Archives for 2014

I didn't get much done last night, other than watch the election returns. Yesterday, before I left the office, I wrote out a worksheet of the 14 races which polls said were in dispute in the battle for control of the Senate. I tracked them, watched the numbers and finally called it a night around midnight. Here are some of my observations today. 1) It was a Red Tsunami. For most of the night, Juan Williams tried to argue against calling this a "wave" - I don't know why. By the end of the night, he was admitting the obvious. As best I can tell, there was only 1 of those 14 races in which … [Read more...] about Election Reflections

Some years ago I watched a nature series entitled Life that depicted the life of, well, life. One of the episodes included never-before-captured footage of a pack of Komodo dragons hunting a water buffalo. The event was unique because no one thought that a reptile would pursue a mammal, but the food situation was so dire that the Komodo dragons went outside of their normal hunting routines. The hunt started with what seemed like an insignificant bite, but the dragon’s bite was, as the narrator says, “a lethal concoction of bacteria and venom” that eventually took the life of the buffalo. … [Read more...] about Should Christians Give Mark Driscoll the “Middle Finger”?

There is a movement out there calling on pastors to endorse candidates for political office from the pulpit. I sympathize with the aims of this group. They are trying to make a statement to the government and to the IRS that the pulpit should remain free from government intrusion. The IRS, after getting spanked a few times recently for politically-motivated actions against conservatives, is refusing to take the bait. They have not stepped up enforcement against any of those pastors who have made this act of protest. It makes no difference to me. I have never endorsed a candidate for public … [Read more...] about Why I Don’t Endorse Candidates from the Pulpit

I still remember my white-knuckled pew grabbing. When I really wanted to go forward at service and give my life to Christ. Maybe it was a rededication—maybe it was coming to Christ for the first time. I don’t know, but I know that at that time the gospel seemed so beautiful. But I was counting the cost and it seemed so huge. During that time in my life I wrote this rather choppy line: Standing on holy ground With one shoe Caught between a life of me And one devoted to you I deeply wanted to listen and follow the voice calling from the burning bush but I wanted to at least keep a … [Read more...] about Being Gospel-Centered Is A Bloody Mess

This post is authored by Tony Jones. Tony is pastor of the First Baptist Church of Rich Hill, MO. He blogs at http://thespiritualwoodshed.com/. He lived next door to the church, just a few feet away from the front door. He bought his house before the church building was even built, and he had seen pastors come and go.  He even told me this story about a pastor they had to fire back in the 70’s who broke out the window in his office because they had locked him out of the church. He and his wife were charter members of the church. He had done most of the electrical work for the church, … [Read more...] about There’s Always A Harold (by Tony Jones)

If you are a believer in Jesus you’ve likely experienced seasons of accusation. Those are the terrible times when it feels as if we are cursed and gone astray. We feel condemned, wrecked, ruined, and that we have no hope of gaining salvation. I’ve had terrible seasons like this in my own life. This is why one of my favorite songs isEmbracing Accusation by Shane and Shane. In this song they take on these seasons of Satanic accusation and invite us to embrace them. The song ends with this great lyric: Oh the devil’s singing over me An age old song That I am cursed and gone astray Singing … [Read more...] about When the Devil Preaches the Gospel

Kent Brantly: Recovered Nancy Writebol: Recovered Rick Sacra: Recovered Anonymous WHO Doctor: Recovered Ashoka Mukpo: Recovered Thomas Eric Duncan: Died Nina Pham: Recovered Amber Vinson: Recovered Craig Spencer: Ongoing Case Fatality Rate for African Ebola patients 70% Case Fatality Rate for American Ebola patients 11% The lone American fatality, Thomas Eric Duncan, was sent home from the hospital when he first sought treatment. Thus, the case fatality rate for American Ebola patients who receive prompt treatment is, so far, 0%. Ebola … [Read more...] about Death by Poverty