Archives

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

400-408 – David Murrow, award-winning writer;  television producer of over 800 commercials, 100 TV specials (mostly in Alaska), and dozens of political commercials going back to the 1980's;  and director of Church For Men (churchformen.com), an organization he founded in 2005, to help congregations reconnect with men and boys.  His first book Why Men Hate Going to Church (2005) was an instant classic – and it's been recently revised – and his follow-upThe Map: The Way of All Great Men (2010) starts out like a Jason Bourne thriller as it shares the story of the three journeys of The Map – the journeys of submission (lamb), strength (lion), and sacrifice (lamb) (threejourneys.com, and mensleague.org), in that order, mirroring Matthew 1-7, 8-25, and 26-28.  Sandwiched between was his How Women Help Men Find God (2008).  David and Gina have three children and two grandsons, all in Alaska.

• David says the gender gap in Christianity is not only across all age groups, but even global.  Other religions don't have a problem getting and keeping men involved.  Christianity is "an army of women led by a few male generals."  David started Church for Men to change that.  Jesus may be the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God, but why do most churches just hammer lamb, lamb, lamb?  Why do so many of our worship songs sound like they were written by a teenage girl for her upperclass boyfriend?

413-423 – David Murrow,  

428-438 – David Murrow

443-452 – Ryan Ries, has made the journey from successful drug dealer to suicidal addict to now ministry leader – a PK, the youngest son of Raul and Sharon Ries, and today one of the key guys behind the Whosoevers – an outreach impacting thousands of "over the edge" kids around the world (thewhosoevers.com).  The Whosoevers are:  Ryan Ries (Exit Concerts), Sonny Sandoval (POD), Brian "Head" Welch (formerly of Korn), Ronnie Faisst (Metal Mulisha), and Lacey Mosely (Flyleaf).

• The Whosoever's 2nd Annual Session is this weekend, Friday and Saturday (4/20-21), at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs.  For details, go to thewhosoevers.com/conference.  I speak Saturday night at 830pm.

458-508 – Dallas Willard, Professor of Philosophy at USC, my favorite Christian author and teacher, has had a bigger impact on my spiritual life than anyone else, especially through the book I recommend to people more than any other – his classic The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God (1998).  His later books are Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship With God (1999), and Knowing Christ Today: Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge (2000).  There's lots of great resources at his website, dwillard.org.

• Today, we start with why the modern church has a problem recruiting, maintaining, equipping and mobilizing men – contra the feminization of the church.

512-523 – Dallas Willard,  • Why having religious knowledge, rather than mere opinion, is key to understanding the Gospel.  It starts with Dallas' definition of knowledgethe ability to represent, or deal with, or speak about, things as they are, on an appropriate basis of thought and experience, which can include authority.  Dallas always starts every conversation he can about atheism with the question, "Would you like there to be a God?"  If the answer is "no," then the person will be looking for every opportunity to seek an alternative explanation.

Save the Thursday June 28th Date!  Join me as I emcee an evening dinner celebration honoring the life and ministry of Dallas Willard and his wife Jane at the La Canada Flintridge Country Club, put on by Dr. Jim Wilder and The Life Model (lifemodel.org).  Tickets are $75 per person.  For more info, go to thrivetoday.org/thrive2012Willard.html

Save the Saturday, June 30th Date!  Dallas will be doing a one-day conference as a practical follow-up to the Divine Conspiracy, on Saturday, June 30th, somewhere in Long Beach – they're looking for a bigger venue because the response has already been overwhelming!  Keep an eye on his calendar at dwillard.org/calendar for details.

528-539 – Dallas Willard,

544-554 – Dallas Willard,

558-608 – Mark Mittelberg, best-selling author and leading strategist in evangelism and apologetics-oriented outreach.  Mark was the evangelism director at Willow Creek for seven years, and along with his close friends Lee Strobel and Bill Hybels, put together lots of great resources, including all the stuff produced around the megahit, Becoming a Contagious Christian.  And, in apologetics, Mark has worked with not only his good friend Lee Strobel on all kinds of projects, but with big names like Norm Geisler and William Lane Craig.  Mark's latest book is entitled The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (with answers) (2010), and he's even set up a website for it thequestionswithanswers.com.  And, he's got a small give-away outreach tool called The Reason Why Faith Makes Sense (2011).  Mark and his wife, Heidi, have two teenagers, and live near Denver.

• Some of the questions – "Why are Christians against same-sex people getting married? . . . Why do you believe God exists at all? . . . Why would God allow evil and suffering? . . . Why trust the Bible when it's full of mistakes? . . . How could a loving God send people to hell? . . . What makes you think Jesus was more than just a good teacher? . . . Why are Christians so judgmental?"

612-623 – Mark Mittelberg,

628-639 – Mark Mittelberg,

LINER – The annual Christopher Laurie Memorial Golf Classic benefitting Harvest Crusades is Monday, April 30, 2012.  To show your support, go to harvest.org/golf/donate.

How'd you like to be able to send your son or daughter to a great Christian school this Fall for half price?  Go to kkla.com, click on the "Half Off Tuition" banner, and check out the cool map with all the schools we're partnering with – like Pacific Lutheran High School, Lutheran High School in La Verne, and Concordia K-12.  That's kkla.com, click on the "Half Off Tuition" banner, and get the complete details on how this might be a great fit for your family.  If so, be listening Thursday, April 26th, right at 4pm, when I'll give out a special phone number, and if you're ready to put the whole one-half tuition on your credit card at that moment, you'll be one of only two families per school to qualify for this great deal!  That's the "Half Off Tuition" banner at kkla.com, it's first come first serve, so go there now!

644-654 – Mark Mittelberg,

• Heads Up – Coming up on Sunday evening, October 14th, they're doing an "Unpacking Atheism" live webcast with Mark Mittelberg, Lee Strobel, and William Lane Craig (incastevents.com)  

• Fox News (4/17/2012) Up to 21 women brought to Colombia hotel by agents and military members, senator says.

• Fox News (4/17/2012) Inspector general: Scheming how to bill taxpayers for food was 'running joke' at GSA.