression…But
I am struggling a bit with this Rough Cut. I
need to read through your argument again and
do some studying myself. I guess my struggle
is attempting to “pry” my mind away from the
years of teaching, especially in a few
Southern Baptist churches, that always
couched this passage in the traditional
evangelistic, call to share you faith,
interpretation. It’s a struggle, but as a
recovering Southern Baptist I promise to
work through my 12 steps!! God bless you
Chip, Vinny
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Scott P
12/13/05
re: Margin
We never know the path God uses to get
us to the stable
It is
interesting that you say we sometimes find
something we are not looking for because that is
exactly how I found your website. I found your
website from a link on the Action International
website. I went to the Action International
website because I have been having a dialogue
with David Linden, who just happens to work for
Action International. I found David from my
Briercrest professor Charles Grebe. Charles and
I have been discussing some OT issues and it was
Charles who told me to read some of David’s
stuff and email him. Talk about a meandering
path. That said, I have enjoyed your articles
and plan to check back often.
Blessings,
Scott
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I have a dear friend who is a volunteer chaplain
here at CFRC. His name is Al and he spends one
day a month just a “yard from hell” when he
walks around death row in a north Florida
prison. He brings hope to those that so many
have long forgotten. Its not that their lives
are any more valuable than ours, they just have
few that are willing to venture so far away from
the light and the sound of church bells. God
bless Al and those men. |
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June
8/2/05
re:
The ‘Purpose’ or ‘Gospel’ driven life?
Agree with you. But I must say the book has been
a catalyst to get students to TALKING and
THINKING. and even if the scriptures are used as
you say, just to have students start to be
exposed and consider their relationship with God
is a good thing. Our babies and unchurched in
Christ on campus - granted the book may be
pabulum of sorts, but it is a start to launch
into deeper study and understanding.
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Scott D 6/23/05
I agree. Boxes of the t.v.
and computer for adults are just the same
for us as the video games and relationships
are for the younger generation. That may be
their comfort zone and all that they
identify with. As Jesus urges us to think
outside the conventional box, it serves as a
challenge for us to live our lives with His
perspective. Not easy to do.
Scott.
www.scottrdavis.blogspot.com
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John, Milford, CT
6/22/05 re:
Margin:
Where are the rescue missions a yard
from hell?
Where are
the rescue missions a yard from hell? There are
few here in this country because our nation is
religious that it is not right with God, but
there are a few. There are not many
who understand the great darkness that exists
here in the good old U. S. of A.
There is
practically no spot here in Connecticut where
you are not in earshot of a church bell. Yet, we
live in one of the spiritually darkest spots on
this Earth. Hundreds of new missionaries are
coming TO America from abroad each year to
preach the Gospel in our darkened world. THEY
realize our darkness but our dead churches do
not. Satan is rolling in laughter at the Church
in America. If it cost us Americans as much to
cherish the name of Jesus as it does in some
spots on this planet, there would be so few that
practically ten out of ten existing church
buildings would be vacant tomorrow and many
would be worshipping in house churches in
hiding. Nominal Christianity is
non-Christianity! I have dedicated my life to
Christ and work as a soul saving station
preaching and teaching the Gospel wherever they
will hear. I have helped many gain use of our
medical and legal system who before hand due to
ignorance or fear would not or could not. All
while preaching Christ. Altho! ugh millions here
are uninsured, medical care is available at
little or no cost through State mandates and the
Husky program. I know it’s not a lot but it is
better than nothing. “Nothing” here in
Connecticut is better than more than half of the
Third World’s best on a daily basis.
The
primary reason the medical and school missions
are found and established overseas is the fact
of land costs, building costs, insurance costs,
transportation costs, red tape and governmental
regulations, doctors expenses, nursing expenses
and the list goes on and on and on. It is no
wonder that with the same dollar used here in
the States you can do ten to fifteen times as
much with it in many spots overseas.
Healthcare
is big business here, there is no room for
charity with big hospitals and corporations.
They sometimes refuse to make known the fact
that they must deal with the poor in a generous
manner. There is no child here in Connecticut
that can be legally refused medical care. If you
yell loud enough, they will take you. It ought
not to be that way but it is such here in
America. It is a nasty thing to say but we are
the most selfish on earth among many similar
nations. We may be seen as among the most
generous of nations but what we give pales in
comparison to corporate and personal wealth. I
have personally gotten many doctors and nurses
over the years to offer their time in service to
the poor and indigent and even some to go
overseas to help.
As
Christians, although we are to do good works,
our primary focus is spreading the Gospel. Using
medical clinics and education as drawing cards
for missionaries is wonderful, but I’ll bet you
that the AmeriCares stations are non-sectarian
and do not preach the Gospel or ever share the
name of Christ. It is one thing to heal a body.
It is quite another to see a soul set free from
the bondage of sin in reconciliation with God
our Father AND be physically healed as well.
With one all you get is a body made well. With
the other you have a body healed and a soul
saved for eternity. John Payne, Homeward
Bound Ministries, Milford, CT |
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Scott
D 2/24/05
re: Margin:
Thinking about a return to church
ministry
Chip: That is great. Glad that you are
considering a return to your roots. Your
theology is what I call conservative liberation
theology where you are willing to look at all
sides of an issue and to reflect what God has to
say in everyday life. We need more pastors like
you who are willing to put feet on your faith.
Many churches are probably dying to have someone
with your compassion and theological and
philosophical mix of knowledge!!! You
definitely urge christians to have a living and
not a dead faith!!!! Scott.
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Scott D
2/23/05
That is true. I agree with
that. When God created Adam and Eve, He
declared what He created was very good. God
somehow saw the potential in man; yet, He knew
according to His future plan for Christ for
redeeming mankind, that mankind would make a few
mistakes. But as the author of Romans states in
Rom 8:28, that everything works together for
good for those who love God. Those servants
listed in your posting show that they served
God-some more heartily than others. Scott
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Eric 2/14/05
A lot
of powerful thinking in all these books you
have written about. It is interesting to
hear your heart and mind and see how God has
led us on parallel tracks of "evangelical
consciousness" even though we have been
"worlds apart." As you might recall, I came
to "new birth" in a very strong middle class
evangelical Christian culture. In many ways
I was drawn to the people because it was the
doctors, lawyers and "successful" people who
associated with me. Was it the luring of
Christ, or my middleclass success "wanna be"
pull that kept me coming to church? Perhaps
eternity will tell. I think that it was a
bit of both. But, whatever the
means/rationale in my own mind/motives, God
kept revealing Himself to me until I could
sort things out. And yes, I am still
sorting.
It is
interesting to hear about your journey. To
this day I remember giving my report to a
class at SPBC [Crown College] on Walter
Rauschenbush (spelling?). I wrote the
phrase "hermeneutical gymnastics" on the
chalk board as I then began to talk down the
social gospel movement. Though I don't know
enough, or recall enough, to say how far off
W.R. was, I have come to realize that the
Gospel is to be preached by both word and
deed! I sort of stumbled into the Covenant
[Church], but I feel right at home in that
they do emphasize both of these mandates. I
am still trying to figure out if they keep
the balance I like. But, all the leadership
and missionaries I have met have the
proclamation of the Gospel and new birth in
Christ at the forefront of all their work.
Living in the small town where you have to
unpack years of pain, I have found that love
by more than words is important. I
underlined Patrick Morley's quote on Lech
Walesa who once stated, "There is a
declining world market for words." I think
that people will accept our words only when
they see it through a compassionate heart.
Blessings, Eric
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Scott D
1/22/05
re: Margin:
Emergency food and
shelter
Chip, you hit the nail on the
head. It would be good if our local churches
would be more vulnerable in meeting outside
needs of emergency. Discernment can be a
problem in determining who has the real need.
www.scottrdavis.blogspot.com
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Dave
12/13/04
re:
Margin:
The Kingdom of God isn't a trendy cliché
I appreciated your insights.
[A]ctually, "this ain't your mama's church"
has been explained numerous times in our
church as meaning we are not to simply
embrace our parent's faith ("inherited
faith") but come to a place where we own our
faith ourselves ("owned faith"). If one has
been to our church and explored this
statement they would clearly know that we
LOVE mamas. We have over 400 elementary or
younger with mothers in our church. I'm a
parent of four. There is no one i respect
more than moms. The most used illustrations
in our ministry is of my mother. It's only a
hyperbolic statement, bro. love,
dave
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Scott
D
12/3/04
re: Margin:
Steeper waves than expected
Chip: the wave metaphor is a
very good way of putting ones accomplishments in
life into focus. Waves of momentum carry us
forward in tough times even if one can not see
what is on the other side. It is important to
be riding those waves to be part of His great
adventure for our lives. Thanks for picking up
on that quote and expanding on it. well done.
Scott
www.scottrdavis.blogspot.com
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Thanks
for quoting me. It's important for people to
enjoy the stories I write, but it's nice
when the philosophy of the characters comes
through. And it's nice to be with all those
big deals on the Listen and See page, too.
How
did I find your website? Well... as the
paperback publication of Harvard Yard
approaches, I go googling around to see who
is saying what, and there you are. So keep
writing.. and reading.
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Bruce,
Austin, TX 10/28/04
re: Rough Cut: Colossians
3:16: The gospel-driven
church
Thanks for the note...I
especially liked your comment...
"I
was reading the evangelicaloutpost.com website
when I was drawn to a comment about Rick
Warren’s books,
The
Purpose-Drive Church and The
Purpose-Drive Life. One blogger, Arthor Sido,
asked, “Whatever happened to the gospel-driven
church?” That hit home, so to speak. I had
already begun this Rough Cut on Colossians 3:16
and thought:
“Now, that’s exactly what Paul is driving at—the
gospel-driven church, with all its implications,
counter-cultural living, Christ-centered,
cross-centered, self-less lifestyles.”
I have to
agree...it seems we've gotten a bit off track.
It reminds me of
the commercial flight carrying 246
passengers and 23 crew that left New York, NY,
and after re-fueling in Anchorage, Alaska took
off bound for the final leg of the journey to
Seoul, Korea...only one problem...the
Navigator/Navigation instrumentation was off by
just a "degree" or so.
Result: Wrong flight
path.
Where?
Over Russian airspace.
Conclusion? On September
1, 1983 the commercial liner was shot down by
Russian aircraft and all 269 souls aboard lost
their life. Surprisingly, the pilot apparently
did not notice that the flight was off course
and was in fact violating Soviet airspace! How
many churches (and "pilots"
of those churches) need to closely check their "compasses"
to be certain that they are not deviating from
the "sound doctrine" found
only in God's "Word of Truth"!?
No judgment implied. Just a serious, somber and
sobering question. Only a fool or someone
deceived would not take time to check and make
sure their "plotted out flight path" into
eternity was accurate beyond a shadow of a
doubt! How I long for a Spirit driven, Word
centered, God glorifying Revival that would
return the sheep to a deep longing for the pure
milk of God's Word that they might truly
grow
in
respect to salvation
and not just
grow
old
sitting on pews!
Keep up the good work redeeming
the time, challenging the "winds of doctrine"
that will surely continue to blow as the time of
His return draws daily closer. May God's Spirit
richly bless your studies and your writings to
equip the saints for the work of service for the
building up of the body until we all attain to
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure
of the stature which belongs to the fulness of
Christ so that His church would no longer be
filled with children, tossed here and there by
waves, and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness
in deceitful scheming, but instead filled with
men and wormen who are growing up in all aspects
into Him, Who is the head, even Christ, all for
the glory of the Father. Amen.
Praising God for men who rightly
divide the Word of Truth, (may their tribe
increase).
Bruce, MD, Austin, Texas
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Bruce 10/27/04
re:
CommonPlace:
I prefer the 'um?' over the 'amen!'
"It is that one thing that strikes me: the
act of thinking doesn’t play well on TV, and
as a result the act of thinking doesn’t play
well elsewhere. "
Actually, I would disagree with you here.
The act of thinking is key to good
performance, as is the clear absence of
thinking, or reaction, that helps an
audience understand the subtext. It is the
weak director, or producer, or network
executive, that cuts the absence of dialog.
This is more true in feature films than in
TV.
A well
written screenplay, as told by Robert McKee,
is not in dialog as much as it is in action,
and inaction. We know a thing by what a
person does, not what a person says.
Imagine a scene with three men, alone in an
old and barren warehouse. In the center,
two of them are seated in simple wood
chairs, back-to-back, handcuffed to each
other. The third has a gun to the forehead
of one of the men. The gunman tells them to
renounce their faith, or they both die.
At
this point, many things could happen on the
screen:
- A
montage of steely-eyed close-ups;
- Both
pray, closed eyes;
- The
one facing the gunman prays, eyes locked on
the gunman;
- The
one facing the gunman begs;
- The
one facing away from the gunman begs;
- The
one facing away from the gunman begs, while
the other two contain their laughter at the
practical joke.
They
all give an indication of what they are
actually thinking, even though it *may* not
be silence.
Then
of course, there is thinking out loud,
perhaps in a Socratic way. I got to see
this in action when two technology analysts
had to consider the impact of a
communications company announcing a
technology merger. They analyzed the impact
by alternately postulating next events. The
two of them, pacing back and forth, face
down, in a continuous stream of words,
thrust and parried back and forth until they
arrived at a viable conclusion. It was
quite exciting to see. (They were to go on
stage a little later that morning, and had
received the news with their morning
coffee).
It is
true that it is not cinematic to show
someone *meditating* for any length of time,
because this does not show us thought, it
shows us character. It is the nature of
this person to meditate, therefore he/she
must be a thoughtful, perhaps wise person.
Or he/she is actually asleep. Sometimes it
is hard to tell.
In
summary, it is an easy thing to fall into
the well known action-reaction,
beat-for-beat, clipped dialog of modern
sitcom writing, but who said sitcoms are a
model for emulation? I would forward the
notion that it is "chicken and egg" to say
that sitcoms and that ilk are responsible
for poor cognitive skills. Yours, Bruce
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Rhonda
9/30/04
re:
Margin:
My own
bent toward American cheap grace
Chip,
I share many of your sentiments. I find
myself so frequently saddened and
disappointed with the state of things in
America. Our priorities as a nation are
so off...I agree that it won't be
legislation but a life (lives really)
that are upright and grounded in the
truths of Christ that will make the
difference in the future of our country.
It really IS about the foot soldiers
having an impact upon those whom they
encounter. Later, Rhonda
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Ken 9/28/04
re:
Is it
wrong for the government to do what is
right?
"I
am wondering: These words, this war on
poverty—is it wrong of the government to
do the right thing and harness its
capacity and the country’s will to help
and assist the less fortunate, to fund
the means to ameliorate the causes of
poverty? It is wrong for our own
secular system to be doing the right
thing when our churches refuse to do the
right thing and refuse to harness their
own resources and leverage their own
capacity to fight against poverty?"
It is
never wrong to do the right thing. The
problem here is - what is the right thing
for the government to do with regard to
poverty? The Nanny State's Entitlement
System made the problem worse and entrenched
it deeper. The government did the wrong
thing (or a series of wrong things) albeit
out of good intentions. I would note that
the church model of helping the poor would
not have left them to wallow in their
dysfunctional state while providing greater
incentives to even more dysfunctional
behavior (such as not marrying the father of
the children and increasing payments for
additional out-of-wedlock births). Regards,
K
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Verona 9/27/04
re:
The
Las Vegasization of public discourse
As long as the preaching is based
on the Word of God and it leads people to
Christ, does it matter what method we use?
Christian concerts could be considered
"entertainment" on the surface, but looking
beyond the surface, one finds that the words
reflect God's love and the music reflects the
worship we should give Him. Philippians 1:18
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Bob 9/11/04
re: ogre Habit
Seems
to me there are a lot of groups available to
save the "babies", but too few that can stop
the "ogre". I see it as taking the easier
way out. We are willing (and should if
confronted with this example) save the
"babies", but how do we stop the "ogre", ah
that's more difficult and requires thought
as well as reaction. I guess we're better at
just reaction.
Thanks
Chip, (you too Amanda), Bob
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Bob 7/23/04
re:
7/22/04 Margin
Chip,
I admit I haven't taken the time to read
much of what you sent in your articles in
the past, but I took the time this morning
to read "This weighs on my mind" and found
it expressing some of the same feelings I
have. Why is this? (rhetorical). Are we so
caught up in every American privilege that
God takes a back seat? I'll be praying for
not only better understanding but for
greater compassion to help those God puts in
my way. Thanks.
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Renee 7/15/04
Re: In the Margins
Hi
Chip-I love what you have to say about
getting at the root causes of poverty. It
is very distressing to me that so many
people in the conservative crowd honestly
seem to have little care for the condition
of so many people in the world who live in
poverty--many in our own country. An
African American woman I know who lives in
the inner city and who is Christian once
asked why Americans send many missionaries
and others around the world to proclaim
freedom, when to be a person of color in
this country often means to be a captive. I
think all too often, captives of poverty. A
couple years ago I was in a group of
conservative Christian home schoolers that
were hiring a woman to teach their kids some
classes. I suggested that we start a fund
to help a family be involved that could not
pay for the teacher. There was dead
silence in the room, and finally one woman
piped up, "But wouldn't that be welfare?"
she said. When they voted on the idea, I
was the only one to voted for the fund.
This kind of thinking to me is not thinking
at all. And that is sad. I'm going to post
your essay on my blog. Thanks, Renee
www.shiphras.tripod.com/shiphras
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Rong
7/12/04
www.2bluenewts.com/requiest
Re:
Rough Cuts
Hey Chip,
This is
Rong from the Requiest. I just wanted
to stop by and say thanks for dropping
in at my site (not sure how you found
it). I sincerely appreciate your
writings in Rough Cuts. I'm not a
theologian and probably never will be,
but I love the way that you spelled
things out in "the triumphal
procession". You made it very easy for
this layman to understand and appreciate
the nuances to better understanding the
Word. I'll certainly be stopping in
frequently to gather more pearls of
wisdom. Are you currently a pastor
at any church or are you teaching?
Regards, Rong
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Ken
7/5/04
menzel@avenew.com
Re: Habits: Ogre Story: "When
I feed the poor, they call me a saint. When
I ask why the poor are poor, they
call me a communist."
Perhaps it has a lot to do
with what is said along with asking why they
are poor (or the phrasing of the question).
The communists exploited the existence of
the poor in an attempt to impose an
alternative political system that would have
be no less exploitive of the poor. In South
America, the clergy was complicit in the
communist movement. Solving the
problem, getting rid of the ogre in your
parable - does no good if one simply
substitutes a different ogre.
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Roy 6/7/04
I
enjoyed "Rough Cuts” Exegesis is a pleasure for
me. I really enjoy it. Finding words meaning
and what was going on at the time is exciting
for me. Being allowed by God in impart that to
others is fun, fun, and wonderful. With the
original meaning of words and knowing what was
happening to cause the particular writing allows
us to make a accurate statement for today. It
allows us to apply it to our lives and be on the
mark. I agreed with everything until the last
part. I really believe that ever if it was
written to the “Elders” we can apply the
principle to the regular Christians. I’m looking
forward to reading the rest of your site. Just
so you’ll know whom you are talking to I’m a
United Methodist Pastor in East Tennessee. I
pastor two churches, one in Chuckey and the
other in Afton.
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Janette
5/20/04
OK, Chip, I checked out the
webpage and sent it along to my Pastor and
brothers. I liked it. Thought provoking and
challenging - as I sit here in my suburban home,
where prices have skyrocketed on housing and
people really don't have a clue about the
suffering and pain that surrounds us, and would
much rather hide in a myriad of activities than
reach out. (a generalization, of course). I'll
stay tuned! God bless
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Len
Evans, Fairfield, CT 4/28/04
re:
I have
been called a curmudgeon
Curmudgeon is a great word and
thanks for sharing your words with us.
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Lamont,
Bridgeport,
CT 3/10/04
Nice! I had no
idea you were being published. I'll be sure to
check your
book out. Your website is awsome, a lot of great
ideas put to good use. The Passion is a
MUST SEE. The comments by Scott Davis in the "On
the Table" section hit it right on the nose.
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Scott R. Davis,
Bridgeport, CT 3/8/04
To Words'nTone:
The movie, The Passion of the Christ, is an epic
that clearly portrays how much love God has for
mankind in bringing Jesus into our world to live
among us and to willingly die, so that we can
have eternal life. The movie portrayed His great
love for us in how Christ willingly went to the
cross on Good Friday and how He endured it, as
the author of Hebrews 12:2 states that Jesus,
for joy set before Him, endured the cross,
scorning its shame and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God.
The movie helps the viewer to understand the
depth of His love and how much Jesus had to
suffer, not only physically but, emotionally as
well, with the crowds of people and leaders
against him. But, it also shows the power of
emotional experiences in the past, like, His
being helped up by his mother after he fell as a
child; back to the days that He worked as a
carpenter before He began His ministry; and back
to the days that He preached among the villages
of that He was the lamb of God. The film
portrays his mother, Mary, in a compassionate
role, which she is marked by His suffering,
being willing to apply some of his blood to her
life, and how emotionally hard it is to see her
son suffer and die.
Endurance is a message from His cross, as it
displayed the power that God bestowed upon
Christ to enable Him to bear up under its pain.
He was able to live through it even though it
was a very tough battle to endure. He scorned
the shame when He suffers the physical beatings
and tortures. He did not come to His defense,
but kept the focus on His purpose and His
mission to fulfill the story of redemption. The
good news at the end is that He sat at the right
hand of God and is there for us every day when
we need it.
Many critics point fingers as to who is
responsible for the crucifixion, but the main
point is that He has a tremendous love for
mankind. It was foretold in prophecy. Isaiah 53
illustrates His sufferings and the peace that
blooms out of them. We each had a role to play
in the story. It is painful to look back and see
how history had a role in the crucifixion.
In the crucifixion scene, the thief on the cross
next to Jesus recognized how much he deserved
the punishment that Christ received. Christ said
to Him, this day you will join me in paradise.
This gives hope to mankind, because when our
focus is on God, we will be able to understand
the depths of His character and compassion.
There is no greater reward than that.
Mel Gibson, in his directing stayed true to the
word of scripture. Gibson brought the viewer
back to the teachings of Jesus, of the
importance of loving our enemies and the
importance of community through the institution
of the Lord's supper.
One overarching theme I hope people will get out
of the film is that we must love one another and
let it be the template of our very lives. Not an
easy thing to do in life, but in light of what
He did for us, it is what we can offer Him.
May my words bless the reader. May they be part
of a dialogue that will help us all understand
the faith of our neighbors and build bridges
into each other’s lives. Not an easy task to do,
but an important one.
Put a further comment On
the Table |
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Chip
Anderson, Bridgeport, CT 2/28/04
It is
my hope that readers and browsers of this site
will make comments, not only on the contents of
Words'nTone, but on anything and everything.
This is your chance to raise Christian discourse
above our fading culture...comment away!
Put a further comment On
the Table |
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Chip Anderson,
Bridgeport, CT 2/28/04
Phil Callaway, Action International,
and TREN, all have played a significant role in
helping me form my Christian mind. I
commend to you each link on the left...click
away!
Put a further comment On
the Table |
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In the Margins |
A weblog with editorial comments on
everything from books to preaching to
church-life to politics to everyday
life. As a colleague of mine says,
"Chip's stream of consciousness." (not
quite set up as a weblog...but it is
coming...thx for your patience....) |
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On the Table |
Your comments on all things pertaining
to the Words'nTone site. |
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Rough Cuts |
Brief exegetical and expository essays
on biblical texts. Usually on
texts often mis-used within a preaching
context, or poorly interpretated, and,
as well, texts used as clichés
and unfortunately as misappropriated
"proof texts." |
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Reviews |
Book reviews...that's pretty simple. |
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Weighty & Lite Moments |
Moments in the life of
preaching...simply put, reader stories
of good and poor (i.e., weighty and lite)
sermon illustrations and other moments
that occur during preaching. This
page is at the expense of preachers and
how they handle the Word of God and the
weighty moment given to them each Sunday
morning. |
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Faith & Community |
Essays and
articles on how the Christian faith
interacts with the community around us.
A subpage is dedicated to those serving
our more vulnerable neighbors through
Community Action. |
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Top |
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Raising
Christian discourse above our fading culture -
Restoring the weightiness of preaching
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"My conscience
is captive
to the Word of
God."
~ Martin Luther ~ |
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007 |
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“Listen” &
See |
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“Piously, or
politically, we cripple ourselves
with the need to bring about God’s
righteousness on earth, failing to
hear what Jesus so vividly declares:
that we need not shoulder that
burden because the goal itself does
not need to be accomplished. The
goal is a fact, God’s fact, the fact
of grace and promise. No gap
divides what God says from what God
does; and the stories of the coming
kingdom do not offer dreams and
possibilities of what the Lord might
or could do, but speak indicatively,
and in the present tense of what is
happening, and of what the future is
becoming. The kingdom need not—and
cannot not—be worked for; it may
only be accepted and awaited. On
the other hand this waiting for
God’s indicatives cannot be
dispassionate or passive…the gospel
enslaves us again with its
imperatives, demanding everything of
us by way of repentance and
discipleship” ~ Alan Lewis,
Between Cross and Resurrection: The
Theology of Holy Saturday
“There is no shred of
evidence in Paul’s letters to
suggest that he judged the churches
by the measure of their success in
rapid numerical growth…this is
nowhere appears as either an anxiety
or an enthusiasm about the numerical
growth of the church” ~L. Newbigin,
The Open
Secret: An Introduction to the
Theology of Mission
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