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Showing posts from September, 2013

The Front Porch

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I'm appreciating this new website launch, featuring (in my opinion) three modern day African American reformers: pastor Louis Love of New Life Fellowship Church (Vernon Hills, IL); pastor Anthony Carter of East Point Church (Atlanta, GA); and Thabiti Anyabwile First Baptist Church (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands). A myriad of topics will be covered in the  TFP  website: preaching, books, life, and anything and everything effecting the African American Church and/or the Church in general. It isn't all tick removing or blemish identification however, there will be celebrating, laughing, sharing in the goodness that God is doing in body. To say that this website is necessary is an understatement. I was almost tempted to engage in some pouting as to why this took so long. But I digress, the website looks great, and I plan to be putting the resources provided to good use. God bless you guys, praying for much fruit!

The Pastor's Heart and The Altar Call

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I grew up in a church culture where "altar calls" were (and are) a given. I can recall being in church as a youngster, experiencing the conundrum of wanting the sermon to end, and dreading that very end because of the emotional torment of being invited to the "alter" to "give my life to Jesus". Often times I was encouraged and sometimes, I was literally dragged, by the arm, out of my seat, to the front of the church by some elderly congregant; probably with the purest of intentions. I can date my own conversion, to a day in March, ten years ago, in my bedroom on a Sunday after church. And calling my best friend Collin to tell him the good news. Collin (a strong Christian) before my conversion, welcomed me to share in his life and modeled for me , biblical manhood (before I knew what that was), true friendship, and the joy of being a child of God. Needless to say his influence in my life, will echo throughout eternity; and he occupies a special place i

Monday Morning Humor

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The worldly doctrine of "love at first sight" is laden with, emotional, physical and spiritual landmines, not to mention it's unbiblical. A doctrine that (if actually true) was 100% foolproof, only once in human history, when Adam saw Eve. This would have been a close second, only because its his wife at the other end of the camera! Funny stuff!

Defying Age and Gravity

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Michael Jordan turned the big 5-0 this year. That same month (February) Julius Erving aka Dr. J turned 63. These two men are known for revolutionizing the game of basketball in their respective eras; His Airness picking up, where Dr. J left off. On the court, they became famous for their artistry and dominance, playing the game of basketball at another stratosphere than everyone else. Athleticism of their caliber, is known to have a shelf-life however, as one former basketball great put it "Father Time is undefeated!" They haven't altogether turned the clocks back, but theirs does seem to be going at a much slower pace than most athletes. And thus, with these videos, MJ and Dr. J have added to their legend and mystique, causing us mere humans to question their earthly origins, having defied both age and gravity, and a few added pounds.

Apologetics is for Everyone!

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I can't remember the exact day I heard Ravi Zacharias' radio program "Just Thinking" for the first time. I do  remember, my first thought - "wow, we Christians have answers for those difficult questions" shortly followed by "and why has no one told me about this? " Me, a babe in the faith, hungry for knowledge: bought the books, downloaded the free, 13 and a half minute lecture clips, all 300 plus, and began to feast. In studying apologetics the bridge between my head and my heart was fortified. It supplemented the understanding of my hope, making me bold in communicating the source, reason, and exclusivity of that hope, found in the gospel and person of Jesus Christ. What is Apologetics If this is your first time hearing the word "Apologetics", it would serve you well to provide a definition at this point - John Frame (Apologetics to the Glory of God) defines Christian apologetics as such:   "Christian apologetics (which