Archive for the ‘Hodge Podge’ Category

A Theology of Disneyland

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

There is more to Disneyland than meets the eye.




Everyone who has been to Disneyland (or Disney World for that matter) knows about the fun rides, the delicious food, and the spectacular shows. It is a wonderful place.

But there are lots of things about Disney that patrons never see. For instance, according to the Unofficial Guide to Disney, did you know that every day visitors generate about 30 tons of trash? Did you know that their lost and found collects over 400 items each day? Did you know that they, daily, go through 70,000 hand towels in the restrooms alone? Like I said, there’s more to Disneyland than meets the eye. But that’s not all.

I recently saw a TV commercial for Disneyland that was quite enticing. It not only made me want to splurge, it also made me want to consider: Why do we love places like Disneyland? Why do we go to King’s Dominion? Do we enjoy these parks just for the amusements? Or is there more to it than meets the eye?

The fun rides and the cotton candy are obvious reasons we go to these places. But I suspect that’s not all. As is true with many things in life, there is actually something very theological going on. I think our interest in amusement parks, like Disneyland, reveals our subconscious yearnings as fallen men and women.

Here’s what I mean:

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Adrianisms

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

For some reason, this past week, Adrian Rogers has been on my mind.




I find it hard to believe that it’s already been five years since he received his heavenly promotion. As the dynamic and lovable pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Rogers was, for several decades, an iconic leader among Southern Baptists, particularly in the 80′s.

At the height of the great SBC controversy, it was under his leadership that the SBC was steered away from liberalism towards the safe shores of the Bible. The SBC would likely be in shambles today, were it not for his leadership. He was a great preacher, a great husband and family man, and a great follower of Jesus. His body may be buried and his soul may be gone, but his impact and ministry still lives on.

When most people think of Dr. Rogers, they instantly think of his voice. When he spoke, it boomed and thundered to the envy of every preacher. But how he spoke was really just a reflection of what he spoke. His voice was deep. His wit and wisdom likewise. Some men are blacksmiths. Other men are silversmiths. Adrian Rogers was a wordsmith. Nobody could say it like he did. When he spoke, people used to listen. It would do us all some good today to listen to him once again.

In that spirit, I want to share with you a collection of “Adrianisms” that I have compiled. These may not be the very best of Adrian Rogers, but they sure get close. If you don’t know who Dr. Adrian Rogers was, then you’re in for a treat. If you do, then you’re in for a reminder of why he was such a treat. I thank God for Adrian Rogers’ life, example, and faith.

Here are a few of my favorite Adrianisms.

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17 Random Things I Am Thankful For…

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

As an outflow of our series in Psalm 118 and our church Thanksgiving celebration tonight, I thought I would share a word about gratitude.

I hope you’ll take the time this Thanksgiving season to consider, write, and even share what you’re most thankful for with others. As the doxology reminds us, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”




This Thanksgiving, I am particularly thankful …

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What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

I would imagine that we all had one.

It might have been a different color, shape, or size, but more than likely as a child we had something. For Andy, from Toy Story, it was a best friend named Woody. For Linus, from Peanuts, it was a soft, blue blanket. For Radar, from M*A*S*H, it was a cuddly, brown teddy bear. For me, from childhood, it was a combination of all three: a best friend, soft, cuddly, blue teddy bear that I loved.

So far as I remember, he didn’t have an official name. I think I just called him…

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Church Chuckles

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Solomon wrote

“there is a time for every event under heaven”. (Eccl 2:1)

Number ten on Solomon’s list of events is “a time to laugh” (vs. 4).

Don’t you love to laugh? I sure do. Whether it’s giggling at the silliness of my children, smirking at a good joke, or appreciating a truly ironic story, laughter is something I greatly enjoy. In fact, laughter is a gift of God that we all should take pleasure in.

I believe that Jesus even enjoyed…

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Even Better than a Superbowl Matchup

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

With the NFL’s premiere game this weekend, I thought I would whet the appetite of you football fans with a story that’s better than any Superbowl match.

Rick Reilly, columnist for ESPN Magazine, called it “the oddest game in high school football history”. And he’s probably right.

Down in Texas, where football is king, the Grapevine Lions clashed with the Gainesville Tornadoes under the Friday night lights last fall. Before either team stepped onto the field, the outcome was all but determined. Grapevine Faith was 7-2 going into the contest while Gainesville State was 0-8 with only two touchdowns all season. You don’t have to know much about football to figure out that the Lions would go on to devour the Tornadoes 33-14.

But that night, the losers ended up being the real winners. Before long it became very clear that this game wasn’t just about football; it was about something far more important.

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Online Hodge Podge

Saturday, March 15th, 2008

Ok, so, I didn’t know how else to categorize this entry except as “Hodge Podge”.

According to Webster’s Dictionary a hodge podge is… (more…)

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