Ministry Blogs
Blogs from pastors and leaders at CBC.
Posted by: Paul Graham
in Strangeland on Jun 14, 2010
Okay, here is a weird mix of thoughts for this installment of the Strangeland blog. Last night I was pretty stoked to baptize my son Isaac, mentioning in the process how proud his mother and I were of him. And it struck me almost as soon as I said it that I would need to explain what that meant later on, in case he or anyone else listening got the wrong implication from those words. It just comes down to the sloppy way we sometimes use language... but when it comes to the gospel and our life in Christ, words are vitally important. It would take too long a blog post, for me to write and you to read to explain what I was proud of, but a slightly shorter post can be written to take care of the more troubling matter of what I shouldn't, in deed couldn't, be proud of about my son's baptism - and perhaps how that reveals the distinct nature of our Christian faith and the gospel.
Posted by: Paul Graham
in Strangeland on May 18, 2010
During my recent time away I had the opportunity to hear some fantastic preaching at the Together for the Gospel (T4G) conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Since my attention to this blog has been a little light during my time away I am going to share a summary of one very important session by Albert Mohler. There will be a link to the audio/video at the end of this post. Rev. Mohler presented the 7,000 present at the conference with a brilliant summary of eight ways that the church needs to guard against the gospel being adjusted, or modified. The changes to the gospel he described as "trajectories"; meaning that as culture shifts in certain directions it can push the central message of the gospel off its course, and start it on a new trajectory, that carried it farther and farther away from its central truth, until at some point it is no longer the gospel at all, but has become a false gospel, that must be rejected, corrected, and contended against with the real gospel.
Posted by: Paul Graham
in Strangeland on Mar 22, 2010
That we must be honest, not only on particular occasions, and in such instances as are applauded in the world, easy to be performed, and free from danger, or loss, but from such a living principle of justice, as makes us love truth and integrity in all its instances, follow it through all dangers, and against all opposition; as knowing that the more we pay for any truth, the better is our bargain, and that then our integrity becomes a pearl, when we have parted with all to keep it. That we must be humble, not only in such instances as are expected in the world, or suitable to our tempers, or confined to particular occasions; but in such a humility of spirit, as renders us meek and lowly in the whole course of our lives, as shows itself in our dress, our person, our conversation, our enjoyment of the world, the tranquility of our minds, patience under injuries, submission to superiors, and condescensions to those that are below us, and in all the outward actions of our lives. - William Law (1686-1761) Find his works online at this link.
Posted by: Paul Graham
in Strangeland on Feb 23, 2010
It may seem paradoxical but there is a tremendous value in focusing on our differences in order to build our unity. Often when people are looking to build unity they rush quickly to points of agreement, overlooking or minimizing differences, and never really exploring the significance of divergent values. If we really want to build a unity that is strong, can literally withstand the test of time and the test of difficulties, we need to build a unity that is fully cognizant of the diversity and divergent within it. Without that awareness there will exist a hundred cracks and potential points of failure that we have never examined, fully explored, or understood. The Apostle Paul recognized the strength of unity in diversity when he described the church in 1 Corinthians 12 as a body of many parts.
Posted by: Andrew Rozalowsky
in A Living Sacrifice on Feb 19, 2010
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Here are 10 reasons to learn Greek. I threw them together and haven't spent a long time crafting them, but here they are nonetheless. 1. God, in his grace and wisdom, has chosen to reveal himself to us in space/time history. This means that he gave us his Word in specific times and places to specific people with specific languages. As we study Greek, we are able to pull back the veil, as it were, and grapple with the New Testament specifically, as God gave it. 2. Learning another language opens us up to cultures and worlds we knew nothing about.
Posted by: Andrew Rozalowsky
in A Living Sacrifice on Feb 18, 2010
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At the end of the day, what are you most excited about? There are groups of Christians with whom I've conversed (and perhaps some have seen me this way in my immaturity over the years) who have all sorts of things that they're most excited about, but it isn't the gospel of Christ. . So, what makes you tick most? What do you talk about most? . Is it social justice for the sex slave? Is it the Greek language for the language's sake? Is it providing aid for the earthquake affected Haitians? Is it evangelism for number's sake? Is it church programs? . Without denying the importance of any one of these, none are centre. There is one thing that should never be assumed in our lives. And that's the gospel: the good news that though we were sinners, Christ died for us, the ungodly, the rebels, so that we might be reconciled to God. Out of that framework, let's help the Haitians, and let's save the sex slaves, and let's study Greek, and let's share that same good news with all the world. . Does that excite you? Or does it not? Let's test ourselves and seek the face of our Lord.
Posted by: Andrew Rozalowsky
in A Living Sacrifice on Feb 12, 2010
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In Deuteronomy 17, as Moses is speaking to the people, he relays God's command for the future kings in Israel (which is fascinating in its own right) to do the following:
"When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart many not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel." (Deut 17:18-20, ESV)
As I've heard it said, how different would Israel's history had been if all the kings had actually obeyed this command to sit down upon ascending to the throne and write out in their own hand, a copy of the Scriptures, and then read it daily.
Posted by: Andrew Rozalowsky
in A Living Sacrifice on Feb 09, 2010
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The thing I am continually struck by in reading through the Torah (or the Pentateuch, or the first 5 books of the Bible), is how God's grace is magnified and how it points toward the coming Messiah. Here's a small look at Jesus picking up on the issue of the manna (the bread given by God to the Israelites) and showing its fulfillment: http://alivingsacrificetogod.blogspot.com/2010/02/purpose-in-manna-and-fulfillment.html
Posted by: Andrew Rozalowsky
in A Living Sacrifice on Feb 05, 2010
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If you've ever wanted to study the New Testament in its original language but were scared or didn't know how to start, you may be interested in this: Starting Tuesday, March 2nd at 7pm at Calvary, I will be teaching an introductory Greek language course. This course is for young and old alike.
Posted by: Andrew Rozalowsky
in General on Jan 30, 2010
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Congratulations to the Reverend Pastor Paul Graham on getting "reved up" and being ordained yesterday!
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