Redeeming Halloween, Osteen Does It Again, and more links...

Here are some interesting links you might want to read. 

Halloween on Mission - Awesome post by David Mathis from Desiring God on redeeming Halloween for the gospel.  Too often we live in hiding and seclusion instead of living boldly on mission.  The effect of this is that we create an isolationist mentality which makes us inaccessible to the lost and ineffective in evangelism.  You don't have to agree with this post, but it does make some great points. 

Does Joel Osteen not know, or does he not care? -Smiling Joel was asked once again to make a stand on a controversial topic and once again he chose the path of popular opinion than that of biblical authority.  By his own admission, he "hasn't studied" the issues of Momonism and Christianity.  My advice: Don't make a statement then Joel. 

Reformation Day: What in the world happened? - Great post by my friend and seminary classmate Dr. Jason Lee about the impact of Martin Luther and the Reformation started by his 95 theses.  Great information that most lay people in the church have no knowledge of.

How to articulate a Christian worldview in four easy steps - Kevin DeYoung is a very smart young pastor who does a great job keeping people grounded in biblical theology and practical living.  Every Christian should be able to articulate a Christian worldview, but so often cannot.  This post will help.

Seven reasons Halloween Judgment Houses often miss the mark - I have been on record before that I am not a big fan of the Judgment House mentality in churches.  I think the motives are pure and the churches that do them really do want to see people come to faith in Christ.  I also think that some people are genuinely saved in them.  However, I don't think they accurately convey the gospel and are just a 21st century answer to hellfire and brimstone revivalism.

Happy Reformation Day!

While most of America will dress up in costumes and seek out candy, few of us really understand the significance of October 31. On this date in 1517, a monk named Martin Luther took 95 theses named "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" that he drafted in response to the selling of indulgences by Johann Tetzel to fund the St. Peter's Basilica. Although Luther probably didn't mean to start a revolution, his courage helped to fire the first shot in what would become known as the Protestant Reformation. It was a group of men who protested errors of the Roman Catholic Church and opened the true gospel to the world. If you have a personal faith in Jesus Christ, it is most likely a direct result of the stand made this day by Martin Luther.

Here is a Wikipedia article on Luther

Here is a Wikipedia article on the 95 Theses and an actual list of what they said.

Thank you Lord for the courage and power of men like Luther. May we have men with that kind of dedication in our day.