Monthly Archive for September, 2008

Chasing Forgiveness Rabbits

Published on September 29, 2008 in Chris Brauns Radio Spots and Forgiveness. 0 Comments

What are your “forgiveness questions”?

Theologian Cornelius Plantinga once wrote that anyone who thinks very long about forgiveness will scare up a lot more rabbits than he can chase down.  What Plantinga meant by that quote is that the area of forgiveness raises so many questions.

How can I forgive her for doing that?

Must I always forgive?

What if I can’t forgive?

How can I forgive myself?

Should everyone be forgiven?

Forgiveness questions are not merely theoretical.  Life is relationships and in a fallen world, we all have to unpack forgiveness.  One reason I wrote my first book, Unpacking Forgiveness is because all people need to work through forgiveness questions based on biblical teaching.

My Book is Living in Florida

Published on September 27, 2008 in Blogging, Forgiveness and Recommended Links. 7 Comments

Look closely at the books in the basket and you will see that my book has rented space in the same neighborhood as what would appear to be an NIV Study Bible (N.I.V. is an abbreviation for the Northern Iowa Version) and a book by Paul David Tripp.

I can’t figure out what the other book is, but I’ll give the first person to do so a free copy of Unpacking Forgiveness (no getting help from Patricia).DSC09468

I am pleased with my book’s choice of neighborhoods.  If you haven’t visited Pollywog Creek, you’ll have to stop by – - and be sure and notice my all time favorite post involving the painted bunting who I hope to see again.

Click here to read the entire Pollywog Creek post from today.

Never Another Chance Quite Like This for the Bricks

Published on September 26, 2008 in Church. 1 Comment

First, can you tell which one is not real? Who do you think is the best looking?

I don’t share this picture only to be cute. Prayerfully walking around our church this morning, seeing how hard our church family has worked to prepare for this weekend–

On decorating

On having church programs available

On remodeling

On serving in ministries

It struck me that we will never again have an opportunity quite like this one in our community.

Consider:

  • We will never be 150 years old again.
  • We’ve recently completed the biggest construction project in the last 50 years.
  • Our church is Grand Marshalls in the parade. We have not one, but two floats. We’re practically a parade unto ourselves. And, perhaps most important, we are not behind the horses.
  • Our guy, Bob Hoernecke, is the citizen of the year.
  • Our Fall programming is off to an especially strong start. AWANA, Sunday School, Bible Studies . . .
  • We are enjoying the increased space from expanding into the parsonage. Last year we were still working to get situated.
  • Only one service at 9:00.  We’ll be packed in like ecclesiastical sardines. 

I am preaching on Psalm 20. I don’t ever remember preaching on it before. And, it is a really cool, warm, and positive Psalm: another chance to proclaim the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ.  There is so much to this Psalm.

The book we wrote – - Unpacking Forgiveness (See http://www.chrisbrauns.com/unpackingforgiveness/ ) is now available for $12. At least read the acknowledgements (you don’t have to buy it to do that) and see how I mentioned Stillman Valley!

Remember, Jamie and I are donating the books to the church. If you buy one, you can view it as giving $12 to the church.

All of which is to say that we will never have another chance quite like this weekend again. Of course, there will be new opportunities. But, this is a special chance and we need to seize the day.

I wonder if you would do at least one of the following (and let me know if you would, that you did it):

  • Call three people and remind them that this is a new Sunday. They don’t have to be new people. Just spread the excitement.
  • At a football game, talk to someone about church. Maybe even take a sermon series flier with you?
  • Pray on your knees for at least 5 minutes for our church and our ministry in the community.
  • Be at the church Sunday afternoon and tell someone what you like the best about the remodeling project.
  • Be at the church Sunday and show them what we have coming up in programs.
  • Invite 3 people into the church for cake, water, and balloons.
  • Get to church earlier than normal on Sunday so you can soak in the excitement. Then go up and down each aisle saying, “Hi,” to people.
  • Pass out 3 sermon fliers at the parade and say, “This is a sermon series you don’t want to miss.”
  • Forward the link to the new sermon series flier to 20 people and write a personal invitation. You can see the link here:

http://www.theredbrickchurch.org/email/sailboat.html

I am so excited for the weekend. Let’s have fun and share the excitement with as many as possible.

Chris.

Pray, pray, pray.

The Most Significant Study Bible of My Lifetime

Published on September 25, 2008 in Word of God. 1 Comment Tags: .

I’ve told several people that I believe that the forthcoming ESV study Bible is the most significant study Bible of my 45 year sojourn on earth.  See also here.

Given that the years of my pilgrimage now number more than those Israel wandered in the wilderness, that is a fairly bold statement.  But, if you read interviews like this one where Trevin Wax interviewed Justin Taylor, you will understand a little of why I think it is a study Bible you will want to own.

Trevin Wax interview of Justin Taylor Part I and Part II.

One way Kirk Cameron “fireproofs” his marriage is by not kissing actresses while filming movies

Published on September 25, 2008 in Recommended Links. 6 Comments

Quoting:

In Kirk Cameron’s new movie, “Fireproof,” he has to kiss the actress playing his wife. That was a problem.

Cameron will not kiss any woman who is not his wife.

“I have a commitment not to kiss any other woman,” the former child star of “Growing Pains” told Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford Monday on TODAY in New York.

Read it all here.

You’ll have to watch a T-mobile commerical to hear Kirk.


HT: Tim Challies

Bryan Chapell on Expository Preaching

Published on September 23, 2008 in Preaching. 2 Comments

Spend one minute and forty one seconds watching this clip and you should learn (or at the least be reminded of) something important about biblical preaching.

 

 

HT: Bro. Matt’s Blog

The Financial Crisis: What Should Happen to Bonnie and Clyde?

Published on September 23, 2008 in Politics. 0 Comments

Cal Thomas compares those who have take advantage of their position to reap tens of millions to the notorious bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde:

MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY DON’T UNDERSTAND AND CAN’T EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING ON WALL STREET AND IN WASHINGTON WITH THE PROPOSED $700 BILLION BAILOUT PACKAGE. BUT THEY DO UNDERSTAND ONE THING VERY WELL. THEY UNDERSTAND PEOPLE SWORN TO UPHOLD THE LAW, WHO AT A MINIMUM BENT IT AND MAY HAVE BROKEN IT. THEY UNDERSTAND REGULATORS CHARGED WITH REGULATING WHO DIDN’T. . .. BONNIE AND CLYDE WOUND UP DEAD AT THE HANDS OF THE LAW FOR ROBBING BANKS. THIS BUNCH WILL END UP EVEN RICHER FOR ROBBING THE PUBLIC. . . .

Read it all here.

Writing from the Land of Lincoln

Published on September 23, 2008 in Chris Brauns Radio Spots and Church. 1 Comment

In 1832, if you had asked a 23 year old Abraham Lincoln what he thought of the area that is now Stillman Valley, Lincoln probably wouldn’t have wanted to talk about it.  Here on the ground that is now Stillman Valley, a young Lincoln helped bury soldiers who had been killed in a disastrous skirmish with Blackhawk’s warriors.  Many of the dead were scalped or decapitated.  It was a gruesome scene of senseless death and barbaric acts.

Having witnessed such horror in this part of Ogle county, Lincoln might have suggested that a town be built somewhere else.

But, it wasn’t the end for this blood soaked ground.  God is a God of redemption.  Twenty six years after the battle of Stillman’s Run, our church, the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley , “the Red Brick Church’ was formed.  By God’s grace, for 150 years we have worshipped a short walk from where Lincoln helped buried mutilated soldiers.

This coming weekend, September 27-28 is Fall Festival in Stillman Valley.  My children will scramble for candy on the same ground where soldiers died in the Blackhawk war.  And, our church will continue our 150 year celebration with a goal of being a Christ-centered, evangelical church.  We’re having an open house so people can see our new remodeling project and we’ll be giving out bottled water, balloons, and birthday cake.

Facts About How “American Christians” Give

Published on September 21, 2008 in Church, Quotes and Recommended Reading. 1 Comment

If you have not read:

Smith, Christian, and Michael O. Emerson. Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don’t Give Away More Money. New York: Oxford Univeristy Press, 2008.

At least read this alarming summary. . .Here are 6 facts about American giving (based on their thorough research):

Fact #1: At least one out of five American Christians – 20 percent of all U.S. Christians -give literally nothing to church, para-church, or nonreligious charities.

Fact #2: The vast majority of American Christians give very little to church, para-church, or nonreligious charities.

Fact #3: American Christians do not give their dollars evenly among themselves, but, rather a small minority of generous givers among them contributes most of the total Christian dollars given.

Fact #4: Higher income earning Christians-like Americans generally -give little to no more money as a percentage of household income than lower income earning Christians.

Fact #5: Despite a massive growth of real per capita income over the twentieth century, the average percentage share of income given by American Christians not only did not grow in proportion but actually declined slightly during this time period.

Fact #6: The vast majority of the money that American Christians do give to religion is spent in and for their own local communities of faith – - little is spent on missions, development, and poverty relief outside of local congregations, particularly outside the United States, in ways that benefit people other than the givers themselves.

Do You Wish You Were More Self Controlled?

Published on September 20, 2008 in Preaching. 0 Comments

Click here to see the flier for a new sermon series I begin in October.