Sermon Text: 1 Corinthian 15:12-19

After a 2 week break from preaching, I am back behind the pulpit this Sunday. We will pick up where we left off, looking at 1 Corinthians 15

1Cor. 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Cor. 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
1Cor. 15:14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
1Cor. 15:15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
1Cor. 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
1Cor. 15:17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
1Cor. 15:18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1Cor. 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

On the Political Front....

I promised to keep folks updated, and I have not been doing a good job.

A couple weeks ago I went into my office to use the copier and my building was all blocked off and a Fox News Satellite truck outside. I was in a hurry so I did not stick around, but not long after I left Hillary Clinton stopped by, and had coffee in the coffee shop in my building.

Since then there has been a steady stream of candidates, with Clinton spending the most time up here over any other candidate. New Hampshire is a certainly a place to see all the political faces.

The local NH TV station keeps track of the candidates and there appearances. WMUR's political page has everything you want to know about when and where you can meet a candidate.

I am sure before the primary is over, I will have and opportunity to meet a candidate.

Looks like a useful online resource

I am sure many of you use Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that is open to the public.

Many of you might not know that there is a theological encyclopedia, called Theopedia.

Looks like a good resource and I am just exploring it. I read an article on Jonathan Edwards, it was okay, not exceptional, but with some good links.

Let me know what you think.

Let's Go Racin! Pinewood Derby Style

A Day in Northampton

My wife likes to say from time to time that I am a nerd, and to a degree she is right.

Why would she say that?

Because it is true.

Yesterday I spend the day with a colleague looking at gravestones, old books and historic sites around Northampton, MA. For those of you who don't know, Northampton is know in religious circles as the hometown of Jonathan Edwards, one of the most famous American theologians of the 18th Century. I would not say I am a huge fan of Edwards, but I definitely respect him and admire his work and ministry. He served as a minister in Northampton for over 20 years and if you look closely today, you can find bits of evidence of his ministry in this city in Central MA.

The highlight yesterday was going through some old books in the Forbes Library, pictured above, and studying some original documents from Edwards. I held in my hand yesterday, a 2nd edition copy of Religious Affections written by Edwards from 1678. Very cool.

Yep, I am a nerd, but I am more than that, I am a church history nerd. And surprisingly, I am comfortable with that title.

Sermon text: Phillipians 4:8

I am taking a break from preaching for the rest of March, and I have two very capable individuals filling in. The first is Mr. Matt Oquist. He will be preaching on a very well know text from Philippians.

Philippians 4:8 (New International Version)

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Global Warming & the Church

It seems the hot topic (no pun intended, I assure you) of Global warming is causing quite a stir in one religious organization that may surprise you.

CNN reports that the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) there is a split amongst the leadership on this issue.

Click on this link to read the article.

So where do you find yourself on this issue?

It is also interesting to note that the NAE has also commented on torture and human rights. Check out there website for more info.

New addition to the blogroll

I was excited to here a good friend of mine from Tulsa, OK is joining the blogging world. John Thompson, a church planter has a lot of innovative ideas that I find very helpful as a fellow church planter.

Check out his blog when you get a chance!

Amazing Grace in Wilton, NH

As many of you know, there is a movie out that depicts the life of John Newton and William Wilberforce called "Amazing Grace". It seems like a good movie and worth taking the family to see as it also deals with the slave trade in the 17th Century.

So we are organizing a group gathering out at the famous Wilton Town Hall Theater in Wilton, NH this Saturday. For more info, contact me and we will give you the details. hope to see you there!

Boiling Water to Snow in NH

One of the wildest places on earth is the top of Mt Washington, NH. The highest recorded sustained winds in the world were recorded on top of Mt. Washington.

So because of our recent cold snap, some of the observers up on Mt Washington tried an experiment. They posted it on the web, click on the link to see the video of boiling water turning to snow in seconds.

Enjoy.

Sorry about the music, kind of annoying, but the video is interesting.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

We are starting a new series in preparation of Resurrection Sunday. Chapter 15 in First Corinthians is focused on the Doctrine of Resurrection. This Sunday we will begin by discussing the Resurrection of Christ.

1Cor. 15:1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
1Cor. 15:2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
1Cor. 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
1Cor. 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1Cor. 15:5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
1Cor. 15:6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
1Cor. 15:7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
1Cor. 15:8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
1Cor. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
1Cor. 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Ted Powers

We will have a special visitor in Nashua next week. Ted Powers will be stopping in Nashua to visit with the church and hear what is going on with Christ Presbyterian Church. Details will follow on a get together with Ted while he is here. Ted is the reason I came to Nashua, he recruited me from the West Coast to the East Coast. Below is a brief bio from Global Church Advancement.

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Ted Powers, MNA’s Church Planting Coordinator since June 2002, was previously a church planter/pastor in Downers Grove IL. Christ Presbyterian Church was planted in February 1987. Ted continued on as pastor of that church until January 2002, when he joined MNA’s staff, initially as Assessment and Training Director.

In his role as Church Planting Coordinator, Ted spends a great deal of time in the areas of vision-building, prayer mobilization, strategic planning with church planters, recruiting, training, and mentoring. He also oversees staff in the area of coaching, recruiting and revitalization and evangelism.

Ted is the recipient of a Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological Seminary. He graduated in 2000, presenting a dissertation topic on church planting apprenticeships. The model he devised for that program is currently in use in a variety of settings in the PCA and elsewhere. Ted’s Master of Divinity degree is from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, and his undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan.