378 Why make the Gospel so difficult?

"Franklin Johnson was a professor at the University of Chicago. His book, The Quotations of the New Testament From The Old – Considered in the Light of General Literature, is a valuable resource in discerning the manner in which the New Testament writers employed texts from the Old Testament in the propagation and defense of the gospel.

While reading this volume recently, I ran across a rather unusual statement. Not unusual on its merit, but unusual from the vantage point of issuing from a distinguished professor in a prestigious institution such as the University of Chicago. More than a century ago, Professor Johnson wrote:

"The New Testament was not written for a limited number of learned men; but for the great world, and for the churches gathered out of it, and thus for people of ordinary intelligence" (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1895, p. 19).

I was struck by the dramatic contrast between this statement, and the rarified stratum in which many "scholars" currently operate, speaking in "unknown tongues" of technical jargon that virtually none, outside the cult of sacred intelligentsia, can decipher."

Full article here.

377 Dress up for Jesus

I've composed a hymn which can be sung to the same tune as Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus.

Dress up, dress up for Jesus, ye women of the cross
Pack up designer blue jeans, it will not be a loss.
From picnic unto ball game His army you can lead,
But please for Sunday meeting, let Christ be Lord indeed.

Dress up, dress up for Jesus, don't let me be alone;
Your flesh I'm tired of seeing, you cannot trust your own.
Put on a suit or dress, each piece put on with prayer;
When playground duty calls you, then let your jeans go there.

Dress up, dress up for Jesus, each fam'ly to its post
Go forth into the conflict, and shout with all the host
You will not look so casual, from head unto your toes
Let grace and taste and beauty, give strength to trend oppose.

Dress up, dress up for Jesus, the skirt need not be long,
But please a little coverage, will be this matron's song.
You think you look so humble, I see a sloppy mess,
You're with the King of Glory? Why should we have to guess?

hymns
Worship services
women's fashion
Columbus, OH

This is cross posted at my regular blog with the full explanation.

Upper Arlington Lutheran Church

is a suburban congregation with three campuses; the original site which is in Upper Arlington, 2300 Lytham Road, Upper Arlington, OH 43220; the building that opened in 2000 near the Mill Run shopping center, 3500 Mill Run Drive, Hilliard, OH 43026; and a very pretty older Lutheran church on Columbus' west side which we absorbed a few years ago so we could have an urban ministry, 12 South Terrace Avenue, Columbus, OH 43204. However, we have a phone listing problem. If you are looking for an ELCA congregation, I invite you. Call 614-451-3736, or visit our web site for a map.


I don't know why it takes me, who is not an employee, to figure this out. Just list the Lytham Road address with our ONE phone number, instead of listing no address at all. Giving the cutesy catch-titles or acronym with no address in the telephone white pages or yellow pages is not helpful, because who is going to be looking for those? So what if they show up at Lytham for one of the four Sunday morning services? Do we only get one chance? The Mill Run campus is visible for miles, both from the free way and the shopping center and the park. You'd have to be blind to miss it. Lytham is very difficult to find because it is tucked into a residential neighborhood.

Besides, it's the Lytham folks who are keeping the budget afloat. At least use our address.

Please, can't someone get this right?

ELCA
Columbus, OH
Lutheran
Upper Arlington Lutheran Church
UALC

Akron area Presbyterians revolt again "Mother Child and Womb" (Trinity)

The Akron Beacon reports that "The pastors of Stow Presbyterian and Hudson Presbyterian churches said the decision to break away from the denomination came after much prayer and deliberation.

"The denomination has been in turmoil for years," said the Rev. David Weyrick, pastor of Stow Presbyterian Church. "We're not going to spend any more time, energy, money and emotion on a dysfunctional organization. We're jumping off the Titanic and swimming on our own because it's going down." "

"The denomination's 2001 General Assemblyactually held a formal debate on whether Christ was Lord and the only way to salvation," Weyrick said. "There are those in the denomination who would deny the Lordship of Christ and view him merely as a moral teacher. We simply cannot agree to unscriptural interpretations."

The Rev. D. Wayne Bogue, pastor of the Hudson congregation, echoed Weyrick's sentiments.

Story Here.

HT Dunker Journal