GREAT Quote by Mark Driscoll on Evangelism Style

Glad to see there are others who feel the same as I. He nails what I've been saying for months.

     "In the routine model, there are two options. In the first, a notable speaker is brought in to present the gospel to a large audience and to call them to make a decision for Jesus. In the second, Christians are sent out to ask non-Christians leading questions in an effort to compel them to receive Jesus.
     In both options, the emphasis is on eliciting a swift decision for Christ without taking the time to build a friendship. In both versions, those who walk forward, stand up, raise their hand, pray a prayer, sign a card, or indicate by some other means their decisions are deemed converts and told to assimilate into churches. Whether they were truly converted is debatable, and the odds of their assimilating into churches are uncertain, unless they already have trustworthy friendships with someone in a church who can serve as a tour guide, introducing them to the language, values and systems of the church. While Scripture gives examples of the routing model, the mission model of Jesus may prove to be more faithful to God, more fruitful to lost people, and more appealing to Christians who are otherwise fearful of using drive-by evangelism techniques such as knocking on doors and street witnessing (which can feel a lot like playing Duck, Duck, Damned, a revision of the children’s game Duck, Duck, Goose).
     While these routine patterns of evangelism have proven fruitful in the past- and remain fruitful in some cultural contexts- their effectiveness is waning in the emerging American culture. There was a time when door-to-door evangelism and door-to-door business sales made sense, because many wives were home all day and husbands came home at night for dinner. This routine is no longer as effective because there are fewer stay at home wives and mothers. In addition, people’s lives are so filled with entertainment, sales pitches, advertising, self-help seminars and large emotionally moving events of various sorts that people are often unimpressed by large church events or slick Jesus sales pitches complete with the canned leading questions."

The Radical Reformission pg 65-67 (Driscoll 2004)

Why Obama Will Win...my prediction

It's 100 days till the election and there have been a lot of things going down. I thought early on Obama might make it past Hillary, but I figured she was closer to the center than he was. However, he pulled it out. Since he has gotten the nomination for the Democrats, he is now moving to the center to pull the votes of moderate GOP and Democrats. Looking at his matchup against Obama has me making my prediction. I believe Obama will win a close one. I don't think it will even be a contest. My reason why?

• People want a new face...something different than a Bush or Clinton. Obama is so new to the political scene, people know little about him and aren't tired of him. Since McCain ran one other time, people know him and he is old news.
• Obama is slick and good looking. In a rock star culture, he's in. He has an inspiring wit to him. McCain is old and flat. It reminds me of Bush 41 and Clinton.
• For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. 8 years of Bush and people are going to counter the experience with the opposite...Obama.
• People are voting on feeling this time and honestly not logic. They will vote to end the war, cut gas prices, and they will all think that Obama will answer it. He won't, but they will think he will.
• World opinion of Obama will help his chances. Sadly, there are those that think the world's opinion of our presidential candidates is just as important as our own. It is in a sense, appeasement of the world. Appeasement never wins. It only asks for more.

From the Archives: My Thoughts on Cheerleading

This was originally posted on May 4, 2005. My thoughts have stayed the same:

Texas OK's Cheerleading Ban
Story 
What is their purpose anyway? I have NEVER felt the urge to cheer on my team because a cheerleader screamed "We've got spirit, we want to hear it, we've got spirit." Pompom's? Where did they come from? Who was the mad genius who invented the cheerleader? How about giving me some real cheers that go on in the stands? Now that would be awesome! Imagine a cheerleader screaming "Kick His Butt! Kick His Butt!" or "2, 4, 6, 8, Who will we asphyxiate? YOUR MOM, YOUR MOM, HOORAY!" Now that is cheerleading I could get into!
Just to stir the waters even more, let me say cheerleading is NOT A SPORT. If cheerleading is a sport, then why isn't there a huge "last one standing" fight between the opposing teams cheerleaders? I could watch that too! We could get a steel cage match going. Megaphones would be allowed in. Spiked Pompoms would be allowed. Since they are good at acrobatic moves, it should be awesome to see them grab an opponent, put them on top of a three level pyramid and SUPLEX! That is action! That is excitement!
How do they scout for cheerleading scholarships? "Wow! I loved the way she articulated "We want six."" "Did you see the form she had with that Pompom?" "Terrific job holding on to that paper sign as the football team ran through it, even though it was raining...you're in the zone girl!" "Did you see her arm when she threw that football into the crowd? What a rifle!"
Guy cheerleaders...you are special. After all, we know that you only cheerlead for the team. We know that NONE of it has to do with the fact you will be spending hour after hour with the hottest, most popular girls in your school. We admire your dedication to the team despite the fact you have to catch a falling cheerleader in your arms. We see you take one for the team when you offer backrubs and comfort to your fellow cheerleaders, but its only for team morale. We honor you for spending so much time with the cheerleaders traveling from place to place and never once thinking "Man...I really like her...NOTICE ME!!!!"
Ban Cheerleaders...period.
"Mamma's, don't let your babies grow up to be cheerleaders,
Don't let 'em shake pompoms and do handstands..

Hooliganism Strikes US

I read this story a few days ago. It was only a matter of time. West Ham fans start a rumble with Americans. Sad part...West Ham? When have they had anything to be proud of? It's like being proud of being from Turkey Spur, WV. They are a joke. The fact the English tried to start a rumble with Americans is them trying to get payback for the Revolutionary War.

Anyway, hooliganism has been in America, just not around pro soccer. Even at children's soccer matches, you have rumbling parents. Detroit Piston fans showed us hooliganism when Ron Artest went nuclear on fans after they threw stuff at him. Chicago had riots after winning championships. My beloved Philadelphia had a jail and judge in Veterans Stadium specifically for rowdy fans. There are fights in Jersey with Flyer and Devil fans. This is OLD NEWS. The only reason this story gets attention is that it is a soccer match and a large number of people. Soccer gets a rep over hooliganism, yet wake up America...we have our own skeletons. Stop blaming soccer for something that happens at NFL games every week.

Update 7.22.08

-School is three weeks away. I'm excited??? I hated school for 16 years of my life and now I can't wait to get going. Help....me.....
-Still reeling over Batman. I will probably see it again on Tuesday. Heath Ledger gets a thumbs up from me.
-Eagles training camp begins today....YES! GO GREEN!
-McCain and Obama will be having a forum at Saddleback church in CA next month. And Warren takes another step towards taking Falwell's mantle into politics. Sad thing is he is more centrist. Not crazy about that...not that I have a candidate in the race.
-McCain has already turned into the reactionist. Everything Obama does, he attacks. To me, sounds like he knows he's probably going to lose this things already and he's not moving ahead.
-Started my Hebrew studies. I hope I do well because I really want to learn this language.
-I have started counting down to Christmas. I will be hitting NYC with the sister and bro-in-law sometime before it. There is nothing better!
-Three Starbucks are closing in Willow Grove, PA including the two I spent a LOT of time at. I am really saddened by this. Thanks goodness none in Lynchburg are closing.

The Dark Knight Movie Review

Wow. You know a movie is good when I get home at 3:30AM and want to write about it before bed.

There is a lot of hype over the movie mainly due to the performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker and his untimely death in real life. It is truly a shame because he did an amazing job! Jack Nicholson was a goofy psychotic Joker. Ledger is psychotic and evil. He is what the Joker was meant to be, not the cartoon that Nicholson was. His character is extremely dark and disturbed, yet very intelligent. Ledger has to be in contention for an Oscar.

The story of the movie is very good. The action was great. The character development very good as well. I didn't like the fact they crammed two bad guys into one movie nor did I care for the unbelievability of the drastic and immediate turn of Two-Face. However, As with Batman Begins, this movie is more believable than the crap Michael Keaton and them put out in the 90's. These are the Batman movies that should have been made.

I REALLY enjoyed this movie and would go see it again. That hasn't happened since Gladiator. The sad part is Ledger can't come back and do another flick as the Joker. He stole the show from Bale and company.

7 Reasons Americans Will Never Embrace Soccer

Stunning and very true. It's a shame America doesn't have to attention span to appreciate a great sport.

read more | digg story

Despair.com Thought Of The Day

RIP: The Spectrum

The home of the last championship in Philadelphia is set to be leveled in 2009. The Spectrum...a classic Philly icon...is going to be closed after the 2009 season. This is a very sad day! I remember the first time I got to visit the Spectrum and spent more time walking around in it looking at all the nostalgia from the Flyers and Sixers championships than I did the game I was there to see. Dr. J, Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent...all of them dwelled there. First the Vet. Now the Spectrum. I hate this.

OC NJ Moments of Greatness

• After my sister waited all week to buy a funnel cake, the night finally arrived. She bought it, turned around, took 2 steps, and a seagull attacked it and knocked it on the ground. Without a doubt one of the coolest and funniest things I have EVER seen
• My golf game left off where it was...really bad...but I love playing. I was on pace to par the 7th until I got to hot with my wedge which lobbed it over the green and somewhere in the woods.
• Nothing says authentic Italian than walking into a restaurant and seeing an Italian cook slouched in a booth wearing a sweat stained T-shirt.
• Nothing like dressing the same way as every member of your fam and walking on the beach while people stare at you like you're weird. What could be better? How about flesh eating sand flies?
• My nephew is pretty much like Maggie Simpson: doesn't say any words and falls every fourth step
• While standing in the hat store, a young boy walked in front of me to his dad and said, "Dad, what team is better than the Eagles?" Both me and his dad looked at him with a stunned look like he had sworn. We both said, "There is no team better than the Eagles." A great bonding moment with a fellow Eagle fan.
• Hoagies and cheesesteaks...enough said. Playing on the vacation spot of Philly...priceless.
• Did I mention my sister and the funnel cake???

The Philly Fan Bitterness Quotient

Great article though I didn't like the authors assumption that we are the problem. Moron. The questions:

Ryan Howard is:
a) A player in the midst of making history.
b) A great force, even with the strikeouts.
c) The worst first baseman you've ever seen.
*d) Destined to flame out and fail.

Rafael Nadal's five-set victory over Roger Federer in the Wimbledon men's final was:
a) Sport at its finest.
b) Diminished by the rain delays.
c) In desperate need of an American.
*d) A freakin' tennis match.

Andy Reid is:
a) The best coach in Eagles modern history.
*b) Dull by design, stubborn beyond reason.
c) A lousy general manager.
d) Way past his sell-by date and should be fired.

Andre Iguodala is:
a) Worth an enormous new contract.
*b) A jump shot short of greatness.
c) A second banana on a good team.
d) A third banana on a great team.

Phillies ownership is:
a) Spending at the level of its income.
b) Invisible.
*c) Cheap.
d) Laughing at you.

Jeffrey Lurie and Joe Banner are:
a) Doing everything they can to win.
*b) Sitting on a billion, thanks to you.
c) Hiding behind/too tolerant of Reid.
d) Laughing at you.

Ed Snider is:
a) Unquestionable in his desire to win.
b) Too diversified in his business interests.
*c) Living in the past.
d) Laughing at you.

The Tour de France is:
*a) Despite everything, still the hardest event in sports.
b) A pleasant enough hangover companion.
c) Dirty, discredited, done.
d) A freakin' bike race.

Golf without Tiger Woods is:
a) Still a great display of skill.
*b) Lacking.
c) Unwatchable.
d) Really, really unwatchable.

The Beijing Olympics will be:
a) The greatest, purest example of sport.
b) Flawed but still compelling.
c) Corrupt filth wrapped in the flag.
*d) An irritant during Eagles training camp.

Donovan McNabb is:
a) The greatest quarterback in modern Eagles history.
b) A good man and good soldier.
c) Inaccurate and inadequate.
*d) The guy who threw up at the Super Bowl.

The Phillies' current level of performance is:
a) Good - first place is first place.
*b) Feast, famine, flawed.
c) Barely acceptable in a lousy division.
d) A mirage.

A Phillies division title will be:
a) Another sign of a franchise hitting its stride.
b) Reason to celebrate.
c) The barely acceptable minimum.
*d) Prelude to a disaster.

An Eagles wild-card playoff berth will represent:
a) Another chance to win a title.
b) A disappointment.
*c) McNabb's swan song.
d) Reid's swan song.

Twenty-five years without a championship is:
a) A conversation piece, nothing more.
*b) A badge of honor for long-suffering fans.
c) A testament to lousy ownership.
*d) A freakin' disgrace

July 4th Thoughts

-RIP Jesse Helms. A great man passes again. Another one of the real conservatives is gone. Time for neo-conservatism to rise and take over for the old leaders. No need to change any positions, just time for a resurgance.
-Do cows run on gas? If not, then why do they keep driving prices for milk up?
-Powersource on MFuge next week. God be with them all!
-The Phillies are sputtering out of gas halfway into the season. Not good.
-Twilight Zone marathon on SciFi equals joy
-Vacation updates coming. Leave for OCNJ at 7AM tomorrow...woohoo!