This Sunday we’ll begin a new series…one that may take a while to get through, but I truly believe will be worth it!

What are some of the earth-shaking events that have happened in history that you can think of ?  The terrorist attacks of 9-11 come readily to mind, having occurred so recently.  Think about the ways in which our world changed as a result of that event.  It’s been one of our responsibilities as a generation to record what happened in that attack.  To investigate it, and it’s ramifications on our world and society.  It’s important because people under the age of 9 didn’t live through it, yet it has shaped their world.

We’re going to begin a study which investigates another event which occurred some 2,000 years ago…an event that spanned 33 years, and which changed the world forever.  It’s the most important thing that’s ever happened, and our lives will never be the same because of it.  What we’re talking about, of course, is the news that God came to the earth and lived, taught, was killed and then rose again among us.  It’s pretty amazing, and it’s the foundation of our faith…yet so few know anything about it.

So…we’re going to begin studying the Gospel of Luke; an investigation of the Hero King.  This Sunday, we’ll read Luke 1:1-4 as an introduction.  Also, another heads up is I will start teaching from the ESV (English Standard Version).  You can read about it and access it here.  Many teachers have been moving toward using the ESV because it appears to be a very faithful, literal translation which is still very easy to read.  I really have come to like it in my own studies.  It will track pretty well with the NKJV if that’s what you’re using.

Anyway…see yaz Sunday!

“That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion…”

This Sunday we will take a short diversion into the world of topical teaching.  We are going to start a new series on issues that confront Christians on a regular basis. 

I’m sure you’re familiar with the show Mythbusters, right?  Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage take on the urban myths that we are always hearing and passing on as actual facts, and they put them to the test, to see if there is any feasible way those tales could be true.  Well…we’re going to start looking at some of the things that we have always been told and have taken as “gospel” truth when it comes to the church and issues that touch the Christian life. 

We are going to be MYTHBUSTING THE CHURCH!!!  Let’s put on our wrestling shoes and grapple with some of the common church myths!  Some of this will be a refresher for many of us…some of us may find these things new, and even troubling…either way, its time to crack our knuckles take these concepts to the mats!

Is church something we go to?  Is a membership roll required to be a member of the church?  Is a Christian commanded to tithe 10% of his or her income to the church?  Is a church/pastor/denomination supposed to be “a covering” for a Christian?  Is the church divided into two groups of people, the clergy and the laity?  If a Christian sins, does he/she have to ask for forgiveness in order to get right with God?  Are Christians supposed to obey the 10 commandments?  Is Christianity really about giving up sin and getting into heaven (or at least avoiding hell)?  Is the threat of hell really the message of the gospel? 

These are just some of the topics that we’ve been confronting for years.  We may not cover all these issues, but we will wrestle with the most pressing ones.  Which of these questions interests you the most?  Any other suggestions for topics?

This oughtta’ be fun!

This Sunday we’ll be finishing up our study in 2 Timothy…we’ll be looking at chapter 4, verses 9-22. (The Message)

In his concluding comments, Paul addresses a lot of different people.  All of those hard to pronounce names are things we could easily skip over…but each of them has a back story…and each of those people effect Paul in ways that could be considered painful.  Think about what those ways may be.  In the relationships you have in life, how do you manage the things that cause you pain.  Does the fear of being hurt ever tempt you to avoid relationships…or even the community of the church?

Stuff to think about…stuff we’ll explore this Sunday.  See you then!

There are so many differing styles and structures when it comes to the church…from small, traditional, country churches to sleek, multi-site mega churches, and everything in between.

How can we know what God intended the church to be like?  Is there any way to know if the church is doing and prioritizing what God intended it to do in the first place?

This Sunday we’ll look at 2 Tim 4:1-8 (the Message), and we’ll consider Paul’s challenge to Timothy and the church in Ephesus as it applies to us, as 21st century American Christians.

What seem to be the priorities Paul emphasized in these verses?  Is it about doing, or being, or believing…or all of the above? 

Here’s an interesting article from Relevant Magazine that may help facilitate your thinking about this subject.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17  (Message)

Christians make a big deal about the Bible.  Well, I should say most Christians.  Ever wonder why?  It’s the best selling book of all time, it was the very first book published on the Gutenberg press and has been translated into over 2,ooo languages.  It is a compilation of 66 books written over a span of 1,500 years by over 40 different authors in 3 different languages.

So…what’s the big deal about this book?  What does Paul describe as the purpose of Scripture*?  What does the Bible mean to YOU?  How do you use it, what does it provide for you?  I’d be interested in knowing.

 

*The Scriptures of Paul’s writing would most likely have been the Old Testament canon, the earliest forms of the Gospels (most likely Mark, though he quotes Luke, so some early form of that as well) and some of the letters that circulated then, which later became canonized as the New Testament in the 2nd century.  You can read a brief, simplified account of that process here.

Hey!  I’m back on track…whew!  After a summer full of kids getting married and other kids moving…I got out of the habit of updating Wonderwhat.  But…here I am now…fit and wheezing, ready to post the previews for Sunday’s teaching at Eastgate.

This Sunday we’re continuing our study in 2 Timothy.  We’ll be covering 2 Tim 3:1-13  

¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.   
¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1-13, New King James Version)  Also in The Message

Paul uses some harsh words here…(with props to Ford who set the stage for this last week in his message “Harsh Words” ) describing some of the bad motives and attitudes and actions that can sometimes characterize a church.

I’ve said many times before, church is a dangerous place.  We are most vulnerable when we gather with a community of those who are supposed to be following the teachings of Christ.  We want to belong, we want to have a safe place to be open and honest about ourselves…we want to be able to trust that those who lead us do so with our best in mind.  Sadly, that’s not always the case, as Paul makes clear.  Often, that’s the basis we use for abandoning church altoghether…I know it was my basis for a while.  Yet, Paul doesn’t encourage us to be isolated in the midst of these dangers…rather, we are challenged to be aware and alert about them so we can navigate through them safely.

There are some real hazards we must be aware of when it comes to our involvement in the church.  What are some of the things you can glean from what Paul says here…what are the hazards?  What is the challenge to us…how do we handle them?  What does this mean to us in real life application…how do we use this?

Stuff to think on.  See ya’ Sunday!

Good old electric football.  Do you remember those things?  This was pre-video games, mind you.  Actually, this was pre-PONG!  

The commercials for that game were amazing to me when I first saw them.  Did you see how the kids playing were having so much fun.  You could just tell they lived in a world where they had no chores or school, actually, they didn’t even have furniture to get in the way!  You just knew that all they did all day long was play electric football where you controlled the game! 

When I first saw that thing, I knew right then my life would not be complete unless I had that game.  So I started the arduous process of begging and manipulating and bargaining with my mom until she agreed to get it for me for my birthday.

I remember unpacking all the players, and assembling the cardboard bleachers…

I followed all the directions on how to set up a play (actually, my brother Riley read them all and told me what to do…I’ve never been big on manuals).   Everything was set…the players all lined up, just like they showed on TV.  I flipped the on button… 

…and BRRRZZZZZT…all the players clumped in the middle of the field, with a few stragglers running in circles at the sidelines, just like every other electric football game I’d ever had.

It certainly didn’t change my life, nor complete me in any way at all.  I probably only played with the thing 2 or 3 more times after I got it.

But that didn’t stop me from going on a lifelong quest of searching for that something that I had to have, with which my life would be meaningless without.  That’s an American tale that most of us can relate to, right?  Dissatisfaction is pretty much a way of life for us.  One that the advertising world eagerly feeds, keeping us looking for the next commercial which promises fulfillment and satisfaction if we just get the right stuff.

This Sunday we’ll be looking at 1 Timothy 6:1-10.  (Message) 

Paul will be touching on the subject of dissatisfaction and contentment.  He’ll talk about three areas where human nature has a tendency to become dissatisfied, at work, in our faith, and with our income, and he’ll give some clues as to how we find contentment in those areas. 

As you read Paul’s insights, what can you apply to your own experiences in these areas of life?

See yer’ Sunday