Mile High Rev

REVrant 49.4 - Against the Law to Have a Bible Study in Your Home?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,522637,00.html?test=latestnews

As you will see from this link, a Pastor and wife in San Diego have been told they can’t use their home to hold a Bible study with friends!  This is BIG news! 

I need to know more details before fully weighing in on this, but it appears that San Diego County is gearing up to fight homeowners who want to hold Bible studies in their homes.  The county is saying it’s a “religious assembly.”  And they are insisting that the pastor pay for a “use permit” if he wants to continue holding the Bible study.

Of all the bizarre things people do in their homes, a Bible study would seem relatively harmless.  But apparently not in San Diego County!  Insanity!  You think someone has an agenda in this case? 

REVrant 49.3 - How Life Began

Scientists May Have Found How Life Began.

Scientists are still trying to figure it out – “How did life begin?”  Important question.  While scientists continue to try to discover the “how,” I want to remind everyone of the “WHO!”

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” 

REVrant 49.2 - Cell Phones in Public Places...Like Church

Cell Phones Interrupt Already Contentious White House Briefing - mediabistro.com: TVNewser.

It happened to me last weekend.  I was starting the church service by introducing the families who were dedicating children on Mother’s Day.  Clearly, church had started!  Then, to my right, I overheard a guy with a phone to his ear saying, “You guys are going to be late…we’re sitting near the front.”  I looked at the guy (who I know personally, by the way) and asked him, “”Dude, are you on the phone?”  “Yeah,” he chirped, “want to say hi?”  I took him up on it.  I spoke into the receiver and said (to whoever was on the line), “Hey, you’re late, we’ve already started.  Hurry up!”

People loved it!  I thought it would be a teachable moment, so I said to everyone, “Perhaps this would be a good time to put your phones on vibrate?”  People loudly agreed.  I checked with my friend at the end of the service, and he was fine with how I handled it.  I wonder whether people got the message.

And then today I saw the photo above and read about this reporter taking a phone call during the White House press briefing.  That’s plain rude.

People, it’s not that difficult to place your phones on “VIBRATE!”  Please!

REVved - Mother's Day Weekend at FBC

Mother's Day Weekend at FBC has been amazing! 

Great attendance.  Moving child dedications - the couples did great with the letters they wrote to their kids.  Introducing our new Children's Ministry leaders - Lauri Cole and Wendy Holden.  Viewing a fun Mother's Day clip from the "Skit-Guys!"  Challenging the women of FBC with a sermon from Titus 2:3-5, titled -"This One's For the Girls" (with respect to Martina McBride!)  Even played a brief clip from the song!  Reminding our church family of some BIG TRUTHS to start the sermon - that "men and women are different!"  "There is stuff in the church that only women can do."  "The best way for younger women in the church to be trained is by older women."  Photo shoots with the parents and their kids after each service.  Having a fun lunch at Red Robin with three teen daughters of friends of ours who were out of town for the weekend.  A humbling opportunity to gather at the hospital bed of a friend battling cancer in its final stages.  And...collapsing into my easy chair at home after a long day of ministry, thanking God for the opportunity to serve Him! 

Tonight, it's exhaustion, but a "good exhaustion!"

And one more thing - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my mother-in-law, Margie Nicholson in Michigan!

REVrant 49.1 - Why John Edwards Could Not Be An Elder in My Church

Elizabeth Edwards interview with Oprah: 'No idea' if John Edwards fathered Rielle Hunter's baby.

I just started a new sermon series in the book of Titus.  Only 46 verses, but power—packed content on setting up the church.  I titled the series – “Calibrating the Church.”

Last weekend, I preached on Titus 1:5–9, which lists qualifications for being an elder in a church.  Paul tells the young pastor to “appoint” elders, and then, tells him the kind of guys he needs to look for.  The list includes 17 character markers.  My outline was pretty simple – 1) Every Church Needs Elders, 2) Every Church Needs Qualified Elders, 3) Every Church Needs to Let the Elders Lead.

While talking about “qualifications,” I used former presidential candidate John Edwards as an example.  The Biblical point was that a guy must be “blameless.”  The term doesn’t mean “perfect.”  It means “un-chargeable,” or “un-indictable.”  There should  NOT be anybody who could step forward and accuse the guy of something he’s hiding or not facing.  I quoted from Mrs. Edwards’ new book – Resilience – in which she admits she KNEW her husband had the affair, but she covered it up for him to be able to run for President.  My point?  That Edwards was not – IS NOT – “blameless.”

I might also add that Paul gives another qualifier – “husband of one wife.”   In addition to prohibiting polygamy and promiscuity, I believe this phrase demands that the elder be a “one woman kind of man.”  The fact that Edwards had this affair during a time when his wife was fighting cancer only deepens the misery. 

John Edwards is clearly neither “blameless,” nor a “one woman kind of man” …and thus, not qualified to be an elder in my church, nor any other.  I also don’t think he is (or ever was) qualified to be President.