Remember!

Take some time today and remember those men and women who have given their lives for our nation. Their sacrifices allow us to live in freedom, to speak and write freely, and to worship and serve God. Don't forget to thank the Lord for them, too.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

I heartily recommend the online debate between Douglas Wilson and Christopher Hitchens over on Christianity Today's website. As of today, there are at least five installments. Hitchens has recently wrote an atheistic broadside against Christianity (another in recent spate) called God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, is the author of Letter from a Christian Citizen which is a repsonse to another atheist tract by Sam Harris. The exchange is interesting and thought-provoking.

Luther's List

Here are Martin Luther's necessary qualities of good preachers:

1. They should be able to teach in a right in orderly way.
2. They should have a good head.
3. They should be able to speak well.
4. They should have a good voice.
5. They should have a good memory.
6. They should know when to stop.
7. They should be sure of their material and be diligent.
8. They should stake body and life, goods and honor on it.
9. They should suffer themselves to be vexed and played by everyone.

Man Knows Not His Time

Jerry Falwell (1933-2007)

Reverend Falwell founded Thomas Road Baptist Church, Liberty University, and the Moral Majority. He was a leader of fundamentalists and evangelicals in the last several decades. He boldly stood for the Lord Jesus Christ, taking unpopular stands (as far as the world is concerned), taking the point, and taking the heat for it. But I'm absolutely certain that what he valued in life was the fact that he was a husband, father, and pastor. What he valued most, however, was His Lord ands Savior Jesus Christ.

He influenced many of us (myself included), even if some don't want to admit it. May he hear "Well done, good and faithful servant," from our good and faithful Lord.

For your listening (or watching) enjoyment

Basics 2007 - a pastor's conference sponsored by Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio (whose pastor is Alistair Begg) - happened last week. Audio and vidoe are availble here.

It's a conference for pastors and most of the sessions are designed that way, but anyone could benefit from what's preached and taught (I know I certainly did, especially the challenge to be faithful in preaching God's Word). If you're not a pastor and have always wondered what actually goes on at such conferences, here's your chance to find out.

Alistair gives an update on his health in the introduction - please don't skip it!

I'm a Abrianist, too

I need to get this off my chest: I don't believe in Brian Sapient (founder of The Blasphemy Project). Why? Let me count the ways.

1. There is no scientific evidence that he exists.

2. I've never met him.

3. He's never done anything for me.

4. The existence of evil disproves his existence.

5. There's so much suffering in the world. How could he exist?

6. Some of Brian's followers are jerks and have done bad things.

7. People who say Brian exists are hypocrites.

8. People think Brian exists because they need a crutch to get them through life.

9. Brian hasn't revealed himself to me even though I've asked him to do so.

Well, there it is.

All Things Examined

Regis Nicoll has written an excellent article on the relationship between orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right behavior). His point is spot on: orthopraxy begins with orthodoxy.

I am an Adawkinsist

Richard Dawkins, one of the more outspoken contemporary atheists, wrote The God Delusion within the last year or so. It's received tremendous coverage from a generally sympathetic media.

Well, I'm announcing today that I don't believe in Dawkins. I don't think he exists. I think he's a figment of people's imaginations - something that helps them get through the day and gives them some kind of meaning in life. I've never seen him. I asked him for something and he didn't give it to me. There's so much evil in the world - if Dawkins existed, certainly he'd do something about it. He doesn't, so he must not exist. Not only that, I demanded that he appear in front of me in order to prove his existence - you guessed it, he didn't. The book - supposedly written by Dawkins - should be called The Dawkins Delusion.

Just thought you'd like to know.

More Gore vs. Gideons

If you really want "an inconvenient truth," don't watch Al Gore's movie, just pick up the Bible and read it.

Gideon Bible or Gore Movie?

The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa have replaced the Gideon Bibles in every one of their rooms with a copy of Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth." Proof positive that extreme environmentalism is a religion (in case we needed any!).

Be Involved!

Greg Koukl writes on why it's important for Christians to be involved in politics. Great article!