Salvation Army

Christmas this year is a new experience for me. For the first time, I am figuring out the two-family thing, now that I'm married. My beautiful wife and I are up in Fargo with her mom and sisters until tomorrow. Right now we are at the Salvation Army soup kitchen, ready to serve lunch. 

Science and Religion

Science & Religion is a perennially attractive topic, and for good reason. It's been a significant and important issue, in the Christian church and the West in general for the past 150 years especially. 

We were pleased to have Dr. George Tsakiridis come and guest teach our Reasons' Seminar on this topic just last a few nights ago.  He did a great job at giving what truly was the "101" overview of the topic in general.  He spent about 35 minutes lecturing and interacting with about the dozen students who came, then we spent the next 45 minutes or so in some helpful Q&A.

I am very grateful for his willingness to come and be our guest teacher at Reasons Seminar.  I hope and pray he will be able to join us again this next semester for a couple more weeks.   

Back to the Future...

Confession, I am only going 'back'... the title is a fun reference.
After a regretful reflection of not blogging often enough, I'm going to be moon-walking over some of the ministry events and reports during the past few weeks, starting with our last men's event, "Man-Zilla"(again, sweet 80's reference).

And mainly, I'm just gonna post a few photos from each event, or briefly discuss the event, seeing as how I don't have pictures for several of them.

Man-Zilla is essentially a few hours of manly competitions, followed by a couple hours of discussion over an article by Al Mohler entitled "13 Marks of Manhood" (which can be found here).
It was a really good discussion, with what we hope and pray will produce some fruit of conviction and encouragement towards pursuing Christ-centered transformation into a godlier man.

Money and Wealth

The last two weeks of Reasons Seminars has been a short series on "Money & Wealth".  It was a very concise and yet very helpful series that served the students who came.  Rod May (friend, mentor, FBC elder, local entrepreneur/business owner and a heck of a guy) led this two week seminar, and I am thankful to God for his time and effort to do so.  The recording of the second week can be accessed here, although it is without the visual worksheets he had for us, which were very helpful.

Thanks to Rod May for serving us in this way!

In two weeks from now, we will have another guest teacher, Bryan Kegley.  Bryan will be doing another two week seminar called "Philosophy and the Christian: 101".  Bryan graduated with a philosophy degree, and has a knack for approaching it and understanding it from a biblical standpoint.  I am excited to have Bryan come.

I'm getting married in four days

Here's a helpful quote as I enter into this covenant:

“We must deal with the fact that marriage means marriage of a sinnerto a sinner . . . in order to deal with sin rightly, we have to understand forgiveness, and anyone who wants to be married in this fallen world without understanding forgiveness is frankly out of his mind”. 

(For a Glory and a Covering, p. 93)

-Doug Wilson

(Thanks to Rod May for sending this my way)

Pleasure Thru a Demon's Eyes

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/seeing-pleasure-through-a-demon-s-eyes

This is perhaps one of my most favorite references and most helpful teachings on understanding pleasure and this world rightly. 

On our way to Michigan for STP!

Planned Parenthood Responds to Gosnell Case – Trevin Wax

Imagining How Planned Parenthood Might Respond to Gosnell – Trevin Wax:

'via Blog this'

From Roe to Gosnell - WSJ.com

here is a necessary follow-up article to my last post a couple hours ago.  This one is longer, and WELL WORTH the read.

Best of the Web Today: From Roe to Gosnell - WSJ.com:

'via Blog this'

The Abort73 Blog: What Would Planned Parenthood Say About Katie Stockton?

I normally reserve my blog for specific ministry related events, but I cannot help but share some of the recent events regarding Planned Parenthood, abortion & infanticide.

If you are not aware of this issue, I plead with you to take notice.  Planned Parenthood, the world's largest abortion provider, is literally arguing that infanticide should be legal.

From a Washington Post article:

"Testifying against a Florida bill that would require abortionists to provide emergency medical care to an infant who survives an abortion, Planned Parenthood lobbyist Alisa LaPolt Snow was asked point blank: “If a baby is born on a table as a result of a botched abortion, what would Planned Parenthood want to have happen [emphasis mine] to that child that is struggling for life?” She replied: “We believe that any decision that’s made should be left up to [emphasis mine] the woman, her family, and the physician.”Jaws in the committee room dropped. Asked again, she repeated her answer.
Only after a firestorm erupted in the conservative media did Planned Parenthood issued a statement that in the “extremely unlikely and highly unusual” event that a baby were born alive it would “provide appropriate care to both the woman and the infant.” That is debatable, since a Planned Parenthood counselor has been caught on tape admitting that the organization leaves infants born alive after an abortion to die. But if Planned Parenthood really does provide such care, why was it lobbying against a bill requiring such care in the first place?"

This is unfortunately only almost unbelievable...almost.  Again, just to emphasize this, what exactly does Miss Snow's response mean?

Let me restate it in my own summary form.  Please consider if this is an accurate representation:

Pannel member: "When a baby is born alive, what do you, as a representative of the largest provider of abortion America, want policy to be regarding that child?

Snow: "We believe that policy should be that it is legal to destroy that child if the mother or abortionist choose to do so."

Is this not accurate?  Is this not what "any decision that’s made should be left up to the woman, her family, and the physician" means?  It is clothed in the well-known language of choice and freedom, but logically, in argument form, what is she saying?  She is saying that Planned Parenthood desires for it to remain legal to kill that child who is now alive outside the womb, as apposed to inside of it.  

Katie Stockton (quote below) is literally going to serve 50 years in prison because she did virtually the exact same thing. At the same time, Planned Parenthood is standing in front of a state legislative meeting apposing a bill that would protect that baby born alive.

Another excerpt, this time from an article form Abort73.com

"Planned Parenthood has a legion of supporters who bend over backwards in a relentless attempt to "normalize" their operations. Their public face is all smiles and "women's health," but as this case demonstrates, Planned Parenthood makes no ethical distinction between killing an unborn baby and killing a born baby. In other words, Planned Parenthood, through their lobbyist, supports the exact same behavior that earned Katie Stockton 50 years in prison. So, if you're outraged by what Miss Stockton did but are sympathetic to the "work" of Planned Parenthood, do not forget the events of last week. The only difference between Katie Stockton and Planned Parenthood is that Katie Stockton doesn't have a million-dollar PR firm to cover her tracks."

Graveyards are Gardens

Equip was snowed out the other night. So instead, we moved onto campus and watched a film called "Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl". (website here)
I'd highly recommend it. It's an incredibly thought provoking, entertaining, cinemagraphic piece I work. It is a most helpful conversation tool, and God blessed our discussion afterward.

During the film, the author (Nate Wilson) says, "Gardens are Graveyards".  It was right before (or after) he just got done choking up about his buried 1 year-old niece   He regains himself and teaches how, for a Christian, a graveyard is actually a garden, because God says he is going to resurrect the dead one day.

This is true.  God is going to resurrect the dead one day, and we will all face the judgement seat of God.  If we are in Christ, if we have trusted in his righteousness then our sentence will be "perfect holiness", because Jesus gives us his.  If not, then our sentence will be "death".  Eternal death.

So reflect upon Jesus next time you see a graveyard.  Be sad, weep with those who weep and do not celebrate death.  But, be careful to not let your sadness triumph over your joy, because we know that one day that graveyard will bring forth the fruit that is buried there.

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". - Philippians 1:21






Watch the video trailer here, too.

Student Leadership

Who does ministry on the campus of SDSU as "Equip"?

If your first thought is me or Brandon, or other staff or full-time college ministers, you might be mistaken.

Indeed I am extremely privileged to do what I do, and I sometimes I can't believe that I am blessed to "give myself" to this work, laboring and striving to see the gospel spread and disciples grown in Jesus. 

However, without solid, passionate, committed and amazing student leaders, Brandon and I would not have a fraction of the impact that we do, by the grace of God.

This past weekend was our annual "Leadership Recruitment and Vision Casting Retreat".  We had about 20 students come to learn scripture, grow in their ability to minister to their peers, and get a much better understanding of how to do ministry.  We invite them to come and consider whether it might be right for them to formally join our Leadership Team for the 2013-14 school year.  

It was a fantastic time!  Lots of learning, lots of fun and some really good time in prayer and fellowship.

Please pray God would bring those onto our team would should be there.  

The line that we start them with is, "Being a leader means giving your life away on this campus".  We truly believe this, and are praying God raises up more students who want to serve and "give their lives [time, energy, finances, etc] away" for their peers this coming year!

C-C-C-Changes

That reference to David Bowie may or may not be accurate...but I think it is.
There are indeed some changes 'round these parts.

There are of course always great things happening, put perhaps the most recent and exciting change for me is the beginning of a new relationship.

That's right, the long time Lone Ranger has lassoed his Tonto, except this Tonto is a girl (quite a cute girl I might add).  A month ago I approached this Tonto, whose stage name is "Emma DeJong".
I "sat her down" (as the say) and basically asked her if she was interested in taking a month of intentionally pursuing a relationship, seeing if further affections might arise and if God might lead us in wisdom towards further things together.

Long story short (but short time), she said "yes" for some strange reason, and we've been moving in a healthy and positive direction together.

It's a bit surreal, but things have been super blessed and we have been getting to know each other quite well, and I've been enjoying that a great deal (she says she does, but I find that hard to believe ;).

Why share this on a blog post?
Good question, simple answer:  I would very much request your prayer for us.  Emma and I have known each other for 4 years now, so there is an incredible amount of ground already covered. This is one reason it is going fast, the other is because we sorta like each other...

So, please pray!  Pray our relationship would grow in Christ, finding our joy and purposes in Jesus and not primarily in each other. We have been grateful to God for much answered prayer, and we are asking for even more, that His name would be lifted high, and we would walk forward in wisdom and holiness.

Boot camp 60% done

We're not done yet, but this Fundraising "Boot Camp" has truly been super crazy helpful, amazing, convicting, and all sorts of other great words.
Lots of biblical convictions on my view on money, giving and asking. Please pray God would continue to bless Brando and I as we have several hours left.
Praise God from whom all these blessings flow!

Ps. The weather is amazing! Hope you don't mind the temp picture I uploaded...

Fundraising boot camp

What is that, you say?

Pretty much what it sounds like. Brando and I have never had any formal and serious fundraising "training". It's not so much a matter of getting all the tricks to get the funds in, but of doing some more faithful study of the scriptures about the nature of raising financial support for the mission God has us in.

Getting some correction and guidance about seeking to more faithfully and effectively raise support for Equip is something we truly need.

Please pray we would be teachable, humble your also critical and thoughtful about what we are about to spend 18 hours learning. Pray we would apply what we need to apply for both o our lives.

Conference Closing

Seriously, New Years Conference was an amazing and very helpful time in my and the students lives!

It is gloriously true that the daily labor and fight for faith is of the utmost importance and central in our lives. This has been impressed and significantly reminded to me during these past few days. The gospel call on our lives is to press into The Lord, to plead in desperation for the strength to comprehend what is the height, and length and depth and breadth of our Lord. I'm so thankful for this unique time to be reminded of this, and extremely grateful for the grace of God in my life.

But also...
I'm very thankful that God does indeed give us these unique and powerful moments on the "hilltop" to be challenged, encouraged, convicted and exhorted to press on to know Him. Conference and times like it have proven to be an incredibly blessed time for me and the students that God has chosen to draw on these times. It's not in every season of life that one is able to take five straight days to hear intense preaching, nearly constant fellowship and days full of the Word and prayer.
I'm so very glad that He has chosen to grant me with this privilege!
Would you pray with me that The Lord would continue to produce fruit in mine and the student's lives as a result of his conference? Pray that the things learned and the convictions that the Spirit has brought would remain and continue to grow in our hearts, daily producing the fruit of the Spirit.

Also please pray that God would bring about a great increase in evangelism and discipleship in mine and the student's lives. I feel this lack in my own life right now, and I am truly excited to see Him work and save he lost thru the power of the gospel proclamation!