Call+Response

Just wanted to do my part in letting you know about the film "Call+Response", a film about the modern sex slave trade. Looks to have some pretty sweet music as well. A few quick facts:
- there are more slaves today than ever in the history of the world
- the sex slave trade made more money last year than Google, Nike, and Starbucks combined

May this film be used to convict, expose, awaken, and mobilize a generation of slaves of Christ to give their lives in bringing freedom, both spiritual and physical to the millions of slaves in this world we are passing through.

Check out the trailer here:



To find showtimes near you go HERE
If you are in L.A., leave a comment and we can find a time to all go together.

The Cultural Argument Against Gay Marriage

Here is a link to a great article to educate you and help you speak about the issue of God marriage with intelligence and compassion.

The Cultural Argument Against Gay Marriage

Expelled - the Movie

Ben Stein (writer of presidential speeches, game show host, eye drop commercial guy, "Bueller, Bueller") has released a new film which documents the persecution Intelligent Design scientists have faced in the Academic world and the media. Should be a interesting and conversation starting. It opens April 18 nationwide. CHECK OUT THE TRAILER HERE

Planned Parenthood Accepts Money to Abort African American Babies

One day, two worlds

Last Sunday, February 10, I attended two gatherings, both intended to bring honor to a specific person or group of people. One was, of course, church. The other was the Grammy Awards, which I, believe it or not, sold candy at. Needless to say it was big culture shock going right from one to the other. Below are some contrasts and comparisons. I will let you determine which event I am talking about:

- One had a few dozen in attendance, the other was watched by millions
- Both brought together people of all ages, races, and musical tastes
- I wore an old striped shirt and cargo pants to one, I wore a collared white shirt, black tie, and brand new dress pants to the other
- I sat next to a 3 year-old with a stinky diaper at one, there was no one under 15 at the other
- Speeches were limited to 30 seconds at one, at the other we listened intently to someone speak for over 30 minutes
- There was a lot of shaking of hands at both
- There were believers and unbelievers at both
- There were people who had been addicted to drugs at both
- Some of the richest people in our country were at one, some of the poorest people in our country were at the other
- One took months of preparation, at the other a band practiced 15 minutes before
- One will not take place for another year, the other will take place every week
- One was full of familiar strangers, the other was full of family members who are strange
- Honor was shown at one with loving hearts and engaged minds, honor was shown at the other with gold trophies
- One ceremony gave honor to creations who made creations, the other brought honor to the Creator of all
- At one thanks and credit was given by the one being honored to various people who had supported them, at the other credit was given to no one except for the One being honored
- One honored people who had died, the other honored Someone who had died and come back from the dead.
- One honored people who were born and will die, one honored a Being who always has been and always will be
- I saw Snoop Dog, Josh Groban, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Seal, Tina Turner, Beyonce, Alicia Keyes, and many more famous people at one, no one famous was at the other.


That's all I've got time for now!
Hope it gave you some food for thought!

Sanctity of Life week

This week is the 35th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade supreme court case that made abortion legal in the United States. For pro-choice supporters this week is a celebration over the triumph of the "freedom to choose" over the freedom to live. For pro-life supporters this week is a time to mourn the genocide of the unborn, to re-commit ourselves to reflect God's heart of compassion and justice in standing up for the unborn and showing the hope of the Gospel in forgiving mothers who have murdered their children, and celebrate the fact that we live in a country where we can speak out and change policy if we really want to. Below are some links and videos to remind us of the gravity of this national curse. May God move us to Spirit-guided action!





links to resources:
Abort73.com
a personal testimony
Eternal Perspectives Ministries - Prolife Resources

Best of 2007

For your amusement and (hopefully) edification, here are some my Best of Lists of 2007:


Movies:
3:10 To Yuma - A return to the classic man-movie. Well done and well acted. I especially appreciated the themes of redemption and a counter-cultural emphasis on shame and the importance of honor, even at the cost of your own life. Warning: rated R for violence.

Enchanted - Clean, fun, imaginative Disney soon to be classic.

Amazing Grace - Finally a movie that has the Gospel in it...and is done well! My favorite parts are where Albert Finney (John Newton) steals the show.

Honorable Mentions:
Reign Over Me - Drama about a man dealing with loosing his family in 911. Caution, has bad language.

Pirates 3 - the more I think about Pirates 2-3 as one big movie the more I appreciate it

Stardust - a blend of Willow and Princess Bride. Caution: subtly (subtle enough not to ruin the movie but also to unconsciously assent) presents things such as premarital sex and homosexuality as acceptable (which they are in our society but use discernment when watching, especially with kids).

Elizabeth 2 - Excellent performance as usual from Cate Blanchett. Deals with England's war with Spain.


wanted to see (but didn't and therefore cannot recommend one way or the other):
Trade
Lake of Fire
The Darjeeling Limited
No Country for Old Men
War/Dance
I'm Not There
The Kite Runner

Books:
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemmingway at his chillingly best. Interesting history of the Spanish Civil war. Explores themes of futility of life, the depravity of man and the murkiness of war

The New Covenant Ministry of the Holy Spirit by Larry Pettegrew - A thoroughly Biblical book which gives attention to a member of the Trinity that doesn't get a lot of press time in my circles.

The Pursuit of Man by A.W. Tozer - Still reading it but it's knocking my socks off! Painful like surgery.

Evangelical Hermeneutics by Robert L. Thomas - a great critique of Hermeneutical trends. Lots of food for thought

Prince Caspian - Read this again in preparation for the movie this summer. Unlike the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, which was a metaphor for salvation, Prince Caspian is a metaphor for sanctification.

Measuring a Meridian by Jules Verne - Africa and Jules Verne. Can't go wrong there.

The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross by A.W. Pink: Short, concise and powerful.

The Radical Cross by A.W. Tozer: I don't only read Tozer books but when I do I am glad I did.

Check out Desiring God's Best of List here!

For His glory
by His grace
jrf

Yet another reason to stop smoking

Apparently the rise of smokers in China is contributing to the rise of cost in printing Bibles. Check it out HERE

Speaking of Repentance...

(below is a portion of a post my cousin posted on Jan. 22 on his college ministry's blog Prepare the Way)

Today, is Sanctity of Life day, the day we sadly remember that Roe v. Wade was passed into law 34 years ago. Here is an extended quote from an article by Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King:

"Oh, God, what would Martin Luther King, Jr., who dreamed of having his children judged by the content of their characters do if he’d lived to see the contents of thousands of children’s skulls emptied into the bottomless caverns of the abortionists pits?

It is time for America, perhaps the most blessed nation on earth to lead the world in repentance, and in restoration of life! If only we can carry the freedom of repentance to its fullest potential. If only America can repent and turn away from the sins of our nation. Abortion is at the forefront of our destruction. Partial Birth Abortion is perhaps the most heinous form of this legal genocide. Direct links connecting abortion and serious conditions such as breast and cervical cancer, emotional disorders and other serious ills must be considered! The only healing and redemption is in the blood of Jesus, blood willingly shed so that we could stand today and cry out for the blood of the unborn that is drenching the land of our children.

...I too, like Martin Luther King, Jr., have a dream. I have a dream that the men and women, the boys and girls of America will come to our senses, and humble ourselves before God Almighty and pray for mercy, and receive His healing grace. I pray that this is the day, the hour of our deliverance. May God have mercy on us all."

Read the whole article here

May God give us passion, boldness, and wisdom to be full of grace, truth and light to speak the truth in love to our generation.

(here are some resources from Desiring God Ministries for speaking out against the slaughter of the helpless)

Jonathan Edwards on Ted Haggard

I try not to get caught up in the lastest media frenzies or wax eloquent on situation of which I am not directly involved but today as I was reading over Jonathan Edwards 70 Resolutions I found that Resolution #8 was a timely exhortation in light of the current scandal.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

by His grace,
for His Glory

Marriage matters

In our world today, views and definitions of marriage abound. The glut of so-called “marital” forms displayed across the globe reflect not only the West’s obsession with Postmodernism but humankind’s natural (or rather unnatural) tendency to define their own realities and obligations based on their immediate needs, desires, and good old fashion foolishness. From polygyny, polyandry, and polyamory to swingers, open and alternative marriages (insert your own definition here), the true meaning and purpose of marriage has been raped by the machine of human depravity. Perhaps this “definition” of marriage from an alternative marriage chat room is a good motto for the world’s understanding of marriage: “anybody of any anything who is married in any way to any other anything.”
Sadly however, the distortion of the institution of marriage is not a distinctive of only the openly pagan contingent of society. Many religious faiths, even those that would broadly qualify as “christian,” hold damaging, erroneous, and necessarily unbiblical stances concerning marriage. These stances stem from many causes but often are the result of incorrectly interpreting and applying the Biblical texts. One of the more notorious flawed views of marriage is that it is merely a device instituted by God to facilitate procreation. This view is held by many Catholics as well as some in the evangelical church.
The Biblical definition of marriage stands in sharp, countercultural defiance of today’s public understanding. God’s definition of marriage is given to us straight from the mouth of Christ, where He recounts God’s establishment of the marriage institution during the creation week: “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." (Matt 19:4-7) Again, the purpose for marriage is found in the creation account. The only thing not “good” in all of God’s perfect creation was the loneliness of Adam. Thus God created Eve as his companion (Gen 2:18-25). Yes they were to have children, but they also were to share in the task of stewarding God’s creation. And they were to do it as an intimate entity. So intimate in fact that they did everything naked. Everything. Intimate companionship between a human male and human female to the glory of God is at the core of what marriage is. Marriage is about fulfilling and having fulfilled each others God-given desires for intimate companionship which translates into God glorifying fruit. This intimate companionship can only be sustained and blessed through a marriage covenant. Again our understanding of a covenant comes from God Himself. The first mention of a covenant relationship is found in the Flood narrative. From there, God continues to make covenants with people of His choosing and these covenants form the foundation and framework of all that occurs in the rest of scripture as well as our very own present faith in Christ. A covenant in the Biblical sense is a binding agreement, with extreme consequence for violating it. It is this agreement into which married couples enter into when they exchange their vows.
Although this understanding of marriage may seem archaic or even foreign to some, it is nevertheless the institution God has established to fulfill the human need for intimate companionship. Since God is the author of marriage, it is beautiful, full of hope, and a living metaphor for His intimate, loving relationship with His Bride (Eph 5:22-33). To abandon Biblical marriage is to abandon beauty and hope both for individuals and society at large. Every other institution that God put into place has at its center the family as its essential basic unit. This ancient standard is anything but outdated. It is one of the oldest expressions of God’s grace and grace can never be outdated.

by God's grace,
for God's glory,
jrf

books

Apparently I have been "tagged" by my brother over at A Call to Die to answer ten book related questions. To keep things interesting I am going to try not to answer with THE BIBLE for every question, as it has an unfair advantage with the whole divinely inspired thing, although in truth it would be my first answer for the first five questions.

1. One book that changed your life: (other than Bible) Les Miserables by Victor Hugo or Desiring God by John Piper
2. One book that you’ve read more than once: Ecclesiastical History by Eusibius
3. One book you’d want on a desert island: I just gotta go with the B-I-B-L-E for this one.
4. One book that made you laugh: Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll
5. One book that made you cry: I cry all the time when I read, really I do. Even when reading seminary textbooks, kind of pathetic. But I guess most recently I would have to say Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener or The Reformed Pastor by
6. One book that you wish had been written: My Life with Christ by some humble, unknown, illiterate, peasant, Christian marytr in any period of church history or Everything You Want to Know but Don't Need to Know by God
7. One book that you wish had never been written: Probably either the Quran or the Book of Mormon, but having them in print makes it so much easier to point out their absurdities and inconsitancies so I'm going to have to go with Pride and Predjudice. Jane Austen and I don't get along well, although it's been a while since I've read her so maybe I should give her another chance one of these days.
8. One book you’re currently reading: see sidebar, also currently doing my devotionals in Song of Solomon -it rocks!
9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: The life of David Brainard by Jonathon Edwards
10. Tag five others (I'm only tagging one): Matt Hendley

by His Grace,
for His glory,
jrf

The Radical Reformission

I just finished reading The Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll. I loved it. Sure, I didn't necessarily agree with everything but I don't think I've ever read a book that I have (outside of scripture, and even there it isn't a matter of agreeing just believeing and obeying). One reason I liked it is because Driscoll seems to be the kind of guy who would get in trouble because he has a big mouth and is a little rough around the edges. Kind of reminds me of somebody I know. Possibly most helpful though was Driscoll's Biblically informed evaluation of our culture and suggestions as to how to confront that culture with the Gospel of Christ without compromising the message. This approach was a breath of fresh air as in a lot of circles I float in evangelism means inviting your unsaved coworker who barely knows you to come to church in the hopes that he will magically be able to interpret all the nuiances of our Christianesque subculture and give their lives to Christ. Too many times have I heard, (and been tempted myself) people explain the "gospel" as giving your life to Jesus or asking Him into your heart or even accepting Christ as the propitiation for our sins, as if an unchurched person is going to have any clue what that means. Driscoll proposes that we need to understand the cultural baggage that people bring with them and make sure that we share the Gospel in a way that is both truthful and effectual. Now I know to some of you that may sound like compromising or seeker sensitive or whatever. But I encourage you to read the book and then decide.

I'll leave this quote to chew on:

Because the kingdom is our model, we must be wary of every generation's tendancy to tout a "new" culture to replace the kingdom. A case in point is the present-day postmodern bandwagon.
What can we say about postmodernism?
First, postmodernism is basically a philosophical junk drawer in which people toss anything and everything they cannot make sense of. If you ask four philosophers what postmodernity is, you will get five answers.
Second, postmodernity is not actually that new, as demonstrated by the fact that philosopher Huston Smith wrote about life on the other side of postmodernity in his 1982 book Beyond the Postmodern Mind.
Third, even a cursory reading of Ecclesiastes shows that culture is a stationary bike that each generation climbs on in hopes of getting somewhere only to die and fall off so that the new young stud can take his turn peddling and , like a fool, make pronouncements about his progress. We would be wise to see postmodernity as simply the new guy on the old bike and not mistaking cultural change for kingdom progress.
Fourth, postmodern culture is not something we should ignore, oppose, or embrace; rather it is simply another culture that we should seek to redeem and transform by the power of the gospel. Indeed, culture is an old whore, and modernity and postmodernity are simply her old and new dresses. (161)

more winter

I'd like to express my thanks to a little rodent named Phil for reminding me that America, like any country, has it's own pointless and absurdly silly traditions. Check it out Here

My two cents on the real meaning of Christmas

I know this post is a little late but I've been away from internet access for a few days.

As I start to think back over this last semester, one of the things that stands out the most to me is sin. Whether experientially, theologically, emotionally, or academically, I have gained a deeper understanding of the enemy these last six months. Whether the books I have read (The Enemy Within, The Pilgrim’s Regress, The Sun Also Rises) the subjects I studied in class (Hamartiology) or my own personal struggles I feel like sin became more apparent and recognizable to me than ever before. Not that I necessarily sinned any more or less than any other times, it just became more apparent to me. This is not necessarily a bad thing. After all knowing is half the battle right? But half the battle doesn’t win the whole battle does it. So here I am at Christmas time staring more clearly than ever into the seemingly relentless tidal wave of depravity. Not necessarily feelings of mirth. But the more I think about it this is what Christmas is about. “ It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” (I Timothy 1:15). That’s the other half of the battle. That’s the half that I have no hope of winning on my own. That’s the part where the God who showed me my sin and my helplessness to fight it came down, put on my skin, and put His head on the execution block of my sin and then came back from the dead so that I could know Him for eternity. That's why God rode around in a womb for nine months. That's why He came to earth. That’s Christmas. That’s real mirth.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,
jrf

Are we asking these questions?

It's sad when the press is asking the questions that the Church (who has the answers) should be asking. Check this out:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9979343/#051109a

God and art

I've recently been in a few discussions concerning what the role of art is in the life of a Christian. Most of these conversations have revolved around film, but I think the concepts can be applied to art in general. I can't say I have come to a dogmatic stance as of yet, but I can say that I do love art and have always had that bent and I believe that it is much easier for the church to say don't see this or that than it is for the church to teach discernment. Obviously there are black and white standards that can (and should) be made, especially as far as what movies are appropriate, but often I believe that these standards are based not off of Biblical truths but social standards. Add to the mix the issues of Christian freedom and responsibilty as well as personal conscience (I Corinthians 8,10)and you start treading into mirkier water. But is mirkier water necessarily bad? I don't believe so. One of my professors in college once said, in relation to Biblical discernment, that the world appears grey, but when one takes the time and effort to truly examine their world it becomes clear that it is made up of black and white particles, often miniscule, but there nonetheless. The point is that instead of steering clear of "grey" or difficult issues in our lives we, as the stewards of God's truth, need to take the time to examine everything and discern between the truth and the lies. Certainly Christians should and must at least have an opinion about art and especially movies. The greatest danger would be to just wander into a theater with no awareness of the worldview presented in a film and no intention of processing what you are soaking up. Sad to say I believe that this is what the majority of the church in America does, whether it is movies or television or music or whatever...But there is the other side of the coin as well. Should movies or television or secular music be thrown out completely? Or can these entities be used for God's glory. That's really the issue for me. Can I in all honesty sit through this film or listen to that song or look at that painting and in good conscience glorify God in doing it? I think sometimes yes, sometimes no. The point is, am I asking that question every time is sit down in front of a tv or screen or stereo? Are you?
Sorry I didnt mean to launch into a diatribe about discernment, what I originally intended was just to pose the question of what should the Christian's relationship to film be and then give you an opportunity to explore the issue and respond in the comments section. Here are a few resources that I have found helpful and pertinent to the issue. Happy discernment!

Jesus is precious because we yearn for beauty - John Piper
Does it matter what others think of us? - John Piper
What's it like to write narrative poems - John Piper
Cash for us converts for you - foolishblog (make sure and read the comments)

by His grace, for His glory