Category: Subject Index

Polls have shown that one in five adults in the United States has read “The Da Vinci Code,” and many more are familiar with its themes. George Barna, a pollster in California, says 25 percent of those who had read the book said it helped them achieve personal growth or understanding. “Few people said that reading the book had actually changed any of their beliefs,” he said. “That was only 5 percent. Most people said that it essentially reinforced what they believed coming into the book.”

What they believe is what Mr. Barna calls “pick and choose theology.” It’s a trend that Christian conservatives find scary and maddening, but that liberals tend to embrace as “big tent” inclusiveness.

“Americans by and large consider themselves to be Christian, but when you try to drill down to figure out what they believe, you find that among those who call themselves Christian, 59 percent don’t believe in Satan, 42 percent believe Jesus sinned during his time on Earth, and only 11 percent believe the Bible is the source of absolute moral truth,” said Mr. Barna, a conservative evangelical who regards these as troubling indicators.

Da Vinci Christianity is not so disturbing to Gregory Robbins, an Episcopalian who directs the Anglican Studies program at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

“When I talk to groups, they say, tell us about the Dead Sea Scrolls, the discovery of the Gnostic gospels, what went on with Constantine, was there a massive book burning by the church in the fourth century” – all elements woven into the Da Vinci plot, Mr. Robbins said.

He said he emphasizes in his talks that in its first few centuries, Christianity was not monolithic. There were Palestinian Christians, Jewish Christians, Pauline Christians who appealed to gentiles, Gnostic Christians, and Ebionite Christians who saw Jesus as merely a prophet.

Among Christians today, he said: “I have found a willingness to entertain the idea that early Christianity was very diverse. Then they’re able to talk about the diversity that characterizes Christianity in the 20th century.”

Laurie Goodstein
The New York Times
(Partial transcript, edited for space).

Analysis:

The DaVinci Code, a novel which takes potshots at the Catholic church, and also makes outlandish claims about Jesus Christ, has been made into a movie. Many protests are being raised about the movie, as Catholics and Protestants alike take issue with the plot and characters in the movie.

What is interesting is that so much of this controversy revolves around whose lie is the truth! While The Davinci Code certainly attacks the Christian faith, it is mostly attacking a distortion of that faith, as it claims the Catholic church to be the “bad guy” in hiding what “really happened.”

And some people are being taken in by it all. The article above gives the main reason why this is so. People seem to think that you can pick and choose what part of the Christian faith you want to believe, and reject the rest! One man in the article asks, “All these people – the famous Luke, Mark and John – how did they know so much about Jesus’ life?”

Of course, “these people” are the inspired writers of the gospels of our Lord. As Peter said, “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:16).

All scripture is given by God’s inspiration (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The attempts of some heretics 2,000 years after the fact nothwithstanding, the inspiration and veracity of the New Testament scriptures is beyond dispute.

Title: The Christian Age

We are living in the end times, the last days, also known as the Christian Age. This edition of the Sound Teaching podcast discusses the Christian Age.

To listen to this Podast, click here .

To subscribe to the podcast feed, click here .

(Note:  For some reason, when you click on the blue arrow just on this post, the MP3 file plays double speed.  The file is fine.  Either right click on the link to save the file to your hard drive, or click on the “click here” link, and use your own software to play the file.  If this happens more often, we will try to figure out what the technical problem is. At this time, this is the only file where this problem is present.)

Title: The Amazing Grace of God

The grace of God is truly amazing. However, the concept of grace is commonly misunderstood even by religious people. In this podcast, Stan Cox plainly reveals what the Bible teaches about Grace.

To listen to this Podast, click here . (5:30 min., 5.1 MB)

To subscribe to the podcast feed, click here .

Sermon Title: Apologetics

The Christian faith must be defended by Christians. There is credible evidence which can be supplied to answer in the affirmative the following questions: 1) Does God Exist?; 2) Is the Bible Inspired?; 3) Are our Bibles today dependable?; 4) Did the Man Jesus Really Live on Earth?; 5) Is Jesus the Son of God?

(Note: The audio of this lesson came from Stan Cox’s presentation of the material at the Forum Terrace church of Christ on May 12, 2006. The material was also presented by Stan at the West Side church in two parts on Sunday, May 14th).

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: Why I Believe In Heaven

Heath Rogers preached this sermon, his last in the meeting. It was a fitting end to our gospel meeting, as brother Rogers gave credible evidence as to the existence of that eternal abode.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Thousands of people fled the fertile slopes of Indonesia’s most dangerous volcano Saturday as glowing lava oozed down the side and ash and rock spewed from the mountaintop, leading authorities to warn that an eruption could come soon.

Villages on Mount Merapi were left virtually empty, although some residents returned to its slopes Sunday to tend their animals and crops…

Continue reading “Thousands Flee Dangerous Volcano” →

Sermon Title: Who pays When I Sin?

Heath Rogers preached this sermon, examing the consequences, to self, family, friends, the church, and even the Lord Himself as a result of sin. Excellent Lesson!

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: Judas Iscariot – The Man Who Became a Traitor

Heath Rogers preached this sermon, detailing the events surrounding the betrayal of Jesus, and examining the motives and actions of Judas Iscariot and the Lord.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: Lot – How to Make a Terrible Decision

This sermon by Heath Rogers establishes that bad influences (in this case the men of Sodom) can corrupt our thinking and judgment to the point that we make bad decisions. Great lesson for young people.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: God’s Eternal Principles

Heath Rogers preached this excellent sermon establishing from scripture certain principles which have been true from the beginning of time.

Unfortunately, the audio did not come out. However, Heath has supplied us with the Powerpoint file of the sermon.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

In a spirited debate that touched on topics ranging from slavery to the Progressive Era in American politics, supporters of same-sex marriage yesterday urged the state’s highest court to disqualify a controversial ballot question to ban gay matrimony starting in 2008.

A lawyer for Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders argued before the Supreme Judicial Court that Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, in approving the ballot question, flouted a provision in the state constitution that blocks citizen-generated questions seeking the ”reversal of a judicial decision.” The SJC legalized gay marriage in Massachusetts in November 2003.

Continue reading “Ballot to Ban Gay Marriage Debated” →

Sermon Title: Godliness

Heath Rogers preached this lesson regarding the necessity of adding to our faith the Christian grace of Godliness (as per 2 Peter 1). This was as good a lesson as I have heard on the subject of Godliness, and I commend the lesson to you.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: “He Added No More”

Heath Rogers’ sermon. A proper respect for the authority of God’s word will preclude us from adding to the commandments delivered for us. God has spoken, we must accept His word.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: Proper Attitudes Toward Obedience

Heath Rogers preached this lesson, examining the proper attitudes we must have toward the commands of the God of heaven.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Sermon Title: The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

Heath Rogers, visiting from Edna, TX, preached a wonderful lesson on the conversion of the Philippian Jailer in Acts 16. This first prinicple lesson establishes clearly what each person must do to obtain redemption under the law of Christ.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .