DeBlogmo - Soaking up the Son

Barely.

Good book if you are interested in the post-apostolic church writers.  Men such as Polycarp, Clement, Justin Martyr, etc. are quoted in this summation of the lifestyles and doctrinal positions of those who learned directly from the apostles and and inspired writers of the New Testament.

My ability to pick up a book and read about history is quite weak so this book did a good job in putting the cycles of apostacy and reformations/restorations in a concise, easy to follow format.  If you are evangelical or even Calvinistic in your theology, this book will not satisfy you as it aggressively destroys the ideology of such doctrines being a true representation of what the early Christians (pre-Constantine) believed and taught.

I strongly recommend it!

 -DeBlog

After moving to Chillicothe, I’ve taken up discgolf.  I love it.  It is great exercise.  It is challenging and most importantly it is free.  Today I played in my first tournament ever, the ICE BOWL 2007 and scored a 59 (10 under course par) that rewarded me with second place overall.  If you haven’t ever experienced a round of disc golf, may I suggest you find a course near you and give it a try!

For those who know me well, Mark McGwire was my hero.  From his entry into the MLB in 1987 when he hit 49 home runs as an Athletic to his final years as a Cardinal where he single-handedly gave baseball new life, I followed his every move.  When onlookers would gaze upon my “McGwire collection” all they could do was stand in awe.

Well, today marks a sad day.  In his first whirl at Cooperstown, Mac received 128 of the 409 votes needed for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  His name will appear for another 14 years on the ballots before it is removed.  When, or better yet, if, the day comes that he gets what he deserves, I will be there to applaud his career and, yes, his character.

-DeBlog

It’s nice knowing that the team I love (WVU Mountaineers) are representative of the Big East Conference that went 5-0 in Bowl Games this year.

Enjoy the following rendition of “We Three Kings” delivered by Socialight:

We Three Kings

Bitter sweet.  The cliche is ever so accurate.  In just a few hours we will be leaving our work here in Jordan, Ontario, Canada.

I’m saddened that we are leaving some very good friends and a strong, active work here with the church in Jordan.  I’m excited that we are able to roll the gospel chariot into Chillicothe, OH.  I wish I had more to say.  Tomorrow I preach my last two lessons for the church here until I am called (hopefully) at some time to return and edify the church here again.  I pray God’s continued blessings upon this church and the lovely people that make it up.  Love to you…

-DeBlog

Written by Timothy Turner and published in 1995, this book is a solid read for all who stand in the pulpit and proclaim God’s message.

The author brings to light the need for an honest understanding of the people who sit in our congregations today.  Contrary to times past, the 45 minute oration just doesn’t have the punch that it once had.  Not that the gospel message has lost its fervor, but the ears upon which the message is falling are different ears today than they were 50 years ago.  Why?  The influence of the TV in the home.  Here is a summary of the “Seven New Kind of Listeners” that the author outlines in chapter four:

1. Soapy Sylvia - The Feelings-Oriented Listener
2. Gameshow Gary - The Entertainment-Oriented Listener
3. Shopping Network Nellie - The Consumer Mentality
4. Daydreamin’ Dave - The Fantasy Thinker
5. Eyeball Annie - The Visually-Oriented Listener
6. Inert Eddie - The Passive Nonresponder
7. Inattentive Alice - The Attention-Deficit Adult

Without detailing any of these listening types, you might already begin to see the wide spectrum of listeners we have within our congregations.

I highly recommend this book, especially to those who publicly proclaim the word of God.

-DeBlog

Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and, with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him a super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

Ok…I’ve seen alot of funny things in my time. I consider myself to have a pretty good sense of humor. But my good friend, Eric “erock” Wallace, just took the “lead” with his rendition of Song Leader Revolution.

Please enjoy.

-DeBlog