Wed, Aug 25, 2010 8:41 AM
What…is the newest trend in church-going?
…going naked?
I am hoping not!
This is about the wackiest trend to hit “Christianity” (if you can call it that? – Yikes!) I’ve seen in awhile…just sayin!
A Baptist Church in Texas has an advertisement that states: We are lambs before the Lord, and every Sunday we give thanks to Him with all of our body and soul. And it includes the sacrifice of our garments, for it was when Eve ate from the Tree of Life and gathered fig leaves that mankind fell into sin.
Seriously?!
I found the First Nudist Church of the Internet in a Google search…but I was afraid to open the link for fear of what I might find!
A church in Virginia located at a nudist resort made big news earlier this year as their story made the rounds on various television stations…and everyone is nude, including the pastor.
Hey Folks…I’m not making this stuff up!
Is this a new fad in the church world? Is this Looney Tunes Christianity at its best? Is this a “God” thing or a “god” thing? I have an idea of what I think ~ totally Craziness! What will we come up with next?
Oh my!
Fri, Aug 20, 2010 12:47 PM
Children going hungry and without a safe place to lay their head at night and no medical care…
…we don’t like to think about that. I go home to a fabulous house, air-conditioned, great bed with clean linens (2000 thread count, of course), big screen Plasma TV’s, more clothes than I need, more food than I need in my pantry. I am very comfortable.
We don’t like to think about people being uncomfortable. It makes us uncomfortable.
But the people in Pakistan need us to feel uncomfortable.
The United Nations reports that 4 million people in Pakistan are homeless. Food, pure drinking water, medicine and blankets are scarce. Roads have been washed out, leaving much of the country inaccessible without helicopters.
How can we help?
Convoy of Hope has sent funds to its partners on the ground to purchase emergency supplies and is deploying a relief team to the area.
“The reports we are getting from our partners in Pakistan are staggering,” said Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “It’s a cliche’ – but this is truly a race to save lives. We are committed to doing all we can to meet the immediate needs of people who have lost everything.”
Please donate to help Pakistani flood victims.
Wed, Aug 11, 2010 3:08 PM
America’s Obesity Problem
…Is it a Problem for the Church? (Part 1)
I have to say that I was absolutely intrigued with the reality show, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.
Image by ‘scandic hotels' from Flickr Creative Commons
The show came about because of one concerned pastor in Huntington, West Virginia. He was traveling and noticed that in the malls of California and in the beach area…everyone seemed thinner than people back home. As the thought weighed on him, he decided he was going to address the subject of obesity and what a serious problem it is with his congregation.
A few days before this West Virginia pastor was planning to convey his message on obesity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study naming Huntington the fattest city in America. It declared nearly half of the residents in the area to be obese…Yes, nearly half. This city of 50,000 lead the nation in heart disease and diabetes. I’m not making this stuff up.
The concerned pastor gave an invitation to be a part of their own Biggest Loser and asked people to join in. They started working out, started having healthier Wednesday evening fellowship meals, and the local radio station started running the story…ABC, CNN and the national wire picked up on what was going on…and Jamie Oliver heard about it over in England. (Oliver is known as The Naked Chef for his clean way of preparing food that is “naked” without additives and preservatives, but fresh food.)
Jamie teamed up with ABC and traveled with a film crew to start a food revolution in the community of Huntington.
When I watched the first episode of The Food Revolution I have to say I sat in disbelief of how families actually eat…and every day…and the school lunches were totally scary!
I sat and listened to this concerned pastor and wondered why I have never, no not one time, heard a pastor address any food sins. American’s are abusing their bodies with food more than ever before…and we don’t address it in the Church. (All cases of obesity are not caused by gluttony – there are sometimes health-related issues involved.)
Image by ‘Streetfly JZ' from Flickr Creative Commons
Should we address the sin of gluttony in our churches? I mean, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is the number one health threat facing Americans today.
“Don’t drink too much wine and get drunk; don’t eat too much food and get fat. Drunks and gluttons will end up on skid row, in a stupor and dressed in rags.” Proverbs 23: 20-21 The MSG
As the show goes on I am going to dig deeper into this crazy food obsession that we have…and especially as Christians! I mean, we do know how to eat…that’s for sure! Potlucks after Sunday service, donuts and coffee during Sunday School. We love our weekly dinners as a church family…but is all that a sin?
…hang with me…and we’ll look closer at this American epidemic.
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Wed, Aug 11, 2010 10:19 AM
It seems everywhere you look you see a tattoo these days.
Young/Old, Short/Tall, Fat/Skinny…doesn’t seem to matter that age, gender, or size of the tattooee (is that a word?!)
So what is this obsession American has with the TATTOO? I mean we are a Christian America…right?
Is it ok for Christians to have tattoos?
There is a major debate over this question…
Some would say they use their tattoos as a witnessing tool. Many Christians today are tattooing themselves not in tribute to a false idol or anti-Christian deity, but with love for the one true God and Creator. Read more here.
A Tattoo is not for everyone, and is certainly not for a Christian who feels unconvinced that getting a tattoo is completely Biblical. In this and many areas of the Christian life there are many truly excellent believers who have varying degrees of agreement and disagreement about Christians with tattoos.
The Narrow Way Christian Riders make this statement about Christian Ink:
What does JESUS think about INK?Most “religious” people, like the Pharisees, have a problem with tattoos. They use Leviticus 19:28 that says …”Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.” …as their reason. These same people wear polyester/cotton blend clothes…” Continue reading this article here…
Our local newspaper recently ran a story that lends to the whole TATTOO debate : Christian Ink
Tattoos have been debated among many Christians, especially evangelical Protestants, citing various biblical passages — including Leviticus 19:28 and 1 Corinthians 6:19 — to support a prohibition on the body markings.
But Christians, young and old, male and female, sporting tattoos have been an increasingly more common sight in churches today. Continue readingthis article here…
To view an in-depth history of Tattoos including viewpoints including views from the New and Old Testament – click here.
Is it the small town rural church pastor that is against tattoos? …I found that not to be the case…
I guess the debate continues …as more and more Christians continue to get tattoos
Check out this Tattoo
…what do you think?
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 4:18 PM
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 4:16 PM