TIMBER!!!

I saw this at the Touchstone website. Perhaps gym pads, like those used to protect gymnasts in training, should be installed in the front of pentecostal churches. Or at least they should provide strap-on pillows and neck braces.

Mr. Lincoln Injured in the Spirit

Not slain, just injured, and now the church must pay, or so says Matthew Lincoln, 58, of the Knoxville, Tennessee area, who fell and was injured last June during a church service after receiving the Spirit... Since he already suffered from a "degenerative disc disease of his neck and back," Lincoln, a former church board member, contends the fall exacerbated the pre-existing condition and has caused him "severe and permanent" injuries. As a result of the fall, Lincoln, a recording engineer, claims that he is no longer able to care for his disabled daughter. Lincoln alleges that Lakewind and its pastors were "negligent in not supervising the catchers to be sure that they stood behind the person being prayed for...


He knew he might fall, since this was not the first time. But he didn't make sure a catcher was right there. So he wants $2.5 million to soften the blow.

Posted by James M. Kushiner at 04:36 PM

Saw This Online

Lincoln vs. Darwin

So read the Newsweek cover that drew my attention this morning at the office, my first day back since June 30, after visiting my parents in Michigan. "Who matters more?" Darwin vs. Lincoln? They were both born on February 19, 1809, so the bicentennial is coming up. The article gives the nod to Lincoln, who waged a war "to ensure that no man shall have dominion over another." Nice try, but it seems to me the issue of treating other humans beings as property is still with us, witness abortion, infanticide, sexual slavery (about which little is written and less is done), the sale of body parts, cloning for parts, and so on. Darwin, the article says, advanced "the idea that we are not over nature but a part of it." Since it is a nature "red in tooth and claw," the issues I just mentioned shouldn't matter, unless we are not only a part of nature but over it as well, having some moral responsibility that is Given, not just up to whatever our feelings and passions are at the moment. Right now, Darwin wins, and we very much need a Lincoln to remind us of our better natures.

Posted by James M. Kushiner at 10:41 AM

In The Attic

Last October, Dale and I installed a new ceiling-mounted projector which required us to crawl up into the attic above the sanctuary. Of course, I saw exactly what I expected to see - ceiling joists, roof trusses, insulation, and a web of electrical wires and conduit.

Having had the benefit of a father and a father-in-law who were both carpenters by trade, and having had the privilege of being involved in the construction of several buildings myself, I naturally began to consider the sacrifice of time and effort that had been invested to provide our congregation with a worship facility. That sacrifice came primarily, if not exclusively, from members of our congregation who realized that their efforts would achieve eternal benefits for their generation and generations to come. And that realization must be credited to God working through the Holy Spirit in the hearts of his people.

Let's Dance

Ok, I admit it. I watch So You Think You Can Dance. But before you begin casting dispersions my way, let me point out that in a culture which increasingly blurs the distinctions between the sexes, this show upholds the traditional roles of men and women. In the formal dances, the guys are expected to lead, be strong and project an aura of masculinity. The women are expected to be elegant, graceful, feminine and responsive to the leading of the men.

When done properly, such a dance is a thing of beauty, of harmony and is indicative of the craft of the choreographer.

Every Knee Shall Bow

Comedian George Carlin died yesterday from heart failure. Known for his biting satire, Carlin seemed to become ever more vitriolic as he aged. Never one to avoid controvesy, he frequently addressed religious issues in a mocking and blasphemous way. Now, he is in the hands of the Almighty.

One can only wonder what takes place in the moments after we die. Is there an individual encounter with God? Are unbelievers addressed as individuals, judged by him in person, singly, or do they pass through to their eternal dwelling place via an impersonal sorting device like a piece of mail?

The Poor

I recently ran across the following comments from a pastor in the U.S. : "If all the churches across the world united and took all the resources God had given them...withing a week starvation could be eliminated, every person could have access to drinking water, poverty would be eliminated, and the world could not only know the name of Jesus, but they could see Him if we became one. By Sunday, the world would worship like never before as they have come to know the glory, power and love of Jesus through His followers."
I'm thinking of what Jesus said, "For you always have the poor with you." I'm also thinking of the crowds reaction to Jesus after he fed them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves."
Thoughts?

Any Idiot with a Computer

The power of internet is that any idiot with a computer can start a website or publish a blog... but this is also the drawback of the internet. We might as well join the club. Unlike Duncan and Dever (sounds like a shady law firm) we can't claim to have met while studying in the UK, but let's not let that stop us. We have always kicked around the idea of making opportunity for consistent interaction - perhaps this can be the first step.

Speaking of Mark Dever, has anyone ever seen him and Jack Black in the same room? Could this be a Dr. Jeckyl - Mr. Hyde phenomenon?