2010

Ballston Spa

VBS in Ballston Spa!

Looking for something for the kids to do this summer? Want a fun and exciting program for your children? The First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa is welcoming the children of the community to sign up for Vacation Bible School. This summer, we’re setting sail for VBS fun on the HIGH SEAS! It’s easily the best time they will have all summer. Don’t miss the ship—register now to be a part of this High Seas Expedition VBS!

VBS runs July 26-30 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. @ The First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa 202 Milton Ave. 885-8361 for more info. http://www.fbcballstonspa.org

truth

The Truth Catches Up with Ergun Caner

For several months and years, there has been speculation about Ergun Caner, Dean of Liberty University’s Seminary. Caner rose to Baptist fame under a flag as a Muslim extremist convert. It is clear that he was a Muslim, but not the hardened terrorist he made himself to be. FBC Watchdog and others have a cornucopia of audio sermons and facts that prove Caner was not engaged in “jihad” but was a normal American Muslim for a time. If you want the whole saga go here.

Secular media outlets reported on this story and The Washington Post posted this report this past weekend:

A Baptist minister who toured the country to talk about his conversion from Islam to Christianity is no longer the dean of Liberty University’s theological seminary following allegations he fabricated or embellished facts about his past, the school said Friday.

The university founded by Rev. Jerry Falwell said that a board of trustees committee concluded Ergun Caner made contradictory statements. Although it didn’t find evidence that he was not a Muslim who converted as a teenager, it did discover problems with dates, names and places he says he lived, a statement said.

A June 30 date was set to release this information but it appears that Liberty wanted to do this on a weekend where it would not get as much press. Liberty’s statement regarding the timing of Caner’s dean duties and deciding on administrative action is interesting:

Evangelism

Why No One Likes Evangelism

Over the years, I have encountered many Christians who do not feel comfortable with evangelism. Loosely, evangelism is the process in which Christians seek to convert or share the Gospel of Christ to others. When you say the word “evangelism” at a church meeting, thoughts of door knocking, Bible tracks, and street preaching come to mind.

Guy Kent at the Good Preacher/Homiletical Hot Tub blog, posted a funny telling of a Charlie Brown cartoon:

A Charlie Brown cartoon once had Lucy proclaiming to Charlie Brown, “I would make a good evangelist.”

Charlie Brown responds, “And why do you think that?”

“Well, I convinced the boy who sits behind me in school that my religion is better than his religion.”

Now Charlie Brown is intrigued. “How did you do that?”

Lucy tells him, “I hit him over the head with my lunch box!”

The “hit’em over the head” approach is often seen as the worst example of evangelism. These days, post modernity has made us shy about sharing our faith. Anyone who holds to an absolute truth is a nut or is too rigid. Isn’t there a better way?

funny

The Dad Life

I’m a little late for Father’s Day, but this is really funny. You realize you are getting older when parodies about dads means you!

Go-tee – Check
Bluetooth in the ear – Check
Minivan – Check
Riding mower – Check
Dad life – Check

sacrament

Sacrament or Ordinance? (Part 1)

Recently, Karen Bullock, professor Christian heritage and director of the Ph.D. program at the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute, commented on Baptists celebrating their 400 year anniversary by saying, “…several theologians across the past half century have advocated that Baptists reconsider both the terms and meaning of sacramental acts…Some of this thinking re-engages the sacramental notions of churchly acts and ordinances…”

Over the past few years, I have been actively involved in reading confessions and writings of early Baptists who saw a theological strengthening in the acts of baptism and communion. Normally, to contemporary Baptists, the word “ordinance” is used over “sacrament.” This was done to avoid the Catholic understanding of “sacrament” and to avoid any hint of works related faith. However, over the next few weeks and months, I will present scholarly and lay research on the case for strengthening sacramental language among Baptists.

Indeed, the word sacrament was used among Baptists in the 16th and 17th centuries. However, “ordinance” stuck in favor of Zwingli’s view of baptism and communion. Even modern British Baptists use the word “sacrament” when they speak of baptism and communion.

I found this little bit of encouraging research that opted to spiritually understand what happens at communion. The 1689 London Confession of Baptist Faith, states:

Burnout

A Broken Church Sign

I was driving to Albany to do a hospital visit when I saw this sign, which caused me to pause and think about the message:

It reads, “Sign Broken… We are not”

I started to think about how “cute” it was for a church to put that up instead of their broken sign, but then I thought about how the sign’s message may not be ccurate. Henri Nouwen was know for consistently stating that we are “broken” people.

If this church in the picture wants to draw people in, is this the right message about our brokenness? Does it give an air of perfectionism? Continue Reading…

Evangelism

Post Christian Europe: Not Dead

This past Sunday, we had the wonderful opportunity to have Pieter and Nora Kalkman visit us and share about their ministry in Europe. They spoke about their work in eastern Europe and their challenges in “post Christian” Europe. Nora and Pieter are based in Prague, Czech Republic where they serve through International Ministries as liaison and volunteer coordinators with the European Baptist Federation (EBF). They match the skills and interests of short term mission volunteers from the United States and Puerto Rico with the needs of more than 50 Baptist unions that are part of the EBF.

Some interesting information they shared:

There are only 2.4% Bible believing Christians in Europe, making this is a priority mission field.
Georgian Baptist pastors wear similar liturgical vestments that Orthodox priests wear because of the historical Eastern Orthodox presence in that region.
In some countries, only 3% of the population go to any type of “church.”
There are a variety of needs to do mission work. Week trips, short term, and long term ministry opportunities can be found here.

So if there only 2.4% “Bible believing Christians” living in Europe, we have to ask the question: Is Christianity dead in Europe?

Churches

Funny Church Sign

Ricky Bobby comes to church…

outreach

In Front of the Church

Video blog thoughts…

Pentecost 3C

Churches

I'm Going to Mass

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Ballston Spa (across the street from my church, The First Baptist Church) is holding a very special mass and I’m going. The Ballston Spa Life newspaper has the details about the mass:

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church will open its doors to the community on Tuesday, June 8, as part of a celebration of the lives of priests, deacons and others from the village whose legacies include being faithful to the vows of their vocations through what is being described by organizers as “tireless hidden service and universal charity.”

The event, which will include a procession in front of the historic Milton Avenue church, will mark the culmination of The Year for Priests.

The mass is an unique worship service for Catholics to celebrate “The Year for Priests.” This special mass celebrates the ministry of priests and, “to reflect with heartfelt gratitude on the immense gift which priests represent not only for the Church, but for humanity.” itself.” This special occasion marks a 12-month period that Pope Benedict XVI declared.

So, why is a Baptist making plans to go to a Catholic Mass? I’ll tell you why.

death

From Depression to Declaration

Have you ever been to a funeral in New Orleans? Or, at least seen one? It is a very different experience because of the cultural understanding of grief, death, and suffering. The experience is truly unique. Rev. Dr. Kimberleigh Buchanan on her blog has a good description:

The brass band begins its solemn procession at the church, playing hymns like “Free as a Bird” and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”-no improvisation, no frills. Nothing but sadness blown low and blue to the beat of a muted snare drum.

Once the procession arrives at the cemetery, though, after the final words are spoken and the body is lowered into the ground, the mood shifts. Brightly festooned umbrellas burst open, the snare drummer removes his mute, and the funeral procession heads back into town to the raucous strains of “Didn’t He Ramble?” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Folks who heard the somber hymns earlier in the day wait for the procession’s return…because they know a celebration’s coming…and no one in New Orleans wants to miss the funeral celebration.

Why all the celebration for death?

blog, marriage

Al & Tipper Gore: An Inconvenient Marriage?

I’m sure by now every one has heard of Al & Tipper Gore’s separation. The former vice president and his wife have publicly said,

“This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration,”

While divorce or separation of couples after 40 year of marriage is rare (in fact less than 1% of couples divorce after 40 years), it makes us wonder why such a couple would separate? The typical responses come to mind: They are such a happy couple. They have been together for so long. They have been through so much! Remember the “Convention Kiss of 2000?”

Writing about the Gores, Ellen McCarthy at the Washington Post said it well:

They’re like the couple down the block with the lush garden and the annual Labor Day cookout. The pair who are always power walking together and drinking wine on the front porch, who make you nudge your husband and say, “See? I want that.”

However, I was absolutely shocked at what I read next in McCarthy’s article:

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