Archive for December, 2007
Free Seminary Lectures from iTunes
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in For Study on December 6, 2007
Today I discovered that we can listen to some very good seminary and conference lectures free through iTunes. Reformed Theological Seminary, a seminary committed to Five Point Calvinism, offers a nice selection of lectures that might interest you. You do not need an ipod to listen to these lectures. Any MP3 Player will work or you can listen to them through your computer. If you find additional seminaries or universities that offer good lectures for free using the MP3 format, please leave me a note in Comments below so others can learn ab0ut these.
For those new to iTunes, you will need to download the Apple iTunes software and install it before you can access these lectures, but then you can play the MP3 audio or music files on any player.
If you hear some good lectures, please tell us about them, where to find them, and what you think of them. I plan to listen to 3 lectures by DA Carson on NT Wright’s ideas on The New Perspective on Paul. Wright has written a fine book that I have read twice now with great enjoyment and benefit, and I am hoping to learn from Carson both the good and bad points of Wright’s book Paul: In Fresh Perspective
An Authentic Christian Community
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Christianity on December 6, 2007
Most Christians today find themselves looking to join and serve in a church that manifests authentic Christian community. What would such a church look like today? First, the people would love God as God has revealed himself truly in Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior. Second, the people would believe the Bible is truly God’s word to us (and to them directly and personally). Third, the people would love one another and their love for one another would be evident to others and big enough to keep including new people. Fourth, the people would seek to find God’s specific way and will for them in order to fulfill the unique service to others that God wants them to pursue. Fifth, they would strive to love and serve according to the teachings of the Bible and not rationalize an ungodly standard of living, loving, and serving.
Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God and the Apostle Paul defined the Kingdom of God on Earth as ”righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). An authentic Christian community would strive to maintain right relationships with God and others on the foundation of the Apostles with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. In other words, everyone in the community would try to line up their lives with the teachings of the Bible and pray for Jesus Christ to give them the power to do His will. An authentic Christian community would try to maintain peace among those in the community and with those outside the community in so far as God enabled them. An authentic Christian community would manifest joy, the joy that the Holy Spirit infills in each person and each person shares with others.
To me, a mature Christian church or fellowship would demonstrate substantially, in a way that others would notice, these qualities. Achieving authentic Christian community is not easy, nor is it easy to maintain, but God gives us that challenge to reach for if we want to seriously meet the needs of people in our world today and tomorrow. At Stonegate Church, we strive to promote and maintain authentic Christian community in everything we do, and I believe we can continue to do so as we prayerfully trust in Jesus Christ and His Spirit.
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Extending Our Circle of Service
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Lifestyle on December 4, 2007
The Internet gives us an opportunity to extend ourselves beyond the people we normally serve in order to meet the needs of an even larger circle of people. Perhaps it is easier to think of more ways to serve more people if we think of this selflessly, putting service above self. One example might stir up our minds to discover some new ways to serve that might really take very little additional effort but really be worthwhile in serving others.
For example, our worship service at Stonegate Church is traditional, and includes a responsive reading and unison prayer each week (printed in the bulletin). In pondering how I could help others who prepare or conduct worship services, I decided that I could put these Psalms and Prayers on the Internet and make them freely available to others for not-for-profit use. This extension of service became A Psalm and A Prayer. It took me until Psalm 119 to think of this idea, so that is where we began. Currently, we have submitted responsive readings through Psalm 150 and have now started from Psalm 1 through Psalm 7. So, you might think of how you can begin to extend your circle of influence from right where you are. Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments below or post to our Simple Forum.
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Our Talents and Our Gifts
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Lifestyle on December 3, 2007
Last night on an OETA television program, Red Skelton made a comment very similar to this: “Our talents are our gifts from God. The use of our talents is our gift to God.” Rush Limbaugh often describes himself along these lines: “With talent on loan from God.” The statements by these two entertainers reflect humility and their desire to honor God by using their talents in ways that will benefit others.
In Parkhurst Ponders, I will attempt to use some of the talents that I have “on loan from God” in ways that will encourage people to think along with me and use their talents in ways that, perhaps, they have not thought of before.
Socrates and Plato encouraged people to think by asking questions (and not always by easily giving the answers at the end of their discussions). In my teaching and writing, I enjoy asking questions and hearing the answers people give. Over the years, I have learned a lot from others by asking the right (and sometimes confusing) questions. In my International Bible Lessons and Easy Bible Lessons, I ask questions and provide questions that Bible teachers can use to help their class think and learn.
Asking good questions can be a talent that we can develop. Perhaps the ability to ask questions is one of those talents that you have, but you have never thought of the ability as a talent. Maybe, today, you can start to develop even more your ability to ask questions, learn from others, and help others learn in thinking and talking about your questions.