Care to recommend a book?

I met a gentleman tonight, a friend of my mom's boyfriend. He is a lawyer, loves learning and his next hobby is going to be to learn about spirituality and religion. According to his testimony, he believes in God and Christ...he tells people his religion is morality. He is astounded by the immensity, complexity and creativity of creation. For him, man's ability to think and question and ponder is argument enough for a higher power. He admittedly doesn't know much in this area. He is very turned off by people who think they are right, have a monopoly on the truth. He asked for any leads on books that might be helpful. I suggested Mere Christianity, a biography on Luther (legal mind), and a book by John Dickson "If I were God, I'd make myself clearer". Could you recommend any other books?

Your prayers would be valuable as well.

Thanks!

kind of a funny picture

I think this is what I might look like when I'm older.

Where have the prophets gone?

I am weary of people nowadays claiming to be prophets. For a couple of years, I have been having discussions with an older gentleman in my church, from a charasmatic background, but now is a member in our wesleyan church. He talks much about the prophetic ministry. At first, I listened while dismissing his ideas. However, as I have watched his life, he is not just a man trying to cause a ruckus, trying to major on a minor. He loves Christ, he loves the church, he loves the teens he teaches in Sunday School. He finally pointed me to a book by Graham Cooke called "Developing your prophetic gifting" that might help me think about the role of prophets or the gift of prophecy. In reading the table of contents, it seems to take Scripture seriously as well as the dangers of prophecy gone wrong and the blessing of spirit filled prophetic ministry.

I am not ready to fly out to the next prophecy convention, but I am looking forward to really taking a closer look at Scripture and being open to having my assumptions sifted.

Question: Where have all the prophets gone? 1 Cor 14:24

Sermon on 1 Cor 11:17:34

Hey, I'm preaching this sunday and wanted to share some of my thoughts about the text and hopefully recieve some feedback. I've never done this with a sermon before, but I think it should prove helpful.

The main problem Paul is addressing:
At the Lord's Supper (probably modeled after a Jewish meal where the bread is blessed prior to the meal and the cup is blessed after the main course) the wealthy people were eating the fine food they brought while the slaves and lower class ate little or no food and remained hungry. Paul was disturbed that the meal was maintaining the class distinctions found in larger society.

Paul's prescription: Their assembly, if it is to be called the Lord's supper, should be modeled after Christ and specifically, and most fittingly, after his demonstration of sacrafice on the cross.

He cites the last supper vv. 23-26, as a contrast to their supper which alienates.

Why would this matter to my congregation. From this passage, in a limited way, I am trying to answer for them the following question: why do we celebrate the Eucharist/Lord's Table?

Answer: We are to be a community shaped by the Lord's table. In remembering Christ's death, which was for all (debatable, but I'm not going into it here) or at least for humans regardless of gender, nationality, economic status etc. (again, I know salvation was for more than just human souls) we must model love and sacrafice for humans of all place and status. Of course, this is enabled by the forgiveness and cleansing we receive from Christ's victorious work on the cross.

An important truth I might highlight (since many at our church are low economic status and education level) is how this passage emphasizes God's concern for those without. Blessed are the poor. Any ideas on how to do that with sensitivity?