Go to New Web Site

For a few months this has been my backup site as I got the kinks worked out of my main site.  Well, I think I have things purring as they should at kevinpurcell.org so go on back over there and you can ignore this one.  It will still be here, primarily as a pointer to the new site.

Domain Name Messed Up

Most people who would read this blog are people who would access it via www.kevinpurcell.org until March 27 when that domain expired.  I failed to renew it because I never got the notice from Registerfly, the company I registered it through.  You see I moved between the last time I renewed in 2006 and today; the old email address I had is no longer.  Then Registerfly went out of business.  There is a scam artist acting like the company and taking credit card payments but they ain’t them.  I tried to renew through them and all I got was a few bucks poorer.  But hopefully it will be all fixed soon.

Until then replace .org with .net and you will still be able to find me.

7 Deadly Sins Get An Upgrade

So the Bible is so out of date that we need to get an upgrade of the 7 Deadly Sins.  They are so outdated that people need some new guidance on how to displease God.  Do you agree? Of course it is silly but the Vatcan doesn’t seem to think so.  They just released an updated least of 7 Social Sins.

Anyone who thinks God’s word need help applying to a modern world hasn’t spent enough time reading it.

1. ‘Bioethical’ violations such as birth control
2. ‘Morally dubious’ experiments such as stem cell research
3. Drug abuse
4. Polluting the environment
5. Contributing to widening divide between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty

 There you go!  I would say these are the worst modern sins a person can commit unless of course you’ve been murdered, had your life savings taken from you, or lost your reputation as someone trampled on you.  I find this to be the epitome of human arrogance … speaking as if God no longer has a voice.  And guess what that is … The first of God’s original 7 Deadly Sins.

The original deadly sins:

1. Pride
2. Envy
3. Gluttony
4. Lust
5. Anger
6. Greed
7. Sloth

He’s Done

I’ve been a Packer fan most of my life.  The only reason I don’t say all of my life is I didn’t really know about them when I was really small since my family was not really not a sports family.  But I came by it from my days growing up in central and southeastern Wisconsin.

When Brett Favre came in to relieve the injured Don Majkowski in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals I was sitting on the couch of one my church members in Williamstown, KY.  They were all Bengals fans along with my wife.  And I was sure our hopes of winning were gone.  But the miracle career started in miraculous fashion.  And that was the beginning of my fandom for number 4.  I indoctrinated my sons into loving 4 and his team when they were young.  Unfortunately the oldest son has betrayed me.  That’s OK because he did root for them in the playoffs this year after his favorite team, the Colts, lost.

But this past week Brett chose to “hang up the cleats” after breaking every record int he book and giving all of us Packer fans a wonderful ride.  As I watched his tearful announcement on the NFL Network I cried.  Honestly.  I did!  But what touched me most was the first thank you he gave was to God and it seemed truly sincerely and eloquent.  He thanked God for the talent and opportunity to play.  The way he said it, the tone in his voice and expression on his face, led me to believe that this was not just words; he really was thankful to God!  I know his wife is a little more spiritual than he is.  They are both believers and it makes me thankful to have been his fan all these years.  I hope I will get to enjoy hanging out in heaven with all of the other Packer fans and former players.  As we enjoy remembering the gool ole days along with another fan.  After all why is the grace green and the streets in heaven gold?

Brett!  So long.

A New Preaching Blog

I decided to start a new preaching blog for pastors or really anyone who wants to learn how to preach expository, multimedia sermons.  Check it out at The Digital Pulpit.

Lunar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse

Originally uploaded by kerussojc

Here is a picture of the Luna Eclipse we experienced at 10:01 EST in the Eastern US on Feb. 20th, 2009. I took this just just the moment before it went full. I know it is not the best picture, but I’m not the best photographer.

Should a Church Be Telling You to Have Sex?

I know; not what you would expect to read in my blog! But there is a church called Relevant Church that is doing just that. They are called Relevant Church and they are involved in a 30 day challenge with their church members called “The 30 Day Sex Challenge”. You may have heard about them since many media outlets reported on this yesterday. That’s how I heard about it.

The challenge is for married couples to agree to …

1. Have sex for 30 days, every day!
   
2. Engage in a devotional guide along with it.
   
3. Answer an in depth, and apparently very emotional, questionnaire.
   

They are not leaving singles out. They are to do another devotional guide and promise to NOT engage in sex for the 30 days.

This has gotten a lot of attention and begs the question: should a church be involved in personal sex lives of its people. The answer, at least biblically, is a resounding YES! In fact Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that spouses should not withhold sex and should regularly engage in sex. (1 Corinthians 7:1-5) The only reason not to is as a part of a mutual agreement and in order to devote that time to prayer and fasting. And then afterwards they should come back together. The reason is that to avoid sex could lead to temptation since we are sexual beings.

Now the 30 Day challenge from the folks at Relevant Church may be over the top, it does highlight an important issue. Marriages are in trouble and for couples to come together sexually and intimately and in conjunction with spiritual commitment is a good thing. And to highlight sexual purity among both couples and singles is so needed in our sexually charged culture.

Preaching on Ephesians 5:21

For the last two weeks and next week I have been preaching on Ephesians 5:21 and following. This is the passage where Paul says the church at Ephesus should prove their Spirit-filled nature by “submitting to one another in fear of the Lord.” And then in the rest of chapter five and beginning of chapter six he applies how to do that. He says first submit by being submissive in your marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33) and in your family (Ephesians 6:1-4) and then at work (Ephesians 6:5ff).

The reason for posting this is to correct a misconception about the apostle Paul. Many people have pointed to this passage as evidence that Paul is out of date. I remember watching my favorite TV show, The West Wing, and hearing the President quote this passage after having attended church that morning. His wife chimes in saying that she doesn’t like the part that says wives should submit to their husbands. As people look at this passage it does say that wives should submit to their husbands as unto the Lord, but to say that means she should become a doormat to her husband is a misunderstanding of the passage.

Wives were addressed first because it was the least controversial idea. Many speakers and writers would do that in Paul’s day. Deal with the non-controversial topic to lull the audience into support. Then level the boom or give them the more controversial ideas. Paul does this in all three passages.

In Paul’s day wives, children and slaves were property. Wives might have expected Paul to say, “Obey your husbands and do whatever they tell you to.” But he didn’t say that. He said submit as unto the Lord. We submit to the Lord willingly and in response to great love and sacrifice. As a result we are given a gift we could no achieve ourselves. The point is women should submit the same way to their husbands – willingly and in response to his great love and sacrifice. The result is he will then “complete her” as the line from Jerry McGuire says. The same is true of children. They should obey as they respond to their parent’s love and godly discipline. And finally workers should submit to bosses with the same idea.

Paul was not out of date but really radically changing the traditions of his day. Instead of letting husbands and fathers treat their wives and children as property he was calling them to love and sacrificially submit in a show of their Spirit-filled life.

The Best Thing to Come Out of SB XLII

Edit: Unfortunately the video originally linked to has been removed. It was the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl sung by Jordin Sparks from American Idol.

This version of the National Anthem is good enough that I would almost consider buying it as an MP3 and listen to it in the normal rotation of my favorite music.

This Sure Stunk

That was the beginning of the end of a great season for my favorite team.

Till next year! Now bring on NASCAR!