Here’s a good article by Ron Thomas with some scary stats on our increasingly corrupt culture: http://etsop95.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/changing-attitudes/
Updates from Weylan Deaver RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
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Weylan Deaver
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Weylan Deaver
Here’s an excellent article by Charles Pugh III, Director of the new Warren Christian Apologetics Center. If God is the foundation of rationality, then, to argue from a godless perspective is to attack rationality itself (since the cosmos [including our thought processes] is all a non-purposive accident.
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Weylan Deaver
Randal, how is the new Forthright site going? I’m sure you’ve already considered the possibility of e-books, as well. My folks will be in town tomorrow for a brief stay and I plan to talk to them about the future of the Biblical Notes book inventory.
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Russ McCullough
I have a book on the emerging church that I’ve tried to get published. Do you know a publisher that might want to take a chance on an un-known that has a great book and no money? I can send a PDF to anyone interested.
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J. Randal Matheny
Weylan, it’s coming along well, PayPal still isn’t working right but the order forms are OK. Bugs here and there to kill too. Good deal on the chat with your folks. We’re good with whatever. Yes, we’re looking at doing our first book in eformat rather than reprinting it.
Russ, we’re not in a position to consider it, unfortunately. Have one ready to come out shortly, a reply to McLaren’s book. I hope you can find someone to take it up.
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John Henson
Hey, Randal. Anything I might be interested in knowing?
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J. Randal Matheny
Hi, John. Sorry, but I think I’m a bit lost with your question. It’s been a long weekend. :)
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Weylan Deaver
Anyone have experience with Olive Tree software/apps? I’ve just begun using it for reading (they are currently offering the ESV free for a limited time) instead of iBooks. But I’ve not used any of its other features. I’m sure it’s more powerful than what I’m using it for, but it at least works well for daily Bible reading.
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Barbara Ann Oliver
I have used Olive Tree for probably 10 years or more, way back when they had it for Palm Pilots. I use it mostly on my Nook now so that I don’t have to carry so many Bibles to worship and Bible class. I have to admit that I am not a power user, but I really enjoy reading my Greek Bible on it since it has Bill Mounce’s built-in dictionary. There are also Strong’s references and concordance information. Over all, I think it is a great app.
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Chad Dollahite
I think Daniel Howell is pretty good with it. He preaches in Kentucky and used to work with us at GBN. There is actually a front-page article about it on his website – http://www.mdanielhowell.com/
If you go to http://www.mdanielhowell.com/about-daniel/ you’ll see more about Daniel and how to get in touch with him. He is a good man and *very* good with anything tech!
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Weylan Deaver
Thanks for the insights. Daniel Howell does have some interesting things to say. I didn’t even realize composing an outline in Evernote was possible.
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J. Randal Matheny
Be sure you can export from Evernote into a usable format, or you might be stuck in it.
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Robert Floyd
If you’re prepared to make the investment in resource materials, the Olive Tree suite can enhance your Bible study and class/sermon preparation tremendously. Imagine having your reference library with you at all times and being able to work on your lessons anytime/anywhere. The Resource Guide is a great tool, which basically links all your reference materials to scripture. Imagine being on a verse and having every reference to that verse in your collection of books show up.
I’ve been using it for a couple of years (going back to the Palm days) and can’t imagine going back to pounds of books.
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Jordan
What device(s) are you using BibleReader on? We have a lot of “quick start” and “how-tos” in the help section of our site: http://olivetree.com/help/, and we have webinars multiple times a week that you can participate in for free to learn all about what BibleReader can do.
I’m a developer at Olive Tree, so naturally I use BibleReader a lot myself and I’d be happy to answer any questions have or can’t find answers to on our site (although someone in our support department would probably be better suited to answer those questions, lol!)
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Weylan Deaver
I’m writing a sermon on “Dinosaurs In The Bible,” thanks to a request from one of the saints here yesterday. I’ve preached often regarding apologetics, but never a whole sermon on dinosaurs. Something new!
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J. Randal Matheny
So what’s the title, “Can dinosaurs be saved?”
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Eugene Adkins
I know where I’d start – Genesis 1:24,25. Hope you find what you’re digging for :)
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Weylan Deaver
Too late for dinosaurs to be saved, but I think it turned out alright. I cover origin, how could they fit on the ark, did they live at the same time as humans, where they are mentioned in Scripture, biblical and unbiblical theories of their demise, and why this isn’t taught in schools.
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J. Randal Matheny
Glad it worked well. Are we going to see it somewhere online?
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Weylan Deaver
I’m expect the audio to be online sometime next week. I don’t know if it will be written into an article or not.
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J. Randal Matheny
Sounds good. Give us a heads-up when it appears.
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J. Randal Matheny
Or if you got it send it and we’ll post it.
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Weylan Deaver
And here’s a new piece from my favorite 18-year old daughter (reflections on turning 18):
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Mike Riley
Weylan, I like what your daughter said here: “Having an insatiable appetite for learning new things.” Pray that her appetite in this area never wanes. I know students that I teach who are satisfied with just “getting by” – not interested in anything new to learn or challenge their mind. I feel sorry for these young folks, for they are severely limiting themselves by having this attitude.
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Weylan Deaver
Interesting point: In 1 Kings 14, Abijah (young son of the wicked king, Jeroboam) was sick and God said he would die, be mourned and buried, because there was something in him that pleased the Lord — out of all the unpleasing family of Jeroboam. We might expect, since there was something about Abijah that God liked, he might get well and live a long life. Instead, he dies as a child and, from God’s point of view, it was a blessing. In contrast, the rest of Jeroboam’s family would die and be unburied, eaten by dogs and birds. Sometimes what appears a tragedy is really a blessing in disguise.
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Weylan Deaver
“Note, in the examples above, that when a sentence is made stronger, it usually becomes shorter. Thus, brevity is a by-product of vigor.”
William Strunk Jr. in “The Elements of Style” (3rd edition), p. 19.Like this:
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J. Randal Matheny
Strunk and White is one of my favorites.
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Weylan Deaver
Working on a sermon outline titled, “Sometimes the Good Die Young.” I’m planning to use Abel, Jonathan, Uriah, Jeroboam’s sick boy, John the Immerser, and Stephen (drawing some lessons along the way). We’ll see how it turns out…
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J. Randal Matheny
How young is young? If you got the Immerser on the list, why not add the Lord Jesus as well?
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Eugene Adkins
How about James, the brother of John.
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John Henson
Dibs on the outline!
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Weylan Deaver
Randal, I’m not sure how young young is, and the ages in question are generally not given. I thought about using Jesus as a main point, but, perhaps, rather, in the conclusion (if at all, since I’m trying to use some lesser known examples). Hadn’t considered James, Eugene. Outline is not finished, but it will not be comprehensive. Else, it would be too long. I hope it preaches well.
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J. Randal Matheny
Let us hear how it goes. Share the riches.
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Weylan Deaver
Where is the Christian’s line for cultural participation?
[Note: The letter below is in reply to a sister who objected to being given a Valentine's card, on the basis that Valentine's Day is Catholic in origin. It brings up a thought provoking issue on which I believe we have some latitude of opinion. Any thoughts?]
Dear _____________,
Thank you for taking time to express your concern, as indicated in your email of February 27. Please allow me to make a brief response, and then you will know where I am coming from.
There is no doubt many of our holidays trace their origins to Catholic, or even pagan roots. What if, over time, the roots were forgotten and what remained were customs and traditions which were, themselves, not inherently sinful? For example, you admit it is right to express love every day, and I assume you would not object to greeting cards given throughout the year, saying “I love you.” As you indicated in your email, the young mother who gave you a card that Sunday had no idea a Valentine had any connection to Catholicism.
That is my point. We (at least, we, non-Catholics) keep the day as an American tradition. If I take my wife to dinner on February 14, it is in no way a celebration of anything Catholic. My family calls it “Valentine’s Day.” We do not call it “St. Valentine’s Day,” and we do not attach any more religious significance to it than we attach to “Martin Luther King Day.”
The question is, when faced with any given tradition (which is not wrong in itself), am I obligated to track down every facet of its history and then condemn it if I can locate any connection with false religion?
In the first century, Christians in Corinth were faced with the problem of eating meat which had a history associated with paganism. Paul said it was alright to “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience” (1 Corinthians 10:25, ESV). If a piece of meat had been previously offered to an idol, the Christian did not need to find that out. He just needed to buy the meat and use it as God intended. If his conscience would not allow that, then he had the right not to eat meat at all (1 Corinthians 8:1-13).
So, if you choose not to participate in any way in the giving of Valentine’s cards and candy, I respect your opinion and right to do so. But I would not condemn another who chose to do something that was right, in itself (such as giving a card, candy, etc. to express affection), just because it is possible to dig into an encyclopedia and point out where the holiday originated. Especially when it originated centuries in the past and has now lost its religious connotation.
I have the right to begin a tradition in my own family, but not the right to force it on others. A nation has the right to have its own customs, but not the right to bind anything contrary to Scripture. As a citizen, I have the right to participate in my own society’s traditions, so long as they do not conflict with the Bible. The fact is, Valentine’s Day — whatever its beginning — is not considered by most Americans to be an endorsement of, or participation in the Catholic religion. Or, if it is, then I am unaware of it. I know that is not the way I grew up thinking, and it is not the way the day is viewed in my family.
One other passage, and it is Romans 14:5-6 (ASV): “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.”
If I understand that passage, it is saying we have the right to make certain days more important than others, in our own mind. I may count one day as special, while you consider the same day to be routine. You may count a different day as special, while I consider it to be not special. Neither of us has the right to bind our special day on the other, and neither has the right to condemn the other for regarding a day more special than another.
I hope you will give this consideration. If it does not sway your mind, then at least you know my perspective. My own wife sends out Valentine cards. I don’t think that means we are leaving the gospel. We are simply exercising an option to participate in a day the country sets aside as special by doing something that is not inherently wrong (i.e. mailing greeting cards).
If any sinful practice were being promoted, then we ought to put a stop to it right away. But many cultural traditions are practiced by people across the religious spectrum (even atheists), including Valentine’s cards, gifts at Christmas, decorating a tree, carving a pumpkin. I have the right to participate in society as long as I do not participate in sin. In my judgment, if any of those customs is to be proven as sinful, it will have to be on some basis other than merely pointing out that, hundreds of years ago, there were people who connected religious ideas to those customs. The question for us is: How are those customs perceived by Americans today? If most Americans viewed Valentine’s cards as an exercise of Catholic religion, then I would say we should not participate. But, I think that is simply not the case.
As you know, today is Thursday. But, you probably do not think of Norse mythology and the pagan god named Thor whenever you say “Thursday.” Yet, Thursday is named after Thor. If your reasoning about Valentine’s Day is correct, then we should also find another name for Thursday (and some of the other days of the week), since their names have pagan roots. However, if you can see that Thursday, in most of our minds, is not connected with Norse mythology (even though that is its true origin), then perhaps you can see that Valentine’s Day could be celebrated without making a connection to Catholicism. I hope this is helpful. Thanks again for writing, and may God bless you this week!
In His service,
Weylan Deaver, preacher
Sherman Drive church of Christ-
J. Randal Matheny
Excellent! I’ve used the days of the week as examples just as you have.
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Weylan Deaver
Tennessee Bible College’s Annual Leadership Day
It took place last Saturday in Cookeville, Tennessee, and the audio is already on their website here: http://www.tn-biblecollege.edu/leadershipday.html. Its format was unique, with several brief sketches of preachers from a bygone era. Enjoy.
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Weylan Deaver
“God is directly responsible only for the fact of freedom, not for all the acts of freedom.”
Norman Geisler & Paul Feinberg, “Introduction to Philosophy (A Christian Perspective)” p. 329Like this:
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J. Randal Matheny
I have that book, but haven’t peeked at it in a while. Maybe I need to pick it up again?
I sent this quote to QBT, with a link back to here. Thanks! http://quickbibletruths.com
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Weylan Deaver
Very tedious, that book. I’m most of the way through it, but am thinking there must be a better intro to philosophy out there.
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J. Randal Matheny
I think I bought it in college for an Intro to Philosophy class. Wasn’t and isn’t my cup of tea, and I wound up dropping the course. Maybe because I’m more an intuitive than analytic thinker, dunno. But the book continues to collect dust.
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Weylan Deaver
It has been mentioned before, but I would encourage all to be familiar with (and support, if you can) the new Warren Christian Apologetics Center (http://warrenapologeticscenter.org/). There are some denominational folk doing good work in the apologetics arena, but the Warren Center is an effort by our brethren to uphold the cause of Christian theism in a skeptical world.
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Weylan Deaver
Having stood at the DPS for about an hour and a half to renew my driver’s license, it’s time now to study Revelation 4-5 for tonight’s class. Next renewal: 2018.
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Ron Thomas
One of the nice things about IL is that this can be done via the mail or, in my case, via the “booth” they have at the Illinois State Fair.
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Weylan Deaver
Yesterday I read my first Max Lucado book (“One Incredible Moment”). Yes, he is a talented writer. Some of his style is simply making up details not in the text and weaving them in vivid description (which carries the danger of your remembering the biblical story with details that are not actually in the biblical story). And, some of it is genuinely thought-provoking. What did I not appreciate? There was at least one typo. More serious, he uses denominational terminology, such as “pastor” for preacher. More serious yet, he so vividly describes God’s love, the gift of Jesus to the world, man’s need for salvation — and then fails to offer God’s terms of forgiveness. Lucado’s writing is creative, but his teaching is not distinctive. In other words, it could be endorsed by just about any denomination, which, no doubt, is key to his widespread popularity across the religious spectrum. The book is not mine. It was lent me, unsolicited, by a church member. I will give it back tonight. I will not say Lucado has nothing at all to offer. But, when it comes to the distinctive marks of the Lord’s church, he is offering readers almost nothing at all.
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Mike Riley
I haven’t read any of Max’s books, but from what I have read about him, his writings tend to “bend” toward the Community Church movement.
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John Henson
“Lucado’s writing is creative, but his teaching is not distinctive. In other words, it could be endorsed by just about any denomination, which, no doubt, is key to his widespread popularity across the religious spectrum.” That’s it, brother. That’s the heart of it right there.
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Weylan Deaver
Learned this morning from Randal that the average American throws $103 at Valentine’s Day–let’s hope my wife is not alerted to that statistic.
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John Henson
Mine has been above the average and it ain’t over yet.
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Weylan Deaver
Be strong, John.
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Stephen R. Bradd
Hmm. The average American OR the average American COUPLE?
$206 per couple–that seems a bit high. Maybe I’m just cheap and out of touch.John is making up for Weylan and I.
Of course, a more helpful statistic in this case would be the MEDIAN. I bet there are some outliers really bringing the mean up. I’m just guessing, though. I could be wrong.
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Eugene Adkins
My life got a $2.50 card with a $1,000,000 message written inside :)
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Stephen R. Bradd
Nice Freudian slip there, my friend…
“My LIFE”
If only everyone viewed their mate as their “life”!-
Eugene Adkins
I’ll say one thing Stephen, I wish I could take total credit for it, but you were right in that my comment was a “slip.” I did mean to put “wife” but hey, you know what they say – if the shoe fits….
The funny thing is that the “W” and the “L” are on different sides of the keyboard! I told my wife what happend and she said it was subliminal. Maybe she’s right. Have a great night brother.
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Weylan Deaver
I’ve been working this week on a line of thought that hit me Sunday morning as I was studying for a sermon based in Numbers 20. It involves a comparison between what happened there at the rock in Kadesh and what happened 40 years prior at another rock in Rephidim (Exodus 17). Both involved a rock, water, Moses, a staff, and a complaining people. But God’s directions were very different. Therein, I believe, lies an application for our worship (which will not bolster the cause of those who appeal to the OT for present worship). Check out the article, “From Believer to Rebel,” at biblicalnotes.com and leave your feedback here. Am I overstating the case, misapplying the examples, drawing wrong conclusions? Or, is this a powerful point we ought to use with brethren of “liberal” persuasion?
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Stephen R. Bradd
I like it, Weylan. Good piece. If this is overstating the case, then I guess I’m guilty, too.
http://www.audioevangelism.com/sndwrds/transcripts/SW_2007_09_22_text.htm
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Eugene Adkins
Interesting way of looking at it.
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Weylan Deaver
Check out Randal’s latest poem at BiblicalNotes.com (whether prose or poetry, his writing does not disappoint).
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Mike Riley
Yes, Randal is a good poet, no question about it!
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Don Ruhl
I agree that there is something about Randal’s writing that I always want to check it out, and I am not disappointed. The BrazilianPreacher Dude knows what he is doing.
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John Henson
I appreciate and value what he does in poetry. There are so few who can write poetry well.
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J. Randal Matheny
Thank you, gents. You’re too kind by half.
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Weylan Deaver
Spent the last two classes introducing the book of Revelation. Tonight at Sherman Drive we will actually start into chapter 1. Looking forward to learning as we go through it. After all, Revelation is God’s last word to the church of Christ before the return of Christ.
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Weylan Deaver
Yesterday one of the sisters here in Denton, Texas handed me a newspaper clipping to read. Looking at it later, I noticed it was from a paper in Moultrie County, Illinois, and written by none other than Ron Thomas. So, Ron, your writing gets around–keep up the great work!
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Ron Thomas
How humbling! What did I say?
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Weylan Deaver
It was a short opinion piece critical of “civil unions.”
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Ron Thomas
Thank you, Weylan, for this – I am encouraged by your word.
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Stephen R. Bradd
Ron, were you advocating UNcivil unions? :)
I stumbled across your name, Ron, in an issue of Think magazine from last year (Krohn had submitted a comment and favorably mentioned you). I just happened to read it yesterday.
It seems your name is everywhere, brother.
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Ron Thomas
Think magazine? I used to get it, but economics prevent me now. Thanks for the note, Stephen. Speaking of notoriety, it seems that Audio Evangelism is doing remarkably well. A credit to all who work with it.
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Weylan Deaver
In the spirit of the season, here’s a fresh poem from my oldest teen daughter, Lacey, on getting a cold: http://ivorykeys94.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/a-cold-got-a-hold-of-me/
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Ron Thomas
Very well done.
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Weylan Deaver
In the category of the interesting tidbit: The words “careful” (34) and “carefully” (26) occur a total of 60 times in the NKJV Bible. The sermon at Sherman Drive tomorrow will focus on a few of those verses, under the heading of “Be Careful.”
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Weylan Deaver
The Uncaused First Cause
“The theistic response to Sartre is brief. First, God is not a self-caused Being; He is an uncaused Being. A self-caused Being is impossible, but an uncaused Being is not. Second, theists do not hold that every thing is caused, but only that contingent things are caused. A Necessary Being does not need a cause, since He exists by His very nature.”
The quote is from Introduction to Philosophy, A Christian Perspective by Geisler and Feinberg (pp. 293f.). As the Hebrews writer put it long ago, “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God” (3:4, ESV). God is unique in that he is the only one whose very nature is to be. Thus, God instructs Moses to tell Israel, “I AM has sent me to you” (Exod. 3:14). Everything outside God is contingent (i.e. dependent), requiring an adequate cause for its existence. “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Heb. 11:3). The principle of causation leads inexorably to an infinite, uncaused, Creator. The atheist must be false to his own nature (which was made to seek God, Acts 17:27), false to the overwhelming evidence (the heavens declare God’s glory, Psalm 19:1), and false to right reason (since disbelief is inexcusable, Rom. 1:20). His is a fool’s errand.
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John Henson
Great post, and some fine analysis on the matter.
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Weylan Deaver
Thank you, John. I believe this is the first time I began a brief post to TFR and then it grew into an article for the next church bulletin.
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Mike Riley
Good job, Weylan! It just can’t get any plainer than what you stated.
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Robert Floyd, and 3 others are discussing. 
Weylan Deaver
Do any of you fellows lie awake at night, composing mental sermon outlines you hope you’ll remember after you get to the office?
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J. Randal Matheny
My best sermons, poems, thoughts, were those lost in the wee hours of the morning. Just the other night I got up to jot down a thought, because I’d forgotten to put a pen and notebook at my bedside.
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Ron Thomas
I have not had that “blessing” like others have. Most of the ideas that come to my mind are in the office, but every now and again they come to when outside the particular confines. My greatest “hangup” is to get an idea and then have a few days come and go and, even though I wrote the idea down, when I look at it again, whatever I thought … well, I am just not inspired the same.
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John Henson
That’s why a pen and pad are near the bed. I will often have a thought on the basis of the day’s study (or something Randal wrote) and I try to joy those down before sleep.
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Don Ruhl
This is the curse of being a preacher! I am guessing that everyone of us does this. When we are driving down the road, walking or hiking, sitting in a restaurant with our wives (whom we are supposed to be thinking about), while listening to other preachers, watching a movie, in a conversation with someone, etc.
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Ron Thomas
Yes! I like that…(whom we are supposed to be thinking about). None have never been guilty of that!
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John Henson
Right, Don. On some smartphones (like the HTC Evo) there’s an app for that, a voice recorder might take away the need for a pad. (Found out this morning!)
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Weylan Deaver
I suppose, when you preach, you’re never more than four days from a major speech (either a Bible class or sermons, or both), so the pace is relentless. But now we know when bro. Don takes his wife to dinner, he is really formulating a sermon. I think you are on to something, Don, about preachers listening to other preachers differently than most members listen.
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Don Ruhl
Weylan, you are so correct about the relentless pace of facing a major discourse constantly! I feel that burden, and the joy of it also.
The director of my school of preaching, Hugh Shira, also taught a homiletics course, and he said once that if 100 people are attendance and you speak for 30 minutes, you have used up 50 man-hours (representing all those people who have ceased their regular activities for the moment, to hear you speak). Therefore, you better have something to say.
That made a deep impression upon me, and so I have always determined to have something to say rather than wasting people’s time.
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Weylan Deaver
That is a good perspective, bro. Don (and, glad you are out of the hospital). I try to develop lessons that interest me. Maybe it’s a pointed truth brought out by a Greek work, or a challenging theological concept, or a fascinating historical detail, or a new approach to an old subject, or perhaps a biblical character rarely mentioned. I hope that, if it interests me, it will interest others. On the other hand, if I’m not sold on my own sermon, how am I going to be able to present it effectively to anyone? Nothing worse than delivering a sermon while, in the back of your mind, thinking, “this is not very good.”
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Eugene Adkins
Absolutely! And often times the “flow” at that time is much better in my head than it is the next day when I start to write. Oh well.
Weylan Deaver
Working right now on sermon slides for this Sunday’s a.m. lesson: “Power in the Blood”
Weylan Deaver
It was a good Sunday night at Sherman Drive, with a nine year old girl being baptized into Christ by her father. The family actually worships with the Lewisville congregation, but the girl’s grandmother attends here, so they came here where she could be part of it. No matter, since we’re all headed toward the same place. Angels rejoice and…another defeat for the devil.
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Stephen R. Bradd
Good news! Thanks for sharing.
Weylan, I sent a book order to “1913 Cindy Lane” and it got returned.
Can you send me a copy of your Dad’s HS book & invoice me?BRADD
824 W MAIN
CLINTON, IL 61727Thanks!
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Weylan Deaver
Stephen, yes, that’s an outdated address. I’ll send you an email with contact info. If you don’t get my email this afternoon, please let me know.
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Weylan Deaver
It’s finally beginning to look like fall in north Texas. Last fall–our first one here in Denton–we had an elders/deacons appreciation dinner in our home. Tonight we’ll do that again. Cheri and the kids are putting a lot of effort into making it a special occasion. I am thankful to be able to work with the good leaders here at Sherman Drive. The Lord has blessed us richly.
Weylan Deaver
Day two after Facebook account deactivation. So far, I have not experienced spontaneous human combustion or other severe and undesirable effects. Still on Twitter, I am putting to the test the question on everyone’s mind: “Is it possible for a person in 2011 to live happily while engaging in only one online social network?” Results await.
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John Henson
Well, the day is young. May you be spared any permanent damage.
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J. Randal Matheny
If you get to feeling strange, come join me on Friendika at http://frndk.de/profile/jrm .
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Weylan Deaver
Randal, can you offer a brief assessment of your experience with that? I’m fuzzy on how it works. Do I have to download a program onto my computer? And, it is an amalgamation of various social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that plug into it?
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Mike Riley
Weylan, actually it’s possible to live happily while engaging in no online social network. I’ve lived without I-Pods, I-Pads, I-Phone, or any other electronic gadgetry, and I’m relatively happy. :)
Weylan Deaver
First weekday back in the office. I need to write a sermon. But I also need to carve a pumpkin. What to do…
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Ron Thomas
The first thing to do is make a pot of coffee. :-)
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Weylan Deaver
I have that covered; time to pour a second cup.
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J. Randal Matheny
Are they similar activities?
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Ron Thomas
We’re “faithful brethren” now!
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Weylan Deaver
I’ve never considered an analogy between sermon writing and pumpkin carving. As I ponder…no, I think they are dissimilar.
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John Henson
Depends on what, or who, one is carving.
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Weylan Deaver
Well, I’m not going to get a sermon written today. But I did get an article written, so that’s good. Pizza and pumpkin carving await!
Weylan Deaver
Tonight’s sermon at Sherman Drive: “Judging”
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J. Randal Matheny
Like some other sermon title of yours, I ask, you fer it or agin it? :)
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Weylan Deaver
I broke it into categories and subcategories of judgment; I’m for the good kind of judging and against the bad kind!
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Weylan Deaver
I think I’ll try my daily Bible reading this morning on the iPad. Do any others of you do much reading onscreen? At one time I thought I would never prefer it, but may be changing my mind–especially since a bookmark will automatically sync with my phone. And, because it is back-lit, you can read in dim light, or even the dark (I like to walk while I read, but not necessarily under a bright light). They’ve done about as much as they can to make the screen look like a real page from a printed book.
Glenda Williams, and 4 others are discussing. -
Stevelucas
Waylan,
In a related vein, how many folks in the audience read the Scripture via an Ipad or Iphone? I must admit before I became a bit more knowledgeable, I was disappointed at the number of the younger set were more occupied with texts and emails than a lesson. However, I learned somewhat early on that when I asked for someone to read a Scripture, it was these same Iphone holders who began reading the text from their devise. My how technology and times change. Interestingly, my wife and I find many more opportunities to read Scripture due to the convenience of these devises, such as standing in a checkout line; while taking a break during work; etc. I wonder in what ways the use of these devises can be further linked to sharing the Gospel?
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Ron Thomas
Not I. The only time I read onscreen is when I have to. I am, largely, a material book fellow. I like to write in my Bible, and what writing I do includes “whiting out” marginal references for additional writing space. Could you imagine me “whiting out” on the computer screen? I would be that proverbial “blonde” (of course, don’t tell anyone that I am actually that hair color!).
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Stephen R. Bradd
I always knew it and now Ron has admitted his materialistic tendencies. :)
I don’t have an iPad or even a smart phone, but perhaps one day. I can see myself preaching from an iPad in the future.
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Robert Floyd
If you have an iPad, check out the OliveTree readers. They have clients for other mobile devices, but the larger screen space makes a difference and could change how you do your Bible study/note taking.
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Weylan Deaver
I’m not familiar with OliveTree readers. I’ve never preached from an iPad and don’t see myself doing that. But, never say never…
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Robert Floyd
Imagine carrying your entire Bible reference library with you and have all of it cross referenced to each other: that’s what the OliveTree line offers. It’s an amazing app, especially if you purchase appropriate reference works. With that and an app like OmniOutliner, it’s easy to work on your lessons/sermons from just about anywhere.
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Glenda Williams
Weylan, let us know what you think about the new way to read your Bible. I really enjoy turning pages. I’m really behind on the new-fangled gadgets and interested in feedback. Walking while you read? Oh my, I would be on the ground right away! Keep us posted!
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Weylan Deaver
Oh yes, I can stay on my feet for hours at the office without sitting, and the church building affords space to walk, especially now that it is cooling off in Texas and I am not confined to my air-conditioned room. On the iPad, when you swipe the screen, it does actually look like a page turning.
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Weylan Deaver
In last Sunday night’s sermon I delved into the connection between belief in aliens and belief in evolution. I think it will be the subject for the next article the Sherman Drive congregation puts in the local newspaper. Better get to writing…
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Ron Thomas
That will be an interesting read!
Weylan Deaver
Tonight I’m trying a new topic for preaching: “Monsters” (think of such questions as, what does the Bible say about vampires, witches, aliens, ghosts, etc.). It took my 13 year old son to get me to develop an outline about this…
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Glenda Williams
Now that sounds interesting. My husband has a weekly newspaper column asking “What does the Bible say about….”. It is published in three surrounding city newspapers and has generated quite a bit of interest.
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Barbara Ann Oliver
Can’t wait for you to share it with us! :)
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Weylan Deaver
It seemed to go over well enough. We dismissed vampires, zombies and werewolves. Getting into aliens, I was struck by the connection between belief in aliens and evolutionary theory–all the way up to Richard Dawkins. Then we touched on witchcraft, ghosts and demons. Audio should be up shortly at: http://shermandrive.org/sermonfeeds/
Weylan Deaver
Birthday greetings, salutations, and well-wishes from the Lone Star State to Ron Thomas in Illinois. And I hope he will clarify a question that just came to mind. If a citizen of Texas is a Texan (a simple word conversion, yes?), then how do you call a citizen of Illinois? Please give the proper term, along with diacritical marks for pronunciation, if possible.
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Ron
Apart from Illini I would not know how to answer. I suppose I could say Illinoian, broken down to something like this: ILL-I-NOI-AN
Otherwise, I think I am sunk.
Thank you for the birthday wish; 51 I am. Was in St Louis yesterday.
Weylan Deaver
A Scary Novel…That’s Clean?
I suppose it’s expecting too much that a worldly author would write a novel not drenched in worldliness. I enjoy a scary story. And, it is October, you know. I went in search of a good horror novel and found one written in the late 1970′s which was supposed to be particularly spooky. I gave it one evening and got about 70 pages in. The potential was there, but you had to wade through some vile scenes. I’m not talking about an occasional profane word (I was marking those out as I went along with a black pen). I’m talking about graphic sensuality that made the whole story not worth it. So I tore the book in two and tossed it in the dumpster, never learning how the tale ended. Nor do I plan to even attempt another book by that author. Had he left out a few offensive, unnecessary paragraphs, he might have made me a new fan for life. We’ll never know.
Every October I read aloud to the kids Washington Irving’s classic, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and we’re in the middle of that right now. There is a passage where Irving describes Katrina as wearing a petticoat so short that it actually showed off her (gasp!) foot and ankle–and that’s about as risque as the story gets. As this month’s literary project, the kids and I are set to all read Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” another enduring classic in which I do not expect to find passages in need of excising (and which even has a moral lesson to teach).
Most of my reading is work-related, but it is disappointing to step into the waters of modern fiction and find them so foul as to be repulsive. Recommendations, anyone?
Like this:
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Russ McCullough
Anything by Edgar Allen Poe always raised the hair on my neck! Also for an intense mystery, try The Count of Monte Christo. For the kids try any of the Hardy Boys and / or Nancy Drew mysteries.novels.
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Stephen R. Bradd
My boys (9 and 7) love the Hardy boys! We read them out loud frequently in the van.
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Weylan Deaver
BiblicalNotes.com
In the category of trying-to-get-the-word-out-without-sounding-too-self-serving, the time has come to focus on building the site at biblicalnotes.com. If you’ve not taken a look, please stroll over sometime and browse around. If it appears it could be helpful, go ahead and subscribe via email (scroll to the bottom of the page), or bookmark it for future reference. More writers to be added shortly. Dad already has a couple of new articles in mind he wants to see published there. As administrator, I hope it can be a truly useful site, without duplicating the good efforts already extant.
Like this:
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Ron
Appreciate the work, brother. I bookmarked it.
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J. Randal Matheny
Even if there is some overlap, I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing in the Kingdom. You’ll reach someone somewhere that another effort won’t. We can’t have too much of a good thing. Well, Proverbs says, unless it’s honey. ;-)
Weylan Deaver
Working on a new hymn this week.
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J. Randal Matheny
Be sure to share it when it’s done.
Weylan Deaver
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Disapprove
[This is a short piece to appear in the local newspaper, "The Denton Record-Chronicle", later this week. I fear the hour is late--wd.]
In Romans 1:32 Paul mentions those who practice sin, and those who approve sin’s practice. You do not have to be personally guilty of any particular sin in order to endorse others who are. God forbids both sin-practice and sin-practice approval. This month has seen the President strike down the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which kept soldiers from openly declaring homosexuality. But, it seems, if there is one thing the emboldened homosexual cannot stand, it is the thought that he does not enjoy approval of his behavior, even at the highest level. The homosexual lobby knows no satisfaction short of a complete restructuring of society around its aberrant values. So now, in the military, they will be allowed to be openly homosexual in practice, while the government makes sure we put an indelible, red, white and blue stamp of approval on the practice. A country of greater moral fiber would not be entertaining such issues. If the practice is sinful, then it is also sinful to endorse the practice, even though approval come from the Oval Office. Immorality is not legislated into morality. And our national leaders would do well to remember that biblical principles trump American politics, policy, and political correctness every time. “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, ESV). Come visit us at the Sherman Drive church of Christ, where we still believe God meant what he said about sin.
Like this:
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Ron
A great article for the editorial section (I presume).
Weylan Deaver
Where but America would we have a time when the country shuts down and call it Labor Day? Do any of you other preachers have difficulty taking holidays? For example, if I don’t work tomorrow since it’s a national holiday, I’ll still be expected to deliver two classes and two sermons by next Sunday. Ready or not, here it comes…
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Mike Riley
America has more holidays and gets less work done than probably any other country in the world. Our society is one spoiled group of folks, that’s for sure!
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Stephen R. Bradd
Hi Mike. Actually, I think America is fairly low on the holiday/vacation days compared to other countries. I can’t speak to productivity, however. Take a look at this link and the comments in the upper right corner:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/33431347/Which_Country_Gets_the_Most_Vacation_Days?slide=1-
Mike Riley
While it may be true that other country require more time off than the USA, if you were to take all of the holidays, vacation time, Spring break, summer break, etc. that teachers in America take off, you’d have accumulated approximately three months out of the year.
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Stephen R. Bradd
Weylan, unless we’re traveling to see family, I rarely take holidays off. As you noted, there is a certain amount of work to get done each week. Time to get busy! :)
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Ron
Weylan, I don’t take days off all that much. If I have a scheduled day it is only one (Saturday). That’s not to say that I am not encouraged to take two days (or as many as I need), but since this is my life (not my occupation – I think you understand what I mean by this), I just don’t take time off like another would. Some men feel like they need to, and I will be the first one to encourage them to do this. I am a bit odd, I suppose.
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John Henson
As Ron indicated, there is always something to do. I have Monday “off” but there is still work to do. I do go to the golf course on Monday and bungle 18.
Weylan Deaver
Deaver-Vick Debate
This October 24-27, 2011 Mac Deaver and Ben Vick will conduct a four night public debate at the building of the Shelbyville Road church of Christ in Indianapolis. Propositions for discussion are as follows:
“The Scriptures teach that Holy Spirit baptism has ceased and is no longer in the church today.”
Affirms: Ben F. Vick, Jr.
Denies: Mac Deaver
“The Scriptures teach that when a person becomes a Christian he is baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit.”
Affirms: Mac Deaver
Denies: Ben F. Vick, Jr.
Much could be said here, but I will rather let the debate do the talking. This is an issue which seems to raise certain brethren’s blood pressure in a hurry, yet we ought to be able to calmly, unprejudicially, objectively weigh what the New Testament teaches and let it be the final say. If not, what separates us from the denominations?
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Larry Sheehy
Weylan, will the discussion be available via any type of mass media? I would like to attend, but can’t.
Mac and I were at Harding together; please tell him “Hello” for me!
Larry Sheehy
Statesboro, GA-
Weylan Deaver
Larry, I saw where someone is planning to stream it online. Hopefully, more details will be forthcoming as the date gets closer. Thanks.
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Weylan Deaver
Larry, I did convey your greeting. Dad said plans are to record it for offer on CD and DVD, in addition to the live streaming online. So it should be available, one way or another, to everyone interested.
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Ron
Stephen Bradd and I intend to attend at least one night of the debate, Lord willing the first night. After that I’ll see.
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Weylan Deaver
Hope you and Stephen can. It would be good to see you again. Bro. Vick will be in the affirmative the first two nights.
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Weylan Deaver
Ron, if you and Stephen can only attend one or two nights, I would like to see you there for Dad’s affirmative (the last two nights), though all of it will be eye-opening.
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Ron
At this point, Weylan, we plan on a Monday and Thursday.
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Weylan Deaver
More info here, including a link to watch it live: http://biblicalnotes.com/2011/10/18/preview-deaver-vick-debate-indianapolis/
Ron Thomas 10:31 am on April 30, 2012 Permalink |
Thank you, Weylan, for this kindness.