church

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Debates: Walter Martin vs Bishop John Spong.

The late Christian Apologist Dr. Walter Martin takes on the heretic Bishop Spong in this fifteen part debate on the topic of morality, homosexuality, and other sexual ethics. The first four videos set the tone for the debate as Spong denies the physical resurrection of Christ and His deity.

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Quorum of the Twelve Apostates.

Sometimes you can find the truth about Mormonism in the most unlikeliest of places.

quorum-of-the-twelve-apostates

HT: What Mormons Don’t Tell

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The problem with American “Christianity” can be summed up by this church ad.

resurrection-adOne of the biggest problems with American “Christianity” and the impetus behind all the entertainment-driven, fad-driven, purpose-driven marketing found in the professing church today can be seen in the tag line of the above church advertisement for Capital Christian Center for this “Easter” weekend.

Albeit subtle, notice the emphasis is not on the Lord Jesus Christ (His death, burial, and resurrection), but it’s on that other god that man loves to worship . . . self.

In this church ad, husband and wife pastoral team Stan and Connie Friend ask, “What needs to be resurrected in your life?”

Huh? What needs to be resurrected in my life? Do those attending church this Sunday need a man-centered, self-improvement info-mercial and a self-help course?

No, no, no! What they need is the professing church to get a backbone and proclaim the Good News to all men that God the Father made Jesus the Son, who knew no sin, to become sin on our behalf, and that it was the only way that an infinitely holy and righteous God could redeem a perpetually depraved and sinful people.

The perfect, spotless, unblemished Lamb of God, Jesus Christ the Savior, was killed, was buried, and was raised again on the third day to rescue sinners from the wrath of God that we so rightly and justly deserve.


Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.

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What is the sermon topic at your church going to be for Resurrection Sunday?

mary-magdalene-tomb It’s a sad sign of the times that a question like that even has to be asked, but such is the way of life in Laodicea, USA.

If you thought last year’s Easter sermon series at New Spring entitled Sex, Money and Power reached a new low, brace yourself for more evangelical apostasy, because nothing says ‘Ichabod’ like the following examples of scheduled sermons to be preached across the tattered landscape of what was once American Christianity.

– If you go to New Spring in South Carolina, this year you’ll be subjected to AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.

– If you go to SOS Church in St. Louis, you will see the message of the Gospel mocked as Jesus is depicted as an extreme cage fighter. They even boast “For the kid fighters, join us in the ring for your own Easter smack down (infant to 12 years)” on their website.

– If you go to North Point Church in Springfield, Missouri, you’ll hear the first sermon in a series entitled “God at the Movies” about the film Slumdog Millionaire in which you’ll get to experience Easter in 3-D.

– If you go to Crosspoint in Alabama, your sermon will be Rockstar: Live Famously.

– If you go to Eastlake in California, your sermon will be something about a man dressed in a rabbit costume singing “I like big butts . . .”.

– If you go to Cross Roads in Indiana, you can “ditch church” this Resurrection Sunday for a party.

– If you go to Discover Church in Ohio, you can enjoy a day filled with an Easter egg hunt, free food, a prize drawing, and you can even meet the Easter Peep.

*** CLARIFICATION: The Easter egg hunt, free food, prize drawing, and the Easter Peep, will all be part of the fun and frivolity on Saturday, not Sunday, at Discover Church. The sermon on Saturday will be about The Cross where you can, “Find out some eye opening facts about the cross and how it is affecting our culture today.” ***

– If you go to Mecklenburg Community Church in North Carolina, you may be asked to ponder this simple question: “What if . . . we make an Easter promo video that excludes any mention of Jesus Christ?”

– If you go to Momentum Church in Georgia, you will be subjected to a mockery of Jesus Christ and a man in a bunny suit punching people for eating chocolate . . . all in one video (which is a complete rip-off of the 6th video in this post)

– If you go to Christ Church in Montgomery, Alabama, you’ll be subjected to this juvenile idiocy.

– If you go to Calvary Church in Irving Texas, you can be involved in this stupid pastoral stunt.

– If you go to Converge Family Church in California, you’ll get a dose of potty humor.

– If you go to Revolution Church in Canton, Georgia, you can learn all about “Jesus” the rebel (and perhaps what the risen Savior has to do with motorcycles).

– If you go to The Gathering in Tennessee, your Easter sermon will be Wimpy Jesus Has Gotta Go.

– If you go to Granger in Illinois, your Easter sermon will be Sync: Your Life in Rhythm.

– If you go to The Orchard in Illinois, the sermon will also be all about you: Livin’ Venti, complete with a helicopter Easter egg drop.

– And finally, if you go to Velocity Church in Powder Springs, Georgia, your Resurrection Sunday service sermon will be a series entitled Beer, Babes, and Baseball.

The God-mocking hirelings are out of control and the goats are loving it!

Maranatha, Lord Jesus!

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.– 2 Timothy 4:1-5

That time has come!


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Your Sermon(s) of the week: “The Cupp” and “The Resurrection of Jesus” by C.J. Mahaney.

For this Wednesday’s sermon of the week you will not receive the usual one sermon, but two! In honor of Resurrection Sunday I have chosen to post the following two powerful messages by C.J. Mahaney on Jesus’ suffering and resurrection.

The Cup

The Resurrection of Jesus

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Quotes (512)

hudson-taylorIt will not do to say that you have no special call to go to China. With these facts before you and with the command of the Lord Jesus to go and preach the gospel to every creature, you need rather to ascertain whether you have a special call to stay at home.
– Hudson Taylor

1832 – 1905

HT: The Desert Pastor

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Film review: “Fireproof”

fireproof

I never imagined I’d watch this film let alone actually like it enough to recommend it. My wife procured this movie well over a month ago and it sat collecting dust that whole time until last week. We finally sat down and watched it and I must say I was quite impressed. The story was engaging, the acting well done, and it contained a decent Gospel presentation. Overall it was truly inspiring, encouraging, and challenging for couples in their marriages to be better husbands and wives to their spouses. The film also drove home the concept of doing what’s right no matter the odds, resistance, and obstacles. I wholeheartedly recommend this film.

Here’s a clip from the movie:

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Quotes (511)

awpink.jpg Few things are so distasteful to the proud human heart as the truth that God does as He pleases, without consulting with the creature; that He dispenses His favors entirely according to His imperial will. Fallen man has no claims upon Him, is destitute of any merit, and can do nothing whatever to win God’s esteem.

– A.W. Pink

1886 – 1952

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Book review: “Titus: Comrade of the Cross” by Florence Morse Kingsley.

titusThe 1997 Lamplighter book of the year, Titus: Comrade of the Cross, was originally written in 1894 by Florence M. Kingsley.

A fictional work weaving the lives of several people living in and around Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion, this novel brings life to those nameless individuals found in the Gospels. Learn (through the imagination of Kingsley) about the poor blind beggar given sight by the Messiah; read the story about the twelve year-old girl who was raised back to life by the great Physician; and discover who the two thieves on the cross were and how they got there on that fateful Friday.

Although the narration is in modern English, the dialogue between characters is in the style reminiscent of King James English. It causes folks like me who aren’t King James savvy to get bogged down ever so slightly during the dialogue, but not enough to ruin the story. It was a good read, very doctrinally sound, and a very refreshing fictional tale that stands out among the plethora of modern Christian fiction absent of that which glorifies the Lord.

You can purchase this book at Family Faith Books.


In 1894 the publisher of this book rewarded Florence Kingsley with $1,000 for writing a story that would set a child’s heart on fire for Jesus Christ. In six weeks the demand was so great, they printed 200,000 additional copies! The award-winning entry, Titus: A Comrade of the Cross, is provocative, full of suspense and drama. The story of Titus and his crippled brother climaxes at the foot of the cross, where the real hero is proclaimed. The most compelling moment is saved until the very end. It will take your breath away.


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Dear Mormon: Which version of the first vision do you believe?

Here’s a quick time-line of how the conflicting accounts of Joseph Smith’s first vision(s) overlapped.

1820 – 1838 The first vision consisted of angels only.

1842 The introduction of the “God the Father and Jesus the Son” version of the first vision.

1838 – 1890 The first account of “angels only” continued to linger on in spite of the new 1842 version.

1890 – Present The “God the Father and Jesus the Son” version is the only one accepted (and most Mormons today don’t even know about the whole “angels only” version).

To view a downloadable, easy to read, superbly detailed, full-color pamphlet on the various versions of the first vision click this link here.

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joseph-smiths-vision


I received the first visitation of Angels which was when I was about 14 years old.

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith’s Diary 1835-1836

An American Prophet’s Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith

Page 59

It commenced by an angel of God flying through the midst of heaven and visiting a young man named Joseph Smith, in the year 1827.

Wilford Woodruff

Journal of Discourses

Volume 13 Page 324

1869

He sought the Lord by day and by night, and was enlightened by the vision of an holy angel.When this personage appeared to him, one of his first inquiries was: “Which of the denominations of Christians in the vicinity was right?”

George A. Smith

Journal of Discourses

Volume 13 Page 78

1869

Just as it was when the Prophet Joseph asked the angel which of the sects was right that he might join it.The answer was that none of them are right.What, none of them?No.We will not stop to argue that question; the angel merely told him to join none of them that none of them were right.

John Taylor

Journal of Discourses

Volume 20 Page 167

1879

Some one may say, “If this work of the last days be true, why did not the Saviour [sic] come himself to communicate this intelligence to the world?”Because to the angels was committed the power of reaping the earth, and it was committed to none else.

Orson Hyde

Journal of Discourses

Volume 6 Page 335

1854

How did this state of things called Mormonism originate?We read that an angel came down and revealed himself to Joseph Smith and manifested unto him in vision the true position of the world in a religious point of view.He was surrounded with light and glory while the heavenly messenger communicated these things unto him, after a series of visitations and communications from the Apostle Peter and others who held the authority of the holy Priesthood, not only on the earth formerly but in the heavens afterwards.

John Taylor

Journal of Discourses

Volume 10 Page 127

1863

Upon the reality and truth of this vision rests the validity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. – Gordon B. Hinckley

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first-vision

See also: This video on the first vision.

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Quotes (508)

william-booth “‘Not called!” did you say? “Not heard the call,” I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.

– William Booth

1829 – 1912

HT: The Desert Pastor

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Music lyrics quiz: Christian or secular?


kelly-clarkson

Are you ready to take a fun little quiz to see if Christian music is distinguishable from the music of the world? Let’s see if you can tell the difference between the lyrics of songs performed by Christian musicians and that of songs performed by secular musicians.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper and number the paper 1 through 25. Then read the following 25 lyrics and see if you can distinguish between the sacred and the secular. Put a “C” next to the number if you believe the lyrics are from a Christian song, or an “S” next to the number if you believe the lyrics come from a secular song. The answers are at the bottom of this post (so don’t cheat). Each correct answer is worth 4 points (possible total of 100 points). I’d love to hear how you did. And when you’re done, don’t forget to take the three-question pop-quiz on music lyrics found here.

If you intend on taking the quiz, don’t read the comments beforehand because there are some spoilers in the comments.


All lyrics are taken from the internet–as is–grammar and spelling not corrected

Have fun!

1.

He knows just what to do
When it comes to the girls
He writes them poetry
And he picks them flowers
He knows just what to say when it come to the ladies,
Knows how to make a girl smile
How to drive a girl crazy

2.

. . . Can’t you see that He spread love for you
Shed blood for you, cry for and die for you . . .

. . . I surrender all to thee
I want the whole world to see
That you’ve always been, you’ll always be
My best friend
I love you Jesus
Thank you, forgive me for my trespasses
As I forgive those who trespass against me Thank you

3.

Cause I know that there’s a better place
Than this place I’m livin, how far is heaven
and I just got to have some faith
and just keep on living, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
cause I just gotta know, how far is heaven
yeah Lord, can You tell me, how far is heaven
I just gotta know how far, yeah I just gotta know how far

4.

At times the woman deep inside me
Wanders far from home,
And in my mind I live a life
That chills me to the bone.
A heart, running for arms out of reach,
But who is the stranger my longing seeks?
I don’t know.
But it scares me through and through,
cause I’ve a man at home
Who needs me to be true.

5.

It’s hard to stand
On shifting sand
It’s hard to shine
In the shadows of the night
You can’t be free
If you don’t reach for help
And you can’t love
If you don’t love yourself

6.

On my way down
I’m not ready to lay, I’m not ready to fade
I’m not ready to die
Not ready to lay, I’m not ready to fade
I’m not ready to die

I’m taken home – and you’re still here
Just clear your mind – and dry your tears
We’ll take our voices – with our hands
We’ll Make like knives – we’ll make demands

7.

Oh, wherever you are and wherever you’ve been
Now is the time to begin
So give to the needy, and pray for the grieving
Even when you don’t think that you can
‘Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
And make peace with God, and make peace with yourself
‘Cause in the end, there’s nobody else

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances and let it all out
‘Cause you won’t regret it
Looking back from where you have been
‘Cause it’s not who you knew
And it’s not what you did
It’s how you live

8.

You can all call me crazy
For the things that I might say
You can laugh all you want to
I know there will come a day
When we all will come together
And learn to set aside our hate
And we can learn to love our neighbor
Just like we would love ourselves

We’ve got to come together
‘Cause in the end we can make it — alright
We’ve got to brave the weather
Through all of the storms
We’ve got to come together
‘Cause in the end we can make it — alright
We’ve got to learn to love
We’ve got to learn to love

9.

Who’s to blame for the life that tragedies claim no matter what you say it won’t
take away the pain, that I feel inside I’m tired of all the lies don’t nobody know
why it’s the blind leadin’ the blind.
Guess that’s the way that the story goes, will it ever make sense somebody’s
gotta know, there’s gotta be more to life than this, there’s got to be more to everything
I thought exists

10.

Every time I try to find you
Every road comes back around
Just another hoop to jump through
Another mile of covered ground . . . .

So lay down the sword
And put away the doctrine
Love a little more
Love a little more
Cuz everybody’s broken

11.

For the life of me I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise and
We’d never compromise
For the life of me I cannot believe
We’d ever die for these sins
We were merely freshman

12.

I see you holding your grudges
I see you gunning them down
I see you silencing your sisters
And I love you still
And I love you (still)

13.

One, Two, Three, Four.
Without Jah, Gonna Say, What
you sayin up here.
Without Jah, But know it sucks
boy. So something’s here.
Now. Jump. Nothing to nothing.
Who say you know you say.
What you say is without jah.
Jah. A lift off, a lift off.
Jah. Jah. You know you love it
when you say Jah. Jah.
Without Jah, Without Jah.
You know it’s time for
lift off.

14.

The Son of God is in our face
Offering us eternal grace
If you want it you’ve got to believe
‘Cause being free is a state of mind
We’ll one day leave this all behind
Just put your faith in God and one day you’ll see it

15.

You got something I like about you
You seem to be a lot like me
I’ve got ticket to adventure for two
Could be your golden opportunity.
The travel agent, she set up the itinerary,
First class, you can see the moon from a window seat
An agent guided tour of the galaxy,
Tips included, if you want them come with me
Chorus: I wanna know, is there life on Pluto?
Wanna go with me?
We can go in a UFO!
I wanna know, is there life on Pluto?
Wanna go with me?
We can go in a UFO!

16.

I met a girl named Tara
And she lived in the heart of America
She like black caddies
Listened to puff daddy
Danced until her legs were sore

She worked around the corner
At a diner with the grouchy owner
And her boyfriend Shady, dates another girl named Katie
He loves her definitely maybe . . .

. . . And she’s staring at his picture hanging in her locker
She’s telling all the girls about all the things that he bought her
I saw what really happened all those times he went for water
When we were at the movie theater watching Harry Potter
He had his hands on
Every single girl he laid his eyes on
Hate to break it to you, he’s a pylon
And even when he kissed her
He was looking over, staring at her sister

17.

Thinking how it might have been
If you had never
Walked into my life
I would have been nothing
Without you where would I be

Every moment used to feel
Like living through a
Cold and starless night
But everything’s changing
Everything is feeling right . . .

. . . How could I have been so blind
When you were always here
So near to me
And there is no other
Who knows me the way
I feel you do

And you were waiting all the time
For me to come around
And finally see
All the love I was missing
There you were right beside me
Always beside me . . .

. . . You made it so easy
Your love brought out
The best in me

18.

I’ve got it all, but I feel so deprived
I go up, I come down and I’m emptier inside
Tell me what is this thing that I feel like I’m missing
And why can’t I let it go

There’s gotta be more to life…
Than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me
Cause the more that I’m…
Trippin’ out thinkin’ there must be more to life
Well it’s life, but I’m sure… There’s gotta be more

(Than wanting more)

I’ve got the time and I’m wasting it slowly
Here in this moment I’m half-way out the door
Onto the next thing, I’m searching for something that’s missing

I’m wanting more

I’m always waiting on something other than this
Why am I feelin’ like there’s something I missed….
Always… Always…

More to life
There’s gotta be more to life (more to life)
There’s gotta be more to life (more)
More to my life

19.

Throw up your rawkfist if you´re feelin it when I
drop this. Show ’em how we blow the spot, Let’s
make it hot, Let’s shock ’em with the bodyrock
’til the party stops. it´s time to take it up a
notch, and keep it locked, for all the headbangers
in the parking lot. Here we come, if you´re ready
or not. No time to talk. Cause we on the clock
bringin that Uhh, Uhh, to your block. Let me show
ya where we’re comin from, it don´t stop, from
L.A. to New York. Show me what you got now!

Throw up your rawkfist if you´re feelin it when I
drop this. Uhh, Uhh, that´s the sound when the
rock hits. Oh, you never know, I might let go.
Just roll, roll. Get ready, Get set. Throw up your
rawkfist if you´re feelin it when I drop this.
Uhh, Uhh, that´s the sound when the rock hits. Oh,
you never know, I might let go. Just roll, roll.
Get ready, Get set.

20.

Hey DJ won’t ya play that song
And we’ll keep dancing till the break of dawn
Keep it live like the way it should
Ain’t nobody gett’n crazy so you know it’s all good
B-boys, fly-girls one time
Friend of yours is a friend of mine
Don’t bother stopping till this jam is through
If you been here before then you know how we do

We came to rock the party all night long
So party people won’t ya sing that song
We came to rock the party all night long
And keep it live till the break of dawn

We gotz to play what we feel
Then I can say I am real
Don’t wanna be caught mess’n around
Cuz a party ain’t a party when it gets shut down
Off the hook, with the cutz, that’s right
Feel’n loose cuz it sounds so tight
Rock da spot till the very end
Make sure that you’re there when we do it again

We came to rock the party all night long
So party people won’t ya sing that song
We came to rock the party all night long
And keep it live till the break of dawn

21.

hands up
holler back now
we don’t claim any know-how
we givin’ God all that
wherever we go, that’s
where the party’s at

wherever we go, the dumb get wise
and the crime rates drop
and the markets rise
it’s a curious thing
but it’s just our thing

22.

Time and time was spent
finding out the truth.
We believed in our undying youth.
Nothing ever more modeled after you.

Now everybody knows,
And anyone can see,
The way the story goes,
And what you did to me.
Tasted once before.
Unlock sacred doors.
Shut to our requests.
Say you did your best.
You said you were our friend.
The lies were common place.
What happened to forgiveness?
I’ll never see your face again.

Feel the burn.
Watch us burn.

23.

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I’m Your friend

You are my desire
No one else will do
‘Cause nothing else could take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to You

You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know You are near

24.

You told me not to worry About what lies ahead
So I am gonna focus on today instead
Making every moment count and counting
Every single blessing
I’m gonna set my mind on the
Here and now
This is what I want my life to be about

And this is how…

I’m gonna live for today
I’m gonna follow in Your way
I’m gonna let my little light shine
Like there’s no tomorrow
I won’t worry about the past
I know my future is intact
So I’ll choose to live my life one way
I’m gonna live for today

My oh so crazy life
It’s got me spinnin’ round & round
Hanging upside down
Takin’ one step at a time
Holding your hand all the way
And it’ll be okay

25.

I raise my hands, bow my head
I’m finding more and more truth in the words written in red
They tell me that there’s more to life than just what i can see

I can’t quote the book
The chapter or the verse
You can’t tell me it all ends
In a slow ride in a hearse
You know I’m more and more convinced
The longer that I live
Yeah, this can’t be
No, this can’t be
No, this can’t be all there is

Continue reading →