If/Then Prayers (6/21/09)

What a great photo, huh? LOL. Sorry, it’s all I could come up with this time!

Well, I’m personally pleased to announce this is the last new video for the summer. As I’ve done in the past, I need some time to recharge the batteries….so I’m looking forward to the break. However, we will be having our annual Video Countdown of the top 10 videos of the past year….one per week over ther rest of the summer. The videos were picked based on feedback that I received over the course of the year. So if you missed them, I hope you like the summer format. And even if you remember the video, a refresher is always nice

Is Swearing Now OK? (6/11/09)

If I had to prioritize, the issue that I brought up at the very end (using the Lord’s name inappropriately) is a bigger issue. Perhaps this should have been the main focus of the video! But the use of profanity is a very relevant question too. So I’d love to hear what people think. You can post publicly below or email me directly at tom@faith360.org if you prefer your views to be kept private.

A Visit to Paradise (6/1/09)

First, I need to make a correction. I referred to an “AP” study in the video. The study was actually reported by the Associated Press (AP) and conducted by researchers at Elizabethtown College. I don’ t have a link handy, but the article was called “Amish Population Booming, Study Finds” and was written by Mark Scolforo. I believe the date is 8-20-09.

After I finished this video, I realized there is another area where the Amish might have it right. They don’t send their kids to public schools. I don’t know all of their reasons, but after having a terrible experience with our public schools this past week, I can see why so many parents send their children to private schools or opt for home schooling. The garbage that enters young, vulnerable minds is scary.

If you’d like to share any of your thoughts on the Amish with me, I’d love to hear them. By no means am I an expert on this topic.  Shoot me an email at tom@faith360.org. Thanks!

Paul & Ancient Sports: Part 3 (5/21/09)

We have come to the conclusion of our 3-part series that focused largely on Paul’s sports imagery in 1 Corinthians 9.  There are indeed more athletic references in Paul’s other letters, but this passage includes the most extensive and specific language.

I struggled in deciding what to talk about (and what to cut out). I wrote a 50 page Masters thesis on this passage, so I had a lot of material to choose from. But as always, staying within my 6-minute time limit is challenging.  Anyway, I hope you found some insights or information of value.

In the video, I made reference to 1 Cor 9:27 and said the verse raises a host of potential theological issues. It seems pretty clear Paul is saying a Christian can be disqualified from receiving the prize. The key question is, however, what prize? Eternal life and heaven? Maybe, maybe not. Or does Paul believe heaven will never be taken away but there are different rewards in heaven? Maybe, maybe not. Or is Paul not talking about the afterlife at all, but rather referring to the prize, joy and satisfaction that comes from serving Christ on earth? Maybe, maybe not. Or perhaps Paul is referring to something else entirely?

Well, this is a simple summary of a complex issue. In any instance of interpreting the Bible, it’s important to understand the context, other passages on the topic, the original language (in this case, Greek), and more.  I don’t mean to raise the issue and leave you hanging, but I just wanted to provide a little more information on what I was referring to in the video. Maybe some day we’ll tackle just verse 27!

Paul & Ancient Sports: Part 2 (5/11/09)

I wish there was more time to talk about ancient training programs. The topic is quite interesting.  For example, there was a popular but controversy program called the 4-Part Cycle. Basically, the athlete did different tasks for 4 days on a reoccuring basis. It was controversial because on day 2, he basically killed himself through exhaustive training. Also interesting back then were the approaches to dieting. Fad diets were just as popular in ancient times. LOL

Anyway, I want to stress one particular point. I don’t believe Paul is condemning all athletes for their hard work. But it’s really matter of why they are doing it. In other words, if the purpose is to glorify God, success in such worldly pursuits can be a desirable thing. Remember when he said, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17). So whether it’s athletics, business, academics, hobbies or anything else, the key is to find a way for your activity to glorify God and advance His kingdom. I’m a big believer that we need committed Christians in the highest levels of sports, business and everywhere else in the secular world. How else can we influence and change a culture with messed up priorities?

Paul & Ancient Sports: Part 1 (5/1/09)

This is our first in a series on ancient sports.  And to start things off on the right foot, I made three mistakes on this video! First, the verses we will focus on are 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (I said 24-26 on the video). You would think I would get the verses right since I wrote my Masters thesis on this passage!

Next, a comment I made didn’t come out quite right…and then it was too late to fix. Well, I tried to fix it with a little message on the bottom, and I’ll certainly stress in the next videos. But Paul’s reference to “winning and losing” does indeed apply to both our lives on earth and the afterlife. I was trying to stress the former (which is often neglected in this passage), but in doing so, I suggested that eternal benefits don’t happen. Anyway, I hope I didn’t mislead or confuse anyone.

Finally, my last mistake was technical. I was having audio problems and ended up recording in only one channel, i.e., you’ll only hear my voice in one speaker. I think this happened because I was trying to fix another problem where I was getting a ton of humming noise. Anyway, hopefully I’ll have it corrected for the next video.

I hope you come back for the remaining videos in the series. I had a blast learning about ancient sports for my thesis, and I think sporting fans in particular will find these messages to be interesting.

Letters from Dad (4/20/09)

In the video, I shared some things I’ve done to preserve memories from my parents…and to do the same for my kids. I’d love to hear your stories as well. Also, has anyone written letters to their spouse? If so, was it worth it? You can respond on this blog or send an email to tom@faith360.org.

Finding Nemo (4/11/09)

This is a time when it would be really nice to include film clips in my videos. I’ve looked into this before and struck out. If you’re a church using film clips in a live worship service, you can easily get a license that allows you to legally show the clip. But if you’re showing the clips on the web, it’s a different story. As far as I know, it’s impossible to get permission to do this. I just thought I’d let you know this.

I don’t about you, but I alternate about which story is greater: Easter or Christmas. I usually came down on the side of Easter because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. But Christmas—the fact that God decided to come to earth, as a baby no less—is an equally remarkable story. So, yes, both holidays are incredibly special.

If you have any friends that are Disney fanatics (I’m sure you do), maybe this is a good video to tell them about. My goal is always to find new ways to explain and bring the Gospel to life for modern people. If the story of two pretend fish resonates with somebody, then I’m happy to use it!

Your Sacrifice Headquarters! (4/1/09)

I don’t know about you, but I find the ancient system of sacrifices to be somewhat interesting. It’s challenging to read about it in the Old Testament (check out Leviticus), but it’s still intriguing. When you gain a basic understanding of what the sacrifices represented, it helps you to better appreciate Jesus’ “sacrifice” for us.

That’s not the main point of the video, though. I just wish you could have attended my church on Good Friday 2008. As I mentioned, the fellowship hall was set up like the Temple with stations and actors in various places. You really got a sense of what it might have been like 2000 years ago. But what was particularly effective was how the Gentiles were treated. When the actual church service started, the Gentiles were not allowed in the fellowship hall. There were seats set up out in the narthex (lobby). I forgot to mention that everyone received a card when they came into the church informing who they would be (e.g., a Gentile, Jew, Nazarite, Leper, etc.).

Anyway, the Gentiles’ chairs were set up outside, and there were signs on the wall warning about entering the Temple. If Gentiles tried to enter, the punishment was death! Well, I think the Gentiles were pretty good sports until……When the service started, the church closed the doors into the fellowship hall and the Gentiles were truly shut out (I think the service could be seen on TV monitors, but the point was well made). Gentiles were not special like God’s chosen people.

We then had the service. Eventually, the big veil (curtain) was torn in the temple at the time of Jesus’ death. All of a sudden, the doors into the fellowship hall swung open and the Gentiles were invited to come in with the Jews. I’m not sure if you can picture this scene, but let me say it was very effective.  The death and resurrection of Jesus changed everything, and all people were clearly welcome into the family of God. While most of us accept this intellectually, I wonder if some people still think there are exclusions based on race, sexual preference, behavior or something else. For instance, we’ve all heard someone say, “That person is going to rot in hell!” after committing a horrible act.

Until next time…

You Never Picture It Like This (3/20/09)

This was a hard video to make. My mom and I were very close, and the pain of her loss is still very real. I had misplaced the video I took of her room and thought it was gone. But I found it a few weeks ago, and it was difficult to watch for the first time. She only lived in the room for 2 weeks (her final week was in a hospital), but watching the video brought back a lot of memories. I realize her little room was nicer than what a lot of people have when they die. But still, it’s a far cry from her old home that she loved so much.

Interestingly, I couldn’t seem to find any Bible verses that directly addressed God’s desire for us to help the elderly. Please let me know if I missed them! I found verses about helping the elderly in your own family, but not other older folks (except for references to widows). That said, I think a clear message in the Bible is that we’re to help disadvantaged, weak or defenseless people. Further, if we’re supposed to help and respect older people in our own families, then clearly we can make the case that we’re to do the same for others. Just like in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, our love isn’t only to be extended to family members or other people we love.