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Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:36:07 GMT

Advent of Humility @ Christianity Today, Tim Keller

"... when the gospel is deeply grasped, our need to win arguments is removed, and our language becomes gracious. We don't have to ridicule our opponents, but instead we can engage them respectfully.

People who live in the moral-performance narrative use sarcastic, self-righteous putdown humor, or have no sense of humor at all. Lewis speaks of "the unsmiling concentration upon Self, which is the mark of hell." The gospel, however, creates a gentle sense of irony. We find a lot to laugh at, starting with our own weaknesses. They don't threaten us anymore because our ultimate worth is not based on our record or performance."

RSVP

Mon, 05 May 2008 22:55:50 GMT

I am deeply honored by all of the wedding invitations I have been getting recently. When I was in school, I only received two invitations while others I know had made a career out of it like Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, except they were invited. For that I must thank my good friends Nathan and Sarah Metcalf, and Corey and Kimberly Cook. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend either of those events as one was in Minneapolis (on a weekend when I had a family engagement in Annapolis, Maryland) and the other in Portland, Oregon (I did go to a second reception for them later in North Carolina)

Since then, I have received many invitations, from Jeff and Caroline Whisennant, Micah and Kimberly Yaun, and upcoming Lovelace/Costa, Erickson/Rumberger, Anderson/Scott, and Smith/Safley weddings all in either the Columbia or not-so-distant Charlotte area. But I live in Rhode Island. And you people get married way too early in the season!

I've made plans to be in Columbia from May 31 through July 14. Six weeks. If you want to reschedule your wedding for that time, that would be awesome. If it's already during that time, I can't wait to see you there.

I love you guys. All of you. And deeply appreciate the invitations. It means a lot to know that you want me to be there for the most important day of your lives.

Here I Go Again

Sat, 03 May 2008 03:51:10 GMT

My brother's best friend died yesterday

Father, hear my prayer
I need the perfect words
Words that he will hear
And know they're straight from You
I don't know what to say
I only know it hurts
To see my only friend slowly fade away

So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With Your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of?

Chorus:
'Cause here I go again
Talkin 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him
That You love Him
But here I go again, here I go again

Lord, You love him so, You gave Your only Son
If he will just believe; he will never die
But how then will he know what he has never heard
Lord he has never seen mirrored in my life

This might be my last chance to tell him
That You love him
This might be my last chance to tell him
That You love him
You love him, You love him

What Am I so afraid
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid of?
How then will he know
What he has never heard

Things I Would Like to Try, and Excuses for Not Doing So

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:01:50 GMT

Riding a motorcycle, I don't have a license or money to buy/rent a bike
Be more involved in ministries at church other than powerpoint, the time commitment of rehearsals, setting and cleaning up, coordinating schedules since I work restaurant hours.
Going to the gym, Money and an unwillingness to exert physical energy.
Learn to play the guitar, I probably wouldn't practice and it would be terrible
Take classes like cooking or ballroom dancing, time commitment, I'll be in SC for the upcoming sessions
Start a college and career class at WKBC, I don't think I'm an adequate teacher
Start a video ministry at WKBC, honestly I hadn't given that one much thought. Probably time commitment, and a Mac would be nice.

Most of these are easily refuted. I've got plenty of time I could be practicing, shooting videos, or otherwise getting involved in the ministry. For some reason I don't. And quite frankly there are good reasons to do all these things. With the price of gas predicted to go over $5.00 a gallon by August, a motorcycle would eb more fuel efficient. Playing the guitar would be a fulfilling way to worship musically. A video ministry isn't something I've ever discussed with anyone, but the thought had occurred to me and I can think of some people that would probably do it with me if I asked - something like an intro to the sermon topic to make it hit home. Cooking or dancing classes would be a great way to meet people and be out in the community. A gym membership would make me healthier, and I have friends that ask me to go with them regularly. So why don't I do these things?

It's been a while

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:28:34 GMT

I haven't posted, and I mean really posted, in a while. And I can't promise this is going to be good either.

I moved to Rhode Island six months ago. I've done a lot of networking - meeting other believers, hanging out, getting contact information for a possible future college and career ministry, but right now I'm so discouraged about it. I've had people offer help and assistance, but we all have full time jobs. We don't have the luxury of a full time staff to work on this. Besides, I can't even get the people I go to church with now to go out to lunch afterwards. Maybe I should start there first.

They did start a Sunday evening open-mic a few weeks back. I think it is going to prove to be a good experience, where people can share their thoughts and worship the Lord in their own way. http://www.revkeithnewengland.com/2008/03/pass-mic.html

As for work, I've been at Ruby's about 45 hours a week. It's paying the bills. I can't complain, but hopefully sooner than later I'll be working for a magazine advertising company.

By the way I'll be in Columbia for all of June and the first 2 weeks of July.

Your Thoughts on the "Silent Majority"?

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:15:11 GMT

AGerman's point of view on Islam

A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned a
number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German people
were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward
fanaticism.

'Very few people were true Nazis' he said, 'but many enjoyed the return of
German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who
just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back
and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had
lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything.
I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.'

We are told again and again by 'experts' and 'talking heads' that Islam is
the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to
live in peace.

Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant.
It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow
diminishthe spectre of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of
Islam. The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history.

It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50
shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter
Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over
the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb,
behead, murder, or honour kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque
after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealousl y spread the stoning and
hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is that
the 'peaceful majority,' the 'silent majority,' is cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace,
yet the Russian Communists (KarlMarx and assoc.) were responsible for the
murder of about 20 million people.The peaceful majority were irrelevant.
China's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed
to kill a staggering 70 million people.

The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering
sadist. Yet, Japan murderedand slaughtered its way across South East Asia in
an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese
civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet.

And, who can forget Rwanda,which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be
said that the majority of Rwandans were 'peace loving?'
History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our
powersof reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points:
Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence.

Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because
like my friend from Germany, they will awaken one day and find that the
fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun.

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs,
Afghanis, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many
others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was
too late.

As for us who watch it all unfold; we must pay attention to the only group
that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

Lastly, at the risk of offending, anyone who doubts that the issue is
serious and just deletes this email without sending it on, is contributing
to the passiveness that allows the problems to expand. So, extend yourself a
bit and send this on and on and on! Let us hope that thousands, world wide,
read this -think about it - and send it on. This is really why our troops
are overseas protecting our shores.

New Address

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:00:26 GMT

P.O. Box 843
Hope Valley, RI 02832

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 19:49:59 GMT

You stood before creation
Forever within Your hand
You spoke all life into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
And what can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
My life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
And what can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

It's official.

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 05:19:20 GMT

I've decided to move back to Rhode Island. I'll probably leave here early in the morning on Monday October 22. I plan on having several mini-parties the week leading up to my departure, so keep track of invitations I'll be sending on Facebook. Meanwhile, if I haven't spent time with you in a while, give me a call. We'll get together.

Bye, Bye Myspace

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:18:11 GMT

My MySpace page is gone. Look for me on Facebook. MySpace sucks.