Comparing Going to Church to Going to the Dentist

This fun article by Sammy Adebiyi.

I had to go to the dentist recently. And being in that office made me wonder about the similarities between going to the dentist and going to church. Specifically, I thought:

If I were a pastor and my dentist ever came to my church, I would…

Make the church secretary stop him in the lobby and ask him how long it’s been since he’s been at a church. If it’s been a while, I’d make him fill out a really, really long detailed form about all his family’s history of sins, struggles, shame and addictions. I’d let him know this was standard procedure, and we might need to even do some X-rays to complete our soul records unless another church could send them to us. (See the full article).

Seven Thoughts on Time Management

We all have the amount of time at our disposal. It seems that our time is being stolen away bit by bit in every circle of our lives. I'm always looking for ways to maximize my time. Here's a helpful little article. The outline is below:

1. The point is fruitfulness, not efficiency.
2. Build a fence around your life, and keep that fence tended.
3. Perfectionism paralyzes.
4. Fill in the corners.
5. Plod. Keep at it. Slow and steady wins the race.
6. Take in more than you give out.
7. Use and reuse. State and restate. Learn and relearn. Develop what you know. Cultivate what you have.

Read the whole thing to see each point expanded and explained.

Are You Smarter Than Anthony Weiner?

Russell Moore asks the question in light of Anthony Weiner's recent downfall - "Are you smarter than Anthony Weiner?" We've seen a series of famous people recently who believed they would never get caught in their wrongs. Moore gives a good word on the topic. 

Agreeing to Disagree

Jon Acuff lists a fun series of churchy things we can agree to disagree about.

Mothers Day Trivia

Mother’s Day is a great day to celebrate the woman who brought us into this world and show her how much we care. After reading these stats you may want to praise her a little more than just one day a year.

Mother’s Day Facts:

1st Mother’s Day: May 10, 1908; Founded by Anna Jarvis; made a national holiday in 1914 by President Wilson

Busiest Phone Day: 68% of people plan to call Mom on Mother’s Day, totaling 122.5 million phone calls

Card Giving: 50% of households give Mother’s Day cards, totaling some 152 million cards

First-time Moms: Average age of new moms is 25, vs. 21 in 1970

Kids: Modern moms average 2 kids (1950s: 3.5 kids; 1700s: 7-10 kids)

Diaper Changes: 7,300 by baby’s 2nd birthday

Diaper Changing Speed: Moms take 2 minutes, 5 seconds (adds up to 3 40-hour work weeks each year!) , vs. 1 minute, 36 seconds for dads

Giving Attention: Preschooler requires mom’s attention once every 4 minutes or 210 times / day

Record for Most Kids: Mrs. Vassilyev of Russia gave birth to 69 children between 1725 and 1765

Record for Oldest Mom: Rosanna Dalla Corte gave birth to a baby boy when she was 63 years old in Italy in 1994

Record for Heaviest Newborn: Signora Carmelina Fedele gave birth to a 22 lb 8 oz boy in Italy in 1955

First Year Baby Costs: $7,000 of baby items before 1st birthday

Cost of Raising a Child: Middle-income families spend $242,070 to raise a kid to 18 (not incl. college!)

If There Is A God, Why Doe He Allow Suffering?

It’s a huge question, isn’t it? Hardly a day goes by when we don’t come across suffering. Devastation caused by earthquakes and tsunamis…millions living in poverty…children being abused…family breakdowns… bullying…people suffer. We suffer. So it’s right to say to God: “God, if you’re there, why don’t you do something." (See a simple respons here)

This site call "Tough Questions" addresses a several questions we ask of God. The answers don't cover every detail of every issue but they give thoughtful responses in two to three minutes videos and also in print. It's a nice resource to have available.

Tornadoes and the Trustworthiness of God

This sermon by David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, is a good model of how basic biblical doctrine can and should inform our response to tragedy and equip us to trust in God’s good purposes.

Specifically, he explains how the tornadoes that recently ravaged their area can remind us of biblical truth.
Here is an outline provided by Justin Taylor on his blog:

These tornadoes remind us that this world is unpredictable.

• Suffering is usually surprising.
• Life is never safe.
• Death is unavoidably sure.

These tornadoes remind us of the penalty of sin which plagues all of us.

• Our sin is universal.
• Our suffering is inevitable.

These tornadoes remind us to repent and be reconciled to God.

• Turn from sin.
• Trust in Him.

These tornadoes remind us of the sovereignty of our God.
The sovereignty of God is the only foundation for worship in the midst of tragedy.

• God’s sovereignty assures us that He is in control.

God is with us.

God is for us.

• God’s sovereignty reminds us that Satan has been conquered.
• God’s sovereignty guarantees us that one day suffering will conclude.

Ultimately, tragedy on earth can only be understood rightly from the perspective of heaven.
These tornadoes remind us of the urgency of our mission.

• Life is fleeting.
• People are perishing.
• Eternity is coming.