SPCC Blog for Bryan

Wild Tower (video)

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Ok, this was cooky. I can't even imagine it. In part, I suppose this explains where some of that $4.21/gallon I put in my tank this morning goes to...

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Babies who die and the goodness of God

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Tonight in Jim's sermon on Romans 5:12-21 we hit a passage of scripture that became precious to me a few years ago. While this is a fairly complicated passage of scripture, it is nonetheless worth digging into.

As John Piper once said, "If you rake, all you get are leaves. But if you dig, you just might find diamonds." This has been my experience with this passage. Jim did an excellent job of explaining the core concept: our main issue is not th [...]

Reflections on this week's Sermon--wrath.

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0100

This past weekend, Tim talked in the message about how a proper understanding of the wrath of God is necessary for an appropriate understanding of the love of God. Today I was reading an exerpt from a sermon by 16th century preacher Jonathan Edwards entitled "The Excellency of Christ" . Here is what he said...

"There meet in Jesus Christ, infinite justice and infinite grace.

"As Christ is a divine person, he is infinitely holy and ju [...]

Koutiala Hospital Update

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0100

You may have read in The Loop about the medical mission that Debi Foster from our church has taken up. Here are some links to some videos from the other side of the world where the supplies she is securing are going. This one is a little more home grown...but good.

The Folly of Hoarding

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Last night was the second night of Financial Peace University here at the church. We have about 90+ folks enrolled. This morning, one of my friends who is also taking the class sent me this link with the following picture in it...

Too old to have a baby?

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Thu, 29 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Last week in Jim's sermon, he talked about Abraham and Sarah having a baby when they were really old--into their 90's. He alluded to the world record for having a baby...here it is .

Summer Sermon Series Input

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

This summer we'll do a Top 10 sermon series where we take the top 10 topics that you want to hear a sermon on and preach through them over ten weeks.SUBMITTING YOUR IDEAS IS NOW CLOSED. THE POLLS ARE OPEN UNTIL JUNE 1. SO VOTE TODAY! Here's how to weigh in...

VOTE!

STEP ONE: Give us your topics. These mig [...]

Horn tooting? Sure--Jesus' Horn

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

I post this article not to brag on our church. Ok, maybe I do. But while many of you know the story, many of you do not. Read the last sentence in this article from the Arlington Times.

This is just a shining example of the kind of initiative-taking we want to see happening all throughout SPCC as we share the love of Jesus with others. And may HE get all the glory.

Hope When Money is Tight

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

I've been preparing for facilitating the Financial Peace University course coming up on May 28. I was checking out a few things on Dave Ramsey's website, and ran accross this inspiring story about a guy who just had his power turned off. Dave gave him some great counsel that may be good for you or someone you know. If you are interested in taking the class, email me at bryan@spcc-cma.org . We have over 60 folks signed up now and have a little room for some more. Childcare space is v [...]

When Someone Steals Your Church

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

I read this blog today about a church plant that had their trailer (with all their stuff in it for church services) stolen. The short of the story is that they posted billboards around their community with some interesting sayings. I found the following one funny but pointed at the same time. Clever.

CHURCH TRAILER THEIVES:

You just robbed God. I wouldn’t worry about the cops.

Others on the site are a little over the top for m [...]

Our Purpose, Molecularly Speaking (video)

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

A friend of mine sent me this video link today. I am directly reminded of the verse in Colossians that Jim used a while back that serves as the backdrop of the first part of our purpose statement as a church: "Celebrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ..."

Muslim Conversion Struggle (video)

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

I got this link today from a friend of mine. Really a powerful, aching moment for this woman who wants SO badly to become a Christian.

http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/2008/04/this-is-powerful.html

Follow-up to Tim's Sermon

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Here is a video that one of you sent me as a follow-up to Tim's sermon on the wrath of God this weekend. In it, John Piper talks about the practical implications of knowing about the wrath of God for things like dealing with your spouse.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=5c10e873bf3842afb46a

The Verse That I Wish Was in the Bible But Isn't

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0100

"Jesus Wept." That one is in there. John 11:35. But "Jesus was keeled over, laughing" is not there. And oh how I wish it was. I thought about this further this weekend during Jim's Easter message.

I often hear people talk about God having a sense of humor. I suppose it is possible, but it has always been a bit of an exegetical stretch to me to see that in scripture. Mark Driscoll preached a sermon on humor , and while it made several assertions that God has a s [...]

Romans sermons, Same-sex rights in Washington, and coincidence.

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

I don't believe in coincidence. And I find it interesting that during the same perdiod of time the Washington State Legislature passes a bill to extend 170 new rights to same-sex couples, we are hitting Romans 1:24-32. Could God be instructing us at to what we ought to believe about this issue at the very time it parades through the media?

How to fight for assurance that you are saved.

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Do you ever doubt your salvation? Do you ever wonder, "Am I real or am I just going through the motions?--am I really born again?" I do. It may not be comforting to you for you to hear a pastor say that.

But I read my bible and find warning after warning about not deceiving yourself. I remember an exerpt from a book by Jonathan Edwards that scared the daylights out of me: Are you saved or do the powers of your imagination have you convinced that you are?

My aim h [...]

My family is joining the freakshow

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

In July, Lord willing, we'll be having our fourth child. We know a few families with four kids, and one of them seems to have an incident almost weekly with other people's "dismay" over the sheer quantinity of thier children--as if they lived too close to a stork farm or something. Kids come via something much better than storks...

Today in the parking lot of the local grocery store I saw a bumper sticker that kind of sums up some of this American sentimen [...]

When a preacher says: "crap"

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

In this video that someone has put together, you can hear John Piper talk about one of the fundamental differences between the real gospel and the gospel so common to our day that he hates.

Being a Discerning Movie Watcher

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

A while back a friend of mine at another church posted an article on this important topic of being a discerning partaker of films. Read it...it is good. One of the sites he recommends is incredibly helpful. It is called Kids in Mind and is really helpful on telling you why a movie was rated the way it was. I will issue this warning, it does describe in candid detail the scenes in question.

What I like about this site and the other sites Ryan recommends in his blog is that [...]

Oprah the Heretic

bryan@spcc-cma.org — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Ok, I've felt this way for a long time, but now I've had it. Oprah has gone too far.

It used to be fairly bland: "there are many ways to heaven" she might say. But now with her endorsement and propogation of the "Course in Miracles" by Marianne Williamson on her website, Oprah crossed the line. For example, I read this today from one of the lessons...

You are indeed the light of the world with such a function. The Son of God looks to y [...]