What do you think after seeing this?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/23338456#23338456

MORE LINKS ON THIS STORY:

http://pewforum.org/about/inthenews/

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/survey-finds-religious-landscape-in-flux/20080225170509990001

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-02-25-survey_N.htm

http://neilwestbrook.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/big-news-about-faith-in-america/

Do you know someone who isn’t saved?

Better yet, do you know of a people group that hasn’t even been engaged with the Gospel?

This will be the first of many videos and posts that will be related to the church considering the important task of reaching every tribe and language and people and nation, fulfilling the declaration in Revelation 5:9:

“…with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

How are you currently reaching these 4 groups?

More Links on Jim Caviezel and The Passion of The Christ

The Passion of the Christ

Jim Cavieze’s Website

Al Mohler and R.C. Sprohl on “Seeker Sensitive Movement”:

John Piper on “Is God Better than Sex”:

Mark Driscoll on “The Emerging Church”:

If any of the 100 million people that watched the Super Bowl are out there, you know about “The Play” in the last minute of the Super Bowl, where Eli Manning eluded tacklers and threw a long pass to a covered David Tyree. Tyree somehow caught the ball behind his head as Rodney Harrison tried to push it out of his hands. This led to the Giants win, and the catch is now considered one of the greatest in Super Bowl History.

What’s even more fantastic than the catch is that David Tyree gives the credit to God for his catch and mentions the Power of Jesus Christ that transformed his life from drugs and alcohol. I also learned from Charisma Magazine that someone had prophecied to David Tyree about the catch below:

“Daniels told Tyree that the Lord would “quicken” his feet and give him “hind’s feet” which she later explained to him were like the feet of a kangaroo. She also told him that he would have “spiritual glue” on his hands and would make “the big play.” Daniels’ husband prophesied that the sports world would no longer know him as just a special teams player but as, “David Tyree, the receiver.””

Check out the video of David Tyree on Jim Rome and ESPN last week, in addition to Eli Manning’s reaction to the catch. David Tyree credits God for both the play and catch and mentions Christ changing his life (at 5 min into the first video with Jim Rome).

I believe in the power of God and I hope this encourages you to see that God is Alive today and working in big and small ways. See for yourself…

David Tyree on Jim Rome
 

Tyree Reflects on His Super Bowl Performance

Eli Manning talks about the catch David Tyree made here:

We may have missed a grand opportunity in Hollywood, but I’m not giving up yet. As I read about the writers strike, Heath Ledger’s death, and the Britney Spears saga, I see so many opportunities for followers of Jesus to love on the writers, to care for those in pain over Heath Ledger’s death, and to minister to Britney Spears with her struggles.If the writers strike goes on, we may be frustrated that there aren’t more episodes of The Office and that 24 and Kiefer Sutherland has been delayed until who knows when, but we could turn our sorrow into an opportunity to bless the writers of these shows by making and brining them food on the picket lines, and even asking what some of their needs are. This could change how they view Christians! For more info on the writers strike and where they’re striking, check out http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/

When Heath Ledger’s death was first reported on MSNBC.com, I couldn’t believe it. Heath Ledger was only 28! And, as I turn 30 this month, I can grasp how young that is, and at such a time when he was achieving so much success. Heath had just finished making The Dark Knight -the Batman sequel with Christian Bale - that I have been totally stoked on since seeing the preview with Heath’s role as The Joker. How do we respond to such tragedy as followers of Jesus? I don’t believe we stay silent. No, I think we take action and love on those who are mourning and ask how we could help them get through their grieving. And, then we share hope for the future, hope in Jesus and that He has defeated death on the Cross.

As sites like TMZ.com and PerezHilton.com release new videos and pictures of Britney Spears, and news media outlets broadcast the latest in her custody battle and supposed meltdown, I ask myself how I could shine the light of Jesus on this saga. Once again, I don’t think we stay silent on this issue. Today I was reading in Psalm 96:

“2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”

This reminds me that in all things, places, times, circumstances, we need to tell, declare, share about our Savior Jesus. So, as I’m reading about how they are putting Britney Spears in a Psychiatric hospital, I want to declare to her and the world around her that Jesus wants to heal her, Jesus wants to set her free from anything in her life just like Jesus has done for me. I believe that there could be demonic spirits causing these things in her life, and since Jesus set many people free from demonic possession in the Gospels, I believe that Jesus could do that for Britney Spears or anyone else in Hollywood that wants to be set free from these demonic influences.

We haven’t even scratched the surface of Hollywood - Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Justin Timberlake - and the many opportunities that we have to shine the beauty of Jesus Christ to these people that God cares as deeply about as the homeless or prostitute on Hollywood Blvd! And, with the Oscars coming up on Feb. 24, there are many ways to reach out to Hollywood like never before…Think and Pray for God to give us opportunities.

Will you join me in shining the light of Jesus to Hollywood? What would you do to reach Hollywood? Has God put someone or someplace on your heart to pray for or reach?
Breaking News on death of Heath Ledger

I have to share a cool video blog I found from Francis Chan. He recorded some behind the scenes interviews with Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman that are just priceless.

I was hoping that Francis would have a section on his blog where people could leave comments, but for some reason he has disabled this feature. Francis, if you are reading this, we would love to be able to interact with you on your blog and leave comments!!!! Please enable comments!

Anyway, here is Mr. Chan’s video blog:
http://www.francischansblog.blogspot.com/

Francis Chan Message:
http://intheclearing.blogspot.com/2008/02/message-monday.html

Children of the Night looks at the serious issue of human trafficking that occurs around the world. Take a look at the short video here:
http://current.com/items/88816505_children_of_the_night

As followers of Jesus, we should take this very seriously…Jesus’ heart was to set captives free and if our heart does not break for these children and young people in sex slavery, we need to reexamine if our hearts are surrendered to Jesus as Lord.

FAITH in Jesus without works is DEAD.

What are you doing to help with the sex slavery and human trafficking issue? How could we do more to bring Jesus’ light into the darkness?

Link: Rick Warren on Comedy CentralIn addition, Brannon Howse, the Founder of CWN, has a radio show that looks more in depth at Rick Warren and his beliefs/methods. Here is the latest radio program taking a look at the Topic: “Are Christians that oppose the emergent church, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen and others being unloving and unchrist like? What is the price of unity? Can we get along and go along with those that are contrary to Biblical truth? Are we required to call someone before we publicly talk about what they have publicly written and said? “http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/radio-show-episode.php?EpisodeID=4362

I also encourage you to check out Lighthouse Trails Research, which has a large resource of information on false doctrine from popular “christian leaders”:

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?s=rick+warren
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/peaceplan.htm

A group of 138 Muslim Clerics originally wrote back in October “A Common Word Between Us and You” to foster conversation between Christian and Muslims about “Loving God and Loving People”. In Response to this document, over 300 Christian Scholars, Pastors, Missions Leaders, and Organizations published their own document through the Yale Center for Faith and Culture to outline some of this Common Ground. These names include:

Bill Hybels, Tony Jones, Brian McLaren, Joseph Cumming, Robert Schuller, John Stott, Rick Warren, and Fuller Theological Seminary, to name a few.

John Piper Response to Christian Document

A few months after this original document, “A Common Word Between Us and You”, John Piper has released a video response to this Christian document on his Blog, DesiringGod.org/Blog, expressing both disappointment and surprise over it:

“I just want to register publicly a disappointment with this document, in fact a profound disappointment with the way that it is worded and surprised that some of the people that signed it, some of my friends who signed it, who i would have thought would be more careful in what they lend their support to because what’s missing from this document is a clear statement about what Christianity really is and how we could come together to talk with muslims from our unique, distinctive, biblical standpoint.” - John Piper, DesiringGod.org

More Links about “A Common Word Between Us and You”

MUSLIM Introduction to “A Common Word Between Us and You”:
http://Acommonword.com

CHRISTIAN Response to “A Common Word Between Us and You”: http://www.yale.edu/faith/abou-commonword.htm
http://www.acommonword.com/lib/downloads/fullpageadbold18.pdf

JOHN PIPER Video Blog Response to Christian Response:
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1032_a_common_word_between_us/

JUSTIN TAYLOR Blog Response to John Piper Video:
http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/01/piper-on-common-word-and-response.html

ISLAMIC MAGAZINE Article about “A Common Word…”:
http://www.islamicamagazine.com/Common-Word/A-Common-Word.html

CHRISTIANITY TODAY Response to “A Common Word…”:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/octoberweb-only/143-42.0.html