Grange Hall Reformation

Grange Hall Reformation

Montessano Washington: The hunger was evidenced by people drove from as far as three hours away to come to a meeting to hear an address on “Equipping Men for Leadership in the Home and the Church.” Michael Bradrick made a few calls and around one hundred people showed up on Saturday night at the Grange Hall in Montessano Washington. The hunger and the intensity of the crowd was high. The singing time was particularly high spirited as it was one of those times you could say, “I thought the roof was going to blow off.”. I recounted the importance of a transgenerational mindset and an exposition of Deuteronomy 6.

Three pastors were there wanting to transform their churches. A nine year old boy stood up and testified to the joy in his heart at his daddy’s reading scripture to the family. Another boy said that when his daddy reads scripture it makes more sense to him than anybody else.

One man, who had been a believer for just over a year, came up and told me that a pastor had told him that he was not qualified to teach his children (because he was a new believer) and that the ideas of “patriarchy” were causing disaster in the church through unqualified fathers teaching false doctrine to their children. He asked me what I thought. I said that first of all fathers are commanded to teach their children in Deuteronomy 6, Exodus 12, Ps 78, Ephesians 6:1-4. Second, we need to ask the question, “are there any places in scripture where teaching is prohibited, or are there any examples where it is prohibited, or are there any principles that would indicate it was prohibited. Of course the answer is that there are none. We do have prohibitions regarding the public preaching of the Word of God, but not private fatherly teaching. For instance, teachers in the assembly of the church must be qualified by various character qualities, “able to teach”, and not a novice. But the teaching ministry by elders in the church is different than the teaching ministry of a father. The family needs the teaching of church leaders, but it also needs daily instruction from fathers. When I said this, he seemed relieved and excited to get down to business.

Thanksgiving in Washington

Thanksgiving in Washington

It was a perfect Thanksgiving. I was able to be with my sister JoAnn whom I had not seen in a couple of years. We ate together, took in the Seattle Space Needle, the Fish Market, went to church together, and Krispy Kremed together…

David with the space needle in the back ground.


Street Entertainer at the fish market.


The Browns had one of the most unusual Thanksgiving celebrations ever at Michael and Sue Bradrick’s home (and organic farm) in Montessano Washington. Much needed rest was had by all Browns. For an entire week, we ate naturally grown food. From the soap to the turkey dinner, we were all natural. After about three days, I think my body went through withdrawal. I felt bad and then felt much better. It was a cleansing of my system. Zero diet cokes for an entire week. It was fantastic. The food (wonderful as it was), however was not as wonderful as the people – The Bradricks. This family demonstrates what it means to live in the love of Jesus Christ in the home. The people who live in this home are full of industry, tenderness, love, hard work and affection for godliness. Their children still at home are, Catherine, Cecily, Kristen, Amy Ellen, Peter, Phillip, Stephen.

Michael Bradrick and his Farm


Michael shows us his chicken processing operation. The de feathering process is uncomfortable for the chicken. I have not reported him yet to the SPCA.

The Bradrick "Boys" with David


The bradrick girls, Kelly and blair
.
The Browns and Bradrick ladies keeping us well fed. Michael's wife Susan and Kristen are at the sink


BIG tree

We also had the privilege of seeing Gregg Harris who is the pastor of a family integrated Household of Faith Community Church in Gresham Oregon. I wanted to talk and pray with him regarding the movement of family integrated churches and to thank him for his work.


The Bradricks and Gregg Harris discussing family integrated churches

Gregg says,

“From the very beginning, HOFCC has been age-integrated as a matter of principle. We choose to equip parents to train and include their own children in our church services rather than relieve them of their responsibilities by means of age-segregated youth programs. We do not offer a Sunday School, Youth Group or Children's Church service. Instead, we maintain a family inclusive and family uniting culture that draws everyone of all ages into worship, Bible study and partnership in advancing the Gospel together. If we hope to see families serving God together as a team, they must be equipped together as a team. That is what a Christian family household is— a team of believers living and serving God together.”

For more on Household of Faith go to

http://www.hofcc.org/churchInfo/intro.php

I am so thankful for Gregg and the ministry he has had. My wife, Deborah was encouraged and inspired by his early writings for home schoolers. Now, he is engaged in planting God centered family integrated churches in his area.




The last and most inportant stop - Krispy Kreme with my sister JoAnn and the Bradricks.

Hell and Judgment Not Included

Hell and Judgment Not Included

Travis Park United Methodist Church… Now here is a church on the cutting edge of church growth methodology….Growth through acceptance of everything… except the condemnation of sin. I am sure that this is attractive to many of the populace, but it is a very stupid position.

How stupid it is to refuse to stand against sin. How about letting Hitler do whatever he wishes. How about letting the child abuser down the block run without resistance or condemnation. This is where “Hell and Judgment Not Included” takes you.

Let’s not forget that if you have a god without judgment, you have a god who does not care for the weak or rescue the perishing or punish for wrongs committed. Everyone is free to do whatever they wish. There is not condemnation, no punishment, no justice. Imagine a world where people are not brought to justice. In this kind of horrible world, you will have a God for whom anything goes and does not care when you are sinned against.

This is not the God of the Bible. He will punish sinners. He will bring to justice to those who have abused the people of the earth. Rapists, killers, childbeaters, thieves… WILL stand before God. Every wrong will be put right before the righteous throne of God.

Churches like this one make for a very stupid and vulnerable people.

Film Festival

Film Festival!

“Known Film Hater Opens Film Festival in Prayer

When Doug Phillips asked me to open the film festival in prayer, I thought he had lost his mind. When I reported to one of my friends that I would open with prayer for the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, they replied, YOU?... the guy who quit watching TV thirty years ago? YOU, the guy who hates Hollywood? “YOU, the guy who despises passive entertainment? YOU, the guy who is often caught during Friday night family movie night with a pen light in the back of the room with a book.

So, I was s good soldier and went up and opened the film Festival in prayer. I did this because I am a fan and a friend of Doug Phillips and am a board member of Vision Forum. I did my duty. Maybe he asked me to pray to stretch me a bit.

Well, the film festival exceeded all my expectations. This film festival was not about passive entertainment. This film festival was not about stupid stories, but about using film for the glory of God.

Leave it to Doug Phillips to do something brilliant for the good of the church and the salvation of the lost.

My favorites:

Washington’s Cross about the implications of post modernism, The Art of Play, about the joys of childhood play (which inspired me to allow David to play a little bit more than he does currently)… There were many more. All were inspiring in their own way.

George Sarris gave an amazing dramatic word for word recitation of the entire book of Esther and the David and Goliath narrative.

Thank you Doug Phillips for the most unusual event I have ever attended.

Why I did not vote for bush

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am sure the following will prove controversial so I would like to get a couple of points on the table before we dive in.

First, I hope these points will be helpful in exposing some of the realities of the secular drift we are in the midst of in our country. Increasingly and with accelerating speed, the broader culture (and the Good Old Party) is rejecting the tenets of the Christian faith. Anti Christian positions that were unthinkable even ten years ago (among unbelievers, and especially among Republicans) are now required for getting elected in our pluralistic post-modern society.

Second, these points are not designed to propose an official position of our church, but to illustrate that there are issues at play in this election that should be alarming to all Christian voters.

Third, these points are not intended to belittle people voting for the President. I understand why people would want to vote for the President in contrast to John Kerry or any other candidate. There are logical reasons and I understand and respect them.

I am going to present the issues as an answer to a question: “Why I am Not Voting for George Bush this Election”?

1. The President accepts abortion in certain cases and I am not voting for a president who is not thoroughly pro life. Once you open the door to exceptions regarding abortion you have opened “Padoras Box.” When this door opens, the questions of “quality of life” begin. In the case of Trinity Baptist Church, these quality of life questions have argued for the abortion of some of the dearest children in our church, who might not have what some call ‘normal” lives or thinking processes or abilities.

The President is celebrated as a pro life president. In reality, he is not exactly pro life. The ban on partial birth abortion, is not the victory that the Bush administration has been claimed it to be. Even though it is touted as a pro life victory, it is a very shallow victory. The way the legislation is written, it will not save a single life. It does not mention “Intact Dilation and Extraction (DNX abortion). The language of the legislation encourages abortionists to kill the child in the womb with poison since the act only restricts activities performed on a living baby. So if the abortionist first kills the baby and THEN performs the DNX procedure, the ban does not apply.

2. The President is advancing the homosexual agenda in his administration.
Vice President Dick Chaney is aggressively advancing this agenda through his lesbian daughter who is a key player in his campaign. Not only is Bush’s running mate employing at least one lesbian in his campaign to win more gay and lesbian votes, the President has publicly agreed with his running mate regarding the acceptability of gay civil unions. The following link is an article that clarifies the President’s position on gay civil unions.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,136712,00.html

The President is also making appointments of homosexuals to key positions. He supported pro homosexual (and abortion) rights republican, Arlen Specter. He appointed Michael Guest as ambassador to Romania who is living with his lover Alex Nevarez practicing sodomy supported by US taxpayer dollars in the US Embasssy in Bucharest. He supports the don’t ask, Don’t tell policy in the US military.

The President’s wife, Laura Bush maintains homosexual book recommendations on her children’s reading list. I do not understand why a “Christian” leader would recommend books like “Heather has Two Mommies.” On numerous occasions, Mrs. Bush appeared with Barnes and Noble (one of the most aggressive advocates of the homosexual agenda) to advance her booklist (and theirs) among children and educators.
http://www.newswithviews.com/McGinley/kelly8.htm
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=16462


3. The President says that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. I have heard him state this a couple of times in the last couple of years. He repeated it again a few nights ago in an interview documented in the link below. Is he really the Christian president people think he is?
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=193746&page=1

4. The President plans to unveil a sweeping mental health initiative that recommends screening every US citizen for mental illness. This initiative promotes the use of expensive antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs favored by supporters of the administration. I view this as a dangerous assault against simple civil liberties. It expands the role of government to potentially tyrannical proportions. In the new world order, who do you think could be declared mentally ill?
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39078


What about throwing away your vote?
I do not regard voting against abortion and the homosexual agenda to be throwing away a vote. Before God, our responsibility is to vote for the most qualified candidates. Whether they will be winners or not, is God’s business.

What about voting to win?
Winning, in a culture like ours is dangerous business. If we make winning our objective then we will become increasingly secular. To keep winning, one has to embrace a broader and broader constituency. As we broaden, we will eventually compromise our souls at the altar of success.

My counsel to the people of Trinity Baptist Church is that we vote according to our best understanding of scriptural criteria and conscience as best we know how. Our jobs as citizens is to be salt and light and hopefully in the process, we will vote the best candidates to political office. The difficulties we face in this election will be common throughout our lives. When Israel wanted a king, God promised that there would be difficulty… even with the kings of our own choosing.

My favorite comment about this election came from a fellow elder. He said,

‘If I ever run for office, I am going to make it clear right from the get go that I am going to run a dirty campaign. I want everyone to know that the other guys are idiots and I am a genius.”

Scott Brown