tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.comments2019-09-25T18:05:48.776-04:00In A MomentMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01069876206965495249noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-14063830033418259212011-05-03T10:41:38.394-04:002011-05-03T10:41:38.394-04:00I agree completely, especially when I was woken up...I agree completely, especially when I was woken up at 1:30am by a mob of people. Here, at school they burned a picture of Bin Laden. I am proud to be an American, but I am ashamed to be associated with them. We sunk to a deep level of rubbing it in the world's face. We celebrated a death, and some think the war is over, but it isn't. I am ashamed at how our country reacted. They acted like a bunch of five year olds who won a soccer game against the kids they don't like.Rebecca Cummingsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-17259125032482732942010-04-12T14:18:51.074-04:002010-04-12T14:18:51.074-04:00Amen and Amen!Amen and Amen!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-22660335237856780912010-04-12T11:37:55.348-04:002010-04-12T11:37:55.348-04:00Good Word this Monday morning!Good Word this Monday morning!Jonathan Harrisonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-10651927186752108322010-02-04T23:53:10.734-05:002010-02-04T23:53:10.734-05:00One of my most vivid memories of ministry at Taber...One of my most vivid memories of ministry at Tabernacle is the Maundy Thursday that Christ showed up at our Food Pantry that afternoon. His name was Clarence, and I was reminded of what Christ endured for my sake.<br /><br />This was about 10 years ago. He still comes to the Food Pantry...and I still remember him in prayer.<br /><br />Thanks, Mark!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08061276749029712151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-53397881495477278772010-02-03T10:27:35.388-05:002010-02-03T10:27:35.388-05:00Mark,
I may write more later. I can truly sympath...Mark,<br /><br />I may write more later. I can truly sympathize with your friend who is a pastor. I have those thoughts from time to time as well. <br /><br />Cultural expectations and social location seem to dictate the purpose of the sermon and the homiletical strategy in communication.<br /><br />For preaching as reflection, I think that reaches a certain audience who is trained to follow a clever argument with a central theme throughout. Usually these are well-educated audiences.<br /><br />African American congregations seem to respond especially to scriptural echoes of key biblical narratives that identify with their current plight. <br /><br />Middle class, predominantly white, congregations are used to three points and a poem, where exposition and application are identified in the sermon. <br /><br />My favorite "preachers" are all expository or topical preachers. I imagine that this is so because they are from my background and I can connect with them.<br /><br />An inductive, lectionary based preacher would not connect well with me.<br /><br />I don't know that any homiletical strategy is right or wrong. I do know that there are strengths and weaknesses to both. But, I tend to communicate in ways that the audience is familiar with. I preach differently at the prison than I do at the church, because the make up of the audience is different. There needs and skills are different. <br /><br />I think that is where people come to say that they "like" the sermon.<br /><br />And to follow, I feel that the purpose of the sermon also arises from cultural expectations. For us it was to move to the "decision" time or the invitation in the worship service. <br /><br />Nevertheless, I feel that we are going to have to reconsider the sermon as the primary means of communication of prophetic witness, biblical truth and exaltation of the cross.<br /><br />Recently, I had an acquaintance tell me about visiting an on-line church. There was live audio from the sermon, musical background and a chat-room where people could converse about the sermon during the sermon. People can absorb so much more information. We can question whether or not they are really focused, but they are digesting and conversing about the sermon while it is preached and are "internalizing" as a result. <br /><br />More and more classes are moving to conversational, media-driven classes rather than lecture and quarterly. <br /><br />I feel like, as a pastor, I need to find ways to stay ahead of the game. Right now, I feel like, though a moderate baptist, my style resembles a Southern Baptist from the 1980's. Not good, considering we have entered the third decade since the 80's.<br /><br />Loved the post and appreciate your ministry in Elon and to the wider Baptist and Church body.Tim Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271339577288564174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-69762784127997107842009-02-28T12:26:00.000-05:002009-02-28T12:26:00.000-05:00Good blog. I'm going to have to get into the habit...Good blog. I'm going to have to get into the habit of reading this more. <BR/><BR/>I probably spent a little to much time reviewing ones I found particularly interesting. <BR/><BR/>That said, it does make you think cause you're right. I didn't know her name either.Erick Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18439377371945494583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-71328406076287709652009-02-05T17:03:00.000-05:002009-02-05T17:03:00.000-05:00Mark,I can relate to 9, 22 and would love to have ...Mark,<BR/><BR/>I can relate to 9, 22 and would love to have the opportunity to do 16 while still serving a church. <BR/><BR/>I hope that you are doing well. <BR/><BR/>Tim MarshTim Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271339577288564174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-620466193938484632009-01-20T21:17:00.000-05:002009-01-20T21:17:00.000-05:00Mark,You hit the nail on the head with Fundamental...Mark,<BR/><BR/>You hit the nail on the head with Fundamentalism. It is an ideology with regards to who is in and who is out, rather than something that is "conservative" in nature. <BR/><BR/>I remember a distraught religion major who wanted to do his senior research on the unity of Isaiah, which, though not widely accepted, has some vocal proponants in scholarship. However, the professor vehemently insisted that Isaiah had three authors. Multiple authorship of Isaiah had become a "fundamental" for that professor. <BR/><BR/>Imagine when the issue is something much more serious than biblical scholarship.<BR/><BR/>Blessings!<BR/><BR/>TimTim Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271339577288564174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-66121883309730376032008-12-20T10:43:00.000-05:002008-12-20T10:43:00.000-05:00Hey Mark,I hope that you and yours are having a sp...Hey Mark,<BR/><BR/>I hope that you and yours are having a special Christmas season.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the response. I think, at least for our church and for our family, giving to BSCNC does outweigh the consequences of making a decision to remove our funds totally.<BR/><BR/>Because CBF and CBFNC is relatively young, they cannot, at least in my opinion, compete with Guidestone on insurance and annuity. <BR/><BR/>Our church is interesting in that we never gave to the Cooperative Program to begin with, but sent separate checks to BSCNC, CBF, and CBFNC. <BR/><BR/>Being a month since the convention, no one at our church seems to be really worried about the implications of the move. <BR/><BR/>This may be another issue, but the whole convention system seems to be behind the times. Only one third of the people who attended the convention voted on the issue. I even left before the report. I think that having conventions every year, with travel expenses and the fact that they are during the week eliminates participation. Because CBF is in Houston, I will not be attending. <BR/><BR/>I think that both CBF and SBC entities need to reconsider the convention system. Internet voting on the issues could be an alternative, maybe? <BR/><BR/>Have a blessed Christmas!Tim Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271339577288564174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-86897075137645372122008-12-18T23:19:00.000-05:002008-12-18T23:19:00.000-05:00They robbed Tebow of the Heisman. How many top 30 ...They robbed Tebow of the Heisman. How many top 30 defenses did Sam Bradford face? Wasn't it Zero? <BR/><BR/>Against 'Bama, all three of Tebow's TD passes were third down conversions in which he put the ball exactly where it needed to be. Alabama had them defended perfectly.<BR/><BR/>The SEC still gets no respect, even with the chance to go for a 3rd straight title.<BR/><BR/>Blessings!Tim Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271339577288564174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-1678006701838087652008-12-13T18:09:00.000-05:002008-12-13T18:09:00.000-05:00I did a sermon series around The Ultimate Gift thi...I did a sermon series around The Ultimate Gift this summer using clips from the movies in the service. I had alot of positive feedback. Definitely read the book with your kids!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-12458947009446524812008-12-08T16:11:00.000-05:002008-12-08T16:11:00.000-05:00Tim,Sorry for the delay in posting a response. Be...Tim,<BR/>Sorry for the delay in posting a response. Been a busy weekend!<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I think if Convention officials (by that I mean employees) have anything to say about, the Convention will not reject funds from CBF supporting churches primarily because they can't afford to turn away any money! I think that is a big part of what drove the response from Dr. Hollifield in the first place. The BSCNC is already facing budget deficits and they can't afford to lose any funding right now. <BR/>That being said, the Convention may not have a choice. I have a feeling that a good number of people who work in Cary were not thrilled with this decision, and not just because of the possible financial implications. However, as we saw, all it takes is one motion from the floor to be approved at the November state meeting. If enough people can stir up enough anger and fear, then a move to completely reject funds is cannot be ruled out completely.<BR/>However, I think for local churches, the issues are less about what might happen and more about what has happened. I thought the Biblical Recorder did a good job of capturing the essence of the message and tone that surrounded the debate on the floor. As folks at my church have been wrestling with this in recent weeks, the question has become, "Why would we give money to an organization that thinks this way about us?" In a time when all of us are probably dealing with a tightening of resources, that question becomes extremely important. While I agree with Dr. Hollifield that this decision does not kick anybody out, I don't think his response really gives a good answer to this question. Therefore, I think churches are going to move on to the companion question, "Do the benefits we receive from being a part of the BSCNC outweigh the negative perceptions and assumptions that at least some elements of the BSCNC have about us and CBF?" When it gets right down to it, it is going to be real hard for a pastor or a stewardship committee in a CBF church to drum up financial and emotional support for the BSCNC when the perception many left the Convention with was that CBF would no longer be "tolerated" by the Convention.<BR/>One final thought: God has spoken through some wonderful angels in recent weeks and taught me a lesson. The actions of the Convention are not representative of everybody who identifies with the Baptist State Convention or the Southern Baptist Convention. I think that there are opportunities to still partner and minister with sister churches that may have different alliances but all still worship the same Lord. As conversations have taken place within our church, I am trying to make sure that we don't paint everybody with a SBC or BSCNC affiliation with a broad stroke, just as I would hope that no one would assume they know everything about us because we are aligned with CBF. I hope that where you are there are other ministers and churches that are more concerned with sharing the good news of Jesus Christ than denominational allegiance. That, in the end, is what matters.<BR/>You have my prayers, my brother!Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069876206965495249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-6724223516213947742008-12-04T17:23:00.000-05:002008-12-04T17:23:00.000-05:00Mark,What a thoughtful response to Dr. Hollifield'...Mark,<BR/><BR/>What a thoughtful response to Dr. Hollifield's statements. <BR/><BR/>I was discouraged by the move of the convention, because like you, I serve in a church that desires to give to both BSCNC and CBF. <BR/><BR/>I think that your words concerning the CBF and SBC not 100% representing the churches who contribute to them are wise words and true words. <BR/><BR/>In the future, I don't know if churches will be able to remain "dually aligned" if that is the correct term to use.<BR/><BR/>However, I do know that churches must be thinking about how to address this issue. Do you think that BSCNC is headed down the path to reject funds from churches that contribute anything to CBF?<BR/><BR/>If so, how do you see this unfolding in local congregations?<BR/><BR/>TimTim Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271339577288564174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-75026319635261499712008-11-11T02:19:00.000-05:002008-11-11T02:19:00.000-05:00Well written article.Well written article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-44036570969515122512008-11-06T22:44:00.000-05:002008-11-06T22:44:00.000-05:00Amen! I needed that myself...one of my child/yout...Amen! I needed that myself...one of my child/youth from Tabernacle died this past weekend. Services were today...And I need to bring that to worship and be fully prepared TO worship. Thanks, bro.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-19139523193723249122008-10-04T16:16:00.000-04:002008-10-04T16:16:00.000-04:00As an FYI....ESPN does have VT ranked 20th :) Exc...As an FYI....ESPN does have VT ranked 20th :) <BR/><BR/>Except for giving one away to ECU, VT would be undefeated. They have proven to get better each week, just ask Nebraska. For some reason though the rest of the league mirrors the economy :)<BR/><BR/>Are you up for some fall golf?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-25872893660360354802008-09-23T14:48:00.000-04:002008-09-23T14:48:00.000-04:00I recently read about a medical study done recentl...I recently read about a medical study done recently that showed that the hormones and chemicals released during one 30-minute public speaking segment is equivalent to 8 hours of labor, in terms of the fatigue it creates in the body.<BR/><BR/>So take a day my brother!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-17320885970914498092008-09-23T14:46:00.000-04:002008-09-23T14:46:00.000-04:00I say you hit the nail on the head!I say you hit the nail on the head!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-35278453535713056972008-09-17T13:10:00.000-04:002008-09-17T13:10:00.000-04:00Follow that thought!Follow that thought!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-83923917728232137992008-06-02T18:48:00.000-04:002008-06-02T18:48:00.000-04:00You have Georges explanation right here:http://www...You have Georges explanation right here:<BR/><BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1Z4LF6-Tg&feature=relatedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-83388597374139061492008-05-24T21:16:00.000-04:002008-05-24T21:16:00.000-04:00That is why we are "amateur" golfers! :)That is why we are "amateur" golfers! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-75856792012455588152008-04-26T13:11:00.000-04:002008-04-26T13:11:00.000-04:00Greetings Mark. And may the Lord's peace and bles...Greetings Mark. And may the Lord's peace and blessings be with you this beautiful spring day. Thank you again, for bringing prayerful perspective to modern issues. It is doubly challenging to address the hard questions of daily life in the midst of an election year. Your last recent sermon on "Sitting in the Kitchen: (with) Homosexuality" raises the rustle-in-the-pew factor for all of us. Why? Because the imprint of a good throwing-stone is often still in our palm from a quick judgment on many social issues, before we knew what took hold of us. By shining scriptural light on the "elephant in the living room (kitchen)" you shine it upon ourselves. When Jesus knelt down and paused with the punishing crowd, He didn't draw a line in the sand, but a circle. As He did time after time, His actions welcomed and included all for forgiveness. Many times it needs to generate from within our own hearts, much like the very first greening rustle of a new spring.<BR/> Blessings, Stephen UzzellBardgeisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03167969964517710732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-48378104206197746292008-04-24T14:37:00.000-04:002008-04-24T14:37:00.000-04:00My response to this question comes back to my poin...My response to this question comes back to my point that Scripture's voice indicates that homosexual behavior is a sin. I do not know enough about the science either way to talk knowingly about the idea of whether or not one is born with homosexual desires. However, if this is the case, I would say that one can also be born with heterosexual desires. The question becomes how one acts on those desires. There are proper ways to act on these desires and there are improper ways that allow these desires to take me down a path God does not intend. I think that the issue returns to Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane - "Not my will, but thine be done." I know what my will, left to my own desires and intentions, might be. However, I am called to bring my will into line with the expressed will of God.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069876206965495249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-21582321510127051752008-04-23T07:16:00.000-04:002008-04-23T07:16:00.000-04:00Good sermon - but what of the struggle about the c...Good sermon - but what of the struggle about the cause of homosexuality? If, as many argue, it is at birth, does that make a difference?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685982922560807823.post-88550531486702510442008-04-21T23:37:00.000-04:002008-04-21T23:37:00.000-04:00Not many comments, I missed this one so thanks for...Not many comments, I missed this one so thanks for having podcast.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com