Author: pastorjonathan

Christian,Husband, Dad, Pastor, Mentor, Volunteer.

Partnering to Remember!

On By pastorjonathanIn discipleship1 Comment

A few years ago an old college friend of mine dared me (and several others) through his blog to memorize the book of Ephesians.  Ok…. actually he didn’t dare us, but he did offer a plan.  I had wanted to memorize scripture on a consistent basis before but found myself with such a variety of options that I had no clear starting point.  I had tried memorizing scripture before by purchased topical memory systems (most recently, including a really cool app on my phone) but the verses seemed to be ones I already knew.  I seemed a little too old to attend Awana, so I resigned myself to ‘accidentally’ memorizing the Bible passages I was preaching through and thought that would be good enough.  The problem is, it wasn’t.   I was logging scripture into my short term memory, but a few weeks later I was unable to recall the passage, other than a paraphrastic sort of way.

Then it happened.  Tim posted on his blog about memorizing the book of Ephesians. At first glance it seemed an audacious and insurmountable goal.  Then, he laid out the plan and the plan made sense. I along with several others took up the challenge and was blessed.  At first it seemed like an impossible goal, but once I got started and stuck with it, it became easier.

Beyond size of the project are the benefits.  When you memorize a book or passage, you are placing God’s word in a place that it can’t be taken away from you.  You will find yourself in situations and circumstances where it is improbable to open a book, but very appropriate to quote and apply the soothing balm of God’s word.  I can think of no better way to get an accurate handle on scripture than commit whole portions to memory to be quoted and recalled often.

That’s why I was excited to learn that Tim has set up a plan to memorize the Philippians by Easter! I down loaded the free PDF and am headed over to the book store later today to pick up my notebook and double sided tape. I’m looking forward to this journey through Philippians and I want to invite you to join me and thousands of others in memorizing this precious portion of scripture. You can find everything you need over at TimmyBrister.com the name of the project is Partnering to Remember.

Is It Time For A Media Diet?

On By pastorjonathanIn Family3 Comments

As a  young boy growing up I thought my parents had some really strange rules.  One that I thought was completely weird and unnecessary was my mother’s rule that we were only allowed 10 hours of TV time a week.  Though I fought it tooth and nail at the time, the 10-hour-a-week rule had some really positive effects.  My brother and I played outside more.  We read books.  We became really good a negotiating when we figured out we could squeeze in one or two more shows a week by turning off the TV for commercials… We also became unaware of all the cool stuff that was marketed to kids and teens because we didn’t see the commercials.

I look back now and I’m kind of thankful that my mom imposed some limits on our TV consumption.  It helped round me out, I discovered my imagination and found out that I enjoyed reading, writing, sports and other things.  Her tenacity to stick to the 10 hours a week rule really shaped my character in a positive way.  At the time I argued against setting limits on Media consumption… Today as a Dad with children of my own and even more media influences than ever before I find myself echoing the wisdom of limiting the influence of media.

Please understand what I’m saying.  I’m not saying that media is bad. I’m saying too much media is not good and limits a child’s capacity and desire for other satisfying and healthy influences.  It’s like dessert, it’s a self-indulgence.  And like dessert, media is best balanced out by other influences like family time, reading, sports, church, etc.

So here is the question:  When it comes to you and your family how much time do you spend in virtual world activities (facebook, video games, television, etc.) versus real world activities (family time, reading, church, sports, etc.)? If you want a simple tool to help you calculate how much time you are your kids are spending in each world, check out the free Media-Diet-Calculator tool produced by ishinelive.com.

What is a healthy balance between virtual world activities and real world activities? We’re still working on an answer for our family, but I know this… after taking a glance at my personal numbers on the Media-Diet-Calculator I’ve determined that I need to spend even less time in the virtual world and more time engaging in the real world with my family and others.

What do you think?  How much time in the virtual world is healthy?  When does it become unhealthy to be engaged in video games, etc?  What do you and your family do to limit or be disciplined in how you use virtual world technologies?

Renewing Your Mind by R. C. Sproul

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

Renewing Your Mind: Basic Christian Beliefs You Need to Know by R. C. Sproul is a great book covering the basic Christian beliefs.  Sproul uses the Apostles Creed (quoted below) as a guideline for what beliefs are basic to Christianity.  Each chapter is written to take up a different core belief and expound on essential Christian doctrine.  Sproul does a great job in providing a little history behind the creed and helping the reader to understand the use of some of the words and phrases that may sound a little different to those who are not familiar with church history.

Over all it was a great book and I’m glad I pulled it off the shelf and finally read it.  Sproul writes with an engaging yet informational style.  I would recommend this book for anyone interested in growing deeper in their faith and understanding some of the core doctrines of Christianity.  Over all I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars.

 

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy catholic church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The 2nd Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me!

On By pastorjonathanIn About Jonathan1 Comment

Six years ago today I was running around a church as nervous as I could possibly be.  My family and friends had driven from all over the Southeast to visit with me that day.  I wish I could say that I remember all the people who were there, the truth is their names and faces were all blurred behind the radiant beauty of my soon-to-be wife.  It was a great day in the history of great days.

We stood in front of a crowd and took our vows.  The pastor pronounced us husband and wife and let me kiss my beautiful bride for the first time.  We ran out the front doors and then came back into the sanctuary for a few last-minute pictures.  At the reception I learned about just what all came with marrying such a wonderful woman.  Her relatives pinned money on us and her grandmother engaged me in an awkward dance of avoidance as she zeroed in for a kiss on my lips. unfortunately she won.

We headed out the door, where we were pelted with birdseed and were well on our way to our honeymoon.

As beautiful as that day was and as wonderful as it is to retell the story, it was just a day.  You see the second best thing that ever happened to me wasn’t a wedding, but our marriage. And marriage is one of those things that you don’t just look back on, you live it.  Everyday growing, learning, loving, giving, forgiving, holding, sharing, caring, hearing and walking together. Some days better than others, but always together.  And that’s the point.  Always together, through thick and thin, an ever-loving, never giving up, kind of bond that holds husband and wife together.  Its one of the most awesome things I have ever experienced on this earth.

Today we are celebrating 6 great years of marriage and looking forward with anticipation to God’s plan for our life together.

What’s the best thing that ever happened to me you ask? It’s the day that I learned that God really loved me like that.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
(Ephesians  5:25-27, ESV)

How I Courted My Wife

A Must Read for Christian Parents

On By pastorjonathanIn books, discipleship, Family, parentingLeave a comment

Rock-Solid KIDS by Larry Fowler is a must read for Christian parents, Children ministry directors, Pastors and even youth pastors.  The book outlines a Biblical premise for ministry to children starting in the home and supplemented by the church.  The book is full of biblical wisdom and key insights.

The author didn’t share anything new or unfamiliar to me as a father, but did reaffirm several things my wife and I have sought to do as parents. That being said, I do highly recommend this book for three reasons:  It is brief, It is well written, and It contains the best chapter on sharing the gospel with children that I have ever read.

The book is only 142 pages, yet it packs punch.  You won’t find any wasted words or long diatribes.  Author Larry Fowler has done an outstanding job of  keeping the message simple and straightforward. The 8th chapter on sharing the gospel with children is one of the clearest and most straightforward I have ever read.  The 8th chapter alone is worth the market price of the book.  As a parent I’m grateful to our Minister to children for putting it in my hands.

I  highly recommend Rock-Solid KIDS to anyone who has influence in the lives of kids.  I can see it being especially helpful and encouraging for parents and ministers to children. The retail price is $17.99 (hardcover), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $14.03.  I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Then Sings My Soul (special edition)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

Then Sings My Soul Special Edition by Robert J. Morgan is a great book with background on 150 most loved hymns.  The collection of hymns centers on the holidays with the first sections being devoted to Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.  The assortment then moves on to patriotic hymns as well as classical favorites such as “Amazing Grace” and “Just as I am.”

The book is paperback and has a picture of a beautiful green meadow on the front cover.  The pages are roughly cut giving it an old world feel in a modern jacket.  The format is simple and clear.  Each song takes up two pages, one page contains the hymn (complete with musical score just like you would find in a hymnal), the other page contains the background information to the hymn.

I  highly recommend Then Sings my Soul to anyone interested in the stories behind the hymns.  I can see it being especially helpful and encouraging music ministers. The retail price is $19.99 (paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $13.59.  I gave it five stars.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Bible Recommendations (the Bibles that I read, like or use.)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, discipleship1 Comment

I’m often asked, “what Bible do you recommend?”  While on the surface this seems like a simple and straightforward question, it really requires some thought and reflection on who the Bible is for… so with that in mind, here are some of the best Bible’s that I have come across and who I would recommend them for.

For the ultra Bible nerd like myself…English Standard Version (Black Calfskin, Journaling Bible). The picture above is what mine looked like before all the yellow visitor passes got stuck to it.  It retails for about $75, but Amazon has it for less than $50.

The Jesus Story Book Bible is by far the best Children’s Storybook Bible that I have ever seen!  Sally Lloyd-Jones does an excellent job of staying faithful to the narrative while pointing children to the central message of the Bible.  You can read my review and see some videos of the Bible here.  It retails for around $25, but you can get it on Amazon for less than $17.

Baby’s Hug-a-Bible is by far one of the better resources I have seen on the market for younger children. It has a soft wool-like cover and firm, sturdy pages that are ready for the rugged wear that a toddler can put on book.  This is the Bible that we picked out for our 1-year-old this year.  It normally retails for around $15, but Amazon has been running it on sale for just over $10.

Girls Life Application Study Bible NLT is by far one the best Bibles I have seen for pre-teen to early teen girls.  You can read my whole review here. It normally retails for around $30, but Amazon has been running it on sale for less than $20.

 

Word of Promise Next Generation – New Testament: Dramatized Audio Bible on USB Bracelet is one of my favorite audio Bibles to listen to.  It is geared for teenagers.  I like the adaptability of a USB Bracelet for carrying your Bible around. (amazing the things we can do with technology.)  I’ve also uploaded mine to my Iphone and have the scriptures intermingled with songs on my playlist.  It retails for around $40, but Amazon has it for just over $30.

Of course I also like the free “Bible.is App”  from faithcomesbyhearing.com.  It’s a free ESV audio Bible for your Iphone.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Halloween and the Great Commission: Why My Kids Dress Up for Candy, but Don’t Pretend in Santa

On By pastorjonathanIn Family, Just Thinking, parentingLeave a comment

Just so you know, I don’t think holidays are evil.  But some Christians do have a hard time navigating the holidays.  They are troubled by Jack-o-lanterns, Santa Claus,  and the Easter bunny.  I guess we could add a few more holidays to the list, but we will keep it down to the big 3 just for the sake of time.

Why its a big deal: No doubt somewhere somebody once told you that all the “Christian” holiday’s  like Christmas and Easter are really just “pagan holidays.”  Christmas wasn’t really on December the 25th and that the Easter bunny is all about fertility, being twitter-pated, new life and stuff.  I know, I know, its disappointing to have your whole Christian holiday stuff upset by some great big “pagan conspiracy.”  Why did they have to go pick the “Christian” holidays, why couldn’t they have hijacked some other holiday like Grandparents Day? No, the pagans had to come and take our Christmas and Easter. Or did they?…

How it might of actually started:  I think it’s the Pagans that should be upset that we are talking so much about Jesus around their holidays.  I guess that’s how it really started.  Some pagan got up to say, “through these winter months we look with joy to the new life of spring,”  and a Christian in the room stood up and said, “let me tell you about how God loves us and when the world was dark and cold, God came in the flesh and dwelt among us.”  And later in the spring when they were sitting around talking about how new life springs out of dead things a Christian got up and said, “They killed Jesus, but he rose from the dead three days later!” All of the sudden these pagan holidays centered around pagan ideas were hijacked by Christians telling their wonderful stories about the incarnation and the resurrection of Jesus.  Yes, my friends, it is the pagans who have had their holidays hijacked… not the Christians.  Truth be told, I don’t know why we have a Christmas tree (nor do I care), but I do know why we have a manger.

The Real Danger: The real danger with “Christian” holidays is that we only think about the incarnation (birth of Jesus) and resurrection on holidays.  SEC football is a bigger threat to my kids than Santa Claus because I’m an Auburn fan.  The real danger is that I might look more excited about football for 4 months out of the year than I am about what Christ has done in my life.  The question isn’t, “do I make Christmas about Jesus or Santa?” The real question is, “do I make all of my life about Jesus?”  The real evil would be to tell my kids Santa isn’t real, tell the truth about Jesus, but forget about Jesus the other 11 months out of the year.

A Way Forward: I say we hijack all the holidays for the sake of the gospel… starting with Halloween.  I know it’s scary; kids all dressed up like witches and demons and stuff.  But think about it, when was the last time you were invited and expected to knock on every door in your neighborhood? (and rewarded with candy I might add!) It’s how we met most of our neighbors beyond just a few doors down.

You see there aren’t any front porches in my neighborhood, or side walks, or parks, most people park the car in the garage,  all of our backyards have 6 foot privacy fences, and most of our houses have TVs and computers so we never have to see each other.  But once a year, Halloween changes that and kids come to our house and we take our kids through the neighborhood. Halloween has become an avenue for relationships which is the avenue for the gospel.

I know, I know, your scared that the secret origins of Halloween now have a dark hold over my kids… Can I just say, “It’s not so.”  We serve a risen Savior who beat death, and destroys demons.  We dabbled more in the spirit world when we obeyed God, packed our bags and moved our family to Pensacola (trust me, my daughter had more nightmares and we wrestled through more demonic stuff in our obedience than we ever have with her dressed as a Strawberry).  It’s time that we worry more about the mission than the top-secret pagan origins of a holiday.

Where to draw the line:  I think the line on holidays looks different for each family.  We draw the line at deception or dishonesty to our kids.  We teach our kids that Santa  and the Easter bunny are not real.  We also teach that Satan and his demons are real.  Most importantly we teach that Jesus Christ has conquered death and is stronger than any demon will ever be.  One of our core values is the ability to discern truth from error.   We still teach a healthy amount of pretend and play.  Because we aim for this balance of truth and pretend we are a little weird.  The things we draw the line on are probably different than you family and that’s okay (you can be weird too!)

A Review of David Platt’s book “Radical”

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

To be honest I really have mixed reviews about David Platt’s book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. Maybe with all the hype, I was expecting more.  If you want my honest and straight forward opinion I think its weak, premature and largely borrows from the work of others without giving them fair credit: While at the same time, I sense that Dr. Platt is pointing us in the right direction.

First, I think Dr. Platt’s arguments are weak.  He is like a doctor who can find the pulse, but has no cure.  Yes, America is consumed with consumerism.  Yes, we are materialistic.  Yes, we are wealthy compared to three-quarters of the world. Yes,  a large portion of the world in need of the gospel and basic humanitarian aid.  Yes, we should change that.  If this book were just about that, it would be prophetic:  Find the issue, declare what God has said about it.  The weakness arises when Platt tries to usher a new way forward based on his limited experiences as the pastor of a mega-church.

That is why it may be a bit premature.  We are in no shortage of books touting short-term and even untried solutions.  Everyone sharing the gospel should have success stories to share.  The fact is that the Holy Spirit moves both in us and sometimes in spite of us as pastors, teachers, and leaders.  The real question is, will the “Radical Experiment” produce long-term results or will we have forgotten about it by next year?

I’m troubled that much of what Platt says appears to be patterned off of messages, books, and articles I’ve read by Dr. John Piper.  I guess I wouldn’t be as troubled if I saw that Platt recognized that he has been heavily influenced by Dr. Piper.  To me this just appears to be complete ignorance of the loudest voice and call to the “radical” lifestyle or intellectual dishonesty on Platt’s part.

That being said, I sense that Platt is on to something.  He is pointing in the right direction.  I heard enough of his voice in his writing to sense that he caries a genuine passion to revolutionize the world with the gospel.  I hope he does.  I pray that God uses him and his book to stir many more into awareness and action.   I really liked his 5 fold challenge to take up the ‘radical experiment’ at the end of the book.  I hope he writes another book or even revises “radical” in 10 years with more of what God has taught him.  He has a voice at the table of American evangelicalism, I pray he uses it well.

If you are looking for an emotional stirring to challenge you to take up the mantle of global missions to the poor,  this book is for you and I would recommend you to read it.  The retail price of Radical is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $5.50. I gave it three stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Now This is my kind of Christmas Caroling!

On By pastorjonathanIn VideoLeave a comment

Technically it’s not Christmas caroling.  It’s a Flash Mob singing the Hallelujah Chorus in a Mall.  However, I think we should add Flash Mobs singing Classical Christmas tunes to our Christmas traditions.