Jason Sneed Simple Thoughts

Weekly Points To Ponder – May 23, 2014

Points To Ponder

“Big Hands” – Ebs and Flows

Little Welford sliding his hand into mine reminded me of the relationship that God desires with all his children: A relationship of absolute trust in all circumstances. When I think back I recall how Nick trusted me to make a bookcase for his bedroom when he was Little Welford’s age. That bookcase is still in use. Then when Nick was serving in Trinidad with a BMS Action Team in 1998 and the power supply died on an old Apple PowerBook I had passed on to him it was me he trusted to source a replacement, despite the distance between us. On that occasion I had a power supply delivered from the US within a couple of days and the four members of the Action Team were able to resume their contact with home. If anyone can fix it, Dad can!

Have You Done Your Devotions? – ThinkBiblically.com

Have you done your devotions?  How many times have you been asked that question?  I believe it is probably asked by someone who was attempting to be helpful.  How many times have you asked the same question?  I believe most people asking this question are trying to be helpful.  Their intent is to help the person be accountable to someone.  While that may be the case, often the results are rushed reading of a text with no meditating taking place on behalf of the reader.  Notice our text says, “…rightly dividing…”  There is a specific way to study the Word of God.

Actor Who Starred in ‘Rudy,’ ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ Reveals Some Very Personal Thoughts on Faith – Theblaze.com

In addition to lambasting comedian Bill Maher’s atheist activism during a recent visit to TheBlaze’s New York City newsroom, actor Sean Astin explained why his Christian faith doesn’t necessarily impact his decision to take certain acting roles.

Astin described his penchant for using interviews with journalists to openly explore his theological views. But despite having a deep faith, he said that fact doesn’t necessarily mean he’d turn down movie roles simply because they don’t align with Christianity’s traditional moral codes.

10 Things We Need to Hear from Young Church Leaders – thomrainer.com

I have the privilege of spending much of my life with young church leaders. As a seminary dean and missionary trainer, I hang out with people younger than I am. I’m the teacher, but I learn from the young generation as much as—if not more than—I teach them. Sometimes they teach me something new, as with technology and social media. In other cases, they simply remind me of something I’ve forgotten or have taken for granted.

Of course, all young church leaders have room to grow, and nothing I say here can be applied to every young leader. With that understanding in mind, here are some of those general reminders that I, and perhaps other older leaders, need to hear from young church leaders.

Ten Reasons to Memorize Big Chunks of the Bible – desiringgod.org

You can memorize big chunks, even books, of the Bible. Unless you’re part of the very small percentage of us who suffer from a traumatic brain injury or stroke or disability, you really can. And you should. But why should you?

Jason Sneed Simple Thoughts

Weekly Points to Ponder – May 9, 2014

8 Reasons It’s Easier Not to Attend Church Today – Thom Rainer

I’m not certain it’s all bad news. Sure, the majority of congregations are experiencing declines in attendance. And many more churches are growing at a pace that is slower than the growth of the community in which they are located.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that attendance declines are good. Such trends mean fewer people are engaging with believers, and fewer people are being exposed to the gospel.

Is Motherhood the End of Beauty? – Girl Talk

For a bunch of college girls, it was a shocking sight. Our friend, and the mother of twins, showed us her stretch marks and we, rather impolitely, stared back in dismay. Did pregnancy really carve such strange designs into a woman’s body?

“You will all look like this some day,” she warned, laughing at our expressions. “Of course, mine are worse, because I had twins, but if you get pregnant, you will get stretch marks.”

COURT: AMERICAN FLAG IS A RACIST SYMBOL – Politicalears.com

Rows and rows of our war dead are rolling over in their graves at the official proclamation that the flag they died for is a symbol of racism and oppression.

Morgan Hill, California: Members of a local TEA Party gathered to wave American flags in front of Live Oak High School which has become the epicenter in a new American battle; the battle over the American flag.

Federal Gov’t Issues Warning to State That Wants to Opt Out of Common Core – TheBlaze.com

The U. S. Department of Education said in a letter to Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz that the state must prove its own standards are just as challenging, or else risk of losing its waiver from the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law and have its federal funding in jeopardy.

“Because the [Indiana Department of Education] will no longer implement those standards, IDOE must amend its [Elementary and Secondary Education Act] flexibility request and provide evidence that its new standards are certified by a state network of [Institutions of Higher Education] that students who meet the standards will not need remedial coursework at the postsecondary level,” the letter says.

Top 10 things Not to say to Church Newcomers – What You Shouldn’t Say to Your New Church Guests – Sharefaith.com

With the record number of visitors for Easter Sunday, no doubt you are experiencing a big increase of returning guests. In the days ahead, hospitality is key and an overt presentation of the tenets of your church is vitally important. Visitors need to be able to make an educated decision on whether your church is right for them. Messages that focus on key doctrines, intentional announcements on various ministries and upcoming events, and handing out a more specialized bulletin with accommodating information, will all be helpful to that end. But for this segment let’s focus on the unfortunate things that are sometimes communicated, both verbally and nonverbally, that can hurt any effort to welcome returning guests.

Jason Sneed Simple Thoughts

Weekly Points To Ponder

Points To Ponder

I am going to start a weekly post on Fridays of some of the most interesting articles that I have seen over the past week. I may or may not agree with the article or everything in it but I have found it interesting enough to pass along to you. If you have an article that you would like to see on here, contact me and let me know.

Click on the article title to read the entire article.

The Shattering of Jars of Clay – Charisma News

Beginning on Tuesday, April 21st, Dan Haseltine, front-man for the popular Christian band Jars of Clay, took to Twitter to announce his apparent support for same-sex “marriage.” And for the life of him, he can’t figure out a single good reason to oppose it.

It is for reasons like this that we have been sounding the alarm these last 10 years.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney responds to religion complaint – USA Today

Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney has responded to the letter of complaint the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent to the university on April 10 citing “constitutional concerns about how the public university’s football program is entangled with religion.”

Does Your iPhone Believe In God? – Huffington Post

My iPhone can do almost anything. But could it help me find God? An interview with Siri, the virtual assistant inside many Apple products, reveals that the spiritual teacher you’ve been looking for may have been in your pocket all along.

Is It Time to Remove ‘Under God’ From the Pledge of Allegiance? – The Blaze

Aside from prayer at government meetings — an issue TheBlaze has covered extensively – there are few First Amendment issues more contentious than the Pledge of Allegiance.

Atheist activists have long opposed the pledge, because reciting it allows for “God” to be invoked in public venues. But there’s another factor at play making the issue even more complex: that public schoolchildren are often the ones instructed to say it.