Why Christians should Homeschool.

Let me say this:  I love teachers.  I love public school teachers.  Some had great influence on my life and I still consider great friends.  This is not about them.  This is a battle cry to parents to restore the God-given purpose in their home that the government has wanted to take away.

This list could be 3 times as long.  I don't have enough time to write it all.  Maybe there will be updates or revisions.  But for now - a Manifesto on the Biblical Principal of Discipleship within the Home.

How to Link a QR Scan Code to your Website

It's the best thing since sliced bread.  Well not really, but QR codes make you feel like a special agent once you pull out your smart phone and scan it to pull up "secret" information.

You see them everywhere these days.  It reminds me of those images on the boxes of cereal where you had to get the special red glasses to see what was contained in the image.  There is something mysterious about QR codes.  For a long time I felt out of the loop, because I didn't have the App to scan for these.

Well recently, as I was creating some promotional material for my church, I thought it would be a neat idea to engage the younger population by linking a QR code to our church's website.

You can link a QR code to anything: a youtube link, your twitter account, or even a pop up text message.

First, if you don't have one, download a scan code app.  On my iphone, I am using ScanLife.

Now let's give it a shot.  Scan this image here -  Before you start thinking how lame that was, just imagine the places where you can put these: on the back of business cards, on church bulletins, on Gospel Tracts, on tickets for events, on promotional material.

Like I said before, people want to know what the code links to because they feel left out if they don't.  Now of course, only those who can are those with smart phones - which equals the majority of people under 50. So I think you will be ok.  The other thing to do is list a link or a recommended app to download to view them.

Ok, ok so I am done talking.  So how can you make these?  In order to find out you are going to have to scan the last item on the page.

You see?  You couldn't resist could you?  The power of QR codes.

Why BIG Churches are afraid of small Churches

The MegaChurch has a Mega Problem

I pastor a Small Church.  The average congregation in the United States is 100 or less.  Our average attendance has increased from 80 in August to 115 in December.  Thankfully we are a growing congregation, but still small by any measure.  And this is a good thing.

You see, over the past few weeks, we have seen several new members join.  13 to be exact.  (but who's counting?  actually I am)  I have been pastor there for 13 weeks.  So if you are not a math major let me help you.  We have been averaging 1 new member a week.  Wow that's great you might say!!  Well it's great for us, but the funny thing is, several of these new members have come from BIG churches.  

Which Translation does God use?

Fröhliche Weihnachten - (German)
Joyeux Noel - (French)

Buone Feste Natalizie - (Italian)

Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan - (Chinese)

What do these all mean?  MERRY CHRISTMAS.  But someone had to translate for you because they were in a different language.  A language that we didn't understad.  A translation is when someone takes a Word you don't know, and puts it in the language you DO know.

Christ in Chanukah

8 Candle Menorah 

Finding Christ in Chanukah

John 10:22 - 30  (Jesus at Feast of Dedication) - So where does the Feast of Dedication come from?

1. Feast of Tabernacles was largest feast of Israel - Lev. 23:42-43
1. Celebrates God dwelling with men
2. When we looked at the timeline for the birth of Jesus, it most likely occurred in the fall during the Feast of Tabernacles
2. Feast of Dedication became more Celebrated because of it’s Miracle
1. Celebrating a new“Temple”(Happened during the 400 years between OT and NT)
2. Chanukah called Feast of Dedication
3. Also known as the “Festival” of lights

Christian Dubstep = GODSTEP

I love dubstep.  I love Jesus.  I love young people on fire for Jesus.

I love it when young people who are on fire make dubstep about Jesus.

This song was made by a friend of mine, who is an up and coming DJ/ Singer, Song-writer.

Prepare to be amazed.

Why Definitions are Important.

8 Week Old Homo Sapien

Laws can only be understood within the context of the words they are written with.  Words can only be understood within the context of the definitions society understands them by.  What happens when people are confused by definitions, is that we can create logic or theories that defies everything else we previously understood about the world.  I present an example of simple words, which now have no meaning at all.

1. Definition of Homicide: the killing of one human being by another.
2. Definition of Kill: to deprive of life in any manner.
3. Definition of Human Being: a member of the species Homo sapiens.
4. Definition of Homo Sapien: the modern species of humans, the only extant species of the primate family Hominidae. (not dependent on age but on genetic makeup.  From the moment of conception the living organism is considered human)

God can Use Anything and Everything

Seven years ago, an 8th grade young man in the youth group I was pastoring came to me with a problem.  He was friends with a senior in high school who he respected very much.  The only problem was, this senior was an Atheist.  My young friend who I will call "David" (aka teenage boy confronting giants) came to me asking for advice on how to reach this atheist with the Gospel.

First of all, we committed to praying for this senior.  Secondly, after hearing about this senior, my friend David told me he was very intellectual, but also open.  On my bookshelf, I had a book by Ray Comfort called "God Doesn't Believe in Atheists."  This is a somewhat humorous book but also an intellectual look at the logic of Atheism.  I told my young friend David to give this book to the Senior, and to keep on loving him as Jesus would love him.  You may think I'm a bad person, but I actually forgot about this whole incident.

That was until Monday night.  I received a call from my young friend David (now on his way to the mission field).  David discovered his friend the Senior from a long time ago on facebook.  But he was shocked.  This open atheist now is a Christian.  And get this - he's studying to be a Preacher!  Glory to God!

I don't know any part of the story of when this atheist came to faith in Christ.  But I do know that when

Poem for my Wife

from the top

of your head to

the soles of your

feet, I am in 

love

with everything 

about you.  your skin

becomes my satin sheet.

your smile is so radiant that

it has burned an impression

in my mind.  your laughter

becomes an orchestra

that serenades in the 

chambers of my 

heart.  at the 

core of my earth 

flows a molten hot

magma of melted me. you 

tamed my timid heart into a 

stallion that rides for purpose. 

i can't find my way back even 

if i wanted to  because this

   wilderness   challenges

    perception,  inception,

     belief,   reason

leaving  only    

     you  me.

Who was Saint Nick?

Nicholas of Myra fighting against Persecution

   

 Santa Clause.  Chris Kringle.  St. Nick.  The mythical character goes by many names, but who was he? The answers will surprise you.

     In 280 AD, a young man named Nicholas was born to wealthy parents in the city of Patara which is now in the area of the world called Turkey.  His parents raised him in the fear and admonition of the Lord and taught him the "sacred books" from the age of 5.  His parents died while he was still young, forcing him to grow up quickly and now being responsible for a fortune.  

Wisdom from the Wise Men

Matthew is the only Gospel that presents the story of the Magi (or wise men) who visit Jesus.  Starting in Matthew chapter 2, we read of 3 men traveling from "the east" who were studiers of the stars (astrologers).  Some biblical scholars believe these men could have been from the Zoroastrian religion somewhere in Persia.  Following the star to Jerusalem, they meet King Herod, but then find that the star directs them to Jerusalem.  After meeting this baby King, they are warned in a dream to avoid Herod, so they go back home a different way from how they came.  Here are some simple wisdom keys we can learn from the Wise Men.

Real Life Dictionary

The problem with dictionaries is they tell you what a word technically means but not what it actually means.  So I will be starting a series called "Real Life Dictionary."  Here are some words and there actual meanings.  Listed first is the definition and then the word.

1. Place to store dead batteries. (Flashlight)
2. Beautiful girl that takes all your money. (Daughter)
3. The thing you do the day before dental appointment. (Flossing)
4. Time of year when you accumulate a lot of junk. (Christmas)
5. Doing things you don't want to do but acting like you enjoy it. (Marriage)
6. Magical place to make laundry disappear when guests visit. (Under Bed)
7. Place to find old thank you cards. (Bible)
8. Where the possibility of anorexia is extremely low. (Baptist Church)
9. Equivalent to a four letter word in most churches. (Evangelism)
10. Guy who makes a list and only checks it once. (Chuck Norris)
11. Location to store fallen leaves until disposal. (Yard)
12. Sits on your desk just for looks. (Dictionary)
13. Game where the largest percentage of players are bad. (Golf)
14. Person that only speaks one language. (American)

What is your favorite "Real Life Dictionary" word?

31 Nights of Christmas Movies

     You might think I've been bah-humbug about Christmas, but that is not the case.  I love the family nature of Christmas events, especially watching Christmas movies together.  These movies can be used to actively teach about questions by judging what things were properly or improperly portrayed about the real meaning of Christmas.
     I asked facebook friends what was their favorite Christmas movie, and we came up with a pretty extensive list.  This list is ordered starting with ones that are some of my top favorites, and then tapering down to ones I've never heard of before.  Normally we try to watch (or at least have playing) a Christmas movie every night starting on Thanksgiving.  So here she goes:

Putting Christ in the Christmas Tree

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