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Adoption Story from Redeemer Family

Kansas City Star on The Parsons Adoption

I love the friends God has brought into my life. I met Jeremy & Ashley Parsons over four years ago when we were in the early stages of gathering a core group for Redeemer . They are amazing people, great friends, grace-filled leaders, and people who have leaned on the kindness of God through much change, transition, and turmoil.

Thrilling for me to see the Star run a story on their adoption. Eager to see God move more people in our church family in this way — and eager to celebrate with them when He provides.

The Most Dangerous Thing the Church Can Do

"We may do well to recognize what seems to be the consistent thrust of the whole Bible—that unless and until, in faith, the future of the world becomes more important than the future of the church, the church has no future. As Jesus put it, the most dangerous thing you can do is seek to save your life . . ."

(Ralph Winter, Six Essential Components of World Evangelization)

IX Marks e-Journal on Multi Site Churches

IX Marks e-Journal // Multi Site Churches

Matt Chandler asks my question in his reflection, Clouds on the Horizon

"And so after studying the issue, we decided to go multi-site. Yet we still have some serious concerns and questions about the multi-site idea even as we participate in it. The problem that haunts us is a simple one. Where does this idea lead? Where does this end? Twenty years from now are there fifteen preachers in the United States?"

Read the whole journal here

Ditch Your Indie Rock Bands & Get a Pimped Out Choir

Advent Week 2

This weekend at Redeemer we celebrate the second week of Advent by looking at the origin of all our longing: Genesis 3.

For those that are looking for ways to cultivate longing during this season, I highly recommend the new collection of Advent reflections edited by Nancy Guthrie, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas.

Additionally, if you haven't read Sinclair Ferguson's phenomenal collection of essays, In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life, I strongly encourage that you check out his essay Santa Christ.

Finally, just because they've been playing Christmas music in stores since midnight on Halloween doesn't mean that it's good. Obviously I love Sufjan's Christmas albums, but I'm also a huge fan of Duvall's Christmas album, O Holy Night. But as far as real Advent music goes, I don't think it gets any better than Sojourn's Advent songs. Find out how to get it free below...

Have a great weekend!

Gospel Centered Accountability Questions

In my sermon yesterday, I mentioned a set of accountability questions that someone had emailed me. My point was that all too often, 'accountability' resides only in the surface realms of "Did you look at pornography" or "Did you drink too much?" instead of addressing the heart behind why we sin. The "sin beneath the sin" if you will.

Here is the link to Stephen Altrogge's 7 Tough Questions To Ask Your Friends, where he outlines the kinds of heart exposing questions he asks his friends as well as offers a bit of commentary on each. I've listed his questions below.

Have you been consistently pursuing the Lord through scripture reading and prayer?

Have you diligently pursued your wife/husband this week?

Have you seen any persistent patterns of sin in your life recently?

Last week you confessed struggling with [insert sin]. Have you taken steps to fight it this week?

When you gave into [insert sin], what were you believing about God in that moment? What were you believing about yourself?

What is the truth that you need to believe in this situation?

When you had the conflict with [insert person], what were you craving at that moment? (source)

Cultural Contextualization or Cultural Preservation?

A strong and timely challenge for me this afternoon as I pray for our church and community in preparation to preach Ephesians 2.11-22

Cultural preferences must take a backseat to unity in Christ. The most important issue is always identity: What is the strongest defining reality for us-- Christ or culture? Culture is important-- indeed, a necessary part of the fabric of our lives-- but Christ, not culture, gives the primary definition to life. Culture is the means by which Christ is expressed, but the message is Christ himself. Do ethnic churches exist to preserve a culture or to promote Christ? Often one gets the impression that the real center of all our churches is our culture, not our Lord. That attitude needs to change

Churches need to be astute enough to know when they are using culture, when they are adapting culture, and when they must confront culture. Churches must demonstrate that the barriers are down. That most churches are culturally monolithic is an embarrassment. Church members must show they care about other people in Christ, even if they are different culturally, economically, politically, or socially. A monolithic church in a multicultural context is a failure. Churches need to demonstrate unity with Christians of other cultures, to seek justice, and to evangelize across cultural and racial lines. We have to show that the barriers are down.

(Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians, 153 emphasis mine)

After GAFCON

Post GAFCON Interview with J.I. Packer

Post GAFCON Interview with Peter Jensen

GAFCON: A Longer Look

N.T. Wright reflects on GAFCON

Read the GAFCON Statement

Technorati Tags: GAFCON, JIPacker, NTWRIGHT

Kansas City Church Plant Update

“Wait! I thought you were living in Canada”

“No, I finished my coursework at Regent and we are in the process of planting a church in Kansas City.”

“Oh...Wow! I had no idea. So, how do you like living in KC?”

“Well, we’ve actually been living in Little Rock since last summer...it’s kind of a long story”

This pretty much summarizes the opening segment of every conversation I’ve had for the past eighteen months. The good news is, we are finally in Kansas City!

(our  house in KC)

And, by God’s stunning grace, our plans to plant a new church in the urban core of KC are moving forward at a blinding pace and in ways much different and more beautiful than we ever could have conceived.

What follows is my attempt to provide a brief sketch of some of what has transpired in the past year and to update those who are interested on what we are currently doing in Kansas City.

Canadians + Wrestling = Church Growth?

Though this isn't the first time Hulk Hogan has appeared in a church, I don't know if I had ever heard him say, "Whatcha gonna do when the Holy Spirit runs wild on you brother?!"

A friend sent me this link to a Canadian church that is seeking revitalization through pro wrestling. God bless Canadians. I only pray they have some poutine on hand to feed the hungry spectators.

I am speechless...

Church pins hope on wrestling