100 Pianos

Read about A. W. Tozer

July 30

The Church: 100 Pianos

...that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. --John 17:21

Someone may fear that we are magnifying private religion out of all proportion, that the "us" of the New Testament is being displaced by a selfish "I." Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified. The body becomes stronger as its members become healthier. The whole church of God gains when the members that compose it begin to seek a better and a higher life. The Pursuit of God, 90.

"Lord, let this start with me. Give me a closer walk with You today. Then as a leader enable me to encourage others as well, individually, so that all to whom I minister might be in harmony as we individually are close to You. Amen."

Quote of the Day - John Falconer

I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.

John Falconer

The Nigerians are Coming!

The following article affects a lot of people I know directly:

The Nigerians Are Coming!
The rift in the Anglican Church comes to Northern Virginia.
by Mark D. Tooley

Quote of the Day - Mike Stachura

The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.

Mike Stachura

Quote of the Day - C.T. Studd

Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell, I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell.

C.T. Studd

Journey to Afghanistan

Mike Mannina (left) in local attire poses with an Afghan.

Do you want to know what it is like to be on the ground in Afghanistan? One of my housemates took a trip to Afghanistan awhile back and saw firsthand. Click here.

Question

How many people change the world while working from a desk?

Churchillian Courage - Joseph Loconte

Churchillian Courage
Moral leadership and the War on Terror.

By Joseph Loconte

Quote of the Day - Theodore Roosevelt

I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head.

Theodore Roosevelt

Quote of the Day - General George S. Patton

Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack.

General George Patton Jr

Quote of the Day C.S. Lewis

Badness is only spoiled goodness.

C.S. Lewis

Quote of the Day - Benjamin Franklin

A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.

Benjamin Franklin

Memorial Day

(Brian Vander Brug / LAT)

'Would I die for my job?' One brother struggles to understand why the other insisted on fighting for his country in a war that eventually killed him. (Los Angeles Times, registration may be required)

In commemoration of memorial day and our veterans, here is an article by Sandy Banks of the Los Angeles Times that shows the personal side of this day.

Quote of the Day - Vince Lombardi

Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser.

Vince Lombardi

Way tired

I've been way too busy so I've not blogged much lately. This probably means I need to slow down.

I went to a community group Bible Study on Wednesday. There were two guys and eight women. It was quite disturbing. I am starting to agree more and more with David Murrow who wrote Why Men Hate Going to Church that our churches are not letting men be men. I felt like I had crashed a women's support group and spoiled their party. It was painful.

Since I've lived in community with quite a few men for some time, I've concluded that if you want men to exercise servant leadership in the kingdom, you must have a Men's ministry at the church level. Men have such special needs and are often dealing with so many issues that you have to dig deep to heal their wounds. Those needs can only be addressed when men feel free to tackle issues that only men face. I am willing to bet that the church you attend is at least fifty-five percent women if not more.

Ever hear a lousy preacher?

May 15

Preaching: The Authority of God

...I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord God." As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse--for they are a rebellious house--yet they will know that a prophet has been among them. -Ezekiel 2:4-5

I don't want to be unkind, but I am sure there ought to be a lot more authority in the pulpit than there is now. A preacher should reign from his pulpit as a king from his throne. He should not reign by law nor by regulations and not by board meetings or man's authority. He ought to reign by moral ascendance.

When a man of God stands to speak, he ought to have the authority of God on him so that he makes the people responsible to listen to him. When they will not listen to him, they are accountable to God for turning away from the divine Word. In place of that needed authority, we have tabby cats with their claws carefully trimmed in the seminary, so they can paw over the congregations and never scratch them at all. They have had their claws trimmed and are just as soft and sweet as can be....

I believe in the authority of God, and I believe if a man doesn't have it, he should go away and pray and wait until he gets the authority and then stand up to speak even if he has to begin on a soapbox on a street corner. Go to a rescue mission and preach with authority! They had it in those days--when they stood up, there was authority! The Counselor, 150-151.

"Lord, may I always preach boldly like the Apostle Paul, like Ezekiel, like Jeremiah and the prophets. If I have the Word of God; if I have the Holy Spirit; if I have a humble spirit of dependence on You--there's no reason I should preach like a de-clawed tabby cat! Amen."

Quote of the Day - Martin Luther King Jr.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Quote of the Day - Theodore Roosevelt

It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things.

Theodore Roosevelt

Quote of the Day - Martin Luther King Jr.

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Quote of the Day - Michael Pritchard

You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.

Michael Pritchard