Some "Unceasing Worship" Thoughts

I thought it might help me get back into a blogging mood if I regularly shared some of what I'm reading. Right now I'm reading Harold Best's "Unceasing Worship", which I would highly recommend. Here's a quote worth chewing on from Chapter 1, which has the provocotive title "Nobody Does Not Worship":

"We begin with one fundamental fact about worship: at this very moment, and for as long as the world endures, everybody inhabiting it is bowing down and serving something or someone - an artifact, a person, an institution, an idea, a spirit, or God through Christ. Everyone is being shaped thereby and is growing up toward some measure of fullnesss, whether of righteousness or evil. No one is exempt and no one can wish to be. We are, every one of us, unceasing worshipers and will remain so forever, for eternity is an infinite extrapolation of one of two conditions: a surrender to the sinfulness of sin unto infinite loss or the commitment of personal righteousness unto infinite gain. This is the central fact of our existence, and it drives every other fact. Within it lies the story of creation, fall, redemption and new creation or final loss."

50 Top-Selling Christian Authors

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association has a list of the 50 bestselling Christian authors. (At least that's what they call it; I counted only 48. Go figure.) You may or may not recognize many of the names. I don't have the time or energy to say much about it. It appears to be very thin on theology and heavy on 'self-help'.

Doing GTD & Praying for Allen

David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" has helped me a lot. I keep his workflow diagram on my desk all the time. He has sold well over half a million copies of the book and there are a bunch of websites devoted to helping people put it into practice. His devotees have practically made 'GTD' into a word that will appear in the dictionary someday! However, I had no idea that Allen is a minister at the Purple Rose Ashram of the New Age. Yes, you read that correctly. "Wired" magazine has an article/interview with Allen that is quite eye opening.
Getting Things Done Guru David Allen and His Cult of Hyperefficiency

Seals, Activists & Baptism!

This amazing baptism story was told by Mark Driscoll over at The Resurgence. I know it's a little long for some attention spans, but it's really too good to pass up. Lord, please give us more great baptism and salvation stories!

Friday we had our annual summer baptismalooza. This year we had the craziest thing happen. Our crew showed up at Alki beach where Seattle was founded in 1851 to set up sound, light, and video. But, there was a baby seal that had been left on the beach by his mom. So, the baby seal sat there for many hours on the sand in the EXACT place that we were supposed to set up for our big baptism. Next thing you know the media was out covering our dilemma, animal rights activists were showing up, and according to federal law a large perimeter was set up around the seal to ensure no one got close to it. So, our set up crew prayed for a bit that the seal would leave, and when it did not they moved a few hundred yards down the beach and worked frantically to get things ready in time. To make matters worse, there was a volume limit that was to be imposed upon us during our worship set because apparently cute baby seals are also sensitive to loud noises and worship bands. But, just as we were getting ready to sound check, the baby seal went back in the water and swam back to his mom. This allowed us to have our event as planned. And, the Sovereign Seal brought a lot of media attention to our baptism which stuck around to cover the event on everything from newspapers to television and radio. The night was amazing as we had roughly 3000 people out in the park, and baptized over 220 people (we lost count) that included some folks who gave their life to Jesus on the spot.

The Voice of the Martyrs

I would encourage you to go to The Voice of the Martyrs site and sign up for their weekly e-mail updates. If you are anything like me, sometimes you need a bit of an eye-opener. This morning's e-mail once again lent me some perspective to my own life and some reality to the prayers I pray. Here's just a little excerpt from today's prayer alert for a pastor in China, who can no longer walk on his own and will likely die in prison if he is not released soon:

"He still has four years remaining of the seven-and-a-half year sentence he received after his arrest in 2004. He already had previously spent 12 years in prison for his faith during five separate detentions. He experienced harsh torture, including electric shock, during his previous prison terms. Pray for Pastor Zhang's healing and for his release from prison. Pray the Holy Spirit will encourage him and that his testimony will draw nonbelievers into the knowledge of Christ."

Don't Stare at the Sun

Lately I've found my self singing Mute Math's "Stare at the Sun".

Then yesterday morning I was reading Job in "The Message" and came across Job 37:21-22, which is about staring at the sun and God's splendor. "The Message" describes God's "golden splendor" as His "terrible beauty". That's an awesome description of God.

Then today's Astronomy Picture of the Day has us staring at a hole in the sun.

John Piper's Message at His Grandaughter's Funeral

I really appreciate his ability to grieve not just for himself, but through the grief of others.

What I Said at My Granddaughter’s Funeral :: Desiring God