Gay parenting -- signs of the times.

Gay fashion designer Stefano Gabbana has stated that homosexual couples should not become parents. Click here to read the story and follow the comments.

Interesting that even in the midst of sin and error, there is still some sense of how things ought to be. Utterly depraved is always at war with created in the image of God.

Prospective Elder Training

2 Timothy and Titus lay out the qualifications for elders or overseers in the church. When I was a bit younger, I had the privilege of studying under Greg Scharf, now a Trinity Seminary professor, at our church in Fargo. He was going through a program he had put together to train men to meet the qualifications of an elder. Although we moved before I completed the whole two years of training, I view it as one of the most profitable "classes" I have ever been a part of. Greg has been kind enough to send me a copy of his syllabus, which I have been working to adapt for our use here at Chisholm Baptist.

Starting in January, I will be leading a group of men through a one year course of study that will focus on systematic theology, personal character issues, personal and spiritual disciplines, and ministry skills. I am asking men to commit to study 1-2 hours per week on the assigned topic and meet weekly to discuss the topic, to meet in accountability groups, and to pray. I am extremely excited about the potential this has for helping to develop leadership skills within our church.

Men, please prayerfully consider whether you are being called to participate in this training. Women, encourage, support, and pray for your husbands participation.

One final note of warning. When I went through this as a student, I faced some of the most intense spiritual opposition I have ever experienced. It never failed that on Monday night everything would fall apart at our house to make sure I was weary and groggy on Tuesday mornings when we met. If you participate, be prepared for opposition.

If you would like more information about the program or want a copy of the schedule, email me and I will send it to you. Kevin@chisholmbaptist.org

Thinking of Funerals

I have been to 3 funerals in the last 3 weeks. Not all funerals are created equal. The one I was at this afternoon was a really good funeral. Russell Hill died, at age 79, last Tuesday. On my way to Duluth Tuesday afternoon, I decided to stop at the hospital and see him. What I didn't realize at the time was that all of the children and grandchildren had gathered because they did not expect him to live much longer. I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to say "goodbye."

In the two years I have been here in Chisholm, I got to visit with Russell a few times and was impressed by his deep passion for Jesus. He enjoyed a lot of things, but his eyes lit up and he got extra excited to talk about Jesus -- more than any other topic. His passion and his love for scripture have been a true inspiration to me and I am thankful for his example to me.

All these funerals make me think a lot about my own funeral some day. Have you thought about what you want your funeral to be like? Especially, what do you want to be remebered for? Will your life be marked by the things that you possess, or the people you have influenced? What do you need to do today to work towards the funeral you want when you die?

PS: Welcome and hello to Karie Anderson who has been reading from Wisconsin but not typing in yet!

Give Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all take time to celebrate by thanking Him for the many blessings you have in Him. What are you thankful for this year?

Deer Stories

I am SO ready to kill something! (That didn't sound very pastorish, did it?) Anyway, with deer season opening on Saturday, let this be a place to tell your deer stories. Tell one now from years gone by or add you story from this year after it happens.

PS -- Anyone else getting the itch to wear blaze orange and let your facial hair grow???

Wanted: A Few Good Men

Why is it so hard to get men to come to church? Here is an article that discusses one theory. (Don't worry, it is short!) Read it and respond.

Ok men, is this you? If so, what would make church bearable -- or even possibly enjoyable? Let me know what you think -- I need another cause to champion.

Testimonies anyone?

What is God doing in your life? We need to know Biblical truth, but we also need to experience that truth at work in our lives to change us and to make us new creations. What's your story? Have you experienced the grace of God in your life lately? How is He drawing you to Himself? Share your story of the ups and downs and how God is at work in you.

Good person or saved person?

Which are you? Is it theologically possible to be both a good person and a saved person in this lifetime? I will weigh in on this, but not until I have heard from some of you.

Who is Jesus?

If you pay any attention to the world in which we live, you know there are many different ideas about the person of Jesus. Understanding who Jesus is becomes a matter of eternal life or death, for those of us who take the Bible seriously. What does it mean that Jesus is both fully divine (He is God) and fully human (He is man)? Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle is doing a sermon series on who Jesus is. To listen to sermons on "Jesus as the only God," or "How Human was Jesus," click here. Or download podcasts from the itunes store for free -- just search with the terms Mars Hill to download these and other messages from Mark Driscoll. (Need help downloading messages? Email Pastor Kevin.)

Listen to one of these messages, and then let us know what you think. Especially, let's discuss who Jesus is, and how our perceptions may need to change to fully understand the wonder of the God-man, Jesus Christ.

Accountablity

How do you maintain your moral and ethical boundaries? Do you have a person or people in your life to help keep you accountable? How do you decide where to draw your lines for acceptable behavior? If you don't really have an accountability partner, do you really want one?

Twenty-something Disengagement

A recent survey by George Barna reports that roughly 60% of twenty-somethings are less spiritually active than they were as teens. Roughly 20% continued to be spiritually active as adults while roughly 20% had never been spiritually active. Read the entire report online at http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=245.

I want to know if this reflects your spiritual experience. More importantly, what is important to you in a church? In what ways do you want the church to serve you? In what ways do you want to be able to serve the church? For teens, what are the most likely factors to keep you active in church or to cause you to leave the church? Inquiring minds want to know....

Welcome!

Welcome to the official Java blog! The purpose of this blog is to provide another means to build community for people attending Chisholm Baptist Church. I am Pastor Kevin, the associate pastor, and I will be the primary moderator of this blog. I will try to post frequent comments on a wide range of topics, and include links to interesting articles or sites for you to check out. I also hope that you will become an active participant in this blog by posting your thoughts and responses as we go.

I am new to this, so it may take awhile for me to get the hang of it, but bear with me, check in often, and register with the blog so that you can participate in our discussions. It is my desire that this blog will become one more tool that can help you to grow in your relationship to Jesus Christ so that you can bear much fruit for His Kingdom. I also hope that it provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other better so that I can better serve you as your pastor.

If you are not an attender of Chisholm Baptist Church, you are still welcome to hang around here and post, as long as you register. If you live in Northeastern Minnesota and would like more information about our church, check out our website at www.chisholmbaptist.org.