Category: Church

Lifeway has started a new online Bible study tool. It is called MyBibleStudy.com. From what I can tell right now, it looks neat. It is geared towards leaders who sign-up groups for studies. The idea is very cool; however, the cost is fairly high…$17/month/group. This would be ok if the leader could copy stuff off the site, print it, and distribute it to the participants; however, the terms of use prohibit that. They even address it on their FAQ about this very thing:

Q. Wow! Can I just get one subscription for our church and make copies of the lessons I customize to distribute to my leaders?

No. While the myBibleStudy.com Terms of Use specify that leaders can create a second copy of their teaching notes for a substitute who will teach in their absence, the license does not grant the subscriber a legal right to create more than the one copy for themselves and/or a copy for a substitute. While it is possible, it is not lawful.

While I applaud Lifeway on this really cool use of technology, they need to make the information free. Before you write me, I mean free as in freedom not free pizza. For more information (and other links) dealing with free as in freedom, refer to the “Are there any special things for me to consider?” question on my store about page. I’m sure that Lifeway is bound by the terms of their agreements with the various authors and publishers of the material they use; however, they are big enough they could take a stand and really make a difference. If they began to publish all their material under a Creative Commons license or something similar, they could have a tremendous impact on the world. Imagine a collection of free materials published by a company as big as Lifeway!

[Update 01-18-2009 01:51:47] Updated the Lifeway link at the start of this story.  It was bad.

A buddy of mine from Charleston–Ray–said something to me at work today about his mom. She has had a stroke and is in the hospital. I told him I would be praying for her and the family.

Kevin Bryant was in Columbus this past weekend for Highland Baptist Church Men's Wild Game Dinner. After the dinner, he and I began talking about Sunday School material and its cost. It turns out he has been writing his own material for sometime. Anyway, I asked him if he would be willing to let me put his material on my website so that others might use it. He said no problem!

So, be patient, but free Sunday School literature is on its way. I will post a message once I have the material on the webiste in my store.

Well, I’m head of the men’s ministry at Highland Baptist Church and we had our first Wild Game Dinner last night. We had 15 guys present, and we had a great time. Our speaker was Kevin Bryant.

Kevin began a law enforcement career in 1974 with the St. Louis Police Department. In 1977, he accepted a job with the Missouri Department of Conservation. He retired after 27 ½ years. He currently pastors at Southwood Baptist Church in Beech Grove Indiana.

Some of the dishes we had were deep-fried turkey, elk roast, deer chilli, rabbit stew, salmon, sushi, and deer stew. The food was great. Before we ate, we played guess the pelt with some pelts I had borrowed from the Ohio DNR. The winners were Doctor Heaton and his son (they both tied). After eating, Kevin showed us some videos from the Missouri Department of Conservation’s program to catch road “poachers” (I refuse to call them hunters….they are beneath that). These people shot at this fake deer 1-18 times. I don’t know about you, but I would begin to get suspicious if I shot and the deer didn’t fall over dead or run away. One of the videos even showed a man who had been caught earlier the same day road hunting! He was caught, he went home, got his wife’s gun, went back out, and was caught again! These people are nuts!

Thanks to all who came, and a special thanks to Kevin Bryant for coming to speak to us!

[Update 2012-12-26 14:52:53] The link to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s site was wrong.  I updated it to the correct link.

Well, I have the mp3 files of the sermons posted now. If you want to download them, just browse on over to the Christian Computer Solutions online store. Again, I would like to thank Cedarville University and ThePath for allowing me to post these files.

I talked to ThePath and they have told me I can post mp3s of the sermons! THANK YOU to ThePath and to Cedarville University for allowing me to do this! The gentleman I spoke with is even interested in talking with me about my ideas on Free (as in freedom not free pizza) material! That is very encouraging.

Now, I’m sure they would like me to point out that just because they allowed me to do this once doesn’t mean I’ll be able to do it again. But, as the saying goes…”How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” This has my foot in the door with someone who is somewhere where they can really make a difference.

If you live in the Cedarville, Columbus, Dayton, etc… area, I would urge you to listen to (and support) ThePath. Their webiste has a list of stations and coverage areas. They even have an internet radio station, so you can listen online.

[Update 2012-12-26 14:56:26] Cedarville sold ThePath and you can not listen online any more.

Just to let everyone know, right now I'm feeling encouraged. I have heard back from some contacts with Mission Service Corps explaining the process, how things work, etc…. Just to help everyone else who may be looking into this, here is the process:

You should go to www.namb.net and work your way into the MSC page. There you will find lots of information, as well as downloadable forms for applying to be MSC: the first step. One of the requirements is a recommendation from your Pastor (A Southern Baptist Church). If you are approved, you will be invited to attend an Orientation where you will learn about Southern Baptist, What it means to be On Mission, some about raising your support, and other areas, i.e. "are you really called". Normally Mike's organization will then try to match you and your skills with the needs we have on file, and put you in touch with the one that has the need. Once an agreeable match is found, you will be assigned.

 This is cool because I have a meeting scheduled with my pastor for Wedneday to talk to him. I want to find out from him what he wants to know prior to presenting us to the church. Part of my thinking is that this will help Cyndi and I better determine if this is what God wants or not.

I have one other tidbit to share too. While at the Ohio Evengelism Celebration, I spoke with Bruce Smith (the Associate Executire Director of the SCBO). I gave him my card, and we said we would be in touch. Well, today, I had an e-mail from him telling me of an opportunity in Cleveland. I have sent an e-mail and asked for more information on what the job entails; however, it appears to be a full-time position.

Please keep praying that God will lead Cyndi and I to where he wants us to go.

You may have noticed that I didn't get to post anything this weekend. Cyndi and I went skiing with our church youth group. We went to Timberline. The skiing was great! I should have a link to pictures up shortly.

Yesterday–1 March–I took 1/2 day off and went to Cedarville University to the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio Evangelism Celebration. I had found out about it on Saturday evening, and went down to try and get some information about Mission Service Corps. Well, we didn’t get together because of, I assume, the weather and a lack of communication. However, I got to hear some really good preaching and was able to enjoy the afternoon off. They had CDs for purchase, so I purchased several (I’m not rich so I couldn’t get them all) of them to have.

A man I did not get to listen to live (I bought his message on CD because everyone said it was so good) was Voodie Baucham. His sermon was entitled Why Do You Choose to Believe the Bible?. This sermon was excellent! Here is the reason he gave was taken directly from 2 Peter 1:16-21:

16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Vodie Baucham shrunk it down like this:

It’s a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eye-witnesses during the lifetime of other eye-witnesses as their report of supernatural events that took place in fullfilment of specific prophecies. These eye-witnesses claim their writings are divine rather than human in origin.

 The second CD I bought was a sermon preached by Ergun Caner. This guy is awesome! For those who don’t know, he came to America with his family from Turkey. They came as missionaries of Islam to the Unites States. He was converted by a Southern Baptist RA who needed to earn a badge. He was disowned by his family. Eventually, his whole family converted to Christianity. He and his brother travel the country holding debates, speaking, etc….

THe third CD I purchased was a message from Thom Rainer on what the church needs to do to be more effective in today’s culture.

I have e-mailed ThePath and asked them about ripping the CDs to mp3s and putting them up on my webiste for free download. If I can, I will.

[Update 2012-12-25 22:11:38] The mission service corps link was bad.  I’ve updated it from http://sub.namb.net/answerthecall2/msc/default.asp to a correct address

[Update 2012-12-26 14:58:25]  The RA link was also bad.  I updated it today.

Today, my church–Highland Baptist Church–had our Sunday School Revival today. Our pastor brought in Josh Hunt to speak. He spoke during Sunday School time, then again during church. Tonight, he is having an evening session too.

His plan is fairly simple: You find away to befriend people. You hang out with them. You become their friend them. Then, they are more likely to come to church with you. This isn't just his idea. There are scriptures in the Bible that talk about this same thing.

I Peter 4:9: Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

Romans 12:13: Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.