If you're interested, Michele and I have a family blog dedicated to all things related to our new family. You can check it out here.
Enjoy!
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Can a Christian be a Liberal too?
As a blogged about earlier, I am reading this book for free in exchange for posting my thoughts and critiques of said book. To help get me started, the publisher emailed me the first two chapters. So, here goes....
The author, Stephen Mansfield, also wrote this book. What I'm impressed with so far with this book is the lack of any hint of bias. In fact, he stated in his introduction he doesn't intend to "press a political agenda" nor "rage against the realities of his life." Mansfield hasn't crafted a vehicle to submarine Obama's political ambitions. Rather, this book was written "in the belief that if a man's faith is sincere, it is the most important thing about him, and thus it is impossible to understand who he is and how he will lead without first understanding the religious vision that informs his life" (pg xxiii). I applaud Mansfield's objectivity.
Obama has stated he indeed has a Christian faith and this faith guides him daily. However, he is also quite liberal in his political agenda. He is unapologetically pro-choice and is a big supporter of gay rights. I'll admit, I'm having a difficult time reconciling the two - oil and water just don't mix.
Which begs the question: Can a Christ follower have liberal political philosophies, and not contradict God's Word?
Thoughts?
The author, Stephen Mansfield, also wrote this book. What I'm impressed with so far with this book is the lack of any hint of bias. In fact, he stated in his introduction he doesn't intend to "press a political agenda" nor "rage against the realities of his life." Mansfield hasn't crafted a vehicle to submarine Obama's political ambitions. Rather, this book was written "in the belief that if a man's faith is sincere, it is the most important thing about him, and thus it is impossible to understand who he is and how he will lead without first understanding the religious vision that informs his life" (pg xxiii). I applaud Mansfield's objectivity.
Obama has stated he indeed has a Christian faith and this faith guides him daily. However, he is also quite liberal in his political agenda. He is unapologetically pro-choice and is a big supporter of gay rights. I'll admit, I'm having a difficult time reconciling the two - oil and water just don't mix.
Which begs the question: Can a Christ follower have liberal political philosophies, and not contradict God's Word?
Thoughts?
Is Barack Obama a Christian or not?
So, as we all know, the elections for President are very important and very close. I've been trying to educate myself as best I can on both candidates, their politics, and their beliefs. Beliefs are especially important in my voting desicion. Some people would scoff at me basing my decision upon a candidate's personal faith, I honestly don't care. Faith is important - after all, this individual will be the leader of the free world. I have to know he relies on wisdom higher than his own.
So, to help, I recently scored a free copy of this book. As a token of gratitude for said free book, I've agreed to blog my thoughts, feelings, criticisms, and ideas about the book. With that said, be looking for my posts. I'm going to post my thoughts as I read each chapter.
How important is a candidate's faith to you as far as your vote is concerned?
So, to help, I recently scored a free copy of this book. As a token of gratitude for said free book, I've agreed to blog my thoughts, feelings, criticisms, and ideas about the book. With that said, be looking for my posts. I'm going to post my thoughts as I read each chapter.
How important is a candidate's faith to you as far as your vote is concerned?
Tentmaker Redux
Since I'm a winner now and S-Dub from the N-Dub is pimping my blog for a week, I figured I might get a few new readers. With that in mind, I'd like to re-post my first post to introduce my passion and purpose to all of you. Hope you find some commonality and inspiration.
From Nov. 7, 2007:
First off, welcome to my blog. I'm truly honored you have shared a few moments of your time with me.
So, what exactly is a "tentmaker?"
Acts 18:3 reveals a little snippet about the Apostle Paul's life that I find extremely fascinating. The Message says it like this:
Yep. Paul, at one point in his life, had a day job. A regular 9 to 5'er. However, he didn't merely toil at making tents for no reason. Rather, he leveraged his profession to advance the Gospel.
So, to answer the question, a "tentmaker" is someone who has a career and a passion to let God use them in their career to further the Gospel. Like Paul, God may call them to vocational ministry, or not. The point is, a "tentmaker" uses their career as a propellant for ministry.
What about you? What is your career, and how do you see God using you as a "tentmaker?"
From Nov. 7, 2007:
First off, welcome to my blog. I'm truly honored you have shared a few moments of your time with me.
So, what exactly is a "tentmaker?"
Acts 18:3 reveals a little snippet about the Apostle Paul's life that I find extremely fascinating. The Message says it like this:
"Paul moved in with them (Aquilla & Priscilla) and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking." (emphasis mine)
Yep. Paul, at one point in his life, had a day job. A regular 9 to 5'er. However, he didn't merely toil at making tents for no reason. Rather, he leveraged his profession to advance the Gospel.
So, to answer the question, a "tentmaker" is someone who has a career and a passion to let God use them in their career to further the Gospel. Like Paul, God may call them to vocational ministry, or not. The point is, a "tentmaker" uses their career as a propellant for ministry.
What about you? What is your career, and how do you see God using you as a "tentmaker?"
I'm a Winner!
So, my buddy Scott Williams had a contest on his blog last week - he invited his followers to come up with a new name for his blog for Fridays. Why? Because every Friday he is going to be giving away FREE STUFF! That's right! FREE STUFF! All you have to do is go to his blog, leave a comment on FRIDAY of every week until Jesus returns*, and you will be entered into a random drawing for FREE STUFF!
So, as I said, I won his contest with my idea of renaming his blog "Free is the New Friday." I took inspiration from the current name of his blog "Big is the New Small." So, every Friday, his blog's name will change to "Free is the New Friday." Pretty neat idea (his, that is).
Thanks, Scott for picking me and I'm looking forward to my new book!
*Scott may not do this every week until Jesus returns...I just put that part in there for laughs. Then again....?
So, as I said, I won his contest with my idea of renaming his blog "Free is the New Friday." I took inspiration from the current name of his blog "Big is the New Small." So, every Friday, his blog's name will change to "Free is the New Friday." Pretty neat idea (his, that is).
Thanks, Scott for picking me and I'm looking forward to my new book!
*Scott may not do this every week until Jesus returns...I just put that part in there for laughs. Then again....?
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