Superhua

What if everyday was Fall Retreat?  That is, what if everday we played games together, sung praises to the Lord, studied the Bible and prayed together, had a bonfire, etc.?  No doubt we would enjoy this for the first few days — even first week!  We might even find that we feel closer to the Lord during this special excursion.  But I imagine that eventually we would revert back to our same selves — struggling with the same issues and sins.

Learning to be faithful in the ho-hum everyday reality of life is critical to our perseverence in the faith.  Thankfully we worship One who understands the ho-hum everyday reality of life because He has fully entered into this same reality!

Thanks to everyone who made Fall Retreat a good retreat to recharge so that we can reenter the world!

[more photos here]

Interesting.

 What does this graph tell you?

New for 2008’s handbook: journal prompts!

Journal Prompts

On the eve of our seventh Fall Retreat, I thought it would be helpful to look back on the first six. Great memories from spending a weekend with good people and worshiping a great God!

2002 – Unify to Glorify

2003 – The Heart of Relationships

2004 – Your Story for God’s Glory

2005 – The OAs

2006 – Parables

2007 – Unplugged

The title says it all: “Is it wrong to use video or music or drama as an illustration in preaching?”

Some would answer affirmatively and argue that using video, music, or drama implicitly declares that the Scriptures alone are insufficient (hence the need to use these so-called “bells and whistles”).  They argue that it teaches and trains people to crave and depend on these other means (rather than the Scriptures alone) for edification.  Further, more often than not, people only remember the illustration and not the point of the illustration!  In this sense, such use is neither theologically, pastorally, or homiletically wise.  [more thoughts here]

Others suggest that Jesus’ own use of the parables is a defense of such modern storytelling.  Further, they argue, done properly, such means can be used to appropriately drive home the point of the Scripture in a honoring and edifying manner.

What do you think and why?

[Aug 2009 update: John Piper and churchmarketingsucks.com weigh in]

MuddyRiverMedia.org

I first heard about MuddyRiverMedia.org from GeeksandGod.com. MRM is a

a registered, non-profit mission society which exists to consistently provide free, quality media resources for churches using the internet as the primary delivery tool. [source]

In short, their aim to provide free high-quality media for ministry use.  Very helpful if you teach or preach!

Because in Sunday’s sermon we explored greed as materialism, I thought this was appropriate:

Just check out the interconnections.

Not!  Ugh, perhaps one of the greatest vices in the church is how self-centered we sometimes (often?) make it.  Rather than pontificate on this, check out these three videos:

[update: illustration of same idea]

I recently Twitter’d, “I wish people at church would be as enthusiastic as football fans.” Evidently someone else had the same thought! Check out this hilarious video.