SAVING SOUL, NOT JUST SAVING SOULS, IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY & FULLER SEMINARY NEWS: this BEGAN as a defense of SOUL blog, and it STILL is, but I am also adding FULLER SEMINARY NEWS to this blog...albeit remember that some of the soul unbelievers are teaching at fuller seminary (ie nancey murphy et al). This blog is not necessarily a defense of Fuller Seminary...just commentary on what is happening. Not everybody is a soul unbeliever at Fuller Seminary.
FULLER's WEBSITE
the good ol' days (or not so good ?)
Monday, August 5, 2024
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Friday, August 2, 2024
"Beyond Bible translation: how unfoldingWord helps church leaders create study resources -"
https://www.mnnonline.org/news/beyond-bible-translation-how-unfoldingword-helps-church-leaders-create-study-resources/
"We want to equip the Church with the ability to translate the Bible for themselves in every language. But we also want to equip the Church for spiritual formation and discipleship," Dane* with unfoldingWord says.
"We're not just handing out Bibles; we are developing Bible translators."
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
👍✝️"16-Year-Old Skateboarder Gets Around Olympic Rules With Sign Language Message"
"The Brazilian skateboarding star said "Jesus is the way, the truth and the life" in sign language "
https://share.newsbreak.com/7z3bsigv
https://share.newsbreak.com/7z3bsigv
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Friday, July 26, 2024
"Archaeologists make 'sensational' discovery at location where Jesus was resurrected" | Dae
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13672003/Archaeologists-altar-Jesus-Jerusalem.html?ito=email_share_article-top
"The site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is identified as the place of both the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus, and sees around four million visitors each year.."
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Sunday, July 21, 2024
"Cowering Christianity "
https://newswithviews.com/cowering-christianity/
"Our culture has been seized by the Evil One and most of Christianity is looking for evacuation rather than occupation. Jesus never ran from fights…He picked them. He asked us to do likewise. It is called the Great Commission!
GO YE…not HIDE YE! "Teach them to observe all I have commanded you and Lo, I am with you always even until the end of the age..."
Saturday, July 13, 2024
🇺🇸✝️🙏❤️Live video of President Trump being shot at by sniper . He's ok ✝️🙏🇺🇲❤️👍. Thank You God
🇺🇸✝️🙏❤️
Live video of
President Trump
being shot at by sniper .
He's ok ✝️🙏🇺🇲❤️👍.
Thank You God
Thursday, July 11, 2024
I hate to bust your bubble buddy about PREDESTINATION, but ...
I hear radio preachers etc regularly bash so-called "Calvinists" about predestination. Hate to inform them but MOST of us Calvinists (those from the Reformed denominations) RARELY dwell upon predestination. It's something taught a few times periodically growing up & that's about it. We don't sit around and talk about being ' predestined'
Monday, June 17, 2024
Are secular lefty activist targeting the Christian Reformed Church ?
The @CRCNA for those who don't know is the Christian Reformed Church North America and they have a Synod every year which is kind of comparable to the way Congress works. There are motions & agendas &time to speak for or against etc. they also live stream with 20 minute delay to YouTube, & allow commentary.
However, they are those with a lefty agenda who have discovered they can propagandize via commentary against the conservative agenda of the CRC. And the same Lefty activists also will false flag conservative commentary making it more likely that conservatives get blocked by the moderator despite the CRC being a historically conservative denomination.
Fortunately however on this important motion tonight the spirit of wisdom prevailed, praise the Lord. I was praying mightily for it to happen.
Meanwhile I hope somebody can reach out to the YouTube moderator (an unnamed CRC staff member) & let them know that they're being played like a puppet by these Lefty activists. (Or, God forbid, that this moderator him or herself is a lefty activist 👎).
It's sort of like that cake bakery that refused to bake or design a cake celebrating gay marriage. The gay activists keep going back to him and still do trying to get him into legal trouble, even though there's hundreds of other bakeries who would gladly make them whatever kind of cake they want.
I'm afraid this is what these activists are trying to do to the CRC. There are numerous denominations especially Presbyterians and Methodist now who welcome any kind of marriage even the pastors can be gay. These activists insist & demand that the CRC comply as well. Even though they could go to a presbyterian or Methodist half a mile away.
"Experts discover earliest record of Jesus' childhood after deciphering 2,000-year-old Egyptian manuscript |"
"The 2,000-year-old papyrus - a material that predates paper - tells the lesser-known story of the 'vivification of the sparrows,' when the five-year-old Messiah is said to have turned clay pigeons into live birds, a tale also referred to as the 'second miracle.."
Sunday, June 16, 2024
"Discovered, Potentially Corroborate Bible Story of God's Angel Killing 185,000 Assyrian Soldiers | "
"The story, as told in the Bible, recounts how God sent an angel to thwart an army of Assyrian soldiers intent on conquering the Holy Land around 2,700 years ago. The Angel of the Lord is said to have descended upon the advancing military, killing 185,000 soldiers in a single night..."
Thursday, June 13, 2024
Monday, June 3, 2024
Sunday, June 2, 2024
Bible Mnemonics (no rights reserved, no copyright)
Bible Mnemonics
AAA: Do NOT be anxious about anything 🚫
ROGG: Radiance of God's Glory
BOM: Brothers of Mine
CAP: Called according to His purpose
ICDAT: I can do ALL things thru Christ
FOE: Fix our Eyes 👀 on Jesus✝️
FLOG: Nothing can separate us
from the Love ❤️ of God
WIG: HE has shown you
O man What is Good
HIP: HE is Patient
WESH: Who Earnestly seek Him
TAU: Transcends all understanding
TYMD: That you may declare..
BOP: NOT a spirit of Timidity but of Power 💪
BAW: Boast about Weakness
LYE: Love your Enemies
BAND: Believe & do NOT doubt
CLIMB: I no longer live
but Christ Lives in ME
BIL: My burden is Light🕯️
CYS: Confess your sins ✝️
ASGOE: Against the spiritual Forces of evil 👿🚫
NEM: New (mercies) every morning 🌅
LYLS: Let your Light💥Shine
TRYM: Be Transformed by the
Renewing of your Mind
RAW: Reverence & Awe
FGOG: Free Gift 🎁 of God
KOA: Be Kind 🙂to one Another
GIL: God is Love ❤️ ✝️
LAGL: Live a godly Life
BOHM: Because of HIS mercies
NRLTL: Narrow road 🛣️ leads to Life
SAMN: Supply all my Needs
BAP: Blessed are the Peacemakers 🕊️✌️
SORTS: Those who Wait on the Lord shall renew their Strength 💪
OPS: Our present Suffering
GATY: Grace abound to you
SHUK: Seek HIS kingdom
TYGER: Thank you God, Eternal Reality 👍🐅
EOA: Encourage one Another
SLUM: The Spirit 🕊️ of the Lord is upon me
SIFTS: Spirit Intercedes for the Saints
WOGLA: The Word📖 of God is Living & Active
BIHD: Baptized into His Death ☠️ ☝️
FATFB: The Fullness of Assurance
that Faith ✝️ brings
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Hallelujah 👍 "12,000 Christians Baptized Yesterday in 'Largest Synchronized Day of Water Baptism in American History' "-
"A reported 12,000 people were baptized in and around the waters of the Pacific Ocean yesterday as part of Baptize California, billed as the "largest synchronized day of water baptism in American history..."
Monday, May 20, 2024
"Where do major US religions stand on the COVID-19 vaccination? | "
"Dutch Reformed Church
Though it is not an official church stance, many members opt out of vaccination because they believe that vaccines can interfere with their relationship with God by making them less dependent. The church has not made a specific statement about the COVID-19 vaccine."
Sunday, May 19, 2024
re Scottie Scheffler, This sounds a little like the police fiasco in Pasadena CA & how they mistreated Phil Kok "Inside the most bizarre day in major golf with the arrest of Scottie Scheffler - "
This sounds a little like the police fiasco in Pasadena CA & how they mistreated a seminary student named Phil Kok ... which took years to resolve and never did get resolved appropriately from what I hear. Kok was a victim and a living martyr. Time will tell re Scottie, currently the best golfer in the world, and a devout Christian ✝️
"INSIDE THE MOST BIZARRE day in MAJOR GOLF WITH THE ARREST of SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER - "
We don't know all the details yet but we know the police will try to justify their own bad actions ex post facto by simply LYING. conveniently, the officer failed to turn on his camera , so now he can concoct any story he wishes.
re Scottie Scheffler, This sounds a little like the police fiasco in Pasadena CA & how they mistreated Phil Kok "Inside the most bizarre day in major golf with the arrest of Scottie Scheffler - "
This sounds a little like the police fiasco in Pasadena CA & how they mistreated a seminary student named Phil Kok ... which you years to resolve and never did get resolved appropriately from what I hear. Kok was a victim and a living martyr. Time will tell re Scottie, currently the best golfer in the world, and a devout Christian ✝️
"INSIDE THE MOST BIZARRE day in MAJOR GOLF WITH THE ARREST of SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER - "
We don't know all the details yet but we know the police will try to justify their own bad actions ex post facto by simply LYING. conveniently, the officer failed to turn on his camera , so now he can concoct any story he wishes.
Friday, May 17, 2024
Is Caesar Nero the 666 of the Bible?
"Preterist theologians typically support the interpretation that 666 is the numerical equivalent of the name and title Nero Caesar (Roman Emperor 54–68 AD). Written in Aramaic, this can be valued at 666 using the Hebrew numerology of gematria, and was used to secretly speak against the emperor..."
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Exhibit A "Roger Greenway was one of those old school professors who s. harassed in subtle ways such as this
This goes with the previous post re same person .
Actually I may as well re- post the words I wrote as well:
"It would be considered sexual harassment now, but back in the day when I was a student it was common and some Christian schools and even at Calvin College for insecure male teachers or professors to needle students who threatened their insecure ego. It was their M.O.
These teachers would take cheap shots in subtle ways about a student's "manhood" or "masculinity". One way they would do this was to raise their eyebrows and say "very creative " in response to a thought you shared or something you wrote, etc.
Sometimes they'd just do it one-to- one. Other times they'd do it in public, even in the classroom. It was definitely not appropriate for sure but they would get away with it back then as part of their "bully pulpit."
Because back then these self- proclaimed so-called "manly men" deemed "creativity " to be a non-masculine trait.
Or in some cases if a professor couldn't get away with doing something demeaning himself, he would encourage another student to do so. At Calvin College and Seminary if they called you 'dude' that was also a little bit of a slur.
For example, a professor might be speaking with one student and they might say about another student oh he's a dude," with an insinuating tone. And encourage that student to marginalize the other student as a dude. And this would also help take the light off of that professor who might be the actual less than virtuous person. It would especially help them if they could pit one student against another.
One of the most egregious professors in this regard at Calvin Seminary was Roger Greenway (Bob DeVries may be second. Cal Van Reken was up there as well). They actually considered this unethical behavior as "gamemanship".
Roger above all was highly threatened by my alpha male presence and more than once took some little unethical and inappropriate cheap shots at me such as the above. Or was intrusive.
One time we had a banquet at the beginning of the year, and I had to go make a phone call. This was before cell phones, so I had to find a public phone. And we were at a public restaurant, not at the Seminary. So I stepped out for a few minutes. IT was an important phone call that couldn't wait. When I came back he was demanding, " Where were you? Where'd you go?" as if it was any of his business. I didn't even know him at that time.
I didn't even know his name. I didn't even know he was a professor. This was a banquet for new students, including professors and other staff as well. There were a lot of faces that I did not know at that time. I was not new to Calvin College; had already gotten my bachelor's degree there , but I was new to Calvin Seminary.
He took an over- the- top special interest in everything about me which felt weird; even in this case taking special interest in why I was absent from the banquet for 5 or 10 minutes.
What if I had been in the restroom with diarrhea or something? Is that his business as well ? This isn't like we're in elementary school or kindergarten where the teacher has to know everything about the kid like a parent. This is basically graduate school.
Roger actually made the mistake of continuing to take shots at me even after I had left Calvin Seminary, and all the more stupidly, he did so in writing. And once I find that letter that I still have somewhere, I will post it as evidence.
But you see these low- level professors* would use the word "creative" & other similar enigmatic words because it's ambiguous enough to use as "double speak." This way they are covering their tracks and they can deny that they meant anything derogatory, if confronted by a complaint, or a superior investigating their behavior.
"Dude" passed as doublespeak in that regard as well because you could argue that it's an affectionate way of talking to a fellow person.
Roger Greenway has passed away, so I won't go on and on... I won't go on any further, but it's worth mentioning because there might be some professors still trying to get away with this this sort of bully behavior, and maybe some students can pick up a few tips from this information. Greenway was part of the reason that I decided to transfer to a different Seminary.
Don't allow professors to take advantage of you. They have ethical responsibilities and obligations that come with their teaching position; and belittling students is a violation of those ethical standards.
*Note: It's usually only a small amount of professors who need to use this kind of unethical "classroom control", (or even outside the classroom in some cases). It's the professors who do NOT have real great command of their content, or don't have any real command at all. So they begin struggling for class control; feel insecure , and begin belittling students as a way to silence them.
Coincidentally, both Roger Greenway and Bob DeVries may have been hired more for "legacy" reasons, or nepotism ( ie sons of professors or pastors) rather than any real great academic command or proficiency. I'm not sure about Cal Van Reken. "
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Thursday, May 9, 2024
: It would be considered sexual harassment now, but back in the day..
It would be considered sexual harassment now, but back in the day when I was a student it was common at some Christian schools and even at Calvin College for insecure male teachers or professors to needle students who threatened their insecure ego.
These teachers would take cheap shots in subtle ways about a student's "manhood" or "masculinity". One way they would do this was to raise their eyebrows and say "very creative " in response to a thought you shared or something you wrote, etc.
Sometimes they'd just do it one-to- one. Other times they'd do it in public, even in the classroom. It was definitely not appropriate for sure but they would get away with it back then as part of their "bully pulpit."
Because back then these self- proclaimed so-called "manly men" deemed "creativity " to be a non-masculine trait.
Or in some cases if a professor couldn't get away with doing something demeaning himself, he would encourage another student to do so. At Calvin College and Seminary if they called you 'dude' that was also a little bit of a slur.
For example, a professor might be speaking with one student and they might say about another student "oh, he's a dude," with an insinuating tone. And encourage that student to marginalize the other student as a dude.
And this would also help take the light off of that professor who might be the actual less-than -virtuous person. It would especially help them if they could pit one student against another.
One of the most egregious professors in this regard at Calvin Seminary was Roger Greenway (Bob DeVries may be second. Cal Van Reken was up there as well). They actually considered this unethical behavior as "gamemanship".
Roger above all was highly threatened by my alpha male presence and more than once took some little unethical and inappropriate cheap shots at me such as the above. Or was intrusive.
One time we had a banquet at the beginning of the year, and I had to go make a phone call. This was before cell phones, so I had to find a public phone. And we were at a public restaurant, not at the Seminary. So I stepped out for a few minutes. IT was an important phone call that couldn't wait. When I came back he was demanding, " Where were you? Where'd you go?" as if it was any of his business. I didn't even know him at that time.
I didn't even know his name. I didn't even know he was a professor. This was a banquet for new students, including professors and other staff as well. There were a lot of faces that I did not know at that time. I was not new to Calvin College; had already gotten my bachelor's degree there , but I was new to Calvin Seminary.
He took an over- the- top special interest in everything about me which felt weird; even in this case taking special interest in why I was absent from the banquet for 5 or 10 minutes.
What if I had been in the restroom with diarrhea or something? Is that his business as well ? This isn't like we're in elementary school or kindergarten where the teacher has to know everything about the kid like a parent. This is basically graduate school.
Roger actually made the mistake of continuing to take shots at me even after I had left Calvin Seminary, and all the more stupidly, he did so in writing. And once I find that letter that I still have somewhere, I will post it as evidence.
But you see these low- level professors* would use the word "creative" & other similar enigmatic words because it's ambiguous enough to use as "double speak." This way they are covering their tracks and they can deny that they meant anything derogatory, if confronted by a complaint, or a superior investigating their behavior.
"Dude" passed as doublespeak in that regard as well because you could argue that it's an affectionate way of talking to a fellow person.
Roger Greenway has passed away, so I won't go on and on... I won't go on any further, but it's worth mentioning because there might be some professors still trying to get away with this this sort of bully behavior, and maybe some students can pick up a few tips from this information. Greenway was part of the reason that I decided to transfer to a different Seminary.
Don't allow professors to take advantage of you. They have ethical responsibilities and obligations that come with their teaching position; and belittling students is a violation of those ethical standards.
*Note: It's usually only a small amount of professors who need to use this kind of unethical "classroom control", (or even outside the classroom in some cases). It's the professors who do NOT have real great command of their content, or don't have any real command at all. So they begin struggling for class control; feel insecure , and begin belittling students as a way to silence them.
Coincidentally, both Roger Greenway and Bob DeVries may have been hired more for "legacy" reasons, or nepotism ( ie sons of professors or pastors) rather than any real great academic command or proficiency. I'm not sure about Cal Van Reken.
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Very charitable, but they declined me😢✝️ "Richard & Helen DeVos Foundation sunsets after 54 years, $1.1B donated"
And Richie $Rich$ DeVos had shown appreciation for the positive thinking messages of Robert Schuller on the Hour of Power. I think he also appeared as a guest on one of the Hour of Power episodes - which I can't seem to find on the internet after a brief search-but having personally been there I remember the details. It may have actually been an evening service -, if so, it wasn't televised for the Hour of Power.
And I don't remember if it was prior to me sending this letter in 2003 or ex post facto. I remember one detail very clearly: Rich DeVos promised to buy Robert Schuller a new limousine because his old one, which they used to pick him up from the airport, was "bottoming out" . A limousine sounds fancy and rich of course, but I think the original stretch limo was also donated, and it was nothing special. THe new limousine was a silver mini-Limo thanks to Devos.
Anyways, they probably assumed that the Crystal Cathedral could afford to buy it's own copy machine for the 10th floor. And in 2003 they were probably right, even though dark clouds would start to gather in the next few years and ultimately the church would declare bankruptcy and close it's doors in 2013. I never knew it would end this way.
I had no premonition apart from wondering at some point why the chairs in the Cathedral were getting so worn out and not being replaced? Anyways, I was there through it all, even at the court bankruptcy hearings in Santa Ana, CA.
The Cathedral ministry actually has continued on a much smaller budget, at a few new locations (now in Irvine CA known as Shepherd's Grove) under the leadership of Bobby Schuller (Robert's grandson) and the Hour of Power can still be viewed online & on TV in some locations.
Nonetheless, I still had my own income & savings from also working as a regular teacher and during seminary as a substitute teacher for the LAUSD and so I decided to buy the copy machine myself. I surprised the 10th floor with a gift.
The company delivered it, but for some reason the 10th floor staff didn't accept it. They returned it. Maybe I hurt their pride. And a few weeks later they bought their own copy machine. Whatever.
Interesting thing is we have a lot of common heritage as the DeVos family . Our family is of Dutch ancestory and Christian Reformed affiliations; as well as Grand Rapids Christian High, Holland Christian High, & Calvin College. It's a small world. Doug DeVos was a few years before me at Grand Rapids Christian High.
Rich & Jay both attended Grand Rapids CHristian and a little bit of Calvin COllege too, I think. The DeVos family attended LaGrave CRC for many years - where my grandfather's family also attended. They had/have a cottage on Lake Michigan by Lake Macatawa as did/does my grandfather (Rest-in-Peace).
I also worked at Pine Rest Hospital for a year after college as a Mental Health Worker mostly in the adolescent unit, which was named the Van Andel Center after Rich Devos founding partner Jay (who died in 2004; as well as his wife, Betty, Rest-in-Peace). I think the Devos Family has also made contributions to Pine Rest for the sake of Christian mental health treatment. And my father was a chaplain there for many years.
Since 2003 I've continued to make small strides in doing Christian evangelical ministry in various ways. I've done formal mission trips, such as a summer in the Philippines with a CRC group; as well as disaster relief in Costa Rica with CRWM (world missions) after a giant earthquake caused substantial damage.
But mostly I've done online E-vangelism (electronic evangelism: blogs, YouTube, Twitter X, etc ) as well as "street evangelism" (Gospel tracts), among many other things. All on a shoestring budget.
My motto is "I'm not Johnny AppleSeed, but Johnny Mustard Seed" (based on Matt 17.20 which says "… Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed...Nothing will be impossible for you." I plant seeds - and hope & pray for good soil. Then I rely upon this Bible verse: 1 Corinthians 3: 6-8
Best wishes to the DeVos family as well as their staff at their Foundation.
Helen died in 2017, Rest-in-Peace
Rich died in 2018, Rest-in-Peace
-----
https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/grand-rapids/richard-and-helen-devos-foundation-sunsets-after-54-years-1-1b-donated
"Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation sunsets after 54 years, $1.1B donated"
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
It's NOT all genetic , also behavioral: "Nearsightedness reaching epidemic levels: Half the world will need glasses by 2050 -"
"The more time we spend focusing on something within arm's length of our faces, dubbed "near work," the greater the odds of having myopia ..
Myopia rates for Inuit went from the single digits before the 1950s to upwards of 70% by the 1970s as all children began attending schools for the first time..."
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Thursday, April 11, 2024
In Christ ✝️
In Christ, new Hope
ignites 🧨 its Flame, 🔥
Eternal light ☀️
no darkness tames
With arms outstretched✝️
His love unfurled,
He brings new life
to All the world 🌎
In every heart, 💓
a song 🎶 resounds,
A melody of grace abounds🎵
From depths of doubt,
He lifts us high,
On wings of Faith,
we learn to Fly 🕊️
In Him, our fears
find sweet release🎈
In His embrace,
we find our Peace 🙏
So let us walk
in faith's bright glow 🌄
With Christ, our Savior,
we shall Grow 🌱
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
R.U.Growing?✝️ "And we all are being Transformed into the same image from one degree of Glory to another...
"And we all, with unveiled face,
beholding the Glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the
Lord who is the Spirit.
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect
the Glory of the Lord
-2 Cor3.18-
Monday, April 8, 2024
A SIGN FROM GOD ? "This Is The Eclipse "Conspiracy Theory" That The Mainstream Media Doesn't Want To Talk About"
"Instead of saying that He is "the Alpha and the Omega", during the original conversations Jesus would have said that He is "the Aleph and the Tav"....Now the Aleph Tav is literally being painted in the skies above America, and hardly anyone is even talking about this..."
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
A Prayer by ChatGPT 🙏✝️ (per my command)
Heavenly Father,
We come before You, acknowledging Your sovereignty and power over all things, including the forces of darkness led by Satan. We recognize the pervasive influence of evil in our world and the harm it inflicts upon Your creation. We beseech You to protect us from the schemes and temptations of the enemy.
Lord, we declare the wickedness of Satan and his minions, who seek to deceive, destroy, and sow chaos in our lives and communities. We ask for Your divine intervention to thwart their plans and expose their lies.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we command every demon and evil spirit to flee from every sphere of influence—be it our homes, workplaces, schools, governments, or any other realm. We proclaim Your authority over all principalities and powers, knowing that nothing can stand against Your might.
Grant us discernment to recognize the tactics of the enemy and the strength to resist them. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may walk in righteousness and truth, shining as beacons of Your love and grace in a darkened world.
May Your light dispel the darkness, and Your peace reign supreme in every heart. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.
Amen.
Friday, March 29, 2024
"Sudanese Christians introduce desperate people to Jesus as war rages on - "
"The war is nowhere near being over, but John and his organization – which we cannot name for security purposes – remain committed to their work in Sudan. By empowering local Gospel workers, they're introducing desperate people to the HOPE OF CHRIST..."
Wow. Times have changed #GoodFriday ✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️
Wow. Times have changed
#GoodFriday ✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️☝️
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Get your #AmeriBible ✝️ Are they all signed by him as well? "Trump is now selling... 📖BIBLES🇺🇲— for $59.95. ..
#AmeriBible
Are they all signed by
him as well?
"Trump has announced that he's now selling... ✝️BIBLES🇺🇲— for $59.95. ..The Trump-endorsed Bible is bundled with America's founding documents & a lyrics sheet for Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA"
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Written by chat GPT
"In Christian theology and tradition, angels are often categorized into several hierarchies or orders based on their roles, duties, and proximity to God. While different religious traditions may have variations in their classifications, the following are commonly recognized categories of angels:
1. **Seraphim**: Described as the highest order of angels, often depicted as fiery beings surrounding the throne of God and praising Him continually.
2. **Cherubim**: Often depicted as winged creatures with multiple faces, cherubim are associated with guarding sacred spaces and serving as bearers of God's divine presence.
3. **Thrones**: Also known as "Ophanim," thrones are believed to support and uphold God's divine justice and authority.
4. **Dominions**: These angels are associated with governance and rule, exercising authority over other angelic beings.
5. **Virtues**: Often depicted as powerful spirits responsible for maintaining the natural order and performing miracles.
6. **Powers**: These angels are believed to combat evil and protect against spiritual and physical threats.
7. **Principalities**: Associated with overseeing and guiding nations, regions, and groups of people.
8. **Archangels**: Generally considered messengers or heralds of God's will, archangels often play significant roles in delivering important messages or fulfilling specific tasks.
9. **Angels**: The lowest order of angels, they are typically regarded as messengers or guardians assigned to protect and guide individuals.
It's important to note that these categories are based on theological interpretations and may vary across different religious traditions within Christianity. Additionally, some traditions may not adhere to a strict hierarchy of angels or may have alternative classifications."
Monday, March 25, 2024
The strange thing about Pasadena CA
The strange thing about Pasadena CA is that for those of us who are not from there or don't live there, but who visit on New years day or attend a school there like Fuller seminary or something, ...
(https://x.com/AmeriPrayer1/status/1772315824671572133?t=d2Ni_E3xcTxmZUsx9bfnhg&s=03)
(https://x.com/AmeriPrayer1/status/1772315824671572133?t=d2Ni_E3xcTxmZUsx9bfnhg&s=03)
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
New Hampshire 👎 ''Government Launches Holy War on Pastor for Home-Churching | "
"A report from First Liberty Institute explains that a request has been filed for a preliminary injunction against officials in the town of Weare, accusing them of violating the law by requiring an "expensive and onerous site review plan" for the church to meet in the pastor's home..."
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
about Paul Schrader's movie Hardcore, that begins in Grand Rapids and ends in Hollywood (which is not Bellflower)
prefix: anybody from the Reformed tradition, and especially the Christian Reformed tradition (CRC), should at least be aware of the legacy of Paul Schrader (a calvin alumnus, maybe or maybe not graduated); and the 1979 movie Hardcore (even if it is not recommended for young people; nor would I recommend it in general except for the purpose of knowing the significance of it for the reformed community) ; and also there's a reference to Bellflower in it (which is where the Christian Reformed settled in southern California back in the day, and to this day there remains a few CRC's as well as the K-12 Christian school founded by the CRC, and still in association with the CRC. Furthermore, many Valley students go on to Calvin College; another reason for being aware of who is Paul Schrader and in particular this film entitled "Hardcore".
Above: my pic of Paul Schrader when I saw him at the UCLA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles years ago.
Ironically I grew up in GR (Grand Rapids, MI) but our family moved to Bellflower when I was in high school. Paul Schrader begins his movie "Hardcore" (original title was "The Pilgrim" in GR ..and the kids are headed to a young calvinist convention (something the Christian Reformed Church used to do, maybe still do, for adolescents of the CRC) with a big sign on a bus that says "Bellflower" on it. But before I recap the movie for those of you who haven't seen it (by the way, it is available, or was, on Tubi for free now, finally; & not for children by the way. See https://tubitv.com/movies/670431/hardcore ; by the way, last time I checked it is no longer available on Tubi ; maybe they mistakenly released it for free temporarily. Maybe I got lucky).
I guess I didn't see it because I hadn't made a point of it, and it hasn't been free until now. I'm not a "fan boy" of Paul Schrader just because of our similar backgrounds. If he creates good material I will applaud it. Otherwise, not. But when it popped up as a "new free movie" on Tubi I took the time to critically view it. You can also view the opening scenes on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3x46EkgGfc or https://rb.gy/29yjho
So this film was released in 1979 when I was 12 years old, and of course when I was a kid in the 70's in Grand Rapids it would not have been a movie my parents would have approved of, even if it was a Paul Schrader movie- or maybe especially because it was a Schrader movie. He was considered a rebel back then by the CRC- and may still be in some parts.
My parents never mentioned him, either intentionally or because he simply wasn't in their sphere. I only knew of him because of little things I heard or read here & there- maybe at my Christian school (GRCH) or later at Calvin College. I haven't gone back to research this aspect of Paul Schrader's life, but as best as I can recall there was some sort of controversy about Schrader when he was on the Chimes staff, and something about the college chaplain, and something about the code of counseling confidentiality etc etc, … ; and something happened that I won't speculate any further .. some say he got kicked out of Calvin; others say he graduated. Numerous stories abound and maybe we will never know for sure. Schrader himself may have started some of the rumors to add to his "rebel image". At this point, it doesn't really matter.
Even when our family moved from GR to Bellflower when I was in high school I didn't know anything specific about the movie Hardcore or any of his other movies. I don't even remember when I saw Taxi Driver, the movie he is best known for (probably, as he himself says; but some make an argument for "American Gigolo") .
Here's one quote I come across re Taxi Driver:
"In 1973, only five years out of Calvin College, Schrader wrote a near-perfect first screenplay, including revision, in ten days while living in his car following the demise of his first marriage, drinking heavily and attracted to pornography, guns, and suicide. No surprise, then, that Taxi Driver (1974) is not a cheerful work, displaying at length the badly tangled psyche of marine-vet Travis Bickle (De Niro), a New York cabbie who drives the night shift because he can't sleep anyway." https://www.booksandculture.com/articles/1999/julaug/9b4020.html
And of course I had never seen him in person nor even a picture of him. I mention this because much later in life when I was a young adult working in Los Angeles & exploring different parts, I started going to the UCLA Hammer Museum on a periodic basis (by the way, I also worked for a short time at UCLA as a chaplain in the medical center, and completed CPE there (Clinical Pastoral Education). Even though the museum is far too lefty for my taste, I would go there as a Christian evangelist and try to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ our Savior- if nothing else- leaving little Bible tracts underneath windshield wipers. My code of honor as an evangelist is that if a person rejects the gospel I can at least try to be influence or inspire them to be a good citizen.
And one day I noticed the Hammer Museum calendar saying that Paul Schrader was going to be there in person- so I made sure to mark the date to attend the free event. Of course, Schrader attended the UCLA for cinematography (or whatever they call it now)- and for this event he was showing a film and having a conversation with a museum person (& I think he was donating some of his "historic" materials to the UCLA archive).
So I arrived a little early and entered the lobby of the Hammer Museum, and there was an elderly chap sitting alone on a bench waiting for the event to begin and I just passed him by to find a seat in the auditorium. What I didn't know until the show started was that it was Paul Schrader himself sitting there.
I wished I had known what he looked like so I could have said hello and mention to him our similar pathways- ie we both grew up in GR, both attended GRCH & Calvin, both grew up in the CRC, etc. He originally intended to go into Christian ministry, while I actually did so; but also dabbled in show business myself (more about that later). It would have been a fun conversation.
Also, by the way, his late brother Len was involved in Hollywood film making, mainly as a writer- best known for his film entitled "Kiss of the Spiderwoman" - another film which I did not see until late in life- and for that matter- I didn't find it very compelling- and never actually finished watching it. It had a lefty agenda which I don't necessarily agree with- or find very entertaining either. But it did win an Oscar, for what it's worth. It stars the late William Hurt- and I noticed that Paul is currently married to Mary Beth Hurt- who as best as I can tell was originally married to William Hurt- but it ended in divorce (I think).
Another connection to the Schraders is that Len attended the University of Iowa writing program in Iowa City (coincidentally, I was born at the University of Iowa Medical Center when my dad was working his first full-time job as a CRC pastor- and my parents had interacted with Len on a few occasions).
Anyways, I attended the Hammer Museum event -watched his film about "Mishima" - listened to the interview- nothing particular memorable about any of it. Never got a chance to talk to him. With all of this as a prelude, let's get back to the Hardcore movie- as mentioned it begins in GR with kids sledding on a hill - like I did when I was a child - I think they show "Richmond Park" for the sledding scene (where I never went sledding- we would usually go to Brookside or Tower Park on the SE side).
They also show at least one Christian Reformed Church in the opening scene- I think it is Leonard Street CRC. This is the west side of GR- opposite of where I grew up. I would rarely come over this way on my own or even with my family - except for a few times when we might go to John Ball Zoo. I remember playing against "Westside" school in basketball when I was playing for Millbrook on the southeast side (I remember Bill Sall was their best player. Now he's the Calvin Coach. Small world). That's about it. Anyways, the point is that Paul Schrader was a "west sider."
Later in life I've explored the west side of GR a bit more, but we never attended the Christian Reformed churches on that side of town (our family attended 1st CRC, also known as Bates Street). Of course we had west side kids in our class at GRCH- all the Christian junior high students (from Ada, Millbrook, Sylvan, East Paris, Westside, Creston, etc ) eventually meet at the one main high school (some of these junior highs no longer exist, including mine). The opening scene also apparently shows Paul's dad shoveling snow and Paul's actual house (lots of actual real snow- makes me wonder if they filmed this after the famous blizzard of '78? I was living there at the time and remember it well. And it fits with the timing of the release a year later).
There's also a scene at a factory, and also at a home that says in fading paint "Van Dorn's Celery"- (apparently, celery farming was a thing in west Michigan for some time. See https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/celery-in-western-michigan ) where they show some of the elderly folk talking about Reformed theology- all familiar topics to me
Later, there's even a scene where the main character - the father in search of his daughter in Los Angeles (played by George C. Scott) has a conversation with a young lady about "TULIP" - the reformed acronym for Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistable Grace, & Perseverance of the Saints - to which the female character responds "Wow, you're more messed up than me", or something like that.
Why is the father searching for his daughter? Because somewhere after reaching Los Angeles, the daughter disappeared. And nobody knows what happened. So after hiring a private investigator who is only partially successful or honest with the father, the father decides to go to L.A. on his own to find his beloved daughter.
And here is where I need to mention some particulars about the movie that are misleading. Of course the bus says they are going to a convention in Bellflower which is indeed in Los Angeles county- but Bellflower is one of MANY suburbs & incorporated cities (88 in total) of L.A. county -and it is not necessarily in a "seedy" area as depicted in the movie.
From Bellflower to downtown is 18 miles. If a young person was going to L.A. to be LED ASTRAY (no pun intended, but it works well ie LA= Led Astray), Bellflower would not necessarily be the place to go. Bellflower was originally mostly Dutch farmers- in fact my dad, as the son of a CRC pastor, partially grew up there in the 1930's before moving to Holland Michigan.
He has photo album pics of wide open fields- dirt roads, lots of open space etc. Of course by the 70's it had become much more established, but still then and today is not near Hollywood nor the lefty craziness you might think (of) (sorry to end with a preposition). In the 70's and even still today it is a relatively mundane community - not a lot of exciting night life or theatres, etc.
For entertainment, people might go to Cerritos Mall; or venture all the way downtown or to Hollywood for special shows etc. Belfllower is surrounded by other suburbs such as Lakewood, Long Beach, Norwalk, Downey, Paramount, and the list goes on. For sports, there's Angels Stadium in Anaheim, and Dodger Stadium near downtown, and all the other sports teams, but none are near Bellflower.
Perhaps Bellflower's biggest claim to fame today is the football team at Bosco Catholic High School. They are a regular top seed in the entire nation for high school football, and high prospects will travel or move to the area to attend Bosco- with high hopes of a college career and maybe even the NFL.
Originally, however, Bellflower (originally called Somerset) was a stronghold for the CRC- including Valley Christian Schools- associated with the CRC- which my grandfather (also a CRC pastor) co-founded back in the 30's. So the Bellflower sign on the bus is misleading.
If this CRC father's daughter went to Bellflower- to get "led astray" into pornography she would have had to travel on her own or be picked up by somebody - to the other side of L.A. (county, not city) - most likely San Fernando Valley (about 40 miles from Bellflower) - which is known to be more of a pornography -producing area. I am now imagining the snarky hyper-sexual punk out there reading this sarcastically saying suggestively, "How does he know it's a porno area? "
And the answer is: I study and read, and learn. Not from personal involvement in it. I also worked as a substitute teacher for the LAUSD for many years while going thru seminary and so I got to know the area from working at the many LAUSD schools in the area, and you learn as you go. San Fernando valley (not to be confused with the City of San Fernando in SF Valley) is comprised of many cities, from Glendale out to Thousand Oaks, and everything in between. Of course, there's also Burbank, Tarzana, Studio City, North Hollywood, etc
There's also the mainstream film industry in this area, including Warner Bros, Disney, as well as numerous other smaller film production companies. When I was still in seminary I bought a used station wagon a few decades ago- a beautiful Mercury Colony Park- & it just happened to be from a fellow who was a film producer living in Studio City and had used it to transport "suits" (ie film studio executives around the lot).
To put all of this into context: Grand Rapids to Holland MI (or Grand Haven if you prefer) (a drive I took millions of times to "grandpa's cottage" growing up in West Michigan) is about 30 to 35 miles, closer than Bellflower is to San Fernando. Basically, "the valley" is the other side of "the hill" – which Mulholland Highway traverses from the Bel Air area towards the Hollywood Bowl area ( I recently drove it with my elderly parents & my sister who was visiting from Michigan- showing them the sights-
Anyways, this leads me to another point: After my family moved to Bellflower, I still went back and forth to Grand Rapids as I attended Calvin College, and two of my siblings remained in West Michigan. And my grandfather on my mother's side still resided in GR - and ran a profitable butter business.
Anybody who knows a little bit of Dutch American and CRC history can easily figure out who I am from all the clues I've given. And people who knew our family -and made the association of us with my successful businessman grandfather (& his "mansion" in East Grand Rapids) -- assumed when we moved to southern Cal we were moving to a place like Beverly Hills - like a mansion or something. Because they also knew my dad was moving back to California to work for a successful televangelist Christian ministry- which evoked images of financial well-being, in the minds of some people.
However, Bellflower is NOT Beverly Hills. It's not a "bad neighborhood" necessarily but it's just basic middle-class houses - some areas nicer and more spacious than other- but some parts very close together- including lots of apartments. Our family moved to a nice 2-story home: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, big backyard, near a park, etc - also in an equestrian area- where some people had horses- and they would ride them on the nearby riverbed and on the streets as well. But it was NOT a fancy area that you might see in Sunset Magazine etc.
I say this because over time- we would have CRC friends visit from west Michigan (some of them "Eagle Knights" -ie who attended GRCH & Calvin like myself) and often they would come with certain pre-conceptions as mentioned only to find out we lived in an "ordinary" middle class neighborhood.
Some with less class would return to Michigan and tell snarky stories about where we live as if we ever pretended to be rich Beverly Hills people. WE never did. And still don't to this day (although I don't live in Bellflower anymore, my parents still do in the same house).
We are not and never were a "flashy" family, nor was my wealthy Grand Rapids grandfather (apart from the mansion, of course). My wealthy grandfather drove station wagons his whole life, and kept his Lake Michigan cottage fairly primitive. Even today the driveway remains unpaved. His son who took over the business is more of a flashy type- in terms of cars and boats. But those of us who moved to Bellflower were never the flashy types.
There were also a few "friends" who assumed I was going to be in the movie business myself because of the images and associations they had in their minds of me and my family (as mentioned my dad also worked for a televised ministry that periodically interviewed famous guests as part of the church service; including the occasional Hollywood celebrity who had at least a little bit of Christian conviction). And some thought I had "Hollywood looks" whatever that means. But I never had any dreams or ambitions of becoming a so-called "movie star".
One of these people I knew from Calvin showed up by surprise one day when I was still in Bellflower and she was shocked that it was nowhere near Hollywood and the film industry. And disappointed for that matter. She mistakenly thought I was part of that crowd. Sorry Audrey (& Eric). I never said I was, nor pretended to be (but that's another story for another time). Later, I did become a little involved in show business – but mostly for the sake of my Christian ministry- and trying to reach people in those circles with the good news of Jesus Christ (yes, I am an evangelical!)
CRC kids & families all over USA know about other CRC communities all over the USA from missionaries who visit their parish, & from reading The Banner, and for those who go on to Calvin, they meet fellow CRC kids (young adults). However, unless you're a rare bird, like me (or one of those CRC pastors who bounced around, or a family member of such a pastor) you probably don't personally know much of anything about that other CRC community.
I'm such a rare CRC bird that over time I searched out all the CRC locations in California – attending a few- but mostly just taking pictures of them for a blog. Later, I did the same in the Chicago area- primarily for the purpose of getting to know the physical locations of these Christian Reformed neighborhoods. Even as late as 2023 I'm still doing this- most recently around the greater Grand Rapids area- wow -so many CRC's and RCA's and even Protestant Reformed Churches- it's mind boggling. I sometimes ponder how much more we could do as the Body of Christ if we could find a way to unite!
As best as I can tell, the only reason Paul Schrader used Bellflower as a prop on the bus was apparently because he knew of it as a Christian Reformed stronghold. I wonder if he has actually ever been to Bellflower? And as far as I know they never filmed any of the California scenes actually in Bellflower, nor even in L.A. County. From what I hear, many, if not all, of the risque CA scenes are actually filmed in San Diego County.
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