Not many churches would have as one of their events an afternoon of shooting guns, especially around Ashland. We did though!
Some of the Providence Church gang went out and unloaded some serious ammo last Sunday afternoon. As you can see, we had quite an arsenal from which to choose. It was a great time of fellowship. It is also heartening to see father's interacting with their children too. Every time I saw a dad helping his child take aim, I kept being reminded how important it is that men be the defenders and protectors of their homes. That afternoon of shooting reinforced the fact that we men are obligated to defend our wives and children when they are threatened. Yes, some of our ladies unloaded a number of rounds too. Why not? Even Jael had to know how to wield a tent peg!
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One of the most profitable studies I've conducted during my ministry is the course on "How to Watch a Movie Like a Christian." Our study took approximately 5 weeks and the text that we used was Brian Godwa's fabulous book, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment. Godwa does an excellent job of helping the reader understand that movies are not just entertainment. They are preachers who are out to proselytize. In other words, movies contain messages that can shape your life if you are not wise to them. The conclusion of our study sought to apply what we learned by watching the late 80's classic Dead Poet's Society. I remember watching this movie when I was in Jr. High or High School, and I thought it was a superb movie. I still do. But, in watching it again with a better trained eye, what we found was that this movie promotes a strong existential (i.e. anti-Christian) worldview. The following is a breif synopsis of the things that we should be aware of as we watch the film. Theme 1. Salvation is breaking free from authorities and influences. Rules restrict creativity and suppress all potential and “the real you.”
Vegetation is growing in the midst of the crater of ashes. If we would speak in broad strokes, you'd have this as a rundown of the state of things: Mansfield is known for its misery. The News Journal is a constant record of the ravages of sin in the area. Wooster is a liberal town. The college campus, with its emphasis on diversity and tolerance for everything except true Christianity, is of characteristic of the town as a whole. Then you have Ashland. Overall, the town may be characterized as 'conservative,' at least in comparison to the other two. However, its contentment with a bland form of Christianity that lacks real gospel or passion makes it just as dangerous, if not altogether worse than the other two. In this desert of unbelief, a garden of grace is growing. There are families who are dedicated to having children and discipling them in the fear of God. If God continues to grace such efforts, there is a bright future for the area. Just thought I would share this picture that one of the youth in the church drew while I was teaching. It is a picture of me with my eyes popping out of my head, hiding behind my wife at the lion exhibit at the zoo. I was illustrating something of "the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may desire," and I recounted the time I first heard a lion roar. I have to hand it to the kid, he did a good job of capturing what I said! I've been rather quite this election season, perhaps noticeably so. I said to my wife that I haven't said anything because no one would be willing to listen anyway. So why not just save my breath. Perhaps the greater reason is my disillusionment with the political scene. My good friend at Jackspipe summarizes well my sentiments with these two posts.
My Republican friends might do well to check out this article too and see how Republicans really are not the party of fiscal conservation. At the same time, the ill that I feel towards the macro gives me more zeal to preach. This is the only weapon against the dismal effects of It is funny to see the hubbub that people are making over at the Mansfield News Journal. People are all in an uproar over the local schools new lunch menu divinely ordered by the Obamas. What they probably don't know is that they are being fed a poison which is much worse than whole grain tacos.
The daily doses of teaching that lacks any regard for God and His Word is where they really ought to be concentrating their worries. I find their complaints laughable because they bark over how a top down order can be sent and affect the nutrition of our young people, but fail to consider how a top down education could have much more drastic consequences. If your kids grow up on a diet of evolution, godlessness, prayerless-ness, unanchored & relativistic morality, how do you think that will affect them in the long run? The food that is being served is just one more illustration that the state doesn't really know what is good for our children. O, and by the way, our kids are not only getting thorough training in knowledge and wisdom here at the Timmons House of Higher Education, they are also eating fantastically well. |
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