Nicolae Elena Ceausescu executed

Twenty years ago on Christmas Day Romania received a gift it would never forget. It was on that day when deposed leader Nicolae Cesusescu and his wife Elena were tried, convicted and executed.

For weeks our family had followed developments in eastern Europe when communism was collapsing. Romania was one of the last countries to throw off its shackles. When Ceausescu fled we feared that he'd receive political asylum in another country and continue to exert influence upon Romania. In the end he got what he deserved.

Merry Christmas, Romania!

John Piper on the use of drama and movie clips in church services

I've commented on this blog about the use of technology in worship. While Piper doesn't address all of my concerns he addresses the major ones in this clip on the widespread practice of drama and movie clips in worship.

He says, and I quote,

"I think the use of video and drama largely is a token of unbelief in the power of preaching. And I think that, to the degree that pastors begin to supplement their preaching with this entertaining spice to help people stay with them and be moved and get helped, it's going to backfire.... It's going to communicate that preaching is weak, preaching doesn't save, preaching doesn't hold, but entertainment does."

Amen! Preach it brother John!

James Montgomery Boice used to say, "Whatever you do to bring people into the church you will need to continue doing in order to hold them." His point was that if you use entertainment or technology or fads or gimmicks to get people in the door you will need to continue the use of those things to keep them coming back.

I Cor 1:18 "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

I Cor. 1:21 - 23 "...it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles."

Good-O-Meter

That's why its called grace.

meChurch

Illustrating absurdity with absurdity.

Bob Newhart - Nouthetic Counseling

Here is a classic clip from Bob Newhart that I hope will brighten your day.

Me worship for the "me" church

We should've seen this one coming. Simultaneously funny and sad.

I'm A Hustler Baby

Word has it that one of the televangelists featured in this clip will be in our neck of the woods. Watch out! And keep track of your wallet.

Thanks to my Lutheran friend for the tip. He's got a great sense of humor!

Benny Hinn or Benny Hill?

A Lutheran friend put me on to this video. Who says Lutherans don't have a sense of humor?

African American Churches in the PCA

Here is a side of the PCA that many people don't know about -- African American pastors and congregations. What is very encouraging is that these churches are not all inner-city missions. Many are reaching out to the burgeoning black middle class while others are multi-ethnic.

I've had some personal dealings with people involved in this work. Our home church, Covenant Presbyterian Church, in Fayetteville, Georgia helped Redemption Fellowship get established. Its current pastor, Mike Higgins, was also in seminary with me.

Given the large African-American presence here in Michigan I'd love to see our presbytery work and pray to start similar works in Detroit, Flint, Lansing and anywhere else where interested people might be found.

Monica Conyers debates school children

Detroit Michigan is in the news again. This time not because of its embattled mayor Kwame Kilpatrick or the Tigers, the Red Wings or the Pistons. It is in the news because of some of its elected officials. This short video clip reveals some of the inner workings in the city of Detroit.

Monica Conyers, wife of US Congressman, John Conyers, is a loose cannon (to put it mildly). In this video clip she takes the council president to task and calls him "Shrek."

What's priceless is the way school an eigth grader takes her to task for her disrespectful ways.

RC Sproul and Ben Stein on Expelled - P3

Here is the third and final part of the interview. It is also about 9 minutes long.

RC Sproul and Ben Stein on Expelled - P2

As promised here is part II. It is about 9 minutes long.

RC Sproul and Ben Stein on Expelled - P1

Some have heard the term 'intelligent design.' It is a school of thought which investigates the origins of life and the universe. Specifically it asks the question: Did everything just come into existence by chance? This line of thinking is being expelled from public discourse.

A film has just been released with the title: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. As noted before Dr. R.C. Sproul has had a huge impact on my life. Here he interviews Ben Stein about the movie, "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed."

What comes through loud and clear is the sorry state of higher education in today's culture. Professor Allen Bloom first noted this 20 years ago in his book, "The Closing of the American Mind." If things were bad back then they have only gotten worse.

Enjoy the interview. It runs about 9 minutes. I will also post parts 2 and 3.

Race and the Gospel - Thabiti Anyabwile

T4G (Together for the Gospel) was held last week in Louisville. Here is a great clip about the gospel as it relates to race. What might we do about it in our church and in our city?

Sick of Winter?

This is for all you ice-fisherman out there.

Check out this short video of ice conditions in northern Canada. This was filmed in May. Puts our weather into perspective.

beamz Music Performance System

Coming to a church near you? Let's hope not. But I wouldn't be surprised if some enterprising 'praise and worship' leader gets hold of this and starts a new worship revolution. Gives new meaning to the term 'one-man band.'

E.R. discovers the flaw of post-modernism

At the end of life we need real answers. This does a great job illustrating that fact.

Anthony Bradley on Headline News Network

Anthony Bradley, Fellow at the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Professor of Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri was a guest on the Glenn Beck program yesterday. He has written three articles for Glenn Beck's most recent newsletter on the topic of Black Liberation Theology. His conclusion is that Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments and beliefs fall into this category.

While Senator Barak Obama has distanced himself from the most inflammatory of Rev. Wright's comments it makes you wonder if how much of Black Liberation Theology (with its Marxist tendencies) he still holds.

Cheesus

I first heard about "Cheesus" when a choir director admonished the choir about proper diction. I never thought that I'd see an incarnation of that idea.

YouTube - E.R. discovers the flaw of post-modernism

This brief clip from the TV show E.R. illustrates better than I the flaw of post-modern thinking. Relativism might help us skate by in life but when facing death we need absolutes.

YouTube - E.R. discovers the flaw of post-modernisem