Sunday Morning Praise

How Great Thou Art

Equipping Eve: The Gospel of Amusement Produces No Converts

“The mission of amusement produces no converts.” These words are starkly true, yet today’s evangelicalism sees this “gospel of amusement” spreading more rapidly day by day and year by year. What are the consequences?

Click here to listen to this latest episode of Equipping Eve.

Further Listening
Equipping Eve: Making Abortion Convenient
Equipping Eve: Selfie Righteousness
Equipping Eve: Healing Photos

Sunday Morning Praise

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Equipping Eve: Making Abortion Convenient

It’s not often that Erin climbs on the abortion soapbox, but in this episode she discusses some recent advances in telemedicine that are making abortion drugs more accessible to patients. Open up the Bible and be reminded that God is the Author of life, and that life begins at conception.

Click here to listen to this episode of Equipping Eve.

Click here for a list of Scripture references and resources used on this episode of Equipping Eve.

Further Listening
Equipping Eve: The Cross of Christ
Equipping Eve: A Blessed State of Affairs
Equipping Eve: What Happens at Small Group

Sunday Morning Praise

Face to Face with Christ, My Savior

This 'n' That

Don't discard your headphones, use them!

I love summer. Since I spend my days inside an all-too-air-conditioned office, I particularly appreciate summer evenings. There are few better ways to end a hectic day than by relaxing on the porch at dusk with a good book (there's a perk to Kindle and iPad technology that lets you read even in the dark). Chirping birds, grumpy sounding frogs, and the distant thumping of a basketball being used by the children up the street—these are the sounds of summer evenings.

I experienced just such an evening not long ago. It was peaceful, until I started to hear a faint sound of drums. My thinking went something like this: "Wait, is that music? Those kids better not be starting in with blasting music! If that's the case, I am walking over there to talk to those parents. Wait, it's not the kids. It's getting louder. Oh look, someone is walking in the dark. Oh. She is walking while listening to music on her phone...without headphones. Wait, I know this song. Ugh, it's that Bon Jovi beat, "Livin' on a Prayer." Great, now that will be stuck in my head for days. I hope she enjoyed her walk."

So tell me—in an age of personal devices, all of which are sold with their own pair of headphones, why are people not using headphones? It's weird. I do not understand. I'm pretty sure if I walked up and down the street blasting hymns someone would get annoyed. Hmm...maybe that would be a fun experiment.

While I ponder that, why don't you take some time to enjoy your week in review (kind of):

The Mission of Amusement Produces No Converts

An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted can hardly fail to notice it during the past few years. It has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them.

From speaking out as the Puritans did, the church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.

Source: Hardwick Shepherd (James Rebanks)

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church. If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it? "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). That is clear enough. So it would have been if He had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to him.

Then again, "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers .., for the work of the ministry" (Eph. 4:11-12). Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they refused? The concert has no martyr roll.

Sunday Morning Praise

Come Thou Fount

This 'n' That

It's been a long time since I've truly known the meaning of "bittersweet" but I vividly lived it this past weekend.

Cassette tapes seem ancient now, but as I was sifting through some boxes in the basement, I came across a homemade cassette that my grandfather recorded back in 1984. It was labeled as containing a bedtime story for my brother and I, as well as some Lawrence Welk polkas. Oh yes, you read that correctly.

Believe it or not, I still happen to have a cassette player in the house, so I put it to use playing this newly discovered "ancient" treasure from the early 80s.

My grandfather passed away in 2002. He and I were close, and hardly a day passes when I don't think of him with fondness and a bit of sadness. But until that tape started to play, it had not occurred to me in all those years that I had not heard his voice. You can imagine, then, how tears started to stream when that tape began to play. That voice that always brought me smiles and laughter as a child was suddenly in my kitchen 14 years after death had silenced it. It was such a sweet moment. I've never been so deeply grateful for a cassette player.

And the bedtime story contained on that tape? Well, let's just say that I've now been reminded of the real reason why bears have short, stubby tails and foxes have long, beautiful, voluminous tails.

He ended his audio message by reminding my brother and I to pray before we went to sleep that night, and to thank God for all that He's given us. This week, I thanked God for my grandfather, for the precious memories I have of him, and yes, I even thanked Him for the technology of a cassette player. It can be so easy to kneel in prayer and immediately delve into all of the supplications and petitions we desire to bring before God, but we must first praise and thank Him for who He is, for what He has done, and for the gifts, both eternal and temporal, that He has given to us undeserving sinners.

Well, thanks for indulging my brief walk down the proverbial memory lane. Now, before you start digging in boxes for your Walkman and your New Kids on the Block tapes, why not first take a few moments to enjoy your week in review (kind of):