Another Caption Contest....

I saw this today - is this a sign of the Apocalypse or what?? I'd love to hear your suggested captions, and here are the catagories:

1. Current American Culture

2. Christmas Commercialization

3. Economic Theory and Practice in Middle-America

4. Today's Evangelicals' Interest in Biblical Truth (that only makes sense if people are leaving the building)

The winning caption get's the NPB4S Guest Blogger Award!

God's Plan for Suffering?

Listen to the testimony of this man and his experience with suffering. His name is John Farese, from Coconut Creek, Florida. John, who is my age, is one of the oldest persons living after having been diagnosed from birth with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. He is bedridden and uses speech recognition software to operate his computer system, which enables him to do everything from reading the Bible to creating Web pages for his customers on the Internet.

From his website, he says this:

"He has turned for me my mourning into laughter, and my desolation into joy, and made my heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. He drew me when I struggled to escape from his grace; and when at last I came all trembling like a condemned culprit to his mercy seat he said, ‘Thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee: be of good cheer.’ I bear witness that never servant had such a master as I have; never brother such a kinsman as he has been to me; never spouse such a husband as Christ has been to my soul; never sinner a better Saviour; never mourner a better comforter than Christ has been to my spirit. I want none beside him. In life he is my life, and in death he shall be the death of death; in poverty Christ is my riches; in sickness he makes my bed; in darkness he is my star, and in brightness he is my sun. Jesus is to me all grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of truth and grace he is full, infinitely full."

John's testimony is a powerful commentary to the truth Jesus told in John 9 when asked the reason why a man suffered with blindness, when he answered:

"It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9:3)

God IS good... ALL the time. Even when we suffer. Comments?

How Do We Present the Gospel?

Here's a question: What is the Gospel? What do we as evangelicals say when presenting the Good News about Jesus? What do you think is important for people to hear?

Or maybe more precisely, what ISN'T said?

Do yourself a favor and watch this brief video... and tell me what you think about the ideas presented here. I'm not pointing at any one church, but I believe that there is no denying that the ideas in this video do NOT represent the thinking of most evangelistic messages in Evangelicalism these days. I'm wondering... Why not?

Let's discuss. Comments are open.

Here's One For The Books!

Here's my mentor experiencing spiritual growth at a recent musical event in Virginia Beach!

Ok, my questions:

1. Just when did "raised hands" become the universal Evangelical symbol for worship?

2. Just when did "christian music" become synonymous with "worship"?

Comments are open... insight is sought. Don't let me down, Anonymous commentors!