Author: Ricky Docto

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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INTRODUCTION

David Naugle serves as professor of philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas. He has contributed a great deal to the study and history of philosophy. His book Worldview: The History of a Conceptguides the reader through a development of the idea of worldview. This review examines chapters 7-11 and the first appendix, summarizing, critiquing, and interacting with each. Continue reading “WORLDVIEW: THE HISTORY OF A CONCEPT, PART 2”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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INTRODUCTION

David Naugle serves as professor of philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas. He has contributed a great deal to the study and history of philosophy. His book Worldview: The History of a Conceptguides the reader through a development of the idea of worldview. This review examines the first six chapters, summarizing, critiquing, and interacting with each. Continue reading “WORLDVIEW: THE HISTORY OF A CONCEPT, PART 1”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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INTRODUCTION

Doug Pagitt serves as the pastor of Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis, MN. He stands as a leader in the Emergent Church, and holds too many of the same beliefs and ideologies as Brian McLaren. In his book, Preaching Re-Imagined, he sets forth an approach to preaching called progressional dialogue. Pagitt, like McLaren and others in the Emergent Church, wants to have a “conversation,” instead of proclaiming the truths found in Scripture. This review presents the preaching methodology of Doug Pagitt, and analyzes its strengths and weaknesses. Continue reading “A REVIEW OF DOUG PAGITT’S PREACHING METHODOLOGY”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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sixsteps:

Russell Moore:

Pornography promises orgasm without intimacy. Video [game] warfare promises adrenaline without danger. The arousal that makes these so attractive is ultimately spiritual to the core.

Satan isn’t a creator but a plagiarist. His power is parasitic, latching on to good impulses and directing them toward his own purpose. God intends a man to feel the wildness of sexuality in the self-giving union with his wife. And a man is meant to, when necessary, fight for his family, his people, for the weak and vulnerable who are being oppressed.

Read the rest here.

Continue reading “@DRMOORE: FAKE LOVE, FAKE WAR: WHY SO MANY MEN ARE ADDICTED TO INTERNET PORN AND VIDEO GAMES”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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Relevant Magazine recently posted an article exploring whether or not you should ever end a friendship because a person is dragging you down.  In the article the author discusses several types of friends who could possibly fit in this category.  He encourages the establishing of healthy boundaries with these people, in order to allow yourself room to grow and recoup.  He then asserts that if these people continue to bring you down, then you should end the friendship.   Continue reading “RELEVANT MAGAZINE – WHEN SHOULD YOU END A FRIENDSHIP?”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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sixsteps:

Sadly, many churches–even if they affirm the right doctrine on paper–act and preach as if the biggest problem in the world is lack of education, or material poverty, or the declining morals in our country, or the threat of global warming. As a result we preach cultural improvement instead of Christ. We preach justice without Jesus. We lose sight that the biggest problem (though not the only problem) confronting the churchgoer every Sunday is that he is a sinner in need of a Savior. […]

The evangelical church needs depth where it is shallow, thoughtfulness where it is pragmatic, and conviction where it has become compromised. A casual adherence to a formal set of basic doctrines does not guarantee real unity and does not ensure genuine spiritual strength.

—Kevin DeYoung.

Continue reading “WHY DO OUR CHURCHES SEEM SO DIFFERENT? @REVKEVDEYOUNG”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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The Gospel Coalition has a great article by Tim Keller on idolatry in a postmodern age.  In the article Keller discusses why defining sin as the breaking of God’s law is not the best approach in a postmodern world that rejects absolute truth. He says that presenting sin as an act of idolatry can better communicate what sin is and what sin does.  I would highly recommend the article to you.

Talking About Idolatry in a Postmodern Age – The Gospel Coalition
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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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If you were to ask people to define freedom, most likely you would receive a wide range of responses to your question.  Some might say that freedom is the ability to do whatever I want.  Some might say that freedom is the absence of all restriction.  Some might say that freedom is being released from an oppressive political regime.  And on and on the answers could come.  No one, however, would probably say that freedom is the presence of slavery and restriction.  Yet, this is exactly how the Bible defines freedom. Continue reading “FREEDOM THROUGH SLAVERY”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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Ten years ago today the sports world gave us one of the greatest press conference rants of all time.  Allen Iverson mentioned “practice” around 25 times in about 2.5 minets.  My top five press conference melt downs would be:

5.  Herm Edwards telling us why we play the game.

4.  Jim Mora talking about the playoffs and how his team played.

3.  Allen Iverson talk’n bout practice.

2.  Denny Green informing the world as to who the Bears were.

1.  Mike Gundy telling the world that he was a man because he is forty.   Continue reading “WE TALK’N BOUT PRACTICE!!”

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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT – PLAY HARDER.
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sixsteps:

“Is the Megachurch the New Liberalism?” Dr. Albert Mohler asks this important question.

THE CONTEXT

Louie Giglio. Steve Fee. Kristian Stanfill. Todd Fields. Andy Stanley. These are men that are, or have been, connected to North Point Community Church in Alphretta, Georgia—just outside of Atlanta.  North Point is a mega-church, with multiple “campus” in the Atlanta area.

Andy Stanley is the Senior Pastor of North Point.

Andy is the son of the well-known preacher of the past generation, Dr. Charles F. Stanley (Dr. Stanley has been a leading evangelical in the United States and the former pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta).

THE PROBLEM

This article by Dr. Mohler’s about liberalism in megachurches documents and lays bare the recent mega-mess-up of Pastor Andy Stanley.

• In a sermon preached April 15, 2012 “When Gracie Met Truthy”, part 5 in a series titled Christian, Stanley carelessly—maybe intentionally—neglected to address homosexuality as sin. 
• You should watch the whole sermon to get the whole picture.

In summary, Stanley illustrated his message with a long story (starts at 24:30) about a “modern family” from his church that exemplifies grace. The sum of Stanley’s long illustration neglectfully omitted calling homosexuality as sin, and exalted grace over truth—striving to resolve the supposed “tension” between grace and truth. Mohler writes,

The most puzzling and shocking part of the message was the illustration and the account of the homosexual couple, however. The inescapable impression left by the account was that the sin of concern was adultery, but not homosexuality. Stanley clearly and repeatedly stressed the sin of adultery, but then left the reality of the homosexual relationship between the two men unaddressed as sin. To the contrary, he seemed to normalize their relationship. They would be allowed to serve on the host team if both were divorced. The moral status of their relationship seemed to be questioned only in terms of adultery, with no moral judgment on their homosexuality.

THE DISAPPOINTMENT

While I have great respect for Andy Stanley’s ministry and work through North Point Ministries, I am greatly disappointed at this revelation of Stanley’s denial of biblical truth concerning homosexual behavior as habitual sin. His underhanded neglect and turning of the issue by his masterful art of communication is disconcerting.

Pastor Andy, I am deeply grieved and disappointed in you. I pray you clarify yourself, repent, and uphold the truth of God’s Word:

What does Andy Stanley now believe about homosexuality and the church’s witness? We must pray that he will clarify the issues so graphically raised in his message, and that he will do so in a way the unambiguously affirms the Bible’s clear teachings — and that he will do so precisely because he loves sinners enough to tell them the truth — all the truth — about both our sin and God’s provision in Christ. Biblical faithfulness simply does not allow for the normalization of homosexuality. We desperately want all persons to feel welcome to hear the Gospel and, responding in faith and repentance, to join with us in mutual obedience to Christ. But we cannot allow anyone, ourselves included, to come to Christ — or to church — on our own terms.

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