Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Cardinal Hugo de Caro: Roman Catholic Cardinal who, in 1238, devised the system of dividing the books of the Bible into chapters.

Robert I. Estienne: (b. 1503, France – d. 1559; aka: Robertus Stephanus, Robert Stephens) Protestant printer and classical scholar who divided the New Testament into verses in 1551.

Prochorus: One of the first men elected as a deacon (Acts 6:5), to take care of the Greek-speaking widows and those Christians who lived in poverty in Jerusalem.

Sopatros: (aka: Sopater, Sosipater) A Berean Christian companion of Paul on his last journey from Corinth (Korinthos, Greece) to Jerusalem.  He is called Sosipater in Romans 16:21.

Francesca Xavier Cabrini: (b. 1850, Italy – d. 1917, aka: St. Frances Cabrini; Mother Cabrini)  She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and was the first American citizen canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.

What They Think of Us: Jesusween

Jesusween is intended to be a Christian alternative to Halloween.  As with the totally ludicrous Bibleman television series, Christians really do need to be more discriminating in what they support.  Some things seem to be almost designed to bring ridicule on the ἐκκλησία.  Almost every mention of this Jesusween "holiday" in print and on the internet has a sneering tone to it, as if what they really think of it is "jesus weenie."  In American slang usage a "weenie" is a person who is weak, ineffectual, silly, negligible, ridiculed, etc. Think of the PeeWee Herman character.

The unbelievers will heap on the ridicule and will not be above deliberately misquoting and twisting what has been said.  Time.com (Time Magazine) says:
"JesusWeen founder Pastor Paul Ade began replacing sugar with scripture in 2002. “All it took was putting a bible into every bag as they opened each bag with a smile,” declares the JesusWeen website, adding that it was “much easier than expected” to trick kids into thinking the Bible was a treat." (the bold text emphasis is mine. JFM)


What was actually said was: (from the Jesusween website )
"In 2002, Pastor Paul requested 300 copies of New Testament pocket size Bibles from the Bible Society to use for personal evangelism. A few days before Halloween, a word came to him to give out bibles to everyone knocking at his door expecting candy. On that day over 40 bibles were given out without him stepping out of his house. All it took was putting a bible into every bag as they opened each bag with a smile. It was much easier than expected and since then God kept on talking to Pastor Paul about how to help Gods people make use of the “Go Ye” instruction every October 31st and on major public holidays."

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/10/10/the-latest-christian-halloween-protest-jesusween/#ixzz1bur85WGu 

William Shakespeare and the Bible

William Shakespeare (b. 1564, England - d. 1616) is considered to have been the greatest English-language writer in history.  Portions of his writings have been translated into about 80 different languages with his complete works having translated into 30 languages.

The Bible has been translated into 2572 languages with more being added regularly.

I am not sure exactly what I think of this , but I believe that at least some of these translators are serious in their intent.  Klingon is a totally artificial language created for the alien Klingon race of the Star Trek television and movie series.

What They Think of Us: Woody Allen on the Sign He Wants from God

"If only God would give me some clear sign!  Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank." Woody Allen

Many people want God to be their personal magician or financier.  They want God for what He can give them.  Others want some sort of irrefutible sign.  I will believe if you show me plainly who you are.

God has already given us Himself.

Paul's Letter to the Laodiceans

Paul's letter to the Laodiceans is obviously a lost letter.

"And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea." Colossians 4:16


There have been numerous guesses (and that is all that they are) as to the identity of this letter.

It is a totally lost letter.

It is the book known as 1 Timothy.

http://www.godshew.org/PaulsEpistles.html 

It is the book known as Philemon   

http://columbusbiblechurch.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54:colossiand-416&catid=37:articles&Itemid=59 

http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVanswers/2003/2003-10-29.htm 

It is the book known as Ephesians

http://www.lookinguntojesus.net/20100808.htm 

http://www.onenesspentecostal.com/colossians.htm 

Some consider the sixth century letter mentioned on this web page to be the Letter to the Laodiceans, others insist that it is totally spurious.  No copy of this letter can be proven to have existed before 546 AD/CE, much later than any other biblical book.

http://reluctant-messenger.com/epistle-laodiceans.htm 

A Mormon perspective saying that the mention of this letter proves that the canon of Scripture is not closed.  The majority of Christians reject this as heretical.

http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/NewTestament/Colossians4.htm 

Extra-Biblical Evidences of Biblical Persons and/or Events: The Taylor Prism

The Taylor Prism (691 BC/BCE) s one of three red clay six-sided prisms, all inscribed with the same Akkadian inscription written in cuneiform characters.  The Taylor Prism is in the British Museum, while the two Sennacherib prisms are located in the Israel Museum (Jerusalem) and in the Oriental Institute of Chicago.

Sin-ahhi-eriba (the Biblical Sennacherib), was the son of Sargon II and ruled Assyria 705-681 BC/BCE.  The Taylor Prism and its two sisters present the king's version of the events related in 2 Kings 17:17;  2 Chronicles 32:9;  and the 33rd and 36th chapters of the book of Isaiah.  The event described is Sennacherib's attack on Jerusalem in 701 BC/BCE during the reign of King Hezekiah.  Sennacherib destroyed forty-six cities in Judah and deported 200,150 people.  King Hezekiah was forced to pay tribute (including several of his daughters) to the Assyrian monarch.  (Another extra-biblical mention of the event is in the writings of the historian Herodotus.)

The Taylor Prism was acquired by Colonel R. Taylor in 1830 in Baghdad after having been found earlier in the ruins of Ninevah, the ancient capital of Assyria.  Colonel Taylor's widow sold the prism to the British Museum in 1855.

To read more about the prisms, see these links:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/the_taylor_prism.aspx 

http://www.bible-history.com/empires/prism.html 

http://www.scholarofgod.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=78:sennacherib-prism&catid=40:biblical-archaeology&Itemid=57 

Threats to Iranian Christians

An excerpt from the Religion News Blog :

“Militants with suspected ties to Iranian security forces have threatened to kill nearly a dozen evangelical Christians who fled Iran unless they “repent” and return to Islam.

At least 11 Iranian Christians received electronic mail messages from ‘The Unknown Soldiers Of The Hidden Imam’ calling on them to either repent or face extra-judicial execution.”

The Hidden Imam“, also known as the 12th Imam, is a Messiah-figure in Shia Twelver theology and is viewed as the Great Allah.

He Did It Again!

Well, he did it again, but this time very few people listened.  Pastor Harold Camping at Family Radio International declared that the world would end on 21 May 2011 .  It did not happen. 

After recalibration, Pastor Camping issued a new date: 21 October, 2011.  Well.

There have been hundreds of attempts to set the end time date (some dates in the future are 2012, 2016, 2034, 2047, and 2060) even though we are specifically instructed not set dates!  Listen to what was said in 1844 after William Miller's failed predictions.  "The world made merry over the old Prophet's predicament. The taunts and jeers of the 'scoffers' were well-nigh unbearable."

Hello, Lesotho!

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A Christian Skateboarding Ministry

These young men are proof that any Christian can and should share Jesus with anyone at any time anywhere.  Begin with the people you know in the place where you are.

Christian Skateboard ministry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8n_ACTuXHs&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgarBzSgUio&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAcTPPdrPKs 

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

The Arrangement of the Books of the New Testament

The order of books in the modern Bible shared by Protestants and Catholics has the Gospels first (plus Acts, written by Luke), followed by the letters of Paul (listed by descending length of the text), then books written by others (Hebrews, 1 and 2 Peter, 1,2,and 3 John, etc), capped at the end by the Book of Revelation.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

This is a convenient arrangement, and really, the arrangement has always been artificial.  The scholars who made the list collected all the known books and letters used by the Christian ἐκκλησία, rejected some, and set the order that we still use.  They did not have the benefit of 2000 years of discussion and study about the internal evidences used to deduce the dates.  Also, their main concern was about which books should be included and which should not.

The probable order in which the books and letters were written is different from the listing above.  The list below is by the probable dates of composition of the works.

Galatians               49

1 Thessalonians    51

2 Thessalonians    51

Philippians            55

1 Corinthians        55

2 Corinthians        56

Romans                57

Ephesians             58-59

Luke                     ca 58-67

Colossians            60-62

Philemon              60-62

Acts                      60-64

Mark                     62-70.

James                    62

1 Peter                  64-95

1 Timothy            65

Hebrews              65

2 Timothy            66

Titus                    66

Matthew              before 70

Jude                     80

Revelation           81-96

1 John                 90

2 John                 90

3 John                 90

John                    90-100

2 Peter                100-125

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Hello, Saint Kitts and Nevis!  Welcome to the group of readers from ninety-seven other countries who also visit this blog.  I hope you find some of the posts useful or meaningful.

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Chapter and Verse

Early Christians remembered the Bible by the first few words of a passage or by the name of the book or letter.  They knew their Bibles very well, with many memorizing large portions.

To facilitate the ease of study of the Bible, the system of the division of the text into chapters was devised in 1238 by Cardinal Hugo de Caro.   The numbering of the text within the chapters into verses was introduced in 1551 by a Protestant, Robert I. Estienne, who was a printer and classical scholar.

Hurricane Katrina Survivor

Francesca (Frances) Xavier Cabrini (b. 1850, Italy -d. 1917), "the Patroness of Immigrants," was the first American citizen canonized (1946) as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.  She was the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and founded schools, orphanages,  and other institutions in numerous locations in the United States.

The statue of St. Frances seen above is housed in her bedroom on the grounds of Cabrini High School for Girls in New Orleans, Louisiana (USA).  Her Sacred Heart Chapel is also located at the school, which was founded in 1892 as a children's orphanage.

The statue, banged up and missing much of its paint, survived Hurricane Katrina on the porch of a house on Hillary Street in New Orleans.

The Butterfly

The Butterfly is seen by many Christians as a symbolic representation of the Resurrection (of both Jesus and of the individual believer) and can also be seen as representative of the conversion of an unbeliever.  The caterpillar can be seen as representing the daily life of man, busy eating and living, hanging closely onto a stick.  The chrysalis would represent death, wrapped in linen and enclosed in a tomb.  The butterfly would represent the rebirth as a totally new and beautiful being, able to fly away unbound by the concerns of the former life.


Butterflies are not specifically mentioned in the Bible.  Symbolism such as this is, of course, indirect, like a reflection in a mirror of an image reflected from another mirror.


"So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:   It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:   It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. " 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

24 Hour Christian Internet Radio

www.Christianrock.net is a listener supported 24 hour internet radio station.  It features Christian music in four formats: Rock, Hard Rock (they really mean it), Hip Hop, and Praise Music.  The station is registered as a Christian non-profit ministry and donations are tax-deductible in the United States.

The station supports Windows, Mac, iPhone, Droid, and Blackberry devices.  There are numerous listening formats: high speed internet, low speed internet, iTunes, VLC players, WINAmp, Windows Media Player, xiialive, flycast, and four iPhone applications.

Book Comment: Will I See My Dog in Heaven?

Father Jack Wintz is a Franciscan and, so, he is in the tradition of the respect for animals expressed by St. Francis of Assisi.  Wintz's book, Will I See My Dog in Heaven? God's Saving Love for the Whole family of Creation examines the question.

I am not convinced of the effectiveness or necessity of rituals such as the "Blessing of the Animals" as is practiced in some religious traditions, but these rituals are certainly not harmful or unbiblical.  It seems to me to be more for the humans than for the animals, since the animals are incapable of understanding what is being done for them.  They do understand the kindness and love with which they are treated.

One question which Father Wintz asks is "...does God's plan of salvation include only humans, or does it include animals too?  In even broader terms, does God intend the whole created world to be saved?"

Yes.

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Colossians 1:20

 

Book Comment: Christianity on the Offense (Part 2)

This is a continuation of my comments on the book, Christianity on the Offense: Responding to the Beliefs and Assumptions of Spiritual Seekers (1998), by Dan Story.  


Story calls on Christians to challenge and examine their own world view presuppositions and also those of others and to think logically and clearly about what they believe and why they believe it.  He presents and explains the use of tools to carry out this examination.  He shows "that the majority of the arguments hurled against Christianity are relatively easy to respond to" by the use of these tools to examine the unprovable and unsupportable presuppositions of those challenging Christianity.   He also correctly states that "Secular humanism has usurped Christianity as the guiding social force in Western culture," and he identifies the most dangerous of the new world views. 


Taking the world views in the order of their appearance, Story uses the same set of questions to examine each.  Each of these philosophies has millions of adherents and each has affected modern Christianity as we know it.


Pantheism: Everything is God.  Each person is innately divine and, ultimately, everything is absorbed into the one reality.
Christianity:  God is personal and Truth is absolute.  This absolute truth can be known and understood.  Reality is ultimately rational.  "Christianity encourages people to confirm its truth-claims. (Acts 17: 11)
Naturalism: There is no God, there is only nature and natural laws.  Reality is what we can see, feel, taste, hear, and measure.  All of reality can potentially be measured and understood.
Secular Humanism: This is the prevailing world view in modern Western society.  It began as the rationalism of the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries.  Man is God and is the ultimate measure of what is true.  Humans are of ultimate value.  The human mind is potentially the master of all reality.
Postmodernism: This is the newest and the most rapidly growing of the modern world views challenging the Christian ἐκκλησία, and potentially the most dangerous.  Postmodernism rejects human reason and logic as a source of truth because it declares that there is no absolute truth.  Since there is no absolute truth, ethics are relative, all religions are equally true, and personal experience is more important than any external authority.  There is no ultimate basis for proven knowledge of any kind.  Modern  Western culture is seen as repressive to the individual.  There is a deep distrust of reason and logic; truth is subjective, pluralistic, and collectivist, and is not reachable by reason.  Your truth may not be my truth.

Story correctly points out that the postmodernist philosophy leads to chaos on may levels.  Since chaos is quite uncomfortable, it can eventually lead to the imposition of authoritarian measures to restore order.  If there is no standard on which to base judgement, how is it possible to oppose the Hitlers of the world?

Book Comment: Christianity on the Offense (Part 1)

I very strongly recommend that you read Christianity on the Offense: Responding to the Beliefs and Assumptions of Spiritual Seekers (1998), by Dan Story.  Story discusses the underlying presuppositions of several modern world views,presenting their strengths and weaknesses, their intellectual consistency or lack of it, and presents strategies to use in evaluating the truth claims of of each worldview.  This is a powerful book of Christian apologetics which shows us clearly that we do not have to back down from our Christian truth claims.  It also takes a novel, highly aggressive approach to the inadequacies and logical inconsistencies of non-Christian and non-orthodox Christian world views.  Here is a link where you can find the book.


Story examines traditional orthodox Christianity and shows how it stands up under historical, scientific, and legal scrutiny.  "People who claim that they are being open-minded by accepting all religions as gateways to truth are actually being empty-headed. ... If we are to make heads-or-tails out of reality and if religious truth is to be known at all, we must adhere to the rudimentary rules of logic that govern all other areas of knowledge."

Did you realize that the strongest legal evidence is eyewitness testimony?  Paul understood this.  Mosaic law said that two witnesses were needed to prove a point as true.

“At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.”  Deuteronomy 17:6

Paul says that over five hundred people saw Jesus after His resurrection and that most of them were still alive at the time he wrote 1 Corinthians.  What he was saying was, "If you don't believe me, ask them!"

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  and that he appeared to Peter,  and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”  1 Corinthians 15:3-8

 After demonstrating that the Christian truth claims are internally consistent, logically consistent, consistent with reality, and based on provable facts,  Story examines several of the major world views, each held by millions of people and each having affected the modern Christian Church, the ἐκκλησία,  sometimes positively and sometimes negatively.  

Bible Printer's Errors: The Lions Bible

The Lions Bible (1804) is a King James Version which was either not proofread at all or the errors were ignored because they would be expensive to correct.  There were multiple variant readings, including the three below. 

What it said:

“Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put together.” Numbers 35:18

What it should have said:

“Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.” Numbers 35:18

What it said:

“For the flesh lusteth after the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”  Galatians 5:17

What it should have said:

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17

And the error for which this Bible edition is named.

What it said:

“Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy lions, he shall build the house unto my name.” 1Kings 8:19

What it should have said:

“Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.” 1Kings 8:19

Christian Optimism

"the Christian optimism is based on the fact that we do not fit in to the world." G. K. Chesterton

Jesus: Child Genius

Child geniuses or prodigies are children who exhibit, often at extremely young ages, abilities equal to or surpassing those of adults.  Surprisingly, there are many thousands of these children.  Here are a few of them:

Jackie Evancho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKhmFSV-XB0 (child operatic singer)

Kaitlyn Maher (4 year old singer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwAbtizFCzo&feature=related

Dhannat Plewtianyingthawee (4 year old painter/violinist)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3bW9P5Z6sI&feature=related

Matthew Brown  (4 year old drummer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98ZMDnuMeEI&feature=related

Brianna Kahane  (6 year old violinist)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fXufBMkrEg&feature=related

Emily Bear (6 year old pianist)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUx4t4W4eVY&feature=related

Marko Celasari (computer genius)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMHjf9Z7GKE

Adora Svitak (10 year old author)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lowYW2HlMZc&feature=related

Lady Xeona  (preschooler who can write in cursive)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkQiA_aZkEg&feature=relmfu

Moshe Kai (admitted to college at the age of 8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPXZgWlpfwE&feature=related

Lim Ding Wen (computer and iPhone programmer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8G4o_9Ojks&feature=related

Akiane Kramarik  (child painter, poet)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzKz3RuZXU0&feature=related

Gregory Smith (nominated for a Nobel Peace prize)

http://www.hiphopmusic.com/best_of_youtube/2010/01/child_prodigy_gregory_smith_photo.html 

Willie Mosconi (professional pool player at age 6)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=55267 

Wolfgang Mozart (concert pianist and symphonic composer at the age of 4)

http://www.8notes.com/biographies/mozart.asp

John Stuart Mill (read Greek and Latin before the age of 5)

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mill/

Added to the list the next day, amazing!  A three year old Korean violinist playing Vivaldi!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C01QUSEONOg&feature=related 

And a warning:

William James Sidis (IQ estimated at 250-300)

http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi969.htm

Jesus of Nazareth was such a child and his abilities were just as shocking as those of the children above.  As the son and apprentice of a carpenter in Nazareth he would have had little opportunity for advanced study of the scriptures, yet, at the age of twelve, he amazed the scholars in the Jerusalem synagogue.

"Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.   And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.   And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.   But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.   And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.   And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.   And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.   And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.   And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?   And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.   And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."  Luke 2:41-52

Welcome to the Old Geezer!

Welcome to The Old Geezer !  Check out his Christian topics tag at the bottom of his main page.  In his post on the Resurrection he has an important insight.  "It demonstrated that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf."

Definition: Megachurch

A megachurch is usually defined as having 2000 or more people in attendance for services each week.  More than 1300 churches in the United States fit this description.  About fifty of these churches have weekly attendance in the range of 10000 to 47000.  Since the megachurch is usually considered to be a Protestant phenomenon, Roman Catholic churches are not usually defined as megachurches though about 3000 US Catholic churches have more than 2000 members.  Five of the largest churches in the world are in South Korea, the only Asian country to be predominantly Christian.  The Yoido Full Gospel Church, a Pentecostal church in Seoul has 830000 members.

Probably the earliest megachurch (19^th Century) was the Baptist Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, led by Charles Spurgeon.

A list of some of the megachurches in the United States follows.  Some are controversial for various reasons.  Inclusion in this list does not indicate that I endorse their policies or doctrines.  Occasionally, the megachurches are accused of being personality cults centered around their founder or current pastor.

Some of the megachurches are criticized as being “big box churches” in which individuals do not matter.  Many are accused of being more interested in entertaining their members than in preaching the Gospel.  Critics also decry the fact that many megachuches are operated along secular business models.

Lakewood Church, in Houston, Texas, is pastored by Joel Osteen.

LifeChurch.tv, in Edmund, Oklahoma, is pastored by Craig Groeschel.

North Point Community Church, in Alpharetta, Georgia, is pastored by Andy Stanley.

Willow Creek Community Church, in South Barrington, Illinois, is pastored by Bill Hybels.

Second Baptist Church, in Houston, Texas, is pastored by Ed Young. 

Fellowship Church, in Grapevine, Texas, is pastored by Ed Young, the son of the pastor mentioned above.

Saddleback Church, in Lake Forest, California, is pastored by Rick Warren.

Southeast Christian Church, in Louisville, Kentucky, is pastored by Dave Stone.

Woodlands Church, in Woodlands, Texas, is pastored by Kerry Shook.

 Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is pastored by Bob Coy.

Jogging With Michael Jr.

Christian comedian Michael Jr. talks about one day when he went jogging.




For those who don't know, the title "A Brother Jogging," is a pun. Fellow Christians are Brothers and Sisters. In American slang usage, a "brother" is a black man.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Trophimus: A Gentile traveling companion of Paul.  In Jerusalem, the local Jews thought that Paul had allowed Trophimus to enter the Temple. (Acts 21:29)  Paul left him behind to  recuperate in Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20) after he became ill.  The ruins of Miletus are found at Milet, Tukey.

Craig Groeschel: (b. 1967, Texas, USA) Pastor, writer, founder of LifeChurch.tv, a Christian church with fourteen locations in five US states.  LifeChurch.tv is based in Edmund, Oklahoma (USA).

Perfectus: (b. Spain – d. 850, aka: Saint Perfectus, Santo Perfecto)  Roman catholic monk and ordained priest in Moorish Cordoba.  When asked, under promise of non-repisal, who was greater, Jesus or Muhammad, he replied in Arabic that Muhammad was a false prophet.  Other men, who had not promised protection to Perfectus, captured him and he was beheaded by the order of an Islamic court.

Wigstan: (d. 849, Mercia, a part of modern great Britain, aka: Wistan, Saint Wystan) Wigstan was a grandson of King Ceolwulf I of Mercia and was probably the ealdorman of the Hwicce tribe.

John Eliot: (b. 1604, England – d. 1690, aka: “the Indian Apostle”)  Puritan missionary to the native Americans in Massachusetts.  Eliot translated the Bible into the local Native American language (Massachusett) and published it in 1663.  He also wrote and published a Massachusett grammar in 1666.  He was the co-editor of the Bay Psalm Book, the first book published in the British North American colonies.

The Truth of Christianity

"It is the reliability of the Bible that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. ...  The same methods of historical investigation used to determine the authenticity of any ancient document can be applied to the Bible. ... In every area in which it can be checked out, the Bible is proven to be totally reliable.  If its verifiable contents are proven to be accurate and reliable, it is logical to assume that its subjective truth-claims (ie., its spiritual contents) are equally trustworthy.  There is no logical reason to reject this.  The key here is that the Bible's subjective truths do not attempt to stand alone.  They rest squarely and firmly on a foundation of verifiable facts." Dan Story, Christian apologist