Continuationism, Charismaticism and Cessationism

I've not long got back from a church service this morning that has drawn my focus to an issue that's been on my mind for a while now - whether the spiritual gifts in the New Testament are still active today.

The Explicit Gospel

I've recently finished this book by Pastor Matt Chandler, which I can't rate highly enough.  It's the sort of book I think all new believers (and many who are more mature in their faith) should read.

Carl Sagan Quote

Saw this on Wil Wheaton's blog::

The Explicit Gospel - Creation and Flavours!

From Matt Chandler's book The Explicit Gospel:

Standing against a vicious gospel

From Desiring God: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/standing-against-a-vicious-gospel

Exactly!

Theological Infographs

Couple of links to some sites expressing theological concepts and biblical descriptions in a visual manner:

http://www.challies.com/resources/visual-theology-the-order-of-salvation

http://visualunit.me/

(American) Mothers Day

O Mother, Great Is Thy Power

For my mother - the first person to ever speak to me about God, even if it was just to shut me up!

Douglas Wilson on Giving Thanks

I've just finished reading 'Is Christianity Good for the World' by Douglas Wilson and (now deceased) New Atheist Christopher Hitchens.  The book is a collaborative work by the two men based upon a series of debates with each other, which then led to this speaking tour:

Video Game in Used in Church Service

I've just come across this article:  exeter-cathedral-flower-service.

Not sure about this tactic at all.  I love video games - I'm not anti-technology in any way.  I don't think I'm a traditionalist either.  I just fail to see the purpose of this experiment.  If we were talking about a church-run games night or something, where youth workers were on hand to talk with youngsters - I'd see that as a great way to connect with the kids.  But at a Sunday service?  Seems a bit gimmicky to me.  I don't see how it helps spread the Gospel at all?  Maybe I'm just getting old!

Iesu Rex admirabilis

From http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Hymni/IesuRex.html:

O JESUS, King most wonderful!

Thou Conqueror renowned!

Thou Sweetness most ineffable!

in whom all joys are found!

The Explicit Gospel

I've just had Matt Chandlers new book The Explicit Gospel delivered, and have just started reading.  So far, I've only got to the first page after the intro, and already found an amazing statement:

"..  The deeper we go into God's glory, the deeper we will find ourselves in the precious work of Christ on the cross, and vice versa.  Certainly the angels long to look into the gospel of Christ's atoning work (1 Peter 1:12), because God's glory is in deep, brilliant display there.  The great message that we call the gospel begins, then, not with us, or our need, or even the meeting of that need but with the write of the news and the sender of its heralds: God himself"

The Atheist Dilemma

“There are only two possibilities as to how life arose. One is spontaneous generation arising to evolution; the other is a supernatural creative act of God. There is no third possibility. Spontaneous generation, that life arose from non-living matter was scientifically disproved 120 years ago by Louis Pasteur and others. That leaves us with the only possible conclusion that life arose as a supernatural creative act of God. I will not accept that philosophically because I do not want to believe in God.Therefore, I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible; spontaneous generation arising to evolution.“ (Wald, G. 1954. The Origin of Life. Scientific American August: 44-53)

From Standtherefore.com  - Emphasis mine