Around the Horn, April 22nd, 2008
The heart of the show is the fight sequences, typically involving a darkened warehouse (all the better to obscure the lackluster choreography) and Bibleman swatting away CGI fireballs with his lightsaber while announcing, “Isaiah 54:17 says ‘no weapon forged against me will prosper!’” Every now and then, Bibleman shares a lesson with his sidekicks, as when he laments that people “allow their minds to cover up what God has placed on their hearts”—a near perfect pitch for the common evangelical notion that feelings are to be trusted above rational discernment, a belief that many nonevangelicals would be distressed to hear is being passed on to eight year-olds.
As funny as Bibleman sounds, if I had a kid, I think I actually might prefer him to watch Bibleman than to watch Pokemon. Reciting verses is way better than reciting Pokemon stats.
Well it is certainly true that science and reason do not make hospital visits, but it is difficult to see how a church of unbelievers would offer much comfort. McManus’ article begins with Richard Dawkins poking fun at the idea that belief in God offers solace. “Isn’t that a little childish?” he asked. Atheism just doesn’t have much to offer when it comes to spiritual assurance. How could it?
Isn’t it funny how some atheists desire a church or a place to gather together? It is their God-given desire to have true fellowship, however, they won’t have true fellowship unless it is met with Christ in mind.
God uses whom He pleases to use
The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’” (Judges 7:2)
John Piper writes of a great reminder that numbers hardly mean anything in God’s book. He is in full control no matter if big or small. He can use anything for his grand purpose, weak or strong. I believe that God has done great things in our fellowship both when it is full of attendees in summer and when it is low in numbers when everyone is away at school. God is good.
Interracial Marriage, what does the bible say?
The New Testament strongly emphasizes the unity of the human race (all are sinners; all are in need of salvation; God is not the respecter of any person; all are saved through faith in Christ; all are one in Jesus Christ). Colossians 3:11 clearly says that salvation puts off the old barriers that separated people — we now have “A renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” In Christ all previous religious, cultural, and social barriers are destroyed.
This is a very interesting article by John MacArthur on understanding what the bible says about interracial marriage. The best point made is that there really is no definition of race after the new testament. We are all sinners and all in dire need of God.
