John Piper - Bloodlines

This is the video we watched in MC Monday night.
John

Elephant Room - Love The Gospel vs. Share The Gospel

The Gospel

The Gospel, a clip from Mars Hill Church in Seattle.

Forgiveness

Resources on Forgiveness…

Serving Each Other Through Forgiveness And Reconciliation – Tim Keller

Why can’t I overcome my bitterness and anger? – John Piper

As We Forgive Our Debtors – John Piper

A Bitter Harvest – Paul Tripp

Five “Benefits” of Unforgiveness – Paul Tripp

We were created for community...

Taken from www.theresurgence.com
www.relit.org/community

Part 2: What is Reformed Theology - R.C. Sproul

Part 2, What is Reformed Theology:

How do you define sovereignty and how do you apply that to your theology? The answer to that question will determine all else about what you think of God and how He relates to His creatures. Considering this, and how it applies to biblical theology, Dr. Sproul continues this series as he looks at the views of “Catholic, Evangelical, and Reformed.” 

Part 1: What is Reformed Theology - R.C. Sproul

Part 1
This is the intro to R.C. Sproul's What is Reformed Theology.

"Liberal, Catholic, Dispensational, Pentecostal, Evangelical, Reformed… with so many different theologies out there, where you do start? Beginning this series about Reformed Theology, Dr. Sproul examines the distinctive doctrines that set apart Reformed Theology from the many theologies that have developed before and after the Protestant Reformation. "

From http://www.ligioner.org/

We love John Piper!
http://www.desiringgod.com/

It's not about winning...

"It's not about winning, it's about how you play the game." Now that's not an 'original' thought of mine. Maybe you've even heard it before. I used this, this evening when explaining to my oldest son why he's not supposed to get angry over losing a video game. And yes, I was the one who beat him, and yes I know Ephesians 6:4 came to mind (fathers don't provoke your children to anger). So I used the 'it's no about wining' phrase but then had to break it down in light of the gospel, so I thought I would share it.
So to say 'it's not about winning, but about how YOU play the game' sounds legal and very moral at best, with all of the emphasis on the player, which was the point I tried to make to my son. When I get angry over something it's usually because it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Ultimately it's about control. I told Caleb when he gets angry over a game it's because he wants to be God. With a funny look, he began to defend his position and tell me that he didn't want to be God, he just really like winning and didn't like losing. Yea son, me neither, but ultimately the reason I hate losing and like wining is because it puts me in control and in the drivers seat, and because of my sin I'll do anything to keep that position.
Now here's where we go a step further. Because of sin, my heart will continually want to go back and rebuild the old system where I earn my own righteousness and become my own savior, being in control, running the show, so to speak. Trying to comfortably place my self on the throne, denying Christ and treating grace as meaningless thereby saying I don't need Jesus, he didn't need to die, I just need to win. That word 'win' could be replaced by a lot of things, or people, or acceptance. Here is a section out of the JSB (Jesus Story Book)Bible from Luke 15, the story of 2 sons:

"And everything's wonderful and perfect - for a while. He(younger son) can go wherever he wants, do whatever he wants, be whoever he wants. He is the boss, he is free!
Sometimes he gets a strange, hungry, homesick feeling inside his heart, but then he just eats more, or drinks more, or buys more clothes, or goes to more parties until it goes away."


But Jesus blows that up! He fills the top spot. The first commandment tells us there's no more room at the top and the position has already been filled. He does the will of the father, being perfectly obedient, perfectly righteous, so we don't have to. That even when we lose, or fail...we win. He took on our sin and imputed His righteousness to us, that by grace alone, through faith alone, and by Christ alone...WE WIN! Yea Team Jesus!! Wow, now that's awesome!!

Maybe a better way to put it would be, it's not about winning, it's all about Jesus, so it's not dependent on us to win at everything, he has already won for us. Oh, and just so you know...I need this as much as my son does!

John

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G.O.S.P.E.L.

G.O.S.P.E.L. from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo.

Tim Keller - Interview Session #1 from Vintage21 Church on Vimeo.

Great insight on the Gospel from Dr. Keller. Pay particular attention to the part about learning from other areas(geographical) where gospel revolution is taking place.
John

Some great discussion, thought I'd share it. Post any comments below.

Soma Communities - Tacoma, WA from Verge Network on Vimeo.

Now, that is what missional community looks like! Great to see Clay in there for those of you who've heard Jeff give the story of Clay's conversion! What a great glimpse of what we're aiming for. Please Jesus, do that work here in us, in our city, in our families, in our homes for Your Glory!

Trajectories & velocities

If today was the launch, I guess that means we are in orbit now. It is an uneasy excitement as we become accustomed to the weightlessness of our journey into the unknown. In the distant past I was a science fiction nerd. I read a lot of books and watched quite a few cheesy science fiction movies. During that time I also became very interested in the early space program. I spent hours reading books on the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. The latter of which placed a man on the moon in the summer of 1969. There were endless pivotal moments in those flights but one of the most important was a period known as TLI. TLI stands for trans-lunar injection. That is where the third stage engine is re-fired, and the spacecraft is accelerated from out of orbit, into a trajectory with the moon (or whatever the preferred destination). Once this burn took place, there was no going back until the astronauts could use the gravity of the moon to assist their trajectory home (told you I was a nerd). Buckle up.

The Lord will fulfill His pupose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands- Psalm 138:8

The Elephant Room...

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Being at The Village Church today for the elephant room simulcast, has been great! James MacDonald, Perry Noble, David Platt, Steven Furtick, Greg Laurie, Matt Chandler, and Mark Driscoll. Some really great conversations on a variety of topics. Everything from multiple-site churches to how we preach the gospel. It's great to see guys on the same team pound on some issues, be honest, and champion the gospel! I hope and pray some day soon we can have these candid serious conversations in our city with people we lock arms with and challenge each other as leaders of The church!
John

ReGeneration Blog

From Merriam Webster:

 

mafia : a group of people likened to the Mafia; especially : a group of people of similar interests or backgrounds prominent in a particular field or enterprise : clique

 

Gospel : the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation;: something accepted or promoted as infallible truth or as a guiding principle or doctrine

 

regenerate : to become formed again; to become regenerate : reform; to undergo regeneration; a: to subject to spiritual regeneration b : to change radically and for the better; c : to generate or produce anew; especially : to replace (a body part) by a new growth of tissue; d : to restore to original strength or properties

 

...so there you go...

John