On the radio program FamilyLife Today, Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Richt and his wife Katharyn tell the story of the adoption of their two children from Ukraine. You can hear the interview (or read the transcript) by clicking on the link below. (I recommend listening to it.)
FamilyLife Today - FamilyLife.com
Tomorrow, you should be able to access the second part of the interview by following a link from part one of the interview.
Posted using ShareThis
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Caring for a Disabled Child
Dusty Chris shares his amazing story of caring for his severely disabled son at http://experiencethefire.blogspot.com/2009/10/special-needs-special-gifts.html
and
http://experiencethefire.blogspot.com/2009/10/special-needs-day-in-life.html.
It's worth reading.
and
http://experiencethefire.blogspot.com/2009/10/special-needs-day-in-life.html.
It's worth reading.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Reaching the Next Generation
Last week, Kevin DeYoung offered good, solid advice to Christians and churches wanting to reach the next generation. Actually, it's good advice for reaching anyone. Here are the links:
1. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/19/reaching-the-next-generation-is-harder-and-easier-than-you-think-grab-them-with-passion/
2. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/20/reaching-the-next-generation-win-them-with-love/
3. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/21/reaching-the-next-generation-hold-them-with-holiness/
4. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/22/reaching-the-next-generation-challenge-them-with-truth/
5. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/23/reaching-the-next-generation-amaze-them-with-god/
1. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/19/reaching-the-next-generation-is-harder-and-easier-than-you-think-grab-them-with-passion/
2. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/20/reaching-the-next-generation-win-them-with-love/
3. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/21/reaching-the-next-generation-hold-them-with-holiness/
4. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/22/reaching-the-next-generation-challenge-them-with-truth/
5. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/23/reaching-the-next-generation-amaze-them-with-god/
Friday, October 23, 2009
Beauty for Ashes
Last night, we attended the Contact Church's appreciation dinner for the urban ministry's supporters and volunteers.
After dinner, one of our members gave her testimony.
D.J. came to the Contact Church as a broken woman.
A short time before knocking on the church's door to ask for help, D.J. knew that she needed to make major changes in her life. As an addict to crack cocaine, her life was falling apart. She realized how low she had sunk when she was on her hands and knees desperately searching her house for a crumb of crack to smoke. Her 3-year old daughter joined her in the search, but she poured out her heart to her mother as she crawled alongside her. "Mommy, I'm tired of you and Daddy drinking, smoking, cussing, and fighting. And I'm tired of looking for little white rocks on the floor, too...Is this one, Mommy?"
Soon, D.J. and her then-husband were homeless. They could not keep up financially with a $700 a day drug addiction. As they were walking the streets, wondering what they were going to do, they spotted the Contact Church building and decided to ask for help.
Of course, they found help in the church. D.J.'s husband stayed at our recovery house for a while. However, he kept failing the urine analysis tests and had to leave the program.
D.J. was able to move in with our recovery minister's family until the church helped her to find and furnish an efficiency apartment.
She learned about Christ, confessed faith in him, and was baptized in his name. At one point in the past, she had been baptized; but according to D.J., "This time, it was different. I had changed."
She was making progress in her new life of following Jesus Christ when a major setback occurred. She found out that her daughter had been sexually abused by her then-husband in much the same way that D.J. herself had been abused as a child.
D.J. could not handle it. She left her husband and abandoned her children. The state took the children.
With the help of members of the Contact Church, D.J. slowly got back on track. She returned to the church and started the recovery process again. Eventually, she was able to get her children back.
Last night, D.J. testified to the grace of God in her life. She reported that she had been sober for more than a year, and had abstained from sexual immorality for 5 months. Because of some of the Contact Church's men, her attitude toward men in general had changed. She had seen that some men would not use and abuse her; some would treat her with respect and understanding; some could be trusted.
D.J.'s life has changed in dramatic ways because Christ has made a difference. Just imagine what her life may look like in 5 or 10 more years.
"The Spirit of the sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted...
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve...
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor" (Isaiah 61:1-3).
After dinner, one of our members gave her testimony.
D.J. came to the Contact Church as a broken woman.
A short time before knocking on the church's door to ask for help, D.J. knew that she needed to make major changes in her life. As an addict to crack cocaine, her life was falling apart. She realized how low she had sunk when she was on her hands and knees desperately searching her house for a crumb of crack to smoke. Her 3-year old daughter joined her in the search, but she poured out her heart to her mother as she crawled alongside her. "Mommy, I'm tired of you and Daddy drinking, smoking, cussing, and fighting. And I'm tired of looking for little white rocks on the floor, too...Is this one, Mommy?"
Soon, D.J. and her then-husband were homeless. They could not keep up financially with a $700 a day drug addiction. As they were walking the streets, wondering what they were going to do, they spotted the Contact Church building and decided to ask for help.
Of course, they found help in the church. D.J.'s husband stayed at our recovery house for a while. However, he kept failing the urine analysis tests and had to leave the program.
D.J. was able to move in with our recovery minister's family until the church helped her to find and furnish an efficiency apartment.
She learned about Christ, confessed faith in him, and was baptized in his name. At one point in the past, she had been baptized; but according to D.J., "This time, it was different. I had changed."
She was making progress in her new life of following Jesus Christ when a major setback occurred. She found out that her daughter had been sexually abused by her then-husband in much the same way that D.J. herself had been abused as a child.
D.J. could not handle it. She left her husband and abandoned her children. The state took the children.
With the help of members of the Contact Church, D.J. slowly got back on track. She returned to the church and started the recovery process again. Eventually, she was able to get her children back.
Last night, D.J. testified to the grace of God in her life. She reported that she had been sober for more than a year, and had abstained from sexual immorality for 5 months. Because of some of the Contact Church's men, her attitude toward men in general had changed. She had seen that some men would not use and abuse her; some would treat her with respect and understanding; some could be trusted.
D.J.'s life has changed in dramatic ways because Christ has made a difference. Just imagine what her life may look like in 5 or 10 more years.
"The Spirit of the sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted...
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve...
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor" (Isaiah 61:1-3).
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Halloween Hell
This is my planned communion meditation for this coming Sunday at the Contact Church.
When I was a teenager, I would go to the latest scary movies with my friends during this time of year. You could always count on being scared by movies like Friday the 13th or The Nightmare on Elm Street during the Halloween season.
In recent years, Guts Church in east Tulsa has sponsored a Hell House in the weeks leading up to Halloween. When people visit their haunted house, they see a depiction of the horrible consequences of living and dying without Christ in their lives. They get a glimpse of hell.
When you think about it, nothing is more frightening than the prospect of facing an all-powerful, all-knowing, and completely holy God with unforgiven sin in our lives. The Bible warns us, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). Jesus warns us, "I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after killing the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him" (Luke 12:5). God warns us that sinners face "the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Revelation 21:8).
As we remember Christ's sacrifice on our behalf when we take the Lord's Supper today, we remember that we were heading toward hell at one time in our lives. As Paul wrote to Titus, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:3-7).
Since Jesus died and rose again for us, those of us who have believed the message of the cross and have been changed by it do not need to dread hell. We can now look forward to the day Christ returns to usher in "a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13), a time and a place in which we can live forever in a state of peace with God and each other.
When I was a teenager, I would go to the latest scary movies with my friends during this time of year. You could always count on being scared by movies like Friday the 13th or The Nightmare on Elm Street during the Halloween season.
In recent years, Guts Church in east Tulsa has sponsored a Hell House in the weeks leading up to Halloween. When people visit their haunted house, they see a depiction of the horrible consequences of living and dying without Christ in their lives. They get a glimpse of hell.
When you think about it, nothing is more frightening than the prospect of facing an all-powerful, all-knowing, and completely holy God with unforgiven sin in our lives. The Bible warns us, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). Jesus warns us, "I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after killing the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him" (Luke 12:5). God warns us that sinners face "the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Revelation 21:8).
As we remember Christ's sacrifice on our behalf when we take the Lord's Supper today, we remember that we were heading toward hell at one time in our lives. As Paul wrote to Titus, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:3-7).
Since Jesus died and rose again for us, those of us who have believed the message of the cross and have been changed by it do not need to dread hell. We can now look forward to the day Christ returns to usher in "a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13), a time and a place in which we can live forever in a state of peace with God and each other.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Little Things Count
I'll admit that my timing is awkward. Oklahomans are not supposed to write positive words about the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns on the eve of the University of Oklahoma- University of Texas football game.
However, I can't help myself. I appreciate Christian athletes who live their faith in Christ with class and dignity.
When I read about Texas quarterback Colt McCoy's friendship with Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford in today's edition of USA Today ("A brotherly bond links archrival QBs," October 16, 2009, section C, page 7), I knew I had to make a few comments.
Following the injury to Bradford's shoulder last month, the article reported,
"McCoy texted Bradford the night of his injury, saying he was praying for him. 'I know that it's tough. Anytime you're in a situation like that, you're disappointed, you're upset, because you want to be out there with your team and competing with your team,' McCoy says.
"Bradford says, 'For him to do something like that and keep encouraging me, it says a lot about who he is.'"
Sam Bradford has seen something uncommon and good in his Red River rival. He has seen a glimpse of genuine Christian faith in action.
In an interview published in the October edition of the Christian Chronicle ("A conversation with Colt McCoy", page 22), McCoy explained that he was raised in a Christian home and came to share his parents' faith in Jesus Christ.
"Most of all, my family (is the key spiritual influence in my life). Both sets of my grandparents were believers, and it was shown in all ways in their everyday lives.
"My mom and dad were my first examples of what a Christian life should look like.
"We didn't have much choice, though, when we were young. We were at church every time the doors were open--and sometimes when they weren't. It was not an option to miss church for anything...Those priorities made a big impression on me and my brothers. It wasn't always easy on my parents, but being in worship...and encouraging others was always a priority.
"...I was taught at an early age the way I was supposed to act and treat others, and there was never really any acceptance of anything less.
"My parents set high standards for me and my brothers...So I learned that people were watching and that doing things right was important--and that being helpful to others was important, too.
"So I guess you might say that I was raised with those expectations, and nothing has changed."
I like the character displayed by Colt McCoy. His kindness to a rival has made a positive impact for Christ. And all those unseen years of training by dedicated Christian parents has paid off.
The little things in life count and make big impressions.
"...always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Couple of Recommended Links
I liked Mark Driscoll's straightforward case for Christ at http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/mark_driscoll/2009/10/the_best_case_for_god_a_response_to_karen_armstrong.html.
Also, I found out about a conference on child sex trafficking to be held in Tulsa next week. Area ministers and ministry leaders may be interested in attending and finding out how to help victims of modern slavery in our area. More information may be found at http://oathconference.us/.
Also, I found out about a conference on child sex trafficking to be held in Tulsa next week. Area ministers and ministry leaders may be interested in attending and finding out how to help victims of modern slavery in our area. More information may be found at http://oathconference.us/.
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