Worship has a new look now that the Bible, God and church have become commodities. From the Bible Bar to Holy bottled water, to quench your spiritual hunger and thrust, some marketers are selling religious merchandise in the hopes of spreading their faith.Do you know of anyone who was ever converted because of somebody's tee-shirt or bumper sticker or some other article? Tell us about it.
But this 21st century way of approaching the relationship between God and man is not what some are used to. The thought that consumers can buy a bobblehead Jesus to act as a co-pilot, or attend Florida's Holy Land theme park when they're looking to blend faith and vacation, troubles critics.
"Turning everything religious into a little plastic toy can cheapen religion, trivialize it," said Beliefnet.com editor in chief, Steve Waldman. "The other danger is that people will think that by wearing a "Jesus is my homeboy" t-shirt, that that by itself makes them a good Christian."
Monday, August 11, 2008
We Are In A Bad Place
You know evangelical Christianity in America is in deep trouble when the folks at ABC News knows something goofy is going on. In an online article, two writers ask "WWJB: What Would Jesus Buy?"
Thursday, August 07, 2008
WABC Intern Proficiency Examination
We offer internships during the summer months at Western Avenue. Mark Collins was an intern for several years and is now our youth pastor. This year, Michael Dearman and Macey Bowman have served and served well. Mark typically asks the interns to read a particular book during the summer months and discuss it with him. I thought I'd get in on the game and devise a theological proficiency test. Here they are - first the test for the middle school interns and then the high school:
MIDDLE SCHOOL INTERN EXAMINATION
1) The B-I-B-L-E, is that the book for thee?
2) What is thy story? What is thy song?
3) Do you have joy, joy, joy, joy? If so, where? Where?
4) I ask you how you know He lives?
5) Who is on the Lord’s side?
6) If “A” is Admit, “B” is believe, and “C” is commit in the Baptist plan of salvation, then what does “D” stand for?
7) When the roll, roll, roll, is called up yonder, where will you be?
8) Who is your boss?
9) Who is your co-pilot?
10) Are you a “C” or a “CH” or a “CHRISTIAN”?
11) When will Jesus come soon – Morning? Night? or Noon?
12) Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah?
13) Describe Christ’s use of the “sinner’s prayer” in his evangelistic encounters in John’s Gospel.
14) Can I get a Witness? Can I hear an Ay-men?
HIGH SCHOOL INTERN EXAMINATION
1) Proof definitively that God exists.
2) What are the arguments for and against the following:
a. Sola Ecclesia
b. Sola Scriptura
c. Solo Scriptura
3) What are the arguments for and against the inclusion/exclusion of the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books of the Roman Catholic Bible?
4) Describe the main tenets of the following worldviews:
a. Deistic
b. Pantheistic
c. Panentheistic
d. Polytheistic
e. Naturalistic
f. Pluralistic
5) Is there a contradiction between God’s absolute divine foreknowledge and the free will of man? If so, explain the contradiction away? If not, why? What about God’s absolute divine foreknowledge and man’s libertarian free will?
6) Discuss if and how each of the seven ecumenical councils (particularly Nicea, Chalcedon and Constantinople) dealt with the following Christological and Trinitarian heresies:
a. Arianism
b. Monophysitism
c. Nestorianism
d. Apollinarianism
e. Eutychianism
7) Argue against the kenosis theory.
8) Is man a dichotomous or trichotomous creature? Explain your position.
9) Defend the Augustinian position of the will against the Pelagian argument.
10) Are you a complementarian or egalitarian? Defend your position.
11) Do you hold to unconditional, conditional, or a corporate view of election? Why?
12) Which of the following is the BEST/WORST of the following theories of the atonement? Why?
a. Ransom
b. Recapitulation
c. Governmental
d. Satisfaction
e. Moral Example
f. Penal Substitution
13) For whom did Christ die?
14) Which of the following lapsarian views is most accurate?
a. Infralapsarian
b. Supralapsarian
15) What is the relationship between the Church and Israel? Do you see a difference in the Old and New Testament presentation of this relationship?
16) Is the Lord’s Supper transubstantial or consubstantial?
17) Describe the most biblical form of church governance. Prove your position biblically and historically using various Baptist confessions of faith.
18) To which millennial view do you subscribe?
19) In regards to the rapture, are you pretribulational, midtribulational, posttribulational, or pre-wrath? Defend your position and disprove the others.
20) Which position on baptism is the correct one: credo-baptism or paedo-baptism? Prove your position.
MIDDLE SCHOOL INTERN EXAMINATION
1) The B-I-B-L-E, is that the book for thee?
2) What is thy story? What is thy song?
3) Do you have joy, joy, joy, joy? If so, where? Where?
4) I ask you how you know He lives?
5) Who is on the Lord’s side?
6) If “A” is Admit, “B” is believe, and “C” is commit in the Baptist plan of salvation, then what does “D” stand for?
7) When the roll, roll, roll, is called up yonder, where will you be?
8) Who is your boss?
9) Who is your co-pilot?
10) Are you a “C” or a “CH” or a “CHRISTIAN”?
11) When will Jesus come soon – Morning? Night? or Noon?
12) Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah?
13) Describe Christ’s use of the “sinner’s prayer” in his evangelistic encounters in John’s Gospel.
14) Can I get a Witness? Can I hear an Ay-men?
HIGH SCHOOL INTERN EXAMINATION
1) Proof definitively that God exists.
2) What are the arguments for and against the following:
a. Sola Ecclesia
b. Sola Scriptura
c. Solo Scriptura
3) What are the arguments for and against the inclusion/exclusion of the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books of the Roman Catholic Bible?
4) Describe the main tenets of the following worldviews:
a. Deistic
b. Pantheistic
c. Panentheistic
d. Polytheistic
e. Naturalistic
f. Pluralistic
5) Is there a contradiction between God’s absolute divine foreknowledge and the free will of man? If so, explain the contradiction away? If not, why? What about God’s absolute divine foreknowledge and man’s libertarian free will?
6) Discuss if and how each of the seven ecumenical councils (particularly Nicea, Chalcedon and Constantinople) dealt with the following Christological and Trinitarian heresies:
a. Arianism
b. Monophysitism
c. Nestorianism
d. Apollinarianism
e. Eutychianism
7) Argue against the kenosis theory.
8) Is man a dichotomous or trichotomous creature? Explain your position.
9) Defend the Augustinian position of the will against the Pelagian argument.
10) Are you a complementarian or egalitarian? Defend your position.
11) Do you hold to unconditional, conditional, or a corporate view of election? Why?
12) Which of the following is the BEST/WORST of the following theories of the atonement? Why?
a. Ransom
b. Recapitulation
c. Governmental
d. Satisfaction
e. Moral Example
f. Penal Substitution
13) For whom did Christ die?
14) Which of the following lapsarian views is most accurate?
a. Infralapsarian
b. Supralapsarian
15) What is the relationship between the Church and Israel? Do you see a difference in the Old and New Testament presentation of this relationship?
16) Is the Lord’s Supper transubstantial or consubstantial?
17) Describe the most biblical form of church governance. Prove your position biblically and historically using various Baptist confessions of faith.
18) To which millennial view do you subscribe?
19) In regards to the rapture, are you pretribulational, midtribulational, posttribulational, or pre-wrath? Defend your position and disprove the others.
20) Which position on baptism is the correct one: credo-baptism or paedo-baptism? Prove your position.
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