Redskins 35, Cowboys 7

Energized by a raucous FedExField crowd, the Redskins dominated the Dallas Cowboys in every facet of Sunday's game, winning 35-7 and enhancing their playoff hopes in the process.

Keep the Black's in your Prayers

Dave and BeckyLynn Black are leaving for their trip to Ethiopia this afternoon. Be sure to keep them in your prayers as the make another missionary trip. They have posted an Itinerary and Prayer Guide for the trip on their site, you can click here to print of the page as a reminder to lift them up in your prayers daily as they allow God to use them as His servants in Ethiopia over the next month.

My Evening at the JBS National Council Dinner

I was able to attend the National Council Dinner of The John Birch Society in Orlando, Florida on October 29, 2005. The two main speakers at the dinner were Congressman Ron Paul of TX and author, Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ph.D. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx also spoke at the dinner, I had and opportunity to speak with her after the even and trade contact information. Here are the links to the two make speakers audio from the event:

A Report From Congress
A speech by Hon. Ron Paul, M.D. on October 29, 2005 at the National Council Dinner of The John Birch Society, Orlando, Florida. An inspiring behind-the-scenes report on Congress touching on the Patriot Act, the Iraq war, sovereignty-destroying trade pacts, the United Nations, the coming collapse of various financial Â?bubbles,Â? the need for Â?sound money,Â? and how Congress is the key for preserving our God-given liberties.

Correcting the Politically Correct
A speech by Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ph.D. on October 29, 2005 at the National Council Dinner of The John Birch Society, Orlando, Florida. A humorous, inspiring behind-the-scenes report on Dr. WoodsÂ? interesting personal experiences as a newly-acclaimed, best-selling author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History.

Redskins: 3-0!

After defeating the Cowboys, 14-13, in a week 2 Monday night thriller (the victory was Washington's first in Dallas since 1995), the Redskins have moved to 3-0 in week 4, defeating the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. This is the first time since 1991, that the Redskins have been 3-0, the last time they went all the way to the Super Bowl and won the championship finishing 14-2 that year.

Redskins 14, Cowboys 13

Week 2:
Redskins 14, Cowboys 13

www.unleashingthechurch.com

My Evening with Chuck Baldwin

I took off work yesterday at noon and went down to West Palm Beach with Ed Umpervitch to meet with Jack and Lois McLain and many other Constitution Party members to spend the evening with 2004 Constitution Party VP candidate, Chuck Baldwin. Ed and I enjoyed supper with Jack and Lois before heading over to the hotel to get everything set up for the meeting. The event started with Jack introducing Greg Dixon who opened in prayer before some young members of the Constitution Party provided some patriotic music before Dr. Baldwin was introduced to address the crowd.

Dr. Baldwin's message was excellent and received a standing ovation! After the meeting Ed and I joined Jack & Lois, along with Chuck Baldwin and his wife and another couple from the McLain's church for desert at The Cheesecake Factory. Arriving back home at 3AM, it was a very long trip, but was well worth it! I really enjoyed the fellowship I was able to share with the McLain's, the Baldwin's and everyone else that I met in West Palm Beach.

I will be posting some more pictures and video from the event on the Constitution Party of Florida web site: www.cpflorida.com

Reality Church?

Here is a great post over on Dan Kimball's blog:

http://www.dankimball.com/vintage_faith/2005/08/reality_church.html

I guess if I have to pick one, then I am in Stage 6. My beliefs, theology and convictions have been challenged and shaken up in the last year since I stepped down as the youth pastor of the small church I had been attending for five years. God has been teaching me about the NT principle of "Simple Church" during this past year. Thank you Dan for this great thought provoking post!

Are We Going to Church Today?

As most of us are aware, the church is also not a building. The word translated "church" in the NT (ekklesia) refers to a group of people: an official body, an informal gathering, or a community. "Community" best captures the biblical idea of the NT people of God. Yet we still say, "I am going to church." The church is God’s people. The church gathers and worships.

In Acts the church feared (5:11), was persecuted (8:1, 3; 12:1), enjoyed peace, went in the fear of the Lord, was comforted by the Spirit, increased (9:31; 16:5), heard news (11:22; 14:27), met with teachers (11:26; 14:28), prayed (12:5), included prophets, teachers, and elders (13:1; 14:23; 20:17), gathered (14:27), sent and received men (15:3, 4), made evaluations (15:22), was strengthened (15:41; 16:5), was greeted (18:22), and was to be shepherded by the elders (20:28).

Buildings and events cannot do these things....

Welcome Back Dave Black!

Dave Black and his wife are back from their trip to Ethiopia, and his writer's juices are flowing! Be sure to visit his Web site and blog and catch up on all of the news he has from his trip.

http://www.daveblackonline.com/blog.htm

Have you found a church yet?

I get asked this question by family and friends on a weekly basis. Many don't understand how someone like me who was "raised in the church" and was a youth pastor for over four years can be happy and still growing in my relationship with Christ, not being on the membership roll of a local congregation.

It's been almost a year since I have been to a "regular church service". I have not given up on Christianity, I have not given up on the Church, the Lord has simply lead me to a new way (really and old way) of looking at His Church. I still fellowship with other believers, I still study my Bible and worship daily, I even still observe the Lord's Supper with my family, I just do all of this outside of the walls of the institutional church.

I can understand the shock and concern of those around me, I would have been shocked and concerned with someone like me, years ago, before the Lord started working in my heart on this issue. I thought I would post this entry to my blog to share some links that may help you better understand how I can still be a Christian outside of the walls of organized religion.

Watchman.Net
House2House
Lifestream
The God Journey
The Sheep Comics
Unleashing the Church

Get Your Free Credit Reports!!

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AnnualCreditReport.com processes requests for free credit file disclosures (commonly called credit reports). Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) consumers can request and obtain a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies. AnnualCreditReport.com provides consumers with the secure means to do so.

An interesting note about the title "Christian"

It was the unbelievers that first called the disciples "Christians." What the world saw in those early disciples was a Christ-like character and power. Would the world today call the Christians in America "Christians" had the word not already been established? Would they see us like Jesus in character and power? It saddens me to hear the world now calling us .. hypocrites! I am afraid we have a name that we are alive, but dead. Let us examine the reasons for this falling away.

Source: TheRealChurch.com

Biblical Eldership

The New Testament only refers to the office of pastor one time (Ephesians 4:11). It is a functional description of the role of elder stressing the care and feeding of the church as God's flock, just as "bishop/overseer" is a functional description of the role of elder stressing the governing or oversight of the church. We may conclude therefore that "pastor" and "elder" and "bishop/overseer" refer in the New Testament to the same office. This office stands alongside "deacon" in Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13 in such a way as to show that the two abiding officers instituted by the New Testament are elder and deacon.

The function of elders may be summed up under two heads: teaching and governing. They are the doctrinal guardians of the flock and the overseers of the life of the church responsible to God for the feeding and care and ministry of the people.

Source: John Piper

Why I Don't Like Study Bibles

I have often said that I don't like Study Bibles, because people tend to study the study notes instead of the Bible itself. I can't tell you how many times I have found those who preach or teach Darby, Calvin or Scofield instead of Word of God.

Here is a line from Dave Black's most recent post to his Web site that deals with this topic as well:

In a certain church a large picture of the head of Christ stood behind the pulpit. One Sunday morning the preacher was late entering the pulpit. A little girl in the congregation asked her mother, "Where is the man who stands so that we can't see Jesus?"

You can click here to read the rest of his article titled, Call Me a Biblicist If You Like.

Where Does Jesus Christ Dwell?

Tim Stafford, a CT senior writer, recently wrote in Christianity Today, "A living, breathing congregation is the only place to live in a healthy relationship to God. That is because it is the only place on earth where Jesus has chosen to dwell. How can you enjoy the benefits of Christ if you detach yourself from the living Christ?"

I have yet to find the Scripture that Mr. Stafford is using to support his statement that Christ only dwells witin the congregation of an institutional church. My Bible tells me that Jesus has chosen to dwell in the heart of every Christian who repents of their sin and puts their faith in Him for their salvation. The Body of Christ is made up of believers from every denomination, including those who the Lord has lead to worship, study and fellowship outside of the institutional church in their homes as the early New Testement Christians did.

Study the Book of Galatians Online with Chip Brogden

Freedom in Christ means freedom from the Law - but not freedom to live as you please. Chip Brogden has a weekly audio series of messages on the Book of Galatians. Are Christians under Law, or under Grace?

http://www.watchman.net/listen.html

Jonathan Grubbs Blog - MIA

I have been VERY busy this last month and, as you can tell, have not had any time to update my blog. I hope to get my schedule back to normal soon, and to start posting on a regular basis once again. I guess we can only do so much in our 24 hour days!

The Lord’s Supper, New Testament Style!

The meal is potluck, or as we like to say, "pot-providence." Everyone brings something to share with everyone else. When the weather is nice, all the food is placed on a long folding table out in the carport. A smaller card table at one end of the long table contains drinks, cups, forks, napkins, etc. A chest full of ice sits on the floor beside the card table. Kids run wildly around having so much fun that they must be collared by parents and forced to eat something. After a prayer of thanksgiving is offered, people line up, talking and laughing, to serve their plates. In the middle of all the food sits a single loaf of bread next to a large plastic jug containing the fruit of the vine. Each believer partakes of the bread and juice while going through the serving line. The smaller kids are encouraged to occupy one of the few places at a table to eat. (They sure can be messy!) Chairs for adults (there are not enough for everyone) are clustered in circles, mainly occupied by the womenfolk, who eat while discussing home schooling, child training, sewing, an upcoming church social, the new church we hope to start, etc. Most of the men stand to eat, balancing their plates on top of their cups, grouped into small clusters and solving the world’s problems or pondering some hot topic of theology. The atmosphere is not unlike that of a wedding banquet. It is a great time of fellowship, encouragement, edification, friendship, caring, catching-up, getting to know, praying with, exhorting, and maturing. The reason for the event? In case you did not recognize it, this is the Lord’s Supper, New Testament style!

Foreign though it may seem to the contemporary church, the first century church enjoyed the Lord’s Supper as a banquet that foreshadowed the marriage supper of the Lamb. It was not until after the close of the New Testament era that the early church fathers altered the Lord’s Supper from its pristine form into a memorial service. We advocate a return to the way of Christ and His apostles.

Source: New Testament Restoration Foundation

Yes, Interracial Marriage is Ordained by God

Believe it or not, there are quite a few professing Christians who think that interracial marriage is a sin. Exactly why is anyone's guess since no condemnation of it can be found in scripture. To the contrary, the only biblical position is that interracial marriage is ordained by God.

Source: the PaleoBlog

Unleashing the Church

Apparently the early church shared the bread and cup as part of a weekly communal meal that included the Lord's Supper. Do we?

It seems churches were led by a plurality of co-equal elders (also called pastors and overseers) in an arrangement that was completely non-hierarchical. Do our current church structures match that?

New Testament baptism was done immediately upon conversion (with no time lapse or "membership classes"). How faithful are we to this pattern?

The New Testament teaches that all giving except that required to run the government (Matt 22:15-22; Rom 13:1-7) is to be purely voluntary (2 Cor 9:6-7). Should we, then, insist that believers tithe?

For the first three hundred years of the church's existence, it met almost exclusively in private homes as opposed to large buildings designed especially for Drawing of a First Century Church Meetingreligious services. To speak of a church "building" is deceptive since, according to the New Testament, God's "building" is not a pile of bricks but the people of God. Why, then, do many of our churches have larger budgets for buildings and grounds (that are used only once or twice a week) than for missions and people-oriented ministries? Somehow the church of the first two centuries managed not only to survive but to thrive without the benefit of a church sanctuary. Just think—no mortgages, utility bills, grounds upkeep, or property taxes! Isn’t it obvious that our traditions have distorted this clear pattern of Scripture?

Source: Unleashing the Church

The Battle of Townsend's Plantation

My family spent the day at the Renninger's Antique Center in Mt. Dora, Florida. We went for "The Battle of Townsend's Plantation", a live Civil War Re-enactment, living history with authentic camps and sutlers exhibits, period music, weaponry demonstration, cavalry, and more! I have posted 100 photos from our "Family Field Trip" on our Mountian Cove Family Web site. You can click here to view the photos.

Happy New Year!!

My family left for vacation on December 23, 2004 and had a great time in Northern Virginia and North Carolina with our family and friends, we will be posting some photos from our vacation on our new web site: http://www.mountaincovefamily.com/. While we really enjoyed our vacation away from work, computers, the Internet, etc., it is good to be back home!