Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Only a black pastor would say this

How should young men treat their pastors/ministers/elders. Bryan Lorrits, a black pastor ministering in the US writes suggests the following:
1. [...] Don’t call him by his first name until he gives you permission to do so. 
2. Because of his status, assume that his time is way more valuable than yours.  Therefore don’t waste his time.  Show up early.  Beat him to the meeting. 
3. Bring something to write with.  Taking notes sends the message that you value his time and what he has to say. 
4. Unless you are taking notes on your phone (and if so let him know you are, so he doesn’t think you’re fooling around), turn the phone off. 
5. If you didn’t do so before the meeting, within the first five minutes let him know exactly what you want to talk about, and have well thought out questions prepared to ask. 
6. I don’t care how broke you are, your mama may have had to give you bus fare to get to the restaurant, offer to pay for breakfast (and pray he turns you down!).  It’s just good manners. 
7. Thank him profusely for his time. 
8. And if you want to really go the extra mile send him a thank you note when it’s all said and done.
I think I'm in agreement with most of these suggestions (and not just because I'm a pastor J) but I suspect that there is no way, no way at all that a white man would get away with suggesting these things (especially if they are white British). Agree?

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Why is God smiting The US?

Over at The Federalist, Rachel Lu writes expressing her concern at the recent crazy weather and asks:
Why is God smiting us? Also, why aren’t more people worried about this?
Part of her answer:
Let’s be honest here. Is there anyone left in this country [USA] who doesn’t think we have some affliction coming to us? We may disagree wildly about the disease and the symptoms, but a quick read through the news will affirm one point of agreement between left and right: our nation has fallen into a moral sinkhole of epic proportions. Repentance is clearly in order. Hearty shoveling seems like a good place to start.
FAB - Forthright; Astute; Biblical-ish. Read the full thing here.

Thursday, 20 February 2014

Gimli's pre-marital advice


I’m not sure if Tolkien would fully agree (we’ll find out when we get to glory) but if ever I have a pre-marriage counselling room, the verse I want hanging all around the walls is the comment by Gimli, moments before he (and Company) depart Rivendell:
Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens
These words come in respond to Elrond having given the Company (bar Frodo) permission to abandon the quest if at any point they feel unable to continue:
You may tarry, or come back, or turn aside into other paths, as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy it will be to withdraw; yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not yet know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road.

To this Gimli responds with that challenging yet profoundly biblical line: Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens. Isn’t that precisely what the Christian marriage wedding vows get at with it's sobering:

For better, for worse

For richer, for poorer

In sickness and in health

To love and cherish

TILL DEATH DO US PART

May God by His grace enable us to stay faithful to Him and each other to the very end. Amen.

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

"Do you lock your door at night?" An atheist's logic crumbles

Watch Ravi Zacharias' quick witted response below, where he not only managed to bring some humour to a serious subject but demonstrated the emptiness of Atheistic thinking...


Monday, 17 February 2014

NSPCC ignores the most vulnerable

I’ve recently been having some child protection training so as that apparently, I can be up to speed re the latest wrinkle of the safeguarding bug. In my most recent training session there was a module on neglect (which according to the NSPCC is the most common reason for children being the subject of a child protection plan)

Now get this, neglect (according to HM Government among others) is defined as:
the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development.

Furthermore, neglect occurs when:
parents and carers are unable or unwilling to meet a child's needs [and] may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.

Now can someone help me: if those definitions are true how is it that we permit abortions?

Sunday, 16 February 2014

How wolves change rivers

Confirmation in 4 minutes that God has made all things wonderful...