The Most Dangerous People in America
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out ofwater and through water by the word of God... -2 Peter 3:5
Last week our Truth Project small group finished the lesson on science. Our video host helped us look "into the box" of all that God has created, praising God for what He has revealed to us. Of course, we were quickly at odds with the world view that says nothing exists outside "the box" of the physical universe. That world view is called "materialism" and is one of the fundamental presuppositions of modern science.
There is a problem with that, of course, namely that it excludes God by its ground rules.
As we discussed how the world rejects the notion that God created the universe and how Darwinian evolution (that all life arose from non-life through extremely long times and extremely small changes) fails, I stopped and asked the question: "Why does this even matter?"
All around we're told "just preach Jesus and stay away from the controversial stuff." Then I received my monthly newsletter from the Creation Museum, a ministry of Answers in Genesis. They quoted Arthur Caplain, chairman of the medical ethics department at the University of Pennsylvania (and considered one of the 50 most influential doctors in the United States).
Who are the most dangerous people in America? People like Sarah Palin who believe that the world is relatively young and that God created it.
More tomorrow. Check this out if you want the other side. Tomorrow I'll discuss why the "other side's" argument makes the importance of our point so clear- and how to identify trash talk that purports to be sound reasoning.
Go serve your King,
PW
Are you fireproof?
Not only was it a great movie, Fireproof is a great story. Fireproof delivers a challenging yet heart-warming story of perseverence in marriage and victory over sin.
Fireproof comes from the same brothers (aged 35 and 38) and the same congregation who brought us Facing the Giants. That movie cost $100,000 and grossed $10.6M in the box office. So far Fireproof has taken in $13M (plus the $16 we dropped last night). With an all volunteer cast mainly of church members, the movie only cost $500,000 to produce.
My favorite line? "Fireproof doesn't mean the fires won't come. It means you'll survive them when they do."
Having been through some fires recently we rejoiced in the truth of this message.
Solid film. Solid Chrstian message. And a must see movie, which is a hard find these days. Check it out at the Century theaters in Sioux Falls through this week, at least. You'll be glad you did.
Go serve your King,
PW
PS- and if the main threat to the Holt's marriage struck close to home, take the advice of Casting Crowns and me and check out Covenant Eyes. You can't afford internet access without it.
Promoting Missions
Pray for India
Tara's African Adventure
Pressing On
I was reminded today of a phrase that I often use to close a conversation or an email: Press on.
I'm not even sure what it means.
What I am trying to communicate when I say it is a sense of perseverence. I mean it as an encouragement, not an order. But ultimately, that's what we must do at all times: Continue ahead, keep walking, fix your eyes on Jesus... press on.
Michele and I are in the midst of a personal tragedy right now. As I type that I feel a twinge of guilt- I know so many others who have endured so much more. Yet years of experience have taught me not to compare trials. No trial is too much to endure with Christ's help. And no trial is so trivial that Christ's help is not needed.
Right now we're hurting. At times we feel great. Then other times saddness comes from nowhere and all we can do is hurt. Sometimes we want to cry and the tears won't come. Other times they flow almost spontaneously. I can't decide if I want the hurt to leave or if I'm afraid that it will. You've been there- same emotions, different story.
Yet through this- and anything else that comes our way- we will not despair. We will hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so gracious to us in His Word. Just today in my quiet time a phrase in Psalm 89 led me to recall Lamentations 3:24- The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.
A grieving friend once asked me, "How do I go on?" I told him, "You go on." That's the right answer, of course. How do you go on?
You press on. When tempted to despair we put our hope in the Living God. That's all we can do. That's all we need to do. And His steadfast love will never fail.
Press on,
PW
Justo Pillman in Ecuador
Life is Crazy - Bear With Me as I try to Come Up for Air - Some Updates
As my friend put it recently - “You coming up for air? You’ve been pretty silent lately.”
Yep.
Over the past few months my wife and I began conversation about the potential of me looking for another job. She’s been working full time and providing for our family, which has been amazing and for which I haven’t been grateful enough - but it’s time for that to change. With the addition of our daughter, her mommy desires have definitely kicked in and she would love to spend more time with our little one - which I think is awesome.
So, I’ve been on a job search for the past month or so. I have been working part time for some time, and finally looking for full time work. I would love to be a full time worship and music director someday, but the truth is, many churches find it hard to swing that as a fulltime job. So I will be joining Billy Chia as a bivocational worship leader.
So, in the midst of my job search, this blog went pretty silent as I had begun building a portfolio site to display my graphic design work in order to get a job.
I have one offer and I’m waiting on another offer right now that I think would be a better fit for me. I still want to continue to be involved in worship leading and in writing this blog and participating in The Worship Community - but life is crazy and I’m still trying to figure out some schedule issues.
In the meantime - I would appreciate prayer, you can check out my portfolio site and I’m hoping to get back to blogging on worship and music regularly very soon.
Thanks for the listen - enjoy the rest of the week!
Convert or Flee
Hope Does Not Disappoint
And hope does not disappoint, for the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. -Romans 5:5
Without a doubt you will hear more from me about this chapter in our lives. But I wanted to make this post as we continue a week of vacation, and healing.
Our adoption was going well, and as expected. There was some drama last week, but most everything was going well. The birth mom was positive and doing well, planning on being induced Friday.
We didn't hear anything, though, Thursday or Friday, and we were quite disturbed by this. On Saturday we made a phone call to the mother and left a voice mail. When she called back a moment late she was crying: "I don't know how to tell you this, but he didn't make it."
The words still stun me. Just hours before her scheduled induction her water broke. Unbeknownst to her, the baby's umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, and by the time she arrived at the hospital. it was too late- he was gone.
As I look at this in electronic form it feels so antiseptic. But this precious little child is mourned today by three parents. He is in the arms of Jesus, and we mourn.
But we are not as those who have no hope.
Biblical hope is not a wish and a prayer- it is a steadfast expectation based on the promises of God.
As I have helped many of you grieve in the past, I now embrace those same truths I have shared with you. They work, of course, but that doesn't mean you don't hurt. Please realize that you can be "okay" and still hurt at the same time. That's life. And while we chaffe at the pain, we wouldn't trade this experience for anything, save that our son would have survived.
Please pray for us, and please pray for the mother. But above all, give thanks to our Loving Heavenly Father who never changes or neglects His children.
And thanks for loving us. We went to Living Word yesterday as usual, but without speaking duties, as I am on vacation. We like our church. And that's a fun realization.
With you, I'm serving our King,
Pastor Wade
Sunday Recap - Lots of Energy Yesterday - and Please Pray
Yesterday was a bittersweet day at Living Word. We had a packed service and people we’re singing out, which was great, but the service was mixed with some very hard news.
Our Pastor and his wife our going through an incredibly difficult situation right now and I would love so much for you to lift them up in prayer.
Our service looked like this:
- Pre call to worship: Come, Christians, Join to Sing - Sovereign Grace arrangement.
- Call to Worship from Psalm 46 - reminding us of God’s constant strength in times of trouble.
- In Christ Alone - Getty/Townend
- Lord Most High - Harris/Sadler
- Scripture Readings
- Once Again - Redman
- Jesus, Thank You - Sovereign Grace Music
- This list is a part of the Fred McKinnon’s Sunday Setlists community.
We were blessed with a sermon from our sister church’s intern pastor - reminding us as we continue through the book of Romans to look at our own sin before juding others.
This will be a busy week here - and I will be back in full force (finally!). Here’s the schedule for the week:
- Tomorrow: Some general news and announcements. Lots of things happening in my life.
- Wednesday: Blog Action Day 2008 - we’ll be discussing poverty from a Christian perspective.
- Thursday: Updates on our process of building worship teams at Living Word.
- Friday: Not sure yet - leave a comment if you’d like to hear about or discuss anything specific.
I miss blogging and being involved in the worship community - so, here we go again!
Schierkolk's Current Newsletter Available
Ben and Jesse at Home in Waama
Update from Jacksons - Mexico
Update from Dan and Marcela
Rudy Skogerboe Goes Home to be with the Lord
Jerez, Mexico - Ingrid Giles
Politics and the Christian
I'm still on a bit of a blogging break as Michele and I are more than likely going to become parents between now and Friday, but this entry from Summit Ministries is worth a look:
Check it out by clicking here.
I’m Really Not Disappearing Forever - Really!
Just wanted to give some simple updates:
- Thanks so much to those of you who commented/tweeted about missing me blogging - much appreciated!
- I will be blogging regularly again soon.
- Life is in a bit of a transition right now and I’m trying to figure out how to manage some things wisely.
- Ministry at Living Word is happening big time, and I’m excited to see where some recent conversations and plans will bring us.
More to come…next week…
Bringing Light to Darkness - Uganda
