Church Hopping

May 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

John Calvin says we ought to thank God for gifts from “natural men” (non-Christians) who are “sharp and penetrating” in their investigation of things (Institutes 2.2.15). Could it be that God could teach the church a few things through the makers of “King of the Hill?” Decide for yourself.

Posted by Aaron | Filed Under Blog, Church and Culture, Humor 

Amen and Amen and Ouch

May 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Carl Treumen’s words from the Reformation21 blog regarding women in Reformed circles are oh-so-accurate. Proverbs 31 without the gospel can be a deadly burden (Proverbs 31:10-31).

I have lost count of the number of women I have come across, particularly in presbyterian circles, who feel the need to conform to some Reformed cultural norm. You can tell them on the Sundays: the exhausted and haggard mothers whose husbands expect them not only to cook and to clean, but also to home-school the kids. For every omnicompetent wife who seems to be able to run the world and then some, and still look like a million dollars when hubbie gets home for dinner (already on the table, of course), there are ten or more who look crushed and dispirited, who really need to send their kids out of the house in the morning so they can get some rest and some mental sanity, who need their husbands to see the problem and take steps to help them. Are they inadequate as Christian mothers? No. They are crushed by a “Christian” culture that demands their all and gives no slack.

I am no feminist (my wife will confirm my impeccable Neanderthal credentials); I have strong views on women’s ordination; but I am saddened by the way Reformed church culture so often tramples its women underfoot with its mindless identification of biblical manhood with something akin to John Wayne and its assumption that all Christian women should make Mary Poppins look domestically incompetent.

Posted by Aaron | Filed Under Blog, Church and Culture, Theology 

Charles Spurgeon on Weekly Communion

May 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

“So with the Lord’s Supper. My witness is, and I think I speak the mind of many of God’s people now present, that coming as some of us do, weekly, to the Lord’s table, we do not find the breaking of bread to have lost its significance—it is always fresh to us. I have often remarked on Lord’s-day evening, whatever the subject may have been, whether Sinai has thundered over our heads, or the plaintive notes of Calvary have pierced our hearts, it always seems equally appropriate to come to the breaking of bread. Shame on the Christian church that she should put it off to once a month, and mar the first day of the week by depriving it of its glory in the meeting together for fellowship and breaking of bread, and showing forth of the death of Christ till he come. They who once know the sweetness of each Lord’s-day celebrating his Supper, will not be content, I am sure, to put it off to less frequent seasons. Beloved, when the Holy Ghost is with us, ordinances are wells to the Christian, wells of rich comfort and of near communion.”

via Postscript Posthaste

Posted by Aaron | Filed Under Blog, Quotes, Theology 

Pray for Zimbabwe

May 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment

I know, a lot of places need prayer, but a couple of friends of ours from Zimbabwe have been sending emails about the plight of their nation. Under the leadership of President Mugabe, things are pretty ugly. Below are a few sections of their most recent email.

We are very aware of how much Zimbabwe has featured in the news in the last few months and even that is but a fraction of all that goes on here. A few weeks ago we sent out an urgent prayer request for our nation as it was once again rocked by political violence and unrest. Many people have been arrested and tortured for just wanting to voice their feelings. Prayer meetings have been stopped, people have been abducted from their homes and several people have lost their lives.
Unfortunately I have been unable to take any pictures of the Zimbabwe that has now become common place simply because I would probably be arrested….

Zimbabwe has been marked by political violence, power cuts/outages, inflation and corruption in the last month in record rates. In March the government withheld the ‘official’ inflation figures, simply because they were just so bad. Let me try and put it into a meaningful setting for you. In January a school exercise book, (the most basic one) was at Z$500 each, in March they went up to $3000 each, by the end of March they were $5000. A few days ago M— went to go and buy some, because every child who goes to government schools requires a minimum of 10, and they were between $12 - $18000.00 each-!!
In January the $US was trading at Z$3000 :US$1, today it is $24 000: US$1. We are living in very interesting times.
Thankfully the UN has been allowed in to to an actual assessment of food availability this year, and will hopefully be allowed to bring food into the country and distribute it. Rather than having our president telling the rest of the world that we have produced bumper crops and that we have excess food to our requirements. My oh my.
Well I shall close now and with all these things in mind would ask you to be praying for us for the following:

* Please pray for all those in Zimbabwe who are just unable to cope financially at this time. Many people have no food to eat, no clean water to drink, no access to medical help, no employment and certainly no prospects to getting work. Pray that we can be sensitive to the situation and have discernment in helping where we can.

*Please continue to pray for Zimbabwe. Praise God that He is sovereign and in control and so we can walk in confidence knowing that we are in the best place ever (in His hands). Pray for our leaders, pray that they might be convicted of their responsibilities to the people of Zimbabwe and that they would also come to know Christ. Pray that we, the Christians in Zimbabwe would be fearless in standing up for what is right, not bowing to corruption and would be a witness to everyone around us.

Posted by Aaron | Filed Under Blog, Church and Culture, Missions 

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