Recording/PA gear for sale
I mentioned in a previous post selling off recording equipment to finance the trip to Siberia. Here’s links to the stuff for sale:
Archive for February, 2007
Father Matthew
I was lamenting the use of “Madison Avenue” techniques for church marketing in regards to the “EPIC” debacle. I stumbled on this Episcopalian priest and his “guerilla style” church marketing. He’s pretty clever and interesting to watch.
Here is his exposition of sermon writing. I can sympathize. Seven hours to write a sermon is generous. Enjoy!
Churches see red over sex sermons’ promotion
Well, it seems that the flack from EPIC’s sex sermon series is not restricted to LC-MS circles. Articles have been found in Detroit News and Fox News. This could get ugly. Talking about sex should not be taboo but using Madison Ave. techniques to get them into “worship” is the worst form of bait-and-switch. I’m all for tasteful marketing and “putting our best foot forward.” I wonder how Rev. Kade ties his sexual theme into the lectionary or this Lententide? I expect he doesn’t. I can’t imagine a sermon series on this subject will prepare people for the feast of Easter. Here are a couple more posts on the subject. What think ye?
God’s Devil and Jesus’ Temptation
There is nothing like a heavy-duty pericope to get the Lenten blood flowing. The temptation narrative is such a pericope. Jesus is fasting like a good catholic. A deft Word of Scripture, wielded by an expert thwarts Satan’s challenges.It’s easy to miss one critical detail here. Satan has been defeated. He is the king of this world, but he has no domination of the next. The death and resurrection of the Christ deflects Satan’s temptations.You have the same defeat and authority over Satan as a believer.
One of the most fascinating discussions and readings of the last semester was the Lutheran understanding of the Descent into Hell, which we confess in the Apostles’ creed. The Nicene creed interestingly omits this confession.Some denominations only recently returned to confessing Christ’s descent in the interest of ecumenicism. (John Wesley denied and cut this phrase from the creed.) Calvin said the descent was the final aspect of his humiliation, paying to Satan his ransom. Roman Catholics have held that Christ descended to free the Old Testament saints from the limbus patrem, a limbo for the Fathers. Lutherans hold that this descent is the first activity of the Resurrection. Christ’s descends not to preach Gospel but to preach to those who perished in the Flood the final judgment rendered for Sin. The Biblical evidence for this confession is found in 1 Peter 3:18-22. This is the picture of the “Christus Victor” theory of the atonement. Christ proclaims victory to those who have chosen death. This is not a unitarian second chance. This is the bookend response to Satan of his challenges in the wilderness. In effect, “You wanted me to take the early road to glory in the desert. Well, know you see real glory! Death no longer has domination over man!”
Jesus: Tales from the Crypt - The Middle East Blog - TIME
HT: Cwirla, Weedon, and Ain’t It Cool News
Have any of you caught the big news? As Cwirla said, Lent seems to be the time to return to the Resurrection “myth” every year. Wasn’t last year the “Gospel of Judas?” Next year, maybe they’ll find a planet with Jesus’s face on it. I can’t wait!
Science is a beautiful thing. In any case it is sure to be entertaining with Cameron at the helm of the motion picture!
Another Lenten fast?
I know you folks are all fasting and have given up something for Lent. I hope it hasn’t been your devotional life. Take six or so minutes out of your schedule for a well-written Lenten devotion produced by yours truly for the Admissions department at the Seminary. If you don’t listen, you’ll miss your opportunity to hear this seminarian become world famous!
In case you missed the previous blog post about it, here it is again:
Books, books, books
incarnatus est: Books, books, books
Wider and wider they spread, expanding, always expanding, / Outward and outward and forever outward. - Walt Whitman
Sex for Lent & Deep Dish Communion Wafers
Both Rev. McCain and Rev. Engebretson blogged on this “Epic Church” thing happening in Michigan. This LC-MS mission start is causing all sorts of questions to be raised. Click through to the blogs themselves. Prepare to be shocked!
