Just added an event to the calendar. If you are near Minneapolis, come join us this Friday, May 29, 2009, for witnessing at the Joel Osteen "A Night of Hope" event. I expect to meet Christians, non-Christians, and non-Christians who think they are Christians.

Also, we'd love for everyone reading this to pray for us. If you do, please leave a comment letting us know; it would help a lot!

UPDATE: I got one recorded conversation, and it's a long one. Listen to the first several minutes at least, and pray for Kev!

Here's a short clip of Todd Friel witnessing to Jared, a young man who was working to raise awareness against the illegal and henious sex trade industry. Jared confessed to being a Christian, but seemed to have a weak reason for his faith--that Jesus would be his helper, his supporter, and his friend. Jared confessed that he had little to offer someone who doesn't think their sin is a problem or who doesn't seem their need for a Savior. Todd then demonstrates how we can show the need for a savior to the rich or confident person that Jared might meet.

Have you, like Jared, thought, "I can't relate with someone who's extremely wealthy, so I don't know what I would do..."? Todd answers that question well.



Full clip (14:36, courtesy Wretched Radio)

Ewen Souter and the leaders of St. John's Church in Britain come to us proclaiming the "testimony of God" with lofty speech and wisdom; they have decided to do away with the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified--according to this from The Guardian:

A statue of the crucifixion has been taken down from its perch on a church in Sussex because it was scaring local children and deterring worshippers, a vicar admitted today.

The Rev Ewen Souter, the vicar at St John's Church in Horsham, West Sussex, ordered the removal of the 10-foot sculpture of Jesus on the cross just before Christmas, branding it "unsuitable" and "a horrifying depiction of pain and suffering".

"It wasn't a suitable image for the outside of a church wanting to welcome worshippers. In fact, it was a real put-off.

"We're all about hope, encouragement and the joy of the Christian faith. We want to communicate good news, not bad news, so we need a more uplifting and inspiring symbol than execution on a cross."

O foolish Anglicans! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified, and yet you now refuse that image--not because you fear it may be blasphemous, idolatry, or too close to Catholicism, but because it might frighten, shock, or disturb someone? Did you receive the Spirit by observing positivism? Or by believing what you heard from God's word? Are you so foolish? Having been offered the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the world's expectations (Galatians 3)?

It seems that some churches today demand signs and others demand kindness be supreme, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block and folly to these, but to those who are called, in any denomination or none, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1).

Without an execution on the cross, we have no good news, nothing that can uplift us and inspire us (Galatians 6:14). It is only through the cross--and the suffering that occurred upon it, which was much worse than a statue could ever depict--that we can be reconciled to God (Ephesians 2:12-18). We must not refuse to "look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

St. John's church, see with what strong words I write to you with my own hand! It is those want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to remove such a symbol of suffering, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are ordained vicars do not themselves keep the word, but they desire to have the most meaningful aspects of it stripped away from your church meeting places. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither symbols nor a lack of symbols count for anything, nor denominational ordination, but a new creation (Galatians 6:11-15).

See also: the crucifix in question.

My frend Andy produces a monthly Christian podcast as part of his site Echo Zoe, and I am his guest for this month (January 2009), discussing the essentials of the Christian Faith, a crucial topic for all Christians. Please take a listen via Echo Zoe site web link or iTunes podcast. I've also posted an article with all the basics here on ShareYourFaith.org. Enjoy, and please leave your comments!

Labels: podcast

A follow-up on the Pew survey posts: Albert Mohler wrote a commentary article on the beliefs of self-proclaimed Christians, many of whom reject core Christian theology:

This survey cannot easily be dismissed. The specificity of the responses and the quality of the research sample indicate that we face a serious decline in confidence in the Gospel. When 34% of white evangelicals reject the truth that Jesus is the only Savior, we are witnessing a virtual collapse of evangelical theology.

There is also additional cause for concern. As Cathy Lynn Grossman reports, "Pew's new survey also found that many Christians (29%) say they are saved by their good actions; 30% say salvation is through belief in Jesus, God or a higher power alone, which is the core teaching of evangelical Protestantism; and 10% say salvation is found through a combination of behavior and belief, a view closer to Catholic teachings."

So next time someone responds to your witnessing efforts by saying "I am a Christian," probe a little deeper. Rather than asking theological questions like "do you believe Christ is the only way to be saved," I often use questions like "what does it mean to be a Christian" or "do you consider yourself to be a good person?" The answers will reveal much about their attitude toward God, which is more telling, but often in agreement with, the theology they profess or can recite.

Labels: theology

An alarming yet unsurprising survey finds that many, many teens admit to cheating, stealing, and lying often. Furthermore, 26% admit that they lied about cheating, stealing, and lying! (Makes me wonder how many are lying about their lying about cheating, stealing, and lying...)

The real alarming statistic is that 93% are satisfied with their own character, and 77% proclaim themselves above average (a statistical impossibility).

God explained this would be so passages such as Proverbs 20:6, Proverbs 30:12, and Luke 16:15. O, how many sinners think themselves righteous!

Teens need to be shown the law more than ever! God is working through Christians to show these teens that he is not satisfied with their character; in fact, because they have broken his law over and over and over again, they are storing up wrath for themselves.

Only Christ can cancel our sin and remove guilt due to our lying, cheating, and stealing. Teens, pray that God would show you your sin and your sinful character, and then run to him in repentance!

Read more in this story from the AFP news service.

Labels: law, news, sin

Paul Washer last year, in the following message expositing Matthew 7:13-23, called out to the "Christians" in the United States to beg them to examine their own salvation (2 Cor 13:5), repent and trust in Christ (Luke 13:3), and to do works in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8). This is an hour-long video; if you don't have the time, skip to 9:55 and watch as much as you want starting there.