Corby Stephens

The cold weather they are forecasting for this weekend got me thinking. There is an very popular and equally misunderstood passage in Revelation 3 where Jesus tells the Laodiceans that he wishes they were either hot or cold, but because they were luke warm he was going to vomit them out. The popular understanding is that hot is good, cold is bad. That is a very modern interpretation of the meaning and is very wrong. The concepts of being hot or cold spiritually aren’t the point and, in fact, are contrary to other parts of scripture. Jesus doesn’t say hot is good, cold is bad, luke warm is really bad. The only bad is luke warm. Hot and cold are extremes. His point is that they weren’t extreme for the Lord, they were luke warm. Read the rest of this entry »

This year our family decided to give a non-materialistic gift to people we don’t even know. Through Samatatin’s Purse we were able to give a brood of chicks to a family in Africa (probably) that will provide them with food as well as eggs to sell and make some money. I also emailed the church with the info on how to do similar things like water filters, school for a kid, contribute to a well for a village, some pretty cool opportunities. I encourage you to go check it out and see if your family or church might want to get in on the action. Do it. Do it now. I command thee…

Headline – Austrailian Priest Claims Jesus Was Not God

For those who don’t want to click over to the article, here is their summary. The page has a link to the full article on another website.

Jesus Christ was not God, and Mary was not a virgin, according to a controversial new book written by an Australian Catholic priest.

“This whole matter regarding Jesus being God … not only does violence to my own intelligence, but must be a sticking point,” Father Peter Dresser writes in his new book, “God Is Big. Real Big.”

“For millions of people trying to make some kind of sense of the Christian religion … No human being can ever be God, and Jesus was a human being. It is as simple as that.”

Dresser claims Joseph was Jesus’s father, Mary was not a virgin – and actually had six children – and that the story of the resurrection should not be taken literally.

Dresser’s book has angered conservative Catholics across Australia.

“The Council of Nicaea settled the question that Christ was God in 325, so he is 1700 years out of date,” Sydney priest Anthony Robbie said. “The rest is a regurgitation of every discredited 19th-century liberal Protestant German cliche in the book.”

Wow. I mean, wow. First off, the amount of cognitive dissonance going on in this man’s thought processes must be astounding. I don’t mean that as an insult, not at all. How can one be a priest in a belief system and not hold to the most fundamental beliefs of that belief system? The realities of Jesus Christ being God in the flesh and the resurrection are the most foundational tenants in the Christian faith, Catholic or Protestant. And to be a priest in that system and trying to juxtapose those tow things, it makes no sense.

Without writing a whole theological treatise, here are just a few things to consider. Read the rest of this entry »

If you look to your right you will see our “Blogroll” facility. These blogs are truly one of a kind. Please keep you hands and arms from the cage wall as they can be rather challenging little blogs.

Some guys I have come to appreciate over the last couple of years (in no particular order, except maybe alphabetical) are Bill Walden, Jim Jacobson, Ken Sutton, and Mike Macon. They are all Calvary Chapel pastors from all over the place. Some I initially met online, some in person. Their diversity of personality and experience makes for some great resources. Not only have I added them to my blogroll here but my bookmarks in my browser as well. Take some time and read their stuff. Hopefully they will pop in from time to time here and contribute their nougaty goodness.

And don’t feed them, especially after midnight.

No, not better than you. Sheesh. I don’t even know you! Stop being so full of yourself. Oh wait, don’t go. I’m sorry. That’s what I’m talking about. I need to be a better blogger than me. Not just in terms of volume. If I read my own blog I’d be bored to tears. I’d also think that this guy does nothing but rant. There is plenty to rant about to be sure. I also don’t want to just be Mr. Happy-happy-joy-joy either like some sickening Christian radio stations that will remain nameless. People tell me I have something to say. People tell me they appreciate my insights into some things. I guess I should share them more often. I will try to do so in a more positive manner and more often. So, here’s to it.