Truth Tuesdays-This is True

This message by Paul Washer, though lengthy, is worth watching.  This has impacted me in so many ways I can’t even begin to unfold it.  I pray that God will use it to speak to you as well.

The Ten Indictments of the Modern Church:

1. A practical denial of the sufficiency of Scripture
2. An ignorance of God
3. A failure to address man’s malady
4. An ignorance of the gospel of Jesus Christ
5. An ignorance of the doctrine of regeneration
6. An unbiblical gospel invitation
7. Ignorance regarding the nature of the Church
8. A lack of loving and compassionate Church discipline
9. Psychology and sociology have replaced the Scriptures with regard to the family
10. The Emergent Church , Church growth, and cultural sensitivity

You can get the full transcript HERE:

Media Monday- Burtynsky’s Manufactured Landscapes

I recently picked up Manufactured Landscapes from our public library.  I really didn’t know what to expect.  The film looked like an artsy and interesting documentary.  So I grabbed it.   I was pleasantly surprised with what it turned out to be.

From the back of the DVD:

The film follows Internationally acclaimed photographer Edward Burtynsky whose large-scale photographs of manufactured landscapes quarries, recycling yards, factories, mines and dams create stunningly beautiful art from civilization s materials and debris. The film follows him through China, as he shoots the evidence and effects of that country s massive industrial revolution. Burtynsky s photographs allow us to meditate on our impact on the planet and witness both the epicenters of industrial endeavor and the dumping grounds of its waste.

If you know me at all, you’ll probably think it is strange that I found an essentially enviromental or activist film so compelling. Here’s the thing.  Labeling this film in this way would limit the scope of its impact.  This is a movie about humanity.  Does it have environmental or global implications?…Yes, of course.  But this film openned my eyes to a reality that is unseen by most of us.

The opening of the movie is a slow moving camera shot through a manufacturing facility.  The building seems so endless that it feels a little uncomfortable.  What was so striking to me while watching was how quiet the factory was.  There were the sounds of machinery and an occasional supervisor…but there was no blaring oldies station, no ruckus of factory workers…it was thousands of people quietly doing their work.  Throughout the film you get to see more clips of what some of these workers were doing on this assembly line. Again these are uncomfortably quiet as you see the mundane nature of their tasks.

The film goes on the explore many aspects of the industrial revolution that is in full force in China.  The scenes are breathtaking.  The scenes are disturbing.  Some of the most poignant are the shots of whole cities being torn down brick by brick by their own inhabitants in order to make way for a dam and reservoir that will engulf the region in water.  The dam (Three Gorges Dam) is the largest civil engineering project in the world.  All of the destruction and relocation of millions is to serve the advancement of the society and its need for electric power.

In short, what you will see in this film makes you think.

What is the impact that sin is having on the world?  Where can we see society at odds with its creator?  Watching the scenes and hearing some of the stories in Manufactured Landscapes reveals that what is subtle in our western culture (the need to dominate and advance) is not so subtle when it drives the Billions of people and their government in China.  What we see exposed, exposes us.  This should challenge us to live in reality…not simply to let the clouds around us become reality.

We could easily view this film and respond with a distant, “Wow…That’s really bad.”  This was my initial response.  Since viewing the film, I have been wrestling with what my response moving forward should be.  What impact will this new information, this new perspective, have on life as we know it?

Any suggestions?

I would recommend finding this at your local library and viewing it as a family.  It could be a great springboard into some challenging and important discussions.

Here is a trailer that I found on YouTube:

Our Loss, Heaven’s Gain

Monday, February 9, 2009 I attended the memorial service for a friend, my Pastor of old Dan Cummings. In my previous article I talked about friendships, deep, meaningful friendships that are more about pursuing Christ together & struggling together rather than anything else. Dan Cummings was this type of friend, mentor, shepherd. Dan ran the good race. He may have grown weary toward the end, but he always ran hard. Dan was in fact a marathon runner. Not only did he run them, but he ran them well! His pace was incredible for someone who did not find a passion for running until later in life. While he ran he dreamed of chasing Kenyans on Boston’s world renown course. Let’s just say his pace was much closer to those Kenyans than mine is or ever will be!

As the bagpipes played in his honor I couldn’t help but think that it really was a saint we were laying to rest. I felt that a service full of richness & glorifying commentaries would be appropriate for this man who lived his life to the glory of God. But instead of it being about Dan, to his request I’m sure, it was about his Savior Jesus Christ. The name of Jesus was proclaimed again & again & again. It reminded me of times when Dan would sit on the steps of the stage at Grace Community between 22 & 12 years ago as he would plead with us, tears rolling down his face, to not miss Jesus, to not miss the Savior dwelling among us “right here on these steps…”

Dan was diagnosed with cancer 10 months ago. Recently he asked a dear friend & mentor to help him “die well”. When this friend & mentor spoke at Dan’s funeral he spoke of the life & love Dan had for preaching the full Gospel. Yes, the FULL Gospel. Not just what Jesus said in Matthew, Mark, Luke & John nor in just the teachings of Paul or the rest of the New Testament. But the whole narrative from Genesis to Revelation. Dan loved so much the full Word of God. He lived & breathed it.

When Dan’s casket passed by us in the back of the auditorium I had the sense that greatness had left us. He had. I believe I now understand a little clearer what it is to be a shepherd, a pastor, a father, a husband, a friend and last but not least, a child of God. Dan not only lived, but he lived well. He is now a part of that “great cloud of witnesses” that have gone before us. When the bagpiper played Amazing Grace I wept. When we sang Holy Holy Holy, I trembled in His presence. But I have never thought & imagined so clearly the joy of the one leaving us as he faces his eternal companion, his Savior Jesus Christ, finally. After many years of pointing others to Him he is now there. What a reward! What a complete joy to be in the presence of the Master!

Dan was a great man of God & will always be remembered for many things by many people. But my wife Kristi & I will forever remember him for telling us on our wedding day to “Remember Christ! Remember Christ! Remember Christ! When you raise your children, when you live, laugh & cry together and when people enter your home and watch how you live, it is Jesus they will see. Remember Christ. Remember Christ. Remember Christ.”

Dan, thank you for your faithful service, friendship, leadership & unwavering fight for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You will be missed greatly. Soli Deo Gloria!

Future Memory

At our student ministry New Year’s bash, we discussed what we all hope the year ahead will look like for us.  We did this through a future memory exercise.  We had in front of us a page from a scrapbook.  But, instead of a picture in the frame,  it was blank.  We were then asked to write in the frame what we hope will be the best memory of the year ahead…what we want this next year to be remembered for.  I know it was a little confusing at the start…but it caught on and we got some good things down on paper.

Here is a sampling of what people wrote:

I want 2009 to be the year that I do a lot of growing up and getting closer to the Lord as I move on in my life.

I want to be a nicer person and my family to get along.

Stronger in everything…School…Character…God…Family…Relationships

Peace on earth- in the financial crisis, unemployment to end. 

Discipline in faith, body and work.

Spending time with family.

Everybody being friends.

I want to read the Bible more and grow in faith in Jesus.

Love for Jesus.

Forgiveness, Hope, Praise, Love, Sharing

Bible study, daily prayer and exercise.

Deep faith.

Closer to Christ.

There were many more cards, but I make note of these for one reason.  All of them are possible through the reality of the finished work of and a relationship with…Jesus.  Friendship, growth, peace….all good things to hope for…but all things that are impossible in their truest sense apart from Christ.

I find the results of this brief exercise to be very encouraging.  We need to know that there are many students, parents, leaders, etc. that desire the next year to be remembered for one thing….That Jesus was the goal, the focus, and the means to accomplish everything we hope for.  Know that you have people to journey with you in the year ahead.  Let’s pursue Christ together.