Catechism

Posted by Karin Kerr in Karin's Posts 28 December 2008

Definition: A catechism is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present. Catechisms are doctrinal manuals often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorized. (Wiki)

If that doesn’t make sense to you, then this is how I understand catechism; it is a question and answer format for remembering what you need to know about what you believe. Essentially it helps you remember what you believe and why you believe it and allows you to communicate that effectively to others.

We believe the bible to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but in a conversation where someone might question the bible how can we answer intelligently. Voddie Baucham uses this statement which I am memorizing and find to be concise and to the point, I have broken it up to visualise it more clearly.

I believe the bible to be:

a reliable collection of historical documents
written down by eye-witnesses
during the lifetime of other eye witnesses
they report to us super natural events
that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies
and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin

Where in the bible does it say this?

2 Peter 1:16-21 (ESV)

16For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," 18we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

See Voddie Baucham’s sermon for more.

Three wise men hanging out with some shepherds?

Posted by Kenny Kerr in Kenny's Posts 23 December 2008

I’ve been listening to Albert Mohler’s PowerLine Bible study on my Zune. One of the misconceptions he debunks is that of the nativity scene that is so vivid in the minds of most people despite the fact that it is factually incorrect in many ways.

The three wise men… Who said there were three? Matthew 2 only says that wise men from the east, also called Magi in some translations, came to Jerusalem. There’s no indication of how many wise men but it seems likely that they would have traveled in a large caravan for safety.

Three gifts… Who said there were three? Matthew 2 also tells us that they opened their treasures and offered the child gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. There’s no indication of how many gifts but it’s likely that there may have been quite a bit more than three items. We can imagine that God provided richly so that Joseph could take care of his family during their exile to Egypt.

Even more misleading is the assumption that the wise men visited Jesus around the time that the shepherds, mentioned in Luke 2, went and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. Now a manger is a trough or box of some kind used to hold food for animals so presumably the shepherds found them in some sort of shelter for animals. This would probably have been a cave, most certainly not a house. Yet when the wise men arrive they enter a house where they find the child with Mary his mother.

There’s also the issue that the wise men followed his star when it first appeared. Presumably the star rose, or was visible, when Jesus was born. Herod also asks the wise men when the star had appeared. After being tricked and not learning the whereabouts of the child he orders that all male children two years old or under be killed according to the time he ascertained from the wise men. So it is conceivable that the wise men arrived in Jerusalem as much as two years after his birth but before Joseph was instructed by an angel to flee to Egypt.

Fascinating stuff! I’m sure you’ll find his teaching far more enlightening than my brief summary of some of these events. Enjoy!

Barack Obama and Rick Warren

Posted by Kenny Kerr in Kenny's Posts 19 December 2008

I came across this article on CNN yesterday which immediately caught my attention. Why would Obama pick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration ceremony?

Today Albert Mohler offered his thoughts on the matter. Definitely worth a read.

Last night Karin and I watched the first episode of The World at War. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it but there are some striking parallels.

Repost: Our little guy

Posted by Karin Kerr in Karin's Posts 16 December 2008

At last we have our little boy!
Samuel John Kerr born on 3 October 2008. 10lbs 2oz 4.605kgs.
We are so blessed to have another son to raise up for Jesus in our family.
Thank you to all of you who have sent greetings,cards and presents and for all your prayers.

Album of Samuel

Repost: Fitting in

Posted by Karin Kerr in Karin's Posts 16 December 2008

“Of course, much of the world would agree that being a housekeeper is acceptable, as long as you are not caring for your own home; treating men with attentive devotion would also be right as long as the man is the boss in the office and not your husband; caring for children would even be deemed heroic service for which presidential awards could be given as long as the children are someone else’s and not your own.” Dorothy Patterson

Repost: great quote

Posted by Karin Kerr in Karin's Posts 16 December 2008

I saw this quote on this site
http://midwestoutreach.org/
and wanted to share.

A number of years ago Dr. Albert Mohler spoke at an EMNR conference and in his talk shared a story about Bishop John Shelby Spong. According to Mohler, at the Lambeth Conference, Spong had committed a cultural and political boo-boo. He had been pressing for the ordination of homosexuals but was unable to get the majority to agree at the time because the bishops from Africa held firmly against it. In a moment of frustration Spong lashed out with, “The reason the African bishops believe the Bible so literally is because they have been so recently converted from paganism.” To which the Bishop from Uganda responded, “The reason Spong doesn’t believe the Bible is because he has so recently been converted to paganism.”

Albert Mohler has a great radio show that you can get online here
http://www.albertmohler.com/radio_list.php