"Planned Parenthood" is a Lie

I was driving a few hours ago between job sites and stopped at a light beside our local "Planned Parenthood" organization. It dawned on me that this name is a total falsitude. This organization does not exist to "plan" people's "parenthood," but rather to deal with people's "unplanned childhood." They should just be honest and call it, "Unplanned Childhood."

Or, more to the point, "Ended Childhood."

Two New (Old) Resources

At community group last night, I mentioned two resources you might be interested in.

1. The speech from which I plucked Pastor John Piper's thesis, "the doctrine of glorification is in the Bible to help you suffer well on the path of love to show that Jesus is more valuable than life," is called "Man as Glorified" and was given at the 2002 Mid-Atlantic Founders Conference in Raleigh, NC. It is, unfortunately, not available online, but it can be ordered here.

If you live near me, though, just ask me for it and I'll burn you a copy. As a sermon, it is biblical-theological gold.

2. The band I used to be in has old websites here, here, and here. We were called Fairbanks, and our last recorded music is on purevolume. If you want our anthology of hard grungy rock, just ask me for a copy.

We didn't always ride mowers, but we sure did rock.

Start a Bible Study in Your Neighborhood?

I was just reading David J. Hesselgrave's Paradigms in Conflict: 10 Key Questions in Christian Missions Today (one of the missions books for my class) and found this quote particularly inspiring for thinking on to reach our neighborhoods and cities and nations for Jesus:

"[Calvin] Hanson's ministries were varied, but looking back at the Christian leaders who came out of those early morning Bible studies, Hanson says, 'I have little doubt that that simple Bible study was the most effective thing I ever did during my years in Japan.' "

Amen?

Hope this stokes our fires to study the Bible with all kinds of people around us.

So This is Why I Go to Bojangle's

Look, unless you don't know me at all, you probably already know that I love hanging out at Bojangle's. I love the tea, I love the biscuits, I love the chill atmosphere, I love the free refills and the hours spent with my friends there (you know who you are) - but this is what I hadn't realized so fully until minutes ago - I love hanging out there for the glory of God in meeting whoever He sends my way.

It's like I set up shop there. I take my Bible, another good book or five, maybe my laptop, a pen, and a notebook and sit down at a table in the corner near a power outlet and a window. I go through the line and get my sweet tea and maybe a biscuit, and then I'm off to work. I even try to meet people as they come and go. Novel idea, huh?

What I didn't know is that, this whole time, I have been trying to hang out for the glory of God because I believe it is important to be out in our real world and meet real people, many of whom are really lost.

This is what JT's post on Jim Eliff's article taught me. "Hanging out for the glory of God" is - yes, actually is - a valid means of ministering to the lost and dying all around us. So pick a spot - go ahead. It doesn't have to be Bojangle's, but it should be somewhere in public.

Men Leading in the Home (and the World)

I greatly enjoyed Randy Stinson's conference sermon on men leading in the home. (I wish I had time to listen to all of these conference sermons!) It especially hit me hard because I am not regularly practicing most of the things he mentions, but I want to.

So don't be scared off. It is a wonderfully insightful application of Biblical principles by the grace of God. The Lord has been using it in our family to press us on to rely on Him more in our direction, vision, and encouragement.

Also check out Randy's article version of this talk in the Southern Baptist Seminary magazine (it's a pdf file).

Randy is the current president of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. They have a vast and resource-filled website for thought on the theology and application of Biblical manhood and womanhood. They even have their groundbreaking, massive work, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood online for free!

For at least three years now, God has been using CBMW's resources to move me to think Biblically and live more faithfully. I'm surprised I've never blogged on their ministry, but go check them out for faithful, Biblical exposition, especially if you struggle with these issues.

Praise the Lord for these gifts to His church!

Raleigh Wants You

To buy a house in our city, especially downtown. And it's pretty easy.

So here you go, buddies. You asked me to put this up, and I'm not getting paid by the city or by any realtor.

May God use this in your life as he has in our life and the life of our church.