And you thought we were joking!

This is scary, a few posts ago we talked about the According To You Bible and the Erasable Bible. These two Bibles were a work of fiction but proved a necessary point. In Christendom today many people take out parts or ignore parts of their Bibles because they do not like what it says. Mormons, JW's, and other Non Christian Groups do this as well. Now however everyone will be appeased as we look at this post from:

A Little Leaven

The Sinless, Wrathless Bible

Do you feel uncomfortable when you read your Bible because it talks about things like sin, God's judgement and his wrath? Don't you wish you could have a Bible that omitted all that negative and scary stuff?

You're in luck!!

Kenneth Winston Caine has created The Positive Bible. According to the publisher:

Turn to any page in this book. You will be greeted with a Biblical passage that offers hope, help, and encouragement. This collection of advice, instruction, inspiration, assurance, and wisdom, drawn from the King James, Revised Standard, New International, King James Modernized, and The Living Bible translations by scholar Kenneth Winston Caine, has the power and beauty to teach and comfort across the centuries.

Ponder just one passage or every one; browse this book at random or read it straight through. Find a problem or question in the index of more than 250 everyday life applications of scripture-from healing to living through grief to nurturing a child- and you will be directed to Biblical wisdom that speaks precisely to you, as timely and relevant to modern culture as the evening newscast. Here is your inspirational guide to the most remarkable of all books-condensed compendium of truth and knowledge that will enrich your entire family for years to come.

Ahh yes. There is nothing like making a Bible to suit your own tastes and religious notions. But wait, isn't that the very definition of idolatry?

Herman Who?

Hermeneutics 1. the science of interpretation, esp. of the Scriptures.
2. the branch of theology that deals with the principles of Biblical exegesis.

This is what this word means and for many it is a word that confounds them. Many people read scripture in light of what it means to them at that moment in time. Their emotions/feelings, current situation, etc all play a factor in what the Biblical text speaks to them. This is referred to as reader response. I read something and then I can respond to it in the way that is most pleasing to me. Oprah Winfrey is a prime example of reinterpreting things especially literature to determine what it means "to her".

The reality is, it doesn't matter what it means to you or her or anyone else. What matters is what the author intended. Our quest is to see what the Authorial Intent of scripture is. There is a Historical Grammatical context (who what and why it was written and to whom) this is how we need to look at scripture. When I first became a Christian I always wondered why the leaders used verses out of the context for which they were written like Jeremiah 29:11 to tell people that God will prosper them. It was baloney and a bad Hermeneutic. We should know this word not because it is a fancy word but because it's meaning is vital for us to rightly read and study the Bible.

The Wide Divide

by AnythingbutLukewarm

As a Christian, I pray to always possess the insight and humilty to stop, reflect, and truly examine where I am and where I need to be regarding my faith and obedience to God. I never want to get too comfortable thinking I have nothing to worry about or improve upon.

I can remember when I was first introduced to the concept of evangelism. I clearly was as excited about it as a dog being dragged on a leash for the first time. I complained, I rationalized why it could possibly be a waste of time, and slowly I eased into a false comfort of allotting only a minimal amount of time per week doing it. Any invitations outside of my set minimums were quickly denied. I felt that I was doing more than most by having my minimum time and therefore I was comparatively better off. Unfortunately, comparisions don't exactly work within the realm of Christianity. We get judged on our own! Looking back I see myself standing on the edge of a Grand Canyon-like divide - where there was no way I was going to be able to get across to the side of enjoying or being comfortable or actually really wanting to go out and share the Gospel with people. It wasn't even that I was shy or afraid of talking to people- I was just lazy! There were other things I thought were more important for me to do- tons of other ways I felt I could honor God. I convinced myself that outside of church, weekends were for yard work -that having a weed-free garden and meticulously cut grass showed God our thankfulness for a beautiful home. Somebody must have prayed for me to have a Biblical reality check (I think I know who!) because it ruined my plan. Slowly I began to understand that serving God is not about what we want to do -its about what we are told to do. Mark 16:15 - it clearly tells us what happens to those who don't believe- they will be condemned! So, as a Christian, I ask myself, do I value plants (fill in the blank - money, golf, reading, relaxing etc..) or the souls of people who God wants to see saved? This forces you to put your time where your heart is. It is about appreciating the blessing of what you are commanded to do as someone who has been saved from eternal death and damnation, and finding joy and fulfillment in simply being obedient to the Creator of everything.

Somehow God took me through the weeds, rocks, brush and dangers of that wide divide and brought me to the top of the side where God fills in the events on my calendar. Where every opportunity that He reveals to bring one person closer to knowing Him is one I treasure. God will bring the garden to you. You will get to tend precious seeds! I am not even slightly surprised anymore when I have the baby in my arms, a car full of groceries and fudge bars melting away, and I get to spend over an hour explaining what the Bible says about salvation to two lovely young women trying to promote Mormonism who approach me in the parking lot. What a blessing! There will be balance - God will still give you relaxing things to do - but only after you have served Him on the streets, in the parking lots, on the sidewalks, in the workplace, etc. If evangelism is only a weekly or monthly or bi-annual activity for you then my prayer is that God takes you across that wide divide - to a place where the views are amazing and the knowledge of how faithful our merciful God is - is breathtaking. Where you don't miss the many amazing opportunities to GO OUT AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL NATIONS - to rest and relax in the joy that only comes through obedience.

Lausanne Designates "The Smelly" as New People Group

The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism (LCWE) announced on Thursday that it has designated as a new people group those who suffer from chronic body odor problems. The announcement came after several weeks of discussion by members of the committee around the world.

"We hail this as a major step towards evangelizing all peoples" said LCWE North American director Earl Robinson. "Throughout history those who smell bad have always been rejected and marginalized by society. It's now time to recognize that these people need the gospel."

In a report by LCWE entitled Christian Witness to the Smelly the committee published information regarding the problem of body odor around the world.

"Estimates of the total world smelly population vary. The most recent statistics number smelly and extremely pungent persons at 1.5 billion."

"In the United States alone just over 30% of the population stinks" said Robinson. "There are real needs here that we have to meet for these people to help them."

The report further described how the smelly might be helped.

"Generally one may describe the needs of the smelly as counter-repugnantness. Deodorants, soaps and antiperspirants are the most pressing needs. Concern about future olfactory offensiveness can be overwhelming for the smelly person. Those who work with the smelly will need to communicate good hygiene habits in addition to providing the necessary sanitary materials. Genuine concern for the well-being of the smelly person proves the gospel credible."

"All throughout Scripture the idea of something being a 'stench' is bad" said Robinson. "A billion and a half people in this world stink, and we have an opportunity as Christians to help them."

Already a number of churches have taken the vision. While some have decided to focus on domestic odors, a few churches have already looked to other nations to begin their work.

"We're looking to Eastern Europe" said pastor Clark Herring, of New Falls Baptist Church in New Falls, Nevada. "I was in Eastern Europe just last year and I know the great need that exists there. Our hope is to ship 10,000 cases of Old Spice to various former Soviet Bloc countries by the end of the year. Eventually we'd like to send mission teams over with supplies of Irish Spring"



Over at Tom in the Box we see this very funny blog on "relational, missional, cross cultural, watered down evangelism.

Blasphemy is a real problem

In our day and age, blasphemy is a severe issue it is everywhere and people accept it as a normal common part of communication. I must say that every time anyone uses the Lord's name in vain in even the slightest way I wince. Yet I have gone to movies and sat through them after hearing the Lord's name be used and even "God" being used in a non reverent manner. We as Christians continue to allow this in all forms of our life and rarely does anyone speak up about it. Now in all fairness because of blasphemy I have got up out of movies including the kids movie "Happy Feet" which not only had blasphemy directly, but the inferences against God and Christianity were also horrible. I was also questioned by a "fellow Christian brother" about this decision and his liberal theology was reveled in his remarks about the way the movie portrayed a "type" of Christianity. Check out what Ray has done regarding this issue and consider the next time you go see a movie and our Lord's name is used as a four letter filth word, what will you do. If you want to stay through the movie consider getting up and preaching the Gospel at the end:).

Check out Ray's new site www.hollywoodandgod.com