When The Message has to much depth...

Recently I have been reading my torn and tattered copy of the Message. When it hit me. Hey, this is to in depth, to theologically sound. I am way to post modern for something that has such truth in it to be my source of daily bread...

That's when I was led to discover The Voice.

No Joke.

The Voice is a new "Bible" endorsed by Brian McLaren. Wow, I thought to myself this has got to be good.

I went to the website and saw a video. Here is a great line from it...

"What if we Got the worlds best Poet's and Fiction writers to write the bible, with the aid of Scholars"

That's right! Because no one knows how to write Truth better then Fiction writers.

Here is the video. Be warned. You might have a headache.






Now, I went to the website and read some of the book og John. As you read John actually talks to you, and warns of how "Christians in Future Generations will interpret this"

I don't even know where to begin...Oh yes I do...John 3:16-22

16For God expressed His love for the
world in this way: He gave His only Son
so that whoever believes in Him will not
face everlasting destruction, but will
have everlasting life. 17Here’s the point.
God didn’t send His Son into the world
to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a
world headed toward certain destruction.
18No one who believes in Him has to
fear condemnation; yet condemnation is
already the reality for everyone who
refuses to believe. Whoever embraces
unbelief swims in a sea of judgment,
because he chooses to ignore the Voice,
and in doing so rejects the name of the
only Son of God. 19Why does God allow
for judgment and condemnation?
Because the Light, sent from God,
pierced through the world’s darkness to
expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed,
violence, and the like. Still some people
preferred the darkness over the light
because their actions were dark. 20Some
of humankind hated the light and so
avoided its warm glow. They scampered
hurriedly back into the darkness where
vices thrive and wickedness flourishes.
21Those who abandon deceit and embrace
what is true, they will enter into the light
where it will be clear that all their deeds
come from God.

They make us out to be characters in a Bambi Movie!!!!

I have a headache...Read the entire Gospel of John here...If you can...

http://www.spaceempty.com/downloads/Book_of_John.pdf

Emergent Speak...Of the Week.

Emergent's have a way of speaking, without saying anything.

THis is a classic example of Emergent Speak. Brian McLaren says that being a Christian is like being an Atheist. An Atheist is one who goes against the grain according to McLaren.

No. That's now what an Atheist is. A Atheist says "There is No God." and McLaren, I am no Atheist. Speak for yourself.




Are there any emergents that would like to take a moment to explain.

Comment Below.

Weekend Emergent Caption Fun!

OK. So this is how it works. The picture below needs a caption. A funny satirical quote to describe what is going on in the photo. To leave a caption just add your comment to the blog. I will announce the winner Monday Morning.




Here is mine.

Rob Bell on CNN discusses his utter disappointment that elections have to be decided using something as absolute as numbers...Can't we have a conversation instead?

HOW TO TELL IF YOU’RE SEEKER-FRIENDLY

I discovered this site called Reformation Nation, because they wrote a very good article in response to our "Encounter with a Mormon" video. You can view the article and video here...

While there I stumbled across the following, pretty funny... Thanks Reformation Nation

HOW TO TELL IF YOU’RE SEEKER-FRIENDLY

12. You think evangelism is handing out copies of Purpose Driven Life.

11. You think The Five Solas are a youth worship band.

10. You think Calvinists worship a little boy and stuffed tiger.

09. You think Bounce dryer sheets do great at stopping Hypostatic union.

08. Your pastor got saved (four times) at Billy Graham crusades.

07. You think Jesus would have had more success if He was just a bit nicer to the Pharisees.

06. You openly blast people who disagree with Oprah as being too narrow-minded and judgmental. Jesus would never be that way!

05. Your pastor did so preach on the book Romans! Romans 13:8-10, where it tells us how to get out and stay out of debt! (They gave away $10 gas cards that week too.)

04. Instead of “sin” your Pastor uses the word “oopsie.”

03. You think Paul Washer is what Jesus did to Paul’s feet when he was at the Last Supper.

02. You think ‘church discipline’ is the Technology Pastor yelling swear words at the iBook to get it to work.

01. Becoming Emergent is like coming out of the closet.

Christ IS Risen. What a thought for an Emergent.

Yesterday was the greatest day of the Year. Easter Sunday. The single day of the year that gives hope to every other day. I woke up way to early to go to the SONrise service at my little reformed southern baptist fundamental traditional church where I am the only college aged student.

I had a thought. Wow. I said as I pondered to myself, shivering as I sat outside watching the moon go down. (We have a beautiful Church right on the water, however it faces the east...beautiful Sunsets, empty Sunrises)

The idea of a SONrise is pretty emergent. It's just the sort of brain-thought that Rob Bell should make a video of. A play on words, the Sun Rises, get it..The SON Rises...as he talks to us as if were in the second grade and unable to understand complex theology such as substitutionary atonement.

Well I laughed. Us Southern Baptists' have done this here thing for a long time. +1 Creativity for the SBC.

Anyways, on to the point. I am not Emergent so I do indeed have a few.

As we finished our amazing breakfast buffet after the service, I ran upstairs to hone my chalk and creativity skills on the "paint on" chalk board, when a Youth asked if she could help. I said yes, and I wrote the Bold Words "He Is Risen"

I told her she can write "He is Risen Indeed..." on the other side.

She then asked a question, in which I have never thought of the answer, nor pondered the statement.

Why is it "He IS Risen, and not He HAS Risen?"

Such a question did not require me holding a conversation, meeting with and among other scholars, or setting up a stool in a round. I knew the answer immediately.

He is Still Risen. He is Still Alive. He Has Risen can only refer to Lazarus who is dead.

The statement He Is Risen, can never be up for discussion. He is, and will always be Risen. Forever.

The Statement He IS Risen is very boldly a statement of Fact. It is not something that can be pondered, questioned, examined, or inquired. He simply IS.

There is no conversation on what is is. We Know. Our Faith rests upon that Statement of Three words. He IS Risen.

Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15:19
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."

Which of course begs a question.

How can the Emergent Church stand on wavering thoughts, when the "everything" of Christianity rests on a word so absolute, so fact filled as IS.

Without that IS, Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, performed many miracles, died on a cross for the sins of mankind, and it all means nothing.

Without Easter there is no Messiah, There is no Joy in Christmas, nor Hope in the Future.

But because He IS Risen...There Is.

Marcus Pittman
www.transplantministries.com
www.oomaoo.com

A New Year...Something New...

I am sitting here writing this as the New Years Ball is about to drop. Today I read my daily devotional "My Utmost for his Highest" and there was a line in it that stood out...

"...God can transform this destructive anxiety to a constructive thoughtfulness of the future." - December 31st.

How appropriate for a new year...As I start a new year without a Job and looking to start into full time ministry as a way to bring glory to God Full-Time.

Without a Job and no need to really search for one until after the Holidays (Craig's List is empty this time of Year), I thought about how impossible it was to get a job in Christian media without "connections." After rejection here and no responses at all from there, I decided to use my time and devote it towards advancing my ministry, helping Transplant Ministries step forward unto the new year.

One of the Mission statements of Transplant Ministries is to "/Be a Pride less Ministry to those in a Prideful Industry/"

The art community is a field where your job depends not on your work for God, but the stuff you do with your talent...It's a field that is a non-stop Me Me Me, look at what I did, look at MY Talent. This attitude is not just in the secular world but the Christian world as well. Christians that work in the creative industries need a place of fellowship, to exchange ideas, ask advice and learn.

That's when I realized that the whole mission statement above was to big for Transplant Ministries...Transplant Ministries has become a sort of place for personal videos and blogs. A ministry that encourages video evangelism. Which is great, and we have inspired several Christian Artist to do more creative work for their Savior. So what's next? Do we pat them on the back, shake their hands and send them on their way? What about the Christians that are already immersed in some sort of Media Development.

The above mission statement requires something more intricate and different all together. A new website...A sort of sister ministry. Something TOTALLY devoted to the artist and God. A place that's sole purpose has nothing to do with ramblings, articles or blogs. There needs to be a place totally dedicated to fellowship and training other "Creative Christ Followers."

You see I became frustrated at not knowing anyone in Christian Media. I longed for fellowship, to network and to learn from others who had a heart for giving Glory to God with their talent. There is a huge disconnect among Christian Artist and Christian Ministry. Ever since the Left Behind Movie Flops came out, Christians have felt the need to go into the secular world as sort of Christan Mission trip attacking Hollywood like a creative superman, which is important. This is great, and should be encouraged...yet it leaves Christian Media really dry...There is no one place for Christian Media Professionals to gather in fellowship...not one. Even the "Christian Media" groups on MySpace were empty of any conversation, and filled with spam...

So that's why I have spent the last week, over fifteen hours a day with only one daily meal, ton's of Mountain Dew sitting in my cramped room designing ooMAoo.com

Welcome to ooMAoo...

The name is made up and has no value or meaning, it's sort of like all of our creative idea's apart from Christ it means nothing. If it does not give any glory to God, them well it's useless. No matter how awesome it may be to man.

ooMAoo is a new website totally devoted to all aspects of Christian Media and the Professionals involved in the work.

It's a place for the small country church is the backwoods of West Virgina to get tips and advice for making videos from the biggest churches in Texas.

It's a place to share ideas, network and collaborate with other Christian "Creatives". In or out of the secular World.

It's a place to have all of your work critiqued and reviewed, so God can receive the best from you.

All of this so God will be Glorified and souls will be saved.

So here is what I am asking of you.

If you are involved with media or not, please visit ooMAoo.com and join the Forums, by clicking the red "Forums" Tab at the top of the page. Once you get there you will see a link that says "Register", it will ask for basics like your e-mail and what....I promise you your e-mail will not be sold for Spam, this is strictly an e-mail to log-in and verify that you are a real human being and not a spam bot.

The reason I need you to register, is because it is very important that we create a large user base, even if you do not use it (but I hope you do). Because this will give other users a sense of activity and community. Making people desire to join and take part...It's a very simple request, it's totally free and can do wonders in making this ministry grow. Once your in the forums talk a little, for those of you that are not into video production ask questions and learn, or just take part in the "General Discussion" tab.

So go there, explore and please let me know what you think. Send me any sort of information that you believe could make the site better...

Oh and please send this e-mail to any and everyone you know. Especially those people who just love to doodle in church bulletins.

Finally and most importantly have a wonderful new year, and may God be glorified in everything you do in 2008...

Soli Deo Gloria.
Marcus Pittman

http://www.transplantministries.com
http://www.oomaoo.com